What was the scene that most captivated viewers in the 99th episode (aired February 19th) of the NHK morning drama "Bakeke" (General TV, Monday-Saturday 8:00 AM and other times), starring actress Takaishi Akari? When we looked at minute-by-minute trends in "attention level" (surveyed by REVISIO, Kanto region, preliminary figures), which indicates the percentage of viewers glued to the screen, the peak was 67.7% at 8:13 AM.
"Bakeke" is the 113th morning drama. The heroine, Toki Matsuno, and her husband, Lefkada Heaven, are based on Setsu Koizumi, the daughter of a fallen samurai from Matsue, and Lafcadio Hearn (Koizumi Yakumo), known for his works such as "Kwaidan." The drama boldly reconstructs the characters, changing some of the names of characters and organizations to create a fictionalized portrayal.
◇Masaki's deductions lead to the search for the culprit behind the grill theft!
The Matsuno household's important grill, used to toast breakfast, has gone missing! In episode 99, the search for the culprit begins as Masaki (Hidaka Yukito) gives his theory. With the whole family watching closely, Masaki deduces the motives of each person. At first, everyone laughs it off as a joke, but gradually they begin to suspect one another.
The "attention level," which indicates the percentage of viewers watching the TV intently, remained low, fluctuating around 60% except for the opening when the theme song played. The only times it barely reached the high 60% range were at 8:08 AM and 8:12-13 AM.
◇What Matsue has that Kumamoto doesn't
The 8:08 AM segment, which recorded a 65.4% viewership rating, cut from the long search for the culprit, which began with Masaki's deductions, to a scene in the staff room at Fifth High School. While Heaven (Tommy Bastow) was eating breakfast at school, sitting by the stove, fellow teacher Robert (Joe Tremaine) called out, "That's unusual. Having breakfast at school." He was reading Heaven's "Japan Journal," and said he would share his thoughts with her next time. It took eight minutes for Robert to ask, "Are you writing a second book?" to which Heaven replied, "Unlike Matsue, there's nothing that inspires me to write."
This week's theme is probably not the "missing grill," but why Heaven can no longer write. In the following scene, Heaven laments Kumamoto's lack of charm, saying, "It feels like this isn't Japan," but Robert becomes convinced, "Is it Kumamoto's fault?" What is it that Matsue has that Kumamoto doesn't? It was a scene that made viewers think. Perhaps it's a talented collaborator like Nishikori (Yoshizawa Ryo), who inspires Heaven.
◇Going for a walk together What did Toki ask Heaven?
The day's highest reading of 67.7% was recorded at 8:13 a.m., marking a consecutive high level of interest following the previous reading of 8:12 a.m. (66.1%).
From 8:12 to 8:13 AM, Heaven invites Toki (played by Takaishi) out for a walk, and the scene begins around 8:12 AM when they arrive at a hilltop with a panoramic view of Kumamoto city. Toki, now able to enjoy walks without having to hide his face, appears to be truly enjoying his time with Heaven.
Around 8:13 AM, Toki and Heaven sit down and start talking at length. Toki asks if he could write a book about this place, and Heaven responds, "I can write a book about this place," to which Toki looks relieved. This is the 13-minute mark.
In fact, at the 14-minute mark, Heaven continues with "Demo" and replies, "I don't have that power." Toki has no words to respond to Heaven's "Sorry."
Both of the two peaks on this day were related to why Heaven was no longer able to write. Is there some connection between the disappearance of the "grill" and Heaven's inability to write?
The data used is REVISIO's proprietary indicator "Attention Level" (Kanto region, preliminary figures) published by the company that surveys TV program and commercial viewing habits in 2,000 households in the Kanto region and 600 households in the Kansai region. A dedicated device equipped with a human body recognition sensor constantly measures whether people are looking at the TV screen, and calculates the percentage of people in front of the TV who are paying close attention to the program. (Text by Sasamoto Hirozai/MANTAN)
