Harada Taizo, Yamamoto Mirai & Konishi Manami to star in new movie "Midnight Bus"

Harada Taizo will be starring in the new movie "Midnight Bus" based on the same-titled novel by Ibuki Yuki which was nominated for the 27th Yamamoto Shugoro Award and 151st Naoki Award and diected by Takeshita Masao. Co-stars include Yamamoto Mirai, Konishi Manami, Aoi Wakana, Nanase Kou and Nagatsuka Kyozo. The movie's scriptwriter will be Kato Masato while the music director will be Kawai Ikuko. Filming began from 1 March and will be entirely done in Niigata Prefecture. The movie is scheduled to be screened in cinemas next year.

The movie describes the story of Takamiya Toshikazu who quit his job in Tokyo and goes back to his hometown in Niigata to be a midnight bus driver. One night, he happens to bump into his ex-wife Kaga Miyuki (Yamamoto) who he had parted ways with 16 years ago when she boards his bus. This marks the start of a journey to restore family ties which had been broken and his interaction with the passengers he meets during his work. Konishi plays Furui Shiho who is Toshikazu's girlfriend while Aoi and Nanase play his daughter Ayana and Reiji respectively. Nagatsuka will be playing Miyuki's father Yamabe Keizo.

Harada who is starring in his first leading role in a movie in 13 years since Takeshita's 2004 movie "Jump", revealed that he went to get a bus driving licence for the sake of this movie and has been thinking how to play a man who has suffered emotional trauma and is trying to make changes to his life. He also hopes that everyone will watch this heartwarming movie which they will put in their all to make. As for Yamamoto, she commented that her character is trying to find a way to re-enter the family she left behind 16 years ago. In order to show the distance in the relationship between Toshikazu and Miyuki, Harada and Yamamoto try not to talk to each other too much these days during the filming.

Source: Eiga.com