Hyodo Kokai stars in the TBS Tuesday drama "Mirai no Musuko" (Tuesdays at 10pm), starring Shida Mirai. He plays Yano Makoto, a young member of the theater company "Albatross," to which Mirai (Shida) also belongs. We spoke to Hyodo about the behind-the-scenes of Makoto's confession scene in episode 5, and his impressions of his co-stars.
◇The scene where Cairo is handed over to the future is a hot topic
The drama is based on the popular manga "My Future Son: A Son Came Down From Heaven After 10 Years of Singles!" written by Kumiko Aso and illustrated by Hajime Kuromugi. Mirai, who is unsatisfied in love, work and dreams, suddenly becomes a mother. Through raising a child, she learns about the importance of living and supporting others, and starts living again. This is Shida's first role as a mother in 20 years, since the 2006 drama "14-Year-Old Mother" (NTV).
--What kind of feedback have you received, Mr. Hyodo?
The scene in the first episode where Makoto hands Mirai a hand warmer received comments such as, "It was casual and good," and "The height difference was good." In addition, people who support me have been telling me in various ways, saying, "I'm glad you were able to appear in such a wonderful drama." I've also received contact from people in the industry and people I worked with on "Gekokujou Kyuji" (broadcast in 2023), and I've felt a great response.
I actually watched the first episode and thought the long scene where Mirai pours out her emotions in front of the vending machine, and the scene at the end of the first episode where Mirai and Souta (Amano Yu) embrace each other were wonderful.
-Please tell us your impressions after reading the script and the original work.
When I was chosen to appear in the drama, I read the entire original work and thought it was a gentle story that made you feel the warmth of each character. I wondered how much of that atmosphere I could incorporate into the drama and what kind of acting I could do.
The script was written in a way that showed respect for the original work, while also bringing out the characters of each of the theater company members, which was very exciting to read. As an actor, I also feel that it is a really fun script.
--What kind of person is Yano Makoto?
I play a junior of Mirai's who belongs to the same theater company as Mirai and Yoshizawa Masaki (played by Shiono Akihisa). The character is set up to have a cool and mysterious personality. However, I felt that if I got too caught up in that, I might stand out in scenes where everyone in the theater company is having fun. In reality, when I'm acting, I feel like I laugh a lot when I'm with everyone in the theater company. I face the character every day thinking that he is a person with many different sides, and that it's hard to sum up in one word, "this is the kind of person he is."
Especially in the first half, I was acting while thinking, "What does it mean to be cool?" and "What does it mean to be mysterious?" The director and producers were very kind and explained things to me carefully, so I felt like we were able to communicate well while creating the role.
-Did you do any preparation beforehand to play the role of a theater troupe member?
I have had the experience of performing on stage in a hero show when I was appearing in the Sentai series, but I'm not very familiar with the stage, so I talked to the people who were appearing on stage and actually went to see the plays when I could.
The word "stage" covers a wide range of topics, and I think the Albatross theater company is a fairly core one, so before I started working on the drama, I thoroughly read through the materials I received from the staff. I listened to what theater company they were using as inspiration, and the significance of performing at a place called "The Suzunari" (a small theater in Shimokitazawa, Setagaya Ward, Tokyo), and heard from Kitayama (Takeshi Itakura, who plays Wataru) and Takako (Umebayashi, played by Namba Now), and I realized, "I see, this is the kind of experience you need before you can perform at Suzunari," and I began to understand as I acted.
◇The confession scene in episode 5 "was really wonderful"
--In episode 3, it was revealed that Makoto joined a theater company because of Mirai and became absorbed in acting. Are there any similarities between them as you continue to work as an actor?
There's a line from Makoto that goes, "I lived my life following the rails that were laid out for me," but I played baseball from elementary school until my third year of high school. It wasn't something that anyone decided for me, but I naturally chose to go to college and then to professional baseball, and that was the life that I had decided for myself.
From there, a word from his mother prompted him to reexamine himself, and in the sense that he broke that rail once, I thought there was something in common. Considering that for Makoto, the trigger was Mirai-san, I played the role with the feeling that his feelings for her must be very strong.
-What is the most memorable episode from the filming so far?
The confession scene in episode 5 was particularly memorable. He confesses his feelings to someone who is his junior, someone he looks up to, and who inspired him to join the theater company. I think that act itself must have been very nerve-wracking for Makoto. Even though he's nervous, he might want to express his feelings clearly. I thought about a lot of things as I went into the scene.
For this scene, director Imura (Taichi) requested, "When you see Mirai drinking coffee, you feel that you love Mirai just as much as you love coffee, so I want that kind of 'love'."
Those words made a lot of sense to me. I'd never really imagined the feeling of seeing someone you love drinking coffee you made and naturally saying "I love you," but that explanation really made an impression on me. It was a scene that made me think that the "love" that comes from a gentle, rather than firm, feeling is really wonderful.
-What was the atmosphere like on set?
There are many scenes with the theater company, and the filming location is really bright. We often gather together on the rehearsal set to film, so we're chatting and having a great time. It's a lot of fun, and I already don't want it to end. I'd like to film more with everyone, and if possible, I'd also like to actually stand on stage with everyone.
-Please tell us your impression of Shida-san.
I think she's a very natural person. She's natural, but she's also very refined in the way she keeps her distance from Sota, from us, and from the staff. There's a sense of great friendship, but she also maintains a firm "workplace" atmosphere, and I feel there's a lot I can learn from her every day.
--What is your impression of Yu-kun?
When I met her on set, I felt that she was a really charming girl. I often say to her, "She looks like she could become a star," and I think she is the kind of person who naturally makes me think that way. I myself am also inspired by her while working on this project together.
After watching the broadcast so far, I honestly felt that "this girl will surely shine." As a fellow performer, it makes me think that I have to work hard so that I don't lose to her.
She is usually innocent and cheerful, and she lightens up the atmosphere on set, and I'm sure that her charm is conveyed to viewers through the footage. I'm looking forward to seeing even more of her expressions as the story progresses.
--Please give a message to the viewers, including highlights of episode 6.
Episode 6 is a very big episode for Makoto. Even when I read the original work, I was surprised by the way things turned out. Makoto joined the theater company as a cool and mysterious junior thanks to Mirai, but in a good way, it feels like all of that is broken in episode 6.
I've lived as Makoto up until now, and I feel like I'm experiencing emotions I've never felt before and showing expressions I've never shown before. I think people will see a new side of me and think, "So this is the kind of person Makoto really is."
I would be happy if people cheered me on, saying, "Makoto, do your best!", and I discussed my acting with the director and producer, so I would be happy if you could watch it.
