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Hero Vision Vol.38 (2010/Autumn) ft. Kamen Rider OOO Cast Members Watanabe Shu x Miura Ryosuke, Asaya Kimijima Yamada Yusuke x Hashimoto Taito Interviews (translations below)

Publication: December 12, 2010

"From "Kamen Rider OOO," comes Watanabe Shu-kun, who plays Eiji Hino and Kamen Rider OOO, and Miura Ryosuke-kun, who plays Ankh and Izumi Shingo. At the time of this interview, it's been about 4 months since filming began, but, this is actually their first face to face interview. While talking about each other in a somewhat clumsy manner, as the conversation began to focus around the production, it became clear that they both have a passion for it, and that they couldn't talk about enough."

-Freedom and Loneliness?-

Miura: This is actually our first face to face interview.

Watanabe: It's been about 4 months since filming started (laughs). The first time we met was at a rehearsal. If I'm remembering right, you told me a simple recipe for carbonara.

Miura: I was like, "The first part is crucial!," and then explained to you how to make it from scratch……you probably still haven't made it, have you?

Watanabe: That's how the conversation started (laughs). I wouldn't stop talking to you.

Miura: You suddenly thrusted yourself into my personal space. To be honest, it startled me.

Watanabe: Miura-kun is the type who dislikes that kind of thing, right? I did it while thinking, "I'm sure he doesn't like it."

Miura: That's right. I was actually thinking of taking a step back…..I think we both got off on the wrong foot in the beginning (laughs).

Watanabe: Don't worry about it. The show will last a year, so we can start over during that time! (laughs).

Miura: Watanabe-kun was more firm when we first met.

Watanabe: Eh? You don't think so now?

Miura: You're very free (laughs). As I mentioned in the previous issue, there's nothing Watanabe-kun can't say or do now since becoming an adult. When I look at Watanabe-kun, he reminds me that I shouldn't forget about being honest.

Watanabe:……I've been wondering for some time now, but you've been addressing me as "Watanabe-kun."

Miura: Forgive me. It should be "Watanabe-san"

Watanabe: It's always either "Shu" or "Shu-kun," right?! (laughs).

Miura: It's because this is our first face to face together. When you print this, have him referred to as "Watanabe-san" (laughs).

Watanabe: It sounds like we're not on good terms.

Miura: Now, now (laughs). I like Shu-kun because he's free and honest. He'll usually say something on set like, "I'm hungry," as he naturally speaks on behalf of what everyone else is actually thinking, so it's nice being around someone like him. Also, when I look at your attitude toward the performance in Kamen Rider OOO, I feel that you're always looking at things with the feeling of, "What should I be doing now?" I think it gives off incredible energy, and it in turn makes me feel like, "I can't give up." I'm grateful for him.

Watanabe: You praise me too much.

Miura: Occasionally (laughs). I'd never say such things on set though.

Watanabe: That's for sure (laughs). Miura-kun, in a good way, hasn't changed since we first met. As his junior, this might be strange for me to say, but he's a very considerate person. It's amazing because he doesn't force it, it's just natural.

Miura: What have you seen that makes you think that way?

Watanabe: You casually moved your bag off a bench, and it give off an aura that said, "It's fine if you sit here."

Miura: That's it?! (laughs).

Watanabe: I feel like you're nicer to everyone else except me.

Miura: There it is! You often say stuff like that in interviews, don't you? Every time I do an interview, the interviewer says to me, "Miura-kun, Watanabe-kun said, "I wish he'd be alittle kinder to me," you say that right?!

Watanabe: Ahahaha! (laughs).

Miura: It's true that I haven't had a chance to have such deep conversations with Shu-kun…..I should be the one saying, "Be nicer to me." You're so close to (Asaya) Kimijima-kun, that I tend to become jealous.

Watanabe: Eh? Really?

Miura: Well, it's because you've always admired him since you saw him modeling, right?

Watanabe: That's true, but I still haven't gotten to know Kimijima-kun that well yet, you know?~.

Miura: No. I'm always thinking, "What? Am I really all alone?"

Watanabe: No way (laughs). Ah, I noticed something different about Miura-kun since the beginning. He's started to tell jokes!

Miura: That's right! (laughs).

Watanabe: At first, he wasn't really into funny stuff. He was like, "Hmmm, is that so?," and it felt like he was ignoring me. Then suddenly, he started to say funny things on his own, and started to open up more. What happened?

Miura: It's because I wanted to get to know everyone better. I'm one of the older people on set, so I'm very conscious and careful in that regard. Still, as expected, the atmosphere is different between the teen group (Watanabe-kun, Riho Takada-san, Mayuko Arisue-san). It's like there's some kind of obvious wall between us…..

Watanabe: No, no! It's more like Miura-kun was the one who put up the wall first.

Miura: Yeah. I'll admit to that (laughs).

-Eiji and Ankh are Incomplete?-

Miura: The episodes from when we first started filming, I remember them well, and I think they're nostalgic.

Watanabe: Like the scene where we first performed together?

Miura:……Hmm?

Watanabe: You don't remember! (laughs).

Miura: No, no! If I remember correctly, I was Shingo, right?

Watanabe: Wrong, it was Miura-kun!

Miura: That's right! (laughs)

Watanabe: I made a mistake (laughs). I meant it was Ankh!

Miura: Yeah. At the end of the first episode, Ankh possesses Shingo.

Watanabe: There's that one scene where Ankh quickly grabs him by the chest and yells, "What do you mean?!" When I saw Miura-kun's performance, I really thought, "He's scary! I see, from now on, Ankh will be getting mad at Eiji like this all the time….."

Miura: Eiji had a calm face, but Shu-kun looked terrified (laughs). When I performed it with Shu-kun, I thought it was very fresh, and I still think about it even now.

Watanabe: What do you mean?

Miura: Shu-kun acts naturally, which is how he becomes Eiji. On the other hand, I'm a pretty well defined character, so it's interesting to see the contrast in the way we act and the characters we portray. From the first time I read the script, I knew I wanted to create a contrasting relationship, so I'm glad to see that I've been able to make it happen.

Watanabe: Eiji and Ankh have a really strange relationship right now. We don't know if they'll stay together or not, if they understand each other or not…..

Miura: We don't know what'll happen in the future, but……Whether Ankh and Eiji continue to work together, or decide to separate, either way, I think it'll be interesting to see what direction OOO heads in. No matter what scene we're in, I enjoy them all. Isn't it fun thinking about where and what Ankh and Eiji are doing, and then finally finding out?

Watanabe: I know! Ankh's a bird monster, so he'd be eating chicken meat (laughs).

Miura: Ankh isn't just about being in high places. Even though he's a bird, maybe there'll be a scene in the future where he goes into water?

Watanabe: Currently, I like the scene in episode 8, where Eiji goes to save Ankh from completely falling apart due to being beaten by Uva. From there, I felt that the two of them were rapidly getting closer. If Eiji had just met Ankh, he would've never done such a thing, but I guess he gradually began to realize that he needs Ankh.

Miura: If someone's in troube right in front of him, Eiji's the kind of guy who can't leave them alone, but is it not the same for Ankh?

Watanabe: Ankh's the one who approached Eiji to take advantage of him. At first, he didn't know that he couldn't transform without Ankh. In episode 8, I think I understood that both Eiji and Ankh are incomplete without each other. I was acting as if it was an important scene for both of them.

Miura: I see.

Watanabe: But, Ankh isn't honest, so he doesn't say "Thank you."

Miura: He'll say, "He's a useful idiot." Basically, he's got a bad mouth (laughs).

-A Role is Coming….?-

Miura: At first, I thought Ankh stood at the top, but Eiji tends to drag him around alot, huh? Now, the only place to stand is at the top of a tree.

Watanabe: Is that what you mean by standing on top? (laughs). It's true that after giving Eiji the medals, he'll often be on a higer spot to view things.

Miura: I think that's what it means. Also, I really like the scenes where the two of us stand side by side. At first, I was wondering how it'd turn out, but when I saw the broadcast, it looked great.

Watanabe: I thought that too!

Miura: The image of two contrasting people standing side by side, it's really good. I don't want to lose to the Kamen Rider W duo (Renn Kiriyama-kun, who played Shotaro Hidari, and Masaki Suda-kun, who played Philip).

Watanabe: For me, when Eiji's next to Ankh as he plays with his iPad….I like the casual feel of those scenes. Even if you think, "What's the point of them being together now?," they're still casually together. Will there be more scenes like that in the future?…..

Miura: As Ankh continues to become more emotional, there'll probably be more conflicts between them.

Watanabe: Eiji's inner self is also coming out. We still don't know whether they'll continue to fight or understand each other. Either way, I'm interested in seeing how Ankh becomes more human like and cute. Especially since Chiyoko-san keeps making him look so cute (laughs).

Miura: I feel bad for Ankh these days (laughs).

Watanabe: From episode 10 onwards, Chiyoko-san starts to discipline him, and Hina-chan uses her incredibly stupid strength to knock him around. Also, in episode 8, Eiji ignored him by saying, "Ah, I see."

Miura: That's right! Gamel's Yummy won't drop that many medals even if it's defeated, so Ankh says that there's no need to fight, but Eiji just ignores him with, "Ah, I see," and fights. It made me think, "He can really say such a thing!" It was an incredibly cold, "Ah, I see." It made me feel lonely. I thought it was Shu-kun's true feelings……

Watanabe: What? Is today the day Miura-kun spreads rumors that we don't get along?! (laughs). But, we've been discussing our thoughts on the broadcast, right? There's that one scene with Ankh that I really like. In episode 6, while riding the motorcycle to the apartment with the Piranha Yummy, he makes eye contact with Hina-chan.

Miura: It was through the helmet.

Watanabe: It was just the expression of his eyes, but it was really cool. Your eyes held various implications.

Miura: Hmm~. That's a nice way of putting it.

Watanabe: There's also episode 5. When Eiji's being chased by Uva, he sends his Battacandroid to Ankh for help, where he scolds him with, "Would you stop playing around?" That's Miura-kun's true nature.

Miura: What? That previous push back? (laughs). That's how Ankh should be! But, I did think, "Huh? This is something I'd often say to Watanabe Shu" (laughs).

Watanabe: Does that mean we're getting closer to our roles? We've only done alittle over 10 episodes so far, but looking back, there's so much to talk about.

Miura: That's because we're enjoying OOO just as much as the viewers.

Watanabe: That's true, I'm a fan (laughs). Everyone who's reading this magazine is watching the relationship between Eiji and Ankh grow deeper and deeper, so I hope you're enjoying it. Also, the songs that play during the combos are rather impactful, so I hope you're enjoying them as well! (laughs).

Miura: We're all working on the show with the hopes that the viewers will enjoy it more than we're enjoying it. I want to capture that feeling better through the filming. OOO still has a long way to go, so let's enjoy it together, with me, Shu-kun, Ankh and Eiji.

Watanabe: We should go to a hot spring together.

Miura: You mean you want to have a naked relationship like Eiji, and open our hearts to each other?

Watanabe: Hmm?

Miura: In the show, Eiji often talks to someone while in his underwear. I thought it symbolized facing the other person while being naked in both body and soul. Maybe that's what we're missing (laughs).

Watanabe: Right, right. I think it'll help bring us closer in our performance.

Miura: Well then, please make a plan and give me a call. I can't do that kind of thing (laughs).

Watanabe: You got it! _

"Shintaro Goto is a 22 year old former police elite, who now works for Kousei Kougami, the Chairman of the Kougami Foundation, as a Ridevendor captain and an observer of OOO. He may have a cool attitude that makes others feel unwelcome, but in reality, he's a passionate person who's determined to "save the world." Asaya Kimijima-kun plays Goto, who becomes more human and appealing as the story progresses. We could see that he's learning and enjoying himself as he performs the constantly changing Goto."

-"Shintaro Goto" is changing-

Kimijima: It's been about 4 months since Kamen Rider OOO started filming, and I'm still learning everyday. I haven't really seen much from the Kamen Rider series, since it wasn't being broadcast when I was a kid. That's why when I found out that I was going to be in OOO, I was happy, but at the same time, I was worried with, "I wonder what's going to happen?," as there were so many unknowns. It's the first time for me to play a role in over a year, and it's also the first time for me to shoot action and CG scenes. What's more, Kamen Rider is such a "big stage." I was always confused, because I couldn't see how my performance was going to be captured on film. But, it's also a fun way to learn about something you don't know.

First off, there's the character Goto. Currently, The image I had of him in my mind has changed alot. In the beginning, I was told that his set up was a quiet and expressionless former police elite, who's now a cool guy who loyally performs his duties as a subordinate of Chairman Kousei Kougami of the Kougami Foundation. I was trying to be mindful of those characteristics in my performance, but as the story progressed, he started to fall apart as he was being pulled around by Eiji, and saying, "I want to save the world with my own hands, but I can't." He seems to express his desires and dissatisfaction with just his attitude, huh? He's becoming alot more human. Once I realized that Goto isn't a person who feels no emotions, I began to think that both Goto and I need to be more flexible in our performances.

However, his character is still abit of a mystery. My own view of Goto, which isn't depicted in the script, is that he's always had a strong sense of justice, never made any friends, worked hard to join the police, and did his duties without wasting time on a personal life. That's probably why the way Eiji acts is so hard to understand. I don't know if Eiji is passionate or not when it comes to fighting.

Most importantly, while Goto avoids interacting with people as much as possible, Eiji lives his life while always interacting with someone. He's got a different sense of distance from others. I guess they can't easily understand each other, because their lifestyles are so different……What's more, when Goto gets swayed by Eiji, he ends up becoming someone with a comedic side (laughs).

In episode 7, he's struck in the face with cake. I was surprised, being like, "This is going too far for Goto. What should I do?" (laughs). Goto's not trying to be funny, he's just being serious, and I think that makes him even more interesting (laughs).

Around episodes 9 and 10, Goto's gun action started to increase. One word I could use for it is "difficult." Even though I have experience in sports, this is my first time in action, and shooting a gun is something I'd never do in my normal life. Since my body isn't familiar with it, it's difficult just to take a stance. Actually, before acting, I watched a few movies for reference, but I think I made a mistake in my choices……If you watch war movies or mafia movies, the way they shoot is very clumsy. I guess it's because it takes place in an intense world, where everything is life or death. Later, I realized that I should've watched some detective movies (laughs).

Once filming actually started, I was amazed at how much I learned on set. The Action Director taught me every step of the way, from how to handle weapons, to how to get on and off a motorcycle. Rather than being told by the Director, "This is the kind of Goto you should play," I get feedback on Goto that I've personally thought of, and sometimes I notice things myself and make corrections, so I feel like I'm creating Goto together with everyone else. I go into filming with my own idea of, "How I want Goto to be" in advance, but when I actually play him, he becomes something different just by the way he's portrayed. You can't create Goto with just your own ideas alone. I believe that by talking with everyone on set, we're able to present a, "Good Goto" for the broadcast.

It's difficult to look at the broadcast objectively, but regardless, my opinion is, "The story is interesting!" Each character is interesting, and the various combinations of the medals are interesting……Huh? Surprisingly, I'm enjoying it objectively (laughs).

-"Asaya Kimijima" is changing-

When I first met (Watanabe) Shu-kun, who plays Eiji, he told me, "I saw a magazine where Kimijima-kun was a model," and it honestly made me very happy. We had conversations like, "If you have any clothes you don't need, please give them to me," and I'd say, "Alright then," but many people also asked me the same thing, and I wouldn't act on it. Then, every time I saw him, he would ask, "When are you going to give me some clothes?" I realized, "Ah, he's being serious," and so……I gave some to him. That event made me realize that Shu-kun is not the kind of person who tells lies or makes ups stories (laughs). He's exactly like Eiji. Although we've never been alone together due to the filming schedule, (Miura) Ryosuke-kun, who plays Ankh, is someone who's very particular about how he presents himself and is an artistic person. I feel inspired just by looking at him.

(After learning that Watanabe-kun said in the previous issue that he wanted the 3 of them to be in the same dressing room together) Unfortunately, there hasn't been any news of the 3 of us being in the same dressing room yet (laughs). Shu-kun often invites me to go out to dinner with everyone, but we haven't been able to do that because our schedules don't match up…..

By the way, people often ask me, "What kind of things do you talk about with your co stars?" It sounds like something that guys in their teens or 20s would normally talk about (laughs). I'd rather not talk about our performances. As I'm still learning, there's nothing I can say about the performance, and I don't think acting is something that should interfere in personal talk. When Shu-kun saw the broadcast, he said, "Goto's really cool," and, "OOO is interesting, right?," but all I can say is, "It's interesting, isn't it?" (laughs). This is normal for me, because I'm not the type of person who talks alot. On the other hand, Shu-kun is the type who talks all the time, and seems to love it when someone jokes around with him. That's why I'm also making sure to joke around too (laughs).

Considering this project will last a year, the filming and broadcasts have only just begun. I wonder how Goto will change in the future. He works under Kougami, and has doubts about not being able to save the world with his own power. During all of this, he gets involved with Eiji and Ankh, and he's definitely being influenced by them, as he continues to recognize their actions and ways of thinking......His way of life will gradually change, and you'll see a new side to him. I'll do my best to show off Goto's range, so please keep an eye on him in the future. I myself hope to also change for the better through this show. I hope you'll watch over me warmly. _

"Among the elite monsters known as Greeed, who are hostile to Kamen Rider OOO, is Yusuke Yamada-kun, who plays Uva, an insect based monster, and Taito Hashimoto-kun, who plays Kazari, a feline based monster. Not only do they have to play the roles of special monsters, but they also couldn't hide their confusion, as there were alot of first time experiences for them, but it seems that they're quickly discovering their own ways of acting. The efforts of these two are firmly connected to the existence of their characters in the story."

-The gap between the role and what was envisioned?-

Yamada: Taito, have you gotten use to things yet?

Hashimoto: (while smiling proudly) No! I'm new to acting, so there's alot I still don't understand. During the dubbing, I was overwhelmed by the performance of Yukana-san, who plays Mezool. I thought, "She can do such a powerful performance with just her voice!" At first, I was struggling to watch the movements of Kazari, played by Suit Actor (Jun) Watanabe-san, and to check the voice counts. Now that I've got this role, I think I need to increase the variety of my voice for the fighting scenes.

Yamada: It's difficult to get the intonation right, isn't it? I heard the person who voices Yummy do the dubbing, but the Yummy don't talk, so he just goes, "Gwah!" with a human touch. I immediately tried to imitate him, but he got angry and said, "Weak" (laughs). I wonder how you make a strong sounding voice? If you overdo it, it makes me look weak.

Hashimoto: Children watch the show, so I think it's important to act in ways that are big and easy to understand. I think it also depends on how much I can get immersed in the world by watching the dubbing footage. However, lately I've been able to see alot more moments where I think, "Ah, now!," as the footage and my own voice become linked. It feels really good!

Yamada: For me, it was more difficult not being able to approach Uva in the beginning.

Hashimoto: Because he keeps away from others?

Yamada: What I envisioned and what was expected of me didn't work together. The image of Uva I had, was that he was a weak and insecure guy. It's because, Kazari is clever, Gamel acts like a child, and Mezool is full of mystery, so I thought it'd be nice to have at least one character with those traits. But, what the Directors wanted was to have Uva be "tough."

Hashimoto: "OOO" is also the plural form of "King" (Ou-zu). You just need to have more style.

Yamada: That's right, isn't it? I thought too much about it, and at first, I acted in a way where I was still trying to figure things out. But, I was able to change direction by talking with the Director on the set, and I think I've made up my mind. Originally, I had set my methods at 100% from the beginning, but then I tried it at 50% and would gradually add to it, which seems to have been a good idea. I don't know if this is the best way of doing things, but I'm someone who can't give less, so I think it's faster.

Hashimoto: I'm thinking about alot of different things. I try thinking as much as possible before going to the set. If I were to create something different from what the Directors envisioned, the current set up makes it impossible to change. I'm just trying to respond to what was said to me on set.

Yamada: What kind of advice do you get on set?

Hashimoto: Mostly about my movements I guess. In particular, I learned alot about hand movements.

Yamada: Earlier, you were doing it while taking pictures, but do you think about the small movements of Kazari's hands as Taito's?

Hashimoto: Some parts I thought of myself, and some I came up with after receiving the advice. However, I was relieved that none of them were too different from the Kazari I wanted to play.

-On a set full of confusion….-

Yamada: Are you still not getting used to the set?

Hashimoto: Unlike in stage plays, there's alot of on the spot work involved in film production, isn't there? You have to do the rehearsals yourself, and that's something I'm not used to yet.

Yamada: It's confusing because some Directors are very specific when it comes to what they film, while others tell me, "Feel free to do whatever."

Hashimoto: Now that you mention it, there was a time when a "certain someone" broke a bottle on set when he was told, "It's fine to act freely."

Yamada: That "certain someone" was me, and it's something I did because the staff gave me the OK, alright? After all, I only broke one bottle.

Hashimoto: I'll expose you myself then (laughs). After he smashed it, the atmosphere on set included the words, "Did you really break it?!" Then Yamada-kun whispered, "I'm sorry….." I could barely watch~ (laughs).

Yamada: I wanted to break down after that…..

Hashimoto: Everyone understood that you did it as a good way of expressing yourself. But, you learned the horrors of miscommunication (laughs). I've made mistakes too. The first scene we shot was the one where I appeared on a skateboard in the abandoned building where the Greeed hang out. I didn't know that filming started after they hit the clapperboard, so I started before they hit it, and the Director started to say, "H-hey!" Then, the Director said, "Stop! Stop!" so I stopped…..I was riding the skateboard with alot of enthusiasm (laughs).

Yamada: You were (laughs). Furthermore, when the clapperboard is used indoors, the sound echoes and is delayed, making it difficult to count. Sometimes the delayed sounds and our lines overlap, so it's a good idea to wait atleast one beat before starting to act.

Hashimoto: Eh?! I haven't been told that! Yamada-kun, if you know anything else, please tell me! There's so many things that are confusing me right now, and it's really tough!

Yamada: Eh? Really? Like what?

Hashimoto: They'll shoot one scene in one take, so often times I'm like, "I want to say this line after hearing the previous one!" I want to create Kazari's feelings by hearing the other person's words, but how do you act when you haven't heard them yet?

Yamada: You mean you want to act without getting a "trigger line" first? I can't really answer that. After all, we're in the realm of individual performance.

Hashimoto: Then please, tell me everything else you know!

Yamada: O, Okay……I wonder why I'm so upset (laughs).

-Will you try action in the future?!-

Yamada: Yesterday, I heard about various future developments from the Producer.

Hashimoto: I made an appeal, asking for what I wanted Kazari to be like.

Yamada: I couldn't think of anything (laughs). Well, all I want is that if Uva dies, I want him to die an enemy.

Hashimoto: Have him go, "Gwaaah~!," while looking evil.

Yamada: I don't think that'll be conveyed well in the magazine (laughs).

Hashimoto: From now on, I won't take my eyes off future developments, and I think the Greeed side of the story in Kamen Rider OOO is a really interesting. There aren't that many shows that have so many established characters and relationships among the enemies, or that the story develops around only the enemies themselves.

Yamada: I think it's fun that adults and children alike can imagine some exciting developments, like whether all the Greeed's will one day become complete, or what kind of combos OOO will show us in the future. (suddenly) Oh yeah, did you know that Director Osamu Kaneda is JAE's (Japan Action Enterprise) President?

Hashimoto: Really?! (is surprised)

Yamada: I also found out about it yesterday, and I'm looking forward to having him teach me about action. I heard that Director Kaneda almost never uses CG when filming.

Hashimoto: I think I can do all the actions that the Yummy do! Like the backflip belly flop! As the name implies, you do a backflip and land on your stomach.

Yamada: I think so too, so I told the Producer. He said, "That kid can do it." It'd be nice to see more pre transformation action.

Hashimoto: You did?! Thank you Yamada-kun! I'm really motivated now!