Shida Mirai to star in new Tokai TV / FujiTV Summer 2017 drama "Utsubokazura no Yume"

Shida Mirai will be starring in the new Tokai TV / FujiTV Summer 2017 drama "Utsubokazura no Yume" (The dream of the nepenthes) which comprises of 8 episodes and will begin its run from 5 August in the Saturdays 11.40pm timeslot. The drama is based on the same-titled novel by Nonami Asa, features Shida as the lead character who behaves like the nepenthes that doesn't move on her own and makes use of her prey's desires to achieve her aims. This will be her first leading role in a drama for the first time in seven years.

Shida plays Saito Miyufu (Shida) who was raised as an innocent and simple girl in Nagano but is chased out after her mother passed away and her father brings his lover home. Just then, her late mother's cousin Kashimada Naoko (Ootsuka Nene) invites her to come and live with her in Tokyo for the time being. Upon reaching Naoko's place, Mifuyu is shocked by the riches in the Kashimada household and begins to feel indignant about her fate which leads her to begin finding a way to survive thus leading her to become a woman like the nepenthes. Other characters include Naoko's friend Fukumoto Hitomi (Kokusho Sayuri) who tries to keep up a pretense even though she is suffering from financial difficulties, Yoshioka Keisuke (Matsumoto Toshio from EXILE) who is the person-in-charge of a NPO where Naoko helps out at, Naoko's husband Yuutarou (Haba Yuuichi) who expresses an interest in Mifuyu when she comes to stay with them and Yuutarou's mother Hisako (Matsubara Chieko).

Shida commented that this is the first time she is playing such a character so she hopes to be able to discover a new side to herself and show this to the viewers. As for her character, she described Mifuyu as someone who is a lonely woman and desires to attain happiness.

Sources: Sanspo / Oricon