The TV Interview with Kanna Mori and Shiho Kato | Ayaka is in Love with Hiroko 2nd Stage

Fellow AyaHiro fans, I'm here to bring you the second interview about S2 of this adorable rom-com! Some bits overlap with the other interview, but most is completely new. Enjoy

A sequel to the drama series which aired last July, Ayaka is in Love with Hiroko 2nd Stage continues the story based on the popular GL romantic comedy manga by Sal Jiang. The new season portrays the reality of life after the lesbian couple got together. 

We spoke with Shiho Kato, who plays Ayaka Toda, a young woman innocently enjoying couple life, moving full speed through the path of her first love, and Kanna Mori, who plays Hiroko Kanou, who treasures Ayaka so very deeply that she got into full-on doting mode. We asked them about how they felt when the sequel was confirmed, the highlights of the show and much more.

— How did you feel when you heard there would be a second season?

Kanna: Of course, there was some pressure about the production of a second season. I wondered if it was the right choice to continue but ultimately, I was genuinely happy. I had been reading many comments from people who were waiting for Season 2, and even letters from people telling me how watching AyaHiro changed their life. So, both for them and for my own self, I felt like I really wanted to do this. And the result makes me feel very happy of that choice. 

Shiho: I didn't think there could be a second season, since the first one covers the entire manga, so I was really happy when they reached out to me about it! The AyaHiro set was full of love, and the filming was so fun that I couldn't wait to see everyone from cast and crew again! 

— What was it like meeting each other again after a while?

Kanna: Truth is, it wasn't after a while. We kept seeing each other pretty regularly, like going out to eat together, so it really didn't feel like we spent a long time apart. 

Shiho: That's right! So, when we met for the costume fitting, we were like "Ah, here you are again".

Kanna: Yeah, it was like, "Yahoo!" (laughs). It didn't really feel like a reunion.

Shiho: I'm very thankful for the fact that we've been going out together regularly. We went to eat grilled meat and puffer fish, and we even went to Disneyland! Haruna Kondo and then Kumi Sasaki joined us, too, later on. This might be the first time I’m sharing this info! (laughs)

Kanna: Haruna has been one of my closest friends for over 10 years. She watched AyaHiro from start to finish, and even came to the set, bringing some snacks! 

Shiho: I had worked with her a few times before, but thanks to Kanna, we got close off set too. I’m really happy about that.

— What did you especially like about the 2nd Stage's script?

Kanna: It shows what happens after a lesbian couple gets together, including the obstacles to overcome, and dealing with family. Themes like those, that can normally be pretty heavy, are painted in pop and lighthearted colors, in alignment with the essence of AyaHiro. Emotional development is also properly captured, creating a very good balance, in my opinion. 

Shiho: I found very interesting the decision to split the story in the Hawaiian Arc and the Living Together Arc. Since the story is completely original, I'm sure some fans might feel a bit worried, but it's going to be such a rollercoaster of emotions that every worry will fly out of the window! I want everyone to be excited about it! 

— Is there something you kept in mind, in order to maintain connection with the first season, and perhaps something new you decided to try?

Kanna: Generally speaking, Season 2 has a much more human-like feel to it. It portrays a lot of those messy, uncool and raw sides that characterize people so, while it is still a comedy drama, I think the "Living Together Arc" is at the same time a human drama as well. 

Shiho: Season 1 was my first regular drama role, so I was feeling quite panicky throughout, but since Ayaka is very energetic, it helped me a lot to be able to match my nervousness with that. However, this time we jump to one year into the relationship, so I couldn't rely on energy and impetus alone to portray Ayaka. I had to be much more composed and thoughtful in my acting.

— This new season will also include a series of misunderstandings between Ayaka and Hiroko. Have you ever experienced an embarrassing misunderstanding in real life?

Shiho: It doesn't happen that often now, but I used to call strangers "Mom" in shopping malls and other public places! (laughs) I think I kept doing it regularly well into my middle and high school years...It would always be quite embarrassing! 

Kanna: I used to think bonito flakes came from trees (laughs). I seriously believed that if you ate the flakes from a tree that's how they'd taste. I'd be like "Wow, trees are amazing; there sure are some special ones". I was in elementary school when I realized it was a fish!! 

— Has playing girlfriends allowed you to discover something particularly cute or lovable about each other? 

Kanna: In the "Living Together Arc" there are scenes in which we're not wearing makeup. It doesn't happen often for me to be without makeup in front of others, so I was quite nervous while we were filming. That said, I think it does show us closer to how we truly are. You'll get to see Ayaka sleeping and waking up, and I'm quite sure everyone will find her very cute! 

Shiho: I think that the suit-wearing image is quite strong when it comes to Hiroko, but in the 2nd Stage she appears in casual loungewear as well, which is definitely a swoon worthy point. You’ll get to see a Hiroko like you never saw her in Season 1!

— How about outside of filming?

Kanna: Shiho normally talks a whole lot! (laughs) In Season 1, she was filming while also working as an idol, so her battery level was quite low. I'm sure it was very tough for her, being unable to get proper sleep, participating in events such as "46 hours TV" etc. However, this time she could deal with filming in a much more relaxed way, and it was nice to see her full of energy on set. 

Shiho: As for Kanna, I would say she is definitely the very ideal of an adult woman! 

Kanna: Here it comes! (laughs)

Shiho: (laughs) Before I got to talk to her, I thought she was the cool beauty type, composed and detached. Turned out she's super easy to talk to, friendly, kind and honest. Being with her is so much fun. She's just the kind of woman I also want to be!

— Which one is your favorite among the new original characters that are going to appear in AyaHiro 2nd Stage?  

Shiho: Ema Kurata! She plays Hiroko's niece. She's super cute and her presence brought lots of soothing to everyone on set. 

Kanna: We were all totally smitten with her!

Shiho: Exactly! She'd jump on Kanna's lap as soon as she saw her. So adorable, including the way she would ask "why?" about every single thing. There were no kids in the cast for Season 1, so this was quite refreshing. Yeah, her character is super cute and soothing! 

Kanna: And then we’ve got Sayuri Matsumura appearing, too! She plays Anri Kawashima, who is going to upset Ayaka and Hiroko's dynamic a bit! Sayuri is really cute in the role and she's gonna create some new misunderstandings, so...make sure to keep an eye on her! 

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[English] The TV Interview with Kanna and Katoshi!

About them seeing each other regularly, something that made Kanna nervous on set, Katoshi's old embarrassing "habit", their favorite character among the new ones, and more! 🐇🦌

🌺 https://t.co/hCM5iLnRlf pic.twitter.com/gHRMbwNABa

— SapphicLoner (アリ) (@thesapphicloner) June 21, 2025