Fumiyo Kohinata plays Matsuno Kan'emon, the grandfather of the heroine Toki (played by Takaishi Akari) in the NHK morning drama "Bakeke" (General TV, Monday to Saturday 8:00 AM and others), starring Takaishi Akari. He spoke about the reaction he received from those around him and his role as Kan'emon.
Kan'emon, played by Kohinata, is a true samurai who lived through the end of the Edo period with vigor. Even in the Meiji era, he believed that it was up to him to protect the country, and he continued to wear a topknot and practice sword fighting as the "last samurai." He is a character who is extremely weak against Japanese crested ibises.
Regarding the reaction from those around him, Kohinata revealed, "Sometimes people tell me it's interesting, and the work itself has a good reputation."
"Also, my wife doesn't often watch the dramas I appear in, but this time, unusually, she has been watching every episode in real time. Normally she doesn't really give her opinions, but she's been laughing as she watches Kan'emon and telling me it's funny."
Regarding the marriage of Toki and Heaven, which was depicted in the 14th week, he spoke on behalf of Kan'emon, saying, "I think it's what I want as long as it makes Ojo happy. Since Ojo says she likes it, there's no reason to oppose it."
"Plus, Toki was hired as a maid at Heaven at a high salary, which saved the Matsuno family. I think Kan'emon had no choice but to accept the changing times. He thought, 'I'm the only one,' but I think even Kan'emon knew that there was nothing he could do, that he was just spinning his wheels."
He continued, "I guess the presence of (his second wife) Otatsu (Asaka Mayumi) was a big factor," and commented, "The power of love is amazing, isn't it (laughs)."
"I think it was love at first sight, but I think he was drawn to O-Tatsu's charm as a mature woman who could think things through calmly, and her affectionate devotion to her grandchild. Her feelings for Toki remained the same, but being with O-Tatsu may have allowed her to move on from being a woman. I think that Toki getting married also marked a turning point for Kan'emon."
Regarding the scene in episode 94 (broadcast on February 12th) where he encouraged Toki to go to Kumamoto, he explained, "In Matsue, people were starting to point fingers at Toki, and Heaven was very worried about that. I think Kan'emon took Heaven's feelings into consideration."
"Going to Kumamoto because it's cold in Matsue was just an excuse. The truth is, he's worried about Toki. He hates lying, but he goes so far as to lie. So Kan'emon tells Heaven to tell the truth, and Kan'emon thought that he had done a really good job there. He had hardly done any work up until then (laughs)," he recalled.
Finally, he sent a message to the viewers, saying, "Kanemon, who has always been attached to the status of a samurai, has to live in a changing world. I think it was Heaven that changed that. I hope that viewers will watch until the end to see how Ojo and Heaven become happy."
