A Comfortable Set with the "Around Thirty" Team

—Director Daigo Matsui mentioned that he incorporated the input of female staff and producers in creating the set. Did you two offer any suggestions, or were there any directorial choices that left a strong impression on you?



—When did you seek advice from the director?

AoiThere's a scene with a long monologue where I'm rejected by Soga and then chase after him. I'd never experienced a situation in my life where I felt I absolutely had to do something like that. I felt I couldn't quite grasp the feeling, so I asked the director how I should approach it. He told me, "Just be uncool about it." When I tried that, I felt like I understood, and the internal aspect of the character filled in as a result of approaching it from the outside.

—We heard that you, Ms. Takahata, struggled with your role.



—Was the character difficult to portray?

TakahataIt was difficult. I wondered what it meant to have no will. (Mana) lacked consistency. She didn't fit into any particular mold of "this is the kind of person she is." She adapted to others every single time. Because I didn't understand, I just tried to be annoying to Taiga, thinking, "He'll find me irritating." (laughs)

—The theme seems to be "disappearance." If you two were to truly disappear, what kind of life would you want to live?

AoiFirst of all, I'd be found out (laughs).

—Let's assume you wouldn't be found out (laughs).

TakahataThere's a place called Fukushima in my hometown of Osaka. I'd like to run a small restaurant there. It would be nice to work at my own pace. Having people come every day, a moderate amount of stimulation, and then just relaxing.

AoiThat's like going back home (laughs). I... I'd want to run a place that's a coffee shop during the day and a snack bar at night.

—So you both lean towards that kind of lifestyle (laughs).

AoiWe don't have our own space, or the chance to create and complete something entirely on our own. Our work isn't like that. What the final product will be after we act is up to the director, and it doesn't originate from us. So, perhaps we're drawn to things like that. We long for that sense of self-sufficiency.

TakahataWhere the mom drinks the most (laughs).

AoiMaybe so (laughs).

Page02.Actual Co-starring Scenes: Only Two

Actual Co-starring Scenes: Only Two

—What was it like acting together?

AoiWhen I first heard that Mitsuki Takahata was offered the role of Mana, I thought, "Are they serious?" (laughs). But I was also looking forward to it, hoping she would accept. "Mitsuki Takahata" is someone who excites me. Mana is a difficult role that I couldn't play myself, so I was curious how Mitsuki-chan would interpret it. When I heard her saying on set, "I don't get it, I don't get it," I thought, "Good!" (laughs). Because Mana herself doesn't understand herself, if Mitsuki-chan had grasped the character, it would have made Mana too convincing. I wanted Mana to be an incomprehensible presence, so I watched her, thinking, "It must be tough for you, Mitsuki-chan, but it's okay." When we finally met in the last scene and she turned around, she was undeniably Mana. I inwardly gave a thumbs-up.

—Were you watching her growth?

AoiIt felt good to witness "Mana becoming Mana."


—And from your perspective, Ms. Takahata?

TakahataI was so lost, so incredibly lost. The director had already told me, "I don't understand either," so I couldn't rely on him (laughs). When I told Yu-chan, "I don't get it!" she said, "It's okay not to get it. Not understanding is what Mana is." "I'll trust you!" I thought (laughs). She guided me in that direction, and I just followed along, which felt surreal. I had been struggling, but in those two scenes together, my heart felt a bit calmer. It was a relief, like finally reaching out for a hand. I didn't watch Yu-chan's scenes at all and met "Haruko Azumi" for the first time. But after the film was completed, seeing Haruko Azumi's expressions up to that point, I realized how different they were. That contrast made perfect sense, and I felt a sense of happiness recalling, "Ah, I met a 'Haruko Azumi' who had overcome all these things."

A Film Filled with "Second Puberty" Realities, Said to Occur in Women in Their Late Twenties

—This film features women from three generations: teens, twenties, and thirties. Each generation experiences pain and dissatisfaction, which is depicted realistically. As women yourselves, what do you think of them?

AoiIt's like Haruko. "Hurry and come over here." I'd want to tell my past self in Haruko's generation. My twenties felt like walking on ice—slippery and liable to crack, so I couldn't walk carelessly. But the moment I entered my thirties, that icy path suddenly turned into solid ground. I never imagined my thirties would be this enjoyable. I've experienced the exact same situation as Haruko. High school girls seemed invincible, and in my late twenties, I was just stunned. When I was seventeen and a high school girl, I felt invincible. How you live the ten years after seventeen seems to determine the sense of liberation you feel at thirty. I often talk with my girlfriends about the "second puberty" that hits in our late twenties. I think this film is packed with "second puberty" realities.

—Ms. Takahata, you'll be entering that "second puberty" soon. Conversely, what kind of woman do you aspire to become? Do you have an image of yourself at thirty?

TakahataI hope to remain curious... No, that's a lie (laughs). I don't know. I'll go with the flow. I have no idea what it will be like. But I still have some time, so I want to cherish the people around me. I want to build on the present. I'll probably hit my "second puberty" too, but when that happens, I hope to have at least one person around me who can tell me, "Just calm down."

AoiJust one person is enough? (laughs).

—So, you felt invincible as a high school student?

TakahataI was invincible. I worried about failing at work... though I still do (laughs). In any case, I had confidence in myself as a person. But gradually, I've come to know my weaknesses, and my confidence has waned. That's made things easier, though. I've come to accept that it's okay if I can't do something. I can now honestly say, "I'm sorry." When I was a teenager, I overestimated myself, so even if I fell, I'd think, "I didn't fall!" But now, even if I fall, I think, "Maybe I'll forget about it eventually." So, while my teens were fun, my present is also fun. I'm looking forward to my thirties too.



'Azumi Haruko is Missing'
Starring: Yu Aoi, Mitsuki Takahata, Taiga, Shono Hayama, Huwie Ishizaki, Akiko Kikuchi, Maho Yamada, Motoki Ochiai, Serena, Ryo Kase, and others.
Directed by: Daigo Matsui
Distributed by: Phantom Film
©2016 'Azumi Haruko is Missing' Production Committee
Now playing nationwide