In the taiga drama "BROTHERS IN ARMS （Toyotomi Brothers!）" (NHK General TV, Sunday 8pm and others), starring Nakano Taiga, Shiraishi played Nao, a childhood friend of the protagonist Koichiro (Nakano). In the 8th episode, "Sumoto Ichiyajo", which aired on March 1st, Nao's tragic end also became a hot topic. Shiraishi herself had exuded a strong presence as one of the "Warring States heroines" with a strong core, so her early departure was a disappointment to viewers. But what "potential" did Shiraishi show in her first taiga drama?
◇From "absolute beauty" to "villain"
Shiraishi was born on August 10, 1998, and is 27 years old and hails from Kanagawa Prefecture. She made her debut in the entertainment industry in the 2016 TV Asahi drama series "AKB Love Night: Koikoujou." She gradually began appearing in commercials, dramas, and movies, and around 2018 she began to be featured in magazines as "one of the next generation of heroines." She was then selected from among approximately 700 other candidates in an audition to play the main heroine, Ashizuki Iori, in "I"s" (BS Sky Perfect!), a live-action adaptation of Masakazu Katsura's popular romance manga.
By the way, Iori Ashizuki is an "absolute beauty" who is representative of Masakazu Katsura works. The original author, Katsura, who also participated in the audition as a judge, testified that Shiraishi "had a strong heroine vibe." He also cited her "smile" as another deciding factor.
In the 2019 drama series "Absolute Justice" (Tokai TV/Fuji TV), which aired around the same time as "I"s," Shiraishi played the high school version of the protagonist, "monster of justice" Takanori Takanori (Yamaguchi Sayaka), in the early part of the drama, and Noriko's grown-up daughter in the latter half of the drama, embodying the ruthlessness and madness hidden within the character, proving her range as an actor.
She continued to be active after that, and from April of the same year, she served for one year as the 12th CM girl for the wedding information magazine "Zexy" (Recruit), which is said to be "the gateway to success for beautiful girl talents," and starred in "Girl Gun Lady" (MBS), a "new-generation special effects drama for adults" that was broadcast in 2021 and was based on an original idea by Bandai Spirits and planned by ADK Emotions. Her "villainous performance" in the Amazon Original drama "Marry My Husband," which was distributed last year, also attracted attention.
◇The adaptability and growth rate that surprised the field
Shiraishi loves games, anime, and manga, and originally wanted to be a voice actress. She has a straightforward personality, which she describes as "not at all feminine," but the transparency she exudes when she appears on screen is irresistible. Speaking of her direct role in "BROTHERS IN ARMS （Toyotomi Brothers!）", her first taiga drama, she added a touch of cuteness to the role, and I think she was able to elevate it into a heroine that viewers could empathize with.
In addition, one of the things that Shiraishi showed this time was his potential as an actor.
It's a well-known story that Mei Nagano was originally scheduled to play the role of Nao, but after she declined the role in May of last year, Shiraishi was chosen for the role. However, what surprised everyone on set was Shiraishi's adaptability and the speed at which she grew. Chief Producer Matsukawa Hirotaka, who oversees production, previously said, "She must have been quite nervous when she arrived on set, given the short preparation time, but she's become more and more charming. Her screen time is short, but she's grown so much in that time, and it feels like we're seeing the same kind of growth as the heroines of old Asadora, in a short period of time, and it's a lot of fun."
Although this year marks the 10th anniversary of Shiraishi's debut, she still has plenty of room to grow. Although she made an early exit from "BROTHERS IN ARMS （Toyotomi Brothers!）", there's no doubt that we're even more excited to see what kind of growth curve she will follow from here on out.
