The NHK Taiga drama " UNBOUND (Berabou) " (General TV, Sunday 8pm and others), starring actor Ryusei Yokohama , will begin on January 5th. An audio interview with Aiki Reika, who played Asagao, who left the show in the first episode, "Arigatayama no Kangarasu", has been released on the drama's official website. Looking back on her "last moments", she said, "It felt so fleeting."
" UNBOUND (Berabou)" is the 64th taiga drama, depicting the life of Tsutaya Juzaburo(or "Tsutajyu" for short), who is said to have built the foundations of Japan's media industry and pop culture. The script was written by Yoshiko Morishita, known for "Drama 10 'Ooku'" which was broadcast on NHK two years ago and became a big hit.
In the first episode, a year and a half after the Great Fire of Meiwa, Tsutaju, also known as Tsutaya Juzaburo(Yokohama), was working at a teahouse and running a book rental business.
One day, when he visits Matsubaya, his childhood friend and courtesan, Hananoi (Fuka Koshiba), entrusts him with a delivery for Asagao (Reika Aiki). However, when Tsutaju visits Futagoya on Jonengashi Riverbank, he finds Asagao looking extremely emaciated.
Tsutaju is troubled by the terrible conditions faced by the prostitutes at the Kashimise, a suburb of Yoshiwara. Meanwhile, an arson attack occurs in Yoshiwara, causing chaos... and so the story unfolds.
Asagao is the prostitute who taught Tsutae about the world of books. She was a former Matsubaya courtesan who read akahon (children's picture books) to Tsutae and Hananoi when they were young, which was the catalyst for Tsutae to discover the fun and excitement of the world of books. However, now her health has deteriorated and she is staying with Kiku (Katase Rino).
After the Great Fire of Meiwa, the number of customers at the riverside shop decreased and poverty increased, and when the man died, his "tragic end" was depicted, in which he was stripped of all his clothing and left naked.
Regarding her portrayal of Asagao's final moments, Aiki said, "I felt it was too fleeting. As the actress, I have kind of accepted it, and (Asagao) is trying to live her life to the fullest, so if you ask me if she has any regrets, of course I think she does, but I think she lived her life to the fullest in her own way."
Manaki further revealed, "When I think of a prostitute, I have a very strong image of her as someone who is very strong.It's a really tough world."She added, "But more than that impression, Asagao's kindness and warmth were what I associated with her, so it was quite difficult to prepare for the role."
Manaki also thought, "I think the key word for Tsutaju, Asagao and Hananoi is brightness. Even in times of pain, brightness," and added, "In the scene where Tsutaju reads a book to her, I felt that it was a moment where you could feel brightness and kindness that outweighs the pain and difficulty. It left a strong impression on me."
Finally, she expressed her thoughts, saying, "As an older sister, the most important thing for me is for them to be healthy and live long lives. These are difficult times, but I want them to be cheerful, strong, and live long lives."
