Tortoise Matsumoto, who plays Araki Murashige in the NHK Taiga drama "BROTHERS IN ARMS （Toyotomi Brothers!）" (NHK General, Sundays at 8 PM, etc.), starring actor Nakano Taiga, is currently a hot topic. In the most recent episode, episode 22, "Harima's Great Miscalculation," the scene where Murashige is terrified after being suspected of rebellion by Oda Nobunaga (Shun Oguri Shun) attracted attention, and now viewers are saying things like, "I never thought Tortoise Matsumoto was such an amazing actor." What is it about him that has been rediscovered this time...?
◇Teruo, the "worst father in the history of Asadora " that you can't forget even if you want to.
As you may know, Tortoise Matsumoto has been active in the music scene for many years as the vocalist of the rock band "Ulfuls." He also has prior acting experience, and this will be his third appearance in a Taiga drama. In 2010's "Ryomaden," he played John Manjiro, who was active from the late Edo period to the Meiji era, and in 2019's "Idaten: Tokyo Olympic Story," he played Sansei Kawanishi, the NHK sports announcer known for his legendary Olympic commentary, "Maehata, do your best!"
In his acting career, one role that NHK drama fans can never forget, even if they want to, is his portrayal of Teruo, the "worst heroine's father in NHK Asadora history," in the 2020 second-half morning drama series " Asadora ."
"Ochoyan" is the 103rd morning drama series, and while it is based on the life of actress Chieko Naniwa, a figure synonymous with Kansai actresses and affectionately known as "Osaka's mother," it boldly reconstructs the story and presents it as a work of fiction. Due to the impact of the spread of the new coronavirus, filming was temporarily suspended, and the broadcast period was irregular, from November 30, 2020 to May 14, 2021. Hana Sugisaki Asadora the lead role, and Teruo was the father of the heroine Chiyo, played by Sugisaki.
Teruo makes a living raising chickens, but he leaves all the chicken care and housework to his daughter, Chiyo. Eventually, he sends young Chiyo to work at a teahouse, and after that, he frequently shows up to beg for money, sometimes even taking it. He goes far beyond the category of a "bad dad," and his unrepentant "scumbag" behavior has earned him the title of "the worst father in the history of Asadora" from viewers. Teruo, who has been portrayed as the "worst father" throughout the series, passes away when his illness worsens, and he exits the story midway through in episode 75 (aired March 19, 2021) (he later "appears" as a phantom in the final episode). In his last conversation with Chiyo before his death, Teruo promised to see her perform in a play, but he passed away without fulfilling that promise. As a result, viewers expressed their disappointment, with comments such as, "Teruo, you didn't get to see the play," "Teruo stole the show at the end today," and "I really hated Teruo, but seeing this makes it all worthwhile." There's no doubt that he had an overwhelming presence, for better or for worse.
During the original broadcast, perhaps due to some concern about Teruo's "terrible character," the drama's official website featured a segment called "Teruo's Excuses," in which Tortoise Matsumoto spoke on Teruo's behalf. Incidentally, Hiroyuki Yatsu, who wrote the script for "Ochoyan" (and also worked on "BROTHERS IN ARMS （Toyotomi Brothers!）"), said at the time that he "intended to portray Teruo as a toxic parent," and added that Tortoise Matsumoto's performance was "simply superb."
◇Araki Murashige: A lovable "coward"? But his charm goes beyond that.
Approximately five years have passed since then (Teruo's death), and Tortoise Matsumoto has returned to an NHK production written by Hiroyuki Yatsu. In "BROTHERS IN ARMS （Toyotomi Brothers!）", he plays Araki Murashige, a character generally known for rebelling against Nobunaga and surviving while hundreds of his family and retainers were executed, earning him the reputation of being "extremely cowardly as a Japanese samurai." On the other hand, judging from the episodes aired so far, he comes across as a cheerful and devoted husband. In episode 22, when Nobunaga confronts him, he trembles uncontrollably but manages to force a sweet bun into his mouth to prove his innocence. Then, while resting his head on the lap of his "beautiful wife" (Kasumi Yamaya), he says, "I'm perfectly happy just being with you like this. I have absolutely no intention of betraying my lord, so why can't you understand that?" This seems to be his true, unadulterated feeling.
Tortoise Matsumoto portrays Murashige in a truly charming way, elevating him into a lovable character. However, there was another scene in the same 22nd episode that made us realize that his appeal as an actor goes far beyond that.
This scene occurred when Murashige received a visit from Ankokuji Ekei (played by Tachikawa Danshun), an envoy from Mori Terumoto, who was an enemy of Nobunaga. Ekei said to Murashige, "I wonder if Oda Nobunaga is the kind of person who would easily forgive someone he has doubted. I hope you are not misunderstood," which was exactly what he didn't want to hear at that moment. Tortoise Matsumoto's expression clearly showed how suspicion and distrust spread rapidly within him.
It was truly a moment to rediscover the charm of "actor Tortoise Matsumoto," and it's no wonder that viewers commented throughout the episode, saying things like, "I was surprised by Tortoise Matsumoto's acting," and "Tortoise Matsumoto is a singer-songwriter, but he's a great actor. He might be better than some actors."
Ultimately, it seems that Ekei's words triggered Murashige's (supposed) rebellion at the end of the episode. In the 23rd episode, "Farewell Hanbei," airing on June 14th, we might hear an excuse reminiscent of Teruo from "Ochoyan"...and we'll continue to pay close attention to Tortoise Matsumoto's performance.
