Takumi Kitamura

Having appeared as a student in numerous school-set productions, this marks your first time taking on a teacher role. What was your honest reaction when you were cast in this project?

Throughout my acting career, there are three people I consider my ‘teachers’ for various productions I had a role in. Satoshi Tsumabuki, Hiroki Hasegawa, and Akira Terao. Those experiences—my memories, and how I came to approach acting—were all turning points for me. Playing a teacher was something I always wanted to do someday—something I had been saving for myself. I continued acting believing that one day, like them, I would also play a teacher. So, when I was approached and asked to ‘take on a teacher role,’ I felt that the right moment had finally come, and I accepted. From there, through discussions about educational philosophy and the direction of the story, I encountered this project. The role of a rookie teacher felt like a perfect fit for me, and since it’s based on a true story, I read various related materials and said, ‘I’d love to be part of this.’

What do school dramas mean to you?

It’s a place where I can truly enjoy acting. As Terao-san once said, your past career and credits don’t appear in the end roll—everyone starts from the same line. There may be central characters, but how you shine is entirely up to you. It’s a place where you can explore that, try things out, and even fail. For me, it’s like a long-term rehearsal space. Looking back, I’ve shared those experiences with many people. It’s a place to find companions—but not to become complacent. It helped awaken my identity as an actor and taught me the joy of performing.

What are you looking forward to with the student cast?

I want to talk about acting with them all the time. Since we’re not that far apart in age, there may be moments when it feels strange that I’m the one leading. They’re all experienced actors, so I hope we can build the project together. I see Asano as that kind of teacher as well. Although he stands in front of his students as their teacher, he’s still a rookie who may not be strong enough to fully guide them just yet. Still, I hope we can think things through together and move forward side by side. I want to communicate closely with everyone, and I’m really looking forward to it.

On your first lead role in a primetime drama

I don’t really know how I’ll feel about carrying a drama until I go through it, but at the same time, I don’t think I need to put too much pressure on myself. I just want to be present on set as Asano, as he is. Even when I take on leading roles in films, I try not to think too much about the fact that I’m the lead. I see myself simply as one member of the cast, one part of the acting team. I want all of us to think together, carry things together, and move forward together. That said, since I’m in the leading role, I want to be the one at the front—taking everyone’s hand and moving forward together. School dramas are always tough (laughs). I’m sure there will be many moments that don’t go smoothly, but I want to enjoy all of that as well. This drama is based on the true story of high school students who succeeded in turning canned mackerel into space food. But more than what they ultimately achieve, I believe the process itself is what truly matters. So rather than deciding on a fixed goal from the start, I hope we can create this together as we go.

After reading the original work and script

What felt fresh to me was how the story traces a journey over many years. In the school dramas I’ve worked on before as a student, everything was built around a single class. We’d play dodgeball, go on training camps, really live out a school life together—and spend months with the same classmates even off set. This time, the classes and time periods change, so figuring out how to build relationships with the students in a shorter time. That’s probably going to be on me (laughs). It’ll be a challenge. But it also feels like a great opportunity to meet many actors playing students, and I’m really looking forward to it.

Message to viewers

It’s a story on a cosmic scale, but its power comes from being true. Throughout the story, you’ll find moments of hope and setbacks, big and small, woven into the narrative, while everyday life continues in a simple, grounded way. I hope viewers will chase this dream alongside us. I hope this drama becomes a light of hope for everyone.

From Original Japanese Article: https://www.fujitv.co.jp/sabauchu/