Episode 1
Hikaru Kimi e (To the shining prince) is NHK’s 63rd Taiga drama.
It stars Yuriko Yoshitaka as Murasaki Shikibu, the mid-Heian period noblewoman and author of “The Tale of Genji”.
In the extended first episode, a young Mahiro (Murasaki Shikibu) is living with her parents, Chiyaha and Tametoki Fujiwara.
Although Tametoki is a Fujiwara, he lacks an official appointment and has little influence in politics. He and Chiyaha struggle to make ends meet.
One day Mahiro has a chance encounter with a kind young man named Saburo. The two form a special bond and promise to meet again.
The climax of the episode centers around Saburo’s brother Michikane and his desire to make a name for himself in the world. However, not knowing how to do that, Michikane is frustrated and takes out his frustration on Saburo. The sight of which distresses their mother and the matriarch of the Fujiwara Toki-hime.
Unable to control his anger, Michikane races away from the Fujiwara residence on horseback towards the mountain.
It is at this moment that Mahiro passes in front of Michikane’s horse causing Michikane to fall to the ground. Angered Michikane kicks Mahiro just as Chiyaha appears.
Seemingly able to gather his composure Michikane returns to his horse when a comment from his servant triggers him. He reaches for his sword and thrusts towards Chiyaha, killing her in front of Mahiro.
On social media, fans condemned Michikane and pitied Mahiro. This is exactly what director OIshii had in mind. Few details about Mahiro’s life have survived.
Most of what is known about her is from her diary. Written by her and then picturized into a scroll during the Kamakura period, this document focuses mostly on her life at the Heian court. We do know that her mother died at an early age.
However, making Michikane Mahiro’s mother’s killer and thus tying Saburo and Mahiro’s reunion to this tragic event in her life is director OIshii’s angle.
Hardship, poverty and the loss of her mother are the catalysts which inspire Mahiro to turn to her writing.
Although Mahiro’s family were of the aristocrat status their ranking was low and their life was far from easy.
Chiyaha made many sacrifices to help make ends meet like selling her clothes and refraining from playing the biwa until Mahiro’s father received his next appointment.
Seeing her mother struggle in this way while also being kind toward those around her had a profound effect on Mahiro and made her question the dynamics between men and women during her day. Watching her mother sacrifice so much while her father took other wives.
Monogamy was not the norm during the Heian period. In one scene, Mahiro can be seen asking her mother why her father goes away for days at a time, to which Chiyaha tells Mahiro that she is okay and that one-day Mahiro will understand.
One particularly charming scene takes place between Mahiro and Saburo when she takes on the role of a lying princess and when called a fool, Saburo graciously asks for her forgiveness.
★★★★ 4 out of 5