On November 11, the new cast of “SAKAMOTO DAYS” (scheduled to be released in GW 2026), a film starring Snow Man’s Ren Meguro (28), was announced and it was revealed that actor Aya Ueto (40) will play the role of Aoi Sakamoto, wife of the main character Taro Sakamoto, and Minayoshi Yoshimoto (9) will play the role of his daughter Hana Sakamoto. The film has received a wide variety of comments. Aya Ueto, who plays the role of Meguro Ren’s wife, has “eyebrows that have blown up,” and even her fans were surprised to see the drastic change in her “thick eyebrows” that are now “flared out. The live-action film is directed and written by Yuichi Fukuda (57), whose works include the “Gintama” series. In this solid action story, Sakamoto (Meguro), a former top-notch assassin who runs a private store called Sakamoto Shoten in a tranquil town, fights a succession of assassins in order to protect his peaceful everyday life with his beloved family. Ueto plays Aoi, the central character in the family, whom Sakamoto fell in love with at first sight and retired from being a hit man, and whose family motto is “not to kill people. Ueto, who is working with Meguro for the first time, said, “I have always loved his sensitive and sincere play. I was impressed by her sincere attitude toward her work on the set, and I feel very honored to be able to work with her. Ms. Meguro is 28 years old and Mr. Ueto is 40, so many people have commented that their ages are quite far apart even though they are playing a married couple. The original Aoi’s age is also set at 26.” (Women’s magazine editor) When it was revealed that Meguro and Ueto would be playing a married couple, the following comments were made: “Why Meguro Ren and Aya Ueto? Aya Ueto, 40 years old, is one year older than Meguro. The “old Johnny’s Goyoujin” is a very popular name in Japan.
The reason why “Aya Ueto,” an actress who was once a loyal customer to Johnny’s, was chosen for the role.
A person involved in the entertainment industry said, “There are many people who have doubts. A person involved in the entertainment industry says, “There are many people who have doubts about the casting of Aya Ueto. And Aoi in the original story is a slightly naturalistic and ne’er-do-well character, which overlaps with some of the roles that Ueto has played in the past. Aoi Sakamoto is very suited to the role of Aoi Sakamoto! When I heard that Aya Ueto would be playing the role of the “strongest wife,” I was convinced. Her receptiveness and core strength will fit in the world of SAKAMOTO DAYS. I can’t wait to see how she interacts with Ren Meguro! I’m not convinced about Ren Meguro, but I’m convinced about Aya Ueto. ……》 and so on. Speaking of Ueto-san, her role as Hana, the strong and cheerful wife who supports the main character Hanzawa, in “Hanzawa Naoki” (TBS series) is impressive, isn’t it? And, as some of the opinions on social media suggest, if an actress of the same generation as Meguro-san, who has a particularly large female fan base among STARTO ENTERTAINMENT’s talents, were to play the role of husband and wife, there would be people who would not think well of her, or who would be harshly criticized for minor interactions during the collaboration or in publicity stunts. I’m sure. The drama “silent” (2010) and last year’s “Umi no Hajimari” (both Fuji TV), in which Ms. Meguro starred, also involved romance, but the roles did not involve marriage, did they? However, in “Sakamoto Days,” they play a married couple. In that sense, it is understandable that Ms. Ueto, who is married and the mother of three children, was chosen for the role. In addition, Ms. Ueto is also an “old Johnny’s go-to actress. (Fuji TV), “I’m Home” (TV Asahi) starring Takuya Kimura (52) in the April 2003 season, and “My Neighbor’s Chikara” (TV Asahi) starring Jun Matsumoto (42) in the January 2010 season. Ms. Ueto has long been considered an “old Johnny’s go-to actress,” and everyone knows that she is married and a mother raising three children. I doubt that many fans will be jealous of her playing Meguro’s wife. Although there may be some discomfort with the age difference, Ms. Ueto is a popular actress to begin with, and her photo book released this year for the first time in 15 years was a big hit. Considering the fact that the character of Aoi is in sync with the character of Aoi in the original story, I think she is the right choice for the role. What kind of “marital relationship” or interaction will Meguro and Ueto have?
Pinzuba NEWS Editorial Department