Behind the scenes stories & some snippets about A LIFE
Here're some episodes about A LIFE that I earlier translated and shared on Twitter. Pretty cute stories ^^
From various interviews I read and also from WUS, it's so obvious that Captain is genuinely happy to be able to work with such a great team like A LIFE team, be it staff or cast. Not only that they're on very good terms with each other privately, but they also share the same passion & attitude towards work. I'm so grateful for Producer Ueda for making this drama happen no matter how much hardship he faced behind the scenes. <3 It's such a wonderful encounter for Captain during one of the toughest times in his career.
1) Some cute snippets about A LIFE team from WUS 2017.02.03
- As there're 2 Kimura at A LIFE filming site, fan asked how the crew calls both of them.
Kimura Fumino -> Fumi-chan, Yuki-chan
Captain -> Okita-san, Kimura-kun
During the photo shoot for the drama poster, when the art director said "Sorry! Kimura-san, please move to the left a little bit..", turns out both Captain and Fumino-chan moved accordingly. So, after that both of them were called by their full name. xD
- The way Captain calls other co-stars
Takeuchi Yuko -> YuuYu
Matsuyama Kenichi -> KenKen
Asano Tadanobu -> Taddo
Kimura Fumino -> FumiFumi, Fumin
Oikawa Mitsuhiro -> Mitchy (same as the Japanese public)
Nanao -> Nanao-san (Captain said they rarely had a scene together, which is zannen for him xD)
Emoto Akira -> Emoto-san (At first Captain joked that it's "Emocchan" What a way to call your senpai! LOL!)
- The way other co-stars call Captain
Except for Oikawa-san, who calls Captain "Tak-kun", everyone calls him "Kimura-san"
- Fan shared her feeling when she heard Captain call choux cream "Shuu-chan" during Monitoring and asked if he prefers custard filling or whipped cream filling.
Captain said he was asked by staff to call it "Shuu-chan" So, zannen, it's as per the script, not his own word. :P As for the choux cream filling, he said it's most delicious when putting both fillings together.
- Looks like they also have A LIFE chat group on LINE. While he was talking about how he wants the whole cast to go on Pittanko Kankan tour together again, he mentioned that on that day KenKen and Fumin were just on location for filming together. They took a memorable two-shot together and then sent it through mobile.
Captain seemed lonely like while everyone is filming the drama, why must I be here? Lol (though he did mention that WUS is also an important program :P)
Then he took a picture inside the radio booth and sent it back to others telling them that he was hosting a radio show. He was embarrassed when it showed in the chat window that someone already read the message and wondered who read it. xD And then he was like "Yabee..the no. of read increased." LOL!
2) Fan reports of A LIFE preview screening & stage greetings
Before A LIFE started airing, TBS held a preview screening & stage greetings at a certain hotel. Here's a summary of fan reports I gathered from Twitter back then.
- Before the event started, Captain and Yuko-chan stayed close to & had a talk with each other.
- The mood makers in the event are Oikawa-san and MatsuKen.
- One fan said she was too absorbed in the drama that she had been absent-minded for a while after finishing watching. And Asano-san also said the same thing. It seems the whole cast also watched the first episode for the first time.
- The President of The Medical Association and some other real doctors also participated in the event. It seems this is the first time that The Medial Association gives full support to a drama and joined this kind of event.
- The President said that when a request came from TBS, because he knows that Captain is an actor who’s really absorbed in the role & a person who tackles his jobs earnestly, he’d like to support Okita Kazuaki sensei as one doctor. So he decided to cooperate with this drama.
- Several fans were surprised by good manners of the participants. Nobody arbitrarily stood up or touched the cast though they’re in touchable distance. But everyone clapped hands and cheered with all their might.
(I guess people usually go wild in this kind of event. :P)
- Oikawa-san called Captain “Tak-kun” for about 3 times and everyone laughed, while Captain smiled shyly. Oikawa-san kinda boasted that though his role confronts with Doctor Okita in the drama, in real life he gets along well with Captain and they excitedly talk about Star Wars with each other.
- When they talked about how MatsuKen interviewed Captain & Asano-san a lot at the filming site, he said that he also asked Oikawa-san a question. When the MC asked him what kind of question it is, Oikawa-san said “Will there be a sequel to Hanzawa Naoki?”
(FYI, MatsuKen said in the drama navi with Captain that he’s a kid who loves watching TV so much. No wonder he asked Oikawa-san such a question…lol He also told Captain that because he loved watching TV, he got a chance to watch a lot of Captain’s shows in the past. When he was in the third year of junior high, he watched Beautiful Life and aspired to become a charismatic beautician after that. xD)
- MatsuKen kept passionately sharing his thoughts about this and that scene in the drama. Fan said he was too passionate that he sounded more like a fan. Then, Captain tsukkomi-ed him that he’s also an actor who appeared in the drama.
- MatsuKen was very happy that he got a chance to co-star with such actors he admires like Captain and Asano-san, so he bombarded the two of them with a lot of questions.
- Several fans talked about Captain’s good manners like bowing to the announcer who served as an MC of this event or letting other cast go first when they had to leave the stage for a group photo.
- When the photo session ended and the cast was about to leave the hall, Captain was stopped by the press. He properly returned to them and answered their questions politely.
- One fan said she was really drawn to a medical treatment scene. Kimura Fumino also said the same that she really loves an operation scene.
3) Kimura Takuya x Asano Tadanobu cross talk in TVfan
Question: Any unexpected real personality you found about each other?
Kimura: Although it was not an all member gathering, before a crank in, we had a chance to have a meal together. During that time, when I asked him "What do you usually do at home?", ...
Asano: I answered "I usually play with my cute little puppy and watch a comedy show." (LOL)
Kimura: When I heard that, I was surprised. As per my personal impression of you, I think after you return home, first of all you'll turn on a movie channel or something and then throw your jacket and leave it lying around there. Then you'll put ice you grab from an ice maker with your hands in a glass, and gulp down alcoholic drinks. It's because I thought that's "Asano Tadanobu". It's too unexpected, so it's a fresh impulse, wasn't it? (LOL)
Asano: Though I had an impression of Kimura-san being a big brother, during that get together, you were completely "a mischievous/naughty brother". If you were really my brother, I'd probably be very well wrapped around your finger and it'd be tough on me (LOL).
Note: Asano-san also said in another issue of TVfan that the opportunity to work with Captain is the main reason that he decided to act in this drama. :)
From various interviews I read and also from WUS, it's so obvious that Captain is genuinely happy to be able to work with such a great team like A LIFE team, be it staff or cast. Not only that they're on very good terms with each other privately, but they also share the same passion & attitude towards work. I'm so grateful for Producer Ueda for making this drama happen no matter how much hardship he faced behind the scenes. <3 It's such a wonderful encounter for Captain during one of the toughest times in his career.
1) Some cute snippets about A LIFE team from WUS 2017.02.03
- As there're 2 Kimura at A LIFE filming site, fan asked how the crew calls both of them.
Kimura Fumino -> Fumi-chan, Yuki-chan
Captain -> Okita-san, Kimura-kun
During the photo shoot for the drama poster, when the art director said "Sorry! Kimura-san, please move to the left a little bit..", turns out both Captain and Fumino-chan moved accordingly. So, after that both of them were called by their full name. xD
- The way Captain calls other co-stars
Takeuchi Yuko -> YuuYu
Matsuyama Kenichi -> KenKen
Asano Tadanobu -> Taddo
Kimura Fumino -> FumiFumi, Fumin
Oikawa Mitsuhiro -> Mitchy (same as the Japanese public)
Nanao -> Nanao-san (Captain said they rarely had a scene together, which is zannen for him xD)
Emoto Akira -> Emoto-san (At first Captain joked that it's "Emocchan" What a way to call your senpai! LOL!)
- The way other co-stars call Captain
Except for Oikawa-san, who calls Captain "Tak-kun", everyone calls him "Kimura-san"
- Fan shared her feeling when she heard Captain call choux cream "Shuu-chan" during Monitoring and asked if he prefers custard filling or whipped cream filling.
Captain said he was asked by staff to call it "Shuu-chan" So, zannen, it's as per the script, not his own word. :P As for the choux cream filling, he said it's most delicious when putting both fillings together.
- Looks like they also have A LIFE chat group on LINE. While he was talking about how he wants the whole cast to go on Pittanko Kankan tour together again, he mentioned that on that day KenKen and Fumin were just on location for filming together. They took a memorable two-shot together and then sent it through mobile.
Captain seemed lonely like while everyone is filming the drama, why must I be here? Lol (though he did mention that WUS is also an important program :P)
Then he took a picture inside the radio booth and sent it back to others telling them that he was hosting a radio show. He was embarrassed when it showed in the chat window that someone already read the message and wondered who read it. xD And then he was like "Yabee..the no. of read increased." LOL!
2) Fan reports of A LIFE preview screening & stage greetings
Before A LIFE started airing, TBS held a preview screening & stage greetings at a certain hotel. Here's a summary of fan reports I gathered from Twitter back then.
- Before the event started, Captain and Yuko-chan stayed close to & had a talk with each other.
- The mood makers in the event are Oikawa-san and MatsuKen.
- One fan said she was too absorbed in the drama that she had been absent-minded for a while after finishing watching. And Asano-san also said the same thing. It seems the whole cast also watched the first episode for the first time.
- The President of The Medical Association and some other real doctors also participated in the event. It seems this is the first time that The Medial Association gives full support to a drama and joined this kind of event.
- The President said that when a request came from TBS, because he knows that Captain is an actor who’s really absorbed in the role & a person who tackles his jobs earnestly, he’d like to support Okita Kazuaki sensei as one doctor. So he decided to cooperate with this drama.
- Several fans were surprised by good manners of the participants. Nobody arbitrarily stood up or touched the cast though they’re in touchable distance. But everyone clapped hands and cheered with all their might.
(I guess people usually go wild in this kind of event. :P)
- Oikawa-san called Captain “Tak-kun” for about 3 times and everyone laughed, while Captain smiled shyly. Oikawa-san kinda boasted that though his role confronts with Doctor Okita in the drama, in real life he gets along well with Captain and they excitedly talk about Star Wars with each other.
- When they talked about how MatsuKen interviewed Captain & Asano-san a lot at the filming site, he said that he also asked Oikawa-san a question. When the MC asked him what kind of question it is, Oikawa-san said “Will there be a sequel to Hanzawa Naoki?”
(FYI, MatsuKen said in the drama navi with Captain that he’s a kid who loves watching TV so much. No wonder he asked Oikawa-san such a question…lol He also told Captain that because he loved watching TV, he got a chance to watch a lot of Captain’s shows in the past. When he was in the third year of junior high, he watched Beautiful Life and aspired to become a charismatic beautician after that. xD)
- MatsuKen kept passionately sharing his thoughts about this and that scene in the drama. Fan said he was too passionate that he sounded more like a fan. Then, Captain tsukkomi-ed him that he’s also an actor who appeared in the drama.
- MatsuKen was very happy that he got a chance to co-star with such actors he admires like Captain and Asano-san, so he bombarded the two of them with a lot of questions.
- Several fans talked about Captain’s good manners like bowing to the announcer who served as an MC of this event or letting other cast go first when they had to leave the stage for a group photo.
- When the photo session ended and the cast was about to leave the hall, Captain was stopped by the press. He properly returned to them and answered their questions politely.
- One fan said she was really drawn to a medical treatment scene. Kimura Fumino also said the same that she really loves an operation scene.
3) Kimura Takuya x Asano Tadanobu cross talk in TVfan
Question: Any unexpected real personality you found about each other?
Kimura: Although it was not an all member gathering, before a crank in, we had a chance to have a meal together. During that time, when I asked him "What do you usually do at home?", ...
Asano: I answered "I usually play with my cute little puppy and watch a comedy show." (LOL)
Kimura: When I heard that, I was surprised. As per my personal impression of you, I think after you return home, first of all you'll turn on a movie channel or something and then throw your jacket and leave it lying around there. Then you'll put ice you grab from an ice maker with your hands in a glass, and gulp down alcoholic drinks. It's because I thought that's "Asano Tadanobu". It's too unexpected, so it's a fresh impulse, wasn't it? (LOL)
Asano: Though I had an impression of Kimura-san being a big brother, during that get together, you were completely "a mischievous/naughty brother". If you were really my brother, I'd probably be very well wrapped around your finger and it'd be tough on me (LOL).
Note: Asano-san also said in another issue of TVfan that the opportunity to work with Captain is the main reason that he decided to act in this drama. :)