Tadanobu Asano interview by Reiko Kubo, film writer:

The Viewpoint Spreading Out After Integral Death

Q. Director Kurosawa had long said that he wanted to work with you. Were you conscious of his films before?

Asano: I was jealous of Cure featuring Masato Hagiwara, which was a very complete film. I also saw Pulse at a Thai Film Festival. When I read the script of bright future, it felt like the mysterious feeling of the air kept floating in good balance. I was attracted by this kind of thing, as I believe that this is uniquely cinematic and only in cinema you can show this atmosphere and make viewers feel it. I liked his first version of the script so much and I could only think about it, so when the second and the third versions came, I kept saying that the first one was by far the best. If you ask how they are different, I cannot articulate well, but the first version’s sensibility of the air balance was extremely impressive. The final version was very close to the first one and I was relieved.

Q. Could you find the sensibility of the air which attracts you so much in the complete film?

Asano: I believe so. I really like this kind of film. It could be a stretch but I felt this is somewhat like a film about youth. Mr. Fuji was being young and the relationship between Mamoru and Yuji are sometimes happy but sometime agonizing. A unique air is floating there. When I read the script, the images of jellyfish were more prominent. In the film, they are adequately melted in the rest of the drama. I liked the last scene of high school kids walking.

Q. Did you feel that you contained the unusual air of Kurosawa films and acted a “monster” which the director often talks about?

Asano: When I was reading the script or during shooting, I was not feeling much. When I saw the complete film and being interviewed, I began to realize it. Mamoru is very peculiar. He acts as normal, but he is the one who causes all the problems. I myself am a kind of person who enjoys hanging around with my friends and I will not end up like him. He could be more personal and extreme. I myself is “blood type A” and I can understand how dangerous “blood type A” people could be. A “blood type B” is apparently strange, but it is easy to detect it. A “blood type A” looks perfectly normal on the surface but you never know what they will do. Mamoru is ultimately a “blood type A”.

Q. You have been rejecting the idea of suicide. How did you act Mamoru’s suicide scene?

Asano: It is true that I can never get interested in people who commit suicide. For example in The Idiot (directed by Makoto Tezuka, 1999), my character Izawa always tries to commit suicide but he cannot. I get irritated by such a man. On the contrary in the case of Mamoru, he does not stagnate. He has his own will for his death. Therefore, I could not feel any hesitation when I was acting that scene. When I saw the complete film, I felt “wow, I could complete my death this time!”

Q. When I saw Kurosawa’s shooting, it looked like the director explained a little bit here and there, and then, he casually shot. How did you find his direction?

Asano: If I am told” Please look at this direction here, and drink water,” I would think that “ I did not come up with this idea.” However, if I am told “If you cannot drink water, it is fine, but it may be possible that you drink water here,” I would think “Of course, I will.” (laugh). He is not fragmental directing his film, scene by scene. He says something like this very casually. But later, I realize he was directing! This is great. If you are told you do not have to do it, then, you feel like doing it. He beat me. That was Kurosawa’s brilliant technique.

Q. That director said that he was thinking that you were truly scary as you were acting casually.

Asano: It is true that I had strange sense of confidence. I started my acting career not by my own decision, therefore, I could see things better. I could look at others acting more coolly. I did not mind getting fired any time, therefore, I could be more outspoken and act daringly. I had that kind of strange sense of confidence before. However, that was until bright future. After working with Kurosawa and Fuji, I changed the way I think. I really liked the completed film, and probably it is also due to my growing up. Now I am more ambitious and I want to act more. I want to see more films, and I want to work with more people. I also want to do period films. Mr. Fuji also said that actors are easy, as they have an excuse that a film belongs to a director. But what he meant is more than that. I cannot express it well, but I was so fortunate that I was given the role of Mamoru in the best timing.
 

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