Mirei Kiritani bagged another major acting role. The 25-year-old actress will be the star of a new TV Asahi drama titled "Sumika Sumire" which will premiere on January 2016.
The young actress will play the titular character "Sumi," a 60-year-old woman who as a young girl dutifully took care of her parents until old age. On the day of her mother's funeral service, she meets a mysterious character named Rei who takes her back in time to once again experience being young and maybe to fall in love for the first time.
The show is an adaptation of a popular manga of the same title written by Takanashi Mitsuba who started writing the story in 2013. The screenplay for the show, meanwhile, will be written by Furuya Kazunao ("Kekkai Sensen," "Ouroboros) and directed by Imai Kazuhista ("Hotel Concierge", "Saki").
JPop Asia reported that Kiritani was very excited for her new acting project. She commented that Sumire is the "purest character" she has played on screen.
She also commented that she would go back in time, preferably in middle school or high school, if given the chance. But not for more than one week.
Kiritani is best known for her work in "Hana Kimi," "Hell Teacher Nubee," "Atelier" and "Vampire in Love." She recently top-billed the Netflix Japan and Fuji TV original series, "Underwear," as the lead character Mayuko Tokito, a "fiber otaku" who wants to mark her spot in the fiercely competitive lingerie market, according to Crunchyroll.
"Sumika Sumire' will air on TV Asahi every Friday, 11:15 p.m.