What was the scene that most captivated viewers in the 88th episode (aired February 4th) of the NHK morning drama "Bakeke" (General TV, Monday-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 73.6% at 8:07 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.
◇Attention levels increased from the middle of the game, with 4 minutes in the 70% range
In episode 88, Heaven (Tommy Bastow) worries about Toki (Takaishi), who has been mistaken for his lassammen after reading Kajitani's (Iwasaki Udai) newspaper article. Nishikori (Yoshizawa Ryo) rushes to the scene, but Toki's anxiety remains. Meanwhile, Sawa (Marui Wan) and Yanami (Sato Honami) arrive.
The "attention rate," which indicates the percentage of viewers watching the TV intently, was slightly low early on that day as well, but rose sharply from the middle of the program after the opening, reaching the 70% range for four minutes.
◇The highest score of 73.6% was when Sawa rushed over.
The highest rating for episode 88 was 73.6% at 8:07 AM, the first peak since the middle of the series. It was the scene where Toki's childhood friend Sawa rushes to his side. After a string of serious incidents since episode 87 the day before, this was a moment of sudden brightness on the screen, and perhaps viewers breathed a sigh of relief.
One morning, Heaven is on her way to work at Matsue Junior High School. She exchanges a greeting kiss with Toki inside her house, and just as she is about to leave, there is a knock at the gate. Tsukasasuke (Takashi Okabe) and Fumi (Chizuru Ikewaki) are also feeling nervous, but then they hear a woman's voice saying, "Good morning. It's Sawa. I've come to see Toki." It's Sawa's voice, and she sounds just as familiar.
After this, it's around 8:07 AM. Nishikori opens the gate, and Sawa comes in and starts busily picking up the trash that's been thrown at the front door. Seeing Sawa like that, Toki's tension eases, and he calls out, "Oh come on, Sawa," and bursts into tears. Panicked, Sawa hugs Toki and mutters, "Is it my fault?" The exchange between Tsukasa and Fumi, "That's right," and "That's right," makes it seem like the usual Matsuno household has returned. After this, the two sit on the veranda, chatting about trivial things and laughing loudly together.
◇Second time in the 70% range. Nami joins in and it's a "party"
After this, the level of attention plummeted, but quickly rose again. At 8:10 AM, it reached 70.3%, reaching the 70% range again. Here, Nami joins Toki and Sawa, who are having a great time on the veranda. "Seeing the three of us together like this makes me feel like I'm back in the tenement house," Nami says, to which Toki nods. "You say it brings back memories, but I still live there," Fumi retorts, but Nami continues, "I see, it brings back memories, doesn't it, Toki-chan?" It's a joyous scene that makes you feel like the relationship between the three, which had been strained for a while, is back to normal.
In the evening, when Heaven, Nishikori, and the others return home from Matsue Junior High School looking worried, Heaven's house is in chaos. Fumi, Nami, and the other children from the tenement house have rushed over, and it's a party. Up until this point, it's around 8:10 AM.
◇The third time the 70% rating was in the 70s, Sawa and Shoda's fidgety "reunion"
Heaven, moved by this, speaks to Toki, saying, "Matsue, how wonderful this town is," and "Matsue, how wonderful these people are," and at 8:11 a.m. the ratings drop slightly to 69.7%, but rebound at 8:12 a.m. to 72.3%.
As Nishikori and the students, who came with Heaven, go inside the house, Shoda (Hama Shogo) hesitates a little because Sawa is there. This is around 8:12 AM. "Is everything okay?" "I'm sure it'll be okay," Fumi and Toki say, quietly leaving the table, leaving the two alone. Even though they exchange cold greetings like "It's been a while," you can sense that they still care for each other. For viewers who had been worried about what would become of the two, this scene must have been a relief, as it wasn't the end.
◇ "Nanimonai..." gets 70% or higher for the fourth time
The interest rate dropped again at 8:13 AM, but at 8:14 AM it reached 70.0%, its fourth time in the 70% range. As Heaven cautiously headed out the front door that morning, there was not a single piece of trash thrown at the doorstep. Heaven couldn't help but mutter, "Nothing..." Fumi was also surprised, saying, "Huh? It's pretty," and Toki exclaimed, "Huh?" as they collapsed to their knees and the episode ended. The sudden turn of events made you wonder if it was okay to feel at ease. What on earth was going on? It was a final scene that left you wanting to see what happens next.
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)
