UNBOUND:First episode viewership rating 12.6%　Taiga drama starring Ryusei Yokohama　Lower than previous series "Dear Radiance"

The first episode of the 2025 NHK Taiga drama " UNBOUND " (General TV, Sunday 8pm and others), starring actor Ryusei Yokohama , titled "Arigatayama no Samgarasu", was extended by 15 minutes and aired on January 5th. It was revealed that the average viewer ratings (according to Video Research, Kanto region, same below) were 12.6% for households and 7.3% for individuals. This was lower than the 12.7% for households and 7.5% for individuals for the previous year's " Dear Radiance (Hikaru Kimi e)", and the worst figures for the first episode of a Taiga drama since 1963.

"UNBOUND" is the 64th taiga drama, depicting the life of Tsutaya Juzaburo(or "Tsutajyu" for short), who is said to have built the foundations of Japan's media industry and pop culture. The script was written by Yoshiko Morishita, known for "Drama 10 'Ooku'" which was broadcast on NHK two years ago and became a big hit.

In the first episode, a year and a half after the Great Fire of Meiwa, Tsutaju, also known as Tsutaya Juzaburo(Yokohama), was working at a teahouse and running a book rental business.

One day, when he visits Matsubaya, his childhood friend and courtesan, Hananoi (Fuka Koshiba), entrusts him with a delivery for Asagao (Reika Aiki). However, when Tsutaju visits Futagoya on Jonengashi Riverbank, he finds Asagao looking extremely emaciated.

Tsutaju is troubled by the terrible conditions faced by the prostitutes at the Kashimise, a suburb of Yoshiwara. Meanwhile, an arson attack occurs in Yoshiwara, causing chaos... and so the story unfolds.

The drama's narrator, Kurosuke Inari, played by Ayase Haruka, disguises herself as an Edo period courtesan and uses a smartphone to give an easy-to-understand explanation of Yoshiwara, the setting of the drama, which also attracted attention for its directing.