It has been revealed that actor Chiaki Kuriyama will star in the drama series "If She Calls It Love" (Yomiuri TV/Nippon TV), which will start at 11:59 pm on April 3rd. She will co-star with Kentaro Ito, Kento Senga, and Tomomi Maruyama, and the drama will depict multiple love stories.
The main character, Ima, played by Kuriyama, is an illustrator for novels. She is not cheating or having an affair, but is living a sincere and consensual relationship with multiple lovers. She is also raising a high school-aged daughter as a single mother.
Ito plays Hisame, a serious graduate student who is shy when it comes to love. Senga plays Ao, a beauty product manufacturer's salesman and Ima's second lover. Maruyama plays Itaru, an Italian bar manager and Ima's first lover.
"This is normal because we're a married couple," "Because we're lovers," "Because we're parent and child," "Because we're wives," "Because we're mothers"...This is a spicy and sweet human love story that shakes up such rigid notions of "normalcy."
◇Comment from Chiaki Kuriyama
This work taught me about polyamory, a form of love that is different from cheating or adultery. A polyamorous love story that hasn't been depicted much in TV dramas until now. I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of daily life she leads and what problems she faces... I'm looking forward to seeing what I'll find out by playing the main character, Ima. The characters surrounding Ima are also very fascinating, so please look forward to it.
◇Comment from Kentaro Ito
When I was approached about this drama, I started by trying to understand what "multiple love" is, which is the theme of this drama. To be honest, I still don't fully understand it. However, I hope to deepen my understanding along with Hisame's feelings as I play him. I also want to make this drama in a way that will give polyamorous people the opportunity to feel more proud about their relationships.
◇Comment from Kento Senga
The main character, Ima, has two lovers, and a new student named Hisame, who has yet to fully understand this worldview, also becomes his lover. The five of them live together with Ima's daughter, Chinatsu, in this story of people with unusual views on love. I will be playing one of Ima's lovers, Ao. He has a bright personality and has a similar view on love to his lover, Ima. He is also a beauty-conscious guy, so this is the perfect role for me. I may also play Chigan (face wash).
One thing I can say is that you may think you can't relate to this view of love, but please watch this drama. You'll probably think, "Hey, I can relate to it in some way." And then you'll realize, "Hey, maybe I'm hooked on this drama." Please watch it.
◇Comment from Tomoki Maruyama
I am very excited to be able to take part in a production with a sensitive and aggressive theme, polyamory. I had a hard time understanding what it felt like to have multiple relationships, but when I thought about my feelings for my children, it all made sense. This is a production that shows many different forms of love. I would like to perform this role carefully, boldly, and with enjoyment so that you can empathize with it, even if only a little. I hope you will enjoy it with an open mind!
