Get ready for a treat! The new live-action drama, “Ramune Monkey,” is set to premiere on January 14, 2026 (Wednesday), featuring a stellar triple-lead cast: Sorimachi Takashi, Oomori Nao, and Tsuda Kenjirou. This exciting series comes from the brilliant mind of Furusawa Ryouta, the renowned scriptwriter behind hit dramas like “Confidence Man JP,” “Legal High,” and even the Taiga drama “Dousuru Ieyasu.” Furusawa-sensei has a knack for crafting works that span across genres, from heart-stirring nostalgia and exhilarating comedy to profound human dramas.
In “Ramune Monkey,” he blends his memories of “those days” from his own youth with his current sensibilities, promising a latest work that will make you laugh, cry, and ponder a little mystery. This marks the first time this magnificent trio — Sorimachi Takashi, Oomori Nao, and Tsuda Kenjirou — who have each carved out unique careers in diverse fields such as drama, film, and voice acting, will star together as triple leads.
A “1988 Youth Reclamation Human Comedy” with a Dash of Mystery!
The story revolves around a quirky trio of protagonists whose appearances and personalities couldn’t be more different: Yoshii Yuuta (nicknamed Yun), Fujimaki Hajime (nicknamed Chen), and Kikuhara Kisuke (nicknamed Kinpo). Back in 1988, during their middle school days, they were inseparable, pouring their hearts into making kung fu movies as members of the film club. Now, at 51 years old, each of them feels a sense of stagnation and regret in their lives, thinking, “This wasn’t how it was supposed to be…”
One day, news breaks about “human remains discovered at a construction site in Tanbe City.” The name of the town where they spent their boyhood stirs something within Kisuke. He contacts Yun and Chen, leading to their first reunion in 37 years! As they reminisce about old times, they suddenly realize that their memories of their beloved female teacher, whom they admired in middle school, are strangely vague. A piece of paper dug up alongside an old photo of their film club even bears the words “missing person.” This sparks a chilling realization: “Haven’t we forgotten something crucial…?” The three friends, spurred by this unsettling discovery, embark on a journey to uncover the mystery behind their teacher’s disappearance, rekindling their spirits along the way.
Furusawa Ryouta Reconnects with His “Origins”
“Ramune Monkey” is set in the present day, where our protagonists, lost in their adult lives, are suddenly drawn back to their memories of 1988. Interestingly, “those days” perfectly align with the period when Furusawa-sensei himself was a middle schooler, experiencing his own youth. This drama is a unique blend of Furusawa’s return to the memories of his formative years – his “origin” – and the innovative storytelling he has honed over his career. The result is a fresh kind of drama that stands out even among his impressive body of work, featuring distinctive humor, a lively pace, and a touch of mystery that will make you laugh, cry, and feel a warmth in your heart. This marks Furusawa-sensei’s first serialized drama on a terrestrial commercial broadcaster since the “Confidence Man JP” series, so it’s a highly anticipated comeback!
Sorimachi Takashi × Oomori Nao × Tsuda Kenjirou: Their First Co-starring Roles!
Let’s dive into the roles our stellar cast will be playing.
First up, Sorimachi Takashi portrays Yoshii Yuuta, nicknamed Yun, the “you-kyara” (bright and outgoing character) among the three protagonists. Yun used to be a star salesman at a major trading company, excelling in his career. However, a certain incident relegated him to a sidelined position, forcing him to keep a low profile at work. Feeling a profound emptiness in his life, and treated delicately by his wife and high school daughter, his reunion with his old friends helps him rediscover his ” apaixonate self.”
Sorimachi-san is co-starring with Oomori-san for the first time in this production, while this marks a reunion with Tsuda-san since their work on “Great Gift” (2024, TV Asahi). Sorimachi-san shared his excitement, saying, “I’ve always been captivated by the unique world Furusawa-san creates, so I’m truly looking forward to being a part of that world during filming.”
Next, Oomori Nao takes on the role of Fujimaki Hajime, nicknamed Chen, an intense film and anime otaku. As the former president of their middle school film club, Chen actually achieved his dream of becoming a film director. However, in recent years, without any notable hits, his immense pride often led him to lash out at those around him, making him a difficult and isolated figure. Chen himself had completely lost his creative drive, but as the sealed memories of his middle school days resurface, he begins to reclaim his former passion.
Oomori-san, who played Sakai Tadatsugu, one of the Tokugawa Shitennou (Four Heavenly Kings) who consistently supported the protagonist Ieyasu in “Dousuru Ieyasu,” has become an indispensable presence in Furusawa-sensei’s works. Now, he finally steps into one of the leading roles. He expressed strong confidence in Furusawa-sensei, remarking, “I thought I’d probably have a lot to say again (laughs), but once I started reading the script, it was so interesting I couldn’t stop!” While he has appeared in previous works with Tsuda-san, they never shared any scenes, making this their “first substantial co-starring experience.” Oomori-san also enthusiastically added, “I have high expectations for the actors playing the younger Chen, Yun, and Kinpo! I’m also eager to try and match their vibe.”
Finally, Tsuda Kenjirou portrays Kikuhara Kisuke, nicknamed Kinpo, the most timid and benevolent of the trio. Kisuke once harbored dreams of becoming a manga artist, but he ended up inheriting his mother’s barbershop and becoming a barber. However, amidst the daily demands of caring for his mother, who now suffers from dementia, he’d lost sight of why he became a barber and what he truly wanted to do. The memories of his youth now serve to awaken his “true feelings.”
Like Sorimachi-san, this is Tsuda-san’s first appearance in a Furusawa-sensei production. He conveyed his intense feelings for the work, saying he “read the script with excitement.” Tsuda-san commented, “During filming, I’m thinking about how to further enhance the world Furusawa-san created and the individuality of my role. It’s challenging, but it’s also a lot of fun!”
A Stellar Partnership: Producer Narukawa Hiroaki
Behind the scenes, producing “Ramune Monkey” is none other than Narukawa Hiroaki. Narukawa-san has a remarkable track record of bringing numerous hit Fuji TV dramas to life, including the ongoing “Zettai Reido” series, the upcoming film adaptation of “Zen Ryouiki Ijou Kaiketsu Shitsu” (which can be translated as “All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office”), the “Nazotoki wa Dinner no Ato de” (The After-Dinner Mysteries) series, and the “Strawberry Night” series. What’s more, he has consistently partnered with Furusawa-sensei on many of his representative works, such as “Legal High,” “Date ~Koi to wa Donna Mono Kashira~” (Date ~What is Love All About?~), and the films “April Fools” and “Mix.,” as well as the “Confidence Man JP” series, invariably supporting and enriching their shared creative vision.
With “Ramune Monkey,” this renowned Furusawa × Narukawa duo reunites once again. Building upon a foundation of deep mutual understanding and trust in each other’s creative styles, they are poised to construct an even richer and more captivating world for this new drama.
A Message from Scriptwriter Furusawa Ryouta
“For a long time, I always wanted to bury and forget the embarrassing memories of my full-blown chuunibyou (eighth-grader syndrome) phase. But at some point, I started wanting to vividly reclaim those memories.
It was with this ’embarrassing’ feeling that I wrote this slightly eccentric story about lost adults, and now, a truly wonderful group of people has gathered to bring it to life.
Please watch it discreetly. You might feel a little embarrassed yourself. After all, aren’t we all forever stuck with a bit of chuunibyou?”
“Ramune Monkey” will air every Wednesday at 22:00 JST, starting January 14, 2026. The first episode will be extended by 15 minutes.
Original Title: Sorimachi Takashi & Oomori Nao & Tsuda Kenjirou Triple-Starring in “Ramune Monkey,” a Youth Reclamation Human Comedy Airing in January
《Cinema Cafe Editorial Department》
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