Kana Kurashina’s “Affairs and circumstances” What is the future?
Featured interview
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Lust, jealousy, and attachment. A love drama full of deep human emotions was born.
Adults’ love affairs and circumstances become intricately intertwined, revealing unexpected connections. The delicate depiction, elegant visual beauty, and sensational progress captivate viewers.
The original work is the novel of the same name, “Amour and Circumstances,” by Rui Kotemari, a master of romance novels. This work is the long-awaited second work of NTT Docomo’s video distribution service “Lemino” original drama “Desire Sansaku” and was released on December 5th.
Kana Kurashina, who is widely active in film and stage, plays Arisa, who lives with a unique aesthetic. Arisa is building “her own castle” filled with beautiful things. Kurashina said that as the story progressed, he felt the “beautiful castle” crumbling.
The fate of Arisa’s heart, heading in an unimaginable direction… Immerse yourself in the world of love affairs created by seven men and women.
photography/Tetsuya Arai
Source and text/Yuka Inoue
“Ther is no such thing as an affair without circumstances” A romantic drama that shakes the emotions
- –The drama “Love Affair and Circumstances” is a love drama about seven men and women whose “affairs and circumstances” are intricately intertwined. Arisa Yuuki,played by Kurashina,is a book designer in her mid-30s,and her standard of value is whether she is beautiful or not. How did you feel when you received the offer?
- “Oh,you came here for this role?” The character I played,Arisa,was a little different from the other characters,and had a mysterious feel to her. The level of difficulty was high, and I thought it was very refreshing to be offered this role.
- –do you feel like you really want to do it?
- I agree. I was asked to play a dual role with Arisa’s twin sister,Erika (Sh
- ――The active and diplomatic Erika likes and has a relationship with Arisa’s husband,Osamu Yuki (played by nobuaki Kaneko). How was it playing the roles of two peopel with such complicated feelings?
- This time, Airisa is the type to hold back her emotions, so by playing Erika, she was able to let things out quiet a bit. There’s a lot of range in his acting, so I had fun playing him.
I’ve frequently enough played two roles in the past, but what’s different from before is that there are scenes where two people are in the same place.
- –It was very strange to see the two characters played by Kurashina sitting at the same table!
- That’s right. It was almost the first time I had to return my own play, so it was definitely difficult. I learned a lot by realizing that planning is very vital.
- –When I saw the original author Rui Kotemari’s X, she posted, “It was wonderful.” Regarding kurashina-san, one of her followers responded, saying, “He’s the perfect role to fall in love with!”
- I’m really, really grateful!
- ――I watched the drama after reading the original work, and the image I got from the original work was exactly the same.
- thank you. This is Director Igashi’s second time working with me after “The Man Next Door Eats a Lot” (TV Tokyo),and on set,the director suddenly came up to me and said,“You’re really just like Arisa,aren’t you?” That’s what I was told.
at first, I thought that Arisa and I didn’t look alike, but the director gave us his approval (lol), so I analyzed it myself. Then I thought there were some similarities.
- –What kind of place is it?
- My public image is bright, smiling, and always smiling. Actually, that’s true, but I think we are similar in our calmness and coldness. That kid doesn’t crowd around me (lol).
- –Certainly, Arisa doesn’t feel like she’s being flocked to (lol).
- I also don’t like socializing or being in groups, and I can be quite dry, so I thought we were similar in that respect. I realized that I had that side of myself as well.
Director Igashi’s exciting on-site experience of creating an unknown one-shot together
- — Director Aya Igashi is a young director who deserves attention. What kind of discussion did you have with the director before playing the role?
- You’ve said that you wanted to leave a lot of ambiguity in Airisa’s expression. They wanted me to add a sense of mystery that makes it hard to tell what they’re thinking, and they wanted me to add a little more expression because it’s a little hard to convey right now, and they valued things like that.
- –There was something about Airisa’s beauty and mysterious expression that drew me in.
- It was difficult to adjust because there wasn’t a big reaction, but I talked well with the director and played with the subtleties of my heart in mind.
- –In a past interview, Kurashina-san said that being on set with Director Igashi was very stimulating. I think there were a lot of serious scenes this time, but how was it on set?
- This was exactly the case this time, and it was a place where you could feel like you were all working together
After doing this job for about 20 years, I usually know where to shoot and what cuts to make, but I don’t really understand the shots that the director takes, and I wonder what the shots will be like.
- –That’s exciting!
- It’s really fun to create an unknown cut together, and I’m really looking forward to the finished product. I could see the challenge of creating something new with both the staff and the actors, and it was exciting every time.
- ――Just listening to your story,you can tell that it was a wonderful place. What kind of conversations did you have with your co-stars?
- Kaneko (Nobuaki) and I were just talking about trivial things. “This couple kind of reminds me of the Addams Family (*1991 American movie). Don’t we have a different atmosphere? (laughs).”
The other characters are easy to sympathize with and seem like everyday characters, but Kaneko-san and I are very unique (lol).
- –Certainly, they are a unique couple (lol).
- We often talked about things like, “If it was Osamu-kun, this is what he would do in a situation like this.”
- –Arisa is a woman with a unique aesthetic that rejects anything that is not beautiful. Were there any moments during your acting career when you were able to fully embrace the role?
- Ah, I guess it’s near the end. arisa is building something like “her own beautiful castle” in her heart. As the story progressed, I too had the feeling that the castle I had built was gradually crumbling.
- –did your understanding of the role deepen?
- In the second half of the drama, I started to feel something inside me crumble. for example, women in particular care a lot about beauty, but they also feel a momentary fear of getting older.
It was engaging to play the character at the end, seeing how impulsive he becomes.
- –The fate of arisa’s heart…the last scene is the highlight.
- Well,please look forward to the last part! It was a new experience for me because I had to do things that I wouldn’t do in everyday life (lol).
- –There are sensational developments waiting for you every time in the 30-minute total of eight episodes, right up to the last scene.
- it’s truly a work that swirls with karma and desire, and I don’t think the circumstances are so intertwined, so I’d be happy if you could immerse yourself in this world to the fullest.
- –I think the real appeal of this drama is that it depicts deep human emotions such as desire and jealousy.
- I agree. this work is really swirling with jealousy, greed, and karma, but what’s interesting is that Arisa pretends not to see it.
It was funny for a moment, but he pretended to be like, “I don’t know about such dirty desires.”
- yes. She meets Haruto, a beautiful boy, and gradually develops feelings for him. I don’t even realise that I’m tainted by greed, but from there I just start to fall apart.
- –The “beautiful castle” mentioned earlier is about to collapse. But the way it crumbles is also very human.Kurashina-san, how do you deal with emotions such as desire and jealousy?
- When it comes to desire, I’m a little closer to Arisa and may be trying to pretend I don’t see it (lol). I’d rather close the lid. I guess I’m the type to hold back.As for jealousy, in my case I tend to analyze it.
- –You sometimes write down your thoughts in a notebook.
- that’s right.How I feel now and why I feel that way. Such as, if you say “I feel jealous,” I would write down in my notebook and analyze what I am attracted to, why I am jealous, and what I should do about this feeling.
- –Does writing help you organize your feelings?
- Yes, once you admit your feelings, stress will be alleviated. I think it would be mentally healthier to live our lives with the understanding that negative emotions like jealousy do exist.
- –The scene with Haruto, who is getting close to him, made my heart flutter! How was it actually acting?
- It was easy to get into Arisa’s feelings, and I felt like I could play the role with a fresh feeling. In fact, Sato-kun’s eyes were really pure, and he was in sync with the role, making it easy to play him.
- –Arisa’s friend from college, Ayako Nakajo (played by Honami Sato), also falls in love with Haruto, but what is the reason why a woman in her mid-30s is attracted to a younger man?
- I guess it tickles your maternal instincts, after all. I was like, “Already!” (laughs). I wonder what it is. Isn’t it a bit strange to feel younger?
- –I understand, maybe you can enjoy a fresh feeling?
- surely! Maybe the freshness is a good thing. Also, it’s risky, so we’ll see how it works (lol)!
- –I’m also curious about the marital relationship between Arisa and Osamu. Although Arisa is aware of Osamu’s affair, she acquiesces and thinks, “I can just turn my attention away from the inconvenient situation.” Kurashina-san, would you be happier if you didn’t know the truth or would you rather know it?
- Personally, I’m the type of person who wants to know the truth. I would like to know what to do and deal with it. If you don’t know, you’re not given a choice, so I want you to have a choice.
- –I want to know this before making a decision.
- yes. There’s something like, “Let’s talk to each other, and I want to think about it too.”
- If you pretend like you don’t see something like Arisa, you’ll end up paying for it.
- –in the drama, there are scenes where you can get a glimpse of various characters’ views on love and life. Kurashina-san, are there any changes in your current outlook on love and life compared to when you were in your 20s?
- It has changed quite a bit. After I turned 35, I started thinking that it would be nice to have a partner who could walk through life with me.
- –There have been changes as you’ve gotten older.
- It’s really easy to be alone, and I don’t have to be around someone, but I don’t know what it feels like to be around someone. As an actor and myself, this is a world that I haven’t seen yet, so I want to see it.
- –You might be able to meet a new version of yourself.
- Also, when I actually have a child, I feel like I can see a new version of myself when I experience the things I used to do when I was little with my child, such as playing in the sand and playing tag.
I think it’s a very difficult thing, but if I only had one chance in my life, I would like to experience even that difficult thing.
After all, I’ve been alone for 36 years, so I’ve seen that before, so I think it’s okay to stand on a new stage!
- Born on December 23,1987.Born in Kumamoto Prefecture. Type O.Since 2006, she has been active as an actress in a wide range of areas including dramas, movies, stages, and commercials. In 2009, she was selected to play the lead role in the NHK TV drama series “Welkame”. Main appearances are in movies
“March Comes in Like a Lion”, “Aiai Kasa”, “Mikazuki and Neko”, drama “7 Detectives” (TV Asahi), “Stolen Love, Winter” (TV Asahi), “Honesty Real Estate” (NHK General) , “the Man Next door Eats a Lot” (TV Tokyo), etc. Currently appearing in the drama “Bantman” (Fuji TV). The movie ”Oshi no Ko -The Final Act-” is scheduled to be released on December 20, 2024. NHK premium drama “TRUE COLORS” (NHKBS Premium 4K/NHKBS) is scheduled to be broadcast in January 2025. - Ideally, I want someone who understands me deeply and can share both the joys and challenges of life. A partner who can support and inspire me to become a better person, while also being able to engage in meaningful conversations and have fun together.
- –Have your past experiences shaped what you now look for in a relationship?
- Definitely. I’ve learned a lot from previous relationships about what works and what doesn’t. I used to prioritize passion, but now I realize that mutual respect and understanding are just as critically importent—if not more so.
- –What do you think are the most important qualities in a partner?
- I think honesty and communication are key. Being able to express thoughts and feelings openly can prevent misunderstandings and help build a strong foundation. Also, a good sense of humor is essential; life can be tough, so it’s important to be able to laugh together.
- –As you navigate your acting career and personal life, do you find a balance between the two, or is it challenging?
- It can be challenging at times. The demands of acting can be time-consuming, which sometimes makes it tough to maintain personal relationships. Though, I try to prioritize my personal life and ensure that I carve out time for the people I care about.
- –Have your views on career and personal life shifted?
- Absolutely. In my 20s, I was very focused on my career, often to the detriment of my personal life. Now, I beleive it’s crucial to create a balance so that I can find happiness in both areas. Work is important, but so is building meaningful connections.
- –Are there any lessons you’ve learned about love that you’d like to share?
- One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is to be open and vulnerable with the people you care about. Love involves risk, and the more you open up, the greater the chances of forming a deep connection. It’s critically important to take that leap of faith.
Playing the role of Arisa made me feel like the “beautiful castle” was crumbling.
When you have negative emotions, it is important to acknowledge your feelings.
Is it better to not know the truth? Or is it better to know?
It’s easy to be alone, but I want to live my life with a partner.
- 【profile】
Kana Kurashina(Lifestyle/Kana)
[Work information]
Lemino original drama “Amour and Circumstances”
Delivered every Thursday at 0:00 (all 8 episodes)
*Free distribution of episodes 1 and 2
・Special site for “Affairs and Circumstances”
[PR企画 Lemino × ライブドアニュース]
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– How do past relationships influence your current expectations in a partner?
Grown older. What kind of partner do you envision?
