Udai Akari Takaishi of the comedy duo "Kamomentaru" plays Goro Kajitani, a self-proclaimed astute reporter for the Matsue Shimpo newspaper, in the NHK morning drama "Bakebake" (General TV, Monday to Saturday, 8:00 AM and other times), starring Akari Takaishi. He spoke about his feelings about making his first appearance in a Asadora, and his impressions of Takaishi, who plays the heroine Toki.
◇ "Quite surprised" about his first appearance in a Asadora
"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."
Iwasaki, who will be appearing in a Asadora for the first time, talked about how she felt when she found out she would be appearing, saying with a laugh, "My manager first told me, but he told me in a very normal tone. I think my manager wanted to make it a surprise and see my reaction, but I thought, 'Huh? Maybe it's not such a big deal.'"
"I took it home once, but later I was like, 'This is a Asadora !' and I was really surprised. However, and I'm really sorry to say this, I grew up in a household that didn't watch Asadora , so I didn't have the habit of watching them. I was really happy, but at the same time I felt like I should have watched them properly."
◇ Kajitani, who plays the character, "doesn't really think about what other people think of him"
Iwasaki, who also writes scripts, recalls, "I was already acquainted with Fujiki (the scriptwriter), and he once came to see one of my solo live shows."
"Fujiki's scripts are always interesting. My character, Kajitani, doesn't say anything particularly funny, but he moves like an interesting person, and it's fun to portray his words and actions. I try to imagine, 'I bet Fujiki is aiming for a certain tone,' and act accordingly."
Kajitani plays a self-proclaimed, highly skilled reporter for the Matsue Shimpo newspaper. He closely follows Heaven when she visits Japan. He is a character with a good temper who can turn even small stories into big news.
Iwasaki analyzed, "I play a newspaper reporter for the Matsue Shimpo newspaper, but what's different from my real self is that he's quite powerful and doesn't really think about what other people think of him. He has his own idea of justice, but I think he's also aware of the fragility of justice, as it changes with the times."
"That's why he's so quick on his feet and so elusive. Kajitani's idea of justice is what makes his readers happy, and I feel like he's more concerned with whether or not his readers are excited than with what is right. He has a sense that 'blow the wind, something will happen, and bear fruit,' and the image I have of Kajitani is that he approaches interviews in a straightforward manner."
◇What is your impression of Takaishi Akari, who Akari Takaishi?
When asked about his impression of Takaishi, who plays the main character Toki, Iwasaki said, "I thought he was good at comedy scenes," and laughed, "I think he likes comedy."
"Even in scenes where you have to speak loudly, rather than just raising your voice, you put emotion into the lines and end up speaking louder, which I think is quite difficult. She's someone who can convey an interesting book in a really interesting way."
When asked about the highlights of the drama, he said, "I think ' Bakebake' is simply a good theme," and revealed, "I don't know much about Yakumo Koizumi, but it's interesting that someone came to Japan at that time and dug up ghost stories, and I think Yakumo Koizumi was a humorous person, so I feel a sense of sympathy for him."
"I also like monsters and horror, and although this may seem a bit like a viewer's perspective, I'm interested in how ghost stories developed in the Meiji era. ... Mr. Kajitani, can you make the character seem interested in ghost stories? (laughs) I'd love to be involved, even just a little, in the birth of Yakumo Koizumi in the story."
