Top 10 favourite heroines from NHK morning dramas (Oricon)

Oricon conducted a survey on 1,000 men and women in their teens to 50s where they chose their No.1 favourite heroine from NHK's morning dramas. The figures in brackets represent the percentage of votes received by the actresses:

1) Nounen Rena / Non  - Ama-chan (20.9%)

2) Haru - Asa ga kita (11.2%)

3) Arimura Kasumi - Hiyokko (10.2%)

4) Kuninaka Ryoko - Chura-san (6.8%)

5) An - Gochisousan (6.1%)

6) Horikita Maki - Ume-chan Sensei (5.2%)

7) Tsuchiya Tao - Mare (3.6%)

8) Takahata Mitsuki - Toto Nee-chan (3.2%)

9) Yoshitaka Yuriko - Hanako to Anne (3.1%)

10) Yoshine Kyoko - Beppin-san (2.4%)

Source: Oricon

Higashide Masahiro & An welcome the arrival of their third child

Higashide Masahiro and An welcomed the arrival of their third child i.e. a baby boy in early November as reported in the media on 7 November. The couple who met while playing a married couple in the 2013 NHK morning drama "Gochisousan", got married in real life on New Year's Day 2015 and already have twin daughters who were born in May 2016.

Source: Sanspo

Higashide Masahiro & An get married on New Year's Day

Higashide Masahiro and An announced their plan to get married on New Year's Day through a joint statement on 28 December. In the statement, the couple expressed their wish to become better actors and adults who can make a positive contribution to society after their marriage. They also asked for the support and advice of everyone around them. Their wedding is scheduled to be held before early spring. In addition, both actors' agencies also released a joint statement expressing their joy and support for the couple.

Higashide and An got to know each other and started dating after working on the NHK morning drama "Gochisousan". News of their romance first broke in January 2014 when An was spotted spending the New Year holidays at Higashide's hometown in Saitama.

The couple submitted their marriage application in the early hours of 1 Jan 2015 at a town office in Saitama Prefecture. According to insiders, both of them were not working on New Year's Eve thus they spent the day at Higashide's home in Saitama before submitting the marriage application together.

Source: Sponichi / Sanspo

Winners of the Tokyo Drama Award 2014

*In order to qualify for entry into the Tokyo Drama Award 2014 contenders list, the drama must have been shown between July 2013 and June 2014.

Best Drama Series Grand Prix Award: Hanzawa Naoki (TBS)

Excellence Awards for Drama Series:
- Gochisousan (NHK)
- Woman (NTV)
- BORDER (TV Asahi)
- MOZU Season 1 (TBS) and Season 2 (WOWOW)
- First Class (FujiTV)

Best Drama SP Grand Prix Award: Yamada Taichi Drama SP "Toki wa Tachidomaranai" (TV Asahi)

Excellence Awards for Drama SPs:
- Ashio kara kita Onna (NHK)
- 24 Jikan TV Drama SP "Kyou no Hi wa Sayonara" (NTV)
- Saikou no Rikon Special 2014 (FujiTV)
- Drama W "Chicken Race" (WOWOW)

Local Drama Award
- Daruma-san ga waratta (NHK Kochi)
- Lady Lady ~ Toilet de naita koto, arimasuka? (Chukyo TV)

Best Leading Actor: Sakai Masato (Hanzawa Naoki)
Best Leading Actress: Mitsushima Hikari (Woman)
Best Supporting Actor: Yoshida Kotaro (Hanako to Anne & MOZU Season 1)
Best Supporting Actress: Ishihara Satomi (Shitsuren Chocolatier)
Best Scriptwriter: Okada Yoshikazu (Zoku Saigo kara Nibanme no Koi)
Best Directing: Fukuzawa Katsuo (Hanzawa Naoki)

Special Awards:
The three leads of "Sanbiki no Ossaan" - Kitaoji Kinya, Izumiya Shigeru, Shiga Kotaro
Kitakyushu Film Commission for assisting in the filming of "MOZU"

Overseas Dramas Awards:
You Who Came From The Stars (South Korea)
Tukang Bubur Naik Haji The Series (Indonesia)
Thong Neua Kao (Thailand)

Source: Model Press

Top 10 highest-rated single episode ratings for dramas shown in the first half of 2014 (Oricon)

1) Gochisousan - NHK - 13 March 2014 (Episode 136) - 25.3%

2) Hanako to Anne - NHK - 9 May 2014 / 26 May 2014 (Episodes 35 and 49) - 24.8%

3) Aibou New Year SP & Aibou season 12 2-hour finale SP - TV Asahi - 1st Jan 2014 / 19 Mar 2014 - 19.6%

4) Gunshi Kanbee - NHK - 5 Jan 2014 - Episode 1 - 18.9%
S Saigo no Keisatsukan - TBS - 12 Jan 2014 - Episode 1 - 18.9%

6) Hanasaki Mai ga damatte inai - NTV - 18 Jun 2014 - Final Episode - 18.3%

7) Roosevelt Game - TBS - 22 Jun 2014 - Final Episode - 17.6%

8) Kaseifu wa Mita! - TV Asahi - 2 Mar 2014 - 17.4%

9) BORDER - TV Asahi - 22 May 2014 - Episode 7 - 16.7%

10) Kinkyuu Toshirabeshitsu - TV Asahi - 23 Jan 2014 - Episode 3 - 16.1%
Specialist 2 - TV Asahi - 8 Mar 2014 - 16.1%

Source: Oricon

"Hanako to Anne" gets off to a good start with 21.8%

NHK's new morning drama "Hanako to Anne" got off to a good start on 31 March with a rating of 21.8% in the Kanto region which places it in the No.2 spot among morning dramas over the past 10 years. This drama is also the third in a row which secured a debut rating of above 20%. The first place with the highest debut rating is held by "Gochisousan" which made its debut at 22.0%.

"Hanako to Anne" features Yoshitaka Yuriko as the lead chracter Muraoka Hanako. At the moment, the childhood version of the character is played by a child actor so Yoshitaka will make her first appearance from the episode shown on 14 April.

Source: Sanspo

NHK morning drama handover ceremony - from "Gochisousan" to "Hanako to Anne"

The NHK morning drama handover ceremony was held at Midoriyama Studio in Yokoyama on 18 March where An, the lead of current morning drama "Gochisousan", presented strawberries and flowers to Yoshitaka Yuriko, the lead of upcoming morning drama "Hanako to Anne". On the other hand, Yoshitaka gave a book cover made of deer leather and the original novel of her drama to An. The latter drama will be shown from 31st March onwards.

An and Yoshitaka had last worked together in the movie "Manatsu no Houteishiki" and became close friends. An commented that she has lots of confidence that Yoshitaka being a bright and cheerful person, will be able to complete her 10-month long filming which will last till August this year with ease. In return, Yoshitaka said that she remembered when An first started her filming for "Gochisousan", she was amazed that An had 5 or 6 volumes of the script in her bag all the time so Yoshitaka said that she is a bit intimidated by the fact that she has to go through so many volumes of the script now.

Source: Sanspo

Conclusion of filming for NHK morning drama "Gochisousan"

Filming for the NHK morning drama "Gochisousan" wrapped up on 25 February at the NHK Osaka studio and the cast including the lead An was at the wrap-up ceremony to meet the press. Filming had gone on for a long nine months and when asked to reflect on the filming period, An said that it was a very rare and enjoyable experience for her.

"Gochisousan" has an average rating of 22.3% in the Kanto region up to its 24th February broadcast which makes it higher than the previous morning drama "Ama-chan" which had an average of 20.6%. The last episode of "Gochisousan" will be shown on 29 March and the next offering starring Yoshitaka Yuriko will begin its run from 31 March.

Source: Sanspo

Top 10 highest single-episode ratings ranking for dramas in 2013 (Oricon)

1) Hanzawa Naoki Last Episode (TBS) - 42.2%

2) Gochisousan Ep 15 (NHK) - 27.3%

3) Ama-chan Ep 145 (NHK) - 27.0%

4) Doctor X ~ Gekkai Daimon Michiko ~ Last Episode (TV Asahi) - 26.9%

5) 24 Jikan Terebi SP - Kyou no hi wa sayounara (NTV)  - 23.4%

6) Galileo Ep 1 (FujiTV) - 22.6%

7) DOCTORS 2 Last Episode (TV Asahi) - 21.7%

8) Yae no Sakura Ep 1 (NHK) - 21.4%

9) Legal High Ep 1 (FujiTV) - 21.2%

10) Aibou Season 11 Last Episode (TV Asahi) - 20.7%

Source: Oricon

An and Higashide Masahiro rumoured to be dating?

An and Higashide Masahiro who are currently playing a married couple in the NHK morning drama "Gochisousan", are said to be dating in real life as well, according to the 6th Jan issue of "Josei Seven". According to the magazine, the two of them were said to have spent the New Year holidays at Higashide's hometown in Saitama Prefecture and photos of them buying stuff at a nearby home centre were also published in the article. An and Higashide had last appeared together on the NHK Kouhaku Utagassen on New Year's Eve while introducing Yuzu's theme song for their drama.

With regard to the report, An's agency said that they are merely co-stars who get on very well with each other.

Source: Sanspo

Handover ceremony for NHK morning drama "Ama-chan" to successor 'Gochisousan"

The handover ceremony for NHK morning drama "Ama-chan" to its successor "Gochisousan" was held on 10 September at NHK Osaka where the lead of "Ama-chan" Nounen Reina visited the set to offer her support to An, the lead of "Gochisousan". Nounen commented as the shooting period for a morning drama is very long, she felt that it was important to stay healthy in order to cope with the tough schedule. On the other hand, An said that she hopes that her new drama will bring a different type of energy to the viewers every morning.

The last episode of "Ama-chan" will be shown on 28th September while "Gochisousan" makes its debut on 30th September.

Source: Sanspo

1st week completion screening event of NHK drama "Gochisousan"

The 1st week completion screening event of NHK drama "Gochisousan" was held on 2 September at NHK which was attended by the lead actress An, Zaizen Naomi, Toyoshima Hana and the scriptwriter Morishita Yoshiko. An plays a girl from Tokyo who's a big eater and marries a guy from Osaka so she moves there with him and goes through the turbulent Taisho and Showa eras. Toyoshima plays the childhood version of An's character while Zaizen plays An's mother in the drama. When asked by the press about what is different between "Gochisousan" and its predecessor hit "Ama-chan", An said that the time setting is different so the human relationships in an era where her character tries to make delicious food for others despite the lack of resources will be something to look out for.

Source: Sanspo

Press conference of NHK morning drama "Gochisousan"

The press conference of NHK morning drama "Gochisousan" was held on 20 August at Osaka which was attended by cast members An, Higashide Masahiro, Miyazaki Yoshiko, Kondo Masaomi, Wada Masato, Kimura Midoriko and Takahata Mitsuki. The drama is set in Osaka during the Meiji, Taisho and Showa eras where An plays the heroine Uno Meiko who has a deep passion for food.

As the previous morning drama "Ama-chan" was a ratings winner with an average of 22.9%, An was asked about the ratings pressure for her drama and commented that she hoped to maintain the momentum so that "Gochisousan" can also do well. Her co-stars remarked that An is such a big eater that she tries all the types of food they use during filming and she replied sheepishly her weight has gone up slightly since filming started in mid May at Tokyo. The filming of the Osaka arc has already begun.

Source: Yomiuri Hochi

Open interview session of NHK morning drama "Gochisousan"

The open interview session of NHK morning drama "Gochisousan" was held on 7 July at NHK Osaka which was attended by An, Higashide Masahiro, Zaizen Naomi, Kato Ai, Harada Taizo and Inowaki Kai. Filming began two months ago. An revealed that in order to eliminate the distance among the cast members, she resorted to playing small tricks like placing fake cockroaches or farting cushions in order to generate some humour during the filming breaks. As such, she stressed that the teamwork and atmosphere at the filming set has been great.

Source: Sponichi

Cast announcement of NHK morning novel "Gochisousan"

The cast announcement press conference of NHK morning novel "Gochisousan" which is due to be shown from 30 September, was held on 18 February in Osaka which was attended by the heroine An and her co-stars Higashide Masahiro who plays her husband, Zaizen Hiromi and Harada Taizo who play her parents as well as Kondo Masaomi, Takahata Mitsuki, Kimura Midoriko, Miyazaki Yoshiko and Wada Masato. As An is 1.74m tall while Higashide's height is 1.89m, this makes them the tallest couple in the NHK morning drama history. Filming is scheduled to begin in mid May but Higashide revealed that he plans to stay in Osaka from April so that he can work on his Kansai-ben.

Source: Sponichi

An to be heroine of 2013 autumn morning drama "Gochisousan"

NHK announced on 12 November that An is going to be the heroine in their next morning drama "Gochisousan" to begin its run from 30 Sep 2013. The drama is set in Osaka during the Taisho and Showa eras where An plays Uno Meiko, a Tokyo-born girl who marries a man from Osaka and moves there with him. While trying to cope with her family's problems, she becomes a housewife who supports her family members through the problems with her homecooked dishes. This will be the first time An is acting in a NHK morning drama. Filming will begin in May next year.

Source: Sanspo