Yuko Asano Marks 50 Years in Entertainment Still Searching for the Right Acting Answer
Debuted as an idol singer at the age of 13. In 1988, she got her big break with the drama "I Want to Embrace You!
W Asano was born.
In 1988, she appeared in “Dakishimetai!” (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 “W Asano.”
“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.”
After that, Asano’s role as a trendy drama actor became synonymous with her name. Looking back, one can certainly feel Asano’s ability to read the times.
“Since it’s called trendy, most of the works are based on ‘real everyday life’ 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’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 ‘I’m the same generation of women as the viewers,’ and I made an effort toward that. I’m proud of it, but I think it suited the times well.”
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 “Ōoku” (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.
“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.”
