本郷奏多、“目に輝きがない”主人公にシンパシー　「あおざくら 防衛大学校物語」インタビュー

★High-Quality★ Entertainment news posted daily! Subscribe to "MAiDiGiTV" here↓ http://www.youtube.com/subscription_c... The drama series "Aosakura: The Story of the National Defense Academy," starring actor Kanata Hongo, will air on MBS's late-night drama slot "Drama Toku" (Thursdays at 12:59 AM) on October 31st. Based on the manga by Hikaru Nikaido, currently serialized in the manga magazine "Weekly Shonen Sunday" (Shogakukan), the series follows the protagonist, Yumi Kondo, played by Hongo, as she experiences struggles, joys, and growth alongside her peers with diverse goals. After reading the original manga, Hongo thought, "This is interesting. I want to try it," but also felt the challenges of filming. We spoke to Hongo about the appeal of the series. Kondo, the character he plays, "loves studying, loves money, and is caring towards his friends. His personality may not be typical of a typical manga protagonist," he explains. However, Hongo says, "There are many similarities between me and Kondo, so I feel a strong sense of sympathy for him." He laughs, "My seniors tell me that Kondo (the character I play) has no sparkle in his eyes. That's exactly what I'm talking about," and he feels attached to the role, saying, "He also has the same black hair, so it was a character I could easily get into." He spoke about the character's appeal, saying, "He says, 'Studying will soothe you,' and researches all sorts of things thoroughly. At first glance, he seems like a normal, earnest boy, but he's not like the main character; he's quite strange. I hope you enjoy watching." The story is set at the National Defense Academy, a school that trains future senior officers in the Self-Defense Forces, and Kondo and his friends hold the unique status of being both students and national civil servants. Hongo says, "The students are proud of themselves. They're students, but they're also firmly aware that they're working for their country," adding, "If I had known about it sooner, I would have wanted to go." The drama stars Yuki Kosei as Harada Tadashi, a first-year student and dorm roommate of Kondo, Ozawa Ren as Okita Souji, and Kozono Ryo as Takei Toraaki. Also appearing in the cast are stage stars Takasaki Shota, Isaka Tatsuya, and Kano Kento. The rigorous student life is portrayed realistically, with Kondo saying, "It was tough. The students are in a hierarchical, athletic environment, so if you make a slight mistake, you have to do push-ups and squats. There were actually a lot of scenes like that in the drama. It was physically demanding filming." When asked what made the biggest impression on him on set, he said, "There were a lot of scenes where I had to exercise every day or eat a lot. I'm almost 30 now..." he said with a wry smile. "I had fun, thinking, 'Oh, I'm so young,' even though I had terrible muscle pain every day," he said, seemingly enjoying his youth. Finally, he shared a message: "There are a lot of young guys in the cast, so I think it's an energetic and uplifting drama. I hope you enjoy it."