“Showdra Presents Mizushima-san from the Production Department” to be broadcast on ABC TV (Kansai)!
Progress Co., Ltd. Press release: September 6, 2025 To Members of the Press “Showdra Presents Mizushima-san from the Production Department” to be broadcast on ABC TV (Kansai)! The world of Hoshi no Yotsuya Sanchome Theater’s “Wait Please,” winner of the 2025 Mynavi Show Drama Award Grand Prize, has been unexpectedly adapted into a late-night drama!
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/16381/22/16381-22-f2e6e03ebdee7f72464e060cc804d16c-1733×2600.jpg 【Highlights】 ◆The last 15 minutes were shot in one long take The film’s greatest highlight is the 15-minute “long take” shot from the middle to the end. Starting with the rehearsal of the final scene on the rooftop of a building, the filmmakers’ hectic movements, their interactions with fans, and even their interactions with the surrounding filming locations, the film is immersive and captures everything on set in one continuous shot. The show directly conveys to viewers the hustle and bustle of a real production site, as well as the resourcefulness and energy of the “production department” that supports it behind the scenes, creating a sense of tension and excitement on set. ◆Media mix of horizontal TV drama and vertical short drama Pointillist scenes and behind-the-scenes scenes that don’t fit into the 30-minute TV drama broadcast are streamed as vertical short dramas before the broadcast on two accounts: “Showdra” and “Hoshi no Yotsuya Sanchome Theater.” This short drama, set in the same worldview, expands on the world of the TV drama and allows viewers to enjoy it. ◆A unique cast of actors, from young to veteran, gathers together! The lead role in this drama is played by actress Marina Mizushima, who played the main role in “Wait Please,” which won the Grand Prize at the Mynavi Show Drama Awards 2025, and also won the “Actor of the Year” award at the same awards. She has also played the main role in short dramas with similar worldviews, such as “Who’s in It?”, “Meat and Meat,” and “Please Be Quiet,” demonstrating her unique presence. In this drama, she passionately plays the protagonist, “Mizushima-san from the Production Department,” who struggles in the harsh world of drama production. In addition, Yutaro will play the role of Ryugasaki Mitsuru, the protagonist of the vertical drama within the play, Iida Motosuke will play Matsuzaki, the owner of the soba restaurant “Koshiji,” and Higo Katsuhiro (Dacho Club) will play Kuroda, the president of the video production company “Hoshiyon Eizo.” Also appearing in the film are Shogo Saeki, Nozomi Hanayagi, Akari Miyake, and Ryu Sato, who won the Performer Award at the “Mynavi Showdra Awards 2025.” Saeki will play Tamaki, the lead actor in the V-cinema “Gokudo Annihilation 16” that will be produced during the film, Hanayagi will play Harukaze Nozomi, the heroine of the drama, Miyake will play Koshiji’s daughter Nami, and Sato will play an employee of Pump It.
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/16381/22/16381-22-f0fd1ff80f14af54a5c6beaf2545ae56-1800×2700.jpg [Synopsis] Mizushima (Marina Mizushima), who works as a production manager at the video production company “Hoshiyon Eizo,” is tasked by company president Kuroda (Katsuhiro Higo) with producing a new project: a 50-episode vertical short drama. She’s been thrust into the production role in place of Shinomiya (Shion Suzuki), an in-house producer who suddenly resigned. Mizushima immediately heads out to scout locations with director Banjo (Koichi Sudo), cameraman Nakanishi (Katsuya Takagi), and others. Banjo wants to shoot the final scene on a building rooftop just as the sun sets, and he also wants the already deceased heroine to appear as a vision seen by the protagonist. This leaves Mizushima and the other production staff scratching their heads, as they have to send lead actor Mitsuru Ryugasaki (Yutaro) off by 7 p.m. So, work began on this low-budget, vertically-formatted short drama, with 50 episodes to be shot in one week. The final day of filming arrived. Testing for the climax scene on a building rooftop began, but director Banjo and his team noticed something strange about the lead actor, Mitsuru. It turns out that Mitsuru had been exposed in a weekly magazine for a “scandal,” and he was on the verge of breaking down. With just 10 minutes to go until the final scene, which must be shot in one take as the sun sets, Mizushima is busy dealing with a horde of high school girls who are Mitsuru’s fans at the foot of the building. Furthermore, problems arise one after another, including an apology to Matsuzaki (Iida Motosuke), the owner of the nearby soba restaurant “Koshiji,” a clash between Yuki (Matsushiro Rin), a new producer for the vertical short drama client “Pump It,” and cameraman Nakanishi, and the revelation that the heroine, Harukaze Nozomi (Hanayagi Nozomi), had been drinking real alcohol before swapping the contents. With everything in a state of crisis, filming of the final scene of the vertical drama begins. Will Mizushima and the others be able to finish filming safely before the sun goes down? 【What is the Mynavi Showdra Awards?】 The Showdra Awards is a video contest where you can enter by simply adding a hashtag to your TikTok post. The aim is to nurture creators, discover talent, and develop a new visual culture called short drama. Following the first event in 2024, the second event was held in 2025 on Wednesday, April 16th, with special sponsorship from Mynavi Co., Ltd. 【What is Hoshi no Yotsuya Sanchome Theater?】 A short drama unit made up of 22 actors affiliated with Ota Production. It was founded with the desire to turn Yotsuya Sanchome, where Ota Production’s offices are located, into a theater-like place for presenting plays. The short drama “Wait Please,” directed by Kohei Taniguchi, won the Grand Prize at the Mynavi Show Drama Awards 2025. ◆Comment from Scriptwriter and Director Kohei Taniguchi Even within the film industry, there are probably few people who can accurately answer the question of what exactly the “production department” does on a drama or movie set. Their duties are diverse, including communicating with the filming location, arranging lunch boxes and vehicles, and greeting passersby, and many of them are rather mundane and far from the glamorous image they might have. They’re often described as “responsible for everything that happens off-screen.” A dozen years ago, when I entered the film industry, a veteran staff member explained to me, “The production department is the mother of the production team.” While I have some reservations about this traditional view of gender, I understand what he meant. Most of the staff on set, including directors, cameramen, lighting technicians, sound engineers, art directors, costume designers, and makeup artists, are artists and craftsmen with strong personalities, and each one of them devotes all their energy to their work. To put it positively, it’s a collaboration of professionals. To put it negatively, it’s like “a group of kids who aren’t satisfied until they’re covered in mud.” To allow these children to play to their heart’s content, it’s the “mom’s” role to provide a safe playground, bring them lunches, and mediate if any fights break out. In that sense, there’s no clear division of what’s considered the “production department’s work.” On set, there’s a mountain of nameless work that the children dismiss as “not my job.” It’s the production department’s job to pick up these tasks and solve them one by one. It’s a constant cycle of groundwork, negotiation, decision-making, and apologies. There’s no room for dramatic elements like “creator’s conflict,” and the days are spent simply going through the “practical work.” A film is made up of countless procedures like these. There’s an anecdote about a master director having the second floor of a private home demolished because it was interfering with filming, but we mustn’t forget that there was a person who rang the doorbell, negotiated, and placed the order with a contractor. Once, an actor sparked controversy on a TV show when he posed a simple question to the on-set crew: “Why did you choose that job?” But how many staff members, or rather workers, can answer that question with pride? I imagine that many people, including myself, ended up in their current positions by chance and spend their days swamped with the work in front of them, without any time to consider their larger vision or purpose. Mizushima, the protagonist of this work, who works in the production department, is one such worker. When asked by her coworkers why she chose to work in the production department, she finds herself unable to give a proper answer. I hope you’ll join us for the next 30 minutes to find out whether she’ll be able to find the answer. And nothing would make me happier than if this drama, which will be broadcast late at night on Sundays, gives viewers energy for tomorrow. I guarantee that it will be entertaining, so I hope you will definitely watch it. ◆Starring Marina Mizushima comment Even now that filming is over, it still doesn’t feel real that my name will be the title of a drama! But I had a really fun time filming. I was grateful enough to receive the Grand Prize and Cast Award at the Show Drama Awards, but now it’s being made into a drama! I’m so happy with all the rewards! I hope you enjoy the film as if you were peeking into the atmosphere of a film set that you don’t normally get to see, and I hope it will resonate with people working in the film industry. Another highlight is that, with the exception of Yuutaro and the actor who won the Performer Award, all of the cast members are actors affiliated with Ota Productions. Also, I’d be happy if you could pay attention to the final long take, which was filmed with many adults racking their brains. Please enjoy the drama as if you were running around on set with us!
【Broadcast Information】 “Showdra Presents Mizushima-san from the Production Department” ABC TV, Sunday, September 14th, 12:25 AM – 12:55 AM *Kansai local *After it airs on ABC TV, you can catch it on TVer and ABEMA! Official website:
https://www.asahi.co.jp/mizushimasan/ PR: https://youtu.be/0JlJYFJQaUM 【Streaming Information】 “Mizushima-san from the Production Department” main story spin-off short drama now available! For more information, visit the “Showdra” account! ◇TIkTok◇ @showdrama_24 Please search for “Showdrama.” ◇Instagram◇ @showdrama_24 ◇X◇ @showdrama_24 ◇YouTube◇ @SHOWDRAMA_24 *The YouTube short will also be streamed at @Hoshi no Yotsuya Sanchome Theater. ◇LINE VOOM◇
https://linevoom.line.me/user/_dSeWa23HOwgrMk1I7BqyiTOPsGgpq8ATT0qaoMg Broadcast Schedule #1 Tuesday, September 9th, 5:00 PM #2 Wednesday, September 10th, 5:00 PM *The distribution schedule is subject to change without notice. *Some programs may not be available on all platforms. *Check out the previous “Mizushima-san from the Production Department” series below! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcvdrTvrTk0 【Cast & Staff】 Starring: Marina Mizushima Chiharu Sakaguchi, Ryukichi Takase Koichi Sudo, Katsuya Takagi, Miku Shimomura, Yui Ota, Hideyoshi Kuriyama, Seiko Utsumi Seijun Shinkawa, Yoshimi Naito, Moriri Nakamura, Shion Suzuki, Rin Matsushiro, Motosuke Iida Kakei Rei, Oka Nanako, Okawa Yua, Moe Ai, Otaji, Onishi Kenken, Tanaka Manabu, Motohashi Teruto Saeki Shogo, Hanayagi Nozomi, Miyake Juri, Sato Ryu Yuutaro (Casual Appearance) Katsuhiro Higo (Special Appearance) Script and Direction: Kohei Taniguchi Production Cooperation: Progress Ota Production Produced by: ABC Television For more information about this release *This email was sent automatically, so please do not reply.