Kaito Miyachika and Wakana Aoi will star in this winter's most heartwarming love story, "Honnou Switch"

■“I will do my best like a saint. Please look forward to it.” (Kaito Miyachika)

The popular work “Honnou Switch” (published in KUJIRA/Kodansha’s “Comic Tint”), which has sold over 780,000 copies in paper and electronic copies, will be made into a drama for the first time on TV Asahi’s Osidora Saturday slot in January 2025. Decided.

A childhood friend who has been with her for as long as she can remember is now an adult, facing her feelings that she had kept hidden for many years, and starting her “belated first love.” The most heartwarming pure love story will be born this winter.

The original work is full of women’s dreams and longings, such as “love with a childhood friend,” “reviving first love,” “adult pure love,” and “a heroine who seems to be single-minded” that everyone has dreamed of at least once. Even after the serialization ended in 2017, it continues to receive enthusiastic support from female readers, and is still extremely popular in electronic bookstores.

Kaito Miyachika and Wakana Aoi will star in the drama adaptation of such a hot topic. The talented actor Futaga, who the staff couldn’t help but be excited about, said, “The synchronization rate is high with the image of the original work!” This is the second time he has co-starred with the drama “Influence” (2021), and he is very pure. An innocent “childhood friend love” unfolds.

■Kaito Miyachika, who plays the leading role in a drama for the first time, becomes a “national childhood friend” who cares deeply for the heroine and gently embraces her!
Kaito Miyachika, in his first lead role in a drama, plays Hijiri Akiyama, a planner who works at a game company. Not only is he active as the leader of the idol group Travis Japan, which debuted on worldwide distribution, but he has also appeared in the drama series “Tokusou 9” (2018-), co-starring with Aoi “Influence” (2021), ” Miyachika, who continues to make strides as an actor with films such as “Weekend Shibuya-kun” (2024), brings Hijiri, who continues to yearn for the heroine, to life in this work.

As Miyachika says, “I would like to do my best to convey his blindingly honest feelings and the way he conveys his slightly frustrating feelings, so that everyone can enjoy those feelings through this drama.” , Hijiri is a devoted person who kindly watches over and embraces the heroine Kowa, and is truly her ideal childhood friend and her dream boyfriend. This winter, Kaito Miyajika, a “national childhood friend” who charms all women with a smile full of the familiarity of Hijiri, who gently embraces Kowa, will be born.

I can’t help but think, “I wish I had a childhood friend like this” and “I wish I had a boyfriend like this,” and I fall asleep, excited by Hijiri’s words and actions. From the beginning of the fourth year, such a heartwarming Saturday night has arrived.

■Wakana Aoi embodies the life-size loveable heroine who is confused about love with her precious childhood friend!
On the other hand, Wakana Aoi plays Koyori Hoshi, Hijiri’s childhood friend who works as a planner at another game company located in the same building. She was loved by a wide range of generations as the heroine of the TV drama series “Warotenka” (2017-2018), and since then, she has overturned the previous image with her “otaku acting” in the drama “Black Pean” series (2018, 2024). Appeared in many popular works such as “Dr. Chocolate” (2023).

In addition, Aoi, who has received high acclaim for her stage performances such as “Setsuan no Zenjin” (2024), plays the role of a lovable heroine who goes through joys and sorrows over her “belated first love” with Hijiri, an important person who has been with her since she was a child. To.

“I worry because I’m an adult, and I worry so much that I can’t move, and I struggle with my love with Hijiri, which is like restarting my first love.I hope that the viewers will sympathize with these two people, support them, and move forward together.” I’d be happy if it becomes a drama that goes well!”, Aoi said enthusiastically, and the cute expressions that change as Kowa plays the life-sized version are also worth paying attention to.

■Childhood friends of 26 years spent the night together. Episode 1 starts with an unexpectedly shocking scene!
Hijiri and Kowa are childhood friends who have been living next door to each other for 26 years, like family since before they could remember. Hijiri has had a faint crush on Kowa since childhood, but even now as an adult, he keeps a lid on his feelings and maintains the status quo as their childhood friend.

On the other hand, when he was in junior high school, Kowa witnessed the moment when Hijiri and his girlfriend broke up, and the moment they stopped seeing each other, he was shocked and said, “It’s scary how easily a relationship could break up.” At the same time, even if she were to go out with Hijiri and end up breaking up with him, she would “stay in the closest and safest position,” sealing off her feelings for Hijiri, which she had secretly begun to realize. They decide to remain childhood friends for the rest of their lives.

Even now, at the age of 26, the two continue to have the same relationship, but one morning, they wake up and find themselves sleeping in the same bed, almost naked!? This work is filled with such shocking scenes. Open the curtain.

The night before, Hijiri decides to go out drinking with Kowa to console Kowa, who was dumped by her boyfriend. As Hijiri listens to her complaints and comforts her, the feelings he had for Kowa that he had kept hidden in his heart for many years turn on, so to speak, and they finally spend a night together. Hijiri isn’t drunk, but tries to tell her that he’s loved her for a long time, but…

On the contrary to Hijiri, Kowa, who has come to his senses, is extremely shaken. Even though they had decided that they would be childhood friends for the rest of their lives, they did something outrageous, which makes them worry. At the end, I couldn’t help but kneel down on my knees and think, “I wish it hadn’t happened!”

Hijiri wants to take his relationship with Kowa one step further, and Kowa wants to protect their position as childhood friends. Hijiri continues to care deeply for Kowa, but he can’t muster the courage to break up their current relationship, and ends up getting irritated by Kowa, who is becoming quite aggravated. So, what will happen to their love?

It’s tantalizing, thrilling, and somehow heartwarming… This winter, the pure and earnest “adult first love” between Hijiri and Kowa will warm the hearts of viewers.

■Comment from Kaito Miyachika (played by Hijiri Akiyama)
Q: How did you feel when you were chosen to appear in this work?
I was very happy to have had this opportunity, but… Actually, at first, I simply heard from my manager that the drama has been decided. Actually, this is my first lead role in a drama, so I just need a little more, really just a little more, but I wanted it to be more exciting (lol). I will be playing the lead role in Osidora Saturday, which attracts a lot of attention, so I wanted to give it my all. I would be happy if the fans would be happy with it, and I would like to have fun with them.
Q: The original story is a blockbuster comic, what are your impressions after reading it?
I really understand how many people become fans of this work. When you read “Hon No Switch” in various situations, such as when you are living a hectic day at work, you will find a wonderful world unfolding there… The love between Hijiri and Kowa was very direct, and I felt like I was truly escaping from reality and had a sparkling feeling. I felt that I absolutely had to convey that feeling 100% to the viewers through this drama.
Q: This is your first time working together with Aoi-san since the drama “Influence”. What are your impressions?
In Influence, we didn’t have almost any scenes together. And the role that Aoi was playing was really scary (lol). He is a key figure in plot twists…In that sense, I respect him as someone who can do great acting. This time, both characters are life-sized, and a pure love story is depicted, so I’m looking forward to seeing a different play. The other day, during an interview together, I learned about his hobbies and favorite foods, and I felt a sense of affinity with him as a person, not as an actor, Wakana Aoi.
Q: What kind of character do you think Sei Akiyama, the character you play?
Hijiri is from the same generation as me, so I think it’s easy to overlap when it comes to growth stages and backbones. Hijiri has been in love with his childhood friend Kowa for a long time, and he has been hiding it. However, something happens that triggers a “switch” to convey his feelings, but the relationship between them and the experience of being in love with that childhood friend do not overlap with mine. I think the key is how to turn on the switch and how to convey your feelings, so I think we need to explore that aspect anew.
I think Hijiri’s kindness, his straightforwardness towards Kowa, and the way he acts with the best interests of others in mind are very admirable, and I respect his personality, so I think of his good qualities as well. I believe that if I can improve even one thing and project it, I will be able to identify myself with Hijiri even more.
Q: Please give a message to the viewers who are looking forward to the broadcast.
Through this drama, I would like to do my best to face Hijiri’s dazzlingly honest feelings and the way he conveys his slightly frustrating feelings, so that everyone can enjoy those frustrating and thrilling feelings. On Saturday night, I hope that the people who watch it will be part of the fun of spending their days, that I will be able to create wonderful works that will be soothing to people who are working hard at work and other things, and that I will give everyone a wonderful feeling. I will do my best just like a saint, so that you can become a better person. Please look forward to it.
■Wakana Aoi (role Kowa Hoshi) Comment
Q: How did you feel when you were chosen to appear in this work?
It’s a very warm love story, and since I don’t have much experience with romantic dramas, I thought it would be a great challenge. It’s a drama in a popular time slot that many people look forward to, so I hope it will be a work that can truly convey the feelings of those who watch it.
Q: The original story is a blockbuster comic, what are your impressions after reading it?
For example, it’s a work that I read at random times, such as before going to bed or while taking a bath, and before I knew it, I was reading it quickly. The relationship between Hijiri and Kowa doesn’t feel like a “hate-hate” kind of thing, and reading it warms my heart and makes me admire the pure love between these two. I thought that was the wonderful thing about this story, so I think it would be great if I could express that atmosphere in the drama.
Q: This is your first time working with Miyachika-san since the drama “Influence”. What is your impression of him?
Mr. Miyachika played a fairly heavy role in “Influence,” and the only scene we co-starred in was me watching Mr. Miyachika commit violence (lol). However, when I saw the finished video, I got the impression that he was a person with a great atmosphere and great acting skills, so I was excited when I heard that I would be able to work with him this time. Also, the other day, I happened to see you dancing on TV, and I was surprised at the gap between you and your heavy roles (lol). And when I met him this time, I thought he was a very flat and gentle person. I hope to learn more about various aspects in the future.
Q: What kind of character do you think Kowa Hoshi, who you play, is?
I think Kowa’s outspokenness and the way he seems to have strong opinions are a little similar to me. Kowa is very boyish, but she is a larger-than-life girl when it comes to worrying so much that she can’t move. Maybe because he grew up with Hijiri, he has a bit of a boyish side to him, and Kowa was influenced by Hijiri’s love of games, so he also worked at a game company…I guess that’s how they grew up influenced by each other. It’s interesting when you imagine it. What kind of people has Kowa been with so far, what is his view on love… When I thought about that, I thought there might be some hints as to why Hijiri would be a good fit with him, so I’m going to try my best in the future. I want to think about more things.
Q: Please give a message to the viewers who are looking forward to the broadcast.
I think it’s full of episodes that you can relate to, such as the warm relationship between Hijiri and Kowa who are childhood friends, how they worry because they’re adults, and how they worry so much that they can’t move because they love each other. I would be happy if the drama becomes a drama where everyone who watches it can feel excited, be happy, support the two, and move forward together. I will do my best to deliver good works in a good atmosphere!
■KUJIRA (Original) Comment
We have decided to make it into a drama.
Thanks to all the readers who read this, and to those who have been involved since the beginning of the series.
I would be happy if the cute interactions between Hijiri and Kowa will make you excited in the drama, just like in the manga.
I’m really looking forward to meeting Hijiri, played by Miyachika, and Kowa, played by Aoi, through the screen.

Program information

tv asahi Osidora Saturday “Honnou Switch”
Starts on January 11, 2025!
Every Saturday 23:00-23:30

Starring: Kaito Miyachika, Wakana Aoi, and others
Original work: KUJIRA “Honnou Switch” (published in Kodansha “comic tint”)
Screenplay: Yoko Izumisawa
Music: Akihiro Manabe
General Producer: Shinko Nakagawa (TV Asahi)
Producer: Mayuko Tanaka (TV Asahi), Kota Shimamoto (Storm Labels), Yuji Hirai (Studio Blue), Mutsumi Hayashida (Studio Blue)
Director: Hiroto Takahashi (“Taka” is officially spelled “Hadashidaka”), Hirokazu Fujisawa
Production cooperation: Studio Blue
Production: TV Asahi, Storm Labels

“Honnou Switch” program site
https://www.tv-asahi.co.jp/honnou-switch/