Kaho Starts October Drama Filming—Bright Smile, Powerful Acting Aura Surprises

Is someone like me really okay?

In mid-July, near Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building (Shinjuku Ward), a drama was being filmed on the sidewalk. Besides the filming crew, there were men dressed as office workers, high school girls in uniforms, kindergarten children, and young women holding fans supporting an idol — it seemed to be quite a large-scale shoot.

Among them was a woman dressed entirely in white, with distinctive long black hair. She was actress Kaho (34).

“Currently filming the October TBS Tuesday drama ‘Jaa, Anta ga Tsukuttemiro yo’ (Then You Try Making It), starring Kaho and Ryoma Takeuchi (32) as co-leads. The series is based on the popular manga by Natsuko Taniguchi, a romantic comedy about renewal featuring the two leads.

Kaho plays Ayumi Yamagishi, a woman who’s lost herself due to prioritizing her lover in life, while Takeuchi portrays Katsuo Ebihara, a chauvinistic man who believes cooking is a woman’s duty. The story begins as the couple, who dated since university, break up,” said a TV magazine writer.

Kaho first gained fame starring at age 15 in the film “Natural Kokecco.” She later took lead or heroine roles in films like “Utamaro♪” and “The Son’s Love.” In 2015, she won the Outstanding Supporting Actress award at the 39th Japan Academy Prize for her role in “Our Little Sister.”

“During her teens to early twenties, she often played pure, delicate young girls. But about 10 years ago, she started portraying more distinctive characters — from sadistic roles to gals and otaku women.

She’s known as a skilled character actress who can naturally play these quirky roles. In the January drama ‘Hot Spot’ (NTV), she displayed her comedic talents as a somewhat airheaded hotel worker,” the same writer added.

Perhaps aware of her unique place as an actress, Kaho spoke about the joy of landing this lead role:

“When I received the offer, I was a fan who had enjoyed the original manga. I was surprised and thought, ‘Is someone like me really okay?’ Still, Ando Kei’s script gave me the power to want to jump in without hesitation,” she said (from Kaho’s agency STARDUST official website).

Returning to the filming site, Kaho arrived wearing her costume and a black cap, smiling brightly as if she was truly enjoying the shoot. But once filming started, her expression turned vacant, fully immersing herself into the role and transforming into a completely different person.

Expectations for Kaho’s long-awaited starring work continue to rise.

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