Nino to act as a freeter in new drama

Arashi's Ninomiya Kazunari (27) is confirmed to be starring in a new drama series this fall. Titled "Freeter, Ie wo Kau," the show will feature Ninomiya as a part-time worker trying to get his life back together for the sake of his family. Karina (26) will play the female lead.

The show is Ninomiya's first starring role in a drama series since the 2008 "Ryusei no Kizuna." As an actor, he has recently been focused on filming for his upcoming movies "Ooku" and "GANTZ." In contrast with those spectacular big screen roles, his character in this home drama will be a freeter (a term used to describe young people without full time employment, not counting students and homemakers).

The story is based on a book of the same name by Arikawa Hiro, published last year. The story revolves around a young man named Take Seiji (Ninomiya), who quits his job after three months. With no dreams, no savings, and a poor relationship with his family, he becomes a hikikomori in his own room. However, after his mother falls ill with depression, he ends up having to take on a part-time job at a construction site.

Because of that, he soon decides to work towards rebuilding his life: "Even though I'm just a freeter, I'm going to buy a house for the sake of my family."

One of the people he meets at the construction site is Chiba Manami (Karina), who graduated from a top-class university and joined a well-known general contracting firm. Manami, proud to be working as an on-site supervisor, is the complete opposite of Seiji. But while their personalities clash at first, they gradually come to understand each other.

Filming already started earlier this month. The show will air on Fuji TV on Tuesdays at 9:00pm, starting in October. (Tokyograph)
 
Never heard of this Karina woman, despite watching Galileo, which her dramawiki page says she acted in.