Koikawa Harumachi, a Standout Character in NHK Taiga Drama 'Berabou,' Ignites Viewer Concerns

Koikawa Harumachi, affectionately known as Harumachi-sensei, a character who truly stands out in the NHK Taiga drama 'Berabou,' has become a major topic of conversation among viewers. His distinctive words and actions, coupled with the shocking development hinted at in next week's preview, have led to a flood of concerns on social media.

While described within the drama as 'troublesome,' 'sulky,' and 'too much of a moe character,' Harumachi-sensei's endearing words and actions—such as 'Harumachi-sensei fiddling with the tatami mat edge was great' and 'his 'hmph' was so troublesome yet cute'—have captivated many viewers. When his lord, Kojima Matsudaira, affirmed his hobby of creating gesaku, understood his true intentions, and praised him, viewers resonated with comments like 'He's lucky to have such a good boss.'

However, as the story approaches its climax, next week's preview depicts Harumachi-sensei in imminent danger, leading to a flood of desperate cries from viewers such as 'I don't want Harumachi-sensei to be in trouble next week—please live!', 'His exit is drawing closer moment by moment...', and 'I can already see the seppuku scene flickering.' Some are concerned about the historical fact that, as a kibyoshi writer, his radical expressions caught the eye of the magistrate's office, ultimately leading to his retirement and eventual suicide. Cries of sorrow over his fate, like 'Our Harumachi-sensei... *cries*', are spreading.

While Utamaro's new beginning is depicted, the ominous turn for Harumachi-sensei's future has many fans heartbroken, with comments like 'It would be too painful if our cute Harumachi-sensei were gone' and 'What will we do if you're gone too? 😭' Facing the harshness of history with comments like 'You can't fight against fate,' yet with 'next week is terrifying,' significant attention is focused on the story's outcome.

The Context

This article discusses a character in 'Berabou,' an NHK Taiga drama. Taiga dramas are annual, year-long historical fiction television series produced by Japan's public broadcaster, NHK. They typically depict events and figures from various periods of Japanese history. Koikawa Harumachi (1744-1789) was a real historical figure, an Edo-period Japanese poet and artist, best known for his satirical illustrated books called kibyoshi (yellow covers). These popular works of gesaku (playful or frivolous literature) often commented on contemporary society and politics. During the Edo period, the government exercised strict censorship, and writers whose works were deemed subversive or critical of the authorities could face severe penalties from the magistrate's office (bugyōsho), the local government and police body. Historical accounts suggest that Harumachi's radical expressions did indeed lead to trouble, culminating in his retirement and eventual self-inflicted death (seppuku is a ritual suicide by disembowelment). Utamaro, also mentioned, likely refers to Kitagawa Utamaro, another famous ukiyo-e artist and contemporary of Harumachi, who is also a character in the drama.