THE RAMPAGE's Hokuto Yoshino to Star in Touching Road Movie 'Last Vacation'

It has been announced that Last Vacation, an upcoming feature film starring Hokuto Yoshino—a vocalist of the popular dance and vocal group THE RAMPAGE from EXILE TRIBE who continues to expand his career as an actor—will hit theaters across Japan on February 26, 2027. Alongside the announcement, the film's official teaser poster and trailer were unveiled, swiftly sparking significant buzz across social media platforms.

The film is helmed by director Ken Iizuka, acclaimed for works such as Step and Alienoid (Uchujin no Aitsu). An original road movie, Last Vacation chronicles a three-day vehicular journey from Miyako in Iwate Prefecture down to Kochi Prefecture, undertaken by a man and a woman harboring completely different circumstances and destinations. Yoshino portrays the protagonist, Katsuyuki, a schoolteacher grappling with profound grief following the death of his wife. Co-starring as his travel companion is actress Ayana Shiramoto, supported by a talented ensemble cast that includes Mijika Nagai, Tokio Emoto, Kiyohiko Shibukawa, and Maki Sakai.

Under the poignant premise of "a man who lost a loved one, and a woman who must leave a loved one behind," the trailer highlights Yoshino's delicate performance as he breaks down in tears while holding a notebook left by his late wife. Immediately following the release of the information, fans and moviegoers took to X (formerly Twitter) with enthusiastic praise, posting comments such as "My chest tightened just watching the trailer" and "I have nothing but high hopes for this serious role, unlike anything he's played before." The film's title, along with its Japanese shorthand "LasVake," quickly began trending.

Having tackled a diverse range of genres from mysteries to comedies in his acting career, Yoshino's endeavor into his very first road movie marks an exciting new milestone, drawing tremendous anticipation long before its premiere.

The context

Hokuto Yoshino is one of the three main vocalists in THE RAMPAGE from EXILE TRIBE, a high-energy 16-member J-pop performance collective managed by LDH JAPAN. Over recent years, several members of the group have successfully branched into acting, with Yoshino steadily building a reputation for his versatility across television dramas, stage plays, and romantic or coming-of-age films (such as Kiss Him, Not Me!). Director Ken Iizuka is well-regarded in Japanese cinema for blending heartfelt emotional beats with quirky, humanistic humor. In Last Vacation, the sweeping route from Iwate in northeastern Japan (Tohoku) to Kochi in the southwestern island of Shikoku spans over a thousand kilometers, underscoring the transformative nature of classic Japanese road cinema.

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