Ōoka Echizen is a prime-time televisionjidaigeki in Japan. From March 16, 1970 to March 15, 1999, 402 episodes and 15 seasons were broadcast. Also, a two-hour special aired on March 20, 2006, commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of the National Gekijō, which occupies the Monday evening 8:00–8:54 pm time slot on the TBS network, sponsored by Matsushita. It alternated, seasonally, with Mito Kōmon and Edo o Kiru. The title character is Ōoka Tadasuke, a historical person who was a magistrate in the city of Edo during the time of Tokugawa Yoshimune in the eighteenth century. The magistrate acted as chief of police, judge and jury. The show was a detective-courtroom program. Actor Gō Katō created the title character and played him throughout the life of the series. Among the characters were many who appeared in several years. For two decades, Muga Takewaki played Sakakibara Iori, a doctor at the Koishikawa Yōjōsho. Chiezō Kataoka acted as Tadasuke's father until his death in 1983. Tadasuke's wife was initially portrayed by Masayo Utsunomiya; after the 1983 season Wakako Sakai replaced her and continued until 1985. Later that year, Yoshie Taira took on the role, and continued for the remainder of the series. Shiho, the apprentice doctor, appeared from 1983 to 1996. Actress Ritsuko Nemoto portrayed her, and returned for the 2006 special, as did Takewaki and Taira. Takashi Yamaguchi appeared occasionally as Yoshimune. He, Gentarō Takahashi as the beat cop Tatsuzō, and Katō in the title role were the only three who appeared in series from beginning to end, as well as in the 2006 special. Sanae Tsuchida was in the cast from 1970 to 1975. Additional roles included members of the police force, maids in the Ōoka household, and the women of the eatery the police frequented. There was a narrator too. In one season it was Hidekatsu Shibata. Sōgen Asahina did the title calligraphy. Takeo Yamashita did the music. The series was produced by C.A.L. It has been widely rerun on terrestrial and pay satellite television in Japan. Some episodes available on DVD.
