The 37th episode of the NHK Asadora drama "Anpan " starring Mio Imada (General TV, Monday to Saturday 8:00 AM and others) was broadcast on May 20. In the episode, actor Ayumu Nakajima made his first appearance as Jiro Wakamatsu, Nobu's (Imada's) arranged marriage partner, garnering much attention from viewers.
Jiro is Nobu's first matchmaking partner. He graduated from a maritime academy and works as a first engineer. The chief engineer's father is an acquaintance of Nobu's late father, Yutaro (Ryo Kase). Jiro himself once met Yutaro on a ship. He is a character whose hobby is photography.
In the 37th episode, Nobu, who had not been enthusiastic about marriage up until now, goes to her first matchmaking session. The man she is meeting is Jiro, the son of Setsuko (Misuzu Kanno), who suddenly shows up at the Asada family home. During the session, Jiro mentions Yutaro's soft hat, and Nobu smiles.
Nobu apologized to Jiro, saying, "I don't have any intention to get married yet. But I came here to hear what my father has to say." Jiro responded, "I've never felt the need to get married because I'm at sea most of the year. My mother is always nagging me to at least get an arranged marriage. I'm sorry I came here even though I don't have any intention to."
Nobu was relieved to hear that, and Jiro revealed, "But I wanted to meet Yutaro Asada's daughter." The two talked about their jobs and Jiro's hobby of photography, and Jiro asked Nobu, "There is no war that never ends. What do you want to do when this war is over?"
On social media, comments about Jiro's first appearance included, "He's such a wonderful person," "He has a soft and mature demeanor. Maybe he'll even decide to marry her...," "They're such a perfect match, it's heartwarming," "I thought Jiro's voice and gentle way of speaking were just like Professor Hiroshi," and "Maybe he looks a bit like his father."
