NHK's Asadora drama series "Kaze,Kaoru " (NHK General, Monday-Saturday 8:00 AM, etc.), starring Ai Mikami and Juri Kosaka , has taken a dramatic turn in its storyline from the fifth week (April 27th to May 1st) when Rin (Mikami) and Naomi (Uesaka) enroll in the nursing school attached to Umeoka Girls' School. We spoke with producer Takehiro Matsuzono about the reasons for the fast-paced development up to the fourth week and what to look forward to in the coming weeks.
◇The reason why the opening stages unfolded at a furious pace
" Kaze,Kaoru" is a buddy drama set in the Meiji era, centering on two trained nurses, Chika Ozeki and Masa Suzuki. The two graduates of the same nursing school struggle with how to interact with patients and doctors, clashing and growing together, eventually becoming the "ultimate buddy duo." Rin Ichinose is played by Mikami, and Naomi Oya is played by Uesaka.
Up until the fourth week, the focus was on the process by which Rin and Naomi each decided to pursue a career in nursing. Rin's story has been a whirlwind of events, including marriage, childbirth, and divorce, but Matsuzono says, "I understand that some people have said that the first four weeks felt rushed."
"In the first week, we depicted the horrors of infectious disease and the events that become the starting point for the main characters. From the second week onward, a torrent of events that will shape Rin and Naomi's destinies come crashing down on them, and we depict how the two of them end up on the path to nursing. From the beginning, I wanted to spend plenty of time on the story after they enter nursing school, but as I actually developed the script, I felt that it was necessary to depict it more carefully and thoroughly, so I decided to depict the story up to their graduation from the training school for longer than originally planned."
In Meiji-era Japan, where the story is set, there were nurses who cared for the sick, but the profession of nurse was not yet known. Matsuzono explains, "I thought it was important to carefully and thoroughly depict not only the human relationships at the training school, but also how Rin and Naomi forge their own paths in nursing, one step at a time."
"I felt that it would take a long time to fully depict the interactions and emotional connections between the patients, their families, and the caregivers. I thought that was the most important thing to portray."
◇What are the highlights to look forward to?
The nursing school has gathered seven unique individuals, including Rin and Naomi. One of the highlights to watch out for in the future is how these seven will grow and develop.
"In an era where pursuing nursing as a profession is not taken for granted, I think we will see how they overcome difficulties by venturing into the unknown, encountering and confronting challenging situations. Right now, the story depicts how the bonds between classmates will forge in the future, and going forward, I hope to weave together how they grow within the nascent world of nursing."
Hospital internships will begin soon. How will they help doctors, patients, their families, and the caregivers who have been working at the hospital since before Rin and Naomi's internships arrived to understand the nursing profession, a field they still don't fully grasp? How will they progress step by step on their nursing careers? These will be key points to watch.
"Of course, Rin and Naomi will gradually build a relationship and eventually become buddies. They will grow to be indispensable to each other, so I hope you will pay attention to how their relationships change."
Rin and Naomi have begun their journeys in nursing. We look forward to seeing what kind of nurses they will become and what kind of partnership they will develop.
