In the NHK Taiga drama "BROTHERS IN ARMS （Toyotomi Brothers!）" (General TV, Sunday 8pm and other times), starring actor Nakano Taiga, Shiraishi Sei plays Nao, a childhood friend of the protagonist Koichiro (played by Nakano). In the eighth episode, "Sumoto Ichiyajo", which aired on March 1st, Nao's tragic end is depicted, in which he is caught up in a conflict and loses his life on the way back from his hometown of Nakamura. Shiraishi looks back on the episode and shares his feelings after finishing filming.
"BROTHERS IN ARMS （Toyotomi Brothers!）" is the 65th taiga drama. It depicts the miracle of the Toyotomi brothers, Hidenaga (Koichiro) and his older brother Hideyoshi (Tōkichirō), who achieve the great feat of unifying the country with their strong bond. It is a success story of hope and dreams, depicting the rise to power.
In the eighth episode, Koichiro (Nakano) and his men march to Sunomata. However, Nobunaga's (Shun Oguri) true target is not Sunomata, but the northern castle guarded by Ando Moriyasu (Tetsushi Tanaka), one of the Mino Three.
Tōkichirō (Ikematsu) embarks on a grand plan to build a fortress in Sunomata, knowing that it will be a sacrificial pawn to divert the attention of Saitō Tatsuoki (Hamada Tatsuomi), the lord of Mino Province, from his northern castle. Meanwhile, Nao (Shiraishi Sei) returns to Nakamura to seek permission to marry Koichiro. Surprisingly, he is warmly welcomed by his father, Kizaemon (Okura Koji), but...
Shiraishi revealed that the scene where she meets "Toto-sama" (Sakai Kizaemon), played by Okura, "was a very memorable one."
"I had complicated feelings about Toto-sama, who had an overbearing attitude towards the brothers Koichiro and Tōkichirō, but that doesn't change the fact that she is an important person to me. After clearly conveying her determination to live with Koichiro, I was able to hear Toto-sama's true feelings when he said, 'As long as you're happy, that's all that matters,' and this role resonated deeply with me as well."
Shiraishi also said, "Nao's death was very sad and shocking to me."
"The scene where I protected the girl reminded me of the time when Toto-sama protected me when I was little, and it made me feel sad, but I wanted to cherish it precisely because it was the last scene, so I played it that way. I would be happy if Nao continues to live on in Koichiro's heart as an eternal ally and an unforgettable presence."
Now that she has finished filming as Nao, Shiraishi says, "I think Nao really believed that Koichiro would be able to create a peaceful world."
"For Nao, Koichiro was someone who gave her that kind of hope. I'm sure Koichiro will face many trials and challenges in the future, but I'm sure Nao will be watching over him. I hope viewers will look forward to the story and watch over him along with us."
