Mone Kamishiraishi & Aina the End co-star for the first time in the new TV commercial for "Suntory Draft Beer"! "I was very happy" (Kamishiraishi)

■ “Summer really suits Kamishiraishi-san, and the way she fanned herself with a fan was sexy.” (Aina) “It suited Aina-san, too.” (Kamishiraishi)

The new TV commercial for “Suntory Draft Beer” starring Mone Kamishiraishi and Aina the End, “Too Long Summer Days”, will be aired nationwide from July 1st, followed by “Adult Summer Vacation” from July 27th.

In addition to Mone Kamishiraishi and Aina the End, the commercial also features Kento Yamazaki (the kanji 崎 is officially spelled たつ崎), Kenji Sakaguchi, comedian Yu Hatanaka of the comedy duo “Oswald”, Shunsuke Ito, and Inspector Zenigata from the anime “Lupin the Third” (only in the “Adult Summer Vacation” episode). Furthermore, in the “Too Long Summer Day” episode, Sei Hiraizumi appears as a guest in the role of the neighborhood association president.

“Suntory Draft Beer” aims to be a “beer for the future” that will cheer everyone at the end of the day and encourage them to live positively, and is a product that is both “full and easy to drink”. The TV commercial features a group drama in which the lives of Yamazaki, an interior designer living in a certain town, Kamishiraishi, who runs a set meal restaurant, Sakaguchi, who works at the town hall, Oswald, a transporter, and Aina the End, a second-hand bookstore clerk, intersect.

■ “Too Long Summer Day”
The “Too Long Summer Day” episode is set at a neighborhood association summer festival held on a hot summer day. The inner thoughts and expressions of Yamazaki and his friends as they wait impatiently for a toast with “Suntory Draft Beer” while listening to the long speech by the neighborhood association president played by guest actor Hiraizumi, are depicted set to the CM song “Like the Flow of a River” sung by Kiyosaku (MONGOL800).

■ “Adult Summer Vacation”
The “Adult Summer Vacation” version shows Yamazaki and friends preparing in different locations for the fireworks festival, as well as watching the fireworks with friends and colleagues with a bottle of Suntory Draft Beer in hand, all accompanied by the commercial song “Like the Flow of a River” sung by Aina the End.

Through two new summer-themed TV commercials, the company conveys in an impressive way the delicious appeal of Suntory Draft Beer, which is perfect for drinking in style during the hot summer months.

■ Filming episodes
◇ Mone Kamishiraishi and Aina the End have their first real conversation together, but they’re in perfect sync!
In the “Adult Summer Vacation” episode, Aina the End calls out to Kamishiraishi, who has put up a “temporarily closed” sign. The natural interaction between Aina the End sneaking up on her from behind and Kamishiraishi, who is surprised by this, was impressive. Even after the cut, the two of them were watching the playback, saying, “It looks like fun,” and “It’s true (laughs).”

This is the first time that Kamishiraishi and Aina the End have starred together in a commercial for Suntory Draft Beer. However, they showed perfect chemistry from the first take, and when the director gave the OK, they even clapped their hands in joy.

◇ The wrap-up was marked by a “happy” aura, not a “happi” coat.
After the shoot, Kamishiraishi and Aina the End once again toasted with Suntory draft beer to show their appreciation for their hard work. After tasting it, they immediately praised the production team, saying, “Thank you very much!” and “You all won!”

Then, one of the staff members said, “I’m happy, no, I’m ‘happy’!”, a comment that compared it to the “happi” coat worn in the summer festival scene, and happy laughter spread throughout the room.

■ Interview with Mone Kamishiraishi and Aina the End
Q: Please tell us your impressions of filming the commercial.
Kamishiraishi:I was very happy to be able to shoot with Aina-san. I hadn’t had the chance to spend a lot of time with her until now, so it was like my wish came true. There was watermelon, mosquito coils, and edamame, so it felt like the best summer had come.
Aina:The fireworks that were set up with lighting had a different beauty to real fireworks, and we forgot about the play and were fascinated by them. Kamishiraishi-san really suited the summer, and the way she fanned herself with a fan was sexy.
Kamishiraishi:Hahaha. It looked good on you, Aina.
Q: What did you two talk about during filming?
Kamishiraishi:We talked about how we like each other’s dialects.
Aina:I’ve had the opportunity to tour Kagoshima (Kamishiraishi’s hometown) many times, and just walking around the city I could hear the dialect flying around, and I loved the intonation.
Kamishiraishi:Just listening to the Kansai dialect makes me feel better. Also, it’s more fun to say “Nandeyane” rather than “Nandyo” and it doesn’t create an unpleasant atmosphere. When I use the Kansai dialect while talking, it makes my heart flutter, and it’s a dialect I really love.
Q: Please tell us about what you’re into recently or anything you were passionate about in the past.
Kamishiraishi:Ever since I got a small camera, I’ve been hooked on photography. I wasn’t a big photographer before, but now when I go for walks I take a lot of pictures. The other day when I went to Nara, I took a lot of pictures of deer in the park. My camera roll is now full of deer (laughs).
Aina:I’ve recently become addicted to karaoke. Singing is so much fun.
Kamishiraishi:What you just said was so wonderful!
Aina:When I sing for work, I feel tension and anxiety, but then I thought, “Huh? Isn’t singing just plain fun?” and when I went to karaoke, it was great.
Kamishiraishi:Do you sing your own songs?
Aina:I don’t sing. Do you sing?
Kamishiraishi:I don’t sing my own songs either. It gets me too focused on work.
Aina:Same here. I just love singing cheerful songs at karaoke and I’m hooked.
Kamishiraishi:I’d love to go into the room next to Aina and listen to it secretly (laughs).
Q: The “Suntory Draft Beer” commercial series depicts people living life to the fullest, but what happened recently that made you feel like “I’m alive!” or “I’m glad to be alive!?”
Aina:When you’re little, your teeth get loose, right? The moment they fall out – loose, loose, loose – is a moment that makes you feel like you’re still alive, and it’s a memory that stays with you very well.
Kamishiraishi:You’re right, I’m very much alive (laughs). When I’m going through a really hard time or in pain, I have a catchphrase that I use to say, “I’m alive!” I think it’s proof that I’m alive.
Aina:You can taste it.
Kamishiraishi:That’s right. When my head is all messed up, I’m like, “Oh, I’m really alive.”
Q: This commercial is about making people want to drink “Suntory Draft Beer” in the summer, but is there anything you would like to try this summer?
Kamishiraishi:When I saw the outfits I wore this time, I thought, “Maybe a festival would be nice.” Up until now, I’ve never taken photos or gone to festivals, but if I can get into it this much, I think it’ll be fun and interesting.
Aina:While filming, I also wanted to go to a festival. It feels like I haven’t done anything like yo-yo scooping in years, so I’d like to have some fun at a summer festival.
Kamishiraishi:So I’d like to have a quick drink of “Sun Drama” there.
Q: Since the commercial is set at a neighborhood summer festival, please tell us about your memories of summer festivals.
Aina:My grandma, who was a Japanese dancer, dressed my sister and me in yukata and we went to a small festival, where she danced the Bon Odori dance. We followed her lead and danced to the tune of “The moon is out, out.” It was wonderful to see my grandma dancing the whole time, without even going to the food stalls, and she looked so happy.
Kamishiraishi:Aina-san also inherited the DNA of loving to dance. My grandmother’s house in Kagoshima is a town that has a famous fireworks festival in the summer, and some people even propose marriage under the fireworks. I saw that as an elementary school student, and my grandmother said, “That’s great.” It brings back memories.
Aina:It’s so peaceful. There’s no screaming or anything.
Kamishiraishi:Yes. I was like, “That’s good for you.”
Aina:It’s grandma vibes.
Kamishiraishi:I have inherited that tradition too (laughs).