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Fuji Television is turning the best-selling novel “Homeless Chugakusei” into a TV drama to be aired in June. Fuji said it has cast a teenage actor resembling the author of the book, comedian Hiroshi Tamura, 28.
Actor Tatsumi Kuroki, 13, will play the role of Tamura who is forced to live in a park temporarily after his family breaks up due to bankruptcy. Fuji said Kuroki had been chosen from more than 100 candidates at an audition.
Tamura, who met Kurkoi, said, “He is so like me. I think his personality is also like mine. I wish he would play the role as he is now.”
Some 2.17 million copies of the book have been sold since last September. The book was used for a university entrance examination question. A movie version is scheduled to be released on Oct 25.
© Japan Today
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European1
Only in Japan. Absurd! Child in the park even though he had parents? Great J law as usual and lack of facilities for homeless.
rjd_jr
Only in Japan huh. Funny, in my country there are over 1 million homeless children, and over 40% of the homeless population are families, poverty don't discriminate on nationality or anything else for that matter. I think this is a great idea for a TV drama, should highlight the universal problem of homeless people including kids. One thing Japan does rather well are dramas that can be sickeningly saccharine as this one might be, but still very touching and to the point. Looking forward to this one!
Ken Watanabe
The title sounds weird to me. I'm still confused. Who's taking the custody of him?
plasticmonkey
A very important drama. Highlights the growing problem of homeless junior high school kids, sleeping in their uniforms and all.
Yes, they're both Japanese.
pandachan
This is actually a good book. Or at least, I liked it. I hope it makes a good drama!
Altria
Great, I hope they can drag his story out into even more money-making ventures...maybe a movie? Figurines?