On Thursday, actress Kuroki Meisa (20) attended a special preview screening of her upcoming movie "Subaru" (opens March 20).

The movie is a live-action adaptation of Masahito Soda’s popular ballet-based manga. Kuroki herself didn't do ballet before and therefore had to go through some training sessions. "I trained extra hard for this movie. It was so strict to myself that I immediately gained 4kg once we've finished filming." Her personal training wasn't even all she had to go through. "I also had to go through very hard training lessons under co-actress Momoi Kaori who already did ballet before." She revealed with a smile.

The story deviates slightly from the original manga, but the major themes of self-motivation and surviving adversity remain the same. Subaru (Meisa Kuroki) and her twin brother Kazuma dream of someday becoming ballet dancers, but are consistently discouraged by their dad. When Kazuma dies of a hereditary illness, Subaru focuses all her effort on dance on his behalf. One day she meets a cabaret owner named Isuzu (Kaori Momoi) who notices Subaru’s raw talent and offers to train her. She’s a quick learner, and soon decides to step her goals up a notch by entering an international dance competition that could net her a scholarship to one of the most prestigious ballet companies in the world. The road is not an easy one, as Subaru is forced to deal with rivalries, betrayal, and other hardships along the way. Ultimately, the experience teaches her and her friends more about themselves, and life in general.
(Credits to NipponCinema)