In the NHK Asadora drama "Bakebake " (Monday to Saturday, 8am and other times), in which Akari Takaishi plays the heroine, Misako Renbutsu charmingly plays Ran, the wife of Robert (Joe Tommy Bastow ), a fellow English teacher of Heaven (Tommy Bastow). We spoke to Chief Producer Hashizume Kuniomi, who is in charge of production, about the reasons for casting Renbutsu in the role of Ran and the appeal of her acting.
◇ Her performance in "Vanilla Everyday" was the deciding factor in her receiving the offer
Renbutsu's role is to play the role of a Japanese wife of a foreigner, who becomes a role model for Toki (Takaishi) and a good friend who he can talk to about anything. She is a cheerful, humorous character who is fluent in English.
Regarding Ran, Hashizume explains, "I hope that she can be seen as an 'if' version of Toki. I'm sure Toki also had a route similar to her."
"At the time, it seems that many women who married foreigners were left behind when their spouses returned to their home countries. Toki believed that this wasn't the case for her, but in the back of her mind she harbored feelings of insecurity. She had always tried to suppress those feelings, but with Ran in front of her, it became a reality. She's a good person to talk to, but also a side of Toki that he doesn't really want to see... I think she's a character that combines both of these things."
When asked why she chose Renbutsu for the role of Ran, she revealed, "I think Ran was a progressive woman at the time. She goes to parties, marries a foreigner, and says things like, 'People are individuals,' and 'When he's gone, I'll step aside,' but deep down she has other feelings. I wanted to give a glimpse into Ran's inner turmoil in week 23, so I thought someone a little older who can express those complex emotions and who can properly embrace Toki would be best, and that's why I asked Renbutsu to play the role."
" Bakebake" is the first time that Hashizume has worked with Renbutsu. He was offered the role after seeing her performance in the night drama "Vanilla Everyday" (General), produced by NHK Osaka Broadcasting Station and aired from January last year.
"I was really grateful that she accepted the role. Apparently the scriptwriter, Fujiki Mitsuhiko, is a big fan of Renbutsu's acting. I cast her without knowing that at all, but when I told him, 'Ran has been cast as Renbutsu,' he was very happy."
◇ His acting in the scene where he apologizes to Heaven is "really amazing"
In episode 109 (broadcast on March 5th), Ran apologized to Heaven, saying, "Actually, Otoki, I know that Professor Heaven has been approached about writing a book called 'A Diary of My Stay in the Philippines.' I'm sorry. I thought you already knew, but I told you what Robert told me..." When Heaven asked, "Which path do you want to take?", Ran replied, "If it were me... I would want my husband to choose the path he wants to live."
Regarding Renbutsu's performance in this scene, Hashizume gave it his stamp of approval, saying, "As expected. She's very good at playing the slightly withdrawn role, it's really wonderful."
"Of course, Ran plays a role in moving the story forward, but she also understands Toki's worries and gives him a push. You can clearly see that behind those lines. I think Renbutsu-san's incredible ability to express such delicate emotions is what makes her so great. She's also a wonderful person, and even behind the scenes she would say, 'I came back right away (after 'Vanilla Everyday' ended)' and she had a great time with everyone, making the atmosphere on set feel relaxed and fun. I would love to work with her again."
In the 23rd week, we get a glimpse into Ran's wavering heart. We'll be paying attention not only to Renbutsu's delicate acting, but also to how she interacts with Toki, Heaven, and the others.
