The upcoming drama Matori to Kyoken, adapted from the manga by Tajima Takashi and Masashi, has confirmed Daigo Nishihata of Naniwa Danshi as the lead actor, with Hosoda Yoshihiko and Mukai Osamu taking major supporting roles. The series dives into the brutal underbelly of drug crime, portraying a world where desperation and moral collapse intertwine.
The story opens with a shocking incident in a Roppongi club, where a customer overdosing on cocaine loses control and fatally stabs a staff member. Umezawa Kyonosuke, played by Nishihata, was once a famous child actor but has fallen into the dangerous life of a drug dealer, navigating Tokyo’s shadows with a mixture of survival instinct and resignation. Meanwhile, Kurosaki Toru (Hosoda), a law enforcement officer specializing in drug crimes—known as “Matori”—investigates the case with an unnerving obsession toward drugs, giving him a complex and unpredictable edge.
When Umezawa is preparing drugs in his apartment with his partners, their operation is suddenly raided by police. He narrowly escapes but is soon caught by Kurosaki, who offers him an illicit deal: become an informant in exchange for freedom. Before he can process the demand, he is taken again—this time by Katsuragi Akito (Mukai) from the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department’s Drug and Weapons Control Division, who issues the same order. Trapped between two authorities and unable to refuse either, Umezawa is forced into a nightmarish role as a double agent.
The drama blends gritty realism with psychological tension, exploring the cost of survival in a world ruled by addiction, lies, and power struggles. Daigo Nishihata’s transformation from idol to a morally fractured character draws strong anticipation, marking a bold step into darker, more complex storytelling.
Matori to Kyoken will premiere on January 20, airing Tuesdays at 24:59 on MBS and 25:28 on TBS. With its harsh themes and intense atmosphere, the series is poised to become a gripping portrayal of crime and human vulnerability.
