Akari Takaishi plays the heroine in the NHK Asadora drama "Bakebake" (General TV, Monday to Saturday, 8:00 AM and other times). In the 21st week (broadcast from February 23rd to 27th), Imo Haruka appeared as Yoshino Ise, a mysterious woman who is knowledgeable about local legends, and this role became a hot topic among viewers. We spoke to Hashizume Kuniomi, Chief Producer (CP) and production supervisor, about the reasons for casting Imo in the role of Ise and the appeal of her acting.
◇ Week 21: "I was saved by Imo-san"
Imo was born on December 18, 1997, and is 28 years old and from Kumamoto Prefecture. She was selected as a finalist in the 2014 Junon Girls Contest and began her acting career the following year. She has built her acting career by appearing in numerous films and dramas, including "Soirée" (2020, directed by Toyama Bunji) and "All at Dawn" (2024, directed by Miyake Sho). Her "bizarre performance" in the 2022 film "Ushiku Village" (directed by Shimizu Takashi), in which she lost 7 kg, drew attention.
The role of Ise was decided through an offer rather than an audition. Imo's name was mentioned as an actor who would suit the character's "cursed" character and mysterious demeanor.
Regarding the reason for casting Imo, Hashizume explained, "She has given many brilliant performances in films and other media, and is adept at playing eccentric roles like this. I think she is an actor who is very skilled at expressing the sadness of women."
"Furthermore, Imo-san is from Kumamoto, so that was also a plus. Although language is just a bonus, I thought that Imo-san would be the best fit for the role of Ise, so when I asked him, he gladly accepted."
Looking back on the 21st week, Hashizume said, "It was a week that was very difficult to describe."
"There are stories about curses and so I had to do both eccentric and stoic things. The role of Ise can be portrayed as either an unpleasant woman or a crazy character that doesn't seem to exist in real life. Imo-san pushed the line between those two extremes. She is a fully-fledged human being and a character you can like. But there is still a bit of a mysteriousness about her, and I think she expressed that in an exquisite way. Imo-san supported me in the 21st week, and I feel like this week I was helped by her," he said, giving his stamp of approval to Imo-san's acting.
◇Ise is an original character born from "Doll's Grave"
In episode 104 (broadcast on February 26th), Ise talks about the "Doll Grave" and reveals the reason he was cursed. Regarding this scene, Hashizume recalls, "The whole scene from when Ise comes to the house and talks about the 'Doll Grave' to when Toki (Takaishi) collapses was filmed in one day."
"I think Imo was also worried about how to play the character of Ise, and since the role could be played in many different ways, he discussed it with the director before filming. He said it was difficult to find the right balance between how eccentric and how sad to show the character. At the same time, he said it was a really fun set. He said he was inspired by acting with the other cast members, so I think it was great."
"The Doll's Grave" is a work by Yakumo Koizumi, who served as the model for Heaven, and is written in the form of a sad story told by a nanny who worked as a live-in maid at Lafcadio Hearn's house.
Hashizume explains, "Toki doesn't overtly help Heaven, who has fallen into a slump after coming to Kumamoto, but I thought it would be great if Toki's unique perspective helped Heaven to become aware of a new perspective...and that's how I adapted 'Grave of the Dolls'. The character Ise is a completely original character born from 'Grave of the Dolls'."
"Ise is eccentric at first, but by the end you can sense her human background. She's been through a lot, and you can sympathize with her, feeling that maybe she's a little lighter in your heart. I think she's become a character that you can love, and you can feel good about when you see the ending. Even though she's described as a cursed woman, her exquisite portrayal of her human heart is very characteristic of Imo, and I was able to see her true worth."
There is only one month left until the final episode of "Bakebake." I want to see the fate of not only Toki and Heaven, but all the other characters until the very end.
