Kasumi Arimura × Masahide Yoshida: Part 1 "What is the 'Tangible Experience' Today's Youth Seek?"

Kasumi Arimura is one of the leading actresses currently portraying "high school girls." In the currently showing film "Biri Gyaru," she passionately plays an ordinary high school girl charging straight toward her dreams.
She herself started as an ordinary high school student who embraced her dream and pursued acting with dedication. Masahide Yoshida, head of Dentsu Inc. Youth Research Department, held a conversation with her about the "image of youth" in today's era, as seen through the eyes of an actress and a relatable young person.

 

I want people to see the passion at the core, not just appearances or attributes

Yoshida: Arimura-san, you've played many roles of young people, including high school girls. How do you capture the essence of being a high school girl and the atmosphere of that generation?

Arimura: Honestly, I don't really think within the framework of "high school girl." Even among "high school girls," the passion each role carries varies greatly.
For example, Sayaka, the protagonist of Biri Gyaru, is someone who throws herself wholeheartedly into whatever she finds fun. She didn't dye her hair blonde and start partying because she wanted to be a delinquent; she genuinely loves spending time with her friends and enjoys it.
By focusing on her passion for what she loves, rather than just her "gal" appearance or label, you start to see things that weren't obvious before.

Yoshida: That's a perspective we also prioritize in our research at Dentsu Inc. Youth Research Department. It's crucial not to jump to conclusions based solely on superficial appearances or actions, or to lump them together under broad demographic labels like "high school girls." Instead, we must spare no effort in truly engaging with the underlying desires, worries, and dilemmas of this increasingly diverse group.

 

Furthermore, research shows that not only is each individual different now, but each person also has an average of 11 different "hobbies and interests" coexisting within them. We want to avoid simplistic generalizations like "all young people today are like this," and instead engage in deep dialogue to uncover the essence.

Arimura: I consider myself a modern kid too. People sometimes call me "yutori" (laughs).

Even so, when playing roles my own age or life-sized characters, I try not to categorize them by generation. Instead, I focus on embodying the passion of each specific role. Doing that naturally brings the character to life.

 

Try it out, and if it doesn't work, you can always go back.

Yoshida: As young people become increasingly diverse, it seems they themselves are also struggling with questions about "being themselves" and "individuality."
How do you think about your own individuality, Arimura-san?

Arimura: I think I'm just an ordinary girl, or rather, I have a pretty flat personality.
I don't have a particularly unique or standout personality, and there was a time when I really agonized over that. I wondered if having a more distinct character might help me get noticed by more people in my work.

Yoshida: In the drama, the protagonist Sayaka also says "I have nothing" at the beginning of the story. While many young people think similarly, there also seems to be a tendency to create a "○○ character" for themselves, tailoring their persona to fit the situation.

Arimura: I totally get that feeling.
I used to agonize over not having a distinct character too, trying to force myself to be cheerful. But in the end, pretending became exhausting and I couldn't keep it up.
Now I've come to accept myself as I am—just an ordinary person, I guess.

Yoshida: What do you think is necessary to find your true self?

Arimura: Changing yourself isn't inherently bad. When you're unsure, I think it's important to just try things first. In terms of breaking out of your shell, changing might work out well sometimes. If it doesn't feel right, you can always go back. I'm still learning myself, so I hope I can keep changing, learning through my mistakes along the way.

※From "Understanding Young People Survey 2015"
Survey Method: Internet survey
　　　　　　Target Areas: Kanto (1 metropolis, 6 prefectures) / Kansai (2 prefectures, 4 prefectures) / Tokai (3 prefectures)

Survey Participants: Unmarried males and females aged 15-29, high school students and above

Sample Size: 3,000 samples

Survey Period: February 6–9, 2015

　

※Part 2 is scheduled for release on Wednesday, May 13.

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【Wakamon Profile】
Dentsu Inc. Youth Research Department (commonly known as Wakamon) is a planning team that engages with the real lives and mindsets of young people, primarily high school and university students. By understanding their "now," we seek hints to brighten and invigorate the near future. We foresee the future based on their insights and realize new businesses that foster better relationships between young people and society. Currently, 14 project members are based across our Tokyo headquarters, Kansai branch, and Chubu branch. We also share updates on the Wakamon Facebook page.