Akari Takaishi will play the heroine in the NHK Asadora drama "Bakebake" (Monday to Saturday, 8:00 AM and other times) which will air in the second half of 2025. Hashizume Kuniomi, the production manager of this series, and director Murahashi Naoki talked about the behind-the-scenes scene in the second week (October 6-10) where Toki Matsuno(played by Takaishi) lies down on the veranda after a tense matchmaking session.
◇ The wig issue made it difficult for him to move freely, but he turned it to his advantage and used his skillful movements to "add character."
In the eighth episode (broadcast on October 8th), Toki (Takaishi) finishes her arranged marriage meeting (serving tea) with Morimichi (Sakai Taisei) of the Nakamura family, a former samurai of the same rank as the Matsuno family, and when she leaves the room, she is released from tension and lies down on the veranda, letting out a big sigh.
Murahashi says, "On set, I just told Takaishi to do what he wanted," but he reveals that in that scene, "if you go into detail, he wasn't really free to do what he wanted."
"(Lying down) is an issue with the wig. In reality, the moment the shoji screen is closed, I want to collapse straight down, but there were detailed instructions to bring the wig outside the veranda. Takaishi-san, with skillful movement, somehow managed to bring her head outside the veranda. There were restrictions on the set, and it was impossible to tell her to do as she pleased, but Takaishi-san doesn't let that be obvious, and when her emotions burst forth, her acting is unique to her. I think it has a flavor that only she can bring out."
◇Avoid eye contact as much as possible and keep a probing expression
Hashizume says, "The matchmaking scene followed the script relatively closely," but adds, "There were almost no lines. The whole scene unfolded as if they were trying to figure each other out just by looking at each other, so I think a large part of it was created on set by the actors and the director (staff)."
"In terms of directing, I worked on staging the play so that the two actors would have difficulty making eye contact. The script didn't have a table, and they were supposed to sit on cushions facing each other and bow, saying 'Nice to meet you,' but I really wanted them to avoid making eye contact as much as possible. There is only one scene where their eyes meet, but the rest of the time I directed it so that there were long periods of time when they didn't make eye contact, with their backs to each other, as if they were trying to figure each other out. I didn't tell the actors to 'feel each other out,' but rather, since they couldn't see each other's faces, they naturally had expressions that seemed to be trying to figure each other out, which I think was the beauty of the acting in that scene."
◇ "Empathy" makes Toki = Akari Takaishi
Takaishi's acting is captivating, as she lives as Toki throughout the entire film, including the matchmaking scene.
Murahashi said, "Takaishi herself has said that 'Toki is me,' but that doesn't mean the role was written specifically for her; it's more like her 'power of empathy.' I think she can say that whatever role she plays, it's 'me.' Rather than completely becoming the character, I think she uses some part of herself in the performance. So, in order to not kill the good parts of her, I try to act as she is, telling her to 'just do it.'"
In the third week starting on the 13th, Toki's arranged marriage with Ginjiro (played by Kanichiro) goes well, and she begins her married life, but a turbulent life awaits her. I hope to continue watching Takaishi's life as Toki.
