Anna Kurasawa, who is also getting a lot of attention for her role as Fujiwara no Kiyoko in the NHK Taiga drama "Dear Radiance (Hikaru Kimi e)" (General TV, Sundays at 8pm and others), will appear in the play "Less than 13.8 Billion Years," which will be performed at the Honda Theater in Tokyo from November 23rd and at the Sankei Hall Breeze in Osaka from December 12th. Kurasawa, who has been active in the NHK night drama "VR Uncle's First Love," which aired from April to May this year, the July drama series "Billion x School" (Fuji TV), and "To You Who Shines," we asked her about her enthusiasm for her first stage performance.
◇There's also a performance in Osaka, so I have to make sure I do my best.
"Less than 13.8 Billion Years" is a long, original youth ensemble drama that Fukuhara himself rewrote, based on "Obuchi and Nirazawa," which was written and directed by Mitsunori Fukuhara and performed in 2019 to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the founding of Nippon Broadcasting System, with the hopes and setbacks of young people and "hometown" as keywords. The lead role is played by Sakuma Ryuto, and Sakurai Hinako plays the heroine.
Kurasawa-san reveals, "It was my first time even in a rehearsal room."
"It felt like an audition to act in front of so many people, including the director Fukuhara-san, the sound team, and the production team, so I was quite nervous at first. Since it's a stage production, there are so many new things to learn, such as making the movements easy to understand, and although there are many difficult things every day, I'm having fun."
Through his role as a university student in Osaka, Kurasawa-san is also trying his hand at speaking the Osaka dialect.
"The language is quite a struggle, but it's something I'm working hard on. There is actually a performance in Osaka, so I'm tightening my belt and thinking I need to get it right."
There will also be a dance scene in this play.
"It's not the kind of dance that's popular these days, and it's more like a physical expression than dancing. I originally studied classical ballet, so that can be an advantage, but this time it's really important to break that foundation. It was my first attempt to break the beautiful dance I learned in classical ballet, and while it was a struggle, I also made new discoveries, and I'm working hard every day, struggling with the Osaka dialect (laughs)."
Kurasawa is 19 years old and a current university student. She says there are moments when she feels that the role overlaps with herself.
"It's not just fun, I'm at an age where I worry about my future, and I've always felt like becoming an adult is something I can relate to. So when I saw the characters struggling during rehearsals, I empathized with them and cried, and I thought maybe it was because I'm at that age."
◇Majoring in English literature at university; 2024 is a "year of encounters" as she continues to have success
Although she is worried about her future, Kurasawa reveals her true self, saying, "I'm surprisingly fearless, and sometimes I'm surprised at myself." She majored in English literature at university and is also learning Korean as a second foreign language, and dreams of appearing in an overseas production in the future.
"I originally became interested in English when my mother showed me High School Musical when I was in kindergarten. When I went to junior high school, a teacher discovered me and I started participating in speech contests. That's when I really started learning English and became really into it. So I'd like to one day appear in an overseas production where I can use my language skills, and I'd like to appear in a Korean production, not just an English-speaking one."
Kurasawa-san sees 2024, a year in which he has continued to be active since "VR Uncle's First Love," as "a year of encounters."
"Looking back, I think I've done a lot of things, but I feel like I haven't changed much compared to a year ago. I've just been working hard on the things in front of me, and there's no doubt that the number of people who are happy with me for what I've done has increased. I think this year I really felt that the things I've created with the people around me have reached someone. Plus, I've had the opportunity to meet so many people, so I feel like this year has been a year of encounters."
