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▼ Sakai Plays ‘Mightiest Samurai’
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JAPAN NEWS
By Masafumi Taga / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer
The “mightiest samurai warrior” and the many mysteries surrounding him are the focus of “Sanadamaru,” NHK’s epic historical drama, which started airing on Sunday.
The warrior is Sanada Nobushige, widely known as Sanada Yukimura. Masato Sakai plays the role in the 55th drama in NHK’s annual historical drama series, known as “taiga drama.” It is aired from 8 p.m. on Sundays on NHK-G and from 6 p.m. on Sundays on NHK-BS Premium.
Nobushige is a popular historical figure who made his name in the transitional years from the Toyotomi regime to the Tokugawa shogunate. He was hailed even by his enemies as the best warrior in the country as he caused trouble for feudal warlord Tokugawa Ieyasu up until the the Siege of Osaka from 1614 to 1615.
Surprisingly, however, he lived most of his life away from the historical spotlight, Sakai says.
“Both his father and elder brother had great presence. In modern times, he’s like the second son of a family running a shop in a shopping district in a regional town,” said Sakai, 42. “He was not a hero to start with, but he was destined to shine brightly in the final two years of his life, which made his name go down in history. That’s the interesting thing about Nobushige’s life.”
As the second son of great strategist Sanada Masayuki (played by Masao Kusakari), Nobushige is put in the care of warlord Uesugi Kagekatsu (Kenichi Endo) as a hostage for the sake of the Sanada family because it had shifted its allegiance from the Takeda family to Oda, then to Uesugi. Later he becomes a hostage of warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi (Fumiyo Kohinata).
At the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, Nobushige and his father join the Seigun western force led by Ishida Mitsunari (Koji Yamamoto), parting ways with elder brother Sanada Nobuyuki (Yo Oizumi), who sides with the Togun eastern force led by Tokugawa Ieyasu (Seiyo Uchino). After the western force is defeated, Nobushige is temporarily locked up in Kudoyama in what is now Wakayama Prefecture. But he joins in the Siege of Osaka, the final battle between the Toyotomi and Toku- gawa families. He builds a fortress called Sanadamaru to protect Osaka Castle and fights hard against Ieyasu.
Nobushige’s story is wrapped in mystery. For a start, not much is known about the Sanadamaru fortress. It is also not clear how he started using the alias Yukimura.
“There is a record that says he was an affable man who didn’t show his emotions very much,” said Sakai, who is playing the lead role in a taiga drama for the first time. “I’m guessing he was probably not a warrior with excellent leadership, but rather someone suited for businesslike tasks to guard the very rear.”
Sakai said he paid visits to places related to Nobushige, such as Ueda Castle in Nagano Prefecture and the town of Kudoyama to get the idea what kind of man he was.
“Businesslike” abilities are required from actors as well, especially in a taiga historical drama with many veteran performers.
“From time to time, I put myself in the backseat and try to make other cast members stand out,” Sakai said.
He is smart enough to carry out more tasks than asked for. Even after rising to the position of a national star with the drama “Hanzawa Naoki,” he remains modest and serious in facing each new piece of work.
Sakai was born in 1973 and grew up in Miyazaki Prefecture. He began acting in 1992 with the Tokyo Orange theater company while still a student of Waseda University. Having starred in such hit dramas as “Hanzawa Naoki” and “Legal High,” he has also been successful in films and theatrical plays and won many awards, including the Japan Academy Prize and the Blue Ribbon award.
Sakai has ample experience in period dramas as well, such as the films “Bushi no Kakeibo” (Household account of a samurai) and “Mibu Gishi-den” (When the Last Sword is Drawn). This is the third taiga drama the actor has appeared in after playing the roles of Yamanami Keisuke in “Shinsengumi!” (2004) and Tokugawa Iesada in “Atsuhime” (2008).
“Sanadamaru” is the second taiga drama written by Koki Mitani after “Shinsengumi!” Mitani is known for such hit dramas as “Osama no Restaurant” (Restaurant of the king) and “Furuhata Ninzaburo.” The script-writer-director is adept in period dramas as well, such as the film “Kiyosu Kaigi” (The Kiyosu Conference).
The story of “Shinsengumi!” was set in the final years of the Tokugawa shogunate. This time, the subject theme is the end of the Toyotomi reign.
“I’m thinking there’s something Mitani-san intended for the year 2016 in his choice of the character Nobushige and the story that doesn’t end with things looking up,” Sakai said.
Being close to many fellow performers and members of the creative team, “I feel like saying, ‘I’m back,’ when I’m called to appear in a taiga drama,” he said.
The pageant of the warring states period in the history of Japan may develop with a twist that is a hallmark of a Mitani work. Sakai said he is determined to inhabit the drama’s scenes as a person no bigger than himself.Speech
- January 16, 2016
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