 Akiko Wakabayashi (qv) and Mie Hama (qv) did not know any  English before this film. Wakabayashi was cast as Kissy and Hama as  Aki and both were tutored in English. Hama was originally dropped  from the film because she was having too much difficulty with  English until the suggestion came that the two actresses swap roles  to give Hama fewer lines.