Ae! group Akiya Sano, who plays the role of a cameraman in “I Felt Destiny”, released a scene photo with an impressive serious look from “Photo Studio that Spells Tomorrow” | ORICON NEWS

Actor Sei Hiraizumi (79) will be starring as an up-and-coming cameraman in the movie “Ashi wo Spelling Photo Studio” (to be released on June 7th), starring Ae! group’s Akiya Sano, in his first leading role after 60 years of career. Scene photos of Sano, who played the role, have been released.

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This work is based on the manga of the same name by Risa Aruta and is directed by Jun Akiyama and written by Yuriko Nakai. The story begins with an encounter between Samejima (Hiraizumi), a taciturn photographer who runs a deserted photo studio, and Taichi (Sano), who is captivated by his photographs and applies to become his apprentice.

Sano plays Taichi, an up-and-coming photographer who won the grand prize three years in a row at one of the leading photo contests that even professional photographers enter, and who keeps getting offers from fashion magazines. Contrary to the praise he receives from the world, Taichi is somewhat unsatisfied, saying, “I want to take photos that are truly satisfying,” and he seems unsatisfied with his own photos.

Meanwhile, at a photo contest in which he won an award, he comes across a photo that makes a sound. It was a photo of a smiling woman taken by Samejima, who runs a photo studio in a local city. Taichi, drawn to the piece that makes a sound, abandons his brilliant career to visit Samejima and applies to become his apprentice, but he is immediately rejected. Unable to give up, Taichi begins helping at the photo studio, but…

Director Akiyama, who had chosen Sano for “20-Year-Old Soul”, enthusiastically offered him the role, calling it “the perfect role!” and scriptwriter Nakai also said, “What if Akiya Sano had lived in this world?” I don’t have to do anything if you just leave it to me.” Sano himself analyzed Taichi’s character, saying, “I felt like he resembled me in the shadowy part,” and added, “I just deepened my knowledge of the camera.”

Sano also said that he had started working with cameras privately two months before he was offered this work. He said, “It felt like fate” that he was offered the role of a photographer at a time when he was beginning to enjoy photography. He also had the opportunity to photograph his own grandmother, saying, “Through this work, I was painfully reminded of the importance of preserving a person’s present, so I used my favorite camera, which has become a hobby, to capture the wonderful smile of my grandmother. I’m glad I was able to take the picture.The camera is great, the movie is great, and I think this work is the best.”

At first, Samejima does not accept Taichi’s request to be his apprentice, but thanks to Taichi’s enthusiasm and his encounters with the customers visiting the photo studio, the two eventually form a strong mentor-student relationship. All of the scene photos that have been released are of Taichi capturing people’s moments through a viewfinder.

Taichi gains a new awareness from the words and actions of Samejima, who is desperately trying to help people with their worries and problems, and by releasing the shutter, he confronts the “remaining memories” of his life deep within himself.
Eventually, Taichi, who is changing, realizes that he has “remnants” of his life that he has ignored, not only for himself but also for his master Samejima and his family. A step Taichi took for Samejima and for a future without regrets. What unexpected miracle awaits at the end?

Additionally, advance movie ticket tickets (card tickets and online tickets) for this work will go on sale starting today, the 26th. The design of the card has Samejima, played by Hiraizumi, and Taichi, played by Sano, placed one above the other.