Genroku Ryoran

Famous kabuki actor Nakamura Kanburo plays the role of Oishi Kuranosuke

1 Details
2 Synopsis
3 Cast
4 Production Credits
5 Notes
6External Links

Details

Title: 元禄繚乱（げんろくりょうらん）
Title (romaji): Genroku Ryoran
Also known as: Chushingura (see note below)
Genre: Taiga drama, jidaigeki
Episodes: 49
Viewership ratings: 25.0 (1st ep), 28.5 (higest ep), 20.2 (average)
Broadcast network: NHK
Broadcast period: 1999-01-01 to 1999-12-12
Air time: Sunday 20:00

Synopsis

The 38th NHK Taiga Drama is Genroku Ryoran. The “Forty-seven Loyal Samurai” is one of the most enduring and best loved stories of Japan’s history. Generations have grown up hearing the stirring tale of Oishi Kuranosuke, chief councillor of the Ako clan who leads his men through suffering and hardship to ultimately avenge their lord after he is unjustly forced to commit harakiri. NHK’s 38th Taiga Drama “Genroku Ryoran” is the ambitious remake of this classic epic and boasts a cast that reads like a Who’s Who in Japanese entertainment.

Cast

Nakamura Kanburo (中村勘三郎) as Oishi Kuranosuke

Matsudaira Ken
Ishizaka Koji
Miyazawa Rie
Otake Shinobu
Kyo Machiko
Yoshida Eisaku
Minami Kaho
Higashiyama Noriyuki
Akasaki Akira
Hagiwara Kenichi
Aikawa Kinya
Suzukaze Mayo
Suzuki Sawa
Murai Kunio
Sagawa Tetsuro
Kondo Masaomi
Murakami Hiroaki
Shinohara Ryoko
Hirota Reona
Unno Keiko
Suzuki Honami
Sasai Eisuke
Kataoka Tsurutaro
Ishii Rasaru
Kunimoto Takeharu
Abe Hiroshi
Muta Teizo
Hashizume Jun
Uchida Shigehiro
Yamaguchi Takashi
Reizei Kimihiro
Tohno Eishin
Takuma Shin
Yamanaka So

Ryu Raita
Natsuki Mari
Adachi Yumi
Nakamura Umenoshuke
Yamamoto Gaku
Igawa Hisashi
Sugimoto Tetta
Miura Koichi
Ogura Hisahiro
Katsurayama Shingo
Imai Tsubasa
Musaka Naomasa
Ikari Koji
Kawabe Kyuzo (川辺久造)
Kajiura Akio
Uchida Shigehiro
Sugawara Kaoru
Kato Hisato
Yamazaki Yusuke
Terada Minori
Emoto Akira
Morimiya Ryu
Kato Takeshi
Matsumura Tatsuo
Okamoto Aya
Okina Megumi
Takaoka Saki
Tsutsumi Shinichi
Sugimoto Aya
Achiwa Satomi
Miyazaki Aoi
Shinagawa Toru
Asari Yosuke

Production Credits

Original writing: Funabashi Seiichi (舟橋聖一)
Screenwriter: Nakajima Takehiro (中島丈博)
Music: Ikebe Shinichiro (池辺晋一郎)

Notes

A few sources refer to this taiga drama as Chushingura. Although the drama is based on the famous story of the 47 ronin, the official name given by NHK is 元禄繚乱, as published on both their website and in their annual publication (ISBN 4-14-923327-6). However, places like JDorama.com and KIKU-TV refer to the drama as Chushingura, and as such many people refer to the taiga drama using that name. — Groink 06:44, 24 Jul 2005 (EDT)
The story of the 47 ronin have been told in many other movies and TV dramas, including: 47 Ronin (Shochiku, 1941), Chushingura with Mifune Toshiro (TOHO, 1962), Ako Roshi (TOEI, 1985), Chuushingura 1/47 (Fuji TV, 2001), Saigo no Chuushingura (NHK, 2004), and Chushingura (TV Asahi, 2004). — Groink 06:44, 24 Jul 2005 (EDT)