NHK's Sendai branch produced the drama "Katsuo" (NHK-G, Wed., 7:30 p.m.) as a tribute to the survivors of the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami. All of the actors are originally from the Tohoku area.
The title character is played by Kohei Otomo, better known by his rock 'n' roll stage name Hound Dog, who was born in Miyagi Prefecture. The character is a fisherman who is popular in his coastal village because of his industriousness and positive outlook. After the disaster strikes, his wife, Yukie (Kyoka Suzuki), remains missing, and he quits his work in order to be with his children full-time. Then, one day, he is visited by a woman he doesn't know.
The cast also includes the comedy duo Sandwichman, who are from Miyagi, too, and traditional theater star Tomio Umezawa, who is from Fukushima.