Actor Sakai Masato appeared at a press conference in Tokyo on May 22nd to announce the production of his starring movie "Hiraba no Tsuki" (directed by Doi Yudai, scheduled for release on November 14th). In the film, actor Igawa Haruka plays Sudo Yoko, a girl whom Sakai plays as the main character Aoto Kensho had a crush on in middle school, and this will be the first time the two have worked together since the TV series "Hanzawa Naoki" (TBS) which aired in 2020. In this film, the two will co-star as lovers, and Sakai commented, "Back then (Hanzawa Naoki) I was always planning my strategy," to which Igawa replied, "This time I'm not planning my strategy," drawing laughter.
The film is based on the novel of the same name by Asakura Kasumi, which won the 32nd Shugoro Yamamoto Prize, and tells the story of a boy and girl who were first loves in middle school, who meet again and fall in love... This is Sakai's first lead role in a film in about eight years, since "DESTINY: Kamakura Monogatari" released in 2017, and his first time starring in a love story set in the present day.
At the event, new cast members were announced, including Yuri Nakamura, Denden, and Michiko Kichise. Newcomers Aito Sakamoto and Kasumi Isshiki, who were selected through auditions, will play the junior high school versions of Takemasa Aoto and Yoko Sudo.
"Tairaba no Tsuki" is a love story between two middle school classmates who meet again for the first time in 35 years. Both now single and with a variety of life experiences, the two hit it off, filling in the gaps between them over the 35 years they've been apart since they were middle school students, and opening up to each other.
