#umezo Takashi

[lebomboniere06]

✈️ Akaso Eiji (Umezo Takashi)

He is the son of the owners of okonomiyaki restaurant "Umezu" next to the Iwakura family, and is the same age as Mai. He is kind and sensitive. When he was young, he encountered poetry at the second-hand bookstore "Derashine" and became interested in creating "words." For Mai, he eventually becomes like an oasis in her heart.

Takashi is very gentle, and will not impose on others at all, and is the type that gets along well with everyone. Although he is a company employee, he is unwilling to be "ordinary" and feels doubt and the difficult of life. Even so, do not behave differently from others. Will cooperate with the surrounding environment, just because his heart is too clean so rather think life it's difficult because that.

Takashi's line, "When you say 'dried dog,' you mean me," left an impression on me. He has a great sense of coming up with the word “dried dog” as a word that fits his own feelings, and it is an impressive word that describes the character of Takashi

Because I have to face many things as my career as an actor, Takashi tries to use words to express his heart, if he have doubts ask questions from a different angle than other people , and when he will face himself directly, "Why now I'm feeling this way?", He will went to explore it. Reading books I can relate with these aspects. He seemed to understand what he heard from others, but in the end, he isn't satisfied unless he finds out or realize it himself .

Living in the noisy city, there will be times when you lose yourself. I can understand Takashi's desire to move to a place where all the five senses are stimulated, where's nothing but nature. In modern times, there are many people who have the same troubles as Takashi, Too much information, good and bad will come into view. on the surface you can overcome it with skills,but I don't think it's easy to live honestly with yourself. If there are people like this who can relate with the role of Takashi, I will be very happy.

In this work, you can emphasize with the Heroine moving forward step by step, and as well I think people can resonate with the family problems of the characters. As for me I want you to look at Takashi as well, It would be nice if he could be a support for Mai, support her behind her back, and become an oasis for the heart.

Adlib

By the way, the okonomiyaki of "Umezu's house" is super delicious. When I ordered the pork and egg flavor, ( butatama) the actress who plays as my mother said, "You always eat this," so after Kuwabata Rie san said this on adlib, I couldn't order any other flavors (laughs).

Recommended Points from the Editorial Department

Takashi's biggest point is his enveloping kindness and the soft smile he shows when he's with Mai was so healing just by looking at it. Also, a certain event triggers Takashi to break out of his shell. I'm excited to see that he's not only kind, but also more attractive as a person! ? Takashi, who was worried alone, decided to take a certain action. He is kind and considerate to everyone, but he suffers because of his kindness. And then he will take action... I can't take my eyes off how he changes from this mass of kindness!, Takashi will make your heart beat faster! ?😳

Kuwabata Rie san mentioned Eiji on part of her interview ⬇️

When filming begins, I treat Takashi, performed by Eiji Akaso, as if he were my real son. I also have three children, and I think of him as my eldest son when we talk. Something happened to Takashi, so I desperately hold back tears,I thought that I had controlled the strength and weakness in my own way, but I slapped his cheek with more force than I thought. but, Akaso-kun said, “its ok if you are a parent, so it’s really okay.” I'm glad I gave birth to him (laughs). For now on, I will continue to support Mai-chan and Takashi from the perspective of a parent as they work hard while worrying!

Question for Matayoshi Naoki san as

Yagi Iwao [Bookshop owner]

What are your memories?

"I was looking at the books while thinking that both the Kid Takashi and the young man Takashi are people who look good with books , Iwao Yagi doesn't seem to be good at socializing, but he can trust people who can build a trusting relationship with books. Takashi seemed to have a particularly strong attachment to Yagi, like a pupil & a master I'm looking forward to seeing how his relationship with Yagi will affect him.

Eiji Akaso san, who performs the role of Takashi, is also a charming person who looks very attractive(suits) with books."

Cc: Guide Book:小説 舞いあがれ! Part1 (1) (NHKドラマ・ガイド)

Eiji's cut from the Maiagare SP watch here.

[lebomboniere06]

HOT PEPPER's November 2022 issue

Akaso Eiji Interview

- I may be influenced by the characters you've played so far, and have a refreshing and mischievous impression of you. What are you actually like?

Friends who are close to me often say that I am "particular" and " go on my own way". So it may be different from what everyone imagined (laughs). Recently Nakajima no Ken chan (Nakajima Kento) said to me: "you're a bit special".

—I don’t think it’s likely to be said that way (laughs), like where, can you give us an example?

When he came to play at my house, he looked at my room and said "it's unique".

—I am very concerned about the special room.

I think the warm atmosphere is nice, the furniture and interior are all wood. However, the scent of the room is red wine. Are you saying that the incongruity between the wood texture and the enchanting mature fragrance is very special…. Also, because I'm very self-contained, I'm going to analyze whether this is something special (laughs).

—You are co starring in the NHK morning drama "Maiagare! "among them, the person you performs is unwilling to be normal, does his own way, Umezo Takashi.

Takashi is a man who feels suffocated because he is not willing to be "normal". But I would wonder what the usual is. What you think of as "normal" is often different from what others think of as "normal." He's a character who portrays the troubles everyone goes through growing up, and I think the audience can relate.

—Your character is the childhood friend of Mai Iwakura, the heroine performed by Haruka Fukuhara. what did you talk about in shaping the role?

It's incredible that the first day I performed with her, I didn't feel like meeting her for the first time. I think it's thanks to her own air of "accepting others". Moreover, Mai is a character who is desperately trying to move forward. It would be great if I could be someone who can be close to such a person and perform while being so aware, so I might naturally have the atmosphere of childhood friends.

—Takashi is supposed to be the son of the owners of an okonomiyaki shop in Osaka. You were born in Osaka, right?

Yes. I moved to Nagoya after I was born, but my grandmother is still in Osaka. Every time I go to play, I eat okonomiyaki and octopus balls.

—Then, please tell us the food you will want to eat when you return to Nagoya.

I really like the fried rice from a local restaurant, and I will eat it every time I go back. Basically, I like the strong flavor, this fried rice is rich in soy sauce flavor. You can't eat this rich flavor in Tokyo, so I will definitely try it when I go back to Nagoya!

- Sounds delicious! Do you have a shop you frequent in Tokyo?

Recently, a ramen shop opened near my house. I didn't have a chance to go before, I will take a look when passing by, and finally went a while ago! The dan dan noodles there are super delicious. A lot of sesame seeds are sprinkled in the thick soup, which is very fragrant. Also, the soft and glutinous noodles are a perfect match for the soup. I got addicted after eating it once and now I go once a week.

—Full of love for ramen! Is there anything you should pay attention to in terms of food?

I pay attention to eating more protein and fiber-rich foods such as fish and meat. Ramen is also, because I especially like carbohydrates, I will pay attention to nutritional balance.

—Do you go looking for food on your days off?

On days off, it's more about taking care of my body than eating. Go for acupuncture, go for a herbal massage…. During this time I also went to see traditional Indian medicine (Āyurveda). I will try my best not to accumulate fatigue and let my immunity decline. I also like bathing centers and saunas, and I often go to places where my body and mind can relax. I watch movies when I'm at home.

—I heard that you used to watch movies with your family, and the more you watch it, the more you like it.

Yes! I often watched "Back to the Future", "Terminator" and "Jurassic Park" and other kingly movies. However, "The Shining" I watched with my dad in elementary school was too scary, and I didn't dare to go to the toilet at that time... Even now, "Back to the Future" is a favorite work. Also, I am very addicted to "Top Gun 2: Maverick" that I watched this year, and I also bought the handsome MA·1 worn by the protagonist Maverick. This is the most recommended movie of the year. Those who haven't seen it you must see it!

Questions!

Q1 What kind of food do you want to eat this winter?

When winter comes, I want to eat hot pot. It's good to put a lot of various ingredients, like a mixed pot. I like fish and shellfish a lot, so this winter I want to try the seafood pot with many luxurious fish and shellfish.

Q2 Please tell us what you want the most right now!

I want the "AVIREX" military jacket worn by starring Tom Cruise in the movie "Top Gun 2: Maverick". But it seems to be very popular item now, and it is not easy to get it... So want it even more!

Q3 What do you usually order when ordering takeout?

Although I can cook for myself, I often order takeout when I get tired from work, and I like to order large portions such as pasta and pizza. Takeaway pizza is my regular menu, it's delicious hot, so I love it.

Styling Note : the theme is indigo monochromatic denim

"Indigo blue is very suitable for the denim style in autumn and winter. Moreover, because the inside is a shirt, it will have a clean and neat feeling, and I like the refreshing atmosphere. I used to like a slightly brighter light color denims, but as I've gotten older, I've become fond of deep indigo blues." (Akaso Eiji)

Source: Hot Pepper magazine website.

Added parts from media online articles, the content is slightly different:

What is your favorite meal these days?

Akaso was actually born in Osaka and because that he used to eat okonomiyaki and takoyaki on a daily basis.

His recent favorite ramen is tantanmen, and he commented, "This shop is famous for its tantanmen. It's spicy, so it warms my body. I didn't go there before, but now I go there about once a week!" .

Furthermore, Akaso says, "Maybe because I grew up in Nagoya, I like strong flavors and eat a lot of strong foods." When I go back to Nagoya, I want to eat "fried rice from a local ramen shop".

When choosing a restaurant when eating out, he says he searches in the internet or asks friends and seniors for recommendations.many of them said "Look at the pictures of the food and the atmosphere of the restaurant and choose a restaurant that matches both." so at the end of filming,he often searches online for “what he wants to eat” and “area”. Introducing the points of choosing a restaurant.

When asked about which restaurant he wants to go the most right now, he said, "In the fall and winter, I've never eaten chanko nabe. Actually, I always think it looks delicious when the sumo wrestlers are eating it, so I'd like to go!" said.

Akaso's reward meal is "sushi to eat at home". ``It's been a luxury meal since I was little, and ordering sushi delivered to my home is a luxury for me,'' he said.

[lebomboniere06]

Akaso Eiji's interviews recaps from online articles

How I felt when I received the invitation to the morning drama.

"I was very happy. When I was a student, I would definitely watch it before I went to school. The one that hit me the most was "Amachan"(first half of 2013). At that time, I was similar in age to the protagonists, and everyone at school and at home was saying "じぇじぇじぇ(je je je)".

Although he was born in Aichi, his birthplace was in Osaka. Akaso-san, who has spent summer vacations in Osaka since childhood, is the first time he speaks the Kansai dialect in a drama.

"It's really hard to subtly raise or lower the pitch by a semitone. Because both of my parents are from Kansai, since I have inherited the blood of Kansai, I don't want to be said to be poor in Kansai dialect."

The character in the drama is Takashi Umezu, the son of the owners of an Okonomiyaki shop. The roles of parents are performed by authentic Osaka entertainers Tomomitsu Yamaguchi & Rie Kuwabata.

"They both improvise whenever they get a chance, which is super fun. The biggest goal now is to be able to adlib with them in a Kansai dialect."

For Haruka Fukuhara, who plays the heroine.

"She exudes a very soft vibe and feels very comfortable in the scene. Fukuhara-san includes her thoughtfulness to her surroundings and feels like a sun-like existence."

The morning drama habit is a rehearsal for the week's chapters on Mondays.

"Because the rehearsal it's held on Monday, I could get my long lines beforehand, and it took longer to prepare, which was a great work environment. Because discussions are held during the rehearsal stage, it is really attractive to be able to reach consensus with the co-stars and directors in advance."

Takashi has encountered poetry since childhood, and is a delicate character who is interested in creating words.

"It is understandable that Takashi feels a little uncomfortable. I can understand very well that he wants to find words that can be close to his mood. Takashi started working right after high school and worked for a company despite being confused about the usual things. From here he will start to realize what he really wants to do"

For Matayoshi-san,who performs the owner of a second-hand bookstore(Yagi San)who has a deep influence on Takashi.

"I want to keep listening to him because I find his words so convincing. Maybe it has something to do with him being a writer The space in the second-hand bookstore is very important to Takashi, so he will be very careful when he performs every scene."

The first performance with Yagi-san.

"There were only 2 or 3 scenes at the beginning. The filming was done in one day, so I didn't have a chance to talk. If there is a chance to co-star again, I would like to hear about Mitayoshi-san's old tales. And because he is a writer, I would like to ask him what kind of point of view he created stories".

The performance with his father Umezo (Yamaguchi Tomomitsu) and his mother Yukino (Kuwabata Rie).

"The two of them improvise whenever they get the chance, and I really want to match their improvisations, but I'm worried about my Kansai accent, so I'm annoyed that I can't join even though I want to join... It is because of the two of them that the performs at "Umetsu" can have such an interesting atmosphere. The couple's rivalry is also very exciting, but including Takashi will feel like a great family."

For Mai,Takashi is an oasis. For Akaso-san, what is his oasis?

"The streets of Osaka, the filming location of this work, the actors and staff are all oasis. So I will always want to stay in Osaka."

Sources: SANSPOCOM, MANTAMWEB