Hama Shogo plays Shoda Takichi, a friend of Nishikori (Yoshizawa Ryo), in the NHK morning drama "Bakeke" (General TV, Monday to Saturday 8:00 AM and others), starring Takaishi Akari. He spoke about his impressions of filming the morning drama for the first time in three years, as well as his impression of Marui Wan, who plays Sawa.
◇What scene left the most impression on you?
This will be Hama's first appearance in a morning drama in three years since "Maiagare!" in the second half of 2022. He laughed and said, "'Maiagare!' was also produced in Osaka, so I was really looking forward to filming in Osaka again. There were a lot of staff members I knew, and I was teased by a lot of people from the first day, so I felt very comfortable."
"All the cast members were very frank. When I asked Yoshizawa-san how he memorized his English lines, he told me, 'I always listen to them and repeat them,' so I just kept repeating them. When I was practicing my English, Tommy-san would smile and say, 'That's right, that's right,' and he was very kind."
Shoda, played by Hama, is a brilliant student from Matsue and a friend of Nishikori Yuichi. In contrast to Nishikori, who is known as a "master of the craft," Shoda calls himself "less than half of him." Hama recalls, "Osawa, who has a lot to do with Shoda, is the most sensible and strong-willed character in Bakeke, and his best friend Nishikori is also quite standoffish. So I thought about how it would be to loosely interact with the two of them, and tried to play him."
"It feels like a part of me that is close to my true self. Up until now I've often played eccentric characters or bad guys, so I haven't had many roles like Shoda, so it was a fresh experience for me. He's a pure and straightforward man who doesn't have any malice in his words or actions, but I like that he's portrayed as multifaceted, just like the other characters in 'Bakeke'."
When asked about the most memorable scene, he revealed, "It was the scene in episode 83 where he eats soba noodles with Sawa."
"Shoda's lines were very long, and we had to shoot it in one take, so I was very nervous. In fact, due to the order of filming, this was my first time doing dialogue, so I had decided not to speak to Marui-san until this shoot. This made me even more nervous, and I don't remember the taste of the soba noodles (laughs)."
◇How did Shoda fall in love with Sawa?
In episode 85 (broadcast on January 30th), Shoda finally makes up his mind to propose to Sawa. However, Shoda's wish does not come true. Shoda tutors Sawa, who aims to become a full-time teacher, but what made him fall in love with her?
"I discussed with the director what the crucial moment was when he fell in love with her, but he said it didn't have to be too obvious. Shoda has the desire as an educator to 'be useful to people' and 'want to teach people something,' so I think that's why he initially began teaching Sawa. He may have also been concerned simply because there aren't many female teachers."
He continued, "As we talk, I realize that Sawa also has a great best friend who has become a little distant, and that she feels similar to me. So when I'm helping her with her studies, Sawa suddenly smiles at Shoda. I was acting while thinking that I was drawn to those expressions and gestures."
"The script doesn't say, 'Sawa smiles,' but Marui-wan gives us an exquisitely nuanced response, and a key point in their relationship develops in an unexpected place. That was fun to film. I thought Shoda proposed very quickly (laughs), but it was only possible with Otoki's encouragement. With Osawa's best friend pushing him, you'd think he'd be able to do it. But even so, 'Bakeke' isn't as straightforward as it seems. I hope viewers will support Shoda, who doesn't understand women's hearts, while also making fun of him."
Regarding the scenes with Nishikori, he said, "Although Nishikori and Shoda are best friends, they don't have many scenes together. There was a long gap between the fourth week and the 17th week when they met again, so I was a little worried about what to do, but when I looked into Nishikori's eyes for the first time in a while, I felt that this was enough without having to say much."
"However, there were some awkward moments regarding the qualification exam for graduating from the Imperial University and the teaching license. When we spoke at Yamahashi Western Restaurant, it was so awkward that both Yoshizawa and I instinctively said, 'That's awkward,' the moment the director called cut. The friendship between the two will be portrayed, as well as Shoda's side as an educator. Shoda will be in for some stomach-churning moments... so don't miss it!"
