Actress Yasuko Sawaguchi attended a fan meeting for the special drama "Kasouken no Onna Final" (TV Asahi, January 23rd, 8pm) held in Tokyo on January 14th. She read a letter expressing her gratitude for the past 26 years to the gathered fans, and shed tears.
"Kasouken no Onna," starring Sawaguchi, which began airing in October 1999 and has continued to break records for the longest running ongoing drama series, will now draw its curtains on its 26-year history with this latest installment. On this day, familiar cast members from the series, including Sawaguchi, Koike Teppei, Wakamura Mayumi, Kazama Tooru, Saito Akira, Kato Ryo, Yamamoto Hikaru, Ishii Kazuaki, and Takashi Naito, appeared in front of approximately 200 fans who had been invited by lottery. They interacted with each other through talk sessions and other events.
Towards the end of the event, the MC announced, "Sawaguchi Yasuko has written a letter for this day," to which Sawaguchi herself read. "To everyone who loved 'Kasouken no Onna,' if there is a beginning, there will someday be an end. I thought I understood that. But I never imagined that the last day of putting on a white coat would come so soon... To be honest, I wanted to stay as Mariko longer," she said, her voice trembling as she looked up to the sky as if to hold back tears.
Regarding the character she played, forensic researcher Sakaki Mariko, she commented, "The days I spent with Sakaki Mariko are my life itself. They are an irreplaceable treasure," and continued, "And the same goes for my relationship with you all. This production will mark a turning point with this episode. But the warm days, smiles, and tears we shared together through this production. The many memories will continue to live on in my heart."
He then bowed and said, "They say that the moment a person's heart is deeply moved, that memory is engraved deep into the brain. The memories of that moment when you watched 'Kasouken no Onna' and your hearts were moved will continue to connect us to the future. I believe that. 'Science doesn't lie.' Mariko says the same thing. Let's continue to move forward together, looking forward. Thank you very much for your support over all these years." The audience erupted in applause as he bowed.
On behalf of the cast, Naito, who plays Domon Kaoru, handed Sawaguchi a bouquet of flowers, expressing his gratitude by saying, "Thank you so much for being our leading man for 26 years." He continued, "Sawaguchi-san, everyone says you're too serious, but through this role, you proved that being serious is cool. It was great, thank you for all your hard work."
As a surprise, Sawaguchi was presented with an album filled with messages from the cast and staff, which made her smile. "We've been blessed with a wonderful cast and staff, and thanks to everyone's support, we've been able to continue for so long. I hope we can meet again in another capacity," she said, before leaving the venue.
