
Acting
The 6th generation Kataoka Ainosuke is Yamamoto Hiroyuki. Yamamoto Hiroyuki was born on March 4, 1972, in Jinnanbe-cho, Sakai-ku, Sakai-shi, Osaka. His parents ran a manufacturing business in Sakai, Osaka and did not have any association with the world of Kabuki. At the age of 5, Hiroyuki passed the audition for child actor held by Shochiku Geino and started receiving acting lessons and stage experience. His first screen TV appearance was child role for a drama in NHK's Galaxy TV Novel program. At the same time, he began appearing on Kabuki stage with his birth name. His talent was noticed by Kataoka Jinzaemon XIII in 1983, and also received the invitation for apprentice from Kataoka Hidetaro II. He then took the names Kataoka Chiyonosuke (real name of Kataoka Nizaemon XIII) and Kataoka Chiyomaru, and performed his first major Kabuki act "Kanjincho" in Kyoto Minamiza . Kataoka Hidetaro II adopted him to the family as his successor in 1993. The same year, he played the role of Sugawa Jiro in the "Kanjincho" staged at Nakaza in Osaka. He was promoted to the title of Kataoka Ainosuke VI in 1994. Kataoka Ainosuke VI is married to actress Fujiwara Norika since September 23, 2016.

Maeno Ryotaku (Kataoka Ainosuke) is a doctor of Buzen Province, Nakatsu domain. Aspiring to learn Western knowledge, he comes across a Dutch-language translation of the German medical text Anatomische Tabellen while studying in Nagasaki. After returning from Nagasaki, Maeno is invited by a doctor friend Sugita Genpaku (Niiro Shinya) of Wakasa Province, Obama domain to observe an autopsy.

Baian Fujieda, an assassin for hire, got an unusual job from his usual fixer to end up with an unexpected twist of destiny from the past.

An adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's novel "Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde" tells the story of Dr. Jekyll, who wants to invent a drug to separate good and evil in human.

The main character, Baian Fujieda, is a dark hero who has two faces: one as a skilled acupuncturist who saves lives, and the other as a criminal who buries evil that cannot be kept alive for the sake of others. Popular writer Shotaro Ikenami's historical novel series of the same title, on which the film "BAIAN The Assassin, M.D." is based, is a blockbuster bestseller with a total of over 6 million copies in print and has been made into a timeless entertainment film many times in Japan. Many famous actors have played the role of Baian, including Ken Watanabe. The year 2023 marks the 100th anniversary of Shotaro Ikenami's birth. In the anniversary year of 2023, a new "BAIAN The Assassin, M.D." is born.

In 1934 (Showa 9), Maj. Gen. Yamamoto Isoroku was ordered to be the chief representative of the preliminary negotiations for the Disarmament Conference to be held in London. If negotiations break down and Japan becomes isolated from the international community, the gap with Britain and the United States will deepen, and it may eventually become a war. Knowing the mighty national power of the United States and thinking that war should be avoided, Yamamoto is forced to make a tough decision with the speculation of senior military personnel who want to withdraw from the disarmament system and hope for a path to arms race. Under such circumstances, Yamamoto comes up with a secret plan!

Hiyori (Kei Tanaka) is an ornithologist (expert on birds). His wife is Rinko (Miki Nakatani). She is the leader the minority opposition party. One morning, Hiyori is about to travel to an isolated island to watch birds on a 10 day trip. Before he leaves, Rinko asks him if she becomes the prime minister would he be inconvenienced. Hiyori then goes on his bird watching trip. During this time, he is completely isolated from the outside world. When he returns home, his wife Rinko is now the prime minister of the country. She is also the first ever female prime minister of Japan. Suddenly, Hiyori is now the first gentleman of the country. He decides to support his wife, but he finds himself caught up in unexpected circumstances.

People of Saitama Prefecture, who have been persecuted by Tokyoites for a long time, stand up for their freedom. Thanks to Momomi Hakuhodo (Fumi Nikaido) and the Saitama Liberation Front, laissez-passer is abolished. The people of Saitama Prefecture can once again enjoy their peaceful daily lives, but the Saitama Liberation Front heads toward its next goal. This leads to a big case.

To defend their kingdom against a sudden invasion, a mighty general returns to the battlefield alongside a war orphan, now grown up, who dreams of glory.

Inomatsu, a carpenter with a reputation as a skilled craftsman, has a wife named Oritsu. Oritsu is deeply in love with Inomatsu and believes that the purpose of her life is to devote herself to her husband day and night. However, Oritsu is Inomatsu's fourth wife. In fact, he is a robber and thief. As a carpenter, Inomatsu usually sneaked into merchants' houses and carried out robberies. For him, wives are just a tool to deceive the public...

A publishing company is working on a book about Umezu’s life. The lead editor, Sakura, knows that Umezu’s late mother Ichie was very influential to his work. As the investigation continues, bizarre incidents begin occurring one after another. Soon, the grudge of a mother who should be dead sparks mounting fear around Umezu.


