Akari Takaishi plays Bakebake, the wife of Robert (Joe Tremaine), a fellow English teacher of Heaven (Tommy Bastow ), in the NHK morning drama " Asadora " (General TV, Monday to Saturday, 8am and other times), starring Misako Renbutsu. She spoke about her thoughts on playing Ran, the atmosphere on set, memorable scenes, and more.
◇What is your impression of Ran?
When asked how she felt when she was chosen to appear, Renbutsu recalled, "Many of the staff members who helped me with last year's night drama, Vanilla Everyday, are involved in ' Bakebake,' so I was looking forward to it even before it aired. Even after it started airing, I had been a big fan of the show purely as a viewer, so I never expected to be called back! I was happy to be reunited with all the staff so soon, and since I love the show, I felt like a fan going to visit the set (laughs)."
Regarding Fujiki Mitsuhiko's script, he revealed, "Now that I'm actually appearing in the film, I was once again moved by Fujiki's script, which made me feel the warmth and heartbeat of the characters just from reading the text. There is just life there, and the warmth of people and the thoughts that each person is carrying...the richness of these primitive activities is portrayed so lovingly, and I felt very happy when I read the script."
Ran is the wife of Robert, a fellow English teacher who is also Heaven's friend. As the Japanese wife of a foreigner, she becomes a role model for Toki and a good friend who he can talk to about anything.
Regarding Ran, she says, "She's bright, cheerful, and has a good sense of humor. She can speak English and is very intelligent. But deep down, I felt she was a brave woman who was prepared for the possibility that her husband might return to America at any moment, but was also anxious."
"Before filming began, I was a little worried about whether I could create the kind of atmosphere that Toki longs for, but the costumes and art were just so wonderful, and the moment I got ready and stepped onto the set, I thought, 'It'll be fine.' I feel like I was able to act confidently thanks to that environment."
Ran is a character who is fluent in English. Renbutsu reminisced, "I think the most difficult thing about acting in English is how to listen to what the other person is saying. In scenes where Robert keeps barraging me with lines, I had to desperately try to memorize what he was saying before the actual performance, and then forget everything during the performance in order to live in that moment, which was very difficult."
◇What scene left the most impression on you?
Renbutsu, who also appeared in the Asadora"Beppin-san" (2016 fall season) produced by NHK Osaka Broadcasting Station (BK), said of the atmosphere on set, "It's been a while since I've appeared in a BK Asadora, but the homey atmosphere that is unique to BK has not changed. What was particularly impressive this time was how relaxed the cast and staff all seemed, and I also felt very comfortable there."
"Akari-chan is so natural and cute! She always seemed so relaxed and unassuming, which was really wonderful. Tommy and Joe are actually the same age, so we were able to talk about a lot of things. One time, Tommy was telling Joe, "In Japan, a bad actor is called a 'daikon actor,'" and I joined in and he taught me, "In English, it's called a 'ham.'" They were both charming and really wonderful people."
In episode 109 (broadcast on March 5th), Ran apologizes to Toki for telling her that Heaven had been asked to write a "Philippines Travel Diary." When Heaven asks, "Which path do you want to take?", Ran replies, "If it were me... I'd want my husband to choose the path he wants to take."
Renbutsu cited this scene as one that made the biggest impression on her, recalling, "The scene where she tells Heaven, 'I want you to choose the path your husband wants to take in life,' is memorable. Deep down she doesn't want him to go back to America, but thinking of her and believing that this is how a Meiji era woman should be, she tells him the exact opposite. It was really difficult to find the balance between how much of her true feelings to reveal and how much to hide."
"Unlike Toki, Ran has seen the fate of many Japanese wives who married foreigners like herself. Ran can say, 'In the end, all of them end up with their husbands returning to their home countries alone,' and 'That's why we're not even married, and if he goes back, I'll break up,' but deep down she was probably screaming 'No,' and terrified of when her husband would return to his home country."
Finally, she sent a message to viewers, saying, "I think Bakebake is a work that has been created with care and a pleasant sense of humor to capture the beauty and richness of the simple act of living itself. In today's age of excessive physical luxury, the show gently hands over to us a stripped-down spiritual wealth through the lives of the ibises. I really love the balance of affection and humor. As a viewer, I am also very much looking forward to Bakebake as it enters the second half."
