The January Sunday Theatre drama " Mikami Sensei " (TBS, Sunday 9pm) starring actor Tori Matsuzaka will begin on January 19th. It is a completely original school drama that weaves together Matsuzaka's character, a "bureaucratic teacher," and 18-year-old high school students living in the Reiwa era. Matsuzaka, who said that he "started thinking about things more than 15 years into the future" after his child was born, talked about the appeal of the drama and his ideal educational environment.
◇ Unconventional “Bureaucratic Teacher” “It feels like I’m being made into a teacher by the students”
-Please tell us how you felt when you received the offer to play this film.
I was approached by producer Kazutaka Iida at the beginning of 2024. I was very interested in the plan, which was to have bureaucrats from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology dispatched to a high school and confront the darkness of Japanese education as bureaucratic teachers together with 18-year-olds of the Reiwa era. I'm sure that today's students are living in a completely different environment than when I was young. I myself had a family, and it was a time when I started thinking about the future of Japanese education, so I think that I was approached at a very good time. I wanted to respond to the enthusiasm of Mr. Iida, who has been helping me since the days of Sunday Theatre "VIVANT," so I accepted the offer.
--This will be your second collaboration with screenwriter Roba Shimori since the film "The Journalist."
When I heard that Shimori-san would be writing a script for a commercial TV drama series for the first time, I was sure that it would be an interesting one. Shimori-san writes scripts that are filled with fear, like slowly slicing into something with a sharp sword. Even the process of slicing into something is thrilling, so I am very attracted to the entertainment value that is born from it.
--What kind of character is Gojo?
Mikami is a character who became a bureaucrat at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology after a certain incident, with the goal of "changing education in Japan." He is ordered to transfer to the private Rintoku Academy, and instead of being at the center of the swirling darkness, he cuts into the darkness from a different angle. He is a man with the passion to say, "If things won't change even if I stay at the Ministry of Education, then I'll change education from the field." As an elite bureaucrat, he is the type who can do anything, but he is by no means a perfect person. In fact, while acting with students, Mikami also felt that the students were making him into a teacher. Just as the students change by meeting Mikami, I think this is also a story of Mikami growing as a teacher by interacting with his students.
--What do you keep in mind when acting with students like that?
In order to convey the Emperor's thoughts to the students, I think first about how to convey the words and the students in front of me. In the classroom, I have to convey the Emperor's words to each and every one of the 29 students at the same time. I stand at the podium, trying and testing how to speak and how passionately I should speak to get my message across.
--What kind of requests did Producer Iida and Director Miyazaki Yohei make?
"There are a lot of lines, so please speak a little faster" was the request (laughs). This is actually an important thing that needs to be calculated in order to convey the message within the limited broadcast time. It's not just about speaking fast, but you have to speak in a way that will reach the viewers, so I try to pay attention to the contrast and speed.
--What preparations did you make for the role?
I attended classes taught by Mr. Yuichi Kudo (educational advisor), who was the model for Mikami Sensei. Mr. Kudo's classes were really interesting, full of passion and ambition, and I thought he was the model for Mikami Sensei. In the play, I also used Mr. Kudo's classroom scenes and speaking scenes as references.
--What was the most memorable thing about Professor Kudo's class?
Particularly impressive was the difference between "independence" and "subjectivity." According to Kudo-sensei, while Japanese education places emphasis on the independence of spontaneously doing what you are told, such as "do your homework" or "study this subject," what will be required in the future society is the independence of acting responsibly and of one's own will. In the play, Mikami's lessons teach important lessons for living in society, so that when the students enter society, they will remember, "That's what Mikami Sensei said."
◇ "All the students are professionals" - a sense of unity on set and trust in the students
--The adult cast is made up of some impressive members, but what was it like on set?
Fumika Koreeda, the assistant teacher of Class 3-2, played by Riho Yoshioka, is a character who is the polar opposite of Gojo, who sees things from the students' perspective and deals with them sincerely. Just like her character, Yoshioka also speaks to each student frankly, making everyone feel at ease. The classroom scenes can be tense at times, but thanks to Yoshioka, the atmosphere is relaxed in a good way, and a good balance is maintained between tension and relaxation.
--Who is responsible for creating the atmosphere on set?
Thanks to Kazuki Kitamura, who plays the role of Rintoku Academy's Chairman Kodai Masue, morale on set is high. I am amazed at his passion and approach to acting, and I often see him talking enthusiastically with Iida during breaks. Sometimes he takes the initiative to say things that are difficult for the young actors to say, and at those moments the tension rises in a good way. Everything Kitamura says is something that actors can nod at. There are times when the footage the director wants to shoot is slightly different, but the directors accept his enthusiasm straight on and try and error each time.
--What is the atmosphere like in the classrooms where students gather?
Although there are times when they are lively like students, all the students are professionals, so when they enter the set, they act by calculating backwards. That's why I trust them so much. Everyone is so eager to learn, and even on days when they don't have any shooting, some people say, "I have time, so I came to watch!" I want to deliver my best acting to all of them. Every time we shoot a classroom scene, I feel like I'm standing tall.
--Do you ever say something to your students, Mr. Matsuzaka?
I try to talk to them as much as possible, but I don't have the best communication skills like Yoshioka-san, so I just chat here and there (laughs). I guess this is the filming location where I've brought in the most food in my history, but I'm not that good at communicating. I'm going to do my best with food because I'm not that good at communicating. Everyone says it's delicious and eats it, so it's worth bringing food.
--Do the students ever ask you for advice?
I answer questions about acting in my own way, but I don't know if I'm giving them good advice... Rather, I get a lot of inspiration from everyone, so it feels more like we're creating a work together as professional actors, rather than teacher and student.
--As the leader of a school drama, what do you keep in mind on the set?
In a drama, the same scene is repeated many times to shoot from various angles. Therefore, it is important to keep the scene fresh so that the students do not get bored. You want to capture the students' faces listening to the teacher's lecture with good expressions. That's why I try to convey good emotions in every take so that the students can receive it in a good state.
--It seems like it's difficult to maintain concentration when acting only involves reactions.
That's right. Especially when we're shooting without lines. Looking from the podium, I can easily tell if a child is not in good spirits, or if a child is in a bad mood, or if a switch is on. Sometimes, I'll even notice that a child is asleep today (laughs). The students are all very cooperative, so if a child is like that, they'll wake them up and help each other out. It's very heartwarming to see them like that.
--Please tell us about an episode that happened during filming that left a lasting impression on you.
Due to filming schedules, sometimes several students stay overnight together and come back for filming the next day. When that happens, strangely enough, things like, "Wow, we're closer than we were yesterday!" happen. It's interesting to see changes like they're talking more and calling each other by their first names. It feels like they're bonding like they've just been through a training camp (laughs).
◇ Surprised by the change in teaching style, becoming a father has made me think about the future of Japanese education
--How do you feel the educational environment has changed compared to when you were a student?
Even during the filming of this movie, I felt that the students had evolved by studying on tablets instead of notebooks. I thought that classes meant paper and pen, so I was surprised that not a single student had a paper notebook (laughs). They made full use of projectors in class, which is very different from the style I used when I was a student.
-What do you think is the ideal educational environment?
I hope that there will be more learning environments that value and nurture the individuality of each individual and value their autonomy. And what I think is most important is how much we can increase children's options. Children should have many experiences, meet many different people, and learn a lot during their education. When it comes to thinking about what they want to do, I think it would be ideal for adults to increase the options available to children.
--Have you had more opportunities to think about education since your child was born?
Yes, it has increased. When I was single, I would think vaguely about a few years from now, but since I had a child, I have started thinking about things 15 years or more from now. While I hope for a wonderful society, I also have to think about what will happen if that doesn't happen. As people involved in the production, we would be very happy if this film serves as a stimulus for fostering a better society and if that can lead to a chain reaction.
-Finally, please give a message to our viewers.
It's a simple message, but it all boils down to "It's so entertaining, I want you to watch it!" There are aspects that will have a major impact on society, but as an entertainment piece, the plot will make you curious to see what happens next. It will definitely keep you entertained on your Sunday night. And I'm confident that it will be a time that you will definitely not regret, so please look forward to it!
