Singer Mika Nakashima is taking on her first acting role in a television drama series since "Shiritsu Tantei Hama Mike" in 2002. She has been cast in TBS's "Ryusei no Kizuna," which features young stars Kazunari Ninomiya, Ryo Nishikido, and Erika Toda.

The drama, based on a mystery novel by popular writer Keigo Higashino, was first announced in July. The story follows three siblings who lose their parents to a murderer and subsequently become a team of swindlers to get revenge against the killer.

Nakashima plays a character that was not in the original story - a mysterious woman who is a regular customer at the restaurant where the oldest brother (Ninomiya) works. Her first appearance is in the show's second episode.

Nakashima is also providing a ballad called "ORION," to be used as an insert song in the drama. "ORION" will be released as a single on November 12.

"Ryusei no Kizuna" premieres on October 17.