Mamagoto

Official Website
www.nhk.or.jp/pyd/mamagoto

Broadcast
From 11.15 p.m., Tuesdays, 30 August 2016

Station
NHK BS Premium

Story
Onchi Eiko is the proprietress of the bar ‘Amour’ in the outskirts of a town in the countryside of China. She is trapped in a sad, hidden past. On this night, she drinks with regular male customers and gets drunk. When she is about to close up for the day, an old friend, Miyama Shigeko, shows up for the first time in years with her 5-year-old son Daiji in tow. Shigeko says she wants to deposit him with Eiko. Despite Eiko’s objections, Shigeko disappears after she leaves a farewell letter. Eiko is disturbed but as she looks at the innocent Daiji, she is reminded of her own past and the baby she had brought into this world. The two of them who have no one to turn to, begin life together as fake mother and son in this peculiar and yet heartrending story. One day, Daiji strikes up a friendship with an older girl, Iwamoto Avante, and attempts to jump into a ditch with running water for something. Eiko finds his shoes at the ditch and a feeling of foreboding comes over her.

Characters
Ando Sakura as Onchi Eiko
The raffish, strong-minded proprietress who manages the bar ‘Amour’ by herself. Although she detests big children, she finds herself having to take care of Daiji.

Koyama Harutomo as Daiji
Miyama Shigeko’s son. A 5-year-old boy who loves his crime avenger, Ultraedger. He has a hearty appetite and is obese. He is deposited with Onchi Eiko because his mother has to do a live-in job.

Usuda Asami as Miyama Shigeko
Daiji’s mother. Onchi Eiko’s old friend. She is a poor judge of men. Even Daiji’s father went missing before he was born. She comes to deposit Daiji with Eiko in order to do a live-in job.

Furutachi Kanji as Maizen Makoto
Miyama Shigeko’s boyfriend. The head of Chantmait Research Institute where Shigeko lives in. He has a sensitive nature and there are occasions when he is harsh even to her and Daiji. He carries out a special education policy for his son Hikaru such as not letting him attend elementary school.

Takamura Kaito as Maizen Hikaru
Maizen Makoto’s only son. He is wheelchair-bound because he is crippled. He has a serious nature and is good in his studies. He pushes for Miyama Shigeko to be his mother because he has no mother.

Negishi Toshie as Proprietress
The proprietress of an old bar ‘Takagi’. She regards her rival Onchi Eiko with hostility and is a spiteful old woman who speaks blunt words with sarcasm.

Sugimoto Tetta as Tachibana
A loanshark. He turns up in front of Onchi Eiko to collect Miyama Shigeko’s debts. He has an impressive appearance, but Daiji takes to him for some reason.

Scriptwriter
Sugihara Noriaki (Mega Bank Saishuu Kessen)

Original Work
Mamagoto by Matsuda Hiroko

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