Starring Asami Mizukawa, Tetsuji Tamayama, and Sho Sakurai, the drama "Laughing Matryoshka" stars Momoko Tanabe as the ex-girlfriend of the politician played by Sakurai.

■ “Whether it was fate or chance, I met Seike and have since changed the lives of many people.” (Tanabe Momoko)

The Friday drama “Warau Matryoshka,” starring Mizukawa Asami and co-starring Tamayama Tetsuji and Sakurai Sho, began airing on TBS on June 28. It was revealed in a preview video after the first episode that Tanabe Momoko will be playing the role of the ex-girlfriend of Seike, a popular politician played by Sakurai.

This will be Tanabe Momoko’s first time appearing in a TBS primetime drama since she played a diva who charms the main characters in the 2023 Tuesday drama “Tsūgōre ni, Te wo Tsunagu.”

Momoko Tanabe plays Mieko (not her real name), who appears in Seike’s autobiography, “Higengan.” She is the one Seike met fatefully when he was a third-year university student, and to whom he revealed everything. Michigami (Asami Mizukawa), who suspects that Seike is being manipulated by Suzuki (Tetsuji Tamayama), learns of his ex-girlfriend while investigating their past, and while tracking her down, she faces a number of new suspicions.

How is Seike’s ex-lover involved in Seike’s past, which is gradually revealed? From the second episode onwards, keep an eye on Mieko (not her real name), an important character who greatly confuses Michigami and the viewers.

The second episode of the Friday drama “Laughing Matryoshka” will be broadcast on July 5th at 10pm.

■ Episode 2 Synopsis
Was the death of his father, Kanetaka (Watanabe Ikkei), engineered by Suzuki (Tamayama Tetsuji), who wants to bury the BG Stock Incident in the dark? Furthermore, could Seike (Sakurai Sho) have been manipulated by Suzuki from behind the scenes, and approached him for help? Michigami (Mizukawa Asami) believes this, and just as she is about to visit Seike, someone breaks into Michigami’s room and ransacks it. All that is stolen are Kanetaka’s documents and interview notes related to the BG Stock Incident. Michigami’s suspicions about Suzuki deepen even more.

Meanwhile, Michigami learns from Seike’s autobiography “Higengan” that Takechi (Ogi Shigemitsu), a Diet member for whom Seike once served as private secretary, also lost his life in an unexpected traffic accident, just like Kanetaka. What’s more, after Takechi’s death, Seike took over his constituency and was elected for the first time at the young age of 27…

■ Comment from Momoko Tanabe
This time, I have been given another interesting role. In the autobiography “Higengan” that appears in the play, I will be playing Mieko (not her real name), Seike’s girlfriend from his university days. There is very little I can say right now, but one of the great charms of Mieko (not her real name) is that her true face is revealed as the story progresses. Whether by fate or coincidence, she meets Seike and goes on to change the lives of many people. I hope you will look forward to it!

(C)TBS

Program Information

TBSFriday Drama “Laughing Matryoshka”
Every Friday from 22:00 to 22:54

Original story: “Laughing Matryoshka” by Kazuma Hayami (Bungeishunju)
Screenplay: Yoshihiro Izumi and Yu Kanda
Theme song: Yuka “Sunshade”
Directed by: Kazuyuki Iwata

Performer:
Kanae Michigami: Asami Mizukawa
Toshiya Suzuki: Tetsuji Tamayama

Takashi Yamanaka: Tomoki Maruyama
Kentaro Hatate: Masato Wada
Koichi Sasaki: Dai Watanabe
Naoki Aoyama: Ryosuke Sota

Mieko (pseudonym): Momoko Tanabe
Ichiro Seike (high school days): Yuzu Aoki
Shun Suzuki (high school days): Jun Nishiyama
Koichi Sasaki (high school days): Noritaka Hamao

Michigami Kanetaka (the character “taka” is written with a hashigo-daka character): Watanabe Ikkei
Yoshitaka Wadashima: Masaya Kato
Kaori Michigami: Mariko Tsutsui
Mysterious Woman: Saki Takaoka

Ichiro Seike: Sho Sakurai

“Laughing Matryoshka” program site
https://www.tbs.co.jp/waraumatryoshka_tbs/