"The Reason We Fall in Love" is currently airing on TV Asahi's "Oshidora Saturday Slot" (Saturdays at 11 p.m.). It is a live-action adaptation of the manga of the same name by ma2, which won the grand prize in the adult romance category of the "2nd Everyone's Favorite Romance Manga Awards" (2023), and depicts the "pure adult love" of three couples set in an office. This time, we interviewed the main female cast members, Kumada Rinka, Saito Nagisa, and Yamazaki Hirona. We asked them about their respective cute points and their impressions of the men.
◇I myself am the type to fall in love at first sight
Kumada plays Morita Aoi (25), who has been with the company for three years. She is attracted to her boss Kurosawa Tomoya (Kikuchi Fuma), who she used to think was scary, when she is touched by his kindness, but she has a complex about her tall height, and she is timid about love because she lacks confidence.
Saito plays Ozu Kyo (25), who is in the same year as Aoi. She likes big, muscular men, and when she finds Oshima Kei (Yoshihisa Hajime) who has the perfect build, she makes a strong approach. Yamazaki plays Ichikawa Ayaka (33), who is in the same year as Kurosawa and Oshima. She is praised for her excellent work and is loved by her juniors in the same department. She thought that romance with someone younger was impossible, but when she meets Sakamoto Ryo (Shimejikake Ryuya), a junior in another department, her feelings change.
--Please tell us about each of your roles.
Kumada: Aoi is a little tense because she works very hard at her job, but when she meets Kurosawa, they inspire each other and she softens up. She falls in love with people and her cute side comes out more and more.
Saito: Kyo is reckless towards the person she likes, and I think it's cute that she shows her feelings on her face right away. On the other hand, she also has a mature side, and I think it's great that she gives advice to Oshima and the others (who are older than her)!
Yamazaki: Ayaka is a mature career woman. But when it comes to love, she can be slow to get involved because of her experience. But then she meets Sakamoto, and her cute side gradually comes out, which I think is charming.
--Which character do you particularly sympathize with?
Yamazaki: For me, it's Ayaka, because we're close in age. The other day, Nagi (Saito) invited me to karaoke, and since I've become an adult, I haven't had many opportunities to be invited to karaoke... so I was really happy! I thought there might be some similarities between the feelings Ayaka has for Sakamoto (who is younger).
Saito: If anything, I think I'm the same type of person who falls in love at first sight as Kyo-chan, so I can sympathize with Kyo-chan. I think we're also similar in that we're both reckless (laughs).
Kumada: I think I'm similar to the character I play, Aoi. We're both clumsy and not able to take a break...
--Even when watching from the sidelines, is Kumada-san serious?
Saito: Even just having spent a little time with you, I can tell that you're very serious. You put your all into your work.
◇Because the story develops so quickly, a lot of things come up in the middle part.
--What are your impressions of the male cast?
Kumada: They all get along well!
Yamazaki: As the leader, Kikuchi keeps a close eye on everyone around him and gets everyone talking.
Kumada: I get the impression that there are a lot of funny characters, with Kikuchi at the top of the list (laughs).
--By the way, who plays the straight man?
Kumada: That too is Kikuchi... (laughs).
Saito: And Hirona is the straight man, isn't she? (laughs).
--Please tell us about a scene that made your heart flutter.
Saito: I think Aoi-chan and Kurosawa-san's secret relationship is great. Kurosawa-san has expressions that he only shows to Aoi, which is so cute! It made my heart flutter when I saw it.
Kumada: First of all, the height difference between the Kyo-chan pair is cute (laughs)! Kyo-chan is very straightforward and pure... and it was also cute to see Nagi-chan following along with Yoshihisa-san's ad-libs (during filming)!
Yamazaki: We don't film at the same time, so I haven't been able to see many scenes with the other pairs, but in our scenes, I think it's really nice when Sakamoto-kun responds with a smile. Every time I call his name, he smiles happily and says "Yes!" (laughs).
--What are some highlights to look forward to as we get closer to the middle of the series?
Yamazaki: We'll see an unexpected side of Sakamoto-kun, and Ayaka-san's feelings will start to waver as she interacts with Sakamoto-kun, so I hope you'll look forward to it.
Saito: Oshima can be a bit naive, so there are times when they miss each other. I hope you'll pay attention to that frustration.
Kumada: One of the features of this work is how the romance develops at an incredibly fast pace, but because it develops so quickly, a lot of things come up in the middle part (laughs). I felt this when I read the original work, but the problems that arise from a romance that is progressing smoothly are all the more real. I'd be happy if you could support Aoi and Kurosawa.
