Masaki Okada: "I feel like everything is connected and I'm overwhelmed with emotion." Kazuyoshi Saito makes a surprise appearance in the drama “The Travel Nurse”

■”Okada-kun was still a teenager when I first met him, so today I was deeply moved and thought to myself, “It’s amazing that he’s become an actor who can do anything.” (Kazuyoshi Saito)

Kazuyoshi Saito made a surprise appearance in the final episode of TV Asahi’s Thursday drama “The Travel Nurse,” which aired on December 19th.

The drama “The Travel Nurse” is about a nurse who is an excellent American-trained nurse who may not seem like it at first glance, but who has the nursing qualification “NP (Nurse Practitioner),” who can assist doctors in operating rooms and perform certain medical procedures. Travel nurse Ayumu Nasuda (Masaki Okada) has a soft demeanor, but… Shizuka Kuki (Kiichi Nakai) is a mysterious liar (!?) super nurse who cuts through unreasonable systems and ideas with a single, scathing statement in a critical situation. A thrilling medical human drama in which the duo reform the medical field by putting patients first.

In the final episode of the drama broadcast on the 19th, Ayumu Nasuda (Masaki Okada) and Shizuka Kuki (Kiichi Nakai), who reunited at a hospital in the Philippines, were surrounded by children as they paraded around while having a verbal argument that broke out. Saito (*set as a backpacker), who was in the middle of nowhere, suddenly performed the theme song “Nai Na Glory Moon” with his guitar in hand.

Masaki Okada appears in Kazuyoshi Saito’s MV “Don’t Cry Glory Moon” which has already been released. Together with Kazuyoshi Saito, who played the role of a taxi driver, he created a three-dimensional version of the world of the song, which attracted a lot of attention.

Meanwhile, since the release of the theme song, Okada had said, “If the timing is right, I would be happy if you could actually come to the drama site, and I would like you to appear in the drama.” It finally came true.

The final episode, which includes the “emotional final scene” that made Okada, Nakai, and Saito excited, is available for free on TVer.

■Kazuyoshi Saito Comment
–Did you get any feedback from the people around you about the theme song “Don’t Cry Glory Moon”?
Saito:When I first created the theme song, I thought it was a huge responsibility. However, when it actually started playing in the drama, I heard a lot of comments from my own fans, such as, “I’ve loved the drama since the previous drama, so I’m really happy that it’s the theme song.” Right now, I’m feeling relieved and grateful.
–What did you think when you received the offer to appear in the final episode?
Saito:Actually, this is my first time appearing in a drama… I think of myself as a “mochi shop”, so I’m embarrassed to act, so I would never be able to do it (lol). So when Okada-kun jokingly said to me, “I want you to appear in a drama,” I was like, “No, no, that’s not true…” But my staff said, “You should come out,” so I said, “Are you serious?!” Okada-kun also appeared in the music video, and since he didn’t have any lines, I thought it would be okay if he just played the guitar…so I decided to appear in the music video. Even though I thought it looked out of place, it was a memorable occasion!
–How was it actually participating in the filming?
Saito:It was a bit embarrassing because the atmosphere was completely different from usual. Also, I was surprised at how many people were on the filming team. There aren’t that many people in the music scene, and we don’t have to take detailed pictures, so I have no idea what’s going on… At the same time, I thought to myself, “This is how we’re filming. It’s a lot of work.” At the same time, I thought, “If I miss the timing to start playing the guitar, I’ll have to start all over again. If that happens, will this number of people move again? That’s scary!” I thought (laughs).
–Once again, what was your impression of Masaki Okada and Kiichi Nakai?
Saito:Okada-kun was still a teenager when I first met him, so today I was deeply moved and thought, “It’s amazing that he’s become an actor who can do anything.” At the same time, I thought, “Your face is as small as ever!” (laughs) I met Mr. Nakai for the first time today, and I was so moved that I thought, “This really exists!” He is a star that I have seen on screen for a long time, including in “Irregular Apples” (1983-1997), and I also love Mr. Nakai, who appears in Koki Mitani’s works, so I am really honored to have met him. He talked to me about various things in a friendly manner during the breaks between filming, and I feel like I’m starting to fall in love with him (lol).
–Finally, please give a message to the viewers.
Saito:Every time I watch “The Travel Nurse,” I see more and more of the depth of each character, and there are scenes that always leave me mesmerized. Overall, it deals with deep themes, and every time I watch it, I’m impressed and think, “That’s an amazing script. It’s a lot of thought.” Regarding the scenes I appear in, I feel like I’m too scared to watch them air (lol), but I hope they don’t interfere with the drama.
■Masaki Okada (played by Ayumu Nasuda) Comments
Although I completely understand Kazuyoshi’s desire not to pollute other fields, I also wanted him to appear in the drama if possible. Meanwhile, I was cast in the music video for “Nai Na Glory Moon,” and as a way of repaying the favor, Kazuyoshi appeared in the drama, which made me really happy. What’s more, you can even hear the melody of the theme song live! I feel like everything is connected and I’m overwhelmed with emotion.
Kazuyoshi is so sexy that even I can’t help but fall in love with him. Also, she always has such a kind aura that I wish I could have talked to her on set. This time, I felt even more strongly that “There is a very kind world spreading out before Kazuyoshi-san’s eyes.”