It has been revealed that model and actor Yagi Rikako will graduate from her role as MC of Nippon Television's travel program "ANOTHER SKY" (Saturday 11pm) and hand over the baton to Yamamoto Maika. Yamamoto will appear on the show from the October 5th broadcast and visit her hometown of Yonago, Tottori.
The show is based on the concept of "There is an unforgettable sky," and is a documentary that closely follows guests as they visit places associated with them and delves into their roots and outlook on life. It started in 2008 and has been broadcast for many years, changing the program name and broadcast time. It ended in September 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but was revived in October 2022.
The show has a two-person MC system, with comedian Imada Koji serving as the host since the show began, and Miyao Shuntaro, Takimoto Miori, Hirose Alice, Nakajo Ayami, and others have served as the other MC.
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--You have been selected as the MC for "Another Sky." How did you feel when you found out?
Yamamoto: Of course I was happy! But I've always been on the side of watching "Another Sky," so I was really thinking, "I'm going to be sitting there! What will it be like? Will it be okay?" and "Why me?" I had the impression that it was mostly newcomers and people who had just debuted, so I wondered if it would be okay for me.
Imada: It's okay! It's okay, it's okay!
Yamamoto: I'll try my best to fit in even more!
Imada: I've already fit in, though!
Imada & Yamamoto: (laughs)
Imada: That's quick! I wonder what it'll be like if I fit in even more (laughs)
Yamamoto: I want to get to know everyone even better!
--You just finished the first recording a while ago. How do you feel now that it's over? Imada: First of all, Maika has become the new MC, and when someone changes, the atmosphere changes a bit.
Yamamoto: Has it changed?
Imada: Yes, it does change a little. The base of "Another Sky" remains the same, but it depends on the person. There are also things that each person wants to ask the guests out of their own interest that aren't in the script.
Yamamoto: Yes, there are! But I wasn't sure how far I could get into it, so today I was waiting to see how it went (laughs)
Imada & Yamamoto: (laughs)
Imada: Don't wait to see how it goes! (laughs) Go all out! Everything!
Yamamoto: I was waiting to see how much Imada would ask the guests, and to see where I should go.
Imada: Yes, this show is a variety show, but it's a little different from other variety shows. Not only in what I ask the guests and the content, but also how far I should ask them.
Yamamoto: So I think I'll wait and see for another six months or so (laughs)
Imada: That's fine, one or two times will be fine! (laughs) But I think the people watching the show will also want to know what Maika herself wants to ask the guests. What kind of things is Maika interested in? I think the highlight of the MC's job is seeing what interests her in the guests' stories, the lives she sees in the video, and what interests her in those things.
--What does "Another Sky" mean to you, Yamamoto?
Yamamoto: I'm from Tottori Prefecture, and I recently went there to film "Another Sky," which was a great experience. We did a location shoot that took us to places that hold memories for me, and when I went back to those places, I remembered all the feelings and events I had at the time, and it made me feel really nostalgic, like, "This is how I felt."
--Once again, please tell us about your enthusiasm for being the MC of the show and give a message to the viewers who are looking forward to the broadcast.
Yamamoto: I also went on location and thought about it, but I want to create an environment where the guest can talk easily by watching the location video in the studio, where I go back to the location and talk about what I really think and how I felt at the time. I'm sure the guests are nervous, so I hope I can be in a position to bring that out.
Imada: I think they're nervous about appearing on the show, but I think they're also nervous about watching the video where they talk about various things. It's probably nerve-wracking to see what it's like and how they look on screen.
Yamamoto: I hope I can be able to support them in that way.
