Misato Morita gains 7kg for her role as a fighter in the film "Night Flower" and appears arm in arm with lead actress Keiko Kitagawa.

It has been announced that actor Misato Morita will be appearing in the film "Night Flower" (directed by Eiji Uchida, set to be released on November 28th), starring Keiko Kitagawa. Morita, who has made waves for her appearances in the NHK Asadora drama "The Tiger and Her Wings" and the Netflix film "City Hunter" (directed by Yuichi Sato), will play Tamae Yoshii, a martial artist with a deep sense of loneliness who develops a dangerous bond with the main character, Natsuki Nagashima (played by Kitagawa), as her bodyguard.

The film is the latest work by director Uchida, who also wrote, directed, and produced the 2020 film "Midnight Swan," which drew much attention for depicting the bond between a transgender protagonist and a young girl. It's a shocking human suspense story about a mother who, struggling to make ends meet by working part-time during the day and at a snack bar at night, eventually decides to become a drug dealer to make her two children's dreams come true. Kitagawa, who plays the lead role, is said to deliver a passionate performance unlike anything she's ever seen before, appearing almost makeup-free, rambling on in Kansai dialect, crying, and running at full speed through the neon-lit streets at night.

This time, stills have been released showing Morita's fighting scene, Kitagawa and Morita with their hair in blue inner color, laughing together with their arms around each other's shoulders, and facing each other with serious expressions. The meeting of these two people who were never meant to meet creates a sisterhood, leading the story to a thrilling development.

Morita commented, "Tamae is a role that is far removed from me than any I've ever played before. I was worried about whether I, who had never fought before, would be able to fully immerse myself in the world of martial arts and become imbued with fighting spirit." She said she underwent rigorous training for about six months, gaining 7kg.

Regarding the character of Tamae, he said, "After meeting Natsuki, her innate kindness, purity, and honesty gradually come to the surface, and I found the way she takes on color to be very charming."

◇Comment from Keiko Kitagawa

This is my first time working with Misato Morita, and I was really looking forward to meeting her. When I talk to Morita, she is usually easygoing, gentle, and very reassuring. I enjoyed spending time with her, and I thought she was a wonderful person. I'm sure Natsuki also found the same kind of comfort when she was with Tamae.

I was also impressed by the fact that Morita-san had undergone long-term training in martial arts and worked on his physique in preparation for playing Tamae. It must have been very tough for such a calm person to do martial arts. When he warmed up, he said, "I don't have to do it anymore," and that's what I remember.

I think I was able to get through the role of Natsuki because I was able to see Morita-san struggle with a role that was the complete opposite of herself, but throw herself into it. The moment Morita-san began acting and became Tamae, she emitted a strong gravitational pull that I couldn't take my eyes off of.

It was only because of Tamae that Natsuki was able to forge ahead with such determination, even if it was a deviant path. I couldn't have done it without Morita-san either. I'm glad we were able to work together.

◇Comment from Director Eiji Uchida

The first time I saw the name Misato Morita was at her audition for the role of Kuroki Kaoru in "Naked Director." I was blown away by the contrast between her crying at the back of the venue watching the other actors' performances and her own powerful acting, which was the complete opposite. I was convinced that she was the only one who could play Kuroki. A long time has passed since then, and I was finally blessed with the opportunity to work with her. She plays the role of a jaded female mixed martial artist, a challenge that she took on with no martial arts experience whatsoever. I was dizzy when I saw her "cat punch" at her first rehearsal. But with her indomitable spirit, she made the role her own. I also absolutely love the sense of sisterhood she shares with Keiko Kitagawa. I witnessed the spirit of an actress. Please see it on the big screen.