63 minSeason 1 • Episode 10
LatestMr Kimijima's star at the conglomerate is on the rise until he objects to his manager's pet project. Consequently, he is transferred to a manufacturing factory out in the provinces. Moreover, he is given the reins of the company's rugby team. The team is in a slump and not doing well. He would like the team to begin winning again, but what does he know about a game of running and diving and groping?
Acting
Yo Oizumi's magnificent fraud of a man learning to care.
Writing
Rugby as metaphor that actually understands the sport.
Production
Factory town authenticity vs. Tokyo corporate gloss.
Yo Oizumi
Hayato Kimijima
Takako Matsu
Maki Kimijima
Takaya Kamikawa
Keiichiro Takigawa
Ryohei Otani
Takuma Saimon
Mitsuomi Takahashi
Tetsu Kishiwada
Gordon Maeda
Keita Nanao
Rena Sasamoto
Tae Sakura
Jingi Irie
Nobuteru Hoshino
Satoru Matsuo
Makoto Kagihara
Zen Ishikawa
Kenji Wakisaka
Takehiro Murata
Kinji Yoshihara
Daichi Saeki
Kensaku Tomino
Junko Abe
Rena Fujishima
Yoshihisa Amano
Hiroto Motonami
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Based on Jun Ikeido's novel; the 'shitamachi' factory setting deliberately contrasts with typical glossy Japanese workplace dramas. The author also wrote Hanzawa Naoki, another corporate revenge tale.
The scrum sequences were choreographed with actual rugby consultants — unusual for Japanese TV, where sports dramas often fake the physicality. Katsuo Fukuzawa insisted on practical training for the cast.
JP
