+Act : Conversation with Inoo Kei
I got my hands on this interview and since I love the drama series and the novel, I find it really interesting to read how Inoo built the character Takatsuki Akira. I think Takatsuki Akira is a complex character and Inoo have done a good job to convey it, so I decided to brush my dictionary and translate this wonderful interview.
The usual disclaimer:
Neither Japanese nor English is my first language and I don’t have anyone to do QC on my translation. Feel free to drop me a line in the comment if you find any mistakes. I’m open for discussion.
Tell me if I missed a line. I’m bad at reading vertical lines, especially if it’s a wall of text like this interview.
Please don’t translate this to other languages. I think my translation already distorted some parts.
Please don’t ask for scans. I don’t have them.
And I don't take requests.
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+Act 2021 09
Conversation with Inoo Kei
“Associate Professor Takatsuki Akira’s Inference”, a collaborative serial mystery drama by Toukai TV and WOWOW about an associate professor with complete-memory ability and buddy - a university student who can see through lies. Inoo Kei, who starred in the serial drama for the first time, embodies a quirky hero with a human touch. Inoo Kei plays a university associate professor who exudes maturity. That alone is interesting, but in the case of Associate Professor Akira Takatsuki, played by Inoo in this work, once he encounters a mysterious phenomenon, he would show a totally opposite expression. Expectations are rising to see what kind of acting will be performed, but what does Inoo himself think? The long-term shooting of season 1 and 2 shows various expressions through that role. Inoo smoothly said, “It’s interesting,” while smiling.
This is the first acting in about a year since the 4th series of "Housekeeper Mitazono".
It’s been a while, but it’s a bit lonely that in the last 5,6 years, my acting job is only once a year. I think that I have to do it more closely in order to polish my sense of acting. Therefore, I am very happy to be allowed to participate in the “Associate Professor Takatsuki Akira’s Inference” that takes a long time - Tokai TV in season 1 and WOWOW in season 2, as part of my experience as an actor.
You seemed to be surprised when the offer came.
I was happy to play the main role after I turned 30.
Were you surprised to see the content of the work?
I was surprised by both the story and the character. Especially because Takatsuki Akira is a university associate professor, there are many interesting points when I read the novel. That I am playing such a role was surprising.
Did you notice when you were told you’re told you’re landing on a main role?
Ahaha, that was the case. When I was told, I thought, ”Of course!”
Is there anything you do with caution for acting on site?
As there are a lot of things that I don’t understand, it feels like I am in the position of being supported by many people as the leading actor. That’s why I would like to act while listening to other people’s talk. However, since there is a junior as well, there is a part where I want to show a good example.
Did you read the original work before the shooting started?
I read it. It was really interesting. Takatsuki Akira, the main character, solves mysterious phenomena based on Japanese folklores. Plainly, solving mysteries has its own fun, but there are also unexplainable happenings that seem real, so the delicate balance that makes you think actual mysterious phenomena really happens is also interesting. Was this done by people, was it an actual mysterious phenomenon? Or maybe, it’s both of both sides? It’s not just about solving mysteries. Of course, I personally read it because I am playing Takatsuki’s role, so I also felt pressured that Takatsuki is associated with the epithet “very manly” (laughs).
Is there any part that refers to the Takatsuki from the original work?
The state that Takatsuki shows to the university student, when he solves mysterious phenomenon, to Naoya (Fukamachi Naoya/Jinguji Yuta), to Ruiko (Ubukata Ruiko/Okada Yui), or to Ken-chan (Sasakura Kenji/Yoshizawa Hisashi) has a slightly different atmosphere. As a professor, he has the image of a gentleman, but in front of Naoya he becomes a dog-like character. It’s not that he’s changing depending on the other party, but he’s a character that can show various expressions. I feel that it can be performed with an amplitude in the drama as in the original work.
Certainly, there is something strange about the sense of distance between Takatsuki and Naoya.
I think it’s a rare kind of sense of distance. Takatsuki treats Naoya specially, or he treats him in a different way from other students. Because there’s a possibility that the mystery that Naoya has experienced has a relation with his own background, it’s not strange that he becomes interested. However, Takatsuki is a person who loses common sense when he’s excited, so he loses his sense of distance to other people, right? And since there are a lot of scenes with Naoya, the closeness of distance stands out. I think it’s interesting to see it visually. There is a sense of excitement that is different from a romantic relationship.
Can we say that the relationship between Takatsuki and Naoya, also Takatsuki and Sasakura, is a part that visually expands beyond the original work?
When it comes to novels, I think each of those who read will have interesting parts to play in their imaginations. For example, in the original work, the relation between Takatsuki and Naoya is also special. However, when we try to recreate it into visuals, I thought it’s interesting that I first think about how close they can be before acting. The balance, such as how deliberately I can close the gap, was done by consulting the producer and the director. Speaking of expanding through visuals, I think the mysterious phenomena such as “Kokkuri-san”, “Cursed Straw Doll”, or “Letter of Misfortune” that appear in this work are very catchy. Not only things that we understand, but things like if we have seen something ghost-like, or playing Kokkuri-san when we were in elementary school, maybe there are themes that the viewers have done before. Moreover, why such things happen, why it’s being told that way, these are explained through folklore studies, so I think it’s interesting that it does not merely end in mystery solving.
Inoo-san, do you like mystery-solving works like this one?
I do. That is, this year Chinen (Yuri) did it in a stage play, Arioka (Daiki) played detective role in a drama, Yamada (Ryosuke) I think have done many detective roles (laughs), so I have many chances to watch.
What is interesting about mystery solving?
As expected, it’s the long lines (laugh). It’s fun because I don’t usually get many chances to play scenes where I explain to the viewers smugly*. However, there are more difficulties in acting in a long scene in one space than the long lines. What should I do to keep the viewers from getting bored? I have been thinking about it since I read the scripts. If I am talking about a mirror, then I would be looking for a mirror somewhere in the set (laugh), and since Takatsuki is a lecturer, I think it’s more fitting if he speaks from a place higher than other people. While consulting with the director, I am always conscious of how to perform in one space. On top of acting, I am enjoying myself.
The long shooting period for season 1 and 2, did you have any worries prior to the shooting?
Before it started I had worries too. I wonder if it’s okay to have a shooting period of about 4 months for both season 1 and 2. But once started, I finished shooting for season 1. Well, actually it was not that quick, but once it was over I just felt that way (laugh). Now I feel a bit lonely having to leave this role when the shooting for season 2 is over.
I heard you’re being referred to as “sensei**” at the shooting location.
It was at first “Takatsuki-sensei” or “Takatsuki-san”. But recently it has become “sensei”. But sometimes I’m also called “Associate Professor”. Sometimes I'm called “Professor”, but at such times,I will correct them, “not professor, since I’m still an associate professor”.
I think you must be a little embarrassed being called “sensei”...
No-- It was great from the beginning. It feels good. It’s not common to be called “sensei”, right? Have you?
…., no.
It feels so good. Speaking of roles, while I am feeling happy being called “sensei” and feel respected, Jinguji-kun is called “Jin-sama***”.
Jin-sama?
That’s the case. He’s being called “Jin-sama” by the staff. If you put more thought into it, I can’t help thinking, isn’t it higher than “sensei”? (laugh) Lately he’s being called “Jin-kun”, “Jinjin”, “Nao-chan”, or “Naoya-san”, but I am always called “sensei”.
About Takatsuki Akira, what kind of person he is based on your perspective?
In public opinion, he’s a perfect person. Takatsuki is, like Naoya, despite not having the power to detect lies, he can almost detect it.By observing people, he somehow can understand “you actually have this kind of thought”. Therefore, not only can he logically and calmly solve mysteries, he can also get close to other people’s feelings. However, from the image I had when I read the original work and the script, I thought Takatsuki cannot understand other people’s feelings. Not like a psychopath, but he is an existence that is separated from humans.
So that means, the Takatsuki that you imagined at the beginning was a cold person?
After all, he has complete-memory ability and his eyes turn blue, so he’s not a normal person, right? (laughs). I thought he had a lot of mysterious things that were not human. That’s why,at first I asked, “Is Takatsuki Akira a kind person?” to the producer and the director. The answer is that he is a kind person and I accepted it. So there was quite a big change to adjust the balance of Takatsuki from what I initially thought. That’s why I think the way I approach and deal with the people who appear in each of the stories has changed. Compared to my initial Takatsuki, he has become someone that has way more human character.
Is there anything you find similar to Takatsuki?
Umm… of course it’s the good looking handsome face (laugh). On the inside, I was not sure if we were similar. I wasn’t good with sweets that Takatsuki liked. However, as I play the character and drink very sweet cocoa drinks, and receive sweets for refreshment, I find that I become more and more fond of sweets. As a human,I wonder. As a sensei**, it’s not that much, but there are parts where he gives guidance to Ruiko-kun and Naoya. I don’t think I have that enough in me, I hope I can be like Takatsuki-sensei.
What were you conscious about when acting Takatsuki?
Takatsuki is older than my actual age. I have been acting younger roles, so while thinking how exceptional it is, I consciously make him look cool and mature as a gentleman. As a character, when doing the mystery solving scene, I thought it would be nice to have impressive gestures. For example, not in every episode, but before solving the mystery there is a line that says, “Unfortunately, it seems like it’s not easy to encounter a real mystery.” For Takatsuki, it may be a prologue that he uses to start mystery solving. I talked with the producer and the director, and said that at that time, it would be nice if there were some impressive movements rather than just saying the lines.
That kind of moment seems to be an important point, doesn’t it?
That’s why, I thought that the shooting was pretty much later。However, the scene came in on the second day after crank in (laughs), and I arranged it without much discussion with people around me. For the time being, I did what I thought and asked, “How about this?”
What kind of gesture was that?
It’s a gesture that raises the index finger and lightly touches the nose. I personally thought a mystery is a story of secrecy and confidentiality. In this work, Takatsuki and Naoya share the secret about Naoya’s ability to detect lies, and the thought came from there. However, I thought it wasn’t interesting to just put my finger on my lips, so I decided to lightly touch my nose, thinking, “Maybe around here?” (laughs). The director who saw it said, “Ah! That’s good!” and it was decided by that remark. I don’t know if it’s good or bad, but I hope it leaves an impression. However, I have never done such a role in a drama, so it becomes a valuable experience. Matsuoka who starred together in the drama Kaseifu no Mitazono also entered from the same place when he created Mitazono's character. He said, “Won’t Mitazono be interesting if moving this way?” This time, as his junior, I watched closely at such an approach****.
Any other Takatsuki characteristics that you thought of?
I don’t play it so characteristically, but the character has a complete memory ability so I make a point to myself to say the script a little faster. However, when I try to speak faster, it’s difficult because the lines don’t come out easily (laughs). In Takatsuki’s case, I think acting when he encounters mystery and becomes excited is also difficult. Such has, how much expression I can show. That is because his normal stance has been created to behave gentleman-like in a cool way during mystery solving and the lecture parts, right? And since we’re breaking that apart, how far can we show his excitement? If we raise it too much, it will become a comedic touch altogether and the usual gentleman-like will look like a lie. But if you don’t raise it, it will not be interesting. Thinking it as difficult to express the parts that would have been established if it were in the novel and manga as movement, so at first I talked with the director and decided on the balance. Because here you can see Takatsuki humanness, it is a very important part to play this role.
From Inoo-san’s words, it is clear that you are enjoying this work.
After all, work should be made enjoyable (laughs). It is more fun to live if you also make work as relaxing as private life. Of course, there are also times when I feel like crap*****. The schedule is also very tight, and also I am not used to it since this is my first time starring in a main role. However, the sense of accomplishment that you can meet because you feel that hardship, and the excitement when the things you create reach everyone’s hands, they are irreplaceable. I am doing it while thinking about these things and having fun.
That kind of interpretation is also the key element of this work, isn’t it?
I think there are times where it can be seen as positive or plus point depending on how it is interpreted.It would be great if I can convey through this drama that, “interpretation of things is not just through one way of thinking,” The people who are doing bad things in each episode is not doing it due to malice from the very beginning, the can be cornered into doing such things, through Takatsuki’s interpretation , the actual thinking of the person which is hidden, can be revealed. Similarly, if everyone can change their perspective a little about your surrounding environment, you may think that you hang on a little more. I hope that people who saw “Associate Professor Akira Takatsuki’s Inference” will become like that.
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* the Japanese line is 見る側に「ドヤッ！」と説明するシーンを演じる機会はなかなかないので楽しいです。but I cannot really translate the “doya!” part into a more similar English sentence structure, so I changed it.
** I’m leaving the term sensei as it is here. I don’t want to translate it to “teacher” or “professor” because it actually has a wider meaning to it, basically to call someone respected as being more knowledgeable (doctors, lawyers, writers, professor, etc).
*** I know most of you know it,～様 (-sama) is a respectful honorific used at the end of a name. More on honorifics because it’s a very delicate part here https://cotoacademy.com/san-sama-kun-and-chan/.
**** I’m not sure how to translate this そういうアプローチの仕方を後輩として間近で見ていたことが今回生きましたね。
***** He uses “yabai” here and I just took the liberty to translate it as so because I’m not sure if he actually meant panicking, uncomfortable, awful, or other kind of more specific feeling. A side note, “yabai” can mean both positive and negative depending on the context.