The first web interviews are in! They're in, they're in! So I got to work to bring them to you! So read up to check Kanna and Katoshi's interview for U-Watch! Enjoy!
===
The GL rom-com that made waves both nationally and internationally, “Ayaka Is in Love with Hiroko”, returns with a much-anticipated 2nd Stage!
This new season follows the couple after they’ve started dating, portraying their relationship with plenty of humor even as they cultivate their love and navigate through misunderstandings.
We asked the leads Shiho Kato and Kanna Mori to talk about their relationship of mutual trust, filming on location, kiss scenes, and their feelings about “AyaHiro.”
– First of all, congratulations on the sequel to the hugely popular “AyaHiro”!
Shiho: When I heard, during the winter, that the 2nd Stage was greenlit, I was so happy. Since the manga is fully covered by the first season, I really didn't think a sequel could happen!
The set of “AyaHiro” is such a warm place, so the thought of being able to work with the cast and crew again, all of us together once more, just made me really happy, and the filming was a lot of fun.
Kanna: The first season received such a strong reaction, with many people saying how much they enjoyed it, so there was some sort of pressure about the idea of a second season. I remember seeing comments on social media, about people worrying about how the 2nd Stage would turn out.
During the first season, viewers were sharing thoughts like "I don't want it to end", "I could keep watching it forever", "I can't wait for a sequel", and that filled me with motivation and determination to jump on the second season idea. And the way it turned out, makes me really glad about that decision.
– Did you get any comments after Season 1 that made you especially happy?
Kanna: There were so many! In particular, the messages from people opening up, saying "I also like people of the same sex", really gave me a boost of energy.
Words such as "I've been saved by this drama" or "Seeing Hiroko do her best, gave me strength to do the same" really hit me right in the heart.
Feeling like we’ve truly reached someone’s heart, as actors, is what makes us feel happy to be doing this job. Those words are the fuel that keeps us going!
Shiho: When Season 1 aired, I was still a member of Hinatazaka46, and a lot of people became fans of the group because of “AyaHiro.”
Even after I graduated, "AyaHiro" fans have been showing up at other members' online meet and greets. Whenever I hear that from the members, I get extremely happy, feeling that I was able to leave something behind for the group.
– How was it seeing each other again after some time apart?
Kanna: Back in Season 1, Shiho had to portray Ayaka while being super busy with idol activities. I remember seeing her dizzy, and sleep-deprived. But this time, post-graduation, she appeared to be constantly full of energy, and it was fun being together again.
Shiho: Kanna was as beautiful and cool as ever, but what left me with the strongest of impressions is just how much she loves food! Whenever we went on location, she’d immediately get on her phone and look up good restaurants nearby.
She even brought her own rice cooker on set, and made her own lunch box every day. Another thing she brought is a stylish personal espresso machine. Every day was a surprise, on that front!
– The story of the 2nd Stage is completely original, and not based on the manga.
Kanna: Yes. The manga author, Sal Jiang, was involved in supervising the script and when I got to read it, my first thought was that it was really funny. I got very excited and, even before starting to shoot, I felt confident, sure that we'd be able to create something great. Truth is, this time I even got the privilege to contribute a bit to the script!
– The producers mentioned that many of your suggestions were incorporated. Apparently, thanks to your advice, the story got even funnier.
Kanna: I didn’t do anything major, really. I just gave some input on phrasing and some suggestions about the relationship between Ayaka and Hiroko.
– How are Ayaka and Hiroko different compared to season 1?
Shiho: In Season 1, Ayaka was all about shouting her love for Hiroko, with short lines full of energy and impetus. But this time, she has many longer lines, and I think you can see how she leveled up as a person, how much she matured.
Kanna: She’s developed some big motherly energy!
Shiho: Right, “Mommy Ayaka” (laughs). She's also much more human-like compared to Season 1. So yeah, I'm confident viewers will be able to enjoy a more mature Ayaka this time.
Kanna: As for Hiroko, in the 2nd Stage you'll get to see even more of her uncool, vulnerable sides. Hiroko's going to be so messy that, at times, some viewers might even get like "Come on, Hiroko, seriously!?"
– Did you two talk about how to portray the changes in the relationship between Ayaka and Hiroko?
Kanna: Yeah. For every single scene, we'd talk, considering how the two of them might be feeling in that moment.
Shiho: Whenever I was stuck, unsure how to act in a certain scene, Kanna would whisper me some advice. Her presence really gave me a deep sense of reassurance!
Like, at one point I was wondering how I could convey some sort of maternal energy through the camera, and, in a calm and cool way, she told me "Maybe the secret is in the gestures".
Kanna: Sometimes Shiho would kind of freeze up a bit, so that's when I'd intervene (laughs).
I'd tell her things like "If it were me..." or "Paying attention to breathing might be important here". I really wanted Shiho to be able to bring out her inherent and unique abilities.
Shiho: All of that helped me so much! Thank you!
– You ranked second as the “Best Kiss Scene of 2024" for Season 1. One of the themes for this second season is the "first time", and it seems like there will be a love scene.
Shiho: Maybe this time we'll get to first place! Yeah, we totally will! (laughs) (my note: I would love for AyaHiro to become the second GL couple to win Best Kiss! It would make TWO for 2025, after MeguKoto, and the all time second, which is major).
Kanna: I think we were able to create those scenes only because of the trust me and her built through Season 1.
Shiho: Even for the kiss scene, we all worked together with the filming crew, experimenting with angles, trying different things. We took our time to put the proper care in the shoot. I can't wait to see how it turned out.
– You filmed on location at the "Hawaiians" resort. How was it? Any memories from that?
Shiho: It was so much fun!
Kanna: For real. It was such a memorable experience. The schedule was very intense, from morning to night, so we stayed at the resort and filmed a whole lot.
Early in the shoot at the Hawaiians, the whole team, including staff, went out for ramen together. I feel like that moment brought us closer.
Shiho: The ramen was absolutely delicious!
Kanna: Right! It was so good! Also, we had hula dancers join the filming. So many that at one point I was like "Wait, what is it that we're filming!?" (laughs)
Shiho: We even had fire dancers join in! And the camera work was super cool. (my note: looking forward to this since the director for the Hawaiians arc is Eda and we know what her visionary mind can cook!!)
Kanna: The many extras were very cooperative as well, spending multiple days filming the wedding scenes. I'm pretty sure it's going to look great.
– This 2nd Stage focuses on the after part of a relationship. What were your realizations about the effort needed to preserve love and maintain an ideal relationship with a partner?
Kanna: If you don't trust your partner, there's no way the relationship can go on. Without trust, you end up doubting every single thing, and it becomes exhausting. I felt like believing in each other is absolutely crucial.
Shiho: As for me, and this is something I always try to pay a lot of attention to, I think communication, putting feelings into words, is super important. Going by assumptions is bound to lead to misunderstanding. I realized just how relevant it is to say things out loud and check in with each other.
– It seems like you two know each other quite well. What's something you respect about the other?
Kanna: Shiho is a genius when it comes to finding enjoyable things. She's excellent at making everything fun, finding delight and ways of playing no matter the situation. Being with her is a blast, and her presence brightens the set.
Shiho: That’s exactly how I feel about you! The real genius of finding fun in everything is you.
Kanna: To be fair, when for example we're together in the same space, we're likely to find fun things coming from different perspectives!
Shiho: To share all that during filming was a huge joy!
– What are your future prospects as actresses? Is there anything specific you'd like to focus on, any genres you'd like to try?
Shiho: So many things! I mean, we only get one life, don't we? So I'd like to try everything...but especially horror and action, since I really appreciate those genres.
For example, I'd love to play a psychopathic, cold blooded killer! I'm sure it would allow me to show a side of me radically different from my idol day.
Kanna: Please do that! I want to see it!
– Let’s hope producers are listening to Shiho's wish! What about you, Kanna?
Kanna: Right now, I feel like I'm slowly climbing stairs. As I get older, I want to treat each role like I would have no regrets if it were my very last.
My desire to approach every project with the utmost care has been increasing. No cutting corners, no holding back. I want to approach everything head-on, with sincerity and dedication.
– There's one last thing I feel compelled to ask you. Your skin looks incredible both off and on screen. What's your beauty routine?
Shiho: For me, making sure to always remove makeup is a matter of life and death (laughs)! No matter how tired I am, no matter if I end up falling asleep, I'd wake up in the middle of the night and take it off!
Another thing I pay attention to is to never pull my lashes when I remove mascara. I always use a proper remover. Also, on my days off I pretty much do nothing but sleep. I love sleeping. Whenever I have time, that's what I'm doing.
Kanna: I tend to focus more on “inner beauty”, so on what I eat and what I drink, without ever overdoing. I'd say food is probably what I put the most care on. And since I believe external skincare has limits, I try to get my vitamins and drink lots of water.
With age, I've realized that simple things, done with consistency, are what matters most.
Bringing my homemade lunch to set is part of that. It gives me a sense of relief to eat something I made myself.
– I'll be sure to listen to your tips! Lastly, please share what you think are the highlights of AyaHiro 2nd Stage.
Shiho: Obviously, I absolutely want all GL lovers to watch it. I also think that, in its portrayal of romance and misunderstandings, the show can be very relatable even for people who are not familiar with GL.
It’s packed with comedy and it has a very pop vibe, so I'd love for many people to watch it, especially those experiencing struggles with love!
Kanna: There have been GL dramas that follow the pair until they get together, but it's definitely rare to see what happens after, with all the obstacles that have to be overcome.
Coming out to your family, the reality of not being able to get married, physical intimacy...AyaHiro 2 manages to straightforwardly tackle those themes, while staying true to its nature as a comedy drama. I think that's its strong suit!
Of course, there also are serious scenes, but overall, it’s not a heavy show. I feel like even male viewers might enjoy it! (my note: I vividly remember one Chaser Game W interview, in which Yurika said she hoped even women would watch it. Now they talk about even men possibly enjoying it. The fact that it's finally clear to everyone how the main consumers of lesbian content are women makes me really happy; the cultural awareness has changed, and while the dramas that have really stolen my heart are AyaHiro and, even more, CallMeNo, yes, it is also thanks to CGW).
Shiho: Yeah, I completely agree!
===
On Twitter, in case you want to share:
[English] U-Watch Interview with Kanna and Katoshi!
Kanna contributing to the script (!?), mutual trust, fun-finders, aiming for first place in Best Kiss this time, character growth, Katoshi’s future role aspirations, and more! Enjoy! 🐇🦌#あやひろ2 pic.twitter.com/LaYrP4FMwZ
No comments:
Post a Comment