How Viewers Perceived Warotenka

The morning drama research project of the NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute conducts a series of surveys on NHK’s morning drama serials commonly known as Asadora, which have been attracting more and more viewership in recent years, with a purpose of investigating viewing behaviors of the audience and factors for their popularity. The sixth title featured in this survey is Warotenka—an ensemble-cast drama centering on the main character who have come to run a vaudeville theater in Osaka. The drama’s theme that “laughter is an essential part of life” struck a code in many viewers. The survey finds 56% of the respondents choosing “somewhat satisfied” for the drama’s satisfactory level. This indicates that the “somewhat satisfied” majority contributed to the final evaluation of Warotenka, based on which the authors of this report analyzed the survey results focusing on this group. The “tone of the drama,” which is typified by “cheerfulness,” as and “characters surrounding the heroine” was highly appreciated. The fact that the story is based on a real person made many viewers watch through to the final episode with expectation and peace of mind: “I know she can overcome the difficulty.” The program’s “easy-to-watch” aspect also played a major role in prevented the viewers from dropping out. Among habitual viewers of Asadora serials, many acknowledge that they sometimes would not feel like watching the portrayal of wartime Japan in Asadora but understand the significance of inserting these scenes, with as many as 90% thinking it is inevitable to depict war based on true history. Those who watched Warotenka from a long-term perspective account for 50%, mid-term 23%, and short-term 27%. The “long-term” group enjoyed the drama on a long-term basis, and the “short-term” group on a short term basis.