The Japanese remake of the Thai BL, Love Sea: Ai no Ibasho, is now streaming exclusively on FOD. We interviewed Mizuho Habu, who plays the actress Himeka Ui, and Asuka Kawazu, who plays Fumi Omuku, the secretary of one of the protagonists, Ai Rakumoto (played by Shun Nishime). We asked them about their impressions of each other and their thoughts on the drama.
- How did it feel to first step into the world of this series?
Habu: Having watched the original Thai version, I thought it was quite rare for BL and GL to coexist in the same series, and I also noticed how it portrays different types of romance. It's the kind of content that goes straight to the heart so I hope it will become a source of comfort for viewers.
Asuka: I think it's a very transparent piece of work. The main characters, Kaishin and Ai, as well as Himeka and Fumi, are all very straightforward people. They have clear-cut personalities and I look forward to seeing how everyone is going to perceive them.
- Himeka, Ai's close friend, is an actress who quite aggressively approaches Fumi. How did you interpret and bring the role to life?
Habu: My personality is the complete opposite of Himeka's. I’m more the type who has a hard time being strong, so it was a challenge to play a woman so mature and refined. At the same time, it gave me confidence to be told "We'd like Habu to do it, because her cool and mature image matches the role". I hope this chance will help me expand my range of expressions.
- How did you build such a difficult role?
Habu: I did it by talking things out a lot with Asuka.
Asuka: Especially at the beginning, we'd be giving each other tips and advice from perspectives we didn’t have ourselves.
Habu: Also, for example, there are many scenes in which Himeka pulls Fumi toward her, so we thought together how to portray those.
Asuka: I mean, in real life, it doesn't normally happen to pull someone towards you, does it? So we had to figure out together how to do that (laughs).
- How did you go about interpreting Fumi, who is very often swayed by Ai?
Asuka: Initially, Fumi is just very happy to be able to be close to someone she admires, and help him out. I could relate to those feelings. I'm an active fan of female artists myself (note: it could either be singular or plural; I went with the latter to be more generic), and I hang out with friends because I like them, so when I packed that all into the character of Fumi, I felt like it was quite enjoyable to play her. I've always had this image of secretaries and managers as those who push forward their clients, so being on the other side of that dynamic felt very refreshing.
- Fumi is very devoted in her support for Ai. Does that resonate with you in some ways?
Asuka: If it were someone I really liked, I think it could even be fun. Sometimes I might get like "Really...?" but I'd do it anyway (laughs). I probably wouldn't be able to do as much as Fumi, but I do understand the feeling.
- What did you two keep in mind when building the relationship between Himeka and Fumi?
Habu: I got to spend a lot of time with Asuka when we were filming on the island. I think we were able to bring the bond we built there into our acting, and that made it really easy for me. Asuka helped me out a lot!
Asuka: Oh, no! Not at all!
Habu: This drama involved a lot of first time experiences for me, and I found it particularly challenging to try and broaden my expressions. But I received a lot of advice from the directors, I had the opportunity to rewatch the takes and, through trial and error, I was able to tackle it all. Thanks to everyone, I could slowly open up and get to work in a very supportive environment!
- It's really interesting to think about how Himeka and Fumi's relationship will evolve moving forward.
Asuka: From Fumi's emotional perspective, even though Himeka is unpredictable all the time, Fumi just can't look away from her, and even ends up holding some expectations. There are many scenes with Fumi getting like "Oh, come on!!", but the more she says that, the more extreme the contrast with what follows appears to be. Early on, there's a clear power balance element at play due to their roles, and I want viewers to look forward to seeing how that will develop.
- This was your first time working together. Tell us about your first impression of each other.
Habu: When Asuka arrives on set, it's as if a fresh breeze blows through! She's such a soothing presence, who brightens everyone up, makes you feel like smiling, and is always ready to start conversations! If I was able to be relaxed while acting it's all thanks to the fact that it was someone like her who played Fumi. I also learned a lot, being around her.
Asuka: I thought Habu was pretty much a bundle of contrasts. I had this image of her as a very cool woman, but by working with her I realized how she's actually quite girly (laughs). Also, when she feels like talking she talks, and when she doesn't...she just doesn't. I'd say we both have quite a unique style going on.
Habu: That's right! I definitely felt that, especially on the island (laughs)!
Asuka: The room wasn't the same, but the living space was. There were also lots of basic exchanges, such as "Wanna go eat something?", and it almost felt like being longtime roommates (laughs). But when we'd actually get face to face, we'd always chat a lot. The atmosphere was very comfortable and fun.
- Did working on this drama allow you to gain something or inspire you to change your perspective in some ways?
Habu: Asuka is a model, Nishime does theater, Kunigami is active as an artist. Working with people with experiences in such different fields gave me a lot of input. And when you also consider the warm, welcoming staff and crew, with whom we created a series full of love, I believe I had the chance to have a great experience.
Asuka: I realized that saying what you like out loud makes your life richer. I've always known that, but now I'm much more certain of it, and I thought I should say it more freely to everyone around me. As you grow up, it's easy to develop a tendency to blur those aspects, but in reality it's truly wonderful to be able to clearly say "I like this" about what you do like.
- Lastly, since this is "Eiga Channel" (Movie Channel), please share with us your favorite movies.
Asuka: Mine is One Million Yen Girl (2008), starring Yu Aoi. After a certain incident, the main character starts saving a million yen, moving places and repeating the process. I found the idea of saving one million yen, then throw away everything you don't need and start anew very interesting. I could never do it myself, but the way it sort of lets you dream is also why I've always liked this movie.
- And Yu Aoi's acting is wonderful too, isn’t it?
Asuka: Her character has this realness about her, that makes you feel like you might have someone like that among your friends. Not to mention that vibe of delicacy and unsteadiness. She played that role in her early twenties and I believe she was able to capture the sensitivity typical of that age very well, and was really cute.
Habu: For me, it's Mika Ninagawa's Diner (2019). I’ve always loved Ninagawa's works. Her flower-filled worlds, the fantasy elements, the stylish atmosphere...I like it all so much that I even use it for atmospheric effect in my house. The acting of the cast also really resonated with me, and I like to come back and rewatch the movie.
- Do you also like Ninagawa's photos?
Habu: I do. Her photos are the kind I’d like to keep displayed in my heart forever. She's definitely a figure I deeply admire.
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