BLUE

Urita is a professional boxer with unrivaled love of the sport. But his underling Kazuki is a better boxer and moreover is dating Urita’s childhood friend Chika. Urita keeps his negative feelings hidden and helps Kazuki prepare for the title match. Meanwhile, Narasaki started boxing on a lark but gradually becomes enthralled by the sport and wants to go pro. Their fights draw near…

This drama uses the unforgiving sport of boxing to cast a quiet and kind gaze on human life that has no clear winner. Yoshida Keisuke's splendid direction exudes unvoiced emotions tucked away inside including frustration at the gap between ability and passion, fear of punch drunk syndrome, and feelings of camaraderie. Audiences will undoubtedly be profoundly moved the in-depth character development, especially Urita’s emotional state as performed by acting maestro Matsuyama Kenichi. With his consecutive masterpieces in recent years, Yoshida Keisuke is at present one of Japan’s leading directors.