It has been revealed that actor Kawaguchi Haruna will star in the drama series "Ensemble," which will be broadcast on Nippon Television's "Dodra 10" slot (Saturdays at 10 p.m.) from January 2025, and that Matsumura Hokuto of the popular group "SixTONES" will also appear. Kawaguchi plays Koyama Sena, a realistic lawyer who deals with many love troubles, and Matsumura plays Madohara Yu, an idealistic rookie lawyer. We asked Kawaguchi and Matsumura about their requests to each other, their enthusiasm for the film, and what to look forward to. (Part 2 of 2)
◇Kawaguchi Haruna "I've become shy as an adult"
--Anything you've done to prepare for the start of filming?
Kawaguchi: All kinds of cold weather gear and health management... I think it's a human drama, so I hope to start filming and communicate with the actors and staff while I make it.
Matsumura: My original personality is rather timid and I tend to worry, but my character is completely different. On the contrary, my character is like a sunshine that overflows from within me and gives it to those around me. Normally, I'm more of a receiver of that kind of thing, so I try to live my daily life with a mindset similar to my character's, so that I don't worry as much as possible.
--You'll be spending a lot of time together on the drama series, is there anything you'd like to ask of each other?
Kawaguchi: I want to get along.
Matsumura: Ah, that would be good. It would be better for everyone to communicate with each other.
Kawaguchi: I'm quite shy...
Matsumura: What!?
Kawaguchi: I've become shy as an adult. Surprisingly, I'm the type who's like, "Is it okay? Can you talk to me now?", so I thought it would be good if we could have discussions together as a team without being shy or being weird.
Matsumura: I try to cherish the bright side of myself, so I hope you won't say things that might make me go back to my true self, like "You're actually gloomy, aren't you?" I also hope you won't say "You're quite anxious, aren't you?" I hope you'll affirm me by saying "You're like the sun."
--Do you think you have anything in common?
Matsumura: It didn't seem like you were interviewed together earlier.
Kawaguchi: Do you remember Mr. XX? Maybe we could talk about teachers at school.
Matsumura: I'll check the yearbook.
--What are you looking forward to most about filming?
Kawaguchi: Every time we go out together, we try out a few things ourselves, or we go to the scene and listen to what people say, which I think happens in real life (as lawyers), but I'm looking forward to seeing the good differences between the two of us, the way we interact, the tempo, and the comical parts.
Matsumura: I'm looking forward to the karaoke scene in episode 3. We go with everyone from the office... I think it'll be a really fun scene.
--Does it feel strange to act with seniors and juniors from school? Is it easy to do?
Kawaguchi: I thought it was my first time, so I'm not too sure... I don't remember, so from here on out, it's really the first time. That said, I was in the performing arts department, so acting together is quite common. I'm looking forward to seeing Matsumura's true face, how she will act, and what kind of relationship we will develop.
Matsumura: When I transferred to the same school, she had already appeared in many productions, and I was like, "Oh, it's Kawaguchi Haruna!", so it doesn't feel strange. It feels like a little foreshadowing from my own life is being resolved.
◇I want to make a drama that makes people feel warm, refreshed, and laugh.
--Kawaguchi will be 30 years old during the drama's broadcast, just like her character. Do you feel that you have changed in your approach to work or in your own life as you get older?
Kawaguchi: I guess I'd say I've become more scared, or more cautious. When I was a student or in my early 20s, I was able to do things with momentum, but now I approach things with careful consideration.
--You will be 30 next year, Matsumura-san. Are you thinking of keeping your age a secret (like fellow member Takachi Yugo)?
Matsumura-san: Takachi has said that he doesn't want to be tied down by his age, so I'm thinking of asking him to make it public on his birthday next year (laughs), but I don't intend to hide it. But, for example, if I get an offer to play a college student, I start to feel that my age of 30 might get in the way of the project. Being in my mid-20s was fine, but what about 29? I wonder if 30 would be a hindrance... Also, when I was a kid, I started calling people "uncle" around the age of 30, and I think it's a hassle.
--Please tell us about the new sides of each of you that we can see in this work.
Kawaguchi: It's a new side of him, but I think he's a character with a strong sense of justice, like he has to switch on and do things properly at work, but that doesn't mean he's perfect in his love life, with his family, or in his private life. It's not like he's perfect and blessed in everything. He's so cool at work, but he's like this at home, and he has this kind of past, so I want the gap to make him seem more cute and attractive, so I'm careful about the balance there.
Matsumura: I haven't played many characters like Taiyo in the roles I've played up until now, and I don't have many moments like that myself, so it feels like it's not the version of myself I know, so I think the character will be new overall.
--Please give a message to those who are looking forward to the broadcast.
Kawaguchi: There are a lot of characters who are struggling with all kinds of troubles, and I think it's a drama in which they face these troubles and solve them, and also face themselves and grow. There is also a bit of a love element to how his relationship with his buddy, Madohara (played by Matsumura), who has a completely different charm... I want to make a drama that people can watch without thinking too much, feel warm and fuzzy, feel refreshed, and laugh at, so I'll do my best even though filming has yet to begin.
Matsumura: The story unfolds properly over several episodes, and the theme changes little by little, so it's a drama that you can enjoy in each episode, and for those who watch it as a lawyer, I think it's the charm of this drama that it will bring a type of defense and courtroom scene that they've never seen before. Scenes of preparation for court are hard to see in other lawyer shows, and I think that's appropriate for a time like 10pm on Saturdays when there are people from all walks of life, so if you start watching it without any preconceptions and with a relaxed attitude, I think you'll be able to enjoy the charm of the work.
*The character "taka" in Takachi Yugo's name is "hashigo"
