A fan appreciation event for the NHK Asadora drama "Anpan " (General TV, Monday to Saturday, 8:00 AM and others), starring Mio Imada , was held in Kochi Prefecture on September 6th, with Imada, who plays Nobu, Noriko Eguchi, and Nanoka Hara, who plays Meiko, in attendance. Imada said, "It's been about two weeks since filming finished, and I'm relieved that we were able to finish the year safely. The words that made the biggest impression on me in the drama were Jiro's: 'Run with all your might, as fast as you can so that despair won't catch up with you.' I've always cherished these words and kept remembering them as I worked hard as Nobu."
There were approximately 4,400 applications for the event that day. The odds of winning were about 10 to 1, and about 900 "local fans" came to the venue.
Imada revealed, "There were many things that worried me, but the filming was a very fulfilling and intense time. I was influenced by Nobu, and there were times when it hurt me to speak my lines as Nobu, but it was a year in which I really faced myself together with Nobu." She added, "At various moments, I felt the love from everyone in Kochi Prefecture, which allowed me to work hard during filming. I am truly grateful. There are still a few more episodes to air, so I would be happy if you continue to watch over me warmly until the end."
The event will be broadcast and streamed on NHK General TV (for the Shikoku region) from 8:15 a.m. on September 20th, and on NHK General TV and World Premium from 6:10 a.m. on the 23rd.
"Anpan" is based on the married couple Takashi Yanase(1919-2013), the manga artist and picture book author who created "Anpanman," and his wife, Nobu (1918-1993). It is a "story of love and courage" that will fill you with the joy of living, depicting how these two, who were once nobodys, overcame all sorts of rough seas to become "Anpanman," the embodiment of "unreversible justice."
