Mio Imada stars in the NHK Asadora drama "Anpan" (General TV, Monday to Saturday 8:00 a.m. and others). In the 10th week "Live" that begins on June 2nd, Satoshi Tsumabuki will appear as Yagi Shinnosuke. This will be Tsumabuki's first appearance in a Asadora.
Tsukamoto plays Yagi Shinnosuke, a corporal in the Kokura regiment to which Takashi (Takumi Kitamura) will be assigned during the war. He worries about Takashi, who is unable to adapt to the military, and lends him a helping hand from time to time. After the war, he has an unexpected reunion with Takashi, and comes to have a major impact on the lives of Nobu (Imada) and Takashi.
When announcing his appearance, Tsukamoto commented, "I believe that appearing in a Asadora is the goal of all actors. I am delighted that my wish has finally come true and I am now able to appear in it. I am also very happy that the work in question is ' Anpan.' When I read the script for the first time, my heart was filled with emotion. This work is warm, sometimes strict, and filled with great love, and I am sure it will light a candle in the hearts of all who watch it."
Regarding the role, he said, "The character I play, Yagi Shinnosuke, may seem strict at first glance, but he is someone who looks at things calmly and sensitively and sees through to the essence. I hope to be able to look at Takami without any ill intentions and cherish and support the pure heart that he has. It is not an easy world to live in, no matter what the era. But there is one thing we must never forget - the heart of compassion. This Asadora is a story of hope. I would like to play this wonderful story of ' Anpan' to the best of my ability and with all my heart until the very end."
Chief Producer Kurasaki Ken, who is in charge of production, also said, "This is the fulfillment of a long-held dream. When I was still a rookie, Tsukamoto-san starred in the first radio drama I directed, and ever since then, I have dreamed of the day when we could work together in a TV series. In the fall of last year, we met again for the first time in a long time in Los Angeles, and I told him right there and then how I wanted him to appear in ' Anpan'. Tsukamoto-san will be playing the role of Yagi Shinnosuke, a character who meets Nobu and Takashi on the battlefield and who will have a major influence on both of them for a long time even after the war. Although he is strict, he also has a love of poetry and literature, and he is able to see through to the true nature of human beings and the trends of the times, and he also notices Takashi's talent for writing poetry, which helps create a major trend. I hope you will look forward to seeing how the story unfolds with Yagi's appearance."
"Anpan" is based on the married couple Takashi Yanase(1919-2013) and Nobu (1918-1993), the manga artist and picture book writer who created "Anpanman." It is a "story of love and courage" that will make you feel the joy of living, depicting how these two, who were once nobody, overcame all sorts of rough seas to become "Anpanman," the embodiment of "unreversible justice."
