Mio Imada plays Hiroshi, the uncle of Takashi Yanai(Takumi Kitamura ), in the Asadora drama series "Anpan " (NHK General TV, Monday to Saturday, 8:00 a.m. and others), starring Yutaka Takenouchi. In the 41st episode (broadcast on May 26th), the shocking development occurred when Hiroshi suddenly passed away, causing a wave of sadness from viewers. Hiroshi was loved by viewers for his many memorable and heartfelt lines throughout the drama. We spoke to him about how he dealt with Hiroshi's final scene.
◇Looking back on Hiroshi's "final moments"
In episode 41, Hiroshi suddenly collapses on his way home from a house call and falls into a critical condition. Upon hearing the news, Takashi completes his graduation project, which will be his greatest work, and hurries off to Kochi, but Hiroshi has already passed away...
Looking back on Hiroshi's final scene, Takenouchi said, "I felt sad that it had to end with that scene. I wish we could have been able to watch Takashi and Chihiro (Motoki Nakazawa) grow up for a little longer... But I felt like telling everyone to do their best."
When Taka returned to the Yanai house, Hiroshi had already passed away and his face was covered. Takenouchi said, "Since the test stage, I had a white cloth over my face, so I couldn't see everyone's expressions and could only hear their voices. However, I could hear everyone's breathing and the scene where Naho Toda Toda (who played Hiroshi's wife Chiyoko) took Hiroshi's hand, and I could feel and resonate with her."
"I was just lying down, but I held my breath and stayed as still as possible so that the futon wouldn't lift. The moment the cut was called, I said, 'That was painful!' (laughs). In the works I've appeared in recently, I've played a lot of characters who die... I don't know how many times I've died in the last few years (laughs). I haven't seen the finished footage of Hiroshi's final scene in ' Anpan' yet, so I'm looking forward to seeing how it turns out."
◇ I empathize with Hiroshi's words
Regarding the line that Hiroshi uttered thinking of Takashi before he died, "If he tries to fight me, I'll hit him," he empathizes, saying, "If I had a child, I'd probably say the same thing."
"In life, many things don't go the way you want them to, and when you get older and look back on the path you've taken so far, you start to think that the things that seemed meaningless are actually filled with the most important things in life. So just believe in what you have decided, what you want to do, and never give up. Even if you feel like running away or if you can't do it well, just keep going. I think there is value in that. Whether you succeed or fail is not important, but the process of getting there is really important. I think he said this line with that feeling in his heart."
Hiroshi was loved by viewers for his heartfelt words. To viewers who are suffering from "Hiroshi loss," he reassures them, saying, "The next development is interesting, so you'll forget about Hiroshi soon, so don't worry (laughs)."
"I'm honored that everyone has loved me and that I have left a lasting impression on them. I hope that you will continue to watch and support Taka and Nobu (Imada) as they grow until the very end."
