Saya from the comedy duo "Laland" stars in the TBS Tuesday drama "Jaa, Anta ga Tsukutte Miro yo It" (Tuesdays at 10pm), co-starring actors Kaho and Takeuchi Ryoma. She plays Yoshii Nagisa, a hairdresser who is good friends with Ayumi (Kaho). Nagisa's way of life, honest about what she loves and living freely without being influenced by others, leaves a strong impact on Ayumi. We asked Saya about what she kept in mind when playing Nagisa and her impressions of her co-stars.
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The story is based on the manga of the same name by Natsuko Taniguchi, which is currently being serialized in the digital comic magazine Comic Tanto (Bunkasha). Yamagishi Ayumi, who always puts her lover first, and Ebihara Katsuo (Takeuchi), a patriarchal man who believes that "it's only natural for a woman to cook," have been dating since their university days. After living together, Katsuo proposed marriage, but Ayumi's response was an unexpected "no way." Through cooking, Katsuo reexamines the things he took for granted and grows as a person.
-What impression did you get when you read the script?
I met with manga artist Taniguchi-san and heard that he got the idea for the story from a conversation his partner Nishida had on the radio, so I wondered what it would be about. I can watch it because Kaho and Takeuchi are playing the roles, but I can't help but think about what it would be like if Nishida played Katsuo, the character Takeuchi plays... (laughs).
-What kind of character is Nagisa, the character you play?
He's honest about his own desires, but doesn't cause trouble for others. I thought he was a cheerful and very charming person. That's the kind of charm Nagisa has in the original work and the script, so I was conscious of bringing to the forefront his personality as someone who encourages Ayumi. Also, many of Nagisa's close friends have personalities like Nagisa, so I felt like I was "bringing" them down onto me as I played the role.
--Are there any parts that you can relate to?
I envy her for her skill with words and her ability to casually say things that get to the point. I'm not as good at putting things into words as Nagisa, but I think her sense of "how to convey things that are difficult to say" is similar to mine.
-Did the director have any requests for you when playing Nagisa?
During the first script reading, I talked with the director about "how far I should let go," and we decided to "make it feel like I'm taking on the other person's atmosphere." There are people who take on the other person's atmosphere just by talking, right? For example, like the person who is the first to grab a ball during lunch break in elementary school and say, "Let's go play dodgeball!" (laughs). I created the character with that kind of leadership in mind.
-Please tell us about the atmosphere on set and your impressions of your co-stars.
Many of the staff and others are around my age, so it's a really fun set. At first, I thought Raku Kakeru, who plays my husband Taihei, was calm and older, but he's actually one year younger than me. I thought he was a quiet person, but he's surprisingly funny, calm but outgoing when it matters, and I thought he was just like Taihei.
The first scene I shot with Kaho was the one where Nagisa dances wildly at a bar, and I was shocked by the dramatic change from Ayumi to "Ayumelo" in that moment. When we talk to her normally, she seems delicate and kind, with an air of wanting to make people happy and watch over them, and I feel that she has something in common with Ayumi.
I was impressed when Takeuchi said, "I might be more of a Katsuo type." However, he is reliable and takes the initiative to create a good atmosphere on set. His acting is so natural that you just want to get involved, and he's a very interesting person.
--This work features many episodes that make you think, "That kind of thing happens, doesn't it?" Is there an episode that you particularly sympathized with?
In the scene where Minato (Yuzu Aoki)'s ex-girlfriends all gather at the bar, I thought, "There are people like that, right?" (laughs). To be honest, I'm not a fan of people who can stay friends with their ex-girlfriends without cutting ties with them, but I can understand Ayumi and Katsuo's frustration, and I can also understand how they feel attracted to the charming Minato character played by Yuzu. Both of them were left feeling frustrated because there was no right answer.
--You've played characters like Nagisa who are "true to themselves" in the past. How do you feel about being given such a role?
I think that's why I seem to have a free-spirited side. In fact, I'm not affiliated with a major talent agency, I work for a private agency, and I'm also active in music, so I think people may see me as someone who "lives as they please" (laughs). However, there aren't many differences when playing a role like that, so it's fun to act. I don't think that roles like Ayumi, which require "adapting to others," suit me that much, so I feel comfortable being able to play a role that emphasizes the similarities between us.
--Have you ever felt recently that something is not normal?
When we did a cooking segment on YouTube, Nishida asked, "Do I put water in this?" as he was heating up rice in the microwave (laughs). I realized that he usually gets his girlfriend to do everything for him, and I thought, "That's not normal." He seems like an even more rude version of Katsuo, as he takes it for granted that rice will be served. So I would like all people out there who are "Katsuo-like" to watch this drama. When I spoke to Nishida about this drama, he said, "Is it me!?" and "Maybe I should give him acting instruction (laughs)" (laughs).
-Finally, please give a message to the viewers.
Some people will sympathize with Katsuo, and others with Ayumi. This is a drama where your perspective changes depending on your position and situation. If you try to incorporate the sense of "giving up in a good way" and "switching gears" like Nagisa, your life might become a little easier. I hope you'll check out every episode.
