The 61st episode of the NHK Asadora drama "Anpan " starring Mio Imada (General TV, Monday to Saturday at 8:00 am and others) was broadcast on June 23rd, and the transformation of Ayumu Nakajima Ayumu, who plays Imada's husband Jiro Wakamatsu , became a hot topic among viewers.
In episode 61, Nobu goes to the naval hospital to visit Jiro, whose lung disease is not getting better. As food shortages continue throughout Japan, Nobu wants Jiro to get some nutrition, so she makes his favorite potato stew and heads to Jiro's hospital room.
Nobu confesses to Jiro that he quit being a teacher, saying, "I... taught the children the wrong things," and "I thought I was no longer qualified to stand in the classroom." Jiro replies, "That's typical of you," and confesses, "I also saw the war from the ship and thought it would be a terrible one. But... I couldn't do anything." Nobu regrets, saying, "I dragged the children down with me," and Jiro smiles and says, "It's finally over. Let's talk about what we'll do from now on."
Jiro reveals that he has a new and important dream and shows Nobu a diary with something like a symbol written in it. "What is it? That... symbol? It's like that," Nobu wonders, and Jiro asks, "What do you think it is?" Jiro is called in for an examination and weakly stands up from his bed, telling Nobu, "I'll tell you next time."
Later, left alone in his hospital room, Jiro begins coughing violently, then looks at the cloth covering his mouth and quietly closes his eyes. It appears he has coughed up blood.
At the end of the film, Setsuko ( Misuzu Kanno), who visits Nobu, tells him that Jiro was writing in "stenography." While Nobu and Setsuko are talking, a telegram arrives from the naval hospital. It reads, "Wakamatsu Jiro-sama will be coming soon."
Viewers responded to Jiro's emaciated appearance, with comments on social media such as, "The physical preparation for the role is intense. Is he OK with his everyday life?", "He's lost so much weight," "He looked so weak it was painful to watch," "Even though it was acting, it was quite impactful to watch as the well-built and gentle Jiro became thinner and weaker day by day," and "He really looks like a sick person. His character preparation is incredible."
