The 23rd episode of the NHK Taiga drama "BROTHERS IN ARMS （Toyotomi Brothers!）" (NHK General, Sundays at 8 PM, etc.), starring actor Taiga Nakano, aired on June 14th and recorded an average viewership rating of 11.2% for households and 6.4% for individuals (according to Video Research, Kanto region). The episode depicted the final moments of Takenaka Hanbei, played by Masaki Suda.
In episode 23, Araki Murashige (Tortoise Matsumoto) stages a rebellion. Kanbei (Yuki Kura), acting on his own initiative, goes to persuade Murashige but ends up being captured.
Amidst rumors that Kanbei had betrayed them, Nobunaga (Shun Oguri) orders that Kanbei's son, Matsujumaru, who is being looked after by Nene (Minami Hamabe) in Nagahama, be eliminated. Hanbei (Masaki Suda) proposes a plan to save the young life to the hesitant Hideyoshi (Sosuke Ikematsu) and Koichiro (Nakano), but in reality, he is heading to Nagahama Castle intending to kill Matsujumaru.
Realizing his death was imminent, Hanbei intended to bear the blame alone, but the situation changed drastically when Koichiro's wife, Kei (Riho Yoshioka), went into labor right before his eyes. Hesitantly, he held the newborn child in his arms, and the touch of this new life changed Hanbei's mind. He admitted defeat to Koichiro and, as originally planned, chose to use a substitute to save Matsujumaru.
Afterward, Hanbei joined the attack on Miki Castle, but his body was weakened and he could not even stand. However, he declared, "I will change the tide," and true to his word, Ukita Naoie defected to the Oda side, and the Mori army was routed. The decisive factor in Ukita's victory was the funds from the Ikuno Silver Mine, which Hanbei had secured. Behind the rejoicing Hideyoshi and Koichiro, Hanbei quietly ended his life, thinking, "I don't want to die yet..." and that's how the story unfolded.
