On October 15th, stage director Ayuko Tsukahara won the Culture category of the "anan AWARD 2025," an award given by the women's magazine "anan" (Magazine House) to select "stars who symbolize the era," and attended the awards ceremony held in Tokyo. She expressed her joy at receiving the award, saying, "I would be happy if the things I have been working hard on reach someone who is watching."
He is currently directing the TBS Sunday Theatre drama "The Royal Family" (TBS). Regarding his thoughts on the drama, he said, "Since the beginning of this year, I have been working hard with the cast, including Satoshi Tsumabuki, Ren Meguro, and Koichi Sato. I am making it with the hope that it will be a fun time on (viewers') Sundays."
As the story is set in the world of horse racing, it requires specialized knowledge and unique challenges. "We started by studying the horse world, and filming is done in a way that doesn't put strain on the horses. It's a story that takes place over a long period of time, so we're taking on challenges, including how to show the cast's aging," he revealed.
Looking ahead, he said with a wry smile, "I'd also like to make a horror film, which I love. I've been saying that for a long time..."
The "anan AWARD" was established in 2020, the 50th anniversary of the magazine's founding, and recognizes the "faces of the time" who have been active and symbolic of that year. This year marks the 55th anniversary of the magazine's founding, and the winners were "timelesz" in the Grand Prize, Mio Imada in the Actor category, Kazuya Ohashi of " Naniwa Danshi " in the Super Idol category, Oozuki An of the "Takarazuka Revue" in the Stage category, Kiyo in the Absolute Champion category, the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in the Athlete category, Tsukahara in the Culture category, "QuizKnock" in the Creative category, K-POP virtual idol "PLAVE" in the Borderless category, and Moriyama Shintaro of the comedy duo "Mitorizu" in the Body Make category.
