What was the most captivating scene in the 111th episode (broadcast on Getsuku ) of the NHK Asadora drama "Bakebake " (General TV, Monday to Saturday, 8:00 AM and other times), starring actress Akari Takaishi ? 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 highest point was 71.2% at 8:11 AM.
" Bakebake" is the 113th morning Asadora. 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(Yakumo Koizumi), 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.
◇The attention rate remained in the 70% range for the second half of the show
In episode 111, Toki (Takaishi) and Heaven (Tommy Bastow) decide to name their son "Kanta." Heaven is such a doting father that she makes her family point out all the cute things about Kanta every day. Meanwhile, Toki and Heaven officially get married and try to register their marriage to become a family of three, but they discover that in order to register their children together, one of them will have to change their nationality, which comes with its own drawbacks.
The "attention rate," which indicates the percentage of viewers watching the TV intently, remained relatively high except for the opening. In particular, from 8:09 AM onwards in the second half of the show, it remained above 70%, and even at 8:12 AM, the only time it fell into the 60% range, it was only 68.8%. It can be said that viewers' eyes were glued to the show for six minutes.
Heaven's shocking doting parent
If Toki and Kanta were to be registered with Haven, who is British, there would be disadvantages to them, such as inheritance rights. On the other hand, if Haven were to be registered with Toki and the others' Japanese family register and become "Japanese," Haven would lose her "privileges" as a foreigner and would no longer be able to travel abroad freely. As a writer, it would also no longer be easy to take on work such as writing a "Philippines travelogue."
Which nationality will Haven choose - British or Japanese? The second half of the series, which has attracted much attention, focuses on Haven's inner thoughts as she considers this decision, which will have a major impact on her future life.
On this day, the attention rating recorded 68.5% at 8:00 AM when Heaven announced to her family that her son's name was "Kanta," showing her doting fatherly side, but it gradually dropped thereafter. At 8:05 AM, right after the opening, Toki and Heaven went to the city hall to discuss family registry matters, but for the first time, neither official wanted to handle the matter, which was a comedic scene, and it recorded 68.4% again, but the attention rating dropped again.
◇Ran explodes with emotion at Robert's advice.
At 8:09 AM, the rating reached 70.7% for the first time, when Heaven and Toki visited the home of their colleague Robert (Joe Tremaine) to perform Kanta. Heaven asks Robert to hold the baby, but he seems unable to do so properly. Robert's wife, Ran (Misako Renbutsu), congratulates him on the birth of the baby and says with envy, "And what's more, your husband will be staying in Japan forever," in a touching scene.
The next segment, at 8:10 AM (70.2%), saw Robert criticize Heaven for starting to think about becoming a Japanese person. "You're telling me you won't be able to go abroad," he said. "In other words, you'll only be able to write in Japan," he said. "There's nothing for you except this Japan," he said, advising her to "think seriously about your own happiness."
After repeatedly trying to stop Robert from talking one-sidedly, Ran finally let out all the pent-up emotion she had been holding back. Ran's emotional "explosion," which continued from the end of the 8:10 AM segment through to the 8:11 AM segment, seemed to have captured the attention of viewers, as the viewership rating reached a record high of 71.2% at 8:11 AM.
Ran begins by asking, "What makes you happy?" and then asks, "Living in Japan, or..." Robert only whispers, "You know that, don't you?" Ran runs out of the room, and Robert follows. It's a memorable scene to see Haven watching Toki with a concerned look on her face. The scene then moves to Haven rereading the letter she received from Eliza (Charlotte Kate Fox) about her time in the Philippines.
While watching his family, Haven writes a letter to Eliza saying that he has given up on going to the Philippines. "My child has been born and I have started a new life," he writes, "My role has become to protect the happiness of my son, my wife, and my family." The interest rate for this segment dropped slightly around 8:12 a.m., with a rating of 68.8%.
◇Heaven declares that it will become "Japanese." What will Nishikori do then?
The following 8:13 AM (70.2%) and 8:14 AM (70.7%) ratings were again in the 70% range. Heaven wrote in her letter, "I'm dead as a writer," and, resolute, she left her study and headed toward the family room. Sensing something in Heaven's expression, each member of the family braced themselves to listen carefully to what Heaven had to say. This was in the 13-minute range.
"I'm Japanese." Heaven swears by every word, and the moment she says this, the clock strikes 8:14 AM. Toki quietly nods, "Yes." The moment Heaven makes this big decision, the scene shifts to Nishikori Yuichi (Ryo Yoshizawa)'s study in Matsue. This is Nishikori's first appearance since episode 95 (broadcast February 13). Coughing violently and coughing up blood, Nishikori's emaciated state is immediately apparent. According to production manager Hashizume Kuniomi, Yoshizawa lost over 13 kilograms for the role. Episode 111 ended without further ado, but it left viewers wondering about Nishikori's condition.
On this day, Ran's emotional outburst narrowly defeated him in terms of attention, but the 23rd week is likely to be one in which we won't be able to take our eyes off Nishikori's every move.
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)
