Misato Morita plays Hibino Hikari in NHK's evening drama "Someday, in Zero Gravity Sky" (General TV, Monday to Thursday, 10:45 PM). The drama is a second coming-of-age story about women in their 30s who aim for space with a "micro satellite." Hikari is a bright, positive, "sun-like" person who pursues what she loves, and has the power to forge her own path without being swayed by the atmosphere around her or the common sense of the world. Morita spoke about her role.
◇Hikari's strength is being able to honestly say "I love" the things she loves
The drama features four girls from the astronomy club who, in high school, shared their dream of "going to space together." As they grow up and go their separate ways, they suddenly reunite with their forgotten dreams. "If we had a micro-satellite, maybe even we could aim for space today..." Encouraged by their "older selves," they begin their second youth...
During high school, Hikari started the astronomy club with Asuka (Kiryu Aso) and single-mindedly pursued her dream of becoming an astronaut. Although she is sometimes called an eccentric person, Morita feels that Hikari "is someone who has always maintained strength and a determination to never give up."
"Hikari has been dreaming of space since she was in high school, studied aeronautics and astronautics at university, and got a job at JAXA, but I don't think she could have achieved this with just ordinary effort. I once read astronaut Ayu Yoneda's motto, 'Make an effort to make the path you've walked the right path,' and I realized that only people who can maintain that kind of mindset can become astronauts. After all, space, far from Earth, is like the border between life and death. I think Hikari is someone who can break through all the lines that many people unconsciously set for themselves, thinking, 'Isn't this just normal?'"
Morita also said, "I think Hikari's strength is that she can honestly say that she "likes" the things she likes.
"When people fall in love with something or become passionate about it, I think the thought 'this might suit me' crosses their mind to some extent. But for Hikari, space is all she has. She loves space so much that she can't see any other options, regardless of whether it's even possible to achieve it. That's how prominent space is in Hikari's mind. It's as if she wasn't alive without the dream of space."
◇I think strength and kindness are equal.
On the other hand, how did they express the complex inner thoughts of Hikari, who dreams of space but becomes ill?
"If I had to give up my lifelong dream because of illness, I think I would hit a wall and become depressed. Hikari is someone who has the power to break through those walls, so I tried to make sure that she continued to maintain that core."
Maya says that the reason for Hikari's strength is "not only her original personality, but also the emotions that have arisen because of her illness."
"When I was preparing for the role of Hikari, I thought of the wonderful people I have met in the real world. I am attracted to people who have overcome difficulties. These people understand other people's feelings and have a dignified strength precisely because they have known pain and endured sorrow. I believe that strength and kindness are equal. Hikari is someone who possesses both. Without thinking about the technical details, I wanted to live as Hikari and convey the emotions that peek through her strength and kindness."
◇I felt like I was being told, "You have to do it now."
Hikari, who gave up her dream of becoming an astronaut, appears before Asuka for the first time in 13 years, wanting to meet her old friend. The drama also stars Katayama Yuki as Shu Mizuhara, a friend of Asuka and Hikari's in the astronomy club, and Ito Marika as Haruko Kiuchi.
"Filming the scenes with the four of us was fun, and we really could see ourselves in our characters. I get along so well with Kiryu Aso, Katayama Yuki, and Ito Marika that I almost feel like we've been friends for a long time. It's rare to find something so miraculously work together."
Morita also revealed that "because she loves her three fellow astronomy club members so much, Hikari doesn't want to make them worry or sad, so a certain action she takes becomes the key to the story." Finally, he spoke about the appeal of this work.
"When you become an adult, various practical problems arise, and it becomes difficult to pursue only the things you love. But even so, Hikari, Asuka, Amane, and Haruko continue to pursue their dream of an artificial satellite. It's never too late to start something. If you want to, you can pursue your dreams with the same purity, regardless of age. That's the kind of feeling that this work gives you."
While playing Hikari, she felt as if she was being told, "If there's something you want to do, you have to do it now."
"There are things that you can't achieve with just your own efforts, but if we all pool our strength together we can make them happen, and if we look hard enough we're sure we'll find a place for everyone. I would be happy if this drama can be a hint to viewers, making them realize, 'Oh, maybe I've always wanted to try this,' or 'I'm sure I liked this, right?' It doesn't have to be something big; I hope it will increase the number of 'small options for feelings.'"
