Japanese Actor Kouhei Matsushita Shines as a Politician in New Drama

Japanese actor Kouhei Matsushita is captivating audiences as the promising young politician Ryusei Hiyama in the drama "One Vote for the Galaxy." In the series, Matsushita dons a suit and tie, delivering campaign speeches from a promotion vehicle, embodying the image of a modern Japanese political figure.

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I was scared when I first opened the script. There were many words I had never seen before, and I thought, 'This is not good.'

Matsushita admitted to being initially intimidated by the script, which contained unfamiliar political terminology. He dedicated himself to research and learned on the job while filming. His preparation included watching parliamentary broadcasts and contemplating the persona of a politician. He emphasized that the drama is not merely a political or election-focused narrative but a human-centric story that highlights relationships and emotions from various perspectives.

Describing his character, Hiyama, Matsushita noted that he is not the stern figure one might expect. Instead, Hiyama possesses an "otherworldly sense of humor." Matsushita credited the scriptwriter, Naomi Hiruta, for crafting dialogue that inherently carries comedic elements, allowing him to embody the character naturally. He confessed to sometimes wondering if his performance choices would be criticized but ultimately embraced the freedom to deviate from conventional portrayals of politicians in an entertainment context.

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Ryusei Hiyama is not the stern figure one might imagine. He's a character with an otherworldly sense of fun.

He also spoke about his co-stars, Haru Kuroki and Kayoko Noro, highlighting the connection between their characters, Mari and Akari, which stems from shared losses. Matsushita believes this shared background creates a unique balance and chemistry between them. He hopes viewers will experience laughter and emotional ups and downs while watching, finding courage or hope in the narrative. He aims for the audience to connect with the story from a similar viewpoint and see it through to the end.

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Because the lines written by scriptwriter Naomi Hiruta already have a strong sense of comedy, I can establish the character of Ryusei just by following the lines.