[jade_frost]

Date: From 12 May 2008, Mondays, 9.00 p.m.
Station: Fuji TV
Official Website: http://wwwz.fujitv.co.jp/change/index.html

Synopsis
Kimura Takuya stars as an elementary school teacher who spends fulfilling days surrounded by children. He has absolutely no interest in politics but, by a strange turn of events, finds himself dragged into the political arena because of certain circumstances and named the Prime Minister. Despite being made sport of by an odd twist of fate, he confronts problem-fraught Japanese politics and clashes with the wily Nagata-cho politicians. The new Prime Minister is mindful of the sentiments of the common people, tackles everything from the viewpoint of man on the street, and fearlessly says he doesn't know when he doesn't understand something but his stance is also affected by his surroundings. The drama will also depict the gap between the political circle's conventional wisdom, called "Nagata-cho logic" and society. Fukatsu Eri teams up with Kimura again 6 years after Sora Kara Furu Ichioku no Hoshi. She plays a capable secretary supportive of the inexperienced Prime Minister. She is an ambitious woman who graduated from a famous university and wants to change Japan but finds herself attracted to the Prime Minister's nature. Abe Hiroshi plays a formidable election strategist who elevates the elementary school teacher to Prime Minister.

Cast
Kimura Takuya as Asakura Keita
Fukatsu Eri as Miyama Rika
Abe Hiroshi as Nirasawa Katsutoshi
Terao Akira as Kanbayashi Masaichi
Kato Rosa as Miyamoto Hikari
Fuji Sumiko as Asakura Takae
Kazama Morio as Kudo Mitsuteru
Nakamura Atsuo as Onoda Asao
Ito Shiro as Ukai Takehiko
Horiuchi Keiko as Tsukioka Rumiko
Kamiyama Shigeru as Nihei Hisashi
Obayashi Takeshi as Kakiuchi Tatsuhiko
Ishiguro Ken as Ubukata Tsuneo
Nishimura Masahiko as Momosaka Tetsuya
Hiraizumi Sei as Gunji Toshio
Suzuki Kosuke as Akiyama Tarokansuke
Yajima Kenichi as Nishi Seiji
Horiuchi Keiko as Tsukioka Rumiko
Okura Koji as Danbara Dan

[lucky_moon]

I'm waiting to watch this drama specially Kimura.. usually all his dramas are very good..

[roaceica]

YATTA!!! finally TK's drama is almost here!!! cannot wait!!! hope there will be more romance in this one than karei.....

[semi-fly]

Looking forward to seeing another Abe series. The synopsis looks good, but I'm curious how they're going to manage to get a teacher into politics let alone elected as the Prime Minister of Japan.

[elizabeth]

Recent news

Pop star Madonna is now connected to one of Japan's biggest celebrities. It was announced on Sunday that she is providing the theme song for the upcoming Takuya Kimura drama series that will air on Fuji TV. This is reportedly the first time one of her songs will be used as the theme for a television series.

Production staff for the drama, titled "CHANGE," wanted a major international artist to do the theme song. Thinking they had nothing to lose, they made an offer last December to Madonna, who happened to be working on her new album, "Hard Candy." After hearing about the drama's story and seeing the staff's enthusiasm, she accepted the offer and created the ballad "Miles Away."

"CHANGE" stars Kimura as an elementary school teacher who gets thrown into the political arena and winds up becoming the Prime Minister of Japan. Eri Fukatsu co-stars as his secretary. Other cast members include Hiroshi Abe as Kimura's election planner, Rosa Kato as a campaign assistant, and Akira Terao as the ruling party's general council chairman.


credits to tokyograph & asianfanatics

[ponkie]

That's a big change.
I'm really interested for some reason.

[novemberbaby]

I didn't see his last one, but I'm hoping I can watch this one =) I like Abe Hiroshi. And wow, they even got Madonna singing the theme song. Sweet.

[Maia-chan]

A definite must-see for me next season!

[clauric]

awww more kimura for me...im glad it's airing soon..his last series was good..so i hope this one i won't be crying buckets

[Amethyst]

I'm so looking forward for this drama.

[MoonBlue]

Not a fan of the 2 leads, but Abe Hiroshi I'll watch anything with him!

[jade_frost]

Drama Synopsis

The story begins with the deaths of ruling party's Fukuoka legislator and his eldest son, his heir apparent, in an accident. It is decided that a by-election will be held, and Kanbayashi Masaichi (Terao Akira), the leader of the ruling party, and secretary Miyama Rika (Fukatsu Eri) conceive the idea of fielding the second son, Asakura Keita (Takuya Kimura), who had been renounced by his father.

After Keita graduated from senior high school, he went on to a university in Nagano because he wanted to live in a place with beautiful stars, and eventually became an elementary school teacher over there. Well-liked by children and satisfied with his beloved star gazing, Keita has no interest in the world of politics. However, at Rika's persuasion and the pressure of his family, he reluctantly decides to announce his candidacy.

Upon returning to Fukuoka, Keita is given a hearty welcome by supporters. The election strategist, Nirasawa Katsutoshi (Abe Hiroshi), arrives there. He is guided by the notion "election is the only permitted legal war" and begins Keita's election campaign.

Source: TV Life

[raineyrain]

I'm too excited for words!!!!!!


Major squee!

[bishie_bashie]

woah. another kimura drama.

but yeah. I'm kinda excited for this one!
it already sound good!

[jade_frost]

Mezamashi announcing Madonna's song Miles Away as the theme song for Change: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WliJxbi-Sw

[kalchi]

^ I think the video has been removed? I can't watch it somehow

[moonypiglet]

KT is on the show *dancing around*
you should never miss any drama of his o()o

[hamonrye]

this looks like a good drama! cant wait for it. Takuya Kimura, Abe Hiroshi and Fukatsu Eri! All good actors!

[jade_frost]

^ I think the video has been removed? I can't watch it somehow

Yep they removed the user's account not long after I posted my message. The video shows snippets of Madonna singing the song Miles Away and delivering a short message to Kimura Takuya. She said she remembered the time she appeared on SMAP x SMAP in 2005. She's happy they're using her song in the drama and also wished him good luck for this new drama.


Drama Synopsis

Support ratings for the Cabinet is at a 10 year low. During that time, the ruling party's legislator for Fukuoka, Asakura Makoto, and his eldest son Masaya, his successor, are killed in an accident. It is decided that a by-election will be held. To the ruling party, it is an election they cannot lose because it will influence the general election. While they're finding it hard to decide on a candidate, Kanbayashi Masaichi (Terao Akira), the leader of the ruling party, and secretary Miyama Rika (Fukatsu Eri) direct their focus on the second son Makoto had cut off.

At a Nagano elementary school in snow covered Yatsugatake, Asakura Keita (Kimura Takuya) is the teacher in charge of its fifth graders. Well-liked by the children in spite of their teasing and able to do his beloved star gazing to his heart's content, Keita leads a fulfilling life.

Rika arrives in Nagano to visit Keita. She has come to persuade Keita to run as a candidate but he has absolutely no interest in politics. Keita dislikes his father's way of life and refuses to listen to her. After Keita graduated from high school, he left Fukuoka to attend university in Shinshu because he wanted to live in a place with beautiful stars, and eventually became a teacher. But Rika won't give up. For the sake of the election victory, fielding a relative is best in the battle about to be staged. First, Rika presses Asakura's wife, Takae, to run for the election. In front of his mother, who has collapsed from strain but is about to stand as a candidate, Keita is no longer able to refuse. He reluctantly agrees to annouce his candidacy.

Upon returning to Fukuoka, Keita is given a hearty welcome by supporters. Nirasawa Katsutoshi (Abe Hiroshi), a man from the election headquarters arrives.

This man states that "election is the only permitted legal war". He is an election strategist sent to secure electoral victory. With Nirasawa's appearance, everyone including Rika is overwhelmed as he rapidly sets out a strategy to win this brief and decisive election.

And so Keita's election campaign finally begins ...

Source: Fuji TV

[Maia-chan]

Asakura has a wife? I wonder who that would be...