The main cast of the live-action film “Oshi no Ko: The Final Act”—Kaito Sakurai, Nagisa Saito, Nanoka Hara, and Mizuki Kayashima—appeared at a stage greeting held on July 12 at the Marunouchi TOEI theater in Tokyo. This venue served as a key filming location for the movie, particularly for scenes related to the fictional film-within-the-film, “15-Year Lie.”

Marunouchi TOEI holds special memories for the cast, not only as a filming site but also as the stage for a major pre-release event on December 19, 2024. Host Akihisa Shoguchi joked about the intensity of the smoke used during filming: “If the fire alarm had gone off, it would’ve looked exactly like that—billowing smoke everywhere.” Sakurai recalled, “The smoke machines were no joke. My throat was sore the next day.” He added that even scenes set behind the screen were filmed in the actual backstage area of the venue.

Saito, who revisited the area that day, commented, “When I go back to that spot, I feel like reciting lines—it’s like a time slip.” Sakurai reflected on the significance of the place: “Including the film itself, I’ve stood on this stage about four times. It’s such a surreal experience.”

“Sleepy Faces” and Nostalgia: Backstage Memories Resurface

When asked about their favorite memories of Marunouchi TOEI, Hara hesitated, prompting a light-hearted moment. “You know—the time we all fell asleep together,” Saito chimed in, helping her co-star remember. Hara responded, “That’s right! You tell it!”

According to Saito, the cast was so exhausted from continuous shooting that they all dozed off in the waiting room before filming began. “The moment someone said, ‘They’re coming!’ everyone looked completely dazed. Our eyes were half-closed,” she said with a laugh. “A senior executive came all the way to greet us, but we had just been dead asleep a second earlier...”

Sakurai added, “It was bad. I was the only one awake. I was in the room upstairs trying not to wake anyone, and then the company president showed up. Everyone looked so confused, like ‘What’s going on?’ I was silently freaking out.”

Kayashima chimed in, “And Kaito imitated everyone’s sleepy faces afterwards!” prompting Saito and Hara to exclaim, “There’s a video of that!” Though Sakurai claimed to have no memory of it, Kayashima jokingly retorted, “So rude.” When Saito mused aloud, “I wonder what my wake-up face looked like. Maybe I’ll check the video later,” Sakurai quipped, “No point remembering it now,” making everyone burst into laughter.

Marunouchi TOEI’s Final Curtain Call

Loved as Toei’s last directly-managed theater and Japan’s final “roadside” cinema, Marunouchi TOEI will close its doors on July 27 after 65 years due to the redevelopment of the Toei Kaikan building. As part of the “Goodbye Marunouchi TOEI” project, over 100 classic films are being screened during the final 80-day run starting May 9. “Oshi no Ko: The Final Act” will be shown again on July 13 and 16 as part of this farewell tribute.

Source : ORICON NEWS