Kabuki actor Koshiro Matsumoto IX has been cast in the upcoming "HERO," which stars Takuya Kimura as the prosecutor Kohei Kuryu. Matsumoto plays the role of Kuryu's toughest adversary, a lawyer known for achieving the most "innocent" verdicts in all of Japan.

Matsumoto is also the father of Takako Matsu, who appears in the movie and the original drama series.

Aside from the returning cast of the drama series, several other cast members have been announced. TV celebrity Tamori has been cast as a politician. Kiichi Nakai and Haruka Ayase, who were both in last year's special, will appear again in the movie. Ryoko Kuninaka, Teruyuki Kagawa, and Ittoku Kishibe have also been given roles.