In the NHK morning drama "Bakeke" (General TV, Monday to Saturday 8am and others), starring Takaishi Akari, Marui Wan plays the role of Sawa, the best friend of the heroine Toki (played by Takaishi). In the 95th episode (broadcast on February 13th), Sawa is shown crying and laughing as she sends off Toki, who has decided to go to Kumamoto, and viewers have been saying things like, "Tokisawa's acting made me cry!" and "Marui Wan is the best!" What is so "amazing" about Marui's acting, which makes him such a charming character in the role? We've uncovered it from the words of the production director.
◇ His excellent performances in "Futehodo" and "Tora ni Tsubasa" have also been talked about.
Marui is 28 years old and was born on January 3, 1998, in Osaka Prefecture. He began his acting career in 2016, making his full-fledged screen debut in the 2017 film "Jyuudou" (directed by Eiji Uchida). After appearing in the Netflix drama "Naked Director" and the film "Title, Refusal" (directed by Kana Yamada), he made his first film debut in 2021's "Kontora" (directed by Anshul Chauhan). Since then, he has made his presence felt in commercials for Cybozu's "Kintone" and the TV drama "This Wonderful World" (Fuji TV), attracting attention.
2024 was a breakthrough year for Marui, as she appeared in a string of popular dramas, including the hugely popular drama "Fukakuni mo Hodo ga Aru!" (TBS) and the morning drama "Tora ni Wings" in the first half of the same year. In "Fukakuni mo Hodo ga Aru!", she played the role of Hiromi Sugiyama, an employee who sues her senior for maternity harassment, stirring up trouble in the story and leaving a lasting impression on viewers.
In "Wings of a Tiger," she appears towards the end of the film as Otoha Ayako, an investigator at the Tokyo Family Court who works under the heroine Torako (Ito Sari). She expresses the character of Otoha, who is calm and collected and rarely shows any emotion, but also has a clumsy yet dedicated side to her work, with only subtle changes in facial expression. She quickly became well-known among viewers.
"Bakeke" marks Marui's second appearance in a morning drama. She plays Sawa, the daughter of a former low-ranking samurai who has lived in poverty since childhood. In order to escape her life in a shabby tenement, Sawa aims to become a regular teacher while caring for her sickly mother. She has lived with Toki, who also lives in a tenement, and they have shared their wounds.
However, after Toki marries Heaven (Tommy Bastow) and moves to "the other side of the river," Sawa begins to have complicated feelings for Toki, who has become a resident of a completely different world. Though they eventually reconcile, Sawa brilliantly embodies the mixed emotions she feels, including feelings similar to jealousy towards her best friend who is living a Cinderella story, and loneliness at being separated from her by their worlds.
◇She was actually the runner-up to be the heroine of "Bake-ke"! What is the appeal of her acting?
The character of Sawa is an important role that Hashizume Kuniomi, the production manager of "Bakeke", describes as "Toki's other side. Another Toki who has chosen a different way of life." She will play a role that can truly be called "another heroine."
Ms. Marui auditioned for the heroine role in "Bakeke." She made it to the final selection, but missed out on the role of the heroine. However, she was offered the role of her best friend. She was also strongly recommended by director Naoki Murahashi, who was impressed by Ms. Marui's acting.
Regarding the reason for casting Marui, Hashizume explained, "When we submitted the audition results to the station, we also decided on a runner-up for the heroine, and we wrote Marui's name on that list. Her acting is truly amazing, and our team had been talking about wanting to cast her somewhere. We cast her, hoping that she would play Sawa, the character closest to the heroine and her counterpart."
Marui's acting shone even during the audition, but Hashizume said of his impression, "I don't think he's a particularly skillful actor, in a good way."
"Mr. Marui is someone who can inhabit a character by being thrown into the scene. I think he is an actor who really comes into his own when he interacts with someone and adapts to the atmosphere of the situation," he said, praising his outstanding "receiving acting." He also gave his stamp of approval to Mr. Marui's acting ability, saying, "I think Mr. Marui's unique qualities are a good fit for this cast, and even watching his interactions with Mr. Takaishi, you can tell that he is "living the role." He is a truly wonderful actor."
In addition to his natural acting ability to express complex emotions, Marui-san's acting as a receiver is even more brilliant. He will surely show us his wonderful acting in various works in the future, including "Bakeke."
