There is only one week left of the broadcast of the NHK Asadora drama "Omusubi " starring Kanna Hashimoto . Starting on March 31st, the 112th morning Asadora"Anpan" will replace it. It is a "story of love and courage" based on the married couple Takashi Yanase(1919-2013), the manga artist and picture book writer who created "Anpanman," and Nobu Komatsu(1918-1993). The heroine (heroine) of the drama, Asada Nobu, is played by Mio Imada, who was once called "the cutest girl in Fukuoka." We would like to look back on her path to becoming a Asadora heroine, along with her major works.
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Imada was born on March 5, 1997 in Fukuoka Prefecture. After working in his hometown, he moved to Tokyo in 2016 with the aim of becoming an actor. From around 2017, he began to be introduced in the media with the catchphrase "The cutest girl in Fukuoka," as mentioned above, and he was cast in stage plays, dramas, and movies, and also began appearing in gravure, gradually increasing his fame.
One of the works that marked a turning point for Imada as an actor was the 2018 drama series "Boys Over Flowers: Next Season" (TBS). She played the role of Maya Airi, a beautiful girl with twin tails who is a "little devil," and her portrayal of the character drew attention for its "reproduction of the original work."
Prior to this, Imada had also appeared in the Fuji TV series "The Enemy of the People: Isn't the World Crazy?" in which she played the role of a cheerful delivery health girl who falls in tragic love with a city council member played by Issei Takahashi , and she had been attracting attention from drama fans from early on.
In 2019's "3-nen A-gumi: From Now On You're All Hostages" (NTV), she played the role of Suwa Yuzuki, a "first-string girl" who harbors a dark side, and in 2020's "Oyakodaka Seishun Hakusho" (NTV), she played the completely different role of Yamamoto Hiroko, a caring girl who is making her university debut, and before long she has been showing a wide range of acting.
◇ First appearance in a Asadora in " Okaeri Mone " and starring in the drama adaptations of "Akujo" and "Hanasaki Mai"
Her first appearance in a Asadora was in the 2021 drama "Okaeri Mone." Imada played the young weather forecaster Marianna Kamino Riko, who is straightforward and straightforward in her speech, but has a unique presence that makes her a popular character.
Her first lead role in a TV drama was in 2022's "Akujo: Who Said Working Is Uncool?" (Nippon TV). It was a remake of a hit drama starring Hikari Ishida 30 years ago, and there were many comparisons to it. However, Imada pulled it off brilliantly with her natural presence and acting ability, and in 2023's "Ichiban Suki na Hana," she will be one of the Mikako Tabe roles in the drama alongside Mikako Tabe, Kohei Matsushita, and Fuju Kamio.
Imada played the difficult role of Miyuki Yoyo, who had a background in having her beautiful looks mistaken for love by men and envied by women, as well as having been forced by her mother to act more like a girl.However, this role also received high praise.
Imada, who has already become a regular in serial dramas and has made notable appearances in films such as the "Tokyo Revengers" series and "My Happy Marriage," will also star in "Hanasaki Mai ga Damatte Nai" (Nippon TV) in 2024. Like "Akujo" two years ago, this is a re-drama adaptation, but with the skilled actor Koji Yamamoto as her partner, she once again plays the main character, Hanasaki Mai, following in the footsteps of her "predecessor" Anne.
◇ In "Anpan" she plays the heroine who powerfully overcomes the rough waves of life.
And now comes "Anpan ." She plays a married couple with Takumi Kitamura , who has co-starred with her in " Tokyo Revengers " and other works, and the content is essentially a double lead for the two, but as the heroine of the Asadora, chosen from an audition that had 3,365 applicants, the expectations placed on Imada are by no means small.
The character she plays is the eldest of three sisters, raised in Kochi with lots of love from her grandparents and parents. She is fast enough to win the prefectural tournament, and is full of energy and speed, making her the heroine who powerfully overcomes the rough waves of life. She is also known as "Hachikin Onobu" and "Idaten Onobu" due to her tomboyish and headstrong personality, and after meeting the slightly timid and lacking in confidence Takashi Yanai(Kitamura), she lives with him through turbulent times, encouraging and leading him at all times...
On the other hand, Imada's charm is undoubtedly the "strength of her images" that naturally draws the eye. Her impressive large eyes and rich expressions have the power to instantly brighten up the screen or move the heart just by appearing. It may be a bit of an exaggeration to say that the greatest weapon of "actor Mio Imada" is her ability to sublimate such "strength of her images" into her roles. In any case, there is no doubt that she will be able to express the "powerful heroine" that drives the story itself with all her loveliness.
The drama will be broadcast on NHK General TV from March 31st, Monday to Saturday at 8:00 a.m. and other channels.
