<figure id="attachment_399715" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2500px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-399715"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="76213ee2"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2024/11/92363a87f12480c43f9a81e0b5effccd.jpg" alt=""></a>Asano Yuko debuted in 1974. In 1988, she caused a social phenomenon with the drama Dakishimetai! as &#8220;W Asano&#8221; and became known as the &#8220;Queen of Trendy Dramas,&#8221; achieving great success. She is scheduled to hold a 50th anniversary live concert in Osaka and Tokyo in January next year.<figcaption id="caption-attachment-399715" class="wp-caption-text">
<h2>I never considered the possibility of failing by focusing solely on acting.</h2>
&#8220;It&#8217;s already been 50 years, but it feels like it passed in the blink of an eye. I realize I&#8217;ve spent a rich, intense time. Even now, there’s so much I don’t know, and I’m constantly learning.&#8221;
This is how Yuko Asano (64) described her 50-year career in entertainment.
In 1974, at the age of 13, Asano moved to Tokyo and debuted as an idol singer. After winning the Japan Record Award for New Artist of the Year that same year, she released hit songs like &#8220;Sexy Bus Stop&#8221; in 1976. Over the years, she has worked as a singer, actress, model, and gravure idol, showcasing her versatility.
It’s hard to imagine from her current image as a skilled actress, but due to her versatility, Asano also faced internal conflict.
&#8220;Right after my debut, I was constantly receiving offers for dramas, acting, and singing jobs. But for a long time, I was concerned about what my title actually was. I didn’t have a core as a celebrity.&#8221;
She didn’t feel particularly confident about her singing ability. The recording schedule in the &#8217;70s was demanding, with singles being released every three months, making it hard to balance with her acting work.
&#8220;The recording intervals were short, and I started losing confidence in continuing as a singer. I thought it might be too much for me. Both singing and acting involve performance, but I realized I liked acting more. I told my agency at the age of 25 that I wanted to make a business card that said &#8216;Actress Yuko Asano.'&#8221;
&#8220;I never thought I would fail by focusing solely on acting,&#8221; she smiles. This positive outlook matched the times.
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<div data-friday-nextpage-lead="W Asano,&quot; a social phenomenon"></div>
<h2>W Asano was born.</h2>
In 1988, she appeared in &#8220;Dakishimetai!&#8221; (Fuji TV), which had a peak viewership of over 20%, and became a big hit as the beginning of trendy dramas. She co-starred with Atsuko Asano (63) in the series, which became a social phenomenon as &#8220;W Asano.&#8221;
&#8220;It seems like Fuji TV intentionally cast the two Asanos. Since we are the same age, it was a strange connection. We were often mistaken for relatives (laughs). This coincidence led to many future opportunities, and I am grateful for that. I think Atsuko feels the same way.&#8221;
After that, Asano&#8217;s role as a trendy drama actor became synonymous with her name. Looking back, one can certainly feel Asano&#8217;s ability to read the times.
&#8220;Since it&#8217;s called trendy, most of the works are based on &#8216;real everyday life&#8217; for young people. On the other hand, there are also scenes, like one where a single woman has a karaoke set in her apartment and sings while drinking beer (laughs). So, when do we show realism? It&#8217;s in the emotional aspect. The change and flow of emotions in the dialogue. In every role, I always consciously acted with the feeling that &#8216;I’m the same generation of women as the viewers,&#8217; and I made an effort toward that. I’m proud of it, but I think it suited the times well.&#8221;
At the beginning of her career, most of her fans were male. However, as she took on more roles as a career woman, the ratio of female fans reversed. For Asano, this was a positive change.
As she got older, she became involved in many works, including stage, film, and drama. In &#8220;Ōoku&#8221; (2003, Fuji TV), where she was asked to play the villain, she made the decision immediately. Asano, who steadily expanded her acting range, reveals that acting is still a world where I don’t know the right answer.
&#8220;As the years go by, I find it increasingly difficult to act. I sometimes rewatch dramas I’ve appeared in, and when I was younger, I acted with momentum, which often worked well. Now that I’ve accumulated more experience, I no longer just rely on momentum; I now carefully think through each performance. In other words, I can say, ‘I’ve learned to do it with thought.’ Depending on the role, this can be good or not so good. Even after 50 years in this world, there are still many things I don’t know.&#8221;
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<div data-friday-nextpage-lead="On the recent TV industry..."></div>
<h2>Changes in the television industry.</h2>
When asked about the recent changes in the television industry, Asano, who has had a long career, paused for a moment before responding:
&#8220;The way time is used has changed. In the past, there were no restrictions, and it was normal to do as much as you could. Now, actors are expected to meet the required standards within a limited time. Even inviting staff out for dinner after filming can be seen as harassment if it&#8217;s done by an actor in a stronger position. Even in terms of expression, I feel like the term free and unrestricted has become outdated. It&#8217;s not about which is better or worse, but I want to be someone who can adapt to both. I’m very conscious of this.&#8221;
There have also been significant changes in her private life. Although she initially had no desire to marry, she wed a regular man at 57.
&#8220;I lived in an era where it was believed that women’s expiration date was after 25, like a Christmas cake (laughs). Since my debut, I’ve been told repeatedly that entertainers can&#8217;t have both work and marriage happiness. Naturally, I lost the desire for marriage. Given that environment, even now, I get startled when I hear about idols declaring their relationships.&#8221;
She lived her life without being bound by the concept of marriage. However, upon reaching her mid-50s, her views on living happily and her approach to life have changed.
&#8220;Now, I really feel like getting married was a good thing. Having a partner means moving from a life that revolves around myself to one where even simple things like meals require compromise. It’s been great. Since we’re both adults, we don’t restrict each other, and we still value our own time. When we’re together at night, we watch news programs, starting with NHK and going all the way through to news23 (on TBS). We don’t watch dramas at all.&#8221;
Asano also values her time spent on hobbies.
&#8220;I spend a lot of time reading in my alone time. I like Ryotaro Shiba and Shogo Yamamoto, but recently, Saya Nagai&#8217;s &#8216;Kobiki-cho no Adauchi&#8217; was interesting. I tend to prefer works that win the Naoki Prize over the Akutagawa Prize. Having time for myself allows me to cool down and enjoy my work. That said, I’m naturally a homebody, so I’ve been discussing with my close friend, Iyo Matsumoto (59), about needing more exercise (laughs).&#8221;
Asano’s choice of words is always soft and understated. Because of that, there is no bitterness, and it likely resonates with many people.
&#8220;I believe that after turning 60, the time given to me by God is a gift. My top priority is to spend it happily, and within that, I want to continue working.&#8221;
The top actress, who has gained both work and love, will enjoy her 60s just as she is.
■Yuko Asano 50th Anniversary Solo Show &#8220;KANSYA&#8221; 
 January 18, 2025 (Saturday) Osaka Performance at Shinsaibashi Parco SPACE14 
 January 26, 2025 (Sunday) Tokyo Performance at I’M A SHOW
General ticket sales start at 10:00 on Friday, November 22.
For more information, please <a href="https://imashow.jp/schedule/1319/">visit the theater&#8217;s website.</a>
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<figure id="attachment_399716" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2327px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-399716"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="d364f086"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2024/11/403cb3c43adb84153e020fa429d6da9f.jpg" alt=""></a>Smiling while holding the December 9, 1994 issue, which features herself on the cover. &#8220;How nostalgic!&#8221; she says, a little surprised, while her beauty remains as radiant as ever.</figure>
<div data-friday-nextpage-lead="Yuko Asano's &quot;True Face Photo,&quot; celebrating her 50th year in show business."></div>
<figure id="attachment_399714" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1619px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-399714"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="76c6fb99"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2024/11/b542296d9782027c0d9996d2f9ee2b98.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-399714" class="wp-caption-text">She was interviewed before the filming of her starring drama &#8220;Ame Yori mo Yasashiku&#8221; (1989, TBS).</figcaption></figure>
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<figure id="attachment_399713" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1685px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-399713"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="159ed2f4"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2024/11/075a1a0771f57aeb64f3da3f229799eb.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-399713" class="wp-caption-text">At the time, 17-year-old Asano showcased her swimsuit at the &#8220;Entertainment Celebrity Winter Swimming Competition&#8221; (Fuji TV)</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_399717" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1667px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-399717"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="99564407"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2024/11/5ec1cd125a96c3a52be6e3758c7f5b50.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-399717" class="wp-caption-text">Unpublished cut: Yuko Asano, 50th anniversary of her entertainment career &#8211; &#8220;The right answer for acting is still not clear.&#8221;</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_399718" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2500px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-399718"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="0681d312"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2024/11/88da854caaff8b2fa6d7922112efcaad.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-399718" class="wp-caption-text">Unpublished cut: Yuko Asano, 50th anniversary of her entertainment career &#8211; &#8220;The right answer for acting is still not clear.&#8221;</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_399719" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1667px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-399719"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="e862cbf5"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2024/11/572f1b912e3767769e385646a86d3d64.jpg" alt=""></a>Unpublished cut: Yuko Asano, 50th anniversary of her entertainment career &#8211; &#8220;The right answer for acting is still not clear.&#8221;<figcaption id="caption-attachment-399719" class="wp-caption-text">From the November 22/29, 2024 issue of FRIDAY
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 Takehiko Kohiyama, Koichi Kikuchi (backstage photo), Sankei Shimbun (swimsuit)

 Yuko Asano, who celebrates the 50th anniversary of her career as an entertainer this year, debuted as an idol singer at the age of 13 and has had a long career as a talented actress. She talks about her life in show business, saying, "I haven't found the right way to act yet.

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