4 things about Kento Yamazaki's Atom’s Last Shot
Atom’s Last Shot stars Kento Yamazaki as Nayuta Azumi, a young game developer who creates games on his own without the help of any major companies or distributors. He is nicknamed the “Banksy of the game industry,” as no one knows him.
After a certain incident, he decides to lead a quiet life. Meanwhile, Atom Toy Store, a long-established toy manufacturer on the verge of collapse, is desperately searching for him as they set their sights on video game production.
Here are four things to know about this latest Japanese drama.
1. It is Kento Yamazaki’s first TV drama since 2018.
Atom’s Last Shot is one of the most anticipated dramas for the fans of Yamazaki as it is his first TV drama since Good Doctor in 2018. If you found the name familiar, you may have heard or even seen him as Ryohei Arisu in Netflix’s Alice In Borderland (2020), which is getting a second season this December.
As Yamazaki has been busy filming movies like Wotakoi: Love Is Hard For Otaku (2020), The Door Into Summer (2021), and Kingdom 2 (2022), it leaves him hardly any time for TV dramas. Atom’s Last Shot, which recently started airing on Japanese TV, will thus let his fans admire his acting on the small screen and take a break from the silver screen.
2. Kento Yamazaki ditches his “manga prince” look.
Gone were the days when Yamazaki starred as a charming male lead in a romcom, such as L-DK (2014), No Longer Heroine (2015), and Wolf Girl and Black Prince (2016). From participating in the survival game-themed drama Alice In Borderland (2020) to taking on an action-period piece Kingdom (2019), it seems like the 28-year-old Yamazaki is trying to change his prince-like image and move into more mature roles.
In Atom’s Last Shot, Yamazaki transforms into a sloppy IT nerd with wavy, almost shoulder-length hair. Compared with his short hair and boyish looks in the past, this is an unprecedented image that fans may need some time to get used to.
3. It is the first time Kento Yamazaki and Kouhei Matsushita have worked together.
Kouhei Matsushita, who recently rose to fame after starring in Dearest (2021), plays the role of Hayato Sugou in Atom’s Last Shot. He was Nayuta’s close friend but they grew apart after an incident. The first episode did not mention much about him, so it is up to the viewers to keep watching to find out what’s his deal.
Unlike their characters and despite it being their first time working together, Yamazaki and Matsushita seem to have bonded well outside of filming. They even shared an umbrella (although they had two) on a rainy day!
4. It is the third drama in the collaboration between TBS and Disney+.
After Tokyo MER: Mobile Emergency Room (2021) and Kazunari Ninomiya’s My Family (2022), Atom’s Last Shot is the third drama by Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS) to be streamed on Disney+. Although Japanese dramas are still not widely available internationally on streaming platforms, and not as readily available (same-day or same-time release) as Korean dramas, these pioneers will pave the way for the future streaming of Japanese dramas.
Watch Atom’s Last Shot on Disney+ now.
