Yu Miyazaki look.2

Yu Miyazaki, who played the heroine Akane Saijo in the Netflix series “Glass Heart,” captivated the world with her emotionally rich, fresh acting and powerful drumming. In the real world, she debuted as part of the band “TENBLANK” and is also active as a model showcasing various fashion styles. In look.2, she wore a refreshing outfit featuring a blue ribbon shirt and a white zip skirt, displaying multiple expressions.

“The design of the elegant shirt with ribbons and frills, intentionally wrinkled, was charming. The skirt and heels gave off a vintage vibe that I love, which really lifted my spirits. Overall, it’s cool, but the texture of the fabric and the use of colors give it a natural impression, making this look a favorite of mine!”

While private clothes that lift one’s mood and add color to daily life are important, she also emphasizes the indispensable role of clothing for the characters she regularly portrays.

“I really feel the power of clothing when acting. I think a lot about how a person’s character is reflected in their clothes. Even with the same casual outfit, the choice of design and color, or even slight dirtiness or wear, can offer hints about the person. During filming, I try to wear clothes in private that resemble the character I’m playing to help with role preparation.”

This experience also aided her acting in the Netflix series “Glass Heart,” which gained worldwide popularity and became one of her representative works.

“The stylist who was in charge of Akane Saijo’s costumes was someone who discussed with me, ‘What kind of clothes do you like?’ So, I conveyed my image of Akane. Ultimately, of course, the director Kensaku Kakimoto, producers, and stylists decided on the world of the work, but I like to think that Akane often wore band T-shirts in the series because I mentioned my fondness for them (laughs). While filming ‘Glass Heart,’ I also dressed in band T-shirts paired with denim or skirts.”

In “Glass Heart,” where she played the heroine with all her might, she gained a new sense as an actress and felt she could touch on the fun and charm of acting anew.
“When I auditioned, I couldn’t do it well at first, but I was given the opportunity to act multiple times. Each time I acted, my emotions changed, and there was a moment when I felt a strange sensation of two ‘selves’ existing together—the self acting and the self observing objectively. Later, I was told by those around me that my performance at that time was very good. It’s a rare experience, but now I’m always searching for that moment. Having tasted that sensation, when I see other people’s wonderful performances or interesting works, I get excited thinking, ‘I want to play such roles and be in such works!’ It’s one of the motivations as an actor.”

Another motivation is the voices of fans who love and support Miyazaki and the roles she plays.

“I’ve had the dream of becoming an actor since I was little, but I couldn’t progress in auditions and thought about quitting. I approached the audition for ‘Glass Heart’ with the mindset of enjoying my last acting opportunity, and I was able to get the role of Akane. It’s similar to Akane, and when I receive positive messages from fans like ‘I want to try hard like Akane or Miyazaki-san’ or ‘I started playing drums after seeing Miyazaki-san,’ I’m happy and encouraged at the same time. I think it’s an amazing job that can change people’s lives like this, so I want to continue now.”

Indeed, it might be a miracle that actress Yu Miyazaki is here now. After an experience that could be called a restart of her acting career, what she values in playing roles is “being true to oneself.”

“Having had the opportunity to act surrounded by 50 to 100 staff members or play drums in front of thousands of spectators, I’ve gained a lot of courage and learned the joy of creating works together with many people. However, there are still times when I get nervous and feel overwhelmed by the atmosphere, so I try to maintain my own pace. During interviews or TV appearances, my heart rate tends to rise and I speak quickly, but I try to calm myself. If I can see the set in advance, I walk around alone to get my body used to it, timing it so as not to disturb others (laughs).”

As Miyazaki sincerely faces roles and herself, what kind of roles does she want to express through her body in the future?

“I’m very interested in psychology, and I’m curious about the psychological states and behaviors of psychopaths or sociopaths that don’t link with my usual mental state. I think they’re the extreme of individuality, and I’d like to express such personalities through acting. When you hear ‘psychopath,’ you usually have an image, but since each person has different aspects, I’d like to play a character with new or different traits. If I get to play such a role, will you all watch? (laughs)”

Yu Miyazaki, whose future activities are highly anticipated. Through this shoot, it’s felt that she is a presence that captivates viewers and energizes them through various roles. The future of entertainment needs Yu Miyazaki.

→In look.1, we asked Yu Miyazaki about her fashion views and how she spends her days off, among other aspects of her private life.

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Direction : Shinsuke Nozaka
Photo : Naoya Toita
Movie : Tomohiro Yagi
Stylist : Yusuke Yamaguchi
Stylist support : Mika Koyama
Hair & Make up : Rei Fukuoka(W)
Text : Hisamoto Chikaraishi(S/T/D/Y)