It was revealed on April 30th that actor Rihito Itagaki will appear in the NHK Asadora drama series "Bakebake ," starring Akari Takaishi , which will air in the second half of 2025. Itagaki will play the role of Sannojo, the son of Den Ushimizu (played by Shinichi Tsutsumi), who supports the heroine Toki (played by Takaishi) and her family behind the scenes. This will be Itagaki's first time appearing in a Asadora.
Itagaki plays Sannojo Ushimizu, the third son of the Ushimizu family, two years younger than Toki. Since his older brother will inherit the family business, he has no particular role to play. Since he has no place in the house, he spends all his time hanging out at Toki's workplace... that's his role.
Itagaki said, "I am very honored to be able to take part in this production of ' Bakebake' and to be involved in a Asadora for the first time. The role of Sannojo Ushimizu that I will be playing may seem like a naive young man to an outsider, but I would like to embrace all of the conflicts and suffering that he has in his own way, as well as the way he is tossed about by the times, and play the role with all my heart and soul, and with a bit of humor. I can't wait to live in this world for the next six months. I hope everyone will enjoy ' Bakebake' with excitement and anticipation!"
Production manager Hashizume Kuniomi commented, "Sannojo is the third son of a samurai family who carries his sorrows, and is at the mercy of the changing times as the Meiji era arrives. He may be the character in this story whose emotions are most pent up and who wanders the most. When I saw Itagaki's posture at the costume fitting, I felt that he was exactly the Sannojo I had imagined from the script. I am very much looking forward to seeing how Itagaki will play the role."
"Bakebake " is the story of a couple who love "ghost stories" together with their foreign husband, and who shed light on and speak for the "nameless people" who had been forgotten in Meiji Japan as Westernization progressed. Takaishi plays the heroine Toki Matsuno , the daughter of a fallen samurai from Matsue, modeled after Lafcadio Hearn 's wife Setsu. The script is written by Fujiki Mitsuhiko, who has worked on NHK's "Asagaya Sisters' Relaxed Life Together" and WOWOW's "Tokyu Series."
