<figure id="attachment_461075" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-461075" style="width: 3648px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="2d8af47e"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2026/03/de83f7a81367a5600104acf1a42741d8.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-461075" class="wp-caption-text">Wan Eni is rapidly gaining recognition for her role as Sawa Notsu in NHK&#8217;s TV series &#8220;Bakebake</figcaption></figure>
<h2><span class="strongInContent"> Wan Wan cried at the crank-up.</span></h2>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> Recently, I&#8217;ve been approached by so many people when I walk down the street because of the influence of morning dramas,&#8221; she says, squinting her eyes.</span></p>
<p> The actress who continues to leave a strong impression with her one-of-a-kind presence is Marui Wan (28).</p>
<p> For Marui, it does not matter how long or short her performance is. She has the power to change the atmosphere of a place just by appearing in a single scene. As a result, he has earned a reputation as a &#8220;memorable actor&#8221; regardless of whether he is appearing in dramas or commercials.</p>
<p> On the other hand, despite his strong presence, his true face is somewhat shrouded in secrecy. We conducted an interview with her to find out more about her mysterious appearance and her impressive stage name (&#8230;&#8230;).</p>
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<p> First, we asked her about her stage name, &#8220;Wan Eni,&#8221; which many people may be curious about.</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> I originally wanted to use my stage name. I was told by a fellow actor that I looked like a Shiba Inu, so I decided on the name &#8220;Wan. I&#8217;m really friendly, but when I was younger I was very sharp and gruff (laughs), so people around me wanted me to be rounder, and that&#8217;s how I came up with the name &#8220;Eni&#8221; (rounded), I combined them and came up with the stage name &#8220;Eni Wan,&#8221; which I think will leave a lasting impression on everyone.</span></p>
<p> In the NHK television series &#8220;Bakebake,&#8221; which is currently airing, she plays Sawa Notsu, a childhood friend of the heroine Toki Matsuno (Akari Takaishi, 23), known as &#8220;O-Sawa. Sawa is the daughter of a former low-ranking samurai in Matsue, the same town as Toki, and aspires to become a teacher in order to escape poverty.</p>
<p> Although she does not appear in the film for very long, her gestures of suppressing her anger and her cheerful smile as she bursts with joy grab the hearts of the viewers. For Marui, the film was a special one.</p>
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<p><span class="strongInContent"> The best cast, the best staff, and the best script. The best cast, the best staff, and the best script. It is a really important work. I cried so hard when the whole film was cranked up. &#8230;&#8230;</span></p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> I had a complete &#8220;Bakebake Loss. I felt like I had a gaping hole in my heart. It is such an important work for me, and it also taught me how interesting the world of acting can be.</span></p>
<p> Where does she get her expressive power? We asked her to tell us about her &#8220;roots.</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> When I was five years old, for some reason I knew I wanted to act. But, as I mentioned earlier, I was very sharp when I was young (laughs). I once performed in an arts and crafts show, but I was turned off by the structure of the show, which consisted of five people in the same role, each saying the same lines in turn. I didn&#8217;t feel comfortable with the idea of &#8220;everyone being the same&#8221; at the time. &#8230;&#8230;</span></p>
<p> This feeling is also true of his current form, in which he pursues the &#8220;one and only.</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> I was just going about my daily life, but the turning point was the drama &#8220;3 Years B Class Kinpachi Sensei (7th series)&#8221; (TBS). Hikaru Yaotome (35) of &#8220;Hey! Say! JUMP&#8221; gave an outstanding performance as a drug-addicted student, and it really stuck with me. I was struck by how much acting could move my heart.</span><span class="strongInContent"> At that moment, I seriously decided to become an actor. And then I went to a high school where students who wanted to be actors and other expressive people gathered.&#8221;</span></p>
<div data-friday-nextpage-lead=" What role would she like to play in the future?"></div>
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<h2><span class="strongInContent">Nine hours of live game playing</span></h2>
<p> Eni describes himself as a fast-paced person, but he says that he receives numerous offers to appear in productions. How does he fill the gap?</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> To be honest, there are moments when I am so busy that I don&#8217;t know what I am doing. I started this job because I love acting, but there are moments when I feel like I hate it. &#8230;&#8230; In those moments, I cry as hard as I can.</span></p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> That and shopping. I like to give gifts to people, and I think I feel at peace when I am shopping. I also make time for &#8220;nothingness&#8221; by watching live video games. There were times when I would watch for as long as nine hours without a care in the world. I&#8217;m not sick, so don&#8217;t worry (laughs).</span></p>
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<p> (Laughs)&#8221; Acting is everything to me. (Laughs). Her eyes are already looking ahead to the next stage. Her &#8220;future&#8221; as she envisions it can be found at &#8230;&#8230;.</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> I want to play a variety of roles. Recently, I have often been given roles in a similar vein, so I would like to take on more challenging roles. For example, I would like to play a spy (laughs). I would like to play a role that would betray my past image in a good way.</span></p>
<p> He laughs a little shyly, but his words are tinged with a definite ambition.</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> I would like to act in foreign productions someday. I know it won&#8217;t be easy because of the language barrier. I would like to challenge myself and see how far my acting can go.</span></p>
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<p> Eni is scheduled to appear in the Sunday drama &#8220;GIFT&#8221; (TBS) starting in April. Set on a small para-sport wheelchair rugby team, GIFT is a story of bonding and rebirth as the team members learn the importance of friends and family by competing against each other emotionally and physically. Eni plays a woman who supports the team with her leadership skills and analytical abilities.</p>
<p> On March 30 and 31, a spin-off drama of &#8220;Bakebake&#8221; featuring &#8220;Osawa&#8221; will air. It will feature the story of Shoda (Shogo Hama, 31), whom viewers have been wondering about.</p>
<p> Eni Wan is both rounded and a bit sharp at the same time. Today, too, she is probably acting as if she is possessed by something.</p>
<div data-friday-nextpage-lead=" The true face of Marui Wan shown during the interview"></div>
<figure id="attachment_461079" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-461079" style="width: 3648px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="8512f794"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2026/03/bbe6c6218472395671161b02c2196588.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-461079" class="wp-caption-text">During the interview, Marui has a very expressive and &#8220;friendly&#8221; atmosphere.</figcaption></figure>
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<figure id="attachment_461081" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-461081" style="width: 3648px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="55e1c4d2"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2026/03/0abaf60ea449a5028275def949e9b2ec.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-461081" class="wp-caption-text"> Marui Wan also looks very cool in her pose.</figcaption></figure>
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<figure id="attachment_461083" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-461083" style="width: 3648px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="33fd5662"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2026/03/744426514c021bac36d98dd0cc3d3263.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-461083" class="wp-caption-text"> He also expressed his desire to play a role that betrays his character, such as a &#8220;spy.</figcaption></figure>


 Hirotsuru Fujiyama

 Takehiko Kohiyama

 Wan Marui is an actor who showed her unique presence as Osawa, a childhood friend of the heroine Nobu, in the NHK television series "Bakebake". In this interview, we reveal the true face of this somewhat mysterious character!

The true face of Wan Marui, the “unique actor” whose passionate performance in “Bakebake” has been the talk of the town.

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