Currently airing is NHK's morning drama series "Omusubi" starring Kanna Hashimoto, which will air in the second half of 2024 (General TV, Monday to Saturday, 8:00 a.m. and others). The innovative content, which deals with Heisei gals and parapara, is a hot topic, but it is no exaggeration to say that Hashimoto's extremely stable acting as the heroine supports the foundation of the drama. We asked production manager Takashi Usagawa and scriptwriter Nonji Nemoto about Hashimoto's presence as the heroine.
◇ "Frustrated" feeling after seeing her hosting the Kohaku Uta Gassen
"Omusubi" is a "Heisei youth graffiti" in which the heroine Yui (Hashimoto), born in 1989, connects people's hearts and futures as a nutritionist, with the "gal spirit" of valuing one's individuality at all times. It is an original work by Nemoto, who wrote the script for NHK's drama "Shojiki Real Estate" and others.
At a press conference in August last year, Usagawa cited Hashimoto's acting ability, relaxed demeanor, and eating habits as reasons for choosing her as the heroine.
It was on New Year's Eve 2022, when Hashimoto hosted the Kohaku Uta Gassen for the first time, that Usagawa clearly noticed her charm: "She's there as the main character, with a constant smile, and she effortlessly leads everyone. That makes it very reassuring."
Usagawa began by saying, "When Hashimoto first hosted the Kohaku, I was jealous." "Even though there were about 50 superstars in the cast, Hashimoto was able to firmly accept everyone, and instead of stepping forward herself, she moved forward together with them, and when I saw her moving forward, I thought, 'Oh, why couldn't I show this side of her earlier in her acting career?' and I felt very regretful."
He revealed that Hashimoto's appearance "matched the story of the heroine of 'Omusubi' I was writing at the time, Yoneda Yui, and I thought it would be a new charm for Hashimoto, so I offered her the role, thinking it would be even more interesting if she could show that side of herself in her acting."
And after actually performing the role, he commented, "Her natural, unpretentious personality matches Yui's true heart, and I think it comes across as a very new charm. She's a very charming heroine. But (because everyone around her is so unique) Yui is nothing, and I think that's a performance that only Hashimoto could pull off."
◇The reason why the scriptwriter didn't depict her childhood at first
Nemoto, who is in charge of the script, looked back and said, "I started writing the plot and other things before it was decided that Hashimoto would play the lead role, and the character of Yoneda Yui was created."
He said that he actually started writing the script after Hashimoto was chosen to play the lead, but added, "I didn't change anything about Yui because it was Hashimoto," and added, "It feels like Yui and Hashimoto are (naturally) getting closer to each other."
He praised Hashimoto's performance, saying, "She's naturally good at eating and being lively, so rather than trying to make that match Hashimoto, I feel like she's done a great job of acting it out."
And after seeing Hashimoto's performance, he gave it his stamp of approval, saying, "It's amazing. She's a real comedienne."
"This is the first time I've worked with her, but she's always been very good at making characters stand out, and I thought she had a great sense of comedy. Her tone and timing are perfect when it comes to lines like tsukkomi, or when she's making tsukkomi from her innermost thoughts. It's like a laughter moment." Nemoto was present at the first week's reading and revealed, "The timing was brilliant, so I thought that with this person we could add even more funny scenes, and it feels like the laughs are increasing more and more."
Incidentally, when asked why the first week of a morning drama doesn't focus on childhood, Nemoto frankly said, "It's because I honestly want to see Hashimoto from the very beginning."
"Omusubi" is supported by Hashimoto's outstanding adaptability and stable acting, including her talent as a comedienne. We are looking forward to seeing how it develops in the future.
