[Interview with Kasumi Yamaya]Appearing in three consecutive seasons of primetime terrestrial dramas in 2024: “Each one is giving me confidence” – “The Beginning of the Sea”

Actor Yamatani Kasumi is currently appearing in the Fuji TV Monday 9pm drama “The Beginning of the Sea” (every Monday at 9pm), starring Meguro Ren (Snow Man).

The film tells the story of the protagonist Natsu (Meguro Ren), whose life changes when he learns of the existence of a daughter related to him by blood following the death of Nagumo Mizuki (Furukawa Kotone), his girlfriend from his university days and whom he hasn’t seen in seven years since their breakup.

In this much-talked-about production, Nogi Natsumi, the homeroom teacher at the elementary school that Umi (Izumiya Sena) attends, will be played by the talented actress Yamatani Kasumi, who has appeared in the TV drama series “Ranman” and the historical drama “The 13 Lords of the Kamakura” and is currently receiving rave reviews for her excellent performances in the dramas “New Airport Occupation” and “Unmet: The Diary of a Brain Surgeon,” both of which will air in 2024.

This time, we interviewed Yamatani, who is in his 17th year as an actor this year and is currently appearing in three consecutive prime-time terrestrial TV dramas in 2024.
We asked him a lot about his past experiences, his current work, and his future goals.

–You’ve appeared in works by producer Murase and screenwriter Ikukata up until now, but how did that opportunity come about?

Mountains and valleysThis is my third time acting in “Silent”, “My Favorite Flower”, and now “The Beginning of the Sea”. When I was watching “Silent” as a viewer, I thought the lines were really interesting, and I thought it would be nice to be involved in something, and then Murase-san asked me to appear. I was given the role of “Natsumi”, and I’ve been playing the same character in three works, “My Favorite Flower” and “The Beginning of the Sea”, in a relay format.

–I think “The Beginning of the Sea” deals with a difficult subject, but what do you personally find most appealing about this work?

Mountains and valleysIt’s really hard to put into words. I think this work focuses on things that cannot be put into words. I feel like up until now, stories about family and parents and children tend to progress in a happy direction through mutual rivalry. I think this work is more about the idea that adults are also someone’s children, and that even though they are adults, they are still human beings. If you feel even the slightest bit of overlap with yourself in the characters, I think this work will make you want to affirm yourself.
I feel that there are many scripts by Ikukata that allow me to say things through my roles that I normally wouldn’t be able to say, so I would be delighted if you could rewatch them.

–Yamatani-san, this time you play the role of a school teacher. Is this your first time playing the role of a homeroom teacher?

Mountains and valleysThis is your first time as a homeroom teacher.
I’ve been working since I was a teenager, and I’ve mostly played roles from the students’ perspective, so I was overwhelmed when I stood on the podium for the first time. I felt a little nervous when all the children’s gazes were focused on one spot, and my legs started shaking.

– Was the filming done at an actual school?

Mountains and valleysWe actually used the school that our children attend. We used posters and other items used at school, so we were able to shoot in a very realistic location.

–There are scenes where Natsumi-sensei and Umi-chan exchange words, and although there aren’t many words, they carry a variety of emotions and meanings. Were there any difficulties in writing such scenes?

Mountains and valleysIn the Hato Sable scene, what I thought when I read the script and what I felt when I saw the whole thing aired were slightly different, so it was a scene that made me really realize how careless my reading of the script was and made me reflect on it.
It was a scene where Kai-chan was able to say “It’s a day when I’m not feeling well,” which was a sign of her growth, but I didn’t fully understand the flow of the scene that came before, where Kai-chan was crying in front of Natsu-kun, and filmed it. From the teacher’s perspective, I think I would have been happy that Kai-chan was able to say “It’s a day when I’m not feeling well,” but I reflected that I had been listening to him in a slightly different way. The words that Ubukata-san weaves are interpreted completely differently depending on the person who reads them, and the director was filming with the goal of “this is it,” so I think I still had a lot to learn.

– When Natsumi, played by Yamatani, is there anything about the late Mizuki that you were conscious of when talking to Natsu?

Mountains and valleysThere was a little time between when I received the script and when we started filming, so I imagined the parts that weren’t in the script. I wondered if they talked in a place like this, or if it was the nurse’s office. The first scene I talked about with Otake-san started in the nurse’s office, so I wondered if I was doing that with Mizuki-san. I couldn’t find the right answer for the time Natsumi spent before meeting Natsu-kun, but I thought about it a lot.

–This work can be interpreted in many different ways and there are some difficult scenes, but what is the message you want to convey through it?

Mountains and valleysI think the stories about parents and children and abortion convey the worries that people have in their hearts through the story. I think that this is a disease that is common among young people these days, so I thought that the drama might encourage more people to go for cervical cancer screening. After the broadcast ended, the word “cervical cancer” became a trending topic on X, so I really felt through social media that this is the power that can only be achieved by a work that attracts the attention of many people.

–Yamatani-san, you have been appearing in various productions in January, April, and July this year. What were your goals for this year and how do you feel fulfilled so far?

Mountains and valleysIt felt like I was running a relay race by myself and the time went by so quickly.
I’m the one to hand the baton over to and I’m the one running towards it, so just when you think you’ve completed one task, a new one appears, so it feels a bit like a triathlon.
But that means it was fulfilling, and since I started the year with the goal of making this a reality at the end of last year, I’ve really started to enjoy acting. But it’s been a real headache, and sometimes I feel like throwing the script away, but it’s getting more fun every year. Maybe it’s because the genres are all different, but I’ve really enjoyed the works I’ve been involved in this year.
It really makes me realise how great it is to be part of the same cast and appear as a regular for three months.
Up until now there have been a lot of guest appearances, and it felt like we were just intruding, but as regulars we are also the ones accepting them and seeing them off, and when we all share a lot of time and scenery together, and it’s long, I feel a really strong attachment to the work.
It’s been a while since I felt this way, and I don’t know if it will come true, because my goal for 2024 was to finish in October. If it doesn’t come true, I can just try again next year. If it does come true, I’m thinking of buying myself some high-end strawberries as a reward. I feel like the first half of the year was a time when I really worked hard on the things in front of me.

–This year marks your 17th year as an actor, and I imagine you have had a variety of experiences. This year you have starred in consecutive dramas, from “New Airport Occupy” to “Unmet” and “The Beginning of the Sea.” Do you feel that you have grown in any way over the past year?

Mountains and valleysI’ve started to think for myself before asking others for advice. In the past, I would solve problems by asking others for advice or complaining, but now I spend more time asking myself questions. Even so, I only ask others when I’m worried about which is better. I think the biggest change in 2024 is that the order in which I solve things has changed.
Also, I’ve become more confident in myself. I think I’ve gained confidence from the work I’ve done in the past six months this year. I’ve been cast as a regular, and I’ve been confirmed to appear in morning dramas and historical dramas. Each of these experiences has helped me to gain confidence little by little, and I think that the flow of work has helped me to believe in myself more firmly. When people who have known me for a long time see me now, they sometimes worry about me and ask if I’m okay, even though I used to talk so much. I’ve also had more people reach out to me when I’m worried about something.

–Finally, what are your expectations and excitement for the rest of this year?

Mountains and valleysI guess it’s writing.
Now, I’ve found new things that I find fun, and what I want to write about has changed a little. So I’d like to study and write down my thoughts little by little, and weave together words.
Also, I took a little break in July, and I realized that input is very important. I felt that if I only output, my heart becomes dry. So, although I enjoy my work and it’s better to be busy, I want to face my work in the second half of the year with the courage to make time to input information properly, such as going on a trip with friends or watching movies and dramas for the first time in a while.

＜The Beginning of the Sea＞
・Screenplay: Miku Ubukata
・Direction: Kazama Taiki
Produced by: Ken Murase
・Drama official website:https://www.fujitv.co.jp/uminohajimari/

Born December 26, 1996 in Miyagi Prefecture. Miyagi Kizuna Ambassador.
In 2007, she passed an audition held by Avex and made her debut the following year in the drama “CHANGE” (08/CX).
His major appearances include “Amachan” (2013/NHK), “FIAST CLASS” (2014/CX), “The 13 Lords of the Kamakura” (22/NHK), “Code Blue: Doctor Heli Emergency Lifesaving” (2018/Masaki Nishiura), the stage play “Henry VIII” Sainokuni Shakespeare Series (22), “Ranman” (23/NHK), “Idol Birth: Shining Showa Kayo” (24/NHK), “New Airport Occupation” (24/NTV), and “Unmet: The Diary of a Brain Surgeon” (24/KTV).
Her lead role in the film “Fake Plastic Planet” won the Best Actress Award in a Foreign Language Film at the 2019 Madrid International Film Festival.

＜Yamatani Kasumi Official SNS＞
・Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/kasuminwoooow/

・X (formerly Twitter)
https://twitter.com/minmin12344

credit
▼Item/brand name (contact information)
Dress/CINOH(MOULD 03-6805-1449)
Earrings, necklaces, rings/Rieuk ( info@rieuk.com )
Boots/ALM. (ALM. Official Site https://almofficial.com)

▼Staff credits
Stylist: Misaki Takahashi (Sadalsuud)
Hair and makeup by Shiori Nagata (Nous)