Muro Tsuyoshi: Behind every success, there are always setbacks.

Actor Muro Tsuyoshi

■ Profile
Born on January 23, 1976, in Kanagawa Prefecture. He aspired to become an actor while in university and began his career with a one-man show that he wrote, directed, and starred in. He expanded his activities into film and television after appearing in the movie "Summertime Machine Blues" (1). His recent major appearances include the movie "New Interpretation of the End of the Edo Period" (05) and the Netflix series "The Great Sin of Article 25" (26).

Muro Tsuyoshi is a one-of-a-kind actor who can play a wide range of roles, from comical to serious. He says that even the hardships and frustrations are rewarding because it's a profession he chose because he loves it. In preparation for the production of the sequel to the drama based on the baseball manga "Draft King," we spoke with Muro Tsuyoshi, who plays the lead role, about the appeal and highlights of the work, as well as his own views on acting.

■ Not only joy, but also hardship and disappointment can be rewarding.

Shortly after entering university, I encountered a particular stage performance. At the time, I was struggling to decide whether what I was studying at university was truly what I wanted to do. I was deeply moved by the performance I saw and wanted to try it myself. This encounter led me to drop out of the university I had worked so hard to get into by raising my academic performance by 20 points, and to jump into the world of acting.
Because this is the profession I chose, I feel that not only the joys but also the hardships and frustrations are part of what makes it worthwhile. Facing a variety of emotions and working in front of people, there is also the fear of not being able to hide anything. However, the joy of expressing myself and conveying my thoughts to many people in front of a stage or camera outweighs that fear, and I find it very appealing.
Another appeal of acting is being able to immerse yourself in the world of a work. You might get to play extraordinary roles that you wouldn't normally experience, such as a criminal or a toy. I find joy in facing such diverse roles and worlds. There are difficult times when you confront a role, think deeply, and prepare, but I believe that this time is essential for creating an enjoyable experience for the audience.

■ To approach each role with sincerity

As an actor, the roles I play change with age, so my goal is to approach each role with sincerity.
I think you sometimes notice when watching TV that an actor has changed. While age-related changes can sometimes have a negative connotation, I believe that actors change with age, and I even want to be perceived that way. Moreover, I aim not to change in a way that viewers can imagine, but to become someone that even AI cannot predict, and I confront myself and my roles with that goal in mind.
What I find particularly interesting about this work is the perspective of "draft," as indicated in the title. While there are many baseball manga out there, I don't think there are many that focus on the draft and depict the lives of players, scouts, and former players.
In the world of baseball, not everyone who aims to become a professional player actually succeeds. That's why I find this work so appealing—it depicts both the glamorous and the harsh and brutal aspects of baseball.

■Draft King - BORDER LINE -

I play the main character, Ganriki Gohara. In preparing for the role, I focused on staying true to the core of Gohara's character. I told myself not to do any unnecessary acting and faced the role head-on in order to portray Gohara as a person.
One of Gohara's charms is the words he speaks to the players. This work is filled with more words of encouragement and motivation that can give players a turning point in their lives. We prepared these words and feelings, which only a scout like Gohara can say, to be persuasive so that they can be conveyed to the viewers.
Furthermore, while creating works with younger actors, I have made it a point to convey my own experiences and feelings through my work. In an era of diverse values, I don't want to dismiss the ideas of the younger generation, but rather to share my own valuable experiences while carefully choosing my words.
This film puts a lot of effort into the baseball gameplay scenes, and many of the actors have baseball experience. The realism and intensity of the play are definitely one of the highlights. In addition, it depicts the lives of players that couldn't be fully portrayed in the previous film, the lives of those aiming to become professionals, and the lives of players who are ending their professional careers, making it a film that people from various backgrounds can relate to. I feel that it's a film that can be enjoyed from many different perspectives, not only by young people chasing their dreams, but also by parents with children.

■I want you to understand the importance of dreams and goals.

What I feel through this work is that "behind every success there is always failure." I believe that success exists and can only be achieved because of failures. Like a pendulum, small failures are followed by small successes, and big failures are followed by big successes; failures and successes are proportional. This drama depicts this pendulum-like cycle of success and failure with brutal precision, and I hope you will pay attention to that when you watch it. That's why I would be happy if you could also feel the importance of having dreams and goals through this work. I hope this work will become a trigger for someone's goals or a step forward.
Middle and high school students may experience setbacks and failures in their daily lives, but success always awaits them at the end of those journeys. I hope you will choose what you love and your goals, and move forward towards them.
I want to do my best so that our generation can create an environment where everyone can pursue what they love.
Please feel free to enjoy this time to the fullest and actively try out things that interest you.

Junior and Senior High School Newspaper, April 2026 Issue: Waka Watanabe, 3rd year student at International Christian University

Drama Series W-30 "Draft King -BORDER LINE-"

Sakura Yamashita (3rd year, Tsuda University) / Ayami Matsuyama (1st year, Aoyama Gakuin University) / Yurie Watanabe (2nd year, Josai International University) / Satsuki Sakakura (3rd year, Tokyo Metropolitan University) / Hinano Shinoda (2nd year, Tokyo Kasei University)