■ “Yuusei Yagi said that he was finally able to see my face and act out the dialogue.” (Ryoko Kuninaka)
Ai Iinuma and Yusei Yagi (FANTASTICS) star in the drama “Minami-kun is my Lover!?” (TV Asahi). The fifth episode of this heartwarming home-love comedy with a unique setting in which Yusei Yagi’s character Minami-kun becomes palm-sized at 15cm will be broadcast on August 20th at 9pm.
At the end of the fourth episode, a character suddenly appeared who was palm-sized and 15cm tall, just like Minami-kun, causing a stir among viewers.
The role of that person, Sanae, is played by Kuninaka Ryoko. Kuninaka, who made an impressive collaboration with Okada Yoshikazu, the screenwriter for this work, on the NHK morning drama series “Churasan,” will appear in the fifth episode in a role that will greatly influence the future development of the story.
On being confirmed to appear in the show, Kuninaka said, “I was honestly very happy because it was written by Okada, and I was really looking forward to seeing what kind of role I’d be playing. Okada’s works are written with a perspective that makes every character the protagonist, and you can feel the love for each character. My character, Sanae, had lines that made me feel like he wrote them because he knows my acting (the way I phrase my lines and my facial expressions).” She also revealed what to look forward to in the show, saying, “Sanae’s appearance has a big impact on Minami’s heart, and it will also change the way he spends time with Chiyomi from now on.”
Looking back on the filming with Yagi, she said with a smile, “Yagi-san often does filming alone, and he said that he was finally able to see her face and act out his dialogue, so I thought it must be lonely filming alone with the green pack all the time.” She also said, “I think the scene where the two of us sit down and talk about ‘little things’ is a really fun scene, so please look forward to it.”
What kind of existence will Sanae, played by Kuninaka, become for Minami-kun? And what important and shocking news will Sanae tell him? Will it greatly change Minami-kun and Chiyomi’s “future”? Don’t miss Sanae’s appearance at the big turning point of the story.
■ Will Chiyomi and Minami-kun’s father Shintaro finally find out about their secret?! A turbulent fifth episode
In episode 5, her father Shintaro (Takeda Shinji) witnesses the 15cm Minami-kun! He finally learns the truth that Chiyomi has been desperately trying to hide. Burdened with a secret too big to bear, Shintaro vows not to tell anyone about it, but he starts acting strangely, which causes a huge commotion in the Horikiri household…!?
Even though he’s bad at hiding things, Shintaro didn’t show any surprise at the fact that Minami-kun had grown to 15 centimeters, making me think, “Maybe I’m not that surprised…” Is it because he’s been in a similar situation in the past?
■ Episode 5 Synopsis
Horikiri Chiyomi (Iinuma Ai) has her bag snatched, and Minami-kun (Yagi Yusei), who was inside, is thrown away in a park far away. With his whole body in pain and at a loss, Minami-kun meets a woman named Tomita Sanae (Kuninaka Ryoko), who is the same size as him and the same palm-sized as him! Minami-kun and Sanae head to Sanae’s house in his “boyfriend’s” pocket. Meeting someone “in the same situation as me” for the first time, Minami-kun feels a strange joy and talks at length about the various experiences he has had since he turned 15cm.
Meanwhile, Chiyomi finds her stolen bag, but Minami-kun is not inside, and she becomes so anxious that her heart almost breaks. She desperately searches around the bag. As she is overcome with the fear that she may never see him again, she is finally reunited with Minami-kun, who has returned to the park. Chiyomi cries and apologizes, saying that she will never leave him. Minami-kun, who understands Chiyomi’s anxiety, tries to cheer her up, and the two decide to go to the local summer festival together.
The Horikiri family is excited about the summer festival, including Kaede (Kimura Yoshino), Yuriko (Kaga Mariko), Shintaro (Takeda Shinji), and Takuma (Banke Amatsuka). While everyone is excited, including Hisako (Chaco) (Muroi Shigeru) from the craft store, who helps pick out fabric for a yukata for Minami-kun’s “doll,” Shintaro happens to witness Chiyomi and Minami-kun having a conversation. Shintaro decides not to tell anyone about this, but he starts acting strangely…!?
Program Information
TV Asahi“Minami-kun is my lover!?”
08/20 (Tue) 21:00-21:54 *Episode 5
Every Tuesday 21:00-21:54
Cast: Ai Iinuma, Yusei Yagi and others
Original story: Shungiku Uchida’s “Minami-kun’s Lover” (published by Seirin Kogeisha), “Minami-kun is a Lover” (Bunkasha)
Screenplay: Yoshikazu Okada
Theme song: Yuzu “Foreshadowing Collection” (SENHA)
“Minami-kun is my lover!?” program site
https://www.tv-asahi.co.jp/minamikun/
FANTASTICS OFFICIAL SITE
https://m.tribe-m.jp/Artist/index/168
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