Life in Fast Forward: A Conversation with Megumi Okina on the Blur of Busy Years

“Back then, the entertainment industry had lax labor standards, and I worked like the adults around me. I just wanted more time to sleep. I would squeeze in work between classes, and after school, I’d go straight into filming until morning. It was a hectic schedule, like taking a short nap and then going back to school. I even joined the school trip halfway through, but perhaps due to sleep deprivation, I don’t have many memories of it. Looking back, it all went by in a flash, but it was definitely intense.”

Actress Megumi Okina (44) reflects on her extremely busy teenage years.

At the age of 13, she made her debut in the entertainment industry. She appeared in dramas like “Pa★te★o” and “Uchiage Hanabi, Shita kara Miru ka? Yoko kara Miru ka?” (Fuji TV), quickly ascending the stairs of the entertainment world as a young, innocent star with cute looks and acting talent. However, what gnawed at her was the overwhelming workload that came with her peak popularity.

“The workload was immense, beyond my capacity, and I couldn’t keep up with reality. There was no room for mental ease, I was on the brink. Instead of thinking about the future, I often wondered if I was okay at that moment. It felt like I was just barely getting through each day.”

Balancing work and studies left her with only 2-3 hours of sleep. In her autobiography “Akai Toge” (Futabasha) published in 2008, she candidly describes her struggles at the time.

“At some point during high school, I remember rushing to the hospital. I was so unbearably sad, crying and screaming as if possessed by something, I became confused, and couldn’t breathe properly. (Omitted) Panic disorder, autonomic imbalance, depression. The diagnoses didn’t really matter.”

Having experienced retirement rumors and divorce, among other twists and turns in life, Okina reflects while savoring the memories.

“If I could talk to my past self, I would say, ‘It’s okay.’ Yeah, that’s it. ‘You don’t have to worry about anything. It’ll be okay.'”

Staying true to those words, in 2016, she announced her remarriage to actor Ryo Kimura (35). Currently, they lead a bustling yet fulfilling daily life as a family of four, with their two beloved daughters.

“Since my daughters were born, they have been my top priority. There are things you can only do with your children at that moment, so I try to approach work within reasonable limits. While there are peaceful moments, right now, life is busy, from morning to night, our schedule is packed. Some things never change, like having a hectic schedule (laughs).”

Having struggled in the adult world since childhood, she is particularly attentive to how she interacts with her daughters.

“I spent a lot of time among adults myself, and sometimes my own opinions weren’t heard. As a mother now, I make a conscious effort to treat my daughters as individuals before seeing them as children. I always remind myself to listen to what they want and be attentive to their words.”