Sadao Abe , who is appearing in the NHK Asadora drama "Anpan " (General TV, Monday to Saturday 8:00 a.m. and others) starring Mio Imada Abe, who plays the role of baker "Yam-on-chan" (Sokichi Yamura as Yamura Kusakichi), talked about what he was conscious of when acting and his feelings towards Nobu (Imada) and Takashi (Takumi Kitamura).
◇ Screenwriter Miho Nakazono said, "Yam-san, please make it interesting."
Kusakichi is a wandering baker who suddenly appears in Kochi. He is strict about money and has a bad mouth, but he is a skilled baker. He has a big impact on the lives of Nobu (Imada) and Takashi (Takumi Kitamura).
Abe, who will be appearing in a Asadora for the first time since "Kokoro" in the first half of 2003, said, "I thought I was old enough to play the role of a father in a Asadora, but this is a completely different role, and I've been given this interesting role as a wandering baker, so I feel it's rewarding."
"This is just my imagination, but Kusakichi has given up on something and is starved for love. I think that's why he's so interested in people. He may seem cold at first glance, but in the end, when he sees someone in trouble, he wants to help them. That said, I played the role thinking that it would be better for him to be a somewhat unclear person, especially in the first half."
When asked what he keeps in mind when playing the role of Kusakichi, he revealed, "Since he uses rough language, I want to try to give him as warm an impression as possible so that he doesn't just come across as a strong-willed person."
"I hope that the exchanges with Kamaji-san (Kotaro Yoshida) will bring out a sense of humor. Also, the scriptwriter Nakazono-san told me, 'Yam-san, please make it funny,' (laughs). I'd like to brighten up even the darker scenes. However, everyone is struggling with the dialect, so if I were to do something on my own, I'd end up not being able to speak it all of a sudden, which would cause trouble. So I'm being careful not to disrupt that too much."
◇ Sympathy for Taku?
In order to play the role of a baker, he recalls, "I actually went to a bread factory and practiced the basics, like kneading bread and wrapping it with red bean paste."
"In filming, the tools and the way bread is made are adapted to the era. We had to reshoot because the bread didn't look appetizing, and it seems that the shine is important. I think a lot of people will start preferring bread for breakfast after seeing ' Anpan' (laughs)."
There are numerous scenes in the play where characters eat Anpan.
"It's great how Kusakichi saves the Asada family from sorrow with Anpan bean buns, gives them "successful sweet Anpan" when they take their exams, and bakes Anpan when he wants them to feel better. There are many scenes where you wonder when he made them (laughs). I think he makes them secretly, thinking of everyone."
Regarding the relationship between Nobu and Taku, he said, "I think the relationship between those two is really interesting."
"I don't think there are many people like Nobu who approach you with such a bright and straightforward attitude. That's probably why Takashi thought she was the right person. From Kusakichi's perspective, I think there were some similarities between him and Takashi. From Kusakichi's perspective, I think he felt some kind of sympathy for him when he first saw Takashi alone by the river. From Kusakichi's perspective, Takashi may have been someone he couldn't help but be curious about."
Finally, he sent a message to the viewers, saying, "I think Anpan is a work that is full of love and will make you feel kind. Kusakichi has always stayed with the Asada family, but he is a wanderer after all. He has to go somewhere (laughs). I think Kusakichi's feelings about the war will become clear later, so I hope you will look forward to seeing how the story unfolds."
