Actor Amane Okayama stars in NHK's evening drama "Hirayasumi" (General TV, Monday to Thursday, 10:45 p.m.). The drama's final episode will be broadcast on December 4th. "I've been able to run through it in a 'Hiroto-like' way up until today," Okayama said. "I think it's become a drama that's 'worth being made into a live-action film.'"
The drama is based on the manga of the same name by Shinzo Keigo, which has been serialized in Weekly Big Comic Spirits since 2021. The story follows 29-year-old part-time worker Ikuta Hiroto (Okayama) who inherits a single-story house from his neighbor, Wada Hanae (Negishi Tokie), and begins living with his 18-year-old cousin Kobayashi Natsumi (Mori Nana), who moved to Tokyo from Yamagata. People with difficult life problems gather around them...
In the final episode, Hiroto and Natsumi receive a cardboard box from their family home in Yamagata containing a large amount of taro. So they decide to hold an imoni party. They invite Hideki (Yoshimura Kaito) and Akari (Mitsushima Nazuna), respectively. While searching for a large pot for imoni, Hiroto happens to come across a pressed white hydrangea left behind by Hanae.
It turns out that Hiroto had brought it as a get-well gift when Hanae was injured and hospitalized.
When filming wrapped up, Okayama said, "I had read the original novel 'Hirayasumi' and loved it, so playing the role of Hiroto was more difficult than ever before."
On the other hand, he proudly stated, "Thanks to the wonderful cast and staff, I have been able to continue to this day in a 'Hiroto-like' way. I think it has become a drama that is 'worth being made into a live-action film,'" and expressed his gratitude, saying, "It's all thanks to everyone. Thank you so much."
