Actor Taisei Kido plays the real-life genius poet Suzu Hirose Chuya in the movie "Yukite Kaheranu" (directed by Negishi Kichitaro), starring Hirose Suzu. Chuya meets and falls in love with Hasegawa Yasuko, an aspiring actress played by Suzu Hirose, but Yasuko runs off to Kobayashi Hideo, a literary critic who is an acquaintance of Chuya. We spoke to 28-year-old Kido, one of the most notable actors right now, about the "love triangle" and his outlook for his 30s.
◇ Once you recognize the love triangle, "you can step out of the box"
"Yukite Kaeranu" is set in the Taisho and early Showa periods and depicts the passionate love and youth of three real people. Hasegawa Yasuko (Hirose), an actress who has yet to make her debut, meets Nakahara Chuya (Kido), a young man who will later be called a genius poet of the ages. The two, who are somewhat competitive with each other, are attracted to each other and begin living together. After that, when the two move to Tokyo, they are visited by Kobayashi Hideo (Masaki Okada), a friend of Chuya's who will later become one of Japan's leading literary critics. This chance encounter changes the destinies of the three people...
Chuuya and Yasuko are drawn to each other, but Yasuko runs off to Kobayashi Hideo, a critic who recognizes Chuuya's talent. This is the story of a complicated love triangle.
Regarding love triangles, he confessed, "If I realize that I'm in a love triangle, I think there's a part of me that steps out of the box.I can't just force it into my own."
It's not a simple story of two men fighting over one woman, but the men are also bound together by a strong relationship that cannot be summed up simply as friendship. Regarding the relationship between the three men in the play, he said with a laugh, "I think it's attractive. I know that being like that is the honest truth as a man, and that it's more manly and human, but for some reason I can't do that. There are times when I think that it's not manly."
However, he said, "Even after Yasuko goes to Kobayashi's place, there's a scene where the three of them dance at the dance hall, and it's a moment that could only have been created with those three people. The fact that the men are connected also gives the triangle its axis, so I think I need to cherish those relationships, and looking at it more broadly, I also hope that people living today can think that those kinds of relationships are wonderful."
◇Currently 28 years old. When I reach my 30s, I want to be in a position where I can lead the way
Kido attracted attention for playing the younger version of the protagonist played by Takeru Satoh in the 2022 Netflix original series "First Love," and last year he made headlines by appearing in consecutive TV dramas, "9 Border" (TBS) and "The Beginning of the Sea" (Fuji TV).
He has become one of the most talked about actors this year, but he remains vigilant, saying, "I'm grateful, but at the same time, I know I shouldn't be satisfied with that."
Speaking of Kido-san, he is often described as having an "overwhelming younger brother vibe" with his gentle smile and charming way of speaking. How does he feel about that?
"I guess that's how people see me. I played sports (basketball and lacrosse), so I'm competitive at heart, but it's strange. People who I've been with for a long time sometimes say things like, 'You're surprisingly manly'. If I'm an actor and come across a (manly) role like that, I hope I can show that side of myself, and if I'm given a job based on the image and impression people have of me now, I want to live up to that. I hope to be able to put out a new image of myself with each role I play."
Like an athlete, he is dedicated to keeping fit.
"I train regularly. I run and do anaerobic bench presses and other muscle training, which is of course for my body, but at the end of the day I feel like I've done something good for my mind too. In that sense, I think it's healthy."
Next year, I'll be 30. It may be a little early to say this, but I wonder what kind of life I envision for my 30s.
"I don't really feel like I'm turning 30, but it is definitely a big turning point, so of course I'll continue to do my job as an actor, and it's not because I'm in my 30s or anything, but I hope that the trunk inside me will continue to get stronger and stronger as I have been in so many different works. And when I do get into a new project, I want to be in a position where I can pull others along, so that others will want to follow me because I'm the person who is there," he said forcefully.
