Kamen Rider Den-O: Why Yuriko Shiratori Left The Show

Yuriko Shiratori explains her sudden departure from Kamen Rider Den-O.

2017 marked the 10th anniversary of Kamen Rider Den-O. To commemorate the occasion, Toei released three Blu-Ray box sets that year, the third of which contained a booklet that featured an interview with Yuriko Shiratori.

In this interview, Shiratori talked about her time on the show and her thoughts about her co-stars.

We joked around between shoots and had lunch together in the Toei Cafeteria which was a great memory for me since I had come from the countryside and had no friends. The staff at the cafeteria always had a smile on their faces which cheered me up.

Although she is no longer in the entertainment industry, she still keeps in touch with everyone despite her departure from the show. Being on the show is still a pleasant memory for her, and she made the decision to leave the show because she began to experience health issues due to her hectic work schedule.

To tell you the truth, a part of myself still remains back there. I’m so happy that I have a chance to talk about it today thanks to the fans who continue to love the series. I want to apologize to everyone involved back in then. Because of my poor health, I was unable to continue filming. I pushed myself too hard and lost balance between my mind and soul. There were so many days where I struggled knowing that I couldn’t see Hana to the end. Now that time has passed, I’m in a much better place than I was before. In my spare time I do gardening. And I do dressmaking as a hobby. Plants bring me a lot of joy. I enjoy picking fabric and creating clothes. Feeling accomplished when I finish something is what makes me who I am.

To this day, Kamen Rider Den-O is a pleasant memory for Shiratori, and she is happy that she was a part of the show.

It’s something I cherish. Even if it was work, I felt like I was just spending days at school with my castmates and the staff. I can’t travel to the past in the Den-Liner, but those fun days find their way back to me and remain a happy memory for me. I loved spending time with everyone.

Source: Kamen Rider Den-O Blu-Ray Box Set 3