Tetsu no Hone (2010 TV Series)

Tetsu no Hone (Bones of Steel) is a Japanese television drama series that aired on NHK from July 3 to July 31, 2010. The five-episode series is based on the novel of the same name by author Jun Ikeido, which was published by Kodansha on October 8, 2009. The literary work received the Yoshikawa Eiji Prize for New Writers and was nominated for the Naoki Prize.

Plot

The story follows Heita Tomishima, portrayed by Teppei Koike, a young employee at a construction firm. After three years of working at various construction sites, he is transferred to the company's sales division. He soon discovers that the firm is deeply involved in illegal bid-rigging practices. As he navigates this environment, Tomishima learns that his father's death was linked to similar corrupt activities, forcing him to choose between whistleblowing or protecting his employer.

Cast

The series features an ensemble cast including:

• Teppei Koike as Heita Tomishima
• Kosuke Toyohara as Yasuo Endo
• Asami Usuda as Moe Nomura
• Takanori Takeyama as Goro Nishida
• Takayuki Takuma as Shunichi Sonoda
• Atsuo Nakamura as Manzou Mihashi
• Takanori Jinnai as Soji Ogata
• Takashi Sasano as Atsushi Matsuda
• Soichiro Kitamura as Kazuhiko Shiroyama
• Akio Kaneda as Izumi
• Miyuki Matsuda as Yaeko Toshima
• Issei Takahashi as Isao Yamamoto
• Kotani Sayaka as Shoichi Sonoda

Production and Reception

The drama was directed by Tsuyoshi Yanagawa, Zennosuke Matsuura, and Takashi Suzaki. It aired on Saturdays at 21:00. According to data from Video Research, Ltd., the series recorded an average viewership rating of 5.5% in the Kanto region.

Related Works

The novel by Jun Ikeido has been adapted into other television productions, including the 2015 MBC drama City of the Sun and a 2020 adaptation also titled Tetsu no Hone produced by WOWOW.