Kanjani 8's Nishikido Ryo to star in new movie "Hitsuji no Ki"

Kanjani 8's Nishikido Ryo will be starring in the new movie "Hitsuji no Ki" which will be directed by Yoshida Daihachi and due to be shown in 2018. Filming is expected to begin in October and this will be his first movie in two and a half years since "Eight Rangers 2" in 2014.

The movie which is based on the same-titled manga by Yamagami Tatsuhiko and Igarashi Mikio, describes how former offenders of serious crimes are allowed to live at a seaside town but face conflicts with the local residents after various cases happen after their arrival. The manga had won the 2014 Agency for Cultural Affairs' Excellence Award in the Media Arts Awards.

Nishikido plays the role of Tsukisue Hajime, an employee in the city government at Uobukashi City which is located beside the sea and is tasked to be the person-in-charge of taking in the former offenders. Kimura Fumino plays the character Aya who was Tsukisue's ex-classmate and returns to her hometown. The six former offenders who were murderers will be played by Kitamura Kazuki who plays an arrogant man working on a fishing boat Sugiyama Katsushi, Yuka who plays a sexy welfare worker Ota Rieko, Ichikawa Mikako who plays a meticulous and shy cleaner Kurimoto Kiyomi, Mizusawa Shingo who plays a timid hair stylist Fukumoto Hiroki, Tanaka Min who plays a quiet man working at a laundry shop Ono Katsumi and Matsuda Ryuhei who plays an innocent and curious courier deliveryman Miyakoshi Ichiro.

Nishikido commented that he is looking forward to the start of the filming since this is the first time he is working with the director and co-stars and he hopes to do his best to play Tsukisue. Although the lead character in the manga is the old city mayor, the director decided to change this setting and put Tsukisue as the lead character who will have to deal with the former murderers who come to live in the city.

Sources: Sanspo / Oricon