Mio Imada will star in the Asadora drama "Anpan " (NHK General TV, Monday to Saturday, 8:00 a.m. and others), which will begin on March 31st in the first half of 2025. This will be her first appearance in a Asadora since "Okaeri Mone " in the first half of 2021, and she will play the heroine Nobu Asada , modeled after Nobu, the wife of Takashi Yanase Takashi, the manga artist and picture book writer who created "Anpanman". Six months have passed since filming began in September last year. Imada, who revealed her current reaction, said, "I just want to deliver it to you as soon as possible, and I'm excited that it will surely warm everyone's hearts every day from March 31st," talked about the charm of the character she plays and looked back on her days so far.
◇ Starring in a Asadora drama on the 100th anniversary of the show's broadcast: "I wonder if I'm the right person for the role"
"Anpan" is based on the married couple Takashi Yanase(1919-2013) and Nobu (1918-1993), the manga artist and picture book writer who created "Anpanman." It is a "story of love and courage" that will make you feel the joy of living, depicting how these two, who were once nobody, overcame all sorts of rough seas to become "Anpanman," the embodiment of "unreversible justice." The script was written by Miho Nakazono, who is known for the "Doctor X: Surgeon Daimon Michiko" (TV Asahi) series.
Once again, when asked how he feels about starring in a Asadora, Imada said, "The filming period was a year, and there is no other drama that is broadcast every day for half a year, so I think it's amazing that so many people watch it even during the busy morning time slot. I'm very happy to be able to appear as the main character in such a work."
The year 2025 marks the 100th anniversary of the radio's first broadcast. Regarding her starring role in this drama, which will be broadcast at this time, she said, "To be honest, I wonder if I'm the right person for this memorable occasion."
"100 years of broadcasting is amazing. I've been watching NHK's programs for a long time, and recently I received the baton from Asadora Kanna Hashimoto , the heroine of ' Omusubi ,' and I felt very honored to be able to be involved in this traditional Asadora that has been passed down for so long. I think it's my responsibility to do my best without putting too much pressure on myself, and to do my best until the very end."
◇What kind of character is the heroine, Nobu?
The heroine Nobu is full of energy and speed, and overcomes the rough waves of life with powerful force.She is also known as "Hachikin Onobu" and "Idaten Onobu" because of her tomboyish and competitive personality.What kind of character is she in the eyes of Imada, who plays her?
"She's a tomboyish girl, but she's also very emotional and full of energy, but she also faces other people's sadness head on, which I think is very charming. I really admire Nobu's character. She's not only cheerful, but she also has a strong core that doesn't waver. She has the ability to draw in and lead those around her, and I feel like I want to be like her."
When asked about her own personality, Nobu laughed and said, "People also tell me that I'm generally cheerful, so I guess we're similar in that respect."
"But I'm much more optimistic than Nobu, so I guess that's where we differ (laughs). Seeing Nobu keep trying without giving up, I think it's not easy to stick to your will to that extent, so I admire her and think she's amazing."
Was there anything you were conscious of when playing the role of Nobu?
"Compared to Yanase, there is very little documentation about what kind of person Nobu was, the model for Nobu. Even so, when I read Yanase's books, he would occasionally mention Nobu, and I thought he must have been a very generous person, with gentleness and strength. Also, when I visited Yanase Studio, there were a lot of photos of Yanase and Nobu taking pictures of each other, and I used the smile Nobu gave to Yanase and the atmosphere they shared as inspiration. I wanted Nobu to be someone who attracts and leads Takashi (played by Takumi Kitamura) with his cheerfulness, so I played the role while keeping in mind the gentleness and strength that Nobu showed Yanase and letting my imagination run wild."
◇Looking back on the six months since filming began
It has been six months since filming began. Looking back on the filming of "Anpan" so far, Imada said with a smile, "It feels like six months have passed already, and now Nobu has become a part of my life. Thanks to the atmosphere on set, I feel like I have become a part of Nobu very naturally, and I am enjoying such a fulfilling filming period that I am even saying to the other cast members, 'There are only six months left.'"
The appearance of a star-studded cast including Kazunari Ninomiya and Nanako Matsushima is also a hot topic, but he prefaces his remarks by saying, "Because the cast is so outstanding, there isn't much I can do as the leader of the troupe," and explains, "Just like Yanase's works, it's a bright, positive and warm-hearted production, so I want the same to be true on set. That's why I try to always be calm and open-minded."
"There were many people I was working with for the first time, so I was nervous before filming began. However, there was a very calm atmosphere from the beginning, and I think that was due to everyone's personality and vibe, but I was always able to feel at ease from the preparation period until now. I am grateful for the help of everyone on the team who creates this atmosphere, and I can feel the respect for each other, so I always feel like it's a set that is full of love. The energy that everyone gives off is gentle, and you can tell that everyone on set loves the production "Anpan."
Imada, who takes on daily filming in such a warm atmosphere, exudes confidence, saying, "All the characters are kind, so the film has turned out to be just as warm as the set."
"The story of Anpan is set in a time period where many sad things happen, but even in the midst of all that, the characters are inspired by someone's words and live positively, which makes it a really cool and appealing story. I hope that this story will be a companion to someone and give them courage every morning."
