Actor Mio Imada plays the heroine Nobu in the Asadora drama series "Anpan " (NHK General TV, Monday to Saturday, 8:00 a.m. and others). The 13th week, "Saraba Namida," depicts important episodes that are turning points in Nobu's life, such as the death of her beloved husband Jiro ( Ayumu Nakajima), a reunion with her childhood friend Takashi (Takumi Kitamura) who has returned from the battlefield, and her being hired by the Kochi Shimpo newspaper. Imada spoke about her thoughts on playing the 13th week and what to look forward to in the future.
◇ Jiro's message is "very important"
"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."
In the 62nd episode (broadcast on June 24th), Jiro dies of lung disease, and Nobu returns to the house where they lived together and develops the film of photos Jiro had taken. The film contains images of Nobu with various expressions, including a blurry photo of Jiro that Nobu had taken. Nobu hugs the photo of Jiro and breaks down in tears.
Looking back on this scene, Imada confesses that it was "painful."
"Filming the scenes with Jiro was surprisingly short, about two weeks, but thanks to Nakajima, I think we were able to express their married life in a deep way. It was painful to remember how much love I had received from Jiro through the photographs. It became an unforgettable scene."
In episode 64 (broadcast June 26), Jiro's mother Setsuko (Misuzu Kanno) leaves the shorthand book that Jiro used at Nobu's house. While looking at the shorthand book, Nobu deciphers the message that Jiro wrote in episode 61 (broadcast June 23). It read, "See with your own eyes, stand on your own two feet, and run as fast as you can without being overtaken by despair. That is my final dream."
Imada said, "These have become important words that Nobu will carry in his heart and run with from now on."
"Nobu has always loved running, and those words reminded me of what makes him so unique. I feel those words are very important to me, and to both Taka and Nobu in the future, and I'm still filming with them in mind."
◇ Is Takashi philosophical? "He pulled me out of the depths"
In the 63rd episode (broadcast on June 25th), Taka appears in front of Nobu, who is standing alone in the ruins of a burnt field after an air raid, and the two are reunited for the first time in four years. In this scene, Nobu confesses to Taka that he quit his job as a teacher, and expresses his regret, saying, "I've done irreparable things to the children," and "I wish I could live." Taka tells Nobu, "There is no life that deserves to die," and "I hope you live, Nobu-chan."
Imada recalls, "After Jiro died, Nobu had hurt the children he loved so much, and because he is a person with a strong sense of responsibility, he had never hit such rock bottom before, and he began to worry, wondering if it was OK for him to be alive."
"Until then, Nobu had been saved by Jiro's presence, but when Jiro passed away, she was reunited with Taku. In fact, Kitamura-san said, 'Taku had experienced a lot on the battlefield, so I wanted him to be philosophical in that scene,' and that was reflected in my acting. Usually, Nobu encourages and cheers Taku by saying, 'You can't be a loser,' but in that scene, it was the other way around, Taku pulling Nobu out of the depths of despair. Taku's lines really touched me, and I feel like he saved me. I really felt like I was indebted to him."
She said that there are some similarities between Taku and Kitamura, saying, "During filming, he's always close by and watching over me, and if something happens, whether it's acting or something else, he's there to help me out without any hesitation. We never discuss what we should do in our scenes, but I know that no matter what I throw at him, he'll be fine."
◇What can we look forward to in the future?
In the 65th episode (broadcast on June 27th), Nobu takes the entrance exam for the Kochi Shimpo newspaper and is hired by Tokairin (Kenjiro Tsuda). From the 14th week onwards, Nobu will start working as a newspaper reporter, and Imada says, "After the war part is over, Kenjiro Tsuda, Yuki Kura and Yui Narumi will appear, and the screen will suddenly become brighter."
"The models for Taka and Nobu, Yanase and Nobu, actually met at the Kochi Shimbun newspaper. As the story unfolds from here, we will gradually learn about the true story of the two of them, which I think will be a highlight. That said, Nobu and Taka don't get together very often (laughs), so there's still a long way to go in terms of romance, but I think you'll get the sense that even though they've both overcome the war and been apart for a long time, they have a lot in common when it comes to what they're thinking. Not only Nobu, whose idea of justice has been turned upside down, but Taka, who experienced harsh times on the battlefield, will both struggle in search of 'justice.' I hope you'll support them as they follow each other."
