"Chiruran Shinsengumi Requiem" Finally Opens "Kyoto Decisive Battle"! Takumi Kitamura Descends as Shinsaku Takasugi, a Revolutionary of the New Era! A Passionate Reunion of "Allies" Yuki Yamada x Takumi Kitamura Comes True! An Overwhelming Outsider Appearing in the Bakumatsu Period Will Destroy the Shinsengumi and the Era—

THE SEVEN Inc. (Minato-ku, Tokyo, Representative Director/CEO: Katsuaki Setoguchi), TBS Television Inc. (Minato-ku, Tokyo, Representative Director and President: Masamine Ryuhou, hereinafter "TBS"), and U-NEXT Inc. (Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, Representative Director and President: Tenshin Tsutsumi, hereinafter "U-NEXT") announced the drama "Chiruran Shinsengumi Requiem" as part of the "TBS x U-NEXT x THE SEVEN Global Project." The special drama "Edo Seishun Arc" was broadcast on TBS for two consecutive nights on Thursday, March 26th and Friday, March 27th, and distributed on U-NEXT after each night's broadcast. Furthermore, the subsequent drama series "Kyoto Decisive Battle Arc" is exclusively distributed on U-NEXT, with new episodes updated every Friday.

This work is the first live-action adaptation of the popular comic "Chiruran Shinsengumi Requiem," which features powerful artwork by Eiji Hashimoto and an original story by Shinya Umemura, known for "Record of Ragnarok." Set in Kyoto during the Bakumatsu period, it depicts the fierce and passionate lives of the samurai warriors of the Shinsengumi, the strongest samurai group, with spectacular action and bold interpretations based on historical facts.

Yuki Yamada plays the protagonist, Toshizo Hijikata, while other Shinsengumi warriors are played by a cast of talented young actors with strong personalities and abilities, including Nobuyuki Suzuki, Aoi Nakamura, Kanata Hosoda, Shuhei Uesugi, Kisetsu Fujiwara, Yosuke Sugino, Shuntaro Yanagi, Akito Miyazaki, and Hihio Iwanaga. Furthermore, a luxurious cast gathers, with Kento Nakajima playing Izō Okada, Hijikata's rival and ally known as "Hitokiri Izō," Jun Matsumoto as Matsudaira Katamori, the legendary lord of the Aizu domain and founder of the Shinsengumi, and Go Ayano as Kamo Serizawa, the "strongest and most evil rival" who stands in Hijikata's way.

Amidst the lingering excitement from the special drama "Edo Seishun Arc," which stirred up Japan with its two-night consecutive broadcast on March 26th and 27th, Takumi Kitamura's appearance as Shinsaku Takasugi in the subsequent drama series "Kyoto Decisive Battle Arc" was revealed in a preview after the second night's broadcast of the "Edo Seishun Arc."

Takumi Kitamura's Appearance Announced as a Surprise! Playing Shinsaku Takasugi, the "Revolutionary" who made a name for himself in the Bakumatsu period!

Takumi Kitamura, who has been active on the front lines of Japan's entertainment industry, primarily in films and dramas, with his wide range of roles and reliable expressive power, has been confirmed to appear. Last year, he played a modern youth struggling to escape a dark business in the starring film "Gusha no Mibun," winning the Best Actor Award at the 30th Busan International Film Festival. He also garnered attention for his excellent performance in the NHK morning drama "Anpan," playing a character modeled after Takashi Yanase.

Kitamura will play Shinsaku Takasugi, who did not appear in the special drama "Edo Seishun Arc." Takasugi is known as a revolutionary who made a name for himself in the Bakumatsu period and paved the way for a new era. We invite you to look forward to how the enigmatic Takasugi will be portrayed and what kind of presence he will show in this work.

Yuki Yamada x Takumi Kitamura: "Allies" Reunite Across Time and Space

The two, who have worked together on numerous projects, including the blockbuster film series "Tokyo Revengers," and have built a deep relationship of trust both professionally and personally, are truly "allies" in the modern entertainment world. While in previous works they embodied a "bond of mutual reliance," in this work, they will confront each other in the turbulent Bakumatsu period as "Shinsengumi Vice-Commander Toshizo Hijikata" and "Choshu Revolutionary Shinsaku Takasugi." The "demon" protecting the old era and the "revolutionary" creating the new era. Their relationship and how it will move the era and the fate of the Shinsengumi are definitely worth watching.

The Fastest Sword Fighting in History Accelerates! "Kyoto Decisive Battle Arc" Begins Exclusive Distribution on U-NEXT