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| Tsumabuki Satoshi Returns with New Sunday Theatre Drama “The Royal Family” – Sato Koichi & Matsumoto Wakana Join Cast |
Horse racing, heartfelt drama, and old university flames – TBS’ upcoming Sunday Theatre drama The Royal Family is set to deliver all this and more when it premieres in October 2025.
The series stars Tsumabuki Satoshi, with Matsumoto Wakana and Sato Koichi joining the lineup, promising a mix of rivalry, romance, and some serious horse power.
Sato Koichi will play the formidable founding president of a staffing agency and a renowned horse owner.
He describes his character, Yamanou Kouzou, as a man of passion, a touch old-school, and a hint of arrogance – the kind of personality that commands attention both in business and at the stables.
Sato Koichi also shared that having spent decades around horses himself, he hopes to show the bond between humans and horses in a way that’s accessible, even to viewers with zero horse-riding experience.
Meanwhile, Matsumoto Wakana takes on the role of Kanako Nozaki, a daughter of a racehorse breeding farm in Hokkaido’s Hidaka region.
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Kanako moves to Tokyo for university and crosses paths with Tsumabuki’s character, her ex from the university days.
Matsumoto says she’s thrilled to finally appear in a Sunday Theatre drama – a longtime dream – and praises the script for its portrayal of passionate, boundary-pushing characters.
Kanako is described as a strong, grounded woman who loves both her hometown and its horses, and her journey intertwining with Tsumabuki’s character promises to be one of the show’s highlights.
Producer Kato Shoichi emphasised the chemistry on set, calling the cast “a recipe for daily surprises” and teasing the dynamic between Sato’s bold horse owner and Tsumabuki’s protagonist as a “heart-pounding buddy duo chasing dreams together.”
With a mix of racing, romance, and raw human emotion, The Royal Family looks set to give viewers a Sunday evening drama that’s both thrilling and deeply heartfelt.