Misato Ugaki stars in her first lead role in a TV drama series as the protagonist who is driven to the brink by infertility

It has been announced that freelance announcer Misato Ugaki will star in "Dekidemo, Dekinetemo," which will begin airing on TV Tokyo's "Kidora 24" slot (Thursdays at 12:30am) from October Getsuku. Ugaki, who is active in a wide range of fields including radio personality, writing, and acting, will be starring in her first lead role in a TV drama series. The story is an adult love story about a protagonist who is infertile, and her co-star will be actor Jyutaro Yamanaka, a member of the vocal and dance group M!LK.

The story is based on the manga of the same name by Asahina Mika. The protagonist, 32-year-old construction company worker Momoo Midori (Ugaki), is dumped by her boyfriend of seven years after discovering she is infertile. Rumors about her condition spread within the company, leading to her resignation. Feeling physically and mentally exhausted, she meets a handsome younger man, Tsukidome Mao (Yamanaka), and in an attempt to escape the sense of loss, she makes a "certain proposal" to Mao, whom she has just met.

Ugaki commented, "It's okay to give birth, or not. I know that everyone has the right to live the way they want to. But even so, compared to the model of happiness that has been instilled in them since childhood, Midori feels cornered, as if her existence has been denied. As an unmarried woman of the same generation who has never given birth, I felt a deep sense of empathy for her."

"I believe that the image of her as she takes a step towards breaking free from the curse of 'normality' and seizing her own happiness will surely be a salvation to someone. I hope everyone enjoys it," she said.

Author Asahina commented, "The cast, including Misato Ugaki and Jyutaro Yamanaka, who play Midori and Mao, are all fascinating, so I'm really looking forward to seeing them on screen. I hope that many people will enjoy this story of Midori and the others as they face their own happiness with sincerity and honesty!"

TV Tokyo producer Yoshikawa Hajime said, "It is a very delicate theme, but I believe that the protagonist's dedication to 'expanding the possibilities of what he can do one by one' will definitely reach someone's heart. We hope to weave a story that will give those who encounter the work 'Whether You Can or Can't' hope to take a step towards tomorrow, so we ask for your support."