東京メトロ | TOKYO HEART | 2015
A 0:32 Performance That Speaks Volumes Without Saying a Word / Tokyo Metro "TOKYO HEART"
Whether Gakki is cute or not doesn't really matter here (though she totally is) — what you should really pay attention to is the high school girl's acting at 0:32.
The problem
"TOKYO HEART" is Tokyo Metro's corporate ad series. Taking over the image character role that Aoi Miyazaki had held since 2007, Yui Aragaki stepped in starting from fiscal year 2010. The reason for choosing her was reportedly her high recognition and popularity across a wide range of age groups, combined with a bright yet urban, sophisticated image that matched the image Tokyo Metro was going for.
The insight
Creative director Yanai had the high school girl bring along a boy she liked, then directed the scene with the instruction: "take three steps, then hold hands." What came out of that was a small miracle. It speaks volumes without saying a word. That's what acting really is.
The idea
Set against the backdrop of Tokyo, the film captures fleeting moments when Yui Aragaki crosses paths with people while riding the metro. With Yu Takahashi's "Fukuwarai" playing underneath, these little everyday scenes build up one after another.
Afterthought
Tokyo Metro has kept running with this format for a long time now — I wonder how much longer they'll keep it going. Whatever comes "next" will probably be a tough act to follow, but I'm looking forward to it.
