These have actually been out for a few days but I only noticed them today, and decided to share with you all these brief interviews to Anna Ishii and Karin Ono, who play lovers Shiho and Nao in the upcoming drama Chiisai Koro wa, Kami-sama ga Ite (starting October 9)! Enjoy!
◆ Karin Ono
Q. Tell us about your feelings when you received the offer.
It’s been 18 years since I last appeared in a Thursday night drama, so it made me quite emotional. Among the staff, there are people I haven't worked with in over a decade, so I joined the set with a sort of "I'm back!" feeling. Being grateful for this wonderful opportunity, I also hope to show everyone how much I've grown.
Q. How did you feel after reading the script?
When it comes to Mr. Okada's scripts, they really stand out in terms of dialogues, so it was very easy to fall in love with the characters right away. It's the sort of worldview that makes you immediately go like "This is so Mr. Okada!", so I look forward to seeing how everything develops moving forward.
Q. What can you tell us about your character, Nao Higuchi?
Nao is a very energetic young woman, so much so that I got quite the energy boost from her even just by reading the script. She radiates a happy aura, so I hope that my portrayal of this character will also allow me to draw this positive spirit from her. During the costume fitting, the director said "There is something in the eyes of those who look at the person they love", and that really resonated with me. I want to treasure those words and make sure to look at Shiho (played by Anna Ishii) in a warm way throughout the story.
Q. Tell us about your co-stars.
This is my first time working with Mr. Kitamura, so I’m a bit nervous, but I’ve heard many people say he's a wonderful person so I'm excited to actually meet him. It's been about 12 years since I last worked with Ms. Nakama, and I'm very happy to be able to work with her again. In regards to Anna Ishii, who plays my partner Shiho, we’ve actually been close friends in our private lives ever since we co-starred about 10 years ago (note: in a movie called Girls Step). She's not only someone I respect as a fellow same-generation actress, but also a person I genuinely like. I really can't wait to be able to play being partners with her. I think that my own feelings of affection for Anna will naturally overlap with how Nao feels about her character in the story.
Q. Send a message to the viewers looking forward to the drama.
Even though filming hasn’t started yet, I already love all the characters in the script from the bottom of my heart. Each one of them is lovely and overflowing with charm. It would make me happy if viewers would gently enjoy the conversations and the heartwarming human relationships between these endearing characters.
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◆ Anna Ishii
Q. Tell us about your feelings when you received the offer.
Mr. Okada's script gently portrays warm human connections and many forms of love, which I found truly captivating. To be part of such a heartfelt story, that softly affirms the idea of living true to yourself made me really happy, so I was honored to receive the offer.
Q. How did you feel after reading the script?
I thought that the scenes with the three families coming together and sharing their feelings through words were absolutely wonderful. I feel like in this day and age, also due to the influence of social media, the time we spend talking with other people face to face has significantly decreased. That's why I was really moved by this script, which allowed me to perceive the importance of conveying feelings and opinions through words, not to mention the weight of spoken words. It would make me happy if the message would also reach the viewers experiencing the story through the screen.
Q. What can you tell us about your character, Shiho Takamura?
Shiho, the character I play, tends to put on a brave front, but is actually really introverted, and even a bit negative, to the point she barely can do anything without Nao. But when she is with Nao, she suddenly becomes strong and forward-looking...For Shiho, being able to be with Nao is the happiest thing in the world. Really devoted and noble, I think Shiho is a character that will turn out to be more and more lovable. In addition, Shiho is also very good at cooking and, coincidentally, I'm currently studying to obtain my certification as "Nutrition Education Advisor". It feels like such a great timing to get this role. I want to be very careful in portraying the cooking scenes, by being true both to myself and Shiho!
Q. Tell us about your co-stars.
I've worked with Mr. Kitamura once before, but this is the first time for me to act with him in scenes heavy in terms of dialogue, so I look forward to that! As for Ms. Nakama, I've never worked with her before, but I've watched a lot of the shows she's appeared in and I'm really happy to have the chance to be on set together with her. My mother is a big fan of Ms. Nakama and she was so happy when I told her I would co-star with her. She was like "Wow! That's amazing!" (laughs). With Karin Ono, who plays Nao, I've been friends for about 10 years now! I love both her acting and personality, and we often see each other in our private lives, so I'm really happy to be able to work with her again! We went out to eat together as soon as our roles were decided (laughs). We talked about how it would be nice if we could give life to a portrayal of lovable partners, that transcends them being of the same or opposite sex.
Q. Send a message to the viewers looking forward to the drama.
This drama depicts different kinds of families and partnerships. I would appreciate it if everyone watched while contemplating the various forms of love that exist around them. I think this will become the sort of show that can gently warm people's hearts on Thursday nights, after a long tiring week, so please make sure to tune in!
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