The film "5 Centimeters per Second" (directed by Okuyama Yoshiyuki), starring Matsumura Hokuto, was released on October 10th. This live-action adaptation of the 2007 animated film of the same name by director Makoto Shinkai, features Noa Shirayama playing the young version of the heroine Shinohara Akari. In the film, she even takes on the slightly different roles of elementary school student Akari and middle school student Akari, giving us a glimpse into the "current state" of this 13-year-old, who continues to grow every day.
Shirayama was born on July 11, 2012, in Saitama Prefecture. She won the grand prize at the 9th Toho Cinderella Audition in 2022, becoming the youngest winner at the age of 10, and entered the entertainment industry.
Shirayama became a junior high school student this spring. Filming for "5 Centimeters per Second" took place shortly before that, when she was still in elementary school, and she shows off a slightly more mature side of herself as "Akari in her junior high school days."
"When I played the elementary school Akari and the middle school Akari, I changed the way I looked at her eyes, the way I made my facial expressions, and I was conscious of the way I laughed. When I played the elementary school Akari, she was smiling brightly, but when I played the middle school Akari, I played her more like she was just smiling."
Shirayama, who is challenging himself to play such different roles, usually balances his studies with work.
"In class, I love English and music. I've been studying English since I was in the fourth grade, and I've always loved singing, so I'm still working hard at both."
She smiles and says that acting in dramas and movies is "fun."
"I enjoy acting myself, and I love watching other people's performances, but the most rewarding moment is when the director calls cut and I hear 'OK.' I love that moment because it's so reassuring. I also enjoy spending time thinking about the role, and while reading the script I like to read and imagine things like 'I wonder how this character will speak.' Since I became a middle school student I've started reading books eagerly."
Looking back on the three years since winning the grand prize at the "Toho Cinderella" audition, Shirayama revealed, "It's full of really fun memories."
"I've made so many memories and learned so much over the past three years. I want to continue learning so much, experiencing many things, and become an actor who can play a wide range of roles."
His favorite sayings are the proverbs "If you love something, you will become good at it" and "Good fortune comes to those who laugh."
"I often read Shiomi Natsue's novels, and one line that has stuck with me is, 'If you draw what you love, it will be your best work.' The novel is about art, but I think it's similar to the proverb, 'If you love something, you will be good at it.' I love acting, and I'm currently working as an actor, so I'm having a lot of fun and I want to get better. Also, 'Laughing brings good fortune,' makes me imagine Akari when she was in elementary school, and I believe that if you smile, good things will happen."
