The TV anime " Gachiakuta ," based on the battle action manga by Kei Urana Kei and Hideyoshi Ando currently serialized in "Weekly Shonen Magazine" (Kodansha), has been airing since July on the CBC TV/TBS anime slot "Agaru Anime." One day, Ludo, an orphan boy born in a slum where the descendants of criminals live, is framed for a crime he didn't commit and thrown into the "abyss" that even the slum residents fear. There, Ludo is scouted to become an engine for the "cleaner" Actors, who defeat the "bumpy beasts," monsters born from garbage... This is the story. We spoke with Aoi Ichikawa, who plays Ludo; Yoshitsugu Matsuoka, who plays Zanka, a cleaner at Actors; and Yumiri Hanamori, who plays Ryo, also at Actors, about what went on behind the scenes during the recording.
◇Being shown something he shouldn't see: The secret behind Ludo's expression of anger
-What is your impression of the work?
The power of Ichikawa's gaze in the original work was very striking. When I try to recall "Gachiakuta," the first thing that comes to mind is Ludo's eyes, and I've always felt that they captured my heart. The work leaves an impression of "anger." I did theater when I was a student, and I was motivated by frustration with various things, so anger was at the root of it all. My circumstances and environment are completely different to Ludo's, but the fact that anger is at the base was one of the points I really sympathized with. I really felt like I could immerse myself in the work from Ludo's perspective.
When I first read Matsuoka's original work, I wondered why it was so powerful. It was like peering into the author's mind, and I got the feeling that he was expressing exactly what he wanted to express, without any restrictions. That's why it's refreshing. The story also has some pretty down-to-earth parts. I felt like he was doing whatever he wanted, to the point that I thought he must have made some corrections as he was making the work, saying, "This isn't good."
As both Hanamori-san and I have mentioned, the illustrations are impressive, the story itself has a unique worldview, and as you learn about that world along with Ludo, you can see the story from Ludo's perspective. As I read, I always feel that it is a work that stimulates my sense of inquiry and curiosity, making me want to know more about these people and this world. I think that every character has anger and other emotions that are by no means pure, deep inside, so as I read, I get the feeling that I'm being shown something I shouldn't see, but still want to see. It's a strange work that is both sensual and charming, yet also down-to-earth, and it's addictive.
I feel like Matsuoka-san should give it a read.
Mr. Ichikawa, that's certainly true.
Hanamori-san is really addictive.
--What is your impression of the character and what do you keep in mind when acting?
Ichikawa-san's direction first told me to "show more anger." I think Ludo's anger peaks around the first or second episode, so when we were recording the first episode, the director told me, "That anger isn't enough." He said, "Is there anyone you want to direct your anger at? It could be someone you dislike or hate, so try directing it at that person."
This was direction that really pushed Hanamori-san into a corner.
Ichikawa-san, I don't think I should talk about this very often, but the truth is, there is one person in my life that I can't forgive.
Hanamori-san, eh? Is that so?
Ichikawa said that there was a person who made him so angry that he wanted to forget about it forever and not think about it, and when he was asked to "try doing it once towards that person," he did so and the scene was completed. I felt that he was quite particular about expressing anger.
Hanamori-san and Ichikawa-kun have been dealing with anger for a long time.
Ichikawa: That's right. So I think the scenes where Ludo gets angry are filled with the simmering anger that's been bubbling up inside me.
Hanamori-san is amazing.
--Zanka and Ryo, played by Matsuoka and Hanamori, are members of the cleaning crew that Ludo meets in the "abyss" (the outside world) where he falls.
As I read through the original work, I found myself understanding a lot of Matsuoka- san's feelings. His personality is completely different from mine, but there are parts of Zanka's background that remind me of myself in the past. I'm not the type to read ahead in the original work, but when I saw him first appear, I felt like "Ah, there's something special about Zanka," so when I read further on, it all made sense to me. I built Zanka from that perspective, and made sure to keep him strong despite his brusqueness.
--Zanka appeared in episode 3 and immediately had to fight Rudo.
The scene where I fight Matsuoka- san and Rudo was difficult for me. I'm the type of person who likes to ad-lib everything in action scenes, but I haven't really played a strong character like Zanka before. In "Gachiakuta," I tried to ad-lib during the test, but it felt strange to me, and I thought that ad-lib would make me seem impatient. Zanka calmly observes and judges his opponent even in the middle of a fight, while also intimidating him. It was extremely difficult to find the right balance. I wondered how to act as someone who is overwhelming without ad-lib... and it felt like it gradually solidified as I thought about it.
Hanamori- san, when I first played Ryo, I was asked to speak in a downbeat voice without too much expression, something that would be called a modern-day gal style. From there, I worked it out myself. Cats don't change their facial expressions, but you can tell their emotions through the movement of their tails and their behavior. I wanted to act with a voice like that while I was playing Ryo.
◇The bond between the cleaners is woven together. "It feels good to act."
--When Ludo joins the cleaning company, the story begins to move forward and the characters change. Do you ever find yourself inspiring each other during recording?
Ichikawa: Ludo is constantly being pushed around and manipulated by the various people around him, and he experiences many new stimuli, so I leave it up to the characters I interact with quite a lot. There is a core of "Lud is this kind of kid," but other than that, I don't have any set ideas, so I approach the recordings with a softer side so that he is more susceptible to external stimuli. At first, he has a hard, angular texture, but as he comes into contact with the cleaners, his joints gradually increase. I'm very conscious of the parts that become more flexible.
Matsuoka: I thought that Ludo's arrival in the cleaning company organization would cause a stir. It's not just that Ludo is a so-called heavenly being, but that Ludo himself is attracting something. So, although Zanka and Ludo's first meeting was the worst, in the end Zanka felt like it couldn't be helped, not because Engine had asked him to be their trainer. With Ludo as the central figure, everyone goes one step further, then the next, and their bond becomes stronger and stronger. I think you can feel that they are gradually opening up to each other even in the conversation scenes. It feels good to act that out.
Hanamori: Before Ludo arrived, all the cleaners were there with the same goal, but I think they were people who didn't really show what was really going on between them. I think Zanka wasn't the type to show his emotions like, "Argh!" before Ludo arrived. I feel that Ludo's presence was a huge turning point for them. Among them, I'm conscious of the fact that Ryo will get close to others, but never get close to himself. In scenes where he's next to someone, I try to approach him in a casual, smooth way, like, "I'm someone you can trust, right?", and I want to portray him in a way that he can't be perceived as an "enemy." Depending on the viewer, I think he could be the scariest character.
◇The challenge of "not acting"
-What new expression or challenge does "Gachiakuta" offer you?
Ichikawa: It's about voicing your anger. And that anger isn't something you keep to yourself, or something that you keep calm and collected about, but rather revealing your emotions and showing a human side, which is what I've been trying to do in this work, "Gachiakuta." As you get older, you tend to show less anger towards others. It takes strength, and sometimes you start to hate yourself for doing it. But I think Ludo is a kid who lives a simpler life, so he's not afraid to let his emotions out. I've learned a lot from that, and of course there are things I hope to become like him. It's something that's always been in my mind, but I've been trying not to let it out, and now it feels like I'm being forced to do so.
Matsuoka: Something I've been doing for the past three or four years is to avoid acting as much as possible. My foundation is based on the character I'm playing, but while maintaining that foundation, I try to remain natural within the world of the work. I want people listening to my everyday conversations in particular to think, "Oh, so this is everyday life." On the other hand, when it comes to fighting, Zanka only gets serious when it's time to deliver a one-hit kill. That kind of tempo is common in this profession, but I try to show it when necessary, and for everyday scenes, I always try to make the recording location feel like the space of the work. Even during recording, I don't speak into a microphone. For example, in the scene where Zanka is talking to Engine, played by Konishi, I call Konishi instead of the microphone.
I always think that the contrast in Hanamori-san and Matsuoka-san's acting is very beautiful, but after hearing your story, it made perfect sense to me. Even during the recording, I felt that you were very conscious of the space while watching Matsuoka-san's back, and now that you've put that into words, I thought, "That's just what I expected!" I was moved!
If you say that, Mr. Matsuoka, you'll sound like Pinocchio (laughs).
Hanamori-san, please keep improving (laughs).
-What is the challenge you are facing?
Hanamori-san: As I mentioned earlier, I'd been wanting to be able to play a scary character who can get close to others but not get close to herself, and when I was asked to play the role of Ryo, I saw this as an opportunity to test out the "fear" inside me, and I'm still researching it every day. The performance involves a character who keeps walking unsteadily, trying to balance the line between wondering how to make others trust her and not trusting them herself, as Matsuoka-san mentioned. And yet, as she said, there's a line that doesn't become an act. I wanted to embody the way she does this as if it were natural. I'm acting while thinking about how I can express the precariousness of Ryo, who is free-spirited and unpredictable, yet always on the verge of trusting them.
Ichikawa-san, I really get that feeling from Ryo's acting. He's like a cloud, something that seems like it's within reach but you just can't. He's always there, but there's a sense of transience and fragility, like he'll disappear one day. But at certain moments, Ryo appears completely black, and I think there must be a darkness so intense it takes away your vision. Because the other characters are so straightforward, Ryo's airy feeling is really emphasized, so I think Hanamori-san's acting as Ryo is incredibly amazing.
I'm glad for you, Hanamori-san . I'm relieved.
"Gachiakuta" is a show in which the voice actors vividly portray the unique characters with their own unique worldviews. We look forward to seeing their passionate acting in the future.
