BEYOOOOONDS' Miya Hirai Stars in Drama 'Ganbatte, Ganbaranai' Premiering in August
The drama marks the first lead role for a BEYOOOOONDS member in a scripted television series, expanding Hello! Project's presence in live-action drama beyond its music activities.
Reporting from 2 sources: Eiga Natalie, Cinema Today.
BEYOOOOONDS member Miya Hirai will star in the original drama "Ganbatte, Ganbaranai" on Nihon Eiga Senmon Channel, premiering August 7 at 21:00. Akira Takano co-stars as Daigo Tada, a new resident of a mountain share house. Hirai plays Hina Taniguchi, a woman recovering from overwork who lives peacefully in communal living. The story follows young people with past wounds supporting each other. The cast also includes Ai Moritaka, Taiyo Yoshizawa, Kentaro Yasui, Megumi Seki, and Shinya Arino. Director Ryunosuke Uesaka, known for the film "Rental Family," makes his drama directorial debut. The script is by Ryosuke Doi and Uesaka. The theme song is "Kokoro Fuwari" by Fuko. A making-of program titled "'Ganbatte, Ganbaranai' Satsuei Nikki" will air after the main episode, featuring behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with Hirai and Takano. Nihon Eiga Senmon Channel will also run a two-month special feature on Hello! Project actors and Akira Takano starting in August.
Hirai said she was "truly surprised and happy" to receive the offer for the lead role. She described the filming site as comfortable, where the cast played cards and chatted during breaks. Takano said the location, surrounded by nature and a 20-minute drive from the nearest convenience store, "felt like an adult school trip." He also noted he is a fan of co-star Shinya Arino's YouTube channel "Arino Darkside ch," where Arino draws lottery tickets.
Director Ryunosuke Uesaka said he is "grateful to all the cast members for sincerely engaging with the work" and hopes viewers "will feel a gentle warmth" after watching. The making-of program "'Ganbatte, Ganbaranai' Satsuei Nikki" runs about 18 minutes and includes NG scenes not shown elsewhere. The main episode is approximately 56 minutes.
Nihon Eiga Senmon Channel's two-month special feature starting in August is titled "2 Months Consecutive: The World of Hello! Project Captivating with Acting" and "2 Months Consecutive: The Passionate Performer - Actor Akira Takano." The broadcast lineup for that feature will be announced later.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 2 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.
Sources
- Eiga Natalie BEYOOOOONDS平井美葉・高野洸がシェアハウスの住人に、共演ドラマが日本映画専門チャンネルで放送
- Cinema Today BEYOOOOONDS・平井美葉主演、高野洸共演のドラマ「がんばって、がんばらない」8月放送