Actress Kasumi Arimura recently appeared at a special stage greeting held in Tokyo for the TBS Sunday drama "GIFT" (Sundays at 9 PM, starting April 12th), starring Shinichi Tsutsumi. Arimura, who plays a magazine reporter who follows the world of wheelchair rugby in this drama, was asked about the actions and growth of the players in the drama and said thoughtfully, "You really can't watch it without shedding tears."
Arimura said, "There are also special feelings involved, but I was constantly watching everyone (playing the athletes) working hard even when we weren't filming, so when I watched the first episode, those images flashed before my eyes like a kaleidoscope. I started crying just from watching the first episode." She added, "It left a very big impression on me," indicating that it had a significant impact on both her character and herself.
Regarding the wheelchair rugby match scenes in particular, Arimura expressed her gratitude, saying, "It's a very intense sport where rugby wheelchairs collide and fall over regardless of filming. But everyone was giving their all to the filming regardless of the circumstances, and that left a lasting impression on me, and it was reflected in my own acting." Reflecting on the filming, she added, "As the title suggests, I received the hard work of all the players (in the film) as a gift, and I think I was able to contribute something to the film myself."
An anecdote about Arimura bringing a large quantity of her favorite gummies as a gift to the cast, many of whom love gummies, became a hot topic. When one of her co-stars playing an athlete thanked her, saying, "It's no exaggeration to say that we were able to get through the tough match scenes thanks to the gummies. She was like a mother to us," Arimura smiled shyly. When Yas from "Zun" said, "About 80% of the time we were talking about sweets," Arimura smiled and said, "Yas and I were talking about rice crackers."
The drama is an entirely original story with a script by Tomoki Kanazawa, who has worked on Netflix dramas such as "Sanctuary" and the same network's serial drama "Who saw the peacock dance in the jungle?". Set in the world of wheelchair rugby, a parasport, it depicts a story of bonds and redemption as a struggling team finds answers to difficult problems while genuinely clashing their hearts and bodies, and learning the importance of teammates and family.
Also in attendance at the press conference were Tsutsumi, Yuki Yamada, Honda Kyoya, Hosoda Yoshihiko, Rintaro Hachimura, Hachimura Rintaro, Mizuma Ron, Tomite Maya, Nobosemonnabe, and Ken Yasuda Ken.
