" Anpan " (General TV, Monday to Saturday 8:00 AM and other times), the NHK Asadora drama series starring Mio Imada , is a "story of love and courage" based on the life of Takashi Yanase Yanase, the manga artist and picture book author who created "Anpanman," and his wife, Nobu. The 113th morning Asadora, "Bakebake ," will replace it and begin airing on September 29th. We'd like to introduce what kind of work it will be, along with the life story of the heroine, Toki Matsuno , played by Akari Takaishi .
◇From Matsue in the Meiji era. The heroine is an eccentric girl who loves ghost stories.
" Bakebake" is a story about a couple, with the heroine who loves ghost stories and her foreign husband, going about their ordinary daily lives.
The heroine, Toki Matsuno, is based on Setsu, the daughter of a fallen Yakumo Koizumi from Matsue and wife of Lafcadio Hearn. However, the drama will be boldly reconstructed, with some of the names of characters and organizations changed to create a fictionalized portrayal. It will not be based on an original novel, but will be an original work by screenwriter Mitsuhiko Fujiki, who has worked on NHK's drama "Asagaya Sisters' Relaxed Life" and WOWOW's "Shooting Break Series."
The story begins in Matsue during the Meiji period. Toki Matsuno is a slightly eccentric girl who loves ghost stories. The Matsuno family is descended from a high-ranking samurai family, but when the era of the samurai came to an end, her father embarked on a business venture that failed, leading to a very poor life. As the world changed rapidly, Toki grew up surrounded by people who had been left behind by the times, and she spent her time feeling envious of this difficult world.
Living in extreme poverty for a long time, Toki is at her wit's end when an offer for a job comes her way: a live-in maid in the home of a new foreign English teacher who has arrived in Matsue. In an era when foreigners are rare, Toki is prepared to face prejudice from society, but she decides to become a maid.
The foreign teacher is Irish and originally from Greece. He was abandoned by his parents at a young age, passed around from one relative to another, and eventually driven to America. He continued to search for a place to belong, eventually ending up in Japan.
At first, Toki struggles with language barriers and cultural differences, but he soon realizes that they share similar circumstances, and gradually they begin to connect. Moreover, they both love ghost stories. Surrounded by strange people, these two strange people spend every night telling ghost stories, and so begins their strange life...
◇Screenwriter Fujiki Mitsuhiko: "I'm writing a story in which nothing happens."
The production of the drama was announced in June 2024. Later that year, it was announced that Takaishi would play the role of Toki Matsuno, and in November, Yakumo Koizumi Tommy Bastow Yakumo. Takaishi was selected for the role through an audition out of 2,892 applicants, and Bastow was selected for the role out of 1,767 applicants.
Filming for the drama began in March of this year. In April, Takaishi, who plays the Tsukasanosuke role, began filming in Kyoto City alongside Okabe Takashi as his father, Takashi Okabe, Chizuru Ikewaki Fumiyo Kohinata Fumiyo as his grandfather, Kan'emon. Around that time, the cast was announced one after another. It was a hot topic that Ryo Yoshizawa will play Nishikori Yuichi, who has a major influence on Toki and Heaven's lives, and Keiko Kitagawa Keiko will play Ushimizu Tae, who strictly teaches Toki the culture of a samurai daughter. This will be Kitagawa's first appearance in a Asadora.
What kind of work will "Bakebake" actually be? I would like to introduce what Fujiki said at the production announcement last June.
At the time, Fujiki commented, "I'm writing a story in which nothing happens." Regarding the circumstances surrounding the writing, he said, "They say that life has both light and shadow, but I feel that most of life is neither light nor shadow. It's not sparkling, but it's not dark enough to be called shadow, it's an ordinary time that's not worth talking about to others. I wanted to write a Asadora that shines a light on those parts that are neither light nor shadow. I came to this idea after learning about Koizumi Setsu, the model for this drama."
She went on to reveal her thoughts, saying, "Setsu is not someone who has accomplished anything extraordinary or made incredible dreams come true. She may be a slightly unusual, but ordinary person who lives an ordinary daily life. But that's exactly why she's so lovable." She then sent a message to viewers, saying, "This Asadora never once shouts, 'My dream is just ○○! (Shimane dialect)' but I would be happy if you would like it."
" Bakebake ," a Asadora that "sheds light on areas that are neither light nor shadow," will be broadcast on NHK General TV from September 29th, Monday to Saturday at 8:00 a.m. and other channels.
