Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on February 2011

TOHO

When renowned science fiction author Taku Mayamura learned that his wife had colon cancer in 1997, he began writing a short story for her each day. By the time she passed away in 2002, he had composed 1,778 stories, which he later published as a book titled Boku to Tsuma no 1778 no Monogatari (“1,778 Stories of Me and My Wife”).

Now the book has been turned into a film with an all-star cast, including actress Yuko Takeuchi (right) and SMAP singer Tsuyoshi Kusanagi. “It’s a story about death, but it’s also about the love the characters share. I was really struck with the commitment involved in writing a new story every day,” says Takeuchi, 30, who plays the writer’s wife, Setsuko. “When the doctor informed the husband that laughter boosts the body’s immune system, he used his flights of fantasy to write a new story for his wife every day. That’s amazing.”

The stories in the film are taken directly from Mayamura’s works, and feature eccentric characters like an alien turned newspaper collector and a man who makes a living by recording coded messages on people’s answering machines. Takeuchi said director Mamoru Hoshi (University of Laughs) was painstaking in bringing the details of Mayamura’s daydreams, replete with rockets and robots, to life on the screen.

In one scene, the writer tells a friend that the project might not be for the sake of his wife, but to escape from the reality of the situation. “Setsuko tries never to show her own sadness and anxiety,” says Takeuchi. “Perhaps instead of him supporting her in this troubling time, it may be the other way around. At least, that’s how I tried to interpret it.”

A veteran actress, Takeuchi—who was born in Saitama Prefecture—worked in TV before launching her movie career in 1998 with Innocent World and Ringu. She won accolades for her work in Sidecar ni Inu (2007) and Closed Note (2007) and had a busy year in 2010, appearing in two well-regarded films—Golden Slumber and Flowers. Takeuchi can also currently be seen in commercials for Suntory The Premium Malt’s and Shiseido’s Tsubaki line of hair-care products.

Last year, she made a foray into US television by appearing in two episodes of the sci-fi series FlashForward, which is about a group of people who can see into the future. Takeuchi played the love interest of Dr Bryce Varley, one of the lead characters, and her lines were all in Japanese. In casting Takeuchi, director Michael Nankin—who visited Tokyo—said she was a big find and called her “Japan’s answer to Audrey Hepburn.”

Takeuchi said the shoot was a “very interesting experience” because it was something she had never done before. “Even though my dialogue was all in Japanese, I wish that I could have spoken English because it was hard to communicate on the set and I really wanted to be able to chat with other cast members and crew.” A special FlashForward DVD box set will be released by Walt Disney Studios Japan on March 2, and includes a special six-minute feature titled Meet Yuko that follows the actress behind the scenes of the show. Takeuchi said she would like to achieve more exposure overseas, but acknowledged that she needs to master English first.

Chris Betros is the editor of Japan Today (www.japantoday.com).