The new season of TV Asahi's popular drama "AIBOU", "AIBOU season 23" (Wednesdays 9pm) will start on October 16th. At the same time, the duo of Sugishita Ukyo, played by Mizutani Yutaka, and Kameyama Kaoru, played by Terawaki Yasufumi, will enter their 10th season together. When we spoke to the "golden duo", we could see their "unspoken understanding" on the set.
◇Filming in front of the Metropolitan Police Department
--Kaoru once left the Special Investigation Unit, but she returned in "season 21", and the duo will enter their 10th season together.
Terakawaki: That's something to be happy about.
Mizutani: I think we've come a long way. But adults often say that a year goes by quickly, and it really did "go by in the blink of an eye".
--It seems that the number of episodes up to the previous season has exceeded 400.
Mizutani: I see...! If there was a guest every time, that would have been more than 400 guests alone. It feels strange. But I can say for sure that we've come this far because we have such a great team, including the staff.
--I think it's rare for a detective drama to run this long.
Mizutani: Thanks to that, people sometimes say to me, "I became a police officer because I watched Aibou."
Terakawaki: When we shoot in front of the Metropolitan Police Department, all the police officers look at us with smiles on their faces. It made me really happy.
◇Ukyo was a straight-laced character at first, but...
--Compared to the early days, Ukyo, who used to seem straight-laced, seems to have changed. What do you think about the change in Ukyo?
Mizutani: That's natural (as a person), isn't it? But I never thought it would last this long. If it was a short series, he would have ended up being a straight-laced character (laughs)! But I didn't try to force myself to change anything when I acted.
Terakawaki: We never once discussed how we wanted the relationship (between Ukyo and Kaoru) to be. We just acted as we felt it on set.
--You don't get nervous on the set of "AIBOU" anymore, do you?
Mizutani: Depending on the scene, I get really nervous. I wonder if I'm still nervous even after doing all that!
Terawaki: Of course, all the scenes are important, but before a scene where we're going to make a decision today, we both wander around and get ourselves pumped. At those times, we don't talk to each other.
Mizutani: Even though you're usually so talkative, you give off a "don't talk to me" vibe (laughs). But that's good, too.
--You play so well together, just like Ukyo and Kaoru (laughs). Lastly, please tell us about the story of the first special episode. I read the script, and I felt it was a socially conscious piece of entertainment that reflected current events.
Mizutani: In "AIBOU," it often happens that (after the script is completed) similar events actually occur in society. I thought it was a strange phenomenon. This episode starts in the same way. I felt that this story was the origin of AIBOU! As in previous years, "AIBOU season 23" will be broadcast every Wednesday at 9pm for two seasons. The extended special premiere, "Police Officer A," which will air on the 16th, will feature guest appearance by Kato Seishirō once again in the role of Takada Hajime, who appeared in episode 19 of "AIBOU season 16," "Boy A" (broadcast in March 2018).
