Masa Kasamatsu takes on a challenging role in the foreign drama “Oku no Hosomichi: Memoirs of a Japanese POW,” based on the Booker Prize-winning novel. All episodes will be available exclusively on U-NEXT from Friday, October 10th.
U-NEXT Co., Ltd. Press release: August 29, 2025 To Members of the Press Masaru Kasamatsu takes on a challenging role in the overseas drama “Oku no Hosomichi: Memoirs of a Japanese POW,” based on the Booker Prize-winning novel. All episodes will be available exclusively on U-NEXT from Friday, October 10th.
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(Headquarters: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Tenshin Tsutsumi), a member of the USEN & U-NEXT GROUP, will exclusively stream the foreign drama “The Narrow Road to the Deep North,” based on the Booker Prize-winning novel, on unlimited streaming starting Friday, October 10, 2025. You can enjoy all five episodes of this series in high-definition 4K, with both subtitles and dubbing. Booker Prize-winning novel brought to the screen by an all-star international team This masterpiece novel by Richard Flanagan, winner of the British Booker Prize in 2014, has been brought to the screen by an
international production team including Sony Pictures Television and Curio Pictures. This profound human drama depicts the life of Australian military doctor Dorigo Evans, who was taken prisoner by the Japanese army during the Pacific War, spanning three periods: before, during, and after the war. It deeply questions human dignity, memory, love, and forgiveness under the extreme conditions of war. Jacob Elordi, known for his roles in Euphoria and Priscilla, will play the young Drigo, while Ciarán Hinds, known for his roles in Belfast and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, will play the older Drigo. Masaru Kasamatsu plays a conflicted Japanese military officer The Japanese cast includes Masaru Kasamatsu, an actor who has garnered attention for his roles in TV dramas such as “TOKYO VICE” and “Gannibal.” He plays Major Nakamura, a man who confronts prisoners in a Japanese prison camp, taking on the difficult role of a man torn between orders and his personal beliefs.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/31998/2398/31998-2398-372fe118388ff15317a6d56b19439ed0-3900×1463.png In addition, he also provided his own voice for the Japanese dubbed version, deeply immersing himself in the role through both live-action and voice acting.
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/31998/2398/31998-2398-addb05da634387ed957008045b753eb4-3900×2928.jpg Comment from Masaru Kasamatsu “This is high-quality, top-tier entertainment. Everyone involved in this production has always been confident that no one will become complacent. I made this film without any worries, focusing on what I had to do. How should humans behave in the extreme circumstances of war? And I feel that the core of this work is the way people deal with the emotional scars they suffer in the aftermath. I hope you will experience this story at your own convenience. ” Story 1943, during the Pacific War. Australian military surgeon Lieutenant Colonel Dorigo Evans is a prisoner of war of the Japanese army, working on the construction of the Burma-Thailand Railway. Throughout his hellish days, where death looms close at hand, Dorigo is sustained by the memory of the forbidden love he left behind back home.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/31998/2398/31998-2398-e47fa1b24df81deb62d1c3d1e24bb595-3900×1872.png Contrasting the cruelty of war with the passion of youth, this film depicts three different forms of love: the secret love of youth, the bond between fellow prisoners of war, and the feelings that blossom between a man and his wife after the war, with whom he has been married for many years. Through the life of one man, the film explores the essence of hope and humanity.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/31998/2398/31998-2398-ffd0e877d28123fb5b663ffc1c79dc47-3900×1950.png About Author Richard Flanagan Richard Flanagan spent 12 years writing the original novel, “Oku no Hosomichi” (published by Hakusuisha), based on his father’s experiences as a prisoner of war during World War II. In 2014, it won the Booker Prize, Britain’s highest literary award, and was praised worldwide as a “masterpiece among
masterpieces.” His latest work, “The Seventh Question” (published by Hakusuisha), was released on August 22nd. In 2024, he will win the Baillie Gifford Prize, Britain’s highest non-fiction award, making him the first author in history to win both the Booker Prize and this award. Be sure to immerse yourself in the world of the original novel along with this work. The Narrow Road to the Deep North – Memories of a Japanese POW (Original title: The Narrow Road to the Deep North) (5 episodes) [Streaming Start Date] Friday, October 10, 2025, all 5 episodes available exclusively (subtitled and dubbed) [Streaming Format] Unlimited viewing / 4K compatible [Executive Producer] Richard Flanagan Sean Grand (NITRAM, Mindhunter) Justin Kurzel (Assassin’s Creed) Joe Porter (Wentworth) Rachel Gardner (The Stranger) [Cast / Japanese Dubbing Cast] – Dorigo Evans (1940s): Jacob Elordi/Chikahiro Kobayashi – Dorigo Evans (1980s): Ciarán Hinds/Katsuhiko Sasaki – Amy Mulvaney: Odessa Young/Mutsumi Tamura – Ella Evans (1940s): Olivia DeJonge/Hinako Takahashi – Ella Evans (1980s): Heather Mitchell/Maki Isonishi – Major Nakamura: Masaru Kasamatsu/Masaru Kasamatsu – Keith Mulvaney: Simon Baker/Hozumi Goda and more (C) 2024 Curio Pictures Pty Ltd and Screen Australia. What is U-NEXT? U-NEXT is the video streaming service with the largest number of titles available for unlimited viewing. Enjoy over 400,000 titles, including movies, dramas, and anime. You can also watch live music and stage shows, as well as the world’s top sports, including soccer, golf, and martial arts, in real time. U-NEXT also offers over 1.21 million manga and books, seamlessly combining video, books, sports, and live
performances in a single app, delivering a genre-defying entertainment experience. By integrating with Paravi in July 2023, the service will offer an even more compelling service with a large lineup of dramas and variety shows from TBS and TV Tokyo. U-NEXT Inc. is a group company of U-NEXT HOLDINGS Inc. (Headquarters: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Yasuhide Uno). U-NEXT: https://video.unext.jp U-NEXT SQUARE: https://square.unext.jp *Research by GEM Partners / As of July 2025 Survey of foreign films, Japanese films, foreign TV dramas, Korean & Asian dramas, domestic TV dramas, and anime on major domestic subscription-based video streaming services. Some titles are available for a separate fee.