Asaka Seto Returns After 7 Years: “I Felt Like Urashima Taro”

She is making a full-fledged comeback after a 7-year absence, and her first movie appearance in 10 years!

“It really felt like I was Urashima Taro coming back after about 10 years away from film,” Seto Asaka (48) said with a big smile, completely at odds with her typically cool demeanor.

Seto made her full return to acting this January in the TV drama “Ensemble” (NTV), her first drama in seven years. And now, her long-awaited comeback to the big screen comes with the film Seishun Gestalt Houkai, released on June 13—her first film appearance in a decade. Interestingly, filming for the movie actually took place before the drama.

“I played the role of a school nurse who becomes a source of comfort for high school students. I tried to portray a caring adult who quietly supports these teenagers as they navigate adolescence. The shoot only lasted about five days, but I was really inspired by the young cast’s focus and energy—I learned a lot from them.”

Though she had some nervousness about returning after a long break, she asked a trusted director to conduct a simple workshop before stepping onto the set.

“I had stepped back from work after having kids, but this was the first time I’d taken such a long break. Naturally, I was nervous standing on set again, but my body remembered what to do—it actually went better than I expected. Still, the way things are done on set now has changed so much! Scripts aren’t on paper anymore—they’re on iPads. There aren’t any printed scene breakdowns. And filming moves quickly, scene by scene. There aren’t many one-take shoots now, so there’s a unique kind of tension.”

So how did she spend her time away from the spotlight?

“I was just a regular mom (she laughed). Cooking meals, dropping off and picking up my kids from school, chatting with other moms. I really lived an ordinary life. When I was younger, I wasn’t good at exchanging contact info with co-stars, but now I exchange numbers right away with other moms, and I’m in tons of group chats. When someone tells me, ‘You’re easy to talk to,’ it actually makes me kind of happy.”

A turning point in her career

After marrying in 2007, Seto gradually stepped back from showbiz to focus on raising her children. The turning point that rekindled her desire to act came three years ago, when her son—then a first-year junior high student—decided to study abroad, giving her more personal time.

“My kids don’t really know me as an actress,” she said with a laugh. “Even if I show them clips on YouTube, they’re just like, ‘Oh… okay.’ Honestly, that stung a little, and it made me want to show them what I can really do.”

Before long, her elementary school–aged daughter, inspired by her older brother, also decided to study abroad. Around that same time, the offer for the film “Seishun Gestalt Houkai” came her way.

“Both of them had become more independent, but I was still unsure. Then my son told me, ‘You should go for it. We’ll be fine.’ That really gave me the push I needed. For the first time, I thought, ‘Okay, maybe I will do it.’ From there, I found myself appearing in a drama series too, and before I knew it, acting just felt natural again—like it had returned to my life on its own.”

In the June 13 issue of FRIDAY (combined June 27–July 4 edition) and the premium digital edition FRIDAY GOLD, Seto opens up candidly about behind-the-scenes moments from the classic drama “Age, 35: Koishikute” and her personal experiences with parenting.

For more details and multiple photos, click here↓.

From the June 27–July 4, 2025 combined issue of “FRIDAY”