Actors Mio Kudo and Ichika Osaki are co-starring in the drama series "Call Me by No Name," which is currently airing on MBS's Drama Phil slot (Thursdays at 1:29 a.m.). The two, who have experience playing "Sentai Pink" in the Super Sentai series, have taken on the challenge of adapting popular mystery writer Yuki Shasendo's "Girls' Love Mystery" into a live-action version. This is the first time they have both starred in a drama, and their second time acting together since V-Cinema Next's "Mashin Sentai Kiramager VS Ryusoulger" (2021). We asked the two about their interpretation of the work, their memories of their time in the Sentai team, and what they are conscious of as actors of the same generation.
◇ "It was reassuring to co-star with Maka-chan"
The drama is about a university student, Ai (Megumi, Kudo), who wants to befriend a beautiful woman, Kotonoha (Osaki), who was abandoned in a garbage dump, but Kotonoha proposes a strange bet: if she can guess her real name, they will become "friends", but until she can guess her name, they will remain "lovers". Unable to back out, Ai accepts the bet and their relationship deepens awkwardly as "lovers", but the past hidden in Kotonoha's name bares its fangs... This is the story.
--This is the first time for both of you to star in a drama. How did you feel when you found out?
Osaki-san: I was honestly happy to be entrusted with the lead role in a drama series for the first time. At the same time, it gave me the opportunity to think about what I could do as the center of attention, and I approached the filming with that in mind. Since I was entrusted with the role, I wanted to give my best performance.
Kudo-san: I was happy to be able to achieve one of my goals, which was to play the lead role, but since it was my first time, I was also nervous and wondered, "Will it be okay?" Of course, I always think about these things, but as the lead, I thought more than usual about how I could improve the set and whether I could create a good piece of work. I was nervous and anxious, but I felt at ease because I was working with Maka-chan, who I know from previous co-starring experiences, and it was reassuring to co-star with Maka-chan.
--Please tell us what you kept in mind when preparing for the role.
Osaki: It's about having room to breathe. Kotonoha doesn't want people to get close to her, so she pushes love away, but she does things that she can't do without room to breathe, so I was conscious of having room to breathe for myself while I was creating the character.
Kudo: Before filming began, I was told that "I want Ai to be a savior for both the viewers and Kotonoha." In order to properly express Ai's growing strength after meeting Kotonoha, I thought that I had to face myself as well, so I acted while facing myself during filming.
-In what ways do you think your role is similar to yourself?
Osaki: I'm not shy, but I'm the same way with Kotonoha, who never lets others touch the parts of herself that she doesn't want them to touch. I think we're similar in that we have our own "lines that we absolutely don't want others to cross."
Kudo: Ai is very "straightforward" towards her beloved Kotonoha, but I can also be straightforward towards the things I like, so I think we are similar in that respect.
--On the other hand, is there anything that you feel is far from you?
Osaki-san: I'm not very good at getting close to people. I'm fine with people coming up to me, but I'm not good at going out on my own (laughs). Kotonoha is the kind of girl who can close the distance and even touch people's bodies, so I thought that was totally different.
Kudo: She's different from me in that she has the strength to face people face to face. I can respect that part of Ai, and she's the kind of girl that makes me want to be that kind of person. It was refreshing and fun to be able to do that through acting.
◇ I hope that as people of the same generation, we can help each other develop our strengths.
--This is your second time working together, and you'll be playing the role of a lover.
Osaki-san: The first time I met him was when we were in Sentai, but we only filmed a little bit at the time, so we didn't get to talk much. This time, it was our first time acting together in a while, but I was able to approach it with a flat feeling.
Kudo: I was a little nervous (laughs). But I thought Maka would be fine, so I gave it a try.
-You first co-starred in V-Cinema Next's "Mashin Sentai Kiramager VS Ryusoulger" (2021). What are your memories of that time?
Osaki: We didn't have many scenes together, but I remember that Miou was dressed as a delinquent girl (laughs).
Kudo: I remember that Maka-chan had a cool gaze, or rather, a cool expression.
Ozaki: Embarrassing (laughs)!
-- Kudo-san is 25 and Osaki-san is 24, so there is a one year age difference between them. Is there anything you are conscious of as actors of the same generation?
Osaki: Rather than having a passionate relationship, I personally think it would be great if we could compete with each other and bring out each other's strengths.
Kudo-san: As someone of the same generation, I really respect her. I'm glad that I was able to work with her this time and experience the beauty of her acting up close.
--What did you feel through the filming?
Osaki-san: I wondered if we got along well. We probably have completely opposite personalities, but we do have some similarities, so we were a good match. She accepted the acting plans I came up with, and pulled me up when I was worried. There were days when I didn't know how to switch gears when we were shooting every day, but when I saw Miou-chan's acting and her solid performance as Ai, I had a moment where I could return to Kotonoha. It was fun working together.
Kudo-san: I felt like we were able to communicate naturally through the performance, even though we didn't really talk much. I got a lot of help from her in the performance, and I felt like she led me, so just like Kotonoha, I was "swamped" by Maka-chan's charm (laughs).
--The thrilling scenes are also a highlight of the drama. Please tell us if there was a scene that made your heart flutter in particular.
Kudo: The scene where she suddenly grabbed me by the chin really startled me. There were a lot of scenes where I felt excited about Kotonoha, and I felt like I was being toyed with (laughs).
Osaki-san: I was the one who made the audience's hearts race, so I was worried several times during filming, wondering if my love was being conveyed to the viewers. I was confident in front of the camera, but I was more conscious of whether it was okay after it was over.
Kudo-san: It's okay! I was so excited.
The drama "Call Me by No Name" is currently being broadcast on MBS at 1:29 a.m. Thursdays. There are eight episodes, each 30 minutes long. It is also broadcast on TV Kanagawa and TV Saitama (at different times than MBS), and can be streamed on TVer and other platforms. (Interview, text, and photography: Endo Masaki)
