Nagisa Watanabe Reflects on Her Journey: “The Feelings I Had at That Time Were Not Wrong”

Wrote 50,000 words in 3 weeks

“People on the internet say things like ‘calculating woman’ or ‘a bundle of desire for approval.’ But that’s not true at all,” said Nagisa Watanabe (27) with a relaxed smile, without any pretense of being tough.

At the end of January, she published her first photo essay, “Filling the Transparent,” which includes over 50,000 newly written words. The book candidly describes her battle with and recovery from PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), which she developed during her time as a Fuji TV announcer. The book has received a tremendous response, and nearly a month after its release, it continues to be in short supply or sold out in bookstores. On Amazon, over 1,400 reviews have been posted for the book.

Six months after leaving Fuji TV, we asked Watanabe, who is now thriving in a new stage of her career, about her current state of mind.

“From last fall, when I received the offer for the book, until its release, I was just sprinting full speed ahead. The events for readers also ended successfully, and now I feel a bit like an empty shell. I slept soundly for about 10 hours today to prepare for this interview.

Lately, when I have time off, I just watch anime endlessly. Over the past few weeks, it’s been ‘The Apothecary Diaries’ and ‘Dr. STONE.’ I’ve watched all the episodes that have been streamed, and I’ve probably gone through them several times already (laughs). My family even says, ‘It’s scary how absorbed you get,’ because once I get hooked, I really dive in.”

Her extraordinary focus also played a big role during the creation of her book.

“The essay writing period was about three weeks. Although I revised it several times afterward, the initial draft was completed much earlier than the deadline. Since I had diary entries saved up, I was writing each of the 27 topics in about 90 minutes.

I didn’t use a computer; I typed everything on my smartphone. I would often write at night, lying down, and before I knew it, morning had come because I was so absorbed. I’ve always been the type who can’t relax until I finish tasks quickly. Even as a kid, I would complete my summer vacation homework before the vacation even started. I guess I’m impatient.”