It was revealed on February 26 that actor Takashi Okabe will appear in the NHK Asadora drama "Bakebake ," starring Akari Takaishi , in the second half of 2025. Okabe will play the role of the heroine's father, following his role in " The Tiger and Her Wings" in the first half of 2024.
Okabe plays Matsuno Tsuyoshinosuke, the father of the heroine Toki (Takaishi). He was a high-ranking samurai in the Matsue domain, but when the Meiji era began, he lost his income and lived a difficult and impoverished life. Having been a samurai up until that point, he doesn't know how to make money... but he struggles clumsily for his beloved daughter Toki and his family. He wants Toki to say he's "cool!" This is the character's story.
Okabe said, "This is my second time appearing in a Asadora produced by the Osaka station. I'm grateful for that. I was touched when familiar staff members and people at the drinking spot greeted me with, 'Welcome back!' The character I play, Tsukasa nosuke, is a proud and cool guy, but in these changing times, you want to tell him to get his act together and live his life properly. I will do my best to make sure everyone can enjoy Tsukasa nosuke's conflicts and messiness. Please support ' Bakebake.'"
Production manager Hashizume Kuniomi commented, "Okabe has worked with (screenwriter) Fujiki (Mitsuhiko) for many years and is an indispensable actor who is able to best embody Fujiki's scripts. Okabe was the first cast member to be decided for this drama. In fact, before the heroine was decided! We asked him without hesitation. Okabe played the heroine's father, Naokoto, in ' The Tiger and Her Wings.' We are looking forward to seeing a different portrayal of the father from his role in 'Tiger and Wings.'"
"Bakebake" is the story of a couple who love "ghost stories" together with their foreign husband, and who shed light on and speak for the "nameless people" who were forgotten in Meiji Japan as Westernization progressed. The script is written by Mitsuhiko Fujiki, who also wrote the NHK "Asagaya Sisters' Relaxed Life Together" and WOWOW's "Shooting Day Off Series."
