The latest installment in the special effects drama series "Kamen Rider Zeztz" (TV Asahi, Sundays at 9:00 AM) will begin airing on September 7th. Ahead of the broadcast, we interviewed the three female cast members, Maho Horiguchi, Rina Onuki, and Miki Yagi. We asked them about their impressions of each other, their favorite characters, their desire to transform, and more.
◇I was surprised by Maho Horiguchi's mature look
"Kamen Rider Zeztz" is the seventh installment of the Reiwa Kamen Rider series. The protagonist, Kamen Rider Zeztz/Yorozu Baku Yorozu(played by Ryutaro Imai), is an agent who infiltrates people's dreams to carry out missions, protecting them from the monsters known as Nightmares that appear in their dreams. The script was written by Yuya Takahashi, who served as the main writer for "Kamen Rider Zero-One" and "Kamen Rider Geats."
Horiguchi plays the heroine of this work, Nemu, a popular national talent, Onuki plays Nasuka Nagumo, a rookie detective assigned to the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department's Public Security Bureau's Paranormal Affairs Division, and Yagi plays Moko's younger sister, Minami Yorozu.
--This is the first time the three of you have acted together, so was there any difference between your first impression and your first impression?
Horiguchi: Rina is a bright and energetic person. From the first time we met, she had a kind aura that made me feel like I could talk to her casually, and that impression hasn't changed. At first, I thought Miki might be nervous, but now I don't feel that way at all and she's someone I can rely on.
Yagi-san: When we first met, no one said anything (laughs).
Horiguchi: When we first met, Onuki-san was the most cheerful. She's cool when she plays Nasuka, but Rina-san is usually cheerful!
Onuki: I think there's a big difference between my real self and when I'm playing Nasuka (laughs). When I first saw Nemu-chan (Horiguchi-san), I was surprised and thought, "Is she really a first-year high school student?" (She's now in her second year). She looks mature, but when I saw her making funny faces backstage, I could see that she looked her real age, so there was a big gap.
--Indeed, Horiguchi-san looks more mature than her actual age (16). She seems calm.
Horiguchi: No, no...that's the way I try to make it look (laughs)!
Onuki: Once you get to know each other, the 16-year-old comes out.
◇ Kamen Rider Zeztz is good at escorting
-What was your impression of the lead actor, Imai?
Yagi-san: When we first met, he was really quiet (laughs). The next time I saw him in the makeup room, he gave off a completely different impression, and I was like, "Huh?! Who is that?" (laughs).
Onuki: Maybe she was nervous, but we didn't talk at all. I was thinking that I would approach her next time and start a conversation, but she seemed really cheerful (laughs). It seems like she did a lot of filming alone at first, so maybe she's been training hard?
Horiguchi: We didn't have a conversation when we first met, so I was a bit worried about whether we'd be able to become close, but on the first day of filming, he started talking to me in a friendly manner. My impression of him has changed to one of a brighter side, and he always gives me sweets, so I think he's a kind person.
-Yagi-san, who plays the younger sister, do you have close conversations with Imai-san?
Yagi: That's right. People around us have been giving us advice to "try to act like siblings," so we want to be more like siblings and we keep in touch on a regular basis. We send each other what we're having for dinner, and I think that's helped us become much closer.
--Please tell us your favorite characters.
Horiguchi: I like Nasuka. He's so cool that when he appears on screen, I can't help but lean forward and watch him. His interactions with Fujimi (played by Kenta Mishima) are also fun, so I definitely recommend watching it!
Onuki-san: Thank you! For me it's Kamen Rider Zeztz He's good at escorting! He's "mellow" (lol)!
Yagi-san: I'm always saying behind the scenes, "It's so romantic!" (laughs). My favourite is Nox (played by Yuki Furukawa). I love how the world changes completely when he appears. I also find it fascinating that you can't tell what he's thinking.
--In Reiwa Kamen Rider, there are many female characters who transform, but do you have any desire to transform?
Yagi-san: (immediate answer) Yes! I want to do it right now. (If I were to transform) I'd like to do it in a cool way.
Onuki: I transformed once in "Kamen Rider Geats" (a show I previously starred in), so if Nasuka transforms in this film and it's appealing, I'd like to try it. It all depends on how the story unfolds.
Horiguchi: I thought I would transform on my own from the time of the audition... (laughs). I was so determined to transform that I even practiced my voice at home, chanting "Transform!" So, if there's an opportunity, I'd love to do it!
