Mio Imada played Hiroshi, the uncle of Takashi Yanai Takumi Kitamura . Anpan Yutaka Takenouchi a particularly strong presence, with his gentle personality and tolerance, and he repeatedly spoke lines that served as guideposts for Taku, but he passed away in the 41st episode (broadcast on May 26th) and "left" the drama. We spoke to Takenouchi about what he was thinking when he played Hiroshi.
◇Surprisingly, this is your first time appearing in a Asadora. What are your impressions of the role of Hiroshi?
Takenouchi has appeared in many productions up to now, but surprisingly, this is his first Asadora. Looking back on when he received the offer, he revealed, "Many people asked me, 'Why aren't you in a Asadora?' but if they hadn't asked me, there's no way I could do it (laughs). I'd always wanted to participate if I had the chance, so I was honored to be asked. There are so many people who watch Asadora, and I receive kind words wherever I go. I was surprised at how big the response was, which was greater than I'd imagined."
The character he plays, Hiroshi, is a local doctor who serves as the director of Yanai Clinic. He is the adoptive father of Takashi and Chihiro (played by Motoki Nakazawa), and is a character who always encourages them and shows them the way to live. Takenouchi describes his impression of Hiroshi as "a truly person of character, with a broad heart and no discrimination towards anyone."
"However, I think that is probably because his life up until now has not only been full of bright, hopeful aspects, but also the exact opposite - darkness and despair. When I thought about how to make such a character as Hiroshi convincing, I always played the role with the image of that despair deep in my heart. As a doctor, Hiroshi has met many people and must have witnessed many different ways people live their lives and how they end, and he probably has his own view on life and death. I wanted to reflect that weight in the character of Hiroshi."
He said that this was his first time playing the role of a foster father, and reflected on Hiroshi, saying, "I think both Hiroshi and his wife Chiyoko (Naho Toda) wanted to have children of their own, but I think meeting Takashi and Chihiro was an even greater treasure for them both."
"Hiroshi accepts all the people he comes into contact with with love, and sometimes gives them advice that gives them little hints about life. He is the kind of person who embraces everyone around him with warmth. I think that kind of attitude is necessary in today's world, and I have learned a lot from him. I wonder if local doctors like Hiroshi still exist somewhere today. It would be great to have a doctor like that around."
◇The memorable lines from Hiroshi
Hiroshi delivered a succession of memorable quotes throughout the drama, earning him praise from viewers as "a quote maker" and "the most respectable man in Kochi."
"There were a lot of lines that really hit me in the heart, and I thought about how I could express each one of them with depth. Many of the lines were quoted from Yanase's works, so they were already familiar to the ear, but by using the Tosa dialect, they became more accessible and perhaps they were able to reach a wider audience."
When asked which of the many famous quotes that Hiroshi uttered had made the biggest impression on him, he replied, "Every line is truly wonderful, but the one I related to the most was, 'Life is a game of making people happy.'"
"It really hit home, and I really empathized with it. We live in an age where everyone is anxious, aren't we? If this kind of spirit spreads throughout Japan, I think it will become a wonderful country, and if even one more person, myself included, can raise this awareness, I feel we are guaranteed a wonderful future. So I really hope that 'Life is a game of pleasing' becomes a catchphrase among everyone, and that it will be chosen as the buzzword of the year along with 'No way!' (laughs)."
