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| Three couples, one island: New TV Tokyo drama kicks off in July |
Alright, here’s one that’ll tug at your heartstrings and give you major holiday envy. TV Tokyo’s latest late-night drama “Watashi ga Anata to Iru Riyū” (The Reason I’m With You) is hitting screens this July, and it’s shaping up to be a tender, soul-searching watch wrapped in island sunsets and awkward silences. Premiering 1 July 2025 at 12:30am, this one’s got all the emotional bits – love, distance, reflection, and yes, one couple calls it quits by the end.
Leading the cast are Renbutsu Misako and Mizobata Junpei, playing a thirty-something married couple on the brink. After three years together, their marriage has started to run on fumes, with hubby Yosuke (Mizobata) constantly choosing work over literally anything else. So, Miyu (Renbutsu), desperate to reignite some kind of spark, suggests a trip to Guam. A week away from the usual grind, maybe they'll remember why they fell in love in the first place – or realise they’ve drifted too far apart.
But this isn’t just their story. The drama follows three couples from three different generations – all unpacking what it means to be “with someone” in a world that won’t stop moving.
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💫 20s: Young Love, Big Cracks
Uni sweethearts Akari and Riku (played by Nakai Tomo and Momose Takumi) are on their first proper couple’s trip. She’s a third-year student, he’s chasing dreams as a singer-songwriter. It’s all sunshine and selfies at first – until one incident slowly unravels what they thought they had. Sometimes, young love isn’t as invincible as it feels.
💫 50s: Empty Nest, Heavy Hearts
Then there’s Kenjiro and Hiroko (veterans Masanobu Katsumura and Ishino Yoko) – a couple in their 50s gifted this getaway by their daughter. He’s busy soaking up Guam’s sights and trivia like a walking tour guide; she’s feeling the sting of loneliness now that their child’s flown the nest. There’s something bothering her – and turns out, he’s been hiding a thing or two as well.
The whole series was shot entirely on location in Guam (except for a few flashbacks), bringing all the golden beaches and quiet corners you’d expect from a tropical drama about human connection. Think emotional chat on a clifftop, or unspoken tensions bubbling up over a romantic dinner with waves crashing in the background.
But here’s the real kicker – by the end of this one-week journey, one of these couples won’t be making it back together.
✨ The Cast Speak Up
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| Renbutsu Misako |
Renbutsu Misako shared how the drama taps into that very human moment of asking, “Am I still okay like this?” She hopes the show will gently nudge viewers into reflecting on their own relationships, wrapped in the kind of daily conversations that feel painfully ordinary and yet deeply revealing.
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| Mizobata Junpei |
Mizobata Junpei, excited about his first time filming in Guam, praised the rawness of the script – “love, loyalty, comfort, change – it’s all there”. After nearly 20 years in the industry, even he found himself questioning his own take on partnership while reading the scenes.
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| Nakai Tomo |
Nakai Tomo, who plays Akari, was struck by the drama’s title alone. “There’s so much meaning packed into that one line – ‘the reason I’m with you’.” She hopes to portray the boldness and clumsy honesty of youthful love honestly, especially in a setting as lush and unfiltered as Guam.
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| Momose Takumi |
Momose Takumi, playing Riku, called his character a mix of charm and emotional chaos – someone he could learn from. Like the rest of the cast, he’s keen to explore Guam beyond what you see in brochures, and hopes the audience will enjoy not knowing how each couple’s story will unfold.
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| Katsumura Masanobu |
Veteran actor Katsumura Masanobu said the drama offers different shades of relatability depending on where you are in life – your 20s, 30s, or 50s. “Things never go according to plan. That doubt – that ‘maybe I was wrong’ feeling – this show leans into that.”
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| Ishino Yoko |
And Ishino Yoko was most struck by how the script handles the resilience and quiet strength of women. “We all carry things we don’t always talk about. This story finally lets those silent parts breathe.”
📺 Show Details
Drama Title: Watashi ga Anata to Iru Riyu ~ The One Week Spent by Three Couples in Guam
Starts: 1 July 2025 (Tuesdays, 12:30am JST) on TV Tokyo
Also airs on:
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TV Osaka: from 4 July (Fridays, 1:30am)
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BS TV Tokyo: from 6 July (Sundays, 12:00am)
Streaming: Available after broadcast on U-NEXT and Prime Video (Japan)
Catch-up: Free episodes via TVer, Lemino, and TV Tokyo’s official site
Cast:
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Renbutsu Misako as Miyu (30s wife)
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Mizobata Junpei as Yosuke (30s husband)
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Nakai Tomo as Akari (20s uni girlfriend)
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Momose Takumi as Riku (20s uni boyfriend)
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Katsumura Masanobu as Kenjiro (50s husband)
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Ishino Yoko as Hiroko (50s wife)
Directors: Matsumoto Taku, Suzuki Nane, Kakuta Kyoya, Yamamura Atsushi
Screenwriters: Tōme Keita, Yamazaki Sahoko
Production: TV Tokyo x Kurtz Media Works
Special Support: Guam Visitors Bureau
Watashi ga Anata to Iru Riyu isn’t your usual holiday rom-com. It’s quiet, raw, and filled with the kind of pauses that say more than words. With an all-Guam shoot, a cross-generational cast, and bittersweet realism in every conversation, this drama is a little postcard from paradise – with a side of heartbreak.
One week. Three couples. One goodbye.
Don’t sleep on this one.