The 79th episode of the NHK Asadora drama "Anpan " starring Mio Imada (General TV, Monday to Saturday 8:00 AM and others) was broadcast on July 17. The episode depicted the "final moments" of Kamaji, played by Kotaro Yoshida, and received a great response from viewers.
In the 78th episode, Nobu (Imada) and the others return to the Asada house, worried about Kamaji. Hatako (Noriko Eguchi) explains that Kamaji acts fine, but his lungs are quite weak. Nobu tells the family about Tetsuko (Toda Keiko) while gathered around Kamaji, but when Kamaji asks her what she really wants to do, she is at a loss for words.
Meanwhile, when Takashi (Takumi Kitamura) came to visit, Kamatsugu told him, "Your manga is... stupid. But... it's interesting." Nobu bowed his head and asked Takashi to draw a manga for Kamatsugu. Takashi drew a four-panel manga featuring the members of the Asada family, and Kamatsugu read it and laughed, "What the heck? That's stupid."
That evening, looking back on his life, Kamaji declared that he had no regrets and would close Asada Stonemasonry in his generation. He told his family, "I was always suited to being a stonemason. I've always enjoyed working there, but that's enough now. Come on. You can't be tied down to this house. You guys should enjoy life too. It's just like Yutaro (Ryo Kase) said. Women, and especially women, should have big ambitions."
Kamaji put on Yutaro's soft hat and told Nobu, "If there is someone waiting for you, run over there. If there is someone you want to help, run over there no matter how far you are." "Run no matter what. It's okay if you make mistakes and fall. Enjoy all of that and live your life."
Nobu cried and expressed her gratitude, saying, "I'm glad I'm Kamajii's grandson. It's the best." Ranko (Yuumi Kawai) also promised, "I'll live my life having fun, too." Meiko (Nanoka Hara) replied, "When I'm living my life having fun, that's when I sing." After that, at Kamatsuri's request, Nobu, Ranko, and Meiko sang "Yosakoi Bushi." While listening to the three sisters singing, Kamatsuri told Kura (Miyoko Asada) "Thank you."
In the final scene, under the light of the sun, Kamaji, wearing Yutaro's soft hat and a hanten with the character "Kama" written on the back, danced to the "Yosakoi Bushi." Finally, the sound of stone being carved echoed, and the 79th festival came to a close.
Comments on social media included, "He was the coolest grandpa until the very end, I'm sobbing," "It's a departure fitting for Kamajii," "I wonder if Kamajii is looking at Yutaro and Go-chan?" "I wonder if the sound of the final stone being carved was Go-chan coming to pick him up," "It was a full 15 minutes of Kotaro Yoshida theater," and "I can really see why they cast Kotaro Yoshida as Kamajii."
