Kanna Hashimoto plays Asadora known as "Chanmika," who runs the second-hand clothing store "Omusubi," and is a friend of Yui (Hashimoto)'s older sister Ayumi (Riisa Naka) since their middle school days in the NHK morning drama "Omusubi" (General TV, Monday to Saturday 8:00 a.m. and others), starring actress Kanna Hashimoto. She talked about how she prepared for the role of a gal and memorable scenes.
◇ When offered the role of a gal, she replied, "Why?"
Looking back on when she was chosen to appear in "Omusubi," Matsui commented, "When I first found out the role I'd be playing was a gal, I thought, 'Why!' (laughs). I had an image of gals as lively, cheerful and glamorous people who were different from me. But when I read the script and learned about the subtle emotions of the girls, I started to get excited, thinking, 'It's not that I can't do it, but maybe I can do it too.'"
This is Matsui's second time appearing in a Asadora produced by NHK Osaka Broadcasting Station, following "Manpuku" in the latter half of 2018. Regarding the atmosphere on set, she said, "I always get the impression that it's a bright and lively set."
"This time in particular, the hair and makeup artists and costume department really got me excited from the time I was getting ready, and when I put on my costume they praised me, saying, 'You look so cute!' I'm really looking forward to it every time, wondering, 'What costume will I wear today?' and 'What kind of hair and makeup will I have on set?' It feels like the costumes and makeup are giving me a big push, saying, 'Don't worry, go ahead!'"
Regarding her role as a gal, she said, "I've been watching Riisa (who plays Ayumu) for a long time. I think her demeanor and mindset are the epitome of a gal. Also, I think Mirichamu (who plays Lurie) has really been a gal since birth. In the part that is currently being aired, I was surrounded by two gals, so naturally I was able to pick up on their energy and act."
Speaking about the character she plays, Chanmika, she recalled, "When I meet Yui-chan at the Yoneda house, there's a line where she says, 'It's okay to speak to you casually,' and I thought that the great thing about a gal's mind is that she is able to face people as they are, regardless of their age or what they do."
"From that point on, I began to think of Chanmika as someone who can get along with and communicate with everyone equally. She's pretty accepting of everything and has a very broad mind. I think that this openness is reflected in the store Girlies."
◇What was the most memorable scene from Week 16?
In the 16th week, which began airing on January 20th, a thief breaks into Girlies and steals about 1 million yen worth of vintage denim and money from the safe. Chanmika and Ayumu get into an argument when Ayumu suspects Chanmika's boyfriend.
Matsui revealed, "When it came to scenes with Ayumu and ChanMika, I felt like I had absolute faith in Riisa. I was prepared to be able to return or catch any kind of acting that was thrown at me."
"Actually, the only time Ayu speaks Kobe dialect is when she is talking to someone from Kobe, like Chanmika or Nabebe (Watanabe Takao/Ogata Naoto). If there is even one person from another region, Ayu speaks standard Japanese. In the scenes where Ayu and Chanmika clash, I think the emotions that came out were because they were speaking the words that they had been using for a long time, the words that were in their hearts. I felt that I became much closer to Ayu when I was speaking in Kansai dialect."
Regarding other memorable scenes from the 16th week, she recalled, "Aki-Pi was played by Watanabe Naomi. The actual filming time was short, but there was a special atmosphere of the three of them having been close friends for a long time. We also took Purikura photos while showing off the ganguro style that we had back when we were enjoying our gal days, which was very memorable and a lot of fun."
When asked what to look forward to, she said, "In weeks 16 and 17, a lot of things happen to ChanMika, but it feels like everyone is grieving and regretting together and coming together to overcome the challenges. I hope everyone will support her."
Finally, she sent a message to the viewers, saying, "When you categorize someone as a 'gal,' you might feel that it's different from you, but I think that a gal mind is actually something that everyone has. I think that people with a gal mind are people who can cherish every moment to the fullest. Enjoying things to your heart's content, saying that you love the things you love, and when you're sad, grieving with everyone else - I realized that this kind of attitude is important while acting."
