Kana Kita Kita plays Eto Rio, the daughter of Shimane Prefecture Governor (Shiro Sano) in the NHK morning drama series " Bakebake " (General TV, Monday to Saturday 8:00 AM and others), starring Akari Takaishi . She spoke about her thoughts on her first appearance in a Asadora, the appeal of the role of Rio, and her impressions of her co-stars including Takaishi.
◇ The first Asadora is "Byplayers," with Fujiki Mitsuhiko in charge of the script. "I felt a connection."
"Bakebake" is based on the story of Koizumi Setsu, the daughter of a fallen samurai from Matsue, and her husband Yakumo (Lafcadio Hearn), and depicts the heroine, who loves ghost stories, going about her everyday life with her foreign husband. The script is written by Fujiki Mitsuhiko, who has worked on NHK's "Asagaya Sisters' Relaxed Life" and WOWOW's "Shooting Break Series."
Kita, who will be appearing in a Asadora for the first time, recalls how she felt when she found out she would be appearing in one, saying, "I've always had a dream of appearing in a Asadora. So when I heard about the role in ' Bakebake,' I felt so happy, like I'd finally reached one of my goals."
"Also, I had previously worked with the scriptwriter Fujiki Mitsuhiko on a production called 'Byplayers,' so I felt a sense of fate in being able to appear in a Asadora drama written by Fujiki-san, and I was very happy."
The character she plays is the daughter of Governor Eto (Shiro Sano). She is a beautiful and intelligent young lady who is fluent in English and is deeply attracted to Heaven (Tommy Bastow) who visits Matsue.
Regarding Rio, Kita explains, "She was raised in a good home as the governor's daughter, and is a lively character who has always moved forward without doubting herself, but there's nothing unpleasant about her. Even before filming began, I was really looking forward to playing the role, wondering how far I could go with her powerful acting."
"I have the image of her as someone who accepts what happens at the time and moves forward straightforwardly, and in her relationships with others she tends to act independently and is self-centered, but that's what makes her so lovable, and I feel like she's a fun character to play. I think she has a personality that's the complete opposite of who I really am, and while I can understand Rio's emotions, I can't really understand her impulsive behavior, which is something I envy. Also, the outfit that Rio wears is really cute. It's a stylish outfit that was rare at the time and was ahead of its time, so I hope you'll pay attention to that as well."
◇What are your impressions of Akari Takaishi and Tommy Bastow?
Regarding his impression of Takaishi, who plays the main character Toki, Kita said, "He's a friendly person, and what's appealing about him is that he always seems to be himself without trying to please anyone. He's cool to watch, with a dignified presence that makes you wonder if he's scared of anything."
Regarding Bastow, who plays Heaven, he revealed, "Tommy is also a friendly person, and I can tell he's studied Japanese a lot. He's good at listening to Japanese, and he always chats with me in Japanese, but sometimes he says things that make me think, 'Wow, he knows that word too?' and that's very impressive."
"I basically only act with Tommy in English, but even when I think I might have made a mistake in my English, he always says it's okay and gives me advice, which I'm very grateful for."
Regarding Yakumo Koizumi, who was the model for Heaven, he analyzes, "As I looked at various materials, I realized that he was a man who was deeply fascinated by Japan. He never overlooked even the smallest details of Japanese culture, and he found beauty in them, and then elevated them into literature."
"I think Yakumo Koizumi's influence is still significant today. We can't see what Japan was like back then, so we don't know what it was like, but I think the things that fascinated Yakumo Koizumi so much will help us love Japan even more."
Addressing the viewers, she said, "The script for ' Bakebake' has comedic elements, which I find really enjoyable to read."
He continued, "I think the cast, including Akari Takaishi, and the staff are all really wonderful people, and I'm just so happy to be a part of it. I think that kind of atmosphere is definitely reflected in the work, so I hope viewers will enjoy it until the very end."
