On the TOKYO FM radio program “Sugisaki Hana’s Flower TOKYO” (every Sunday from 8:00 to 8:30) broadcast on Sunday, January 31, 2021.
Sugisaki Hana: Well, and today, Hata Motohiro, who sings the theme song for Ochoyan, “A Laughing and Tears Episode,” has sent us a message in which he talks about the thoughts he put into “A Laughing and Tears Episode,” so I’d like to listen to it right away.
Hata Motohiro: Good morning to Sugisaki Hana and to everyone listening to Sugisaki Hana’s Flower TOKYO.
This is Hata Motohiro.
Sugisaki Hana: Good morning.
Hata Motohiro: I’m currently in charge of the theme song for the NHK morning drama series Ochoyan, in which Sugisaki Hana stars, and that theme song, “A Laughing and Tears Episode,” has now been released.
Sugisaki Hana: That’s right. Congratulations ♪
Hata Motohiro: Well, when I wrote this song, I first spoke with the production staff of Ochoyan and heard a lot of different things about what kind of message the drama was trying to convey, what kind of drama they were trying to make, and then I read the script that had been completed at the time, and I wrote the song while imagining the main character, Chiyo-chan.
Well, we were on a program together on NHK Osaka, and that was the first time they heard me sing it live, but at the time it seemed like they were saving the excitement for the actual performance, so I didn’t meet them even at rehearsals, and I only met them briefly just before the show.
Sugisaki Hana: Oh, I see.
Hata Motohiro: Well, you see. Well, we had a photo together, and Sugisaki-san’s face is really, how should I put it, small, and there was a lot of fuss about Hata Motohiro’s big face,
Sugisaki Hana: That’s not true (laughs)
Hata Motohiro: I might be big too, but for some reason I wanted to say here that Sugisaki-san is small.
Sugisaki Hana: Please stop (laughs)
Hata Motohiro: But I was really happy to meet you in person at that time, and I was also happy that you listened to my song.
Well, thank you so much for all your hard work filming Ochoyan.
Sugisaki Hana: Thank you.
Hata Motohiro: I think it’s amazing. I really look forward to watching Ochoyan every morning, so I hope you’ll keep up the good work with the filming.
And that was Hata Motohiro.
Sugisaki Hana: Thank you. Oh, that makes me happy♪
So you recorded a message for this show, right? Thank you. Thank you, Hata-san.
I see, I just found out that it was to preserve the excitement of the show when we were rehearsing, so I guess that’s what it was.
But really, it was the first time I heard Hata-san’s singing voice live, and watching him sing, watching him from really close up, and the drama hadn’t even aired yet, so I was really excited with the joy of hearing the song for the first time, and all sorts of emotions combined. At that time.
So when I actually heard Hata-san’s singing voice, I thought it was such a wonderful song.
I was really happy that such a wonderful song was the theme song for the drama I was involved in, and I felt really happy again, and I was so moved that I tried desperately to hold back the tears.
Wow, I’m so happy. So that’s what happened.
Well, well, but we didn’t have much time for the shoot, and we had to hurry up and say hello and take pictures right before the show, so I didn’t really get to talk to Hata-san at length. But I’m happy.
Hata-san, thank you so much for watching the show.
I’m always putting on my makeup every morning, and preparing for the shoot with the makeup artists, with the drama on the side, and every morning, listening to that “Episode of Tears and Laughter,” even though I listen to it every day, it’s really, how can I put it, it gives me a push, it’s a song that cheers me up.
Every time I listen to this song and the drama starts, I feel happy, thinking, what a wonderful morning it’s going to be.
Hata-san, thank you so much.
Okay. So I’d like to play a song for you here.
Hata Motohiro’s “Episode of Tears and Laughter.”