The 17th episode of the NHK Taiga drama " UNBOUND (Berabou) " (General TV, Sunday 8pm and others), starring actor Ryusei Yokohama , "Ranresaki Orai no Sakura", was broadcast on May 4th, with Haruka Fukuhara making her debut as Tagasode. This was Fukuhara's first appearance in a Taiga drama. "I've always wanted to try acting in a period drama, and my family especially loves Taiga dramas, so we'd watch them together and say, 'I hope I can appear in one day,' so I was really happy. I told my mother first, and she was on the verge of tears when she said, 'Congratulations,' and she's really looking forward to it," she said.
"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.
Fukuhara plays a prostitute from Ooya, a new powerhouse in Yoshiwara. When she was a new kimono bride after her graduation, she called herself "Kaori" and had a one-sided crush on Tsutae (Yokohama), but her feelings eventually... She grows up and becomes one of Yoshiwara's leading courtesans.
She was later bought for a huge sum by Tokugawa samurai Tsuchiyama Sojiro, who was the head of the accounting department and the trusted adviser to the senior councilor Tanuma Okitsugu(Ken Watanabe), and her name spread throughout Edo. However, suspicions arose about the source of the money, and it soon developed into a major incident that would shake up Yoshiwara, the Edo shogunate, and the lives of Tsutae and Daresode. "The greatest courtesan of the time, who adores Tsutae, was bought for 'suspicious money.'"
When Fukuhara was chosen to play the role of Daresode, she said she was "very surprised."
"At first, I had the impression that she was a cheerful, innocent and cute girl, but as I read the script, I realized that she was a shrewd and strong character who would go ahead and do what she wanted to do," he said.
She also revealed, "I love the work of screenwriter Yoshiko Morishita, and I myself read the script with excitement, wondering what Dare Sode will do next." She enthusiastically said, "I think her strength comes from the hardships she has faced as a courtesan and the way she has overcome them, so I would like to cherish that and portray her in an appealing way."
When asked why Daresode was attracted to Tsutajue, he spoke on behalf of the character, saying, "Tsutajesu has always been someone he could rely on and depend on. As the line says, he was initially interested in Tsutajue because of her beautiful looks, and then he was drawn to her warmth and tolerance. I think his love for Tsutajue is the driving force behind Daresode's ability to do his best."
