Actor Ai Mikami attended the production announcement and lead actor press conference for the NHK Asadora drama "Kaze, Kaoru" for the first half of 2026, held at the NHK Broadcasting Center in Shibuya, Tokyo on January 24th. She burst into tears as soon as she appeared on stage and spoke of her feelings about being chosen for the lead role, saying she was "extremely honored."
Mikami said with a shy laugh, "The moment I came out here, it finally hit me and I cried." She said, "I heard about this exactly one week ago," and revealed, "Until now, I've tried not to set too many dreams or goals in my work. I try not to limit myself to different encounters. But even so, I've tried auditioning for Asadora every time. When I think about why I tried, I realize that I really wanted to appear in a Asadora."
When asked how he felt when he received the offer, he confessed, "I thought, 'I can't believe it!'" He looked back and said, "It didn't really sink in, and it was like the words were just slipping through my head. It was a new feeling for me."
Mikami expressed her joy, saying, "I think mornings are very important, and I feel like how your day changes depending on how you start your morning. I feel incredibly honored to be able to appear in a drama that can help make everyone's day wonderful."
The 114th serial TV drama, "Kaze, Kaoru" is set in the Meiji era and is a buddy drama about two trained nurses, Ozeki Chika and Suzuki Masa. The two graduated from the same nursing school, they struggle with how to deal with patients and doctors, and grow while clashing with each other, eventually becoming the "strongest buddy".
Mikami will play one of the main characters, Ichinose Rin, while the other main character, Ooya Naomi, will be chosen through an audition. The script will be written by Yoshizawa, who has worked on dramas such as "Lucky Person," "Dr. DMAT," "I Don't Love You That Much," and "A Story to Read on the Day I Fall in Love for the First Time," and Takehiro Matsuzono, who was in charge of last year's taiga drama "To Dear Radiance (Hikaru Kimi e)," will serve as production supervisor.
