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| Noritaka Hamao Sheds 10kg for NHK's ‘Anpan’ Wartime Arc (Yahoo JP) |
To fully embody Iwao—who returns to the story as a soldier stationed in wartime China—Hamao lost a staggering 10 kilograms.
At his thinnest, he even went without food for several days, and cut out water for nearly 48 hours before filming his most harrowing scenes. “Back then, even water wasn’t a given,” he reflected. “I wanted to respect that reality.”
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But this wasn’t just method acting for the sake of drama. Hamao dove deep into wartime diaries, poured over history books, and scrawled personal reflections across the margins of his script, obsessively crafting a portrayal grounded in genuine empathy and human understanding.
It’s wild to think that he didn’t even audition for this role originally—he was gunning for the part of Chihiro, the protagonist’s younger brother. But screenwriter Miho Nakazono saw something in him so compelling that she created Iwao’s character just for him. And boy, did he deliver.
Once introduced as a cheeky, slightly clueless lumber merchant’s son (remember that sudden proposal to Ranko?), Iwao fast became a fan-favourite—so much so that X (formerly Twitter) lit up with hashtags like #俺たちの岩男 (Our Iwao). But his return as a starving soldier? A complete 180. And viewers are feeling it.
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One particularly moving moment came after shooting Iwao’s romantic rejection scene, when the director handed Hamao a copy of Takashi Yanase’s Chirin no Suzu—a haunting children’s book later linked to Anpanman. “It was like a sign,” Hamao says. “I didn’t even know I’d be returning at that point.”
To get into the soldier mindset, the Keio University graduate treated the role like a thesis project. He studied military life down to the smallest historical detail and kept a phone full of scribbled insights. It wasn’t just about looking the part—it was about feeling it. And at one point, he hadn’t eaten for three days and hadn’t drunk any water for two.
In a particularly poignant moment, Hamao Noritaka shared a story passed to him by author Mariko Asabuki, who recalled what artist Keiichi Tanaami once said: “You can’t truly understand war if you haven’t lived through it.” That hit Hamao hard. “I realised it’s not about pretending to understand—it’s about facing that gap with honesty.”
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“Iwao became more than a character,” he admits. “By the end, his thoughts just came naturally. It was the first time I’ve felt that as an actor.” He even went back and re-read ten old notebooks of performance reflections he'd written since joining his agency—a full-circle moment of growth, both personal and professional.
Despite not being the lead, Hamao calls Iwao his “greatest turning point”. “It’s not about the size of the role. Iwao saved me—both as an actor and as a person,” he says, openly emotional. “Even now, Iwao’s still alive in my heart.”
About Noritaka Hamao:
Born in Tokyo on 26 November 1999, Hamao was once a competitive swimmer, reaching national-level tournaments. He made his proper acting debut while still at Keio University, with notable credits including My Second Aoharu, Laughing Matryoshka, and most recently, Berabou: Tsutaya Jūzaburō’s Tale. He stands 185 cm tall and has type A blood—because yes, that still matters in idol-land.
And if Anpan is any sign, this lad’s only just getting started.