Sumimasa Motojima, Mizuho Shiramiya, and Takeru Hirakawa give passionate performances as students taking entrance exams! Citizen’s first vertical short drama, “Blue Canon,” premieres Friday, October 31st.
KAYAC Co., Ltd. Press release: October 31, 2025 To Members of the Press Sumimasa Motojima, Mizuho Shiramiya, and Takeru Hirakawa give passionate performances as students taking entrance exams! Citizen’s first vertical short drama, “Blue Canon,” premieres Friday, October 31st. “The time you’ve spent will become strength for the future.” This eight-episode, two-minute episode features the diverse challenges faced by three high school students: those admitted through
recommendation, those admitted through the general system, and those who have failed the entrance exam. The story is accompanied by the classic piece “Canon.”
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/14685/877/14685-877-5113203acd311b8b2af4b18241d01fdd-1080×1920.png “Blue Canon” Story Yuuko’s career path has been decided ahead of her peers through the recommended entrance exam. Sora has lost sight of his dreams and spends his days in emptiness. Shinya can’t recover from his baseball setback. Time flows at different speeds for each of the three. Their days, which began when they first worked together on creating a planetarium for the school festival, overlap with joy and conflict. Yuko hides her true feelings out of concern for others, while Sora struggles with his role as a leader. Shinya struggles with apathy, but is supported by his teammates. As they clash and encourage each other, the clock that had stopped moving slowly begins to move. Each of them soon faces their own exams: recommendation interviews, the general entrance exams, and new challenges as repeat students. Like the stars in the sky at graduation, the paths the three of them walk are separate yet connected. The limited time of youth gives us encounters and growth. “The time you have spent will become strength for the future.” – A heartbreaking yet hopeful story from Citizen.
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/14685/877/14685-877-c3a7671492de51d1d71b15a5b4f83017-1080×1920.png Shooting episode Miraculous teamwork! Behind the scenes of filming the entire eight-episode story in just two days Although this short drama consists of eight episodes, filming took place on an extremely tight schedule of just two days. The cast’s focus and teamwork were what led to the filming’s success. During a half-day script read before filming, the three actors delved deeply into their characters with the director and understood each other’s roles. On the day of filming, filming began smoothly, allowing them to begin acting in a natural atmosphere. Motoshima Sumimasa, who played Sora, showed off some lively improvisations, drawing spontaneous applause from the staff. His positive energy energized the entire set, making for a relaxed and enjoyable shoot despite the tight schedule. This passionate character was created by Motoshima Sumimasa, who asked countless questions! During the pre-filming reading, Motoshima, who plays Sora, was impressive for his enthusiastic questioning of the director. Through repeated discussions, they refined the character’s image, concluding that “there must be a bright side to him,” creating a character with depth. His earnest attitude remained consistent throughout filming, and his cheerful acting created a lively atmosphere on set. Meanwhile, during a break in filming, a smartphone alarm suddenly rang. It was Motoshima’s alarm clock, which he had set to wake up early in the morning. This gave a glimpse of his earnest personality, and the set was filled with laughter. Shiramiya Mizuho takes on the role of an honor student for the first time! Shiramiya Mizuho takes on the role of an honor student, a role she has never played before. Not only did she create her character visually with meticulous hair and makeup, but she also consulted with the director during filming to suggest lines based on her deep understanding of the character. Her ideas, such as Yuuko’s way of speaking, added even more realism to the character. Also noteworthy is the meticulous attention to detail in how her hairstyle expresses the changing emotions of the character as she transitions from her modest hairstyle at the beginning of school to her new hairstyle at the school festival and graduation ceremony, in line with the story’s beginning, development, and conclusion. Jo Hirakawa’s real-life experiences as a former baseball player bring the role to life! Hirakawa, who has played baseball himself, plays Shinya, a man harboring complex emotions after his dream of playing in Koshien is shattered. By incorporating his own life experiences into the role, Hirakawa delicately conveys the character’s pain not only through his lines but also through his facial expressions and demeanor. In particular, in scenes with his best friend, Sumimasa Motoshima, who plays Sora, he ad-libs the exquisite sense of distance and dialogue that only best friends can have. His realistic acting brings a powerful convincing voice to the bond between the three characters at the heart of the film, adding depth to the story as a whole. From the length of socks to handmade props. The unseen attention to detail that goes into the footage. The visual beauty of this film is supported by meticulous attention to detail. During the costume fittings, they even discussed the length of the socks to portray the students. They chose the perfect length, neither too long nor too short. Additionally, some of the props that appear in the film are one-of-a-kind, handmade pieces that took the staff about two days to make. Even the pictures drawn by the characters were commissioned from illustrators, so the creators’ thoughts are put into everything that appears on screen. Incidentally, because filming took place in an actual girls’ school, there was a heartwarming behind-the-scenes story about the men having trouble using the few boys’ restrooms available. Cast Interview A short drama consisting of eight episodes depicting the friendship and challenges faced by three high school students. Filming took place over two days. The three actors spent about half a day reading through all the episodes beforehand. They performed wearing Citizen watches throughout the film. The setting is a classroom, a school rooftop, and other places where the present moment of adolescence is engraved. We bring you the dialogue between the three actors. –First, please introduce yourself. Motojima: I’m Sumimasa Motojima, voice of Sora. Nice to meet you. Shiramiya: I’m Mizuho Shiramiya, voice of Yuko. Nice to meet you. Hirakawa: I’m Takeru Hirakawa, voice of Shinya. Thank you in advance. Motojima: I was excited when I heard that all eight episodes would be shot in two days. –Shooting all eight episodes in two days is an extremely tight schedule. What was the atmosphere like on set? Hirakawa: It was a tight schedule, but we were able to concentrate on each scene. There was a good sense of tension among us, with everyone saying, “Let’s shoot a good scene.” Shiramiya: There was a sense of tension, but we all felt united and positively focused, and it was a fast-paced and fun set. We were able to bring the same enthusiasm we’d created during the read-through, so we were able to start filming comfortably from the first day. Motojima: I understand. We got to know each other there, so we naturally became closer, and I feel like we were able to naturally become a close trio from the day of filming. Hirakawa: That’s true! We really did get closer during that time. Motojima: In the final rooftop scene, he shouted lines that weren’t in the script with me, and I thought that was so Shinya-like, and it really warmed my heart. Shiramiya: Everything was so fresh. I played the role of an honor student, so it was a challenge to project a calm demeanor, but even that was a lot of fun. –It seems like filming itself was a real challenge. What challenges did you all take on in preparing for your roles? Motojima: Sora, the character I play, is energetic but also a bit absent-minded and fun. It was difficult to convey a natural sense of misalignment, so I paid close attention to the timing and the way I looked away. Shiramiya: Eh, but it does feel pretty much the same… (laughs). Motojima: Hey! (laughs) Not at all! I really prepared for the role! (Everyone laughs) Hirakawa: On the other hand, the director asked me to act “naturally,” which was a challenge. Not to “show it,” but to act like I was naturally present. My character, in particular, had a background where he had to give up his dreams due to an injury, so I found it rewarding to convey that convincingly. Shiramiya: This echoes what I said earlier, but Yuko is an honor student, and her character is a little different from my usual self (laughs). It was a challenge to properly convey her calm demeanor. But it was fun, and I felt like I was able to become a new version of myself. –What did you think of the analog watch worn in the film? Motojima: I haven’t worn a watch much up until now, but seeing the second hand ticking away made me realize that every second is really passing. It made me want to cherish that time. Hirakawa: That’s right. I was wearing the blue “TSUYOSA” model, and everyone said it looked refreshing. I realized that the mere act of checking the time on my watch lifts my spirits. The mere act of looking at this refreshing watch feels stylish. It makes me feel a little more grown up (laughs). Shiramiya: Me too! When I wear it, I naturally feel more focused. I also like it as part of my fashion. This experience has made me want to try wearing a watch in my private life as well.
–Finally, please give a message to all the students! Shiramiya: This drama is filled with the sparkling moments of student life. I hope you will cherish and enjoy your youth, a time that truly can only be experienced at that time. Hirakawa: I think it’s important to “challenge” without fear of failure. I hope this drama inspires everyone to take that first step. Motojima: The importance of time and the joy of taking on challenges are both messages of this drama. I hope everyone will realize that the choices they make every moment of every day will connect them to their future. Shiramiya: I really think so. Hirakawa: Yes, it’s the first step. Motojima: Yes. Let’s move forward together! [Performer profile]
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/14685/877/14685-877-ab166a6f40811b7828a92e899d19d1e0-1080×1920.png ■Sumimasa Motojima Born in 2005. Originally from Tokyo. After graduating from high school in 2023, he joined Amuse. Just three months later, he was selected to play the lead role in “Kamen Rider Gatchard,” attracting attention. In 2024, he co-starred in the Yomiuri TV drama “Minors: We’re Being Awkward While Being Immature,” and his popularity skyrocketed, especially in Asia. He is expanding his global reach, appearing on the cover of eight consecutive Chinese magazines. He most recently appeared in the drama “Scoop no Tamago” (TBS), as well as “Kimi to Shita Kiss wa Forever” (ABC Asahi Broadcasting) and “UNREAL – Fubori Zakkaten” (TV Osaka). He has also appeared in a number of films and short films, building a solid career as an actor. He has also appeared in numerous fashion magazines such as “FINEBOYS,” “ViVi,” and “CanCam,” and his photo book “Jun” has been reprinted, making him a prominent figure both as a model and actor. His special skill is singing and playing the guitar. He has over 180,000 Instagram followers.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/14685/877/14685-877-ce2e6fc68fd437bdc0b1681bd13d8ed9-1080×1920.png ■Mizuho Shiramiya Born in 2005. Originally from Hokkaido, currently living in Tokyo. While active as an exclusive CanCam model (since July 2024), she has also appeared in films and TV dramas. She has appeared in the films “Lovesick Ellie” (2024) and “Yano-kun’s Ordinary Days” (2024), and the drama “HEART ATTACK” (FOD/2025), and is attracting attention as an actress, with a film scheduled for release in 2026. She has appeared in numerous advertisements, including Rohto Pharmaceutical’s “Skin Aqua Tone Up UV” and Aire’s “Contact Lenses.” She has also appeared at TGC and Girls Award, and is gaining popularity as an idol for her generation. Her hobbies are photography, watching movies and anime, and playing the piano. Her special skill is piano.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/14685/877/14685-877-1768758488ed975b4aa14d319beb6c0a-1080×1920.png ■Takeshi Hirakawa Born in 2002. Originally from Chiba Prefecture. Hobbies include reading, watching movies, and road biking. Special skills include tennis and baseball. He gained attention for his role as young Nagumo in the drama “Gekokujou Kyuji” (TBS/2023), and has since appeared in popular works such as “Furizumire Kodoku na Shitei yo” (2024) and “3-nen C-gumi wa Affair Shitteimasu” (2024). She has worked in a wide range of genres, including stage, advertising, and music videos, and has built a career with her solid acting skills and presence. 【Production】 Staff List Producer: Shinya Taji (Kayac) Creative Director/Planner: Pierre Yotaro Goda (Kayac) PM: Naoto Takahashi (Kayac Inc.) Account Director: Naoto Sugino (iPlanet) Creative Director: Akira Furuike (iPlanet) Planning Director: Jun Kusanagi (iPlanet) Planner: Baku Tsuyama (iPlanet) Producer: Seiya Konno (TYO Monster) Production Manager Teruta Nakamura (TYO Monster) Production chief Hina Taguchi (TYO Monster) 脚本/監督 渡部亮平 助監督 倉光哲司 撮影 岩出智也 照明 長田青海 美術 秋葉彩弓(craft) ヘアメイク 中原康博 スタイリスト 柚原美乃里 キャスティング 武藤 亜嵐(kosei) カラーグレーディング 杉本文香(ARTONE FILM) 編集 工藤勝大(McRay)/磯部和也(McRay) 録音/MA 秋山翔太(McRay) 制作会社 TYOモンスター ショートドラマ・Web動画概要
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