The dramas for the October season are all out, and the reviews are starting to solidify, but the casting of TV Asahi's works is particularly hot. Many of the popular cast members have appeared in NHK's morning dramas and historical dramas. Here, we would like to introduce people who have been "reincarnated" from NHK's works.
◇Yukinari from "To You, the Shining One" is a hot topic, with people saying, "Even after reincarnation, I'm still caught in between."
First up is Masaki Okada, who stars in "The Travel Nurse" (Thursdays at 9pm), the sequel to the drama that aired for the first time in about two years. In the morning drama "Wings of a Tiger," which aired until September, he played Koichi, the second husband (common-law marriage) of the main character Torako (Sari Ito). He appeared in "Wings of a Tiger" until the final episode, and was shown as an old, gray-haired man, but from the following month, he was "reincarnated" as a handsome nurse who is excellent but has a high sense of pride.
There is another cast member from "Tiger and Wings" who also plays a main role in "The Travel Nurse." She is Morita Nozomi, who did not appear in the previous film but joined the cast in this one. In "Tiger and Wings," she played Hanae, the best friend and sister-in-law of the main character Torako, and was popular with viewers, who nicknamed her "Hanae-chan." Hanae was a reliable person who supported the family, but in "The Travel Nurse," she plays a novice nurse named Yuzu, who is slow at work and can be brazen. Viewers commented on social media about the difference in their characters, saying things like, "Hanae-chan is such a different person," and "She's completely different from Hanae-chan."
In addition, Inoue Yuki, who co-starred with Okada as a father and son in "Tiger and Wings," made a guest appearance in the second episode of "The Travel Nurse." The "Torako and son" spin a new story, this time as a nurse and a patient.
The Travel Nurse also features cast members from the historical drama. Like Morita, Watanabe Daichi joined the cast in this series. He is currently appearing in "Hikaru Kimi e" as Fujiwara no Yukinari, who is renowned as one of the "Sanseki" (three great calligraphers) who excel in calligraphy. In "The Travel Nurse," he plays the role of a surgeon, Koyama, and in the second episode (broadcast on October 24), some viewers saw a similar image of Yukinari in his struggle between the organization and his superiors, with comments such as "Even in reincarnation, he's caught in between," "He has a dangerous superior here too...poor guy," and "Even if he reincarnates in the present world and becomes a doctor, he's in a similar position, and it seems like he's more likely to have a stomachache in the present world."
By the way, Noro Kayo, who has appeared in "The Travel Nurse" since the previous series, also appeared in "Hikaru Kimi e." Some viewers may have forgotten about this because it was very early on, but she appeared as a town girl who enjoys a rendezvous with Michinaga's (Emoto Tasuku) servant, Mozuhiko (Honda Chikara).
◇After 1000 years, a servant criticizes the emperor
There is also a "reincarnated person" in "The Talentless Hawk" (Friday 11:15, excluding some regions). Shiono Akihisa plays Hiwada, the partner of the main character Takano (Nanao). Although he has already left the story, he played the intelligent Emperor Ichijo in "To You Who Shines". The contrast between the beautiful and kind-hearted emperor and the "weak boy" Hiwada, with his shaggy hair and loose stomach when the time comes, is shocking, and it became a hot topic on social media, with comments such as "I can't believe he's so different even though his facial beauty hasn't changed," "Shiono is so versatile," and "His nobility and beauty when he's the emperor have completely disappeared."
Another person with a contrast to "To You Who Shines" is Iura Arata. In "To You Who Shines", he played Fujiwara Michitaka, who became increasingly obsessed with power and turned into a dark character who had no regard for the people, but in "The Talentless Hawk", he plays Hatoyama, a kind boss who keeps a warm watch over the shockingly incompetent Takano. As his name suggests, he is popular as the most "healing character" in the show.
Although he was a guest, Honda Riki, who plays Mozuhiko, also made a guest appearance in the third episode of "The Talentless Hawk" (broadcast on October 25th). He appeared as the president of a client company, and on social media, he became a hot topic, with comments such as "Mozuhiko was so arrogant when he spoke to Emperor Ichijo that it was hilarious", "Mozuhiko was criticizing Emperor Ichijo", and "Mozuhiko is in the top seat! Is this what it takes to transcend 1000 years of time..."
Among the many characters with unique personalities that appear in "The Talentless Hawk," Shiori Doi, who plays the engineer Mozuo, stands out with her orange hair and hoodie. In "Wings of the Tiger," she played a popular lawyer who dresses as a man and was nicknamed "Yone-san," but viewers were astonished by her "drastic transformation." There were many comments such as, "I didn't even notice Yone-san lol," and "I can't believe that's the same person who played Yone-san lol."
When I interviewed Doi about this production, I asked her if she accepted an offer for a role with a wide range because she didn't want to be fixed in her image. She replied, "It's timing. I'm grateful for any role or any work, so I'm grateful that I was given a role that was completely different from my appearance to everything else."
Katsumi Takahashi, who plays Suzaku, the sales department manager who has the unfortunate title of "a man who has become a nuisance" in "The Talentless Hawk," also appeared in "Wings of the Tiger." In the Niigata chapter, he played Taro, a lawyer who stands in the way of the main character Torako, and in this production, Suzaku is just as eccentric as Taro. He expresses his character with his acting ability, as expected.
Also, although produced by Asahi Broadcasting Corporation, "My Diary" (ABC TV/TV Asahi, Sunday 10:15 pm) stars Mikami Ai, who has been getting a lot of attention for her excellent performance as Empress Shoko in "To You, Shining." In the same Sunday night broadcast, she plays a princess from the Heian period and a university student from the Reiwa period.
Due to the influence of streaming services, there are more dramas than before, and there has been a remarkable increase in popular cast members appearing in multiple roles or consecutive roles. One of the many ways to enjoy the series is to pay attention to the casting and ponder the "reincarnated people."
