THE RAMPAGE's Iwaya Shogo makes his debut as a novelist! The original idea for his new novel "Sencho" was inspired by his high school classmate Yokohama Ryusei

■ “It was only because of Ryusei that I was able to finish writing ‘Choice'” (THE RAMPAGE Iwaya Shogo)

THE RAMPAGE’s Iwaya Shogo’s debut novel, “Sentaku,” is scheduled for release on October 10th.

The original idea for this memorable work was created by actor Ryusei Yokohama, who was a classmate of Iwatani in high school. The theme of the work was decided on about four years ago, and the two of them carved out time in their extremely busy schedules to build the story together, sometimes even incorporating etudes. The result is a drama about two young men living in this era of stagnation.

■Synopsis
“I’ve had enough. I’ll kill them. I’ll definitely kill them.” Ryo ran out of the house, hiding a knife. He was running to find and kill his father, who had treated his mother so cruelly. He was running, barely able to breathe. He hated the absurdity of the world he lived in. But on the way, Ryo saves a junior high school student who was about to jump off a footbridge. It was his childhood friend, Kyohei. Soon, the two boys are swallowed up by the huge, gloomy society. A dozen years later, Ryo, who has nowhere to go, gradually finds himself in a group of fraud perpetrators. This is a new story that depicts the dark, breathless oppression that permeates this country. What was the cruel reality that the two people who had been trying to survive day to day faced, and what did they see beyond that?

■Shogo Iwatani (THE RAMPAGE) Comment
“I want to do a piece like this someday.”
About four years ago, a casual comment from Ryusei was the catalyst for the whole of “Choice.” I still remember that day vividly.
From there, we started working together, and even though we were both busy, we kept in touch almost every day, exchanging long messages and sharing ideas and the progress of the work. It was only with Ryusei that I was able to finish writing “Sentaku.” It was a journey I could never have completed on my own.
Perhaps we are pinning our hopes on this work, seeking salvation in these times of stagnation.
■ Comment from Ryusei Yokohama
Life is a series of choices.
We make choices every day, and the accumulation of those choices has shaped who we are today.
And by continuing to make choices, we will shape our future selves.
This piece was born after I saw a video.
If I had never watched the video, if I had never told Shogo how I felt, it would never have happened. That is also a choice.
Your life will change dramatically without you even realizing it.
We live in a society that does not try to understand the truth, blames people, and does not forgive even one failure, but as long as you are alive, you can start over.
This work is filled with love and hope, and allows us to grasp a ray of light.
Whether it’s for yourself or someone else, I want you to make a choice you won’t regret. I want you to live with confidence in the path you’ve chosen.