Satoshi Tsumabuki plays Yagi Shinnosuke, founder of the Kyushu Cotton Center, in the NHK Asadora drama "Anpan " (General TV, Monday to Saturday, 8:00 AM and other times). In the 102nd episode, broadcast on August 19th, it was revealed that Yagi lost his family in the war. Tsumabuki reflected on the feelings he had in this scene and the filming of the war scene, which became a hot topic due to its harsh depiction.
◇What I felt during the war scenes
" Anpan" is based on the married couple Takashi Yanase(1919-2013) and Nobu (1918-1993). It tells the story of how the two met, overcame all sorts of obstacles, and arrived at "Anpanman," the embodiment of "unreversible justice." It is a "story of love and courage" that will fill you with the joy of living.
Yagi, played by Tsumabuki, was a private first class in the Kokura Regiment, to which Taka (Takumi Kitamura) belonged during the war. He was concerned about Taka, who had difficulty fitting in with the military, and would occasionally lend a helping hand. After the war, he reunited with Taka while selling illegal alcohol on the black market and providing food and reading books to war orphans. He later founded the Kyushu Cotton Center, which had a major impact on the lives of Nobu (Imada) and Taka.
Yagi made his first appearance in episode 50 (broadcast June 6th) as a "comrade-in-arms" who fought alongside him on the harsh battlefield. Tsumabuki said, "Yagi once said, 'The only way for the weak to survive on the battlefield is to become cowardly,' but I think that being alive is everything."
"It doesn't matter how embarrassing it may be. As long as you're alive, you'll be rewarded. In the scene where Takagi gives him the portrait, I felt like he had brought back the pure part of me that I had almost lost after being tossed about by the war. I think Takagi was like a mirror to Yagi, reflecting his past self. That's why he couldn't leave him alone. I feel like all the things he said to Takagi were being said to himself."
◇Yagi's past revealed
In episode 102, Yagi's past, which had not been shown until now, is revealed. Yagi confesses to Ranko (Yuumi Kawai) about his past, saying, "When I went to war, I promised my wife and child that I would definitely return. When I finally returned, they had died in the air raid on Fukuoka. I didn't know why I had survived on the battlefield."
Looking back on this scene, Tsukamoto revealed, "I had originally heard about that background from the director."
"It was precisely because Yagi had lost his precious family that he felt the preciousness of the life in front of him. If it meant he could be of even the slightest support, he was willing to sacrifice himself no matter how much. I think it was with that thought in mind that he helped the war orphans under the railway tracks," he said, expressing Yagi's feelings.
"After going through a variety of experiences, he has also founded a new company, and I am looking forward to seeing what he will bring to people in the future."
