Reo Matsumoto plays calligraphy club senior Kazami Ryosuke in the NHK morning drama "Omusubi" (General TV, Monday to Saturday, 8:00 a.m. and others), starring actor Hashimoto Kanna. Kazami is an object of admiration for the main character Yui (Hashimoto), and is a character who aspires to be a calligrapher who will revolutionize the image of calligraphy. Matsumoto spoke about his almost-failed role-making, and the behind-the-scenes scene in episode 8 (broadcast on October 9th) where he writes on a banner.
◇Even the cheesy lines are "because I'm Kazami"
Matsumoto was born on April 27th, 2000, and is 24 years old and from Ehime Prefecture. This is his first time appearing in a morning drama. When asked how he felt when he was chosen to appear, he said, "Of course, I'm really grateful to be able to appear in any work, but I felt that I had a different attachment to morning dramas than other works."
"Especially in the days before smartphones, when I would wake up in the morning and watch the morning drama on TV before going to school, it was a part of my everyday life, so I was really happy when I was chosen to appear. But I didn't think too much about it being a morning drama, and I just concentrated on what was required of me during the filming up to this point."
About the character Kazami, whom she plays, she explained, "He's a senior in the calligraphy club whom Yui looks up to, and his calligraphy skills are among the best in the country. If I had to add to that, he's kind, relaxed, and cool."
"Kazami is a very relaxed and kind character, but he has a lot of cool lines. If I say it the wrong way, it can sound poetic, or like I'm a narcissist... (laughs). I studied how to say my lines in the right balance, and my facial expressions and voice at the time, so that it sounds like 'Kazami is saying it, so it's normal!' I thought about how to say the lines as naturally as possible, and even if the lines seem a little cheesy, I tried my best to make them seem innocent, and consulted with the producer so that people would think, 'That's only Kazami.''
In order to make Kazami's calligraphy skills convincing, he apparently practiced a lot.
"I play the role of the ace of the calligraphy club, but I haven't done calligraphy since I was in elementary school. I practiced for the first time in a while, but I couldn't write well and I almost gave up. This time, a calligraphy instructor accompanied me and came to Osaka for a day trip to practice. Even if I couldn't do it, I couldn't practice every day in Osaka, so I had to take it home and do it. I bought a calligraphy set and about 400 pieces of calligraphy paper. I asked the teacher about various things, took notes, took it home and practiced... I repeated this process. Since the role is set to be at the top level in the country, I worked hard on that."
◇Behind the scenes of the calligraphy scene for "Unity"
In episode 8, there was a scene where Kazami wrote "Unity" on a banner to support the baseball team. Matsumoto said, "It was the hardest part. I really think it's a valuable experience to have had the opportunity to do it. I think I did a good job because I was able to do something that I think even people who actually do calligraphy have never experienced before."
"When I first practiced writing 'Unity' on a banner, my legs started to shake towards the end, and I knew I had to practice. I can't actually write with a large brush at home, so I practiced the shape and footwork in the air many times at home."
On the day of the actual performance, she said, it was a "one-shot deal," and "it was very refreshing. I wasn't nervous, I just thought, 'I'll manage it!' But really, with that one, no matter how much I practiced, there were times when I could write well and times when I couldn't, so it's more accurate to say I couldn't stay nervous."
"There were a lot of people there on the day, but I couldn't see them, and all I could see was the white cloth. The banner that was completed on the day of the performance was the best I could write. I think the reason I was able to do that was because my teacher taught me a lot of things, and I was in good condition for the performance at the end."
Finally, she sent a message to the viewers, saying, "Live your life honestly and cherish the things you love. That's the motto of this work. I think that the 'gals' symbolize that, and the way the gals are true to themselves, their positive side, and the way they pursue what they 'love' gives viewers courage and a positive attitude in the morning, so I hope that they can feel that."
