On March 25, Ryuto Sakuma) for the April drama series "Tsukiyo Koro - The Answer Lies in Masterpieces -" (Nippon Television Network, Wednesdays at 10 p.m., starting April 8), which stars actresses Haru and Kumiko Aso in dual leading roles.
The film is based on the novel of the same name by mystery writer Rikako Akiyoshi, known for works such as "Snow Flower" and "Absolute Justice." The story follows Luna Nomiya (Haru), a bar owner who is a literature enthusiast, and Ryoko Sawatsuji (Aso), a housewife whose life is constantly being tossed around by her cheating husband and spoiled children. The two women meet by chance and take a trip to Osaka, where a murder occurs. Luna uses her knowledge of literature, including Natsume Soseki, Osamu Dazai, Edogawa Ranpo, and Junichiro Tanizaki, to unravel the truth behind the case...
Sakuma, who plays Kazuto, Ryoko's ex-boyfriend from her student days who broke up with her in an unexpected way one day and has been out of contact with her for over 20 years, said, "He's a very mysterious character, but as Ryoko's ex-boyfriend, I got to experience a really sparkling youth. Taking purikura photos and meeting up on the way home from school, I did my best to make things that I would normally find a little embarrassing sparkle."
Regarding playing Aso's ex-boyfriend, he said, "When I heard about the role, I felt a lot of pressure because she's such a senior actor, but I thought that I just needed to be a guy who's popular with women, so I tried various things and experimented with different approaches."
On this day, she shared a behind-the-scenes photo from the set, a two-shot with the actress who plays Ryoko during her university days. "The first day of filming was a photo shoot for a photo sticker booth. We made a makeshift photo sticker booth with a simple set, and the director said, 'It won't be interesting if we just take a normal photo,' and it was like a comedy show where he asked us to 'do a viral pose left behind by a fictional celebrity.' We took about 7 or 8 different shots in 10 or 20 minutes, and that's how it all ended up in this tiny photo sticker. All the hard work we put into it is packed into this small size, so I hope everyone will take a look when it airs," she revealed.
Furthermore, since the film is a story in which the characters solve mysteries by drawing inspiration from classic literature, when asked about works he considers classics, Sakuma replied with the movie "Titanic." He said, "I like the music, and I regularly watch it in different ways, like in Japanese or with subtitles."
Haru, Aso, Shuntaro Yanagi, Kiyohiko Shibukawa, and Naoki Tanaka also attended the press conference. The event was emceed by Yoshido Tsujioka, an announcer from the same station.
