What was the scene that most captivated viewers in the 82nd episode (broadcast on January 27th) of the NHK morning drama "Bakeke" (General TV, Monday to Saturday, 8:00 AM and other times), starring actress Takaishi Akari? When we looked at minute-by-minute trends in "attention level" (surveyed by REVISIO, Kanto region, preliminary figures), which indicates the percentage of viewers glued to the screen, the peak was 70.6% at 8:05 AM.
"Bakeke" is the 113th morning drama. The heroine, Toki Matsuno, and her husband, Lefkada Heaven, are based on Setsu Koizumi, the daughter of a fallen samurai from Matsue, and Lafcadio Hearn (Koizumi Yakumo), known for his works such as "Kwaidan." The drama boldly reconstructs the characters, changing some of the names of characters and organizations to create a fictionalized portrayal.
◇The highest value exceeded 70% for two consecutive days
In episode 82, Heaven (Tommy Bastow) suggests that a story be published in the newspaper about Toki cheering on his childhood friend Sawa (Wan Marui) as she studies hard for her exams. As Sawa is studying hard under the guidance of Shoda (Shogo Hama), she is informed by her friends at the salon "Swan Club" that her story has been published in the newspaper.
The "attention level," which indicates the percentage of viewers watching TV who were paying close attention to the screen, gradually rose that day, peaking and then gradually declining twice, creating a simple "peak." The highest level was 70.6%, at 8:05 AM, which was the first "peak," and remained in the 70% range for two consecutive days.
◇How does Sawa react to her story being featured in the newspaper?
The first peak, at 8:05 AM, is when Sawa finds out about the "surprise" that Toki and Heaven have set up. This is the scene that depicts Sawa's first reaction, which viewers are curious about.
After the opening scene, the interest level rises sharply from 8:03 AM, when Sawa is shown studying hard for her exams under Shoda's guidance. It continues to rise from 8:04 AM, when Yamahashi (Tomoaki Emoto) brings meat pies made with leftover beef to the Shiratori Club and everyone starts eating them. At first, Sawa is the only one who doesn't eat, but when Shoda invites her to join the group and she takes a bite, it reaches its peak at around 8:05 AM.
"Huh?" As Sawa struggles to find the words, Shoda and the others join in, saying "What the heck is this?", and everyone erupts in laughter. It's a moment that makes you feel as if Sawa's stubborn heart has finally begun to thaw, thanks to Shoda. Next, Yamahashi tells Sawa, "I saw it the other day," telling her that a story about Sawa had been in the newspaper. "It's a beautiful friendship, isn't it?" Doe (Maku Shigeoka) and Kadowaki (Yoshida Tsune) join in, getting excited.
Sawa and Shoda, who hadn't read the newspaper, are handed the copy. They see an article about Toki's upcoming 100-bow pilgrimage for Sawa, who is taking an exam to become a full-time teacher. They're curious to see how Sawa will react, but she looks a little unsure and looks from one person to the next.
The scene that follows is at 8:06 AM. After Shoda talks about meeting Toki, who came to Tokyo to look for her husband, Ginjiro (Kanichiro), Sawa is met with envy from those around her, who comment, "Wow, it's amazing to have your best friend cheer you on like that." Sawa likely doesn't mind, but the camera only films her from behind. Perhaps it's because we can't see her expression at all. It's an intriguing moment, but for some reason the attention rating plummets to 66.8% and continues to decline thereafter.
◇ "I think so" Sawa finally reveals her honest thoughts
It starts to resurface again at 8:11 AM. It is a continuation of the scene where Shoda, curious about Sawa's reaction to the article, asks, "Do you have any thoughts about that article?" Sawa has mixed feelings about Toki, who once tried to escape from poverty with her, but now lives a completely different life. Around 8:11 AM, Shoda begins to talk about Toki, comparing her to "Cinderella."
When Shoda says, "That's why you don't think Toki is funny...", Sawa interrupts with, "That's what I think," but after a short silence, she frankly admits to Shoda, "I do think so." Sawa then begins to blurt out her feelings about Toki, and Shoda responds, which is when the second peak (69.4%) occurred around 8:12 AM.
"I know," says Shoda, before confessing, "I have a friend like that too." The friend Shoda is talking about who rose to success in a flash is likely Nishikori (Yoshizawa Ryo). Shoda encourages Sawa, saying, "It doesn't matter if you want to get back at Toki, or whatever. Let's do our best." The second half of the 12-minute segment continues with Toki coming to Yamahashi Pharmacy to buy beer.
How would Sawa react to Toki and Heaven's trick? The change in attention seemed to reflect the desires of the viewers.
The data used is REVISIO's proprietary indicator "Attention Level" (Kanto region, preliminary figures) published by the company that surveys TV program and commercial viewing habits in 2,000 households in the Kanto region and 600 households in the Kansai region. A dedicated device equipped with a human body recognition sensor constantly measures whether people are looking at the TV screen, and calculates the percentage of people in front of the TV who are paying close attention to the program. (Text by Sasamoto Hirozai/MANTAN)
