Namase Katsuhisa to be back in new TRICK spin-off drama SP this spring

Namase Katsuhisa will be reprising his role as Yabe Kenzo in a new spin-off drama from the hit drama series TRICK" for the first time in four years. This time, the drama SP titled "Keibuho Yabe Kenzo ~ Jinkou Zunou VS Jinkou Zumou ~" (Lieutenant Yabe Kenzo ~ Mechanical brain VS Artificial hair ~) will be shown via au's mobile video service "Video Pass" and TV Asahi Douga. There were two Yabe Kenzo drama SPs made and shown by TV Asahi in 2010 and 2013. In the new SP, his partner will still be played by Ikeda Tetsuhiro.

With regard to having a new drama SP in four years, Namase said that in his career, Yabe is a character which he had a lot of fun playing and he always thought that there was more to explore about him. As such, he is always ready to play Yabe as long as there is an offer from the TV station and looks forward to display the signature traits of Yabe to the fullest this time too.

Co-stars include Hakamada Yoshihiko who plays a genius scientist Deep Manabu at odds with Yabe and has developed a new form of artificial intelligence to solve difficult cases. Yabe will be investigating a series of murder cases taking place at an onsen ryokan isolated due to a landslide and find the serial killer nicknamed Yami no Gyouji (the sumo referee of darkness) who is supposedly responsible for the murders by making use of the artificial intelligence technology.

Source: Oricon