The NHK Asadora drama series "Bakebake " (General TV, Monday to Saturday, 8:00 AM and other times), starring Akari Takaishi , will begin airing on September 29th. The story follows a married couple, with the heroine, who loves ghost stories, as she and her foreign husband go about their everyday lives. We would like to introduce a profile of Takaishi, who will be playing the role of the heroine, Toki Matsuno , replacing Mio Imada , who appeared in the previous work, " Anpan ."
◇ His first starring movie is an unexpected hit. Ayuko Tsukahara also says, "I love your acting."
Takaishi is 22 years old and was born on December 19, 2002 in Miyazaki Prefecture. After being a member of the dance and vocal group "α-X's (Across)," he began working full-time as an actor in 2019.
Her most famous work is the "Baby Warukyuure" series. In 2021, after appearing in the stage production of " Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba" as Kamado Nezuko, Takaishi's first starring role in a film (co-starring with Izawa Ayori) was released in theaters. The film is a violent youth action story about a pair of beautiful female assassins who are unable to adapt to society, and while it was not shown in many theaters, its reputation spread through word of mouth, making it an unusually long-running hit.
The series later spawned sequel films and a television drama, making it an essential part of any discussion of Takaishi.
Takaishi also appeared in the hit film "My Happy Marriage," which was released in 2023. Coincidentally, she later starred in "Anpan," in which she played the role of the "oppressive half-sister" of Imada, who, from Takaishi's perspective, was her "predecessor."
The film was directed by Tsukahara Ayuko, known for her work on popular TBS dramas such as "Unnatural," "Saiai," and "Diamonds Sleeping in the Sea." In an interview at the time, Takaishi revealed that when she met Tsukahara at a preview screening, she "received a letter" from her, which read, "I love your acting," and said that the words in the letter became a "treasure."
◇The "Bakebake" CP made me want to watch it for the longest time.
With Director Tsukahara's words in mind, Takaishi steadily worked on her projects. She was also cast as a main cast member in the 2023 NHK "night drama" "My Worst Friend," where she played the protagonist's childhood friend, who could be described as the protagonist's "worst friend." She also co-starred with lead actress Aju Makita again in the much talked about TBS Sunday Theatre drama "Mikami Sensei," which aired in January of this year.
In "Mikami Sensei," Takaishi also shows a strong presence as Chigira Haruka, a student in Class 3-2, where the protagonist is the homeroom teacher. Chigira is a diligent, well-mannered, and modest girl with excellent grades who is kind and caring towards her friends. This role is nothing like the ones she played in "Baby Warukyuure," "My Happy Marriage ," and "My Worst Friend," but towards the end of the series, as the spotlight shifts to the issue of fraudulent admissions, Takaishi delicately portrays Chigira's turbulent and complicated emotions.
Takaishi will soon make her debut in a Asadora as the heroine of " Bakebake ," having been selected through an audition from among 2,892 applicants.
The story is set in the Meiji era, and the character played by Toki Matsuno is the daughter of a fallen samurai from Matsue, and is modeled after Yakumo Koizumi's (Lafcadio Hearn) wife, Setsu. Considering her career so far, there are still many unknowns about her.
Meanwhile, Chief Producer Hashizume Kuniomi, who is in charge of production, previously looked back on the auditions and said, "When Takaishi-san came in, she shone so brightly that I thought, 'This is the girl,'" and explained the reason for her selection, saying, "Takaishi-san was the one who made me want to watch her for the longest time." He is (obviously) confident in the casting.
In an interview for "My Worst Friend," Takaishi herself said of her ideal role, "I want to be colorless and transparent, able to take on any role. I hope to become that kind of actor, like a chameleon." And as she puts it, her "colorless and transparent" nature is one of Takaishi's charms. We're sure she'll show us a new side of herself in "Bakebake."
