Kana Kurashina plays Kame, the wife of the protagonist, Haguregumo (played by Sasaki Kuranosuke), in the BS period drama "Haguregumo" (NHK BS/BS Premium 4K, Sundays at 6:45 PM, with the first episode at 7 PM), which starts on January 4th. This is her first time acting with Sasaki in two years, and Kurashina says, "Kuranosuke has a lot of different talents, and I admire him and want to be an actor like him." How did she approach this production? She also spoke about how she rediscovered the "greatness" of Sasaki through their collaboration.
◇How did you play the role of Kame?
"Fuurai Cloud" is a period drama based on the manga of the same name by George Akiyama. The setting is Shinagawa-shuku at the end of the Edo period. "Fuurai Cloud" is an eccentric man who wears a woman's kimono and has his hair tied in front of his forehead. With a fluffy and elusive appearance, he lives his days freely, but before you know it, he gently changes the destinies of people. A hymn to humanity with laughter and tears.
Kame, played by Kurashina, is a generous and charming character. She is a bright and strong-willed woman who deeply loves Kumo and supports her family together with her son, Shinnosuke (played by Kawahara Eito).
Kurashina explains about Kame, "She loves Kumo-san very much, who rarely comes home, and her emotions are portrayed in a cute way." She adds, "I thought that was very appealing, and I thought, 'I want to play this role!'"
"Although it is a period drama, it is also a relaxed home comedy, so I had to break it down a bit to make it more modern. It was difficult to decide how far to go and find the right balance. Also, Kame-san is reliable, but she also has a girlish side to her. She is a mother, but she is also a woman. I had never played a role like that before, so it was difficult. The work and the role required a very delicate balance, but I was able to discover a new side of myself, which gave me confidence. I'm glad I took on the challenge."
Kurashina said that she didn't do any special preparation for the role when filming, explaining that the reason for this was, "After reading the original work, I thought I would adjust how I acted based on how Kuranosuke approached the role."
"Rather than solidifying the role of Kame and then starting filming, I created the role by trial and error. You don't really know until you actually try acting with the other person, so I worked on that while perfecting the role. Every day was a real challenge."
◇What is your impression of Sasaki Kuranosuke, who plays your husband?
This is Kurashina's third time acting alongside Sasaki, who plays her husband, following the 2008 film "Our 700-Day War with the Police Officer" and the 2024 TV drama "Great Gift" (TV Asahi). Kurashina reflected, "We first worked together when I was 19, just after my debut. We worked together as teenagers, and then we worked together again last year, and this time we play a married couple. I can really feel the passage of time, and it's very emotional."
"Kuranosuke-san is able to express emotions just through his posture, so I admire him and want to be an actor like him. He has a wide range of talents and is able to present many ideas to the director. I also had the opportunity to see Kuranosuke-san's solo play, Macbeth, and was overwhelmed by the incredible imagination and extraordinary expressiveness he displayed, playing 20 roles by himself. I thought he was amazing the first time we worked together, and I still think so now. That impression hasn't changed, and I have nothing but respect for him."
Looking back on her time working with Sasaki, she smiles and says, "It was a fulfilling experience."
"Kuranosuke-san can really do anything. I was able to watch him perform up close and was amazed at how he could act in such a variety of ways so quickly. It made me think that I too would like to be able to deliver such high-quality acting, and it was very inspiring."
Finally, when asked about the highlights of the drama, he appealed, "You'll laugh, cry at times, and feel a sense of depth. It's a truly new type of period drama, so I hope you'll enjoy watching it at your own pace."
"As what we must universally cherish to get to the heart of the matter is hidden in the looseness, we hope you will find such a hidden message and receive it. As we think that it is easy-to-watch drama that is perfect as an introduction to period dramas that even people who do not usually watch period dramas can enjoy, we would be happy if you would watch it once"
