The 16th episode of the NHK Taiga drama " UNBOUND (Berabou) " (General TV, Sundays at 8pm and others), starring actor Ryusei Yokohama , entitled "Farewell Gennai, the Guardian of Horai", was broadcast on April 20th and depicted the final moments of Hiraga Gennai, played by Ken Yasuda Ken. However, viewers' attention was drawn to the possible "mastermind" behind setting Gennai up.
"UNBOUND (Berabou)" is the 64th taiga drama and depicts the life of Tsutaya Juzaburo(or "Tsutajyu" for short), who is said to have laid the foundations for Japan's media industry and pop culture.
In the 16th episode, the sudden death of Iemoto (Tomoya Oku) comes to an end without any solid evidence. When Okitsugu(Ken Watanabe) tells Gennai that he will refrain from further investigation, Gennai becomes furious. Meanwhile, Tsutae (Yokohama) visits Gennai's mansion, known as the "house of misfortune," and asks him to write a new play for the New Year, but is concerned by his occasional strange behavior.
Just then, Tsutae and Okitsugu receive news that "Gennai has killed someone."Okitsugu hears from Gennai, who is in prison, about the "renovation of the mansion" that Okitsugu has requested, but Okitsugu himself has no idea about it.
Towards the end of the film, Tsutaju visits Okitsugu 's mansion with Ichibei Suharaya ( Kotaro Satomi ) and others. Tsutaju claims that there is a continuation of the manuscript of "The Gloves of Death" that Gennai left behind, and that there were signs that it had been taken away, so there must have been other people there. Furthermore, the Suharayas plead with Okitsugu to save Gennai, as there are many puzzling points, such as the fact that Gennai had sold his sword long ago and was carrying a bamboo sword, and that although this crime is said to have been committed while drunk, Gennai is a non-drinker.
However, after reading the manuscript of "The Gloves of Death,"Okitsugu is somewhat hesitant to uncover the truth, even saying, "The way he is now (Gennai) might do it." Meanwhile, when news of Gennai's death in prison is announced, Tsutae, perhaps in shock, confronts Okinobu as he Okitsugu to leave, saying, "Didn't Tanuma-sama want Gennai-sensei to die? Didn't Tanuma-sama have some kind of shady connection with Gennai-sensei?"
At this point, Okitsugu turned on his heel and admitted, "There are a mountain of unpleasant things between Gennai and me," and explained, "It's scary because you never know what a fox-possessed person will say." However, Tsutae was not convinced, and even though he was being held down by those around him, he continued to yell abusive language, "Bangatsu...that Bangatsu!"
Behind the scenes, Okitsugu cried, "Gennai... I told you. Forget for your sake." Then the scene changed to show Hitotsubashi Harumori (played by Ikuta Toma). In the garden of Harumori's mansion, where he was enjoying sweet potatoes from Satsuma, the "continuation manuscript" was being burned... and so on.
Viewers responded on social media to the portrayal of Jisei as if he were the mastermind once again. Comments such as "Such a gentle, handsome man is the mastermind...", "Let me just say one thing! 'It's you again?!'", "Wow, I hate Hitotsubashi Jisei", "Gennai was framed as well...", "The UNBOUND political part is like the Lord of the Kamakura Shogunate", and "He keeps disappearing one after the other" were posted one after another.
