Masato Yano has garnered attention for his role as "The Man Who Was Jouemon" in the NHK Taiga drama " UNBOUND (Berabou) " (General TV, Sundays at 8 PM and other times), starring Ryusei Yokohama Yokohama. Jouemon is a subordinate of Haruhisa Hitotsubashi (Toma Ikuta), who seeks all wealth and power, and is portrayed as a perpetrator who not only stirs up trouble but is also willing to take lives at times. This is Yano's first appearance in a Taiga drama in five years, following "Kirin ga Kuru" in 2020. His appearances have increased since his last appearance, and it can be said that he has left quite a lasting mark.
◇Five years ago, in the first Taiga drama "Kirin ga Kuru," Motoki "Dosan" was poisoned to death.
Yano is 33 years old and was born on December 16th, 1991 in Tokyo. Since winning the grand prize at the "Mitsutokumaru Audition" held as part of Horipro's 50th anniversary project in 2010, he has appeared in numerous stage plays, dramas and films.
His first appearance in a taiga drama was in "Kirin ga Kuru." He played Toki Yorizumi in the second episode, "Dosan's Trap."
Toki Yorizumi was the first husband of Kicho (played by Haruna Kawaguchi) and the governor of Mino Province. When it was discovered that he had been secretly consorting with Oda Nobuhide (played by Katsunori Takahashi) of Owari Province, his father-in-law, Saito Dosan (played by Masahiro Motoki), poisoned his tea and killed him.
The sight of Dosan singing the song loud and clear without changing his expression until the moment Yorizumi struggled with the poison and died became a hot topic at the time. The powerful phrase "Iyemon poisoned and sent to depart" was born, in reference to the work of Motoki, who played Dosan, and it was such an impactful episode that there must be many Taiga fans who remember Yano's face and name as "Yorizumi, who was poisoned to death by Dosan that time."
◇ King-Ohger's Lacles delighted fans
When talking about Yano's five years between "Kirin ga Kuru" and "UNBOUND," one must not forget the Super Sentai series "Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger," which aired from 2023 to 2024. In the series, he played the older brother of the main character, Kuwagata Oger/Gira (played by Sakai Taisei), Ookuwagata Oger/Lacres Hasty.
In "King-Ohger," which depicts kings as warriors fighting against enemies that threaten "Chikyuu," Yano plays Lacles, who in the beginning stands in the way of the kings as the "evil and tyrannical king," but towards the end it is revealed that this was all a ploy to deceive the true enemy, Galactinsect King Dagded. His "rebellion" against Dagded in episode 41, "Time to Save the Universe," greatly delighted fans.
In an interview conducted in March 2024 after the final episode to coincide with the release of the photo book "TONE" (Tokyo News Service), Yano spoke of his strong attachment to the series, saying, "I was able to incorporate a lot of my thoughts as an actor into this one year (of filming). I was able to show off the techniques I've cultivated up until now, and I was also able to try my hand at action. After Lacles returned, I was also happy that many of my opinions were adopted, such as deliberately gaining weight. I think (King-Ohger) will be the most memorable work of my acting career."
◇ In "UNBOUND," the police operate secretly according to Jisei's wishes, and victims are falling one after another.
After "King-Ohger," he appeared in "UNBOUND," the first taiga drama in five years, in the 16th episode, "Farewell Gennai, the Guardian of Horai." At this point, his character's name was "Joemon." He approached Hiraga Gennai (played by Ken Yasuda Ken) asking him to carry out a false construction project, and then framed Gennai for "slaying someone," which led to Gennai's later death in prison.
The name "Joemon" was a lie, and from episode 27, "I Wish I'd Die Under the Flowers in Spring," in which Yano reappears, his character's name was changed to "The Man Who Was Joemon." In that episode, he tells Sano Masayoshi (Yamoto Yuma) a story about Tanuma that is a mixture of truth and lies, prompting him to commit a violent act by attacking Ichi (Hio Miyazawa). Ichi lost his life as a result of the wounds sustained during this incident, and Masayoshi also committed seppuku (hara-kiri) and passed away.
After that, "the man who was Joemon" continued to act in secret at the will of Harumasa, "the man who wants to become heaven," by throwing stones at Iji's funeral procession while dressed as a carpenter, raising a banner while dressed as a ronin and making Masagen into a "hero" (Episode 28, "Sano Seinao Daimyojin"), and during the rice riots, loudly spreading to those around him the statement made by a shogunate official that "eat dogs" (which he did not actually say) (Episode 32, "Shinnosuke's Justice").
In the most recent episode, episode 33, "Uchikowashientame no Kudoku," Tsutaju (Yokohama) was shot through the chest by Hasegawa Heizo (Nakamura Hayato) while attempting to kill her, resulting in his untimely death. Meanwhile, Shinnosuke (Inowaki Kai), who tried to protect Tsutaju amidst the commotion, became the latest victim of the "man who was Joemon," following Gennai, Kūgō, Ichi, and Masayoshi, bringing tears to the eyes of viewers.
Some viewers are asking, "Is the man who was Joemon really dead?" If his departure is confirmed, Yano will become the man who was "the man who was Joemon" (past tense), but we'll see... That aside, considering the excitement on social media following the episode in which he appeared, it's safe to say that the role has become one of Yano's new signature works.
