In place of NHK's TV series "Mai Agare!" currently being broadcast, a baton touching ceremony was held in Tokyo on the 4th before "Ranman" began on April 3.
The ceremony was held at the NHK Broadcasting Center in Shibuya, Tokyo, and was met by Haruka Fukuhara of "Mai Agare!" and Ryunosuke Kamiki of "Ranman".
Fukuhara says, "I learned from the work 'Soar Up!' that if you don't give up, you can one day see your goals and dreams as wonderful scenery from any direction. Please look forward to seeing how Mai will make her dream come true."
Mr. Kamiki shared his aspirations, saying, "There are specialized aspects such as plants, so I carefully photograph them while researching them, and I want to make this work a part of everyone's daily life."
In the customary gift exchange, Mr. Fukuhara presented a board made by a sheet metal processing plant in Higashiosaka City, the stage for "Soar Up!" It is designed to look like "Ranman" from the right and a flower from the left.
Mr. Kamiki also presented a bouquet of cherry blossoms and other flowers that Dr. Tomitaro Makino, a botanist who is the model for Ranman, loved. The bouquet is decorated with a paper airplane, which is also the motif of "Soar up!" and the image character "Kuroshio-kun" of Kochi Prefecture.
After this, Mr. Fukuhara handed the baton to Mr. Kamiki with a smile.
"Ranman" is a story modeled after Dr. Tomitaro Makino, a botanist from Kochi Prefecture who spent his last years in Tokyo's Nerima Ward.
The TV series "Mai Agare!" will have its final episode on April 4, and the broadcast of "Ranman" will begin on April 1.