Oguri Shun, who plays Oda Nobunaga in the NHK Taiga drama "Toyotomi Brothers!" (General TV, Sunday 8pm and other times), starring Nakano Taiga, is currently the talk of the town. In the sixth episode, "Brotherly Bonds," which aired on February 15th, he embodied the emotional wounds Nobunaga suffered the moment his younger brother Nobukatsu (Nakazawa Motoki) died, with a powerful performance that almost choked him. Oguri shows both humanity and awesomeness in his role as Nobunaga in "Toyotomi Brothers!" We would like to explore what lies behind the scenes.
◇ Nobunaga was unable to bear the pain
"Toyotomi Brothers!" is the 65th taiga drama. It is a success story of hope and dreams, depicting the miracle of the Toyotomi brothers, Hidenaga (Koichiro) and his older brother Hideyoshi (Tokichiro), who achieve the great feat of unifying the country with their strong bond.
"Toyotomi Brothers!" will be Oguri's 10th taiga drama. He will play Nobunaga, a charismatic military commander who expanded his territory with bold and innovative strategies and exceptional leadership, and aimed to unify the country under the slogan "Tenka Fubu" (Unifying the World with Military Power). He is the absolute lord of the brothers Koichiro (Nakano) and Tōkichirō (Ikematsu Sosuke), who are striving to rise in their careers.
On the other hand, he has a bitter past in which he killed his younger brother Nobukatsu with his own hands (the actual assassination was done by Shibata Katsuie [played by Yamaguchi Makiya]), who was his rival in a battle for the head of the family. This trauma was depicted at the end of the fourth episode, "Okehazama!", which aired on January 25th, but was revealed once again in the sixth episode, "Bonds Between Brothers."
Nobunaga and Nobukatsu were once close brothers. However, when Nobukatsu began to be suspected of treason, one night he appeared before Nobunaga with a sword in his hand. He glared at Nobunaga with eyes filled with hatred, but was slashed from behind by Katsuie and died. At that moment, Nobunaga burst into anguish, crying uncontrollably, and clung to the corpse, asking, "Why, Nobukatsu," creating a memorable scene.
◇The production manager was also surprised, saying it was "unexpected."
Chief Producer Matsukawa Hirotaka, who is in charge of production, could not hide his surprise at Oguri's acting in the scene, saying, "I was amazed."
"It was a growl that you couldn't tell where it was coming from, and I was so surprised and surprised I don't know how to describe it. It was so unexpected. In a sense, I think that Nobunaga's deepest, true self was expressed in that way, and that defined his character in 'Toyotomi Brothers!' I think he could have acted as looking down on Nobukatsu with cold eyes, but that's not the kind of Nobunaga he is," he recalls.
The stage directions in the script said, "He screams out in a sudden surge of anger," but the finished product far exceeded expectations.
"The feeling of him desperately suppressing his impulses and gritting his teeth was completely different from the impression I had when I read the script, so I think it was a performance that went beyond the script," said Matsukawa, who realized Oguri's "amazingness" as an actor.
When asked why he chose Oguri to play the role of Nobunaga, who carries such a bitter past and the scars of that time in his heart, he replied, "I chose Oguri because he can express both sides of the character, being able to express 'humanity and weakness' and also giving off a sense of 'power and resolve'."
He also praised Oguri's "humanity," saying, "In this work, there is a contrast between the Toyotomi brothers and the Oda brothers. Currently, the relationship between the Oda brothers is that of Ichi (Aoi Miyazaki) and Nobunaga, but before that, there was the tragic relationship between Nobukatsu and Nobunaga. Many people have played the role of Oda Nobunaga in historical dramas, and I think each person has their own image of Nobunaga, but in 'Toyotomi Brothers!' I think Oguri was the perfect choice for the role. He is very powerful and scary, but he also exudes a sense of weakness and a certain friendliness, which I think is very Oguri-like."
◇The sympathy that Shun Oguri felt
How does Oguri himself view his role as Nobunaga in "Toyotomi Brothers!?"
He previously commented about Nobunaga, "He is a man with very rational and progressive ideas. However, his ideas are not easily understood by those around him, and deep down he harbors a sadness that 'no one understands me.'"
He continued, "Because he binds himself with the idea that 'I have to be like this as Nobunaga,' I feel that there are many moments when he behaves in a way that is different from his true self. As I have gained experience, I try to act properly in front of my juniors on the job, but there is still a gap between that and my true self. That is where I feel sympathy for Nobunaga."
Oguri, who is able to overlap himself with the role, exudes Nobunaga's "humanity and weakness" and "power and determination" in every aspect of his acting, exuding an outstanding presence as a "solitary charismatic man aiming to unify the country." It seems he will continue to lead the drama, which has been well received by viewers, for a long time to come.
