Sei Shiraishi, Who’s Gaining Attention for “The Toyotomi Brothers!”, “Locks Eyes” with “Hey! Say! JUMP” Member Ryosuke Yamada During a Location Shoot

“I was so happy when I received the offer.”

In late June, amid the hustle and bustle of a downtown arcade shopping district teeming with shoppers, a couple gazed at each other with serious expressions.

The man was Ryosuke Yamada (33) of “Hey! Say! JUMP.” The woman was actress Sei Shiraishi (27). The two were filming the July drama “One-Dimensional Cuttings” (Yomiuri TV/Nippon TV network) at that location.

“The drama is based on the novel of the same name by Ryunosuke Matsushita, who won the ‘23rd This Mystery Is Amazing!’ Grand Prize and the Paperback Grand Prix. The protagonist, Haruka Nanase—played by Yamada—is a graduate student studying genetics.She had been searching for her younger sister, who went missing four years ago, but when the DNA from a 200-year-old matches that of her sister’s. She begins to investigate this mystery.

Shiraishi plays Yui Ishimizaki, the heroine who serves as Nanase’s partner in unraveling the mystery; she is the niece of the professor at the lab where Nanase works. “It’s a human drama in which the two become entangled in a vast darkness and mystery that transcends time,” says a TV magazine writer.

Shiraishi’s breakthrough role came in the NHK Taiga drama *The Toyotomi Brothers!*.Her portrayal of Nao—the childhood friend and betrothed of the protagonist Koichiro (later Toyotomi Hidenaga), played by Taiga Nakano (33)—earned her acclaim and skyrocketed her popularity. However, she met a harrowing end in the episode aired on March 1 (Episode 8).Given that this marks her first drama appearance since then, she has been the subject of much discussion ever since the cast was announced.

On this day, Shiraishi wore a gray hoodie and pink sweatpants—a casual, everyday look. Yamada, meanwhile, wore a khaki jacket and blue jeans, also in what appeared to be casual attire. They were filming a scene that seemed to depict a chance encounter on the street, but both had somber expressions, creating a heavy, oppressive atmosphere.It must be a crucial scene.

Regarding this project, Shiraishi said,

“I was very happy when I received the offer” (Oricon News, June 28)

She spoke candidly about her joy and had this to say about “Yui,” the character she plays:

“Yui is a wonderful woman who deeply cherishes memories and promises with the people she cares about, and is very loyal and compassionate. Yui herself has a somewhat mysterious side, and I think it’s a role with real depth—one where her character changes dramatically between the first and second halves of the story.” (Oricon News, published June 28)

We look forward to seeing Shiraishi’s new role and performance as she continues to gain momentum.

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