"The line between sex friends and lovers" Interview with Nakata Aoi, Nakamura Yuri and Mizuki Yamashita

Prime Video, the platform behind popular shows like "Bachelor Japan" and the "Love Transit" series, is now streaming a new variety show examining love called "The Line Between Friends with Benefits and Lovers." Entertainer YOU, comedian Kuruma from the comedy duo "Reiwa Roman," Saya from "Laland," and actor Yudai Chiba engage in candid discussions while watching three short films that realistically portray the emotional turmoil of "ambiguous relationships."

The three short films were directed by Imaizumi Rikiya, a master of romance. We spoke to the stars of each film, Nakata Aoi, Nakamura Yuri, and Mizuki Yamashita, about the highlights of the films.

--It's a pretty impactful title, how did you feel when you received the offer?

Nakata: When I first heard about the theme, I thought it might be a bit extreme, but it depicts things that could happen in everyday life, and I felt that it was something that people could relate to.

Nakamura: Personally, I love romantic reality shows, so when I read the comments from everyone in the studio, I could sense elements of romantic reality and it was a more interesting show than I had imagined.

Yamashita: When I saw the title, I was honestly a little worried about whether it would be okay (laughs). But Director Imaizumi's script was really interesting, and I could tell that it wasn't overly overwhelmed, and that it was a film that handled the subject matter very carefully, so I was looking forward to filming.

--I heard that the script is based on a variety of real-life experiences.

Yamashita: It wasn't realistic in the world I live in, but it allowed me to see a different world and realize that there must be people like this. I think that romantic worries vary depending on age, so it made me think about whether these worries will come up when I'm a little more mature.

Nakata: I haven't had a similar experience to the characters in the play, but when someone comes into your life, you have to change your lifestyle and put up with things, so I could relate to that in some ways.

Nakamura: Even though it wasn't my own experience, I felt like there are people like this out there! Everyone, including the male actors, acted with such realism that I thought it was really relatable.

--It depicts a variety of romantic troubles, so it's a work that you can enjoy while having fun with friends.

Yamashita: I would recommend it to my friends. I myself haven't had much experience talking about love with friends.

Nakamura-san: Eh? Is that so?

Nakata: Me too. I'm sometimes asked for advice, but I don't talk about myself much.

Nakamura: So what do you talk about with your friends?

Yamashita-san: Like, "The food is delicious..." (laughs). They don't even consult me. So when I was able to appear in this film, I thought, "There are people like this, the world is scary" (laughs).

-- Nakamura-san seems quite surprised.

Nakamura: When I get together with my female friends, we always talk about love. Maybe it's a generation gap... But talking about love is fun (laughs)!

Nakata: But I might tell Yuri (laughs).

Nakamura: I'll keep asking (laughs).

--Please appeal to people who haven't seen it yet about this film.

Nakata: I think you'll enjoy each perspective, from the person who is leading the others on and the person who is being led on, to the person who wants to move the relationship forward and the person who doesn't.

Nakamura: Even if someone is being manipulated, they may still be happy. Isn't that kind of love possible? The story is portrayed as equals, and I think it can be enjoyed by both men and women.

Yamashita: I think that once you get stuck in the "swamp of love," you lose the ability to make the right decisions, so I think this work will give you a lot of "realizations" before that happens.