AnoKiss Producer Sari Kijima

SK: About Ep3 Tomoe mom's acceptance, screenwriter Shizuka Oishi wrote various plots and showed it to me and director Keita Motohashi, if we can believe it.

『あのキス』貴島彩理Pが語る、死のテーマを笑いと共に描くこと　最終回は「第7話を超える」

これまでも数々の話題作を世に送り出してきたテレビ朝日系金曜ナイトドラマ枠で現在放送中の『あのときキスしておけば』。幅広いキャラクターを演じ、実力派俳優として世代のトップを走り続けている松坂桃李が、ポンコツキャラを演じるコメディということで注目を集めていたが、放送がスタートすると、松坂演じる桃地の愛らし…

http://realsound.jp/movie/2021/06/post-794623.html

SK: Then at home, I asked my mother, "What would you do if I died and suddenly came back as an uncle?" She smiled bitterly and said, "Well, I don't like it but I guess I'll just trust you and make dinner."

That's how we get the idea for the scene. 

SK: Arata Iura is the last one to be casted in this drama. We had a hard time finding one who can play this while being an opponent of Tori Matsuzaka. Iura had a cool and quiet image in his works so far, but I found out that he was a very playful person on the day of Nijiro Karte crank-in. I saw him bouncing with a big body and immediately made an offer, feeling that if he plays Tomoe, the viewer would naturally love him. 

SK: I am very grateful looking at the response. Not only the main character, but also Takamizawa played by Shohei Miura, Goda played by Tsubaki Nekoze, Shinji Sorimachu played by Shinji Rokkaku, and so on. There are many voices, and I think it's all thanks to the wonderful performances of the cast members. Also, as the story goes on, I'm glad that the number of viewers who see Iura and Aso as "one person" is increasing. After the broadcast of the kiss scene in episode 7, I saw many voices discussing things as "men and women", "life and death", and many supported the love between Momochi and Tomoe, that I wanted to do it through this work but always wondered if I could reach. 

Q: Any particular scene you think amazing?

SK: It's a bit awkward for me to say this, but it's where, at the beginning of episode 7, when Tomoe expressed her anxiety, "I wonder if I'm going to disappear," Momochi got angry and said, "That's not true." 

There was no "angry" note in the script. I had imagined Momochi to be anxious, so I was surprised when I saw that performance suddenly. But while editing when we connect the scenes, I realized that Matsuzaka is deliberately planning to get angry. I was surprised at first, but then I realized that he was trying to portray Momochi's growth throughout the whole episode. I learned a lot from the subtleties of Matsuzaka's performance. 

He was such a lead who always thought about "what should be done to make the whole work better", not just about a single role. 

I wanted to portray the theme of death with laughter. I think that the death of someone special is something that cannot be overcome forever and that we must keep up with it. That's why I made the final episode with the hope that it'll be a story that hugs the back of someone who is sad and crying in a corner of the world. The title "If you kiss me at that time" might mean at first episode as he should have kissed her before she became a stranger. However, the meaning will change after you watch the final episode. I hope that the value of saying "Thank you, I love you" when a loved one is by your side will reach many people. <END> 

Cinemacafe Journalist on Tori Matsuzaka's performances in KokoBoku and AnoKiss

Excerpt

In these two dramas alone, he is the protagonist, but always on the "passive" side rather than the regular "taking his own initiative" characters.

「ここぼく」「あのキス」から紐解く俳優・松坂桃李の魅力 | cinemacafe.net

今クール話題をかっさらったドラマ作品には必ず松坂桃李がいた。「今ここにある危機とぼくの好感度について」、「あのときキスしておけば」ともに、何とも言えない情けなさと隠しきれない小物感を漂わせながらもどこか憎み切れない主人公を好演している。

https://www.cinemacafe.net/article/2021/06/04/73176.html

He is able to attract the attention along with the President or a successful mangaka, and makes the role shine without being buried. Although he is "helpless", his surroundings and viewers can't give up on him, and find themselves cheering for his every little step forward. 

It is a very advanced technique to be able to play the leading role while being on the "passive" side. The character does not have much of positive initiative to root on but his "passive" acting shines. 

How he deals with the "changes", how he digests them, comes to terms with them, and how he gains "independence" in the process? We have to expect the growth of the character until he finally takes his destiny into his own hands. 

Screenwriter Aya Watanabe-sensei's post - Ima Koko ni Aru Kiki to Boku no Kokando ni Tsuite

instagram.com/p/CPdTnIhn9Kw/

Ima Koko ni Aru Kiki to Boku no Kokando ni Tsuite (KokoBoku) has reached its final episode today.

For some reason, we have come to realize that "meaning" is not very cost effective.  However, as a person who loves it, I would like words to be accompanied by the spirit of meaning, and I would like to continue to depict the beauty and richness of words when they are so. 

Unlike a stray cat like me, I believe it must have been a very difficult job to create such a meaning-filled expression in a large organization like NHK, a public broadcasting station. 

I would like to express my deepest respect to Natsuko Katsuta, Dir. Shibata and Dir. Horikirizono, and all the cast and staff, including Tori Matsuzaka, who made the drama possible without any compromise even in the midst of the crisis of Covid-19.

Thank you very much. 

Ima Koko ni Aru Kiki to Boku no Kokando ni Tsuite - EP4 Translation Notes

This week's episode is scientifically real. It is supervised by Professor Hirotaka Kanuka from the Department of Tropical Medicine, Jikei University School of Medicine.

It's based on mosquito bite hypersensitivity, which causes rare virus activation and leads to lymphoma in life-threatening cases. There're about 100 cases in Japan.

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I used scientific names in the drama. It's for who wanna know more cuz it's about researchers.

Culex Molestus is commonly known as London Underground Mosquito.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Underground_mosquito

Simuliidae --> Black Fly (turkey gnats)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_fly

Vespinae (True Wasps) and Polistinae (Paper Wasps)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vespinae

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polistinae

Tick -> Ixodidae

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ixodidae

Japanese Spotted Fever

https://www.malacards.org/card/japanese_spotted_fever

Pentatomoidea

カメムシ is actually a family of 21 bugs including shield bugs, giant shield bugs, burrower bugs, stink bugs.

I translated sth like Pentatomoidea(Stink bug).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentatomoidea

Eosinophils and Eosinophil Count Test

Eosinophils are specialized white blood cells that curb infection and boost inflammation. If you have too many, it’s called eosinophilia. Learn how EOS blood tests can help diagnose allergic reactions…

https://www.webmd.com/asthma/eosinophil-count-facts#1

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I used:

Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)

Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI)

Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW)

All with short forms, they are official terms. 😄 

Inochi no Teishaba - Director Izuru Narushima

About this scene, and he said he cried for the first time watching his own movie.

- this scene is not in the book

- Director and film's advisory doctor just planned to bathe the little girl with seawater like the book, not swim out to the ocean.

- Producer, the late Toei president, suggested in the memory of he and his little sister. Becuz they used to swim like that when they where young. 

- Tori was informed about the scene on the day of costume fitting. Director asked him if he can swim, he answered he learnt in elementary school. (lol) And that, he never swam in the ocean before. 

- He also said after The Blood of Wolves (first movie), he, Dir. Shiraishi Kazuya and Tori went out for a meal and Tori was casted for this movie after. Said, he likes Tori's straightforward and unpretentious personality and think it's fitting to the role. 

- Said many actors, when they become famous, develop their own quirks. But he found Tori agrees to all the director's requests and fulfils them. He said there's only another one he met who is like that: Yakusho Koji. They worked together for Isoroku(2011). 

- Dir. Narushima also said he urges Tori Matsuzaka and Suzu Hirose's offices to let them work mainly in films cuz they are very good and more fitting to film setting since films demand preparation and careful role making. 

- Also said, it's his first time to work with Tori and Suzu but they performed much better than he expected. 

Inochi no Teishaba/ A Morning of Farewell - Tori Matsuzaka and Suzu Hirose

All 3 actors for healthcare professional roles received basic medical training. On top of that, Suzu said she went thru hospice nursing. Tori went to child care and rehearsed with children. Yoshinaga-san trained with an active doctor.

Q: Impression of each other

Tori: I told Masaki Okada that my nephew likes to play Pokemon cards. He told Suzu about it and she gave me a Pokémon card. "She's very kind!" That's how I got the impression of her.

So when we met each other, I greeted, "Um...! Thank you for the Pokemon card!" (lol)

Suzu: I was also looking at him thinking, "Oh, he's the guy with the Pokemon cards" (lol). I heard from Okada Masaki that he wanted to get some, and for some reason I have a lot of them, so I said, "I'll bring some from my collection tomorrow! (lol).

Suzu: When I was on set, I also asked Miyu-chan (Sasaki), "How many Pokemon cards do you have? Do you have any strong ones? (lol).

I became like a "Pokemon card person. I had a lot of cards. 🤣 

Q: You two were able to light up the entire film, even though it was a film that directly confronted taboos in the medical system such as terminal care and euthanasia. How did you create your roles?

Tori: The director specifically advised that Suzu and I should be like the sun, so I took it very seriously. Noro has his own worries, but if I show too much of that, the whole film will give a heavy impression. The director asked us to be as cheerful and clear as possible.

Suzu: That's right. As a nurse, I often wondered how I should deal with patients, but with the director's advice, I tried to play the role with a neutral feeling so that it would not be too heavy.

Q: Important places that you'd like to visit again and again?

Tori: My parents' house is in Shonan (湘南). I often want to visit the sea in Shonan. The sea itself is not that beautiful (lol), but I feel comfortable and relaxed there, so I always go there at least once a year.

Suzu: Kamakura for me. It also has ocean. The first movie I acted in "Our Little Sister" was set in Kamakura, and I went there for about a year to film. Even now, when I visit Kamakura, I remember the fresh feeling I had when I first started acting and other things I had almost forgotten, and it makes me want to do things properly. It gives me energy and puts me in a good mood. 

Tori: From this film, I realized that being able to welcome the morning every day, cook and eat well, sleep well and drive for a ride, these are all small happiness. At the end of life, how much happiness can one accumulate?

Tori: Humans have different emotions, can think, occasionally stop and move on. It is also human beings who do their best to live comfortably, but make life difficult. Therefore, it is important to reflect on what is at the core of your life. 

Original article:

松坂桃李＆広瀬すずにインタビュー、“太陽のような役”を演じた映画『いのちの停車場』

今回は、舞台となる金沢で在宅医療を行う「まほろば診療所」の運転手で医大卒業生の野呂聖二役を演じた松坂桃李と、看護師の星野麻世役を演じた広瀬すずにインタビューを実施。ドラマや映画、舞台などで活躍するふた...

https://www.fashion-press.net/news/72669

Inochi no Teishaba (2021) - Tori Matsuzaka

While there're children who dream of future, there're children who want to live but cannot. The words "Do your best to get well," are painful to them. I realized that there's no perfect way/ template when dealing with each individual.

What is the most important thing about acting?

Tori: A film or drama will remain forever. I believe that the job of an actor is to convey the message to many people and leave it for the future generations. In order to fulfill this, I start by getting to know the actors well. 

Tori: Acting means putting a "different personality" into "my body," so I want to emphasize the little nuances that are unique to the person, such as their gestures and language. 

Tori: If it's a historical figure, I'll look it up in literary references and try to imagine how he/she must have felt during that time period. I also try to play the role within the setting and thoughts of the director and other people involved in the work, not just my own. 

The Blood of Wolves Tidbits about Tori Matsuzaka - Author Yuko Yuzuki

I met him for the first time at production announcement press-con waiting room. He seemed very gentle and kind, so I asked him if he would be okay with playing the role of Hioka, who is covered in blood.

But after watching the movie, I wanted to sincerely apologize to him for worrying.

Hioka cries, but I cried more than him in that scene. I've never cried when reading my own novels, and I don't think I ever will, but I cried so hard in that scene. That's how wonderful he was. 

There was one more thing that troubled me. I'm not the type of person who writes with a model in mind, but when I was writing Hioka in Book 2 (Kyoken no Me, Lit. The Eye of Evil Dog?), I kept thinking the image of Matsuzaka playing Hioka. 

I believe a film should be independently interesting from novels. But this time, I myself was too much inspired by the film. So, let it influence me in a good way as a writer, and in the end, I thought I wrote a good Hioka.

T/N: Level 2 is not Book 2. 

Fun Fact: The author of "Listen to The Universe" also asked the director if he's okay. She said, after watching The Blood of Wolves, Tori looks too cool to play her character Akashi (who is not a prodigy among the prodigies).

moviewalker.jp/news/article/1…

『孤狼の血』の原作者・柚月裕子が役所広司や松坂桃李の熱演を激賞した理由とは？｜最新の映画ニュースならMOVIE WALKER PRESS

https://moviewalker.jp/news/article/146264/

『孤狼の血』の原作者・柚月裕子が映画を大絶賛するも「1つだけ困ったことが…」｜最新の映画ニュースならMOVIE WALKER PRESS

https://moviewalker.jp/news/article/146265/

Ano Toki Kiss Shite Okeba - Tori Matsuzaka

It's a luxury for me to be in a position where I can watch my seniors throw homework at each other. My role Momochi, is to catch their performances and create them by accepting them. I am watching my co-stars more than usual.

Tori: In the early stages of filming, Arata Iura copied the Tomoe, that was created by Kumiko Aso. But as the story progressed, Aso copied the Tomoe, that was created by Iura. 

Tori: I think the hardest part of this drama is Arata Iura, who has to express the image of Tomoe created by Kumiko Aso, and then create new parts of Tomoe such as growth, sadness and laughter by himself. Watching him up close is a great learning experience for me. 

Tori: In this drama, a frightening number of scenes are shot at once. In some cases, the timeline is different. I have to look at the whole schedule and work backwards to create my role, and I have to organize the story so that I don't get confused. The ability to be able to respond quickly and easily without worrying about such things "instantaneous power" is necessary for this drama. Kumiko Aso is very good at it. 

Tori: I want to take time to make a work over four seasons (like Taiga drama). I don't know for sure if that "time" is the shooting period or the preparation period. I'm curious to see how I will feel when I let my body experience it. 

CUT Magazine - Tori Matsuzaka

 CUT Introduction

One of Japan's leading actors. It is no exaggeration to say that Tori Matsuzaka is now in that position. This must be a fact that everyone knows.

However, what I felt through this interview was that he himself is never satisfied with his current situation, never gets overwhelmed, and calmly focuses on what he needs to do now. "I don't have enough experience at the moment," he said without hesitation. 

In other words, the kind of actor and character he is looking for is far beyond our imagination. I wonder if there are any actors who can give us such a thrilling experience. In recent years, he has been appearing in a number of solid films, but his next challenge is a comedy. 

Regarding COMEDY

Tori: I think it is much harder to make people laugh than to make them cry. The bar for "funny" is getting higher every year. It's hard for me to laugh with a big smile on my face. But when it comes to crying, the older you get, the more fragile you tears become, don't you think? I've been fragile since I turned 30. The other day, I almost cried when I saw the scene in Home Alone where Kevin and his mother are reunited (lol). 

What he wants to do NOW

Q: Are there any clear goals now?

Tori: One of my goals now is to create a work that depicts one's daily life carefully. But it's not interesting as a project (lol) But I want to try the fun and rigor of living, the happiness in life etc. 

FUTURE PLAN

Aside from your role as an actor, what are your future plans as Tori Matsuzaka?

Tori: I think I don't have enough experience in both my professional and personal life at the moment. In my 30's and 40's, I want to focus on building up my experience. 

Ima Koko ni Aru Kiki to Boku no Koukando ni Tsuite - Tori Matsuzaka

I want to pass on the thoughts and messages of the creator to the recipients. I am doing all the works with the hope that I can serve as a bridge between the two parties.

I believe an actor's job is to deliver the intention and essence of the work as it is. However, I feel the current trend is "playing it safe". Even in dramas, there is a principle that the direction of the work is influenced by the comments on the Internet. 

I want my work to be soothing and supportive, so I want it to be delivered without any deviation from the original. If it takes a different form by neglecting its essence, the meaning of my participation will be lost. 

For that reason, it would be great if TV dramas could be made in a format that allows the entire production to be shot in advance. I am glad that this is the first time I've been able to do this. 

Since it's a comedy, I wanted to balance with my co-stars to make the character seem funny even tho he is very serious and desperate. It was a luxury that I was allowed to play the lead role. I was able to act head-on with the perfect balance of seriousness and comicality. 

I feel Japan's entertainment industry is supported largely by popularity/ favourability tho I don't think it's right to say whatever you want by imitating overseas.

Each country has its own religion, culture and character. But, it'd be nice if there're a little bit changes in Japan. 

Recently, I have been reminded of how difficult it is to express in words. The emotions "joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure" are diverse. I would like to use images to express the nuances that cannot be conveyed in words. I think this is one of the powers of entertainment.