Studio Ghibli Features Atsuko Maeda As PR Face For Their DVD and Blue Lay Release Of Movie KokurikoSaka Kara

Tommy Kono May 14, 2012

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A member of AKB48, Atsuko Maeda has chosen to be a PR face for DVD & Blue lay release of Studio Ghibli presents movie KokurikoSaka Kara, it’s announced on 14th May.

Atsuko Maeda, who has been a huge fan of Ghibli since childhood, expressed her pleasant surprise, stating “I was like ‘Are they really okay with me?’ I was genuinely happy and felt like it was a dream.” TV Ads features her will start airing from the middle of June.

The reason behind this choice lies in Acchan’s image that conveys the inner strength behind her soft looks, which somehow reminds of the image of the main character of the movie, Umi. Acchan, dressed in translucent white one-piece dress, virtually experienced the life of 1963 in the set for the filming. She washed rice in a strainer, struck a match to fire the old style cooking stove to cook rice in an earthenware pot.

“We filmed the whole process of me cooking rice in this old way. I could have positioned myself into Umi-chan’s circumstance and enjoyed the filming.” she said.

This commercial is supposed to depict the scene she is cooking breakfast. Look her real life, she has been uploading photos of her breakfast on her blog which she cooks with other members who live separately from their families. “Recently, I often cook breakfast with members. We have been talking ‘Will we have someone who eats breakfast together with us some day?’ but always ends up eating by ourselves.” she said jokingly.

She has already watched the movie twice. When asked her favorite scenes, she answered “I had a sweet excitement from the opening scene, where two characters meet each other til the end and I coulnd’t help but smiling gaily (as she watched how their relationship developed). My best favorite scene is where Umi-chan confessed her love to Syun-kun. At the time, they didn’t have cellphones, there’d been much less means of remote communications. But how they connect each other deeply, overcoming the inconvenience of the time moved me so much. I’m rather envy of them.” Toshio Suzuki, the producer of Ghibli studio and the film, praised her remark, stating “I’m so interested in her remark which raised the points I’ve even never thought of.” Acchan bashfully smiled at his reply.

Official Website

In the last portion the interview, where she’s asked about her image of heroines of Ghibli Animation, she first made an introductory remark, saying “Whenever I watch Ghibli Animation, I put myself in heroine’s position and fall in love with her partner together with her. All boys in Ghibli movies are cool and attractive, aren’t they?” and added “I think I’m far different from the character like Umi-chan (in KokurikoSaka Kara), but she is so attractive that makes me want to play a role of a girl like her!”

Source Cinematoday, Nikkan