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Horikita on the set of “Byakuyako” in Kamakura

// June 8th, 2010 // No Comments » // Interviews, News

eiga.com got an exclusive interview with Horikita Maki (21), the starring actress of the upcoming movie adaption of Higashino Keigo's "Byakuyako" and met her at the former residence of Kachou no Miya in Kamakura, Kanagawa. Horikita is portraying the role of Karasawa Yukiho that already got brought to life on the TV screen by Ayase Haruka on TBS in the dorama adaption back in 2006.

The original long mystery novel already got released in 1999 and sold over 1.8 million copies. Yukiho is a very beautiful woman who eventually ends up losing any hesitation in tricking other people into great misfortune due to some murders that happened during her childhood. At the day of the interview they were filming a freshman party for the new members at the social dance club. Yukiho joined this club in order to get closer to Shinozuka (played by Kyo Nobuo), a senior at college and son of a distinguished family owning a major pharmaceutical company.

Kachou Hironobu established the Kachou no Miya in 1929 and in 2006 it became a national tangible cultural property. It provides a great location for films, but the general public is able to check out the outdoor garden potion as well. Horikita and her friend Midori Yurie (19), who also plays the best friend of Yukiho in the film, appeared on the set wearing some nice afternoon dresses.

They filmed various scenes like Eriko (Midori) looking after Yukiho. Midori doesn't yet seem to be used to be all dressed up and still looked a bit unsteady on her feet. Overall the filming happened in a very relaxed atmosphere and when a Japanese nightingale suddenly decided to disturb the filming with a song, both of them just smiled at each other. Horikita is said to be a big fan of the original novel and had some thorough discussion with director Fukagawa Yoshihiro prior to the filming. "We talked a lot about Yukiho and Ryoji (played by Kora Kengo). The director listened to my subjective opinions about the roles and I listened to his objective opinions. I'm looking forward to what kind of movie it will become." She spoke about the trust between Fukagawa and her.

She also talked about the role itself, her first ever role as a wicked woman. "There are a lot of things within the 30 years of her life we can't portray in the movie. It's really difficult to convey her mental state with so many years missing in between. You always worry whether it was right to portray her emotions like that and what would be the right way to make it an interesting story." While talking about the role and the new challenge that is coming with it, it became pretty obvious that Horikita is sincerely trying to put in her best efforts.

What's the difference when playing a wicked woman compared to the roles she usually played so far? – "Up until now I always tried to made people laugh and raise their spirits with my play, but this time I can't think that way. This isn't a movie with the intention to make you feel happy, you are supposed to feel sad after watching it. I'm playing this role with the thoughts of making you feel down at the end." She said with great ambition and resolution.

Besides Kanagawa the filming will also take place in Chiba, Tokyo, Nagano and several other places. They plan to wrap up the filming by the end of June. Not mentioned above but also appearing in the movie are Funakoshi Eiichiro, Toda Keiko, Tanaka Tetsushi and more. WOWOW Films and GAGA plan to release the movie sometime in spring 2011.

—
Written by: KawaiiJoyuu
Sources: eiga.com
Please link back when posting those news anywhere else.

Girls Locks! Maki as guest on Nanami’s show

// December 27th, 2009 // 3 Comments » // Interviews

It’s been a while that I had to translate a snippet from Girls Locks!
Last week Maki made a guest appearance on Sakuraba Nanami’s segment and here is what I can translate from the little transcript that got posted on the site of Tokyo FM.
I’m sorry for any mistakes, but I wasn’t able to go through it again to correct typos and grammatical mistakes.

12/15 [Horikita Maki]

"Hello everyone! I haven’t been on here for a while. I’m Horikita Maki."

Why did she come on the show last week? SCHOOL OF LOCK released their new book called "DAYS3" and the two girls did a photo shooting together for it. That’s more than enough reason to get Maki on the show. ^^

[Nanami]	You know, that magazine that we have read during the photo shooting, it was really interesting, wasn’t it?
[Maki]	It hasn’t been that long since then, but I have to say that Nanami has become a lot more mature again. The magazine that we have read… Oh, right. (laughs) We can’t say what it was about here now, though. Back then we also talked about school, dorms and GIRLS LOCKS!.
[Nanami]	There is another very important reason why Horikita Maki, the honorary president of the Books Club, is here. We are currently accepting original novels for the 2nd Aoikisho teenage literary Rookie of the Year Award. I read the winner of the first awards, "Kodoku Hoshi", as well… I was really amazed that other pupils at the same age as me are able to write such novels. Maki-san, how was it to read all those novels for the first awards?
[Maki]	The first awards… receiving all the works from our listeners… I was really worried… However, there have been so many superb works. It was really worthwhile reading them and it became a very fun memory for me. Nanami, you read "Kodoku Hoshi". How was it?
[Nanami]	The unexpected development really surprised me!!!
[Maki]	I know what you mean. It’s all thanks to that unique atmosphere of Aokisho that we got stories with such unexpected developments and so on. That’s why I’m totally looking forward to the 2nd awards!!! The theme this time is "The scribble that changed the world." That sounds like fun. Nanami, what comes to your mind when hearing the theme?
[Nanami]	???????? Uhm…. I… A scribble that came to light after the center of the earth got torn apart…
[Maki]	Ehhhhhh? That would be "The scribble that destroyed the world", right? (laughs)
[Nanami]	Oh. I guess you are right~ (laughs) How about you?
[Maki]	I really don’t have a clue, but I always scribbled on the desk at school. What if one of those harmless scribbles would cause a huge uproar around the world? That kind of feeling, maybe.
[Nanami]	Well then, how about giving our listeners who want to participate at the Aokisho awards a message?
[Maki]	That’s a good idea~ There was an amazing response towards the first Aokisho awards. Writing a novel might seem like something really difficult, but everything starts with a challenge and I want you to send your works SCHOOL OF LOCK! !!!
[Nanami]	We have only been talking about SCHOOL OF LOCK! up to now, but what about you? What have you been doing these days?
[Maki]	These days I’m filming for TBS’ Sunday dorama "Tokujou Kabachi". It will start airing next year on January 17 at 9pm.
[Nanami]	So you have to get at the set when it’s still dark outside and go back home when it’s dark again.
[Maki]	Exactly. (laughs)
[Nanami]	What kind of role do you play?
[Maki]	Do you know what a notary public does?
[Nanami]	Not at all.
[Maki]	It’s like a lawyer, but you don’t stand in a courtroom. The difference is that you mainly work on making documents. You can consult a notary public much more at ease than a lawyer, I think.
[Nanami]	Is it difficult?
[Maki]	It is~ There are so many technical terms… Besides, I haven’t really done that many roles as a working adult so far. This role is yet another big challenge for me.
[Nanami]	I’ll work hard as well!!! Thank you very much for today. Maki-san, will you attend tomorrow’s Girls Locks! again?
[Maki]	Yes!!! Principle and vice principle, please help me out tomorrow again!!!

12/16 [Horikita Maki 2]

[Nanami]	All right, let’s get to the introduction right away. She is here at the girls class for the 2nd consecutive day.
[Maki]	Good evening, I’m Horikita Maki.
[Both]	Yoroshiku Onegaishimasu.
[Nanami]	Okay, speaking of Maki-san, today we gonna talk about something related to Maki-san’s position as the honorary president of the Books Club again. Before you graduated, you established the "Future Library" asking people to tell us which book they would like to send to their future selves. Even after you graduated, people still sent in messages related to the Future Library and occassionally posted it on the web. Since you are here today, I’d like to introduce a couple of those messages first.
[Maki]	Okay.
[Nanami]	(From Yokohama city / Nickname: Sora) Tsujimura Mizuki’s "Tsumetai Kousha no Toki wa Todomaru" Whenever I read this book again and look at the frantic senior high school life of that student in the story, I always remember my time at school. How much I’ve laughed, how much I was worried, how much I’ve cried… I’m sending this book to my future self, because I never want to forget about school and all the feelings surrounding it. Maki-san, did you read this book?
[Maki]	This one… I think I’ve read it halfway through. I’m probably going to continue reading it now.
[Nanami]	I’m a senior high school student, so I guess I’ll have to read it too. Let’s continue. (From Ishikawa / Nickname: Mukka) Isaka Koutarou’s "The Foreign Duck, The Native Duck and God in a Coin Locker" To be honest, I only read this book after watching the movie, but it really moved my current self a lot and really made me shed a lot of tears. I think that every year I grow older, I start to understand the content of the movie and the book more and more. Right now I’m already so touched by this story, but then 10 years from now I’m probably going to read even more meanings into it. I can’t think of anything else right now and I’m probably going to read and watch many more books and movies from now on, but it’s this one that I’d like to entrust to my future self. How about this book?
[Maki]	I’ve read this book. The composition of the story is very fun to read, there are many petty yet interesting parts and even a lot of surprises. I simply remember it as a book that was a lot of fun to read. I can totally understand Mukka-kun’s opinion. It’s the same for me, I always get a much better understanding of the content when rereading a book that I’ve read a long time ago.
[Nanami]	I want to read books, too.
[Maki]	You don’t read???
[Nanami]	The actions of the protagonist and stuff like that, I always mix them up in my head.
[Maki]	I see. Of course there are books where it’s important to follow the actions of the characters, but there are also books more similar to poems. Maybe you should start reading such genres first?
[Nanami]	Maybe I should.
[Maki]	I can give you some recommendations, if you want.
[Nanami]	It was probably so much trouble for you to get the time to appear on this show and now it even turns into a private consultation…
[Maki]	It’s fine with me, so don’t worry!!!
[Nanami]	I… can’t bring it to a conclusion…
[Maki]	What do you mean?
[Nanami]	When I’m talking, I can’t get to a conclusion.
[Maki]	Ah~ I’m not that good with that either. However, surprisingly we get a lot of chances to talk in public. Stage greetings and stuff like that… You try to come up with a perfect comment, but then you completely blank out and end up saying something hastily. In those situations it might be better to only think about the things you really want to talk about, instead of forming a perfect comment. And reading books might actually increase your vocabulary.
[Nanami]	Huh… I guess it’s really a good thing to read books… I’ll try my best!!! Thank you very much for your 2nd day here at Girls Locks!.
[Maki]	It really was a lot of fun. I’m thankful that I was able to return here at least once. I hope I’ll be able to visit you again!!!
[Nanami]	Yes, you have to!!!

Please don’t post this translation anywhere else!

Chisato & Ookura Brothers Q & A

// October 3rd, 2009 // No Comments » // Interviews

Urgent Q & A with Chisato & Ookura Brothers

note: Before starting, you might want to remember the casts’ name, as their real names which will be mentioned in these interview.

Chisato: Horikita Maki
Fuu: Kaname Jun
Takeru: Okada Yoshinori (Mukai calls him “Yosshi”, so I’ll use this nickname^^)
Sho: Mukai Osamu
Masaru: Yamamoto Yusuke
Satoru: Seto Koji
Akira: Okayama Tomoki

Q1. Tell us if there’s any happening or behind the scenes stories on the set!

MAKI: During the titleback’s filming, we did batting on the living room(dining room) set. That time, I thought it definitely won’t hit the ball but when I swing the bat, it actually hit the ball precisely, and it hit a staff, I was shocked. (laughs)

KANAME: I filmed scenes alone most of the time in the first half, and then I joined them starting in the middle of the story, so I feel like a transfer student. (laughs) But the filming set and everyone are great and I’d like to treasure this atmosphere.

YOSSHI: Sometimes I eat 2 lunchbox sets (provided by the staff) at a time on the set, then Mukai-kun would say, “You better pay for that!” (laughs) The other day, Seto-kun gave me his lunchbox set, then Mukai-kun said, “What are you doing?!” (laughs) During the filming, Mukai-kun also always responded to all the stupid things I did spontaneously.

MUKAI: Interesting things always happened everyday, so we always laugh. Just as how the brothers gets closer, we ourselves also gets along better, it’s a really fun filming set.

YUSUKE: When the filming was just starting, I was going to call Mukai-kun, but then I hesitated on what to call him, and I ended up calling him, “Osa, Muka… Musai-kun!”. Then Okada-san totally “picked” that up and mock his name, “Musai Okamu-kun” (laugh)  Mukai-kun must have bear a grudge on me. (laughs)

SETO: During the titleback, the baseball scene’s filming, Okada-san swing the bat and it hit and broke the chandelier. (laughs) Then we had to clean up the mess. Okada-san became a bit sad, but the filming continued and his sad face was filmed, too. (laughs)

TOMOKI: On the set, oniichan-tachi (the older brothers) always talk to me about many things, so everyday is fun. I like games, and they asked me the most popular game at school currently. Also, everyone likes to do impersonations, and they’re funny, so I always laugh. During lunch break, most of the time, I eat together with Okada-san and Seto-san. I have a big sister and a little sister, but now I feel like I have so many kind older brothers, I feel very happy.

Q2. Tell us your co-stars’ unexpected true nature!

MAKI: Since Seto-kun’s face is like a girl’s face, I thought he has a cute attitude too, but apparently he’s very manly. Seto-kun’s Donald Duck impersonation is perfect. (laughs) Mukai-kun is like a walking dictionary. On the outdoor filming set, he talked to me about ultra-violet rays and other scientific topics. (laughs)

KANAME: I don’t think I’ve found any of their unexpected side. (laughs) On the set, Okada-kun is the moodmaker and he neutralizes the atmosphere.

YOSSHI: Seto-kun usually use formal language, but sometimes he suddenly goes, “Maji kayo(seriously)??!”[-> not formal] (laughs) He’s very cute. Kaname-kun looks smart, but his actually very funny. I think he can be a comedian. (laughs)

MUKAI: Maki-chan is smart and she has a good sense of balance. The one who always make the atmosphere lively the most is Yosshi (Okada). And maybe I’m the one who always respond him.(laughs) One time, I was reading a book on the sofa and he suddenly got on top of me and said, “You feel scared, right?!”. He’s annoying like that. (laughs) But he’s really a good older brother.

YUSUKE: Seto-kun and Tomoki are quite anime otaku-s, sometimes they would do ONE PIECE’s make-believe(pretend they’re the characters). (laughs) Tomoki is the quiet type, but he’ll always laughs during those times.

SETO: Everyone is as I thought before, but I’m surprised that Yamamoto Koji-san is so skillful in art! He can do magic tricks and he’s even good in impersonations. We did “Fukuyama Masaharu” impersonations together, and everyone said we did it good.

TOMOKI: Seto-kun is really good in impersonations. His impersonation of Dragon Ball’s character, Cell, is interesting.

Q3. Tell us which characters you’d like to be your real family or those who you don’t like.

MAKI: It might be interesting to have an older brother like Masaru who’s scared of women. We might get to do some girls talk together. (laughs) On the contrary, it might be troublesome to have an elementary student younger brother who does stock. (laughs)

KANAME: Chisato is not like a mother, but she’s more of like a mature little sister. Masaru is also interesting. If there’s the unisex type like him, he’ll comfort everyone. I don’t think I can live together with someone smart like Akira.

YOSSHI: All of the brothers’ characters are nice. I only have sisters, so to have just brothers is a fresh feeling.

MUKAI: I think Takeru is interesting. He doesn’t show much emotion, a very interesting guy. Fuu is too much of a mystery, I think it’ll be difficult to live together with him.

YUSUKE: Takeru is such a good guy, but I can’t live together with him. Also, to think of it from Masaru’s point of view, Satoru is quite violent and scary, so I don’t want a brother like him. (laughs) With Akira, there’s no obstacle, so maybe it’ll be fine.

SETO: Takeru is nice. He’s the most friendly one, I’d like to have this kind of older brother. I don’t want a brother who wear make-up. (laughs) He might do some damage to me. (laughs)

TOMOKI: I like everyone. It would be great if all those 5 older brothers can be my real brothers. It might also be interesting to have a mother like Chisato-san. But Akira is too smart, a brother like him, might not get along with me that well. (laughs)

Q4. If you and your brother (for Maki: sister) likes the same person, what will you do?

MAKI: I’ll support my little sister’s romance. If it doesn’t go well, then maybe I’ll pursue the guy. (laughs)

KANAME: I’ll retreat. Although I like the girl, I won’t do anything provoking, and I won’t confess my feelings.

YOSSHI: I won’t back down. Long ago, I thought to retreat from that situation is a smart thing to do. But now, I will take the challenge.

MUKAI: I have an older brother myself. I definitely wouldn’t like it if my older brother and me likes the same person. The moment I know that, our relationship might get cold. (laughs)

YUSUKE: I don’t want to lose from my brothers. I’d probably in shock and won’t recover, if that girl dates my older brother. If she dates my younger brother, I’ll smack him down. (laughs)

SETO: I definitely won’t back down. Even if the girl incline more to my younger brother, I’ll make her like me more. I’m the type that will become “Giant”(of Doraemon) in romance. (laughs)

TOMOKI: No comment.

Q5. Please tell us about the significant point on the drama and your character.

(note: This interview was done during Ep4 or Ep5 broadcasts)

MAKI: How will Chisato and the brothers become family? Seem like things won’t go smoothly, but please pay attention to how everyone’s feelings’ changes.

KANAME: Fuu is selfish and he doesn’t do what he suppose to do, but he insists on something. Pretty much reflect the youngsters nowadays. But that is not good, and I want the audience to see that part. Me, myself, would like to see Fuu changes, pull himself together and become more like the “eldest son”.

YOSSHI: Fuu messed up the family and how will they get back together might be the highlight of the story from now on. Takeru will wear the biker gang’s long jacket ’till the end, y’know. (laughs) He will also wear a black underwear, please look forward to that bit of the change.

MUKAI: There will be an unexpected twist regarding the Ookura family’s mystery. I’ll be happy if you can enjoy it when the family tries to solve the mystery, while being able to feel the family love.

YUSUKE: The family will unite and they will face a big problem together. Please look forward to Masaru’s feelings for Chisato and their weird relationship, too. When you feel like being kind, please watch it.

SETO: Since Satoru has started to be able to step outside, my outdoor filming increased too, I’m happy about that. (laughs) My prediction, Satoru’s feelings (for Chisato) won’t be able be realized. But as long as he can eat together with his family and get along with his family, it’s all good.

TOMOKI: This drama is very interesting, so please continue to watch it. I’ll do my best too. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu.

credit translation to: http://community.livejournal.com/atadan/6969.html
credit pictures to: http://calledinvain.livejournal.com/135180.html

“Atashinchi no Danshi” Interviews (01)

// October 3rd, 2009 // No Comments » // Interviews

Atashinchi no Danshi

Here I will translate some of the official interviews with some of the cast members, whenever they come up online.
Please remember that my Japanese skills are far from perfect and that I’m not a native English speaker.
Feel free to point out mistakes or post corrections yourself.

Mineta Chisato – Horikita Maki

What was your impression when you first heard about this project?

I thought that a dorama about a family with completely unrelated members would be really interesting. In the dorama there is one person who gets into a new family and I don’t think that’s unrealistic in reality either. It would be fun to see how they meet that other person and how that group starts to become a family.

Moreover those 6 people are all males and you will be their mother, right?

When I turned 20 I said, “I want to do a mother role next” and immediately received that role (laughs). It’s my first role as a mother, but for Chisato, the girl I’m playing it’s the first time as well, plus we aren’t that different in age either and she never actually gave birth to a child in her life. I’d like to play her as a vigorously young mother (laughs).

Four of them are even older than her, aren’t they?

Amazing, isn’t it? (laughs)

What is your image of a “family” ?

You could say that for me it comes down to people who are very similar to each other. People who are similar to yourself. Therefore it will be interesting to see whether Chisato and the 6 siblings will be able to have such similarities too or not. Even if a family quarrels, doesn’t it always immediately return to what it was before the quarrel? In the dorama the family starts with no connections whatsoever, not even to the house they live in, so they could eventually be able to become a good family thanks to that.

Do you quarrel with your family, too?

Usually we have a very good relationship and have no problems when we are together, so whenever we start a quarrel, it’s always only because of some trivial things. In the past we competed for the TV (laughs). I’ve been living apart from my family since senior high school and while it was great to live alone at first, I gradually became bothered by the fact that I have nobody to talk to or to quarrel with. You could say that I started to pick trivial things for random quarrels as some form of stress reduction… . I felt the importance of a family as soon as I went away.

What about the character Chisato?
She lives at tough and crude places, has an unyielding personality, but also seems to be sensitive towards other people’s pain. That sounds like a very interesting character…

Chisato has the power to keep on living no matter how hard it gets for her, that’s why I think that this energy or rather those powerful moments are very important.

It’s the role of a homeless and you even got all dirty for the poster of the dorama, but how does it actually feel yourself?

It kind of feels like during my childhood, when I would return home after playing outdoors all day long. (laughs)

It’s a known problem that more and more people in the same generation as you become so-called “Internet Café Refugees” and homeless in Japan. What are you feelings about this matter?

I can take a bath now. I would be able to take a shower as well… . That’s obviously better than sleeping outside, but what choice do they have? Not to have a home must be hard for them. For me home is where you can be at ease and retreat to whenever you have to, so it must be really terrible not have such a place.

Have you been to an Internet café before?

I haven’t. I’ve been to a manga café, though. I went there 1 time. However, I didn’t know what to read, got perplexed and left gain. (laughs)

Many actors say that comedy doramas are very difficult, how about you?

A comedy will only be half as good, if you don’t give your all and if it’s only half as good, you won’t be able to convey everything. Especially in this dorama now, there’s a message hidden beneath all the comedy and so you eventually want to use all your strength to make it a good comedy. I don’t yet know how the story will develop throughout the dorama, but I would be happy to be able to convey the importance of family bonds via the clashes between Chisato and the 6 siblings, and how eventually they become closer to each other to everyone who’s watching the dorama.