■ “Although he plays the role of a ‘morally abusive husband,’ there is a hidden conflict and love, and I think that Shinya (the character I play) is very human and charming.” (Hasegawa Shin)
“The Night After Divorce”, in which Sano Shoya (Ae! group) will star in his first terrestrial television drama series, will be broadcast in ABC TV’s Drama L slot in October.
It has now been decided that Kubota Sayu will play the heroine Kaho, with whom Sano’s protagonist Iori falls in pure love, and Hasegawa Makoto (THE RAMPAGE) will play the role of Shinya, the abusive husband.
Iori Hojo (Shoya Sano), a university student working part-time at a cafe, has a father who is the president of a large company, and many women have approached him for personal gain, so he has not been interested in love. However, he has an unexpected encounter with Kaho (Sayu Kubota), a novelist and regular customer at the cafe, and is drawn to her.
On the other hand, Kaho continues to support her husband Shinya (Hasegawa Shin) despite his intense emotional abuse. But one day, she witnesses him cheating on her. Shinya continues to scold her without any remorse, so Kaho decides to divorce him. Kaho, who had no confidence in herself and was in the midst of despair, was filled with Iori’s pure feelings.
Sayu Kubota expresses the sadness of the heroine Kaho and her realization of true love with her clarity. Shin Hasegawa, who plays Kaho’s abusive husband Shinya, takes on the difficult role of a man who is harsh towards his wife, but also reveals his hidden feelings.
This film brings together the talented directors of the video production group “Bunbuku.” We also received special comments from directors Kaima Sato, Keima Kawawada, and Kimihide Taga, who are in charge of this film.
Cast and staff comments
■ Sayu Kubota (role of Kaho Kaneori)
Q. Please tell us your impression of the title “The Night After Divorce.”
Kubota: At first, I was prepared for it to be a bit of an adult story, but after reading the original work, I was relieved to find that it was a pure love story that begins with a divorced woman (laughs). It was my first time meeting a character like Kaho, who is a 26-year-old divorcee and gentle and kind, so I was looking forward to seeing what kind of character she would become when portrayed through me.Q: What was your impression of the original work?
Kubota: The original work was so interesting that I finished reading it in no time. No matter how long you spend on something, the end is abrupt, and the world changes due to an unexpected event. I think that everyone experiences this in life. Every experience has meaning and will definitely become something that helps you grow. I felt that this work is not just a love story, but also a story in which all the characters grow through their experiences.Q. What is your impression of the character Kaho?
KubotaKaho is a compassionate woman who is willing to sacrifice herself for the happiness of others, but because of her kindness, she is unable to rely on others or confide her worries to others, and ends up carrying it all on her own, which makes life difficult for her.
However, I also think she is a woman who has the strength to cherish and protect her beliefs.Q. What are you looking forward to about acting?
Kubota: I’m meeting all the cast and staff for the first time, so I’m looking forward to seeing how the chemistry between us will turn out as Kaho. During the reading stage, director Kaima Sato said, “I want you to be more conscious than usual in your acting while looking into the other person’s eyes, and to value what moves within that.”
Kaho when she is with Iori-kun, Kaho when she is with Shinya – naturally the atmosphere will change depending on the person, but I would like to play Kaho carefully, sensitively capturing the sense of distance between her and the other person and the emotions deep in their eyes.Q. A message to everyone looking forward to the drama.
Kubota: I hope that the drama will be one in which viewers will feel saved by seeing Kaho moving forward without being held back by the past, and Iori’s pure love for people, and that they will regain their pure feelings. Please look forward to it.
■ Makoto Hasegawa (THE RAMPAGE/role of Shinya Kanaori)
Q. Please tell us your impression of the title “The Night After Divorce.”
Hasegawa: Since it contains the word “divorce,” I got a slightly negative impression when I first saw it, but since it is followed by “afternoon,” I became very curious about how the story would unfold after the divorce.Q: What was your impression of the original work?
HasegawaWhen I started reading the story, the relationship between Shinya, who I play, and Kaho, played by Kubota Sayu, was very strong, and I thought it was a somewhat complicated and tense story. However, after her divorce, when Kaho meets Iori, the story and Kaho itself become increasingly brighter…that was the impression I got.Q. What are your impressions about the role of Shinya?
Hasegawa: My role is that of an abusive husband, and at first I had a scary impression of Shinya, but as I read through the script there were various moments where I could catch glimpses of his love for Kaho.
I now feel that he is in fact a very human person.Q. What are you looking forward to about acting?
HasegawaOf all the roles I’ve played so far, the role of Shinya is one that I haven’t had in my repertoire yet, so I’m looking forward to seeing how I can play it and what kind of person I can become.Q. A message to everyone looking forward to the drama.
Hasegawa: He is emotionally abusive towards Kaho and there are many aspects of him that are very cold and scary. However, although it may be hard to see, there are his own thoughts and conflicts, and love is hidden deep within, which makes him seem very human and attractive. Also, after getting divorced and losing someone important to you, you realize how happy you were with the “ordinary” things that you only realize when you lose someone. The situation may be different, but I’m sure you’ve all had moments like that before. I think this work will make you realize that there is nothing that is “ordinary” and will make you feel anew grateful for your current environment and the people around you. I hope you enjoy watching it!
■ Director Kaima Sato (filmmaking group “Bunbuku”)
When I first saw the word “divorce,” I had a negative impression of it, but after reading the original novel, I changed my mind and realized that for someone it could be a bright night that marks a turning point in their life.When you fall in love with someone, what you thought was your true self starts to peel away, and you lose sight of who you are. You may have a lot of regrets. But still, you continue to face love and discover new aspects of yourself, and I think this work depicts many such cases.
For Iori and Kaho, who try to respect each other’s feelings above all else, I imagine that love, which sometimes requires intruding into the other person’s heart, is a very scary thing. I hope to carefully capture the way these two develop their love for each other as they grow happy and sad over each other’s actions and words, and the momentary changes in their expressions when they experience emotions for the first time.
On the other hand, I felt that this work portrayed the difficulty of simultaneously achieving two contradictory goals: living with someone and trying to be yourself. Since it’s so difficult, failure is inevitable, and the fact that one is in the midst of finding a good balance between love and being oneself might help one to look at divorce and bitter first love in a positive light.
I would like to work together with all the cast and staff to create scenes that allow us to imagine the feelings of these characters and make visible things that are supposed to be invisible.
I was very grateful to the main actor, Mr. Sano, for setting aside time for three readings and rehearsals before filming began. I felt that Mr. Sano’s gentle personality and the honest gaze he occasionally shows were perfect for the role of Iori. I hope that together we can discover the Iori that only Mr. Sano can play as we continue filming.
■ Director Keima Kawawada (film production group “Bunbuku”)
This time, I was given the wonderful opportunity to direct episodes 3, 6, and 8. After reading the original work, I was moved by Iori’s almost too pure straightforwardness and the process in which Kaho, who is hurt, wavers but still gains self-affirmation.
I wanted to delicately capture the time that Iori and Kaho, a couple who can be a little awkward, spend as they build their pure relationship, and the gazes they have as they look at each other.
I think it will be a rare pure drama these days. I hope that viewers will look forward to it!
■ Director Kimihide Taga (filmmaking group “Bunbuku”)
I will be directing episodes 4, 5, and 7. This is my first time directing a drama, and it’s also my first time co-directing a total of 10 episodes with three other directors, so I was nervous at first.
When I read the original work, I felt that each character portrayed the awkwardness of humans, and at the same time, I could empathize with some of the characters.
Working closely with Directors Sato and Kawawada to recreate the heart-warming scenes and suspenseful developments from the original work, and with the wonderful cast and staff, I will do my best to create a drama that will keep viewers on the edge of their seats and enjoy watching the story of Iori and Kaho’s incredibly pure love.
Program Information
The Night After Divorce
◇ABC Television ※Kansai
Starts October 13th
Every Sunday from 24:10
◇TV Asahi ※Kanto
Starts October 12th
Every Saturday from 26:30
*After the broadcast, catch-up streaming will be available on TVer
Cast: Akiya Sano (Ae! group) Sayu Kubota Shin Hasegawa (THE RAMPAGE) and others
Original work: “Divorce After Night” (*Aira*/taskey/HykeComic)
Screenplay: Erika Toyama, Shibuya Shichimi
Theme song: “Never End” by Ae! group (Universal Music)
Director: Kaima Sato, Keima Tawada, Kimihide Taga
Drama “Divorce Night” program site
https://www.asahi.co.jp/rikonkoya/
Ae! group OFFICIAL SITE
https://starto.jp/s/p/artist/157
https://www.universal-music.co.jp/aegroup/
THE RAMPAGE OFFICIAL SITE
https://m.tribe-m.jp/artist/index/43
