Ryusei Yokohama is currently appearing in the historical drama "UNBOUND (Berabou)" (NHK General, Sunday 8pm and other times), starring Haruka Fukuhara. Since her appearance as Daresode in the 17th episode, "Sakura in the Wild Blooming Passage" (broadcast on May 4th), she has captivated viewers with her portrayal of the shrewdness and toughness of a prostitute living in the hellish world of Yoshiwara, and her passionate love for Tanuma Okitomo(Hio Miyazawa). Fukuhara, who is showing off a new side of herself through this role, looked back on the filming so far.
◇ Her first period drama, taiga drama, and role as a courtesan: "I was very nervous and anxious"
Fukuhara has been cast in many film productions, including starring in the morning drama "Maiagare!" in the second half of 2022, but this was her first time appearing in a period drama.
It was a historical drama, and she was playing the role of a courtesan. She had always tried to make her movements look "soft and supple," but she honestly thought it was "very difficult."
"When I actually watched the footage of the movements I had in mind, I realized that they weren't very smooth, so I struggled with that. So I got lots of advice from a movement instructor, and practiced right up until the very last minute during the recording, and I took on the challenge."
Fukuhara has played a wide range of roles, but this time she revealed that she was "very nervous and anxious about whether I could play the role of a courtesan."
We went through a lot of trial and error to create the "sexy" look of a courtesan.
"My etiquette teacher taught me that just tilting my head a little or pushing my chest forward can make me look completely different and more sexy. I thought it would be great if I could bring out sexiness in those ways (body movements). I also thought that the tempo of my lines, the amount of pauses, and speaking a little more slowly could bring out a sense of mystery. It was a process of trial and error, but after watching the broadcast, I really got a sense of how much difference can be made with just the smallest of body movements, just as my teacher taught me."
He took on the role of Daresode with great enthusiasm and was able to show a new side of himself as a result, and he said, "I was really happy to be given such a wonderful role."
"I have been recording the drama with the feeling that it will be a memory that will last a lifetime. I have always wanted to try a period drama, and this was my first time, so there were so many things I didn't understand. I received a lot of guidance and learned a lot during the recordings, so I have to study even more from now on, and I hope to improve my skills so that I can play a role like this again."
◇Ichi's death was "too shocking" and he has "never been able to accept it"
Meanwhile, in the play, Daresode is painfully exhausted after suddenly losing his beloved Ichi. He tries to follow Ichi but is unable to die, and even considers cursing Masayoshi and his family, who are no longer with him, so that he too may be cursed to death.
At the end of the 29th episode, "Edo Nama Tsutaya Revenge" (broadcast on August 3rd), Fukuhara said that she was "so shocked" by Ichi's death that she was unable to accept it "for a long time," until Daresode regained his smile after seeing the yellow-covered book "Edo Nama Tsutaya Kabayaki," which became Tsutaju's (Yokohama) "revenge."
"At the very end of the 29th round, Tsutaju helped me like that, and finally, little by little, I began to see the light and thought maybe it was okay to move forward a little, but up until then I had been really withdrawn into my shell and unable to accept it."
Regarding the scene in which he curses Masayoshi and others, which became a hot topic among viewers, he confessed, "It was really painful."
"I couldn't bear this situation, and I wanted to be by Ichi's side, so I cursed him with a straw doll, so it was really painful, and I was really frustrated that I couldn't go to Ichi's side, that I couldn't take my own life, so I was really devastated."
If Ichi was the person he cared so much about, what kind of person was Tsutae to Daresode?
"Ever since they were little, Tsutaju has been like an older brother to Daresode, like a family member, always there to help them, so I think that's why Daresode was able to smile like that at the end of episode 29. Tsutaju is like someone who knows everything about them. I think that's why his heart softened a little."
