Talentless TAKANO:Nanao, interview before the final episode　How did it feel to play the incompetent protagonist?

"Talentless TAKANO(Munou no Taka)" (Fridays at 11:15pm, except in some areas), starring actress Nanao, is currently being broadcast on TV Asahi's Friday Night Drama slot and will air its final episode on November 29th. The number of views of the first episode on catch-up streaming has exceeded 2 million, the fastest in the history of this slot, making this drama one of the most talked-about late-night dramas this season. We asked Nanao, who has just wrapped up filming, about her feelings about playing the incompetent protagonist, which could be considered a new frontier.

◇Takano's words "gave me a lot of courage and energy"

The drama is based on the popular manga of the same name by Hanzaki Asami (Kodansha), and is a "relaxed work comedy" in which a new employee, Tsumeko Takano (Nanao), who seems competent but is completely incompetent at her job, creates one miracle after another. The script was written by Nemoto Nonji, who also wrote the currently airing NHK morning drama "Omusubi". Nanao's image of Takano in the original work matched that of Takano, and the appearance of such popular actors as Shiono Akihisa and Doi Shiori made this work a hot topic from the beginning. "The original work is very popular, so I think there was a sense of expectation because of that popularity, but the missed broadcast has exceeded 2 million views, the fastest in the history of Friday Night Drama, and the response from the first episode was greater than expected," she said with a smile. The reputation has been increasing with each episode, and she said happily, "I saw a lot of good comments on social media, so I really felt that the show was really well received." Until now, Nanao has had a strong image of playing villains and dignified women, but in this work, Takano is a clumsy character who can't even make copies or start up a computer. Although this was a new challenge for her, she said cheerfully, "I was able to play a role I've never played before, so I was very happy to receive positive feedback! I owe it all to producer Kijima (Sari)'s casting and producing skills." Takano sometimes makes startling remarks. "Her words are like walking the path of Zen... (laughs). I myself have been given a lot of courage and energy," she said. Her favorite line is, "Because I need this company. So I try not to think about whether I'm needed by the company or not." "Like, 'It doesn't matter what the people around me think.' I think Takano's words, which are honest and true to themselves, are very pure. They are simply straightforward words, so I think they resonate with many people, including me."

◇ "I no longer worry about things I can't do"

When I see Takano, I think, "That's a good way to live," but at the same time, I also think, "I would never want her to be my colleague!" In fact, such voices can be seen on social media, but when I asked Nanao what she would do if she had someone like Takano nearby, she said frankly, "I think it's a difficult balance... (laughs). If you don't understand something, you honestly say you don't understand, and if everyone seems to be having fun, you watch over them with a happy look... I really like that kind of purity in Takano, so I think I'll probably like him." She also said that playing Takano influenced her. "I no longer mind if there are things I don't understand or can't do," she said. "I've always been a perfectionist, and I couldn't forgive myself for being no good or not being able to do something. I often blamed myself and got depressed, but when I played Takano, I started to think that I didn't have to think about such things." She said that her self-esteem has increased, and "I think many people who saw Takano thought, 'I'm already doing enough!' I felt the same way. It was an opportunity for me to 'accept myself.'" Looking back, she said, "It was a role that I could enjoy every day." She cried when the filming ended, but it was a role and a work that she was very attached to. When asked if she would like to do a sequel, even though it's a little early, she replied, "I'm always welcome to it (laughs)! I've heard from viewers that they are disappointed that it ends with episode 8, so I'm always open to it. A two-hour special would be fine, or season 2, or even a movie version (laughs). I would love it if the opportunity arises to do so."