Haru Receives High Praise for Kin-chan’s Drama as Taiga Drama Role Becomes More Likely

“While the setting was slightly altered, Haru’s confident demeanor, appropriate level of sexiness, and the fashion and hair/makeup from that era fit perfectly. Haru’s public image aligned well with the strong-willed Sumi-chan, who remained behind the scenes, loving Kin-chan and protecting her children and family.” (said a representative from a major talent agency)

 

Particularly highly regarded was her portrayal of aging, especially in scenes where Sumi-chan, in her later years, is shown lying in a hospital bed due to declining health.

 

Haru’s determination has received high praise.

“Viewers who watched the drama likely didn’t recognize Haru because of the bold aging makeup applied. In fact, her aging makeup was also a topic of discussion in the NHK morning drama ‘Asa ga Kita,’ which marked her rise to popularity as an actress. The character was based on Asako Hirooka, a businesswoman and educator active in Osaka.

 

Typically, NHK’s morning drama leads are young, so there’s a tradition of applying less intense aging makeup. However, in the later parts of ‘Asa ga Kita,’ the aging makeup was quite striking, surprising the audience. This time, it went even further. Her determination was once again praised by the drama’s director and screenwriters.” (said the source)

 

In recent years, there has been a trend in morning dramas where works based on women who pioneered new eras receive strong support from viewers, leading to higher ratings. For example, in the first half of 2014, “Hanako and An,” based on the life of Hanako Muraoka, the Japanese translator of “Anne of Green Gables,” garnered significant acclaim. The lead actress, Yuriko Yoshitaka (36), received high praise for her performance and secured a leading role in this year’s historical drama “Hikaru Kimi e” ten years later.

 

“There aren’t many historical dramas centered on women, but they are produced at a pace of about once every four to five years. The lead actors for the 2025 and 2026 historical dramas have already been announced, but if a female-led historical drama is produced in three or four years, Haru’s name will undoubtedly be mentioned for the lead role. Her ability to portray the life of a single woman has been reaffirmed.” (said a source from NHK’s drama production team)

 

It’s surprising that she has hardly appeared in NHK dramas since her morning drama role. What will happen next remains to be seen.