<h3>Noticed for her role as a genius hacker in VIVANT</h3>
<h3>Legendary classic drama starring Yumiko Takahashi, Shinji Takeda, Kyoko Fukada, and Kazunari Ninomiya is making a comeback.</h3>
<figure id="attachment_381689" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2500px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-381689"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="e357c81b"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2024/07/0433c3eb6403bff4f3675f0800b683d7.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-381689" class="wp-caption-text">Ai Iinuma, born in August 2003, from Kagawa Prefecture, made her first lead role in a prime-time drama with “Minami-kun&#8217;s Lover” (TV Asahi). The photo shows Chiyomi from the perspective of a shrunken Minami-kun.</figcaption></figure>
The manga &#8220;Minami-kun&#8217;s Lover&#8221; by Shungiku Uchida (64), which tells the love story between a high school girl Chiyomi, who shrinks to 15 cm, and her boyfriend Minami-kun, has been adapted into a drama four times with popular stars: Yumiko Takahashi (50) and Shinji Takeda (51) in 1994, and Kyoko Fukada (41) and Kazunari Ninomiya (41) in 2004. This classic is now being revived with a bold &#8220;gender reversal&#8221; model change in the Reiwa era.
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The summer drama series &#8220;Minami-kun&#8217;s Lover!?&#8221; (TV Asahi), airing from July 16, features   (27) from &#8220;FANTASTICS&#8221; as the palm-sized Minami-kun and emerging young actress Ai Iinuma (20) as Chiyomi.
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Ai Iinuma, who made headlines last year for her role as a genius hacker in the hit series &#8220;VIVANT&#8221; (TBS), has now secured her first lead role in a prime-time drama. We visited TV Asahi to get the scoop on this rising star. 
–How do you feel about being chosen for the role of Chiyomi?
&#8220;When I received the offer for &#8216;Minami-kun&#8217;s Lover!?,&#8217; I was very surprised and had a hard time believing it. While revisiting past series, I thought, &#8216;All the Chiyomis are just so cute.&#8217; I really felt their &#8216;natural cuteness.&#8217;
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I do feel a bit anxious about whether I can portray Chiyomi in a way that is loved as much as the previous ones, but I&#8217;m working hard to ensure that everyone enjoys the new Chiyomi. However, since Minami-kun becomes small in this version, people might find Minami-kun cuter instead (laughs).” 
–Are the filming sessions going smoothly?
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&#8220;It&#8217;s been two weeks since we started filming, and it&#8217;s been a lot of fun! However, acting with Minami-kun involves performing with a 15 cm doll. Not being able to see the other character has made me realize just how challenging acting can be.
I imagine what expression Minami-kun might have while I perform. But as filming progresses, I’m starting to feel like I can almost see Minami-kun, even though he isn&#8217;t really there. I&#8217;m excited to see how it turns out when it airs.”
–What have you discussed with your co-stars?
&#8220;Shinji Takeda, who played Minami-kun in the past series, is appearing in this new version as Chiyomi&#8217;s father.
<div data-friday-nextpage-lead="Shinji Takeda said, You are blessed."></div>
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When I asked him about the difficulty of acting with a 15 cm character, he mentioned that he hardly ever met Yumiko Takahashi, who played Chiyomi in the past, during filming. He said, &#8216;You’re fortunate to be able to work with Yagi (playing Minami-kun).&#8217;
He also reassured me that &#8216;The script by Yoshikazu Okada (65) will guide you well, so you don’t need to stress too much.&#8217; His words helped ease some of my anxieties.”.
–Have you found any aspects of Chiyomi that you can relate to while performing?
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&#8220;Yes, there are actually many. In this version, Chiyomi is part of the basketball club, and I also played basketball throughout my school years. Chiyomi lacks confidence and often compares herself to others. I relate to this because, like Chiyomi, I felt frustrated being left out of the court while my classmates and underclassmen were playing.
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It&#8217;s not a part of my past I like to revisit, but those experiences are helping me portray Chiyomi.”
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&#8211;On the other hand, what are the difficult aspects of playing Chiyomi?
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&#8220;I&#8217;m someone whose feelings show easily on my face when I&#8217;m down or sad, but Chiyomi hides her emotions even when she&#8217;s upset. The director often tells me not to show too much of my feelings.
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Chiyomi has complex emotions, like smiling while feeling sad or being happy but angry. I&#8217;m working with the director and producers to find the right way to portray these nuanced feelings.”
 
–What are the highlights of this production?
&#8220;The story centers on Chiyomi and Minami-kun, but in the latter part of the series, it also delves into family dynamics. Chiyomi&#8217;s family situation is quite complex, but she doesn&#8217;t view it negatively. She shows affection towards her non-biological father and younger brother. As I read the script, I grew fond of all the characters.
I&#8217;m working hard to make it an unforgettable summer for both me and the viewers, so please look forward to it!”
The classic returns with a new element of diversity, fitting for the Reiwa era.
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◆ Ai Iinuma: Born in August 2003, from Kagawa Prefecture. In 2021, she was selected as the Grand Prix winner from 9,000 participants in the open audition show &#8220;The Day I Become an Actress&#8221; and made her acting debut. Last year, she appeared in &#8220;VIVANT&#8221; (TBS) and &#8220;My Second Youth&#8221; (TBS). She is now making her lead role debut in a prime-time drama with 
&#8220;Minami-kun&#8217;s Lover!?&#8221; (TV Asahi).
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<figure id="attachment_381690" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2500px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-381690"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="b35c7a34"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2024/07/8fd259952bd6727a76f5a6234554dc2f.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-381690" class="wp-caption-text">Exclusive Unpublished Cut: Ai Iinuma, the Heroine of &#8216;Minami-kun&#8217;s Lover!?&#8217; Says “We&#8217;ll Make It a Summer to Remember”</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_381691" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2500px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-381691"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="dadc212a"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2024/07/ae776c429b2c28872079a92ec0acbe24.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-381691" class="wp-caption-text">Exclusive Unpublished Cut: Ai Iinuma, the Heroine of &#8216;Minami-kun&#8217;s Lover!?&#8217; Says “We&#8217;ll Make It a Summer to Remember”</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_381692" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2500px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-381692"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="48b114a5"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2024/07/1fec74665d4db2e6f07853e51baa6e29.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-381692" class="wp-caption-text">Unpublished cuts from the magazine &#8220;Minami-kun ga Koibito! Ai Iinuma, heroine of &#8220;Minami-kun ga Koibito!</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_381693" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1667px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-381693"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="1f8bacd9"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2024/07/aaf89cc962ccc437264e5f0937cf1137.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-381693" class="wp-caption-text">Exclusive Unpublished Cut: Ai Iinuma, the Heroine of &#8216;Minami-kun&#8217;s Lover!?&#8217; Says “We&#8217;ll Make It a Summer to Remember”</figcaption></figure>
From the July 19, 2024 issue of &#8220;FRIDAY

 Takehiko Kohiyama

 Shungiku Uchida's classic manga "Minami-kun ga Koibito" is back in Reiwa with a bold "gender reversal" model change! The summer-cool serial drama "Minami-kun ga Koibito! Actress Ai Iinuma, who plays the lead role of Chiyomi in the summer cool drama series "Minami-kun ga Koibito!

Classic Drama Returns as Ai Iinuma Promises a Memorable Summer

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