■“I hope you will watch how the characters survive the harsh and painful conditions of wartime, and how they end up.” (Goro Inagaki)
TV Tokyo’s 60th anniversary special drama special “Hare Itara Ii” will be distributed worldwide on Prime Video from January 10, 2025.
The original work is the popular novel “It’s Good When It’s Hare” (Kobunsha Bunko), written by Yoko Fujioka, who herself has experience as a nurse. The story of the drama begins when the main character, who has lost her energy for work, travels back in time as a woman working as an army nurse in the Philippines in 1945. The story depicts how the main character regains his strength to live through his days with his friends, never losing sight of hope, despite the harsh conditions of wartime, when supplies are scarce, and death is on the horizon. .
■The first gorgeous cast, including lead actress Mei Nagano, has been released!
The main character of this work, Saho Takahashi, who travels back in time as an army nurse (Sae Yukino) working at a field hospital in the Philippines during the war, is played by Saho Takahashi, who plays the role of Saho Takahashi from the NHK TV drama “Half, Aoi”. In addition to starring in the movie “Cells at Work!” and the movie “Cells at Work!”, Mei Nagano is an actor who has been selected as “Best Jeanist 2024” and has a lot of support from women.
The role of Fujiwara Mitsu, who is Sae Yukino’s best friend and also a female army nurse, will be played by the heroine of the NHK drama series “Beppin-san” and the drama “Madoka 26-sai, Intern Doctor” which will air in January 2025. I’m here! Kyoko Yoshine has appeared in a number of popular works, including the starring role in “” (TBS).
The role of Shoichiro Imai, a private first class who is injured and taken to a field hospital, is nursed by Saho and gradually becomes able to communicate with him, is played by actors such as the NHK TV drama Omusubi and the drama also based on Yoko Fujioka’s original work. Toshihisa Hagiwara is an up-and-coming actor who appears in “Lila no Hanasaku Kemonomichi” (NHK).
She will play the role of Fukiko Kanno, the strict head nurse of a field hospital, in the popular TV Tokyo series “Solo Katsujojo no Susume” and will also appear in the NHK drama series “Anpan” next spring. , Noriko Eguchi is a famous support player who is indispensable in dramas.
In addition, he will be playing the role of Makoto Saji, a military doctor at a field hospital who cares not only for patients but also for nurses, as he is about to star in the popular stage play “No.9 – Immortal Melody”, which will be screened for the fourth time. Goro Inagaki, who also appeared in the NHK TV drama series “Scarlet”, has been selected. Also pay attention to the gorgeous cast, which is unique to an anniversary project, and includes a lineup of morning drama actors.
■A team of talented staff gathers together! In addition, songs by DREAMS COME TRUE
The script for this work will be written by Keikazu Okada, who has written the scripts for many masterpieces such as the NHK TV drama series “Hiyokko” and “Chura-san.” The director is Eihiro Fukagawa, who directed the films “Kami no Karte” and “Byakuya Gyou”, and has adapted Fujioka’s magnificent world view into a drama.
Furthermore, the title of the drama and the song in this work is one of the representative works of DREAMS COME TRUE, a popular group representing Japan that celebrated its 35th anniversary this year, and has sold 685,000 CDs. The popular song “Hare tara Ii” is proud of its popularity.
The nostalgic lyrics, which you can’t help but sing along with, are linked to the main characters struggling in the Philippines, and color the main story of the drama.
Check out the touching human drama “Hare Itara Ii” that will make viewers feel positive about tomorrow.
■Original work: Yoko Fujioka comments
“It Should Be Sunny” is a story about a modern-day nurse who travels back in time to 1944
Manila, Philippines, and survives the war as a military nurse.
Although the setting is absurd, the original story was written based on historical fact.
When I heard that the original work would be made into a film, I felt very happy, thinking that I would be able to meet the military nurses that I had only known about through materials.
How will the actors portray these girls, who face war in the midst of their youth? What kind of light does He shine in the despair of war? I’m looking forward to it now.*The time setting in the drama has been changed to 1945.
■Screenplay: Megumi Okada Comments
A painting of a dignified woman in a military nurse’s uniform against a blue sky, with the title “I hope it’s sunny”. Some time has passed since I picked up Yoko Fujioka’s book with such a cover.
Is Dreamcom’s song the title of a wartime story? I will never forget the excitement I felt when I read and understood the answer.
In the Philippines during wartime, women sing a contemporary song, “It’s Good to Hare,” which they learned from the main character, who has traveled across time from the present day. It was a wonderful scene just imagining it. I thought I wanted to write a screenplay.
I can finally deliver it to you. The strongest cast includes Mr. Nagano, Mr. Yoshine, Mr. Hagiwara, Mr. Eguchi, and Mr. Inagaki. I believe this is a work that I can proudly present to you. The actors are really wonderful and shine.
I cried many times, laughed many times, and cried again many times. It’s not a difficult or painful story. I would like you to view it without worrying too much.I hope that this will be an opportunity to think about the lives of those who lived through that era, portrayed by these wonderful actors.
■Comment from Mei Nagano (voice of Saho Takahashi)
When I read the script, I don’t know if I should say, “It’s interesting!”, but there are fantasy elements in the story that take you back in time, and it was genuinely interesting and drew me in.While I was busy with my work as a nurse, I was suddenly transported back in time, and although I was confused by the unfamiliar events, I was inspired by the people around me who lived patiently and fulfilled their assigned duties, and little by little I began to live my own life. I would like you to pay attention to her change of heart as she reconsiders her thoughts, and her relationships with the people around her.
■Kyoko Yoshine (voice of Mitsu Fujiwara) Comment
When I first heard about the role, I thought it was a very difficult role. At the same time, I felt a strong desire to take on the challenge, and at the same time, I felt a strong desire to support Saho, played by Mei Nagano, with all my might.
Mitsu, who I play, is Sae’s best friend and the girl Saho meets when she travels back in time. A new breeze blows into Mitsu through her encounter with Saho. I would be happy if you could watch over her warmly as she bravely steps forward.I’m excited that this work will be distributed on Prime Video, and I hope you can enjoy it whenever you like.
■Comment from Toshihisa Hagiwara (playing Shoichiro Imai)
Even if the wartime stories are historical fact, we can only understand them through our imaginations, and I think that many things, including values, are completely different from now. This work looks at that era from the perspective of the present, so even people who know nothing about that era will find it an opportunity to think about it from a modern perspective. I think I was able to gain a different way of thinking from that point of view.
I played a young man who is struggling with values that are completely different from modern times. Some aspects of his anger and regret may be difficult for modern people to understand. However, I would like people to pay attention to the fact that they have a lot of energy and are trying their best to live in that era.If you only look at the themes it deals with, you might not be able to say that you should watch it casually, but since it is a drama that allows you to see things from that time from a modern perspective, I think you can watch it without being too prepared. I’m happy.
■Noriko Eguchi (role of Fukiko Kanno) CommentWhen I read the script for the first time, I thought that although it had a very complex setting, it was a pleasant and beautiful story that clearly conveyed the thoughts and feelings of each character. The character I play, Fukiko Kanno, plays the role of a strict head nurse, but she is actually a person who likes to have fun. I hope you enjoy the charming side that can be glimpsed in the drama. The filming took place in the summer, so I feel very nostalgic for the time when we all worked together to film under Director Fukagawa. I’m really looking forward to seeing what kind of drama this will be. Please take a look.
■Goro Inagaki (Makoto Saji) comment
Although the filming took place over a short period of summer, we shot in various locations such as the mountains and the set of a field hospital, and I played Saji with the feeling of being transported back to 1945.
The character I played, Saji, is a mild-mannered military doctor, and while he feels something for the protagonist who has traveled back in time, he is also a warmhearted character who watches over him warmly. Their personalities are the complete opposite of the strict character of Sugano (played by Eguchi), and I would like people to pay attention to these unique characters. I hope you will survive and see how it ends.
(C)TV Tokyo
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Program information
“TV TOKYO 60th Anniversary Special Project Drama Special “It’s Good If It’s Sunny””
Exclusive worldwide unlimited viewing on the video distribution service “Prime Video” from 0:00 on Friday, January 10, 2025
Original work: Yoko Fujioka “I hope it’s sunny” (published by Kobunsha Bunko)
Starring: Mei Nagano
Starring: Kyoko Yoshine, Toshihisa Hagiwara, Noriko Eguchi, Goro Inagaki, and others
Screenplay: Keikazu Okada
Director: Eihiro Fukagawa
Music: Goro Yasukawa
Song in the play: DREAMS COME TRUE “I hope it’s sunny ~ VERSION’18 ~” (DCTrecords / UNIVERSAL SIGMA)
Chief producer: Kentaro Yamato (TV Tokyo)
Producer: Junpei Nakagawa (TV Tokyo) Toshiki Kitagawa (TV Tokyo) Jun Kurosawa (Telepack) Yasuko Kobayashi (Telepack)
Production cooperation: Telepack
Production work: TV Tokyo BS TV Tokyo
■Synopsis
Summer of Reiwa 6. Saho Takahashi (Mei Nagano) is a mid-level nurse who works at Sakuragaoka General Hospital in Sumida Ward. Although he is able to work, he lacks ambition and has low energy, as if he has lost his youth. Saho secretly and unilaterally reveals her worries about her feelings of helplessness and unrewarding situations to Sae Yukino, a bedridden inpatient who used to be the honorary head nurse at this hospital. However, the next moment, a huge earthquake suddenly occurred. Saho loses consciousness as she protects Sae from something falling on her.
When Saho woke up, she was not in the hospital room, but in the jungle. The women in military uniforms call Saho “Sae” for some reason. Also, this is the Philippines… Eventually, Saho discovers that the people who helped her, Fujiwara Mitsu (Yoshine Kyoko), Kanno Fukiko (Eguchi Noriko), and Saji Makoto (Inagaki Goro), are nurses and military doctors working at the field hospital where the injured Saho was brought. He realizes that he has traveled back in time to 1945, during the war. Strangely enough, she appears as a young Sae…
“I hope it’s sunny” work site
https://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/haretara/
Prime Video
