The HBO Max crime drama Tokyo Vice has added Pachinko star Soji Arai for its second season. The series is currently in production in Tokyo. The series stars Ansel Elgort and Ken Watanable and aired its first season last April before being renewed last June. The series is loosely inspired by the non-fiction, firsthand account by American journalist Jake Adelstein (Elgort) of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police.
According to Deadline, Arai is set to play Shingo, who is described as the lover and former colleague of Jake’s supervisor at the Meicho, Emi (Rinko Kiuchi). A single parent with a young son, he is now an editor at a prestigious Tokyo weekly. He and Emi share a passion for the work of journalism, but as the season rolls on, their work and family lives come into conflict, Shingo and Emi are forced to make hard choices about what they value most in their lives.
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In addition to appearing in Prime Video’s Dead Ringers, Arai is best known for his role in Mozasu in Apple TV+’s Pachinko.
What is Tokyo Vice about?
The series’ official description from HBO Max reads as follows: “Loosely inspired by American journalist Jake Adelstein’s non-fiction, first-hand account of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police beat, the crime drama series, filmed on location in Tokyo, captures Adelstein’s (played by Ansel Elgort) daily descent into the neon-soaked underbelly of Tokyo in the late 90s, where nothing and no one is truly what or who they seem.”
“We could not be more excited to bring the passionate fans of the show another season to continue this intriguing and suspenseful crime story set in one of the most vibrant and beautiful cities in the world,” Sarah Aubrey, Head of Original Content, HBO Max said in a statement.
Creator J.T. Rogers added, “Writing and then making the first season of TOKYO VICE with this remarkable group of artists was a matchless experience. So, I’m over the moon that we get to keep going. I can’t wait to get back to work in Tokyo with our brilliant cast and crew. Stay tuned: there are twists and turns in the tale to come!”
“The phenomenal viewer response in both the U.S. and Japan has been so gratifying,” said Executive Producer Alan Poul. “Making the show, and keeping it authentic, has been a genuine labor of love on the part of our dedicated cast and crew, and we’re thrilled to be able to carry the story forward.”
