Marie Iitoyo plays Ishimori Reika, an editor who is afraid of dogs, in the currently airing NHK drama "Drama 10: Shiba no Okite - Warera Inu Baka Editorial Department" (General TV, Tuesdays at 10 PM). To play Ishimori, she cut 40 centimeters of her hair, and the Shiba Inu she co-starred with taught her that it's okay to express herself freely. She spoke about her role and her feelings towards her beloved dog.
◇The editor role was created based on real-life experiences
The drama is set in the Shiba Inu magazine "Shiba One" and is a human story that gently unravels the tangled hearts of people. It is based on the non-fiction book "Heisei Dog Baka Editorial Department" by Yuka Katano, and Daito Shunsuke will appear as Shunichi Sagara, the editor-in-chief of the Shiba Inu magazine.
Ishimori, played by Iitoyo, hopes to be assigned to a soccer magazine, but since joining the company he has been in charge of a fishing magazine. He frequently causes trouble with his outspoken behavior and is disliked by the editorial department, leading to his resignation. Meanwhile, the company president asks him to work at "Shiba ONE" as a condition for being assigned to the soccer magazine, and he becomes a member of the editorial department, even though he doesn't like dogs. He does not get along with the editor-in-chief, Sagara, and they end up clashing over various things... This is the character.
In order to play Ishimori, Iitoyo revealed that she "cut about 40 centimeters of her hair."
"Ishimori plays futsal as a hobby, and he's a lively character, so I thought that if he had long hair, it might not quite capture that vibe. When I saw a photo of the person who was the model for Ishimori at the time, he had short hair, so I decided to cut my hair, as if to make a change of heart. It was my first time having my hair that short, so it was a fresh experience. I feel like when your appearance changes, your attitude changes too."
He also said that his own real-life experiences were helpful in playing the role of an editor.
"I've been a model for fashion magazines since I was a child, so I felt close to the job of an editor. As a model, I've always interacted with editors, so I remembered the editors I knew and expanded on the image."
◇Looking back on the filming of "Dog First"
Although Ishimori, who she plays, is not good with dogs, Iitoyo herself is a big dog lover. She has had dogs since she was a child, and she says with a smile, "I love how cute dogs' anal holes are. Each dog has a whorl of hair, and the way it curls up is really cute."
Apparently, the dog always came first on set, revealing, "During the filming period, we tried to avoid shooting outside during the hot summer months, and we took many things into consideration to make sure the dog was not put under any strain."
"Even during filming, rather than just acting out what was written in the script, we had to stop filming and seriously discuss any issues we had, such as, what is this like for the dog? Is this just human ego? That being said, because the work is based on an original novel, we had to show the behind-the-scenes of magazine production. I found it difficult to find the right balance."
The atmosphere on set, where the cast was made up of dog lovers, was said to be very friendly.
"When the dog came into the set in the morning, everyone would surround the dog at once. I think that kind of atmosphere helped me to close the distance between me and my co-stars in the shortest time possible. There was no tense atmosphere at all, and if the dog ran off camera and went home, laughter would break out and we would have to do NGs. Seeing the dog's natural, dog-like movements, I felt like I was taught anew that it's okay to express yourself freely in acting."
◇My beloved dog is my "best friend who is always on my side"
Iitoyo is a 19-year-old who owns a miniature dachshund. He describes his dog as his "best friend who is always there for me."
"Even though we can't speak, they sense my feelings, worry about me, and share my joy when I'm happy. They trust me and are always on my side without wavering, just like family. They naturally care for each other and I think they are irreplaceable, precious beings. When my child eats something delicious, he sometimes cries while eating. He has such expressive faces, and just watching him has a magical power that frees the heart."
Finally, when asked about the highlights of the drama, he said, "It's said that 90% of human stress comes from relationships, but when I watch Shiba, I feel that it's okay to be honest. It's not like 'Learn from Shiba's mistakes,' but I think this drama will convey that message."
"I am one of those people whose life has been enriched by the presence of dogs, and I think that not only dog lovers, but also people who have never had a dog in their life, will be able to see the Shiba Inu going at its own pace and feel that it's okay to be more free. One of the interesting things about Shiba Inu is that they don't behave the way humans want them to, so I hope everyone will enjoy it."
