[Taira Minori Interview]The title for her 20s is “Beauty and Self-Expression” “Ayaka-chan is in love with Hiroko-senpai”

Actor Minori Taira is currently appearing in the drama “Ayaka-chan is in love with Hiroko-senpai,” co-starring Kanna Mori and Shiho Kato.

This is a slapstick girls’ love story about the protagonist, Ayaka, a junior who never gives up, who keeps pursuing her crush, Hiroko, a senior who never gives up, but somehow they always miss each other. This drama is based on a hugely popular girls’ love comic, originally a manga by Sal Jiang, which became a hit when it was serialized in Futabasha’s “Web Action” magazine and then made into a comic. The birth of this Japanese pop girls’ love drama attracted a lot of attention both at home and abroad, becoming a hot topic, trending in Japan on X, ranking third in search results, and the original book temporarily selling out on Amazon.

Taira was selected as Miss Seventeen 2021 and is currently working as an exclusive model for Seventeen.
Last year, he appeared as the main guest in episode 6 of TV Tokyo’s “My Idol Became My Boss,” and this year he has become a regular on TV Asahi’s “Mars Zero no Kakumei.”
In addition to starring in the play “ACTORS STAND vol.1 ‘Mukudomo'” sponsored by Avex Management Agency, he has also used his talent for art to appear in the watercolor painting category of MBS’s “Pre-Bato!!” and was promoted to Meijin shodan at the age of 19, the youngest in the show’s history. He has demonstrated his wide range of achievements, making him one of the next generation of actors to watch.

In this drama, Taira plays Marina Baba, a regular at the lesbian bar frequented by Hiroko-senpai, played by Kanna Mori.

This time, we interviewed Taira, who turned 20 in June and is steadily building his career in multiple fields including acting, modeling, and art.
We spoke to Taira about his current situation, including highlights of the drama and his future goals for the role.


–Your acting activities have gradually increased over the last year and this year, so how did you feel when it was decided that you would be appearing as a regular cast member this time?

flatFrankly, I was happy. I love manga, so I was happy to be able to appear in a manga original. However, since it was after the stage play, I wondered if I would be able to act naturally, but the director gave me a lot of advice on set, so I’m having a lot of fun.


–This work is a girls’ love drama, so I imagine it caused a lot of buzz when the first reports came out, but when you first came across this work, what did you think was the appeal of the work as a whole?

flatI had the impression that there were a lot of boys’ love stories, so I thought it was really refreshing to see a girl’s love comedy being adapted from an original work.
Before receiving the script, I read the original work, and because it’s a comedy, I felt it had a lot of interesting elements and was a work that could resonate with a lot of different people.


–Boys’ love works have become popular recently, but I don’t think there has been much depiction of love between women.

flatThat’s right. Moreover, unlike boys’ love, the girls’ relationship is a bit lively and high-spirited, which is really fun to film, and even reading the original manga, there are laughs and tears, so I thought it was a really fun work.


–What do you think of Hiroko-senpai and Ayaka-chan’s characters?

flatHiroko-senpai and Ayaka-chan’s characters are quite different. Hiroko-senpai is very straightforward and cool, but not too cool, which makes her interesting, and Ayaka-chan is so cute because she just adores Hiroko-senpai.


— Baba, played by Taira, is also a lesbian and a regular at the lesbian bar frequented by Hiroko, a senior played by Mori.

flatFrom Hiroko-senpai’s perspective, lesbian bars are a place of relaxation where she can be herself. Hiroko-senpai brings all kinds of worries to the bar, so we, the regular customers and the barmaids, listen to her, but I’m the coolest of them all, and I’m the type who says what I’m sure of and what I think. Hiroko-senpai also has worries, and that’s what makes her change her mind, like, “Okay, let’s go.”


–I think the character is one who says exactly what he thinks, but were there any points you kept in mind when playing the role?

flatAmong the bar’s regulars, my character is boyish, so I was conscious of my lines and gestures so that I would stand out from the others.


-Did you receive any advice from the director or staff?

flatThe director basically told me that it was okay to portray the boyishness in any way that I wanted, but when I got lost he recommended some movies to refer to, and he said that if I expressed the boyishness through whole body movements rather than just through small movements and facial expressions, I would be able to portray it more naturally, so I’m using that as a reference.


– Were there any works that you used as reference?

flatIt’s a foreign series called “The L Word.”
The boy who appears in the film plays a very natural, boyish role, and because it’s set overseas I think the way you see things will be completely different, so it’s very helpful.


-What kind of conversations did you have with Mori-san and Kato-san, who you co-starred with in this drama?

flatMori-san is a very cheerful person, and I was very nervous at the beginning because I had an image of everyone as grown-up ladies in the bar scene, but the moment we took a break, she came up to talk to me and I felt at ease. We talked about things like, “What do you want to do when you turn 20?” and “What are you going to do in the summer?” She’s really kind and likes to get everyone involved and talk, so the set feels really cheerful.
I have only had one direct interaction with Kato so far, but he seems like a playful and fun person.


-What’s the atmosphere like with the other cast members and what kind of conversations do you have?

flatI respect Seto-san because he has had a lot of experience. He expresses himself by speaking from the bottom of his heart, and I have learned a lot from him, knowing that it is okay to speak out loud like that even in dramas.
Sometani-san, who plays Kyoko, also feels like an older sister to me, and in her free time she talks to me about the movies, manga, and dramas she’s been watching recently, which is really interesting.I was also happy to hear that Sometani-san has watched the dramas that I have seen.


–Since this will be your first interview article since turning 20, what are your goals for your 20s?

flatI’m a little sad that my teenage years are over, but it doesn’t really feel like it. I do hope that turning 20 will be a catalyst for changes in many ways, and I hope that I can achieve my goals one by one in the arts, whether it be as an actor, model, or something else.


–Mr. Taira, you have three passions: modeling, acting, and art. Is there anything you want to achieve in each of those fields while you’re in your 20s?

flatIn the art world, I want to improve as a master through exhibitions and appearances on “Pre-Battle!!”. As a model, I want to appear in many fashion shows such as TGC, and in my 20s, I want to improve another level and work hard to become a cool woman like Ayaka Miyoshi or Hikari Mori.


–What are your goals as an actor?

flatAs an actress, I want to work hard so that I can appear in more and more video productions, and I want to improve my acting so that I can express myself better. I think it’s important to listen to your own values, your own thoughts, and the voices around you. By listening carefully to your own voice and pursuing your own individuality, I think that when I appear in a production, I can have a positive influence on both the people around me and myself, so that’s the kind of actor I want to be.


–If you had to give a title to your goal in your 20s, what would it be?

flatIf I had to give it a title, I’d call it “Beauty and Self-Expression.”
As a model, I want to of course improve my appearance, fashion and make-up skills, but now that I’m in my 20s, I want to grow on the inside as well, and I believe that improving what’s inside leads to beauty.


-What do you want to do this summer?

flatThis summer, I want to explore different areas of nature. I want to go to farms in Nagano and Shizuoka, climb Mount Fuji, and enjoy nature. I also thought that if I went camping, I could draw pictures there.
I would also like to go to Okinawa and overseas, so there are lots of places I want to go.
The moment I turned 20, I went surfing with a model friend. It was my first time and it was difficult, but I was able to catch the waves and I think I’m hooked.


-Finally, please give a message to those who are interested in your work.

flatThis drama is based on a manga, but it also incorporates the fun of the manga, so I think it will be enjoyable for people of all ages. I think it’s a work that will touch the hearts of many people, so I hope many people will watch it.


▼Program Overview
Title: Ayaka is in love with Hiroko-senpai
Cast: Shiho Kato, Kanna Mori, Kyoya Honda, Mio Yuki, Eiku Yamashita (ONE N’ ONLY), Nonoka Kubo, Mimori Hashizume, Yuka Someya, Minori Taira, Kazuya Seto
Director: Nao Nomura, Ayuta Yoshikawa
Screenplay: Ayumi Shimo
Planning and production: Yuna Kamiura and Mami Osugi
《Production》”Ayaka-chan is in love with Hiroko-senpai” Production Committee, MBS

▼Program SNS
Formula X:https://x.com/ayahiro_mbs
Official Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/ayahiro_mbs/
Official TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@drama_mbs




▼ Hira Minori Profile
Born on June 28, 2004, from Okayama Prefecture.
In 2021, she was selected as Miss Seventeen 2021 and is currently working as an exclusive model for Seventeen.
Last year, he appeared as the main guest in episode 6 of TV Tokyo’s “My Idol Became My Boss,” and this year he has become a regular on TV Asahi’s “Mars Zero no Kakumei.”
He is also one of the up-and-coming actors to watch, having starred in the play “ACTORS STAND vol.1 ‘Mukudomo'” sponsored by Avex Management Agency. Furthermore, using his talent for art as a weapon, he appeared in the watercolor painting category of MBS’s “Pre-Bato!!” and was promoted to a scholarship student at the age of 18, the youngest in history, despite it being his first time trying. He has since been active in a wide range of fields, including being promoted to Meijin Shodan at the age of 19, the youngest in the show’s history.


▼Taira Minori SNS information
・X:https://x.com/minori_taira
・Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/minori_taira/
・TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@minorin30