Kokuho

Based on Shūichi Yoshida’s acclaimed 2018 novel, this epic drama of ambition, rivalry, and devotion is set in the world of Kamigata Kabuki. Spanning five decades, it follows the life of Kikuo, a boy from Nagasaki whose fate is dramatically altered in 1964, when he witnesses the brutal murder of his Yakuza father at the hands of a rival gang. Orphaned and alone, Kikuo is taken in by the stern Hanjiro Hanai, head of a prestigious Kabuki troupe. Recognizing the boy’s raw passion and talent, Hanjiro raises him alongside his own son, Shunsuke.

Under Hanjiro’s relentless training, Kikuo and Shunsuke come of age within the demanding, tradition-rich world of Kabuki theater. Their relationship evolves into a complex web of brotherly bond and bitter competition. As both achieve acclaim as onnagata—male actors performing female roles—their performances captivate audiences. But when Hanjiro chooses Kikuo, rather than his own son, as his successor, a deep rift opens between them, transforming their profound affection into fierce rivalry.