Criticism of Theme Song and Opening Video for NHK Morning Drama Anpan

There are also voices saying it’s the curse of the omusubi

The NHK morning drama Anpan has started airing.

Since the airing of the previous drama Omusubi, fans of morning dramas had been eagerly waiting for the show to begin, but the first episode’s viewership rating was 15.4%, making it the third lowest in history. It even had a lower result than Omusubi’s first episode, which had a rating of 16.8%. The ratings have not improved much in the following episodes. This has led to rumors of a curse of Omusubi, but the drama itself is receiving very good reviews.

Anpan is a work that depicts the lives of Takashi Yanase, the author of Anpanman, and his wife, Nobu Komatsu. A director from a production company that works on dramas for commercial broadcasters analyzes the show:

“The time setting spans from the Taisho to Showa era, depicting Japan’s traditional landscape, so it’s a return to the classic, traditional morning drama style. It’s easy to watch with peace of mind. The child actors are also great, and the cast is luxurious, with all the actors fitting their characters very well. The plot development, where the fathers of the two protagonists die early, is also striking. The father of Nobu, played by Mio Imada (28), is portrayed by Ryo Kase (50) and appears until the fourth episode, so it’s still fine. However, the father of Takashi, played by Takumi Kitamura (27), is already deceased, and his first appearance is in a flashback scene, which I thought was a very extravagant setup. The pacing of the story is also fast, and the direction makes you look forward to the next episode or next week, which I think is excellent.”

However, there is also a problem… When it comes to morning dramas, the theme song is always a topic of discussion. This time, the popular band RADWIMPS, led by Yojiro Noda (39), who is celebrating their 20th anniversary of their major debut this year, is in charge of the theme song. The song is pop-oriented, and the opening video features stylish CGI, but this has been poorly received by some morning drama fans, who feel it doesn’t fit the drama.

On social media, there are many critical voices such as, “It feels like a music video for Mio Imada,” and “The futuristic imagery at the beginning, and then the song starts, it completely breaks the mood. It doesn’t match the atmosphere at all.”

As for the theme songs of past morning dramas, popular Japanese singers and groups such as B’z, Kenshi Yonezu (34), Spitz, Mr. Children, Hikaru Utada (42), and Miyuki Nakajima (73) have provided them.

 

That’s Rad.

According to a producer from a commercial broadcaster, when choosing a theme song for a drama, the artist is selected, and then the creation is left to the artist to make as they wish. On the other hand, for NHK morning dramas, it is common for the script to be provided in advance, and the artist is expected to create a song that fits the theme and the protagonist’s life.

Kenshi Yonezu, who was responsible for the theme song of Tora ni Tsubasa (Tiger Wings), mentioned in an interview with Billboard JAPAN (April 8, 2024), that he struggled with creating the song. He explained that after receiving the script and a short video, he thought carefully about how he could contribute to a drama with a feminist tone like Tora ni Tsubasa. He worked closely with the production staff and explained:

“I felt like it had to be something you could listen to every morning. It shouldn’t be something heavy or something you have to listen to seriously. It should be something light, like something you can consume every day.”

Even an artist like Yonezu had considerable difficulty when it came to creating a morning drama theme song.

According to NHK’s official website, Anpan is described as:

“A story of the lives of Takashi Yanase and his wife, Nobu, who created Anpanman. It depicts their days of struggle, where they had lost the meaning of life but never gave up on their dreams. They overcame all the hardships and reached the creation of Anpanman, embodying justice that does not reverse. It is a story of love and courage that brings joy to life, bubbling up from within.”

Many viewers feel that the theme song by RADWIMPS doesn’t match this theme, but among RAD’s fans, there are many positive opinions like, “That’s RAD,” and “Yojiro Noda wouldn’t make a song that conforms to NHK or the drama. NHK surely understood this and allowed him to make it freely.”

The criticism was expected.

When asked about the criticism, NHK insiders mentioned that such feedback was somewhat anticipated.

“They’re now in the third week of the drama, with the heroine, played by Miu Imada, and her two sisters, played by Yumi Kawai and Nono Hana, all appearing together. As with ‘RAD,’ we chose young and popular figures to appeal to a broader audience, and of course, criticism from older fans is to be expected.

The theme song has a strong rock vibe, and with the lyrics being hard to follow, many viewers, especially older ones, may not understand what’s being said. Even though the lyrics can be seen via subtitles on modern TVs, it might still be hard to grasp.

However, this was the image that Yojiro Noda had for ‘Anpan,’ and it’s not really far removed from the drama’s time setting, atmosphere, and themes. Many viewers tend to hum the opening song unconsciously after hearing it repeatedly, so over time, the discomfort should fade. That said, this particular song might take a bit more time. But as the drama progresses, I think the theme song will start to fit in better.”

Yojiro Noda himself mentioned in a statement on the official website (released on February 10, 2025):

“After receiving the offer last spring, I read the script piece by piece like a letter while working on the song. As I progressed, I became fond of the characters, Nobu and Takashi, and at times, it was incredibly difficult. The more I liked the characters, the more I struggled with finding the right song. I wanted the song to have the effect  of giving you the strength to get out of bed in the morning, to be full of the same fresh vitality as Nobu, and to be about challenge and adventure.”

It’s clear that Noda also struggled in creating the song. However, by the time the theme song truly resonates with viewers, “Anpan” might just have skyrocketed in ratings.