Hirate Yurina 18 to 19
Hirate Yurina is welcoming her 19th year on a brand new stage.
Right now, starting to walk forward with her own footsteps,
What is she thinking about, and which direction will she be heading to?
Being praised as a leader in popularity, people are interested in both her “outside” (work) and “inside” (private life).
We will be getting closer to the born anew Hirate Yurina’s true face!
Outside Techi - About Hirate Yurina’s work
From now on, what kind of states will Hirate Yurina show us?
Topics regarding work that we want to know and hear about.
The very first long interview of 2020!
- I heard that today is the first magazine photoshoot for Hirate-san in a long time. To start please talk about your thoughts on the photoshoot.
The clothes are all really cute. After hearing that the photoshoot theme this time has “A slightly mischievous feeling”, I thought it would be nice to meet a new me. Those are the ideas I came to the photoshoot with.
- Which outfit did you like the most?
Probably the outfit with the loose shirt and hat. Maybe because I think that outfit really suits my current hairstyle.
- Actually today, considering that “The surrounding environment has changed a lot, what kind of mood would Hirate-san, who has taken a new step forward, have?”, everyone here at the shooting scene was a little bit nervous… But Hirate-san in front of the camera looked very happy. All anxiety was wiped away by [your] excessive cuteness.
Heh heh. I had a great time shooting (laughs).
- This “Outside Techi” part of the interview is just to hear the thoughts of Hirate-san, who has embarked on a new journey, regarding your future career. To begin, let’s start with your first work after withdrawing from Keyakizaka46, the movie “Sankaku Mado no Sotogawa wa Yoru”. This work tells the story of exorcist Rihito Hiyakawa (played by Masaki Okada) and Kosuke Mikado (Jun Shison) who can see ghosts, two people facing and dealing with various events together. Hirate-san plays Hiura Erika, a key character in the story who is a female high school student with the ability to control curses. What made you decide to appear in this work?
When I received this job offer, I was told that it would be good if I first read the original manga. After reading it, I found it really interesting. Because I couldn't help but want to know the next development quickly, I finished reading it before even realizing.
- After seeing the original work did it not take very long for you to decide to act in it?
That’s not the case, I have always been slow to make decisions. It's not just for this particular work, it’s for making any decision. That’s right, it took some time to decide to act in this.
- Were there any external factors that influenced Hirate-san when making the decision?
How should I say this, when I met the director, I had laid out all of my thoughts. The director also said, "Although I am very uneasy right now, I feel that this work is a brand new kind of work, and it is also a new challenge for me." After listening to the director, I found that it was not just me that felt uneasy, so I started to feel that it would be nice to work hard together to create a new work. The director's words probably influenced me in deciding to take this job.
- This work is your second movie appearance after "HIBIKI". Compared with your previous experience, do you feel more relaxed in terms of your mood?
No. Not at all. I felt the same anxiety and tension as I did the first time, and it hasn't changed at all.
- What were your thoughts after actually entering the shooting scene?
Because the director said to me, "Eri is a very lonely girl, it's better to not make friends with the people around you at first", so at the beginning, because I am also originally a shy person, I deliberately kept a distance with the people around me…
- But, in the movie’s official SNS, Hirate-san and your co-stars had a lot of fun creating relay videos.
That’s right (smile). Although initially it was suggested that I should keep a distance from other people, after seeing the atmosphere on site the director told me, "Everyone here is a professional actor and can switch between modes freely. This is a rare opportunity, so everyone should try to establish good relationships instead." But I'm really not the type who takes the initiative to engage in talking. In order to help me blend in with everyone, the director put a sign saying "Reserved seat" on a seat in our resting area. It was exactly like the ones seen in restaurants. Even so, I was still very nervous, and at first I was hesitant to sit down. When everyone saw me looking nervous, they reached out and called to me, "Hirate-chan come over and have a seat, let’s chat." After that, we gradually became familiar with each other…
- Do you remember what you said when you first sat in the "Reserved seat"?
No, because it was only a short while after everyone met for the first time. So I only talked about things such as the food I like and what I do on my days off... (laughs).
- Okada-san and Shisun-san call you "Techi" right?
Yes. When we have free time, we often chat together, play games, and fool around... It's an honor to have been able to make my relationships with the two of them become so good that the staff say we are like siblings.
- Have the three of you gone out for a meal together?
We went out for barbecue. The two of them were like parents, constantly stuffing me with rice. For example, even if I didn't order any, the two of them would designate large portions of white rice for me. At the end of the barbecue too, even though I said, "I can't eat anymore, you guys can split and share the cold noodles," right afterwards Okada-san put some of the bibimbap he ordered onto my plate...
- Hahahahaha. It turns out the two are meticulous older brothers (laughs).
Yup. It was hard to tell if they were older brothers or elderly fathers.
- Since you have such a good relationship with your co-stars, you likely looked forward to shooting every day.
That’s right, when shooting finished, I felt that "I don't want it to end”. The movie crew was one that I was reluctant to part with. However, there were still many scary and serious shots within this work. The fun times were all outside the lens, and so while shooting I could feel the challenge of changing emotions.
- The characters in this work each have their own unique points, and I believe that the same is true for Hiura Erika. It must not be easy to play such a complicated role.
For me, there was not a particularly strong feeling of "I must create this character", but because Eri and I have some things in common, I naturally entered the character role.
- Things in common such as?
For example, [she’s] often a person by herself in the film. Because everyone had abilities that no one else had. With such a sense of loneliness, Erika gradually changed when she encountered Mikado and Hiyakawa. At the same time, Mikado and Hiyakawa were also changing...I think this is also a highlight of this film.
- Erika changed after meeting these two people, so did Hirate-san change after starring in this work? Did you meet a new self on this new set?
Instead of meeting a new self... how should I say this, it was great to have such a new encounter. I was really worried at first, and kept wondering "What will happen?". Joining the crew, I personally felt that the co-actors and the staff were constantly working hard to make a good work... Yes, there was a lot that touched me.
- Has your desire for acting become stronger? This work can be considered the debut work since you started to develop on your own. Regarding the "Hirate Yurina-san from now on", I really want to know what Hirate-san herself thinks.
How should I say this? It's not only acting in films, I have been "acting" since before. Whether in songs or on the stage, I always turned myself into a particular person, or wanted to turn myself into a particular person, to express him, and to convey what he wants to express to everyone. Although the form may be different, the meaning of the word "performance" is the same and will not change.
- So, will these forms of "performance" be maintained in the future?
Yes, I think so.
- Speaking of which, is there anything you want to try or challenge in the future?
As of now I want to try everything. I also talked to the staff around me about my random ideas. However, whether to actually do or not do something is still an afterthought (laughs).
- Why would it still be an afterthought?
Because if my random ideas become reality, I will feel pressured, and I will also feel uneasy and nervous... As expected, it’s nicer to only say my random ideas (laugh).
- Next I want to ask a few questions that I’m very interested in. First of all, have you ever thought of releasing solo songs?
About this...I don't have much confidence.
- Then are you interested in musicals?
Yes, I’m very interested.
- What do you need to bring to the shooting scene? What will be in your bag?
Lipstick, eye drops, and cell phone. I put the script in my bag, but I don’t take it out. I don’t read the script on the scene. I have the lines memorized before shooting. I am very slow at remembering things, not only memorizing lines, but also for dancing and other movements. I’m the type who spends more time memorizing in advance since I’m slow at remembering.
- Usually how do you memorize your lines?
My manager helped me with it. Most of the time she and I acted the lines out. A sense of entering into the roles might have made it easier to remember [the lines].
- What was the happiest moment while acting?
For example, this should be done like this, right? Isn't it more expressive when acting this way? Do you want to change the lines and see? It’s my favorite during discussions like this, when everyone contributes to the work together. It isn’t limited to acting, but also applies to other jobs. People around me have always done this.
- This is the last question. The feelings and hesitations brought about by a new encounter, the things that are now being considered, and the things that are no longer considered... What kind of emotions does Hirate-san, who set foot on a path alone, have while moving forward?
When it comes to projects, I only think about conveying them. Just like today, on the way to the studio, I also thought about whether there were special topics I wanted to talk about. Not long ago, I received a collaboration with Mrs. GREEN APPLE-san...or more like an offer, and appeared in the MV of their song. Right now the world is in a bad state, even if I want to I can’t meet with friends and people I like, and I was forced to give up the opportunity to participate in entrance and graduation ceremonies (T/N: Techi might be referring to herself here or perhaps other people, since she doesn’t use a specific pronoun). Koshien has also been terminated. There are so many people who have been deprived of the precious time they can only have now. This must be particularly sad and difficult to endure. After we talked, we thought that it would be good if this MV could give these people an opportunity to look forward and convey to them the idea that a good life is definitely waiting for them later. With such a purpose, I challenged the MV of this song.
- So far, Hirate-san has publicly expressed the idea of "cherishing every day ahead of me". Regardless of the past or the future, it is because Hirate-san, who is advancing while cherishing the "present", understands the pain of being deprived of the "present". Did you have a lot of thoughts during the stay-at-home period?
I did. I had thoughts, and I couldn’t help but have thoughts. The pain and sorrow mentioned earlier as well... how should I say this, right now there are many people who have nobody around them that they can rely on, and there are many people who feel lonely. So in my heart I have always wanted to become someone's support. Some people can express these feelings through words, but how to put it, I am not a person who is good at speaking. Therefore, I want everyone to feel something from [my] works and let [my] works become an opportunity to trigger something. Through encountering Mrs. GREEN APPLE-san’s song, this kind of thinking became deeper.
- To express [your] works and get closer to everyone's hearts, these ideas are things that Hirate-san has been cherishing until now, right?
Perhaps it is more appropriate to say that I’ve recognized them once again. That is the me right now, and also my recent inner thoughts.
- So, from the time you started to move forward alone, and in the future, this won’t change, right?
Yes, I don’t think so.
T/N: I've been looking forward a lot to this interview and I really love the outfits the magazine team chose for Techi! The interview is split up into two parts, with the first part here being more formal and the second part having a Q&A format. I will be translating the second part as well in the next few days.
Translated from Chinese
Updated with pictures from ViVi Official
