Sho's anan interview, August 24 edition
It will be a wonderful relationship if the couple can show their weaknesses to each other
(interview page 70)
“We don’t have to live alone. People live by relying and leaning on other people. You can feel that in this movie”
Sakurai Sho san’s latest movie, “Kami sama no Karute” is screening on August 27. The original novel was nominated as the best book chosen by bookstores in 2010, and it is the debut work of a physician currently living in Nagano Prefecture. Sakurai san played as Kurihara Ichito, a doctor working at a local hospital. The movie pictured a compelling theme of the importance and the brightness of life through connections with Ichito’s closest people such as his wife, friends, patients, and doctor colleagues.
“Ichito is a kind gentleman. He also has a manly side in him, but people see him as a weird guy. He makes a wall every time he interacts with other people, and the thickness and size of that wall are different, depends on the partner. But I think nobody behave the same towards all people, so I think Ichito is very humane. Acting as a “lovable weird guy” was very difficult. I thought a lot about how to express the one important thing I felt when I read the novel, which was, talking in an old-fashioned style. When I read the sentences, they sounded cute. I wondered whether I could express the traits of a “lovable weird guy” by actually voicing those sentences.”
When he was asked about “which scene was the hardest?” Sakurai san answered “all of them”. We could see the process of how he worked diligently on this movie.
Neglected hair. A variety of messy bed hair.
The movie begins with Sakurai’s slightly sleepy facial expression. Hm? Odd hairstyle. It’s curly.
“I baselessly think it’ll be trending this summer (laugh). I adjusted my appearance with the character of an indifferent physician. I permed my hair and dyed my brown hair into black. For Ichito who goes straight to the hospital with bed hair, the hair stylist made various pattern of bed hairs. It was alright for me because all I had to do was sitting, but I think it was hard for the hair stylist.”
During the shootings, the director, Fukagawa Yoshihiro also had the same hairstyle as Sakurai.
“Having people with the same hairstyles around doesn’t happen a lot, right? So it felt weird. But the director often led us in many aspects by his strong passion.”
Ichito’s beloved wife is Haruna, a photographer, played by Miyazaki Aoi. The couple live together, care about each other and talk in an old-fashioned style.
“Each of them doesn’t talk much. But the words don’t matter. Even if they don’t talk that much, they still understand each other. They both do their job properly, and they always go home to their own time together. I think it’s wonderful.”
Is it quite close with your own ideal picture of husband and wife?
“Yes, I think it is. My ideal picture of a married couple is, in the end, I only have my own parents as a model case, right? My mother is also working, so to me, I don’t have the image that a wife should stay at home and wait for the husband at home doing housework. Also, now I think talking using honorific expression is a good thing”
Ichito and Haruna. They always talk in honorific language.
“Honorific language goes straight to my heart. But it’s important to set it up since the beginning. My conclusion is, if the honorific language is not used since the beginning of the relationship, afterwards it will be hard to correct it.”
Being depended and relied on. I want to be leaned upon.
The wife, Haruna, always shows a soft smile and kindheartedly accepted Ichito.
“Haruna truly has a deep insight and tolerant. She did not blame Ichito even when he forgot their wedding anniversary. She didn’t say anything, even when it seemed alright for her to say a word. I think for some men, it’s one of the ideal characteristic of a wife, but to my self, I think it’s kind of heavy (laugh). Why, she’s too capable. I think it’s okay to loose herself up a little. Haru is a very wonderful person, but she’s too high-leveled for me.”
So, your ideal picture of a wife is more selfish, and it’s okay that you’ll be pushed around?
“It seems tiring to be pushed around, so…not really (laugh).
How should I put it...what kind of person is suitable? Actually, I feel delighted if someone relied or depended on me, so I’ll be happy if she leaned on me. Ichito consults Haruna, but he doesn’t complain. In my case, if she wants to hear, I want her to hear my complaints (laugh).
I don’t know because I’ve never been married, but I think it will be a wonderful relationship if the couple can show their weaknesses to each other, including complaints”
The set for the movie is in Matsumoto, Shinshu, which is surrounded by the beautiful nature. Sakurai san said he obtained many things from there.
“During the shootings, I was constantly in a tense mood. I felt like if I leave the shooting site even a little, my feelings will not be connected anymore, so I never left. And then, Aoi-chan, Harada Taizou san, Okada Yoshinori kun said “If the mood is like this all the time, it’s possible that we’d be suffocated, so let’s do some game.” We asked quizzes to each other and they made me refreshed. I had never thought about it before, so I learned a lot. The scene with Emoto Akira was strangely fun. Emoto san did different movements every time, and he was like “I don’t understand!” (laugh). Kaga Mariko san was really wonderful and cool. She had a plan like “I want to do it like this”, but she also flexibly accepted people’s opinion. “I learned lots of things”.
Please tell us about Sakurai-san’s perspective as a newscaster.
“When we were doing shootings in a hospital located an hour by car from Matsumoto City, the local grandpas and grandmas cooperated as the extras. At the time, I thought, if that hospital was shut down, the elder people will have to go to Matsumoto by car. I was able to catch glimpses of the importance of regional medical services.”
Earpicks as souvenirs for Arashi members.
What did you do during breaks?
“I’d find some free time and constantly went to eat some soba with my manager. I went to about 7 or 8 restaurants. Each of the restaurants had its different flavor, and they were all delicious. I also went for sightseeing to Matsumoto castle, and I bought some earpicks as souvenirs for Arashi members. The ones with spear-like shape. When I thought about it, usually I don’t buy earpicks. I only get them when I receive some as souvenirs (laugh). I was able to refresh myself by sightseeing.”
The movie also shows Matsumoto’s landscape, in which Sakurai-san had stayed, saw, touched and sensed many things, to the full extent. Arashi is in the middle of the summer concert tour that has started in July 22.
“I wanted to try kayak in private, but we have a tour this year also, and the movie is going to be released, so it was impossible (laugh). I would like to go when I have the time.
How do you maintain the stamina to get through the extremely hot summer tour?
“I don’t do anything new only for the tour. I’ve been exercising constantly twice a week for about 2 years now. I train my inner muscles. I continue the exercise so “my body will be able to move anytime”. I don’t have any special goals. So it’s not that my body “is perfected” but I have to keep it “ready” at all times.”
The gap between his professional awareness and the sweet face is one of his charms. Will you show your beautiful, well-trained body again for anan? What do you think?
“Wait a minute (laugh). Let me think about it.”
--end--
T/N:
Yes, Sakurai-san, please do consider about it xD
The italics are anan.
I don't provide the scans this time, but you can find them somewhere, many people already post them :)
Do not claim as yours and let me know+link back if you want to re-translate into another language :)
Thank you so much for all the comments in the previous entries, I read and enjoyed all of them.
I hope you enjoyed this one as well :)