Yuna Taira: Born in Hyogo Prefecture, delighted to appear in "Omusubi" produced by NHK Osaka

In the NHK morning drama "Omusubi" (General TV, Monday to Saturday, 8:00am and others), starring actress Hashimoto Kanna, Taira Yuna plays Yugami Kasumi, a classmate of Yui (Hashimoto) at Kobe Nutrition College. This is Taira's first time appearing in a morning drama, and she talked about her thoughts when she was chosen to appear and the role she will be playing. ◇ "I couldn't believe it and was skeptical" at the offer to appear in her first morning drama Looking back on when she was chosen to appear, Taira said, "There was a long period of time between when I first heard about it and when filming began, so until I got the schedule and script, I was skeptical and couldn't believe it, thinking, 'Am I really going to be in a morning drama?' and 'Will I become someone else by the time filming begins...' It was only after I received the draft that it finally hit home and I thought, 'Oh, I'm really going to be in it,'" she said with a laugh. At first, she was not told exactly what her role would be, other than that she would be "a classmate at vocational school with the main character," she said. "When I actually read the script, I got the impression that Kasumi is a young lady from Kobe. She speaks in a strong Kansai dialect, and once she makes up her mind, she doesn't change her mind. I'm from the same hometown as Kasumi, so I was delighted to be able to speak in Kansai dialect for the role, and in a morning drama! Morning dramas are produced in both Tokyo and Osaka, and I'm from Hyogo Prefecture, so I wanted to appear in a morning drama produced in Kansai. I was very happy to be involved in this for the first time." Kasumi, played by Taira, is the daughter of a practicing doctor and a true "lady." Taira said of her impression of the role, "Kasumi comes from a family of doctors, and is the youngest child, so she's been spoiled, but she has a clear idea of what she wants to do and her will. Even when her father opposes her, she argues back and is a girl who can properly tell people about her goals and dreams, so I think she's cool." "Once she makes up her mind, she takes action toward it, and I can empathize with her hidden strength. I don't think there were many parts that I found difficult to act. Kasumi looks really different, but I think she has a gal mind and is working hard. She's a girl who fights no matter how others see her, and I think that's what makes her good, and I think her strong will is her gal mind." ◇ "I may be more conscious of food" after appearing in "Omusubi" This film is themed around nutritionists and food. Taira revealed, "My impression of nutritionists and registered dietitians is that they calculate and manage all the meals that my grandmother and others gave me when she was hospitalized, manage the nutrition of people who play sports, and manage meals that suit each person's body shape and constitution." She continued, "I've always liked eating, and I was quite concerned about food and nutrition. After appearing in "Omusubi," I started to pay attention to things when I ate, like, 'This is protein,' or 'Is it a little too much sugar?' I also started to think about the recommended calorie intake for the day and think, 'Maybe this is a little too much...' and tell my parents, 'You shouldn't eat too much of this.' I think my awareness of food may have increased." She also reflected on her own changes in the film, saying, "Because the role is about aiming to become a registered dietitian, I asked my friends who were attending a registered dietitian school like Kasumi, 'What do you do at school?'" "Kasumi herself is clumsy and had never even held a knife during the cooking scene, so I wasn't able to directly use what my friend said in my acting (laughs). Still, there were times when I thought, 'Ah, that's what (my friend) said.'" Finally, she had a message for the viewers, saying, "The Nutrition College arc brings together again some powerful members with rich personalities. It's a different group to Fullmetal Alchemist, and they all have the same, individual gal mind. Like all the characters in 'Omusubi,' it makes you think that a 'strong will' is important in everything. I hope you can empathize with someone and enjoy the dialogue drama."