Ikewaki Chizuru plays Matsuno Fumi, the mother of the heroine Toki (Takaishi Akari) in the NHK morning drama "Bakeke" (General TV, Monday to Saturday 8am and others). In the 18th episode, "Matsue, Subarashii" (broadcast February 2nd to 6th), there is a scene where Toki is mistaken for a "Rashamen" (a derogatory term for a woman who has become a mistress to a foreigner) by the people of Matsue, and is hit with a stone, resulting in an injury to her head, to which Ikewaki remarks in anger, "As a mother, I cannot forgive this." Ikewaki spoke about the filming scene so far and what to look forward to in the future.
◇ On set: "It's the first time I've had so much fun"
The 113th morning drama, "Bakeke," is based on the life of Setsu Koizumi, the daughter of a fallen samurai from Matsue, and her husband, Yakumo Koizumi (Lafcadio Hearn), and depicts the story of a couple whose heroine, who loves ghost stories, and her foreign husband, as they go about their everyday lives. The script is written by Mitsuhiko Fujiki, who has worked on NHK's "Asagaya Sisters' Relaxed Life" and WOWOW's "Shooting Break Series."
Fumi, played by Ikewaki, grew up in the home of a superior officer at Izumo Taisha Shrine, and is knowledgeable about the stories of the gods of Izumo, the living and dead, and invisible things, and often shares stories with Toki. She is a kind and reliable character who wishes Toki happiness more than anyone else.
Regarding the atmosphere on set, Ikewaki said, "It's just a fun set. It might be the first time I've ever had so much fun."
"Fumi herself is a cheerful person, so that helps a lot, and the atmosphere between filming is so relaxed that I wonder if it's okay to be this relaxed. Takaishi Akari is not intimidated and is someone I can rely on. I owe a lot to Akari. Even when I arrive on set feeling nervous and anxious, Akari remains calm and composed, so I feel at ease."
The drama is nearing the end, and he regretfully says, "The wrap-up is fast approaching, and I feel a lump in my throat when a day of filming finishes."
◇Toki is like a modern-day parent-child friendship
As a mother, Fumi is in the position of watching over the married couple Toki and Heaven (Tommy Bastow), and she says, "When Toki and Grandpa (Kohinata Fumiyo) both got their love fulfilled at the same time in the 14th week, I was so stunned I couldn't tell if it was a dream or reality. I remember my face just stunned in that scene (laughs). When Heaven mentioned everyone's lies at the wedding reception, I thought that if Toki wanted to hide something, she could, and that it wasn't her place as a parent to get involved. I'm sure Tae (Kitagawa Keiko) felt the same way and took a step back as a parent. Tae and Fumi understand each other in the idea that a daughter is a daughter."
They moved when Toki and Heaven got married, but she recalls, "The samurai residence (where they moved) is spacious, and it's a big difference from living in a cramped tenement house, where even the whispering made you want to say, 'You're not whispering!' The sense of distance in the play has also changed. Toki, played by Akari, has grown up and somehow feels distant. I've been watching over Toki (played by Fukuchi Miharu) since he was a baby, and it was fun to go shopping together like modern-day 'parent-child friends,' so I feel a little lonely now."
When Toki was hit with a stone in the 18th week, she expressed her anger with the feelings of a true mother, saying, "I was really angry. Just like Heaven, I wanted to find the culprit as quickly as possible and get revenge. Toki was putting up with it for Heaven's sake, so I knew I shouldn't get in the way as her parent, but as a mother I couldn't forgive her for doing something so selfish."
◇ Just thinking about the future of Toki brings tears to my eyes
Regarding the scenes with her husband, Tsukasa nosuke (Okabe Takashi), she says, "Fumi really wants to stop Tsukasa nosuke, who blurts out whatever comes to mind. She tells him not to say such shocking things so directly! (laughs) She also wants Tsukasa nosuke to stay out of the way when he butts in on Toki and Heaven's conversation in scenes such as the dinner table, but she knows that if Fumi were to get involved in the conversation it would only make things even weirder, so she just wants to keep quiet. It's reassuring that Toki is able to move the conversation forward by saying things like, 'Father, that's not right,'"
"Acting with Okabe-san, who plays Tsukasa nosuke, is also fun," she said. "At the core, I feel like I have to memorize my lines and say them properly, but because Okabe-san is so unwavering as Tsukasa nosuke, I'm able to do what I want as Fumi. I feel like I'm able to have a good exchange of words with Okabe-san. Not only Okabe-san, but also (Takaishi) Akari-chan and Kohinata-san are active in acting, and they try out anything that comes to mind in a positive way. We only come up with our acting and movements during rehearsals before the show, but we try out what we like there and stop if we don't think it's right, so the staff might find it difficult (laughs). 'Bakeke' works because we have staff who accept us." She has complete confidence in her co-stars and staff.
Finally, when asked about what to look forward to in the future, she said, "Just thinking about Toki's future makes me teary-eyed and brings me to tears; it's an emotion that cannot be expressed in words other than 'emotional'. Just before this interview, Akari told me about the location shooting of the scenes for the upcoming 22nd week (broadcast March 2nd-6th). I wasn't there, so I asked her how it was, and she said that they filmed some really great scenes, so I hope all viewers will look forward to it. I would be happy if you continue to support my daughter."
