The V-Cinema Next film " Bakuage Sentai Boonboomger VS King-Ohger, " a collaboration between the Super Sentai series " Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger," which aired its final episode in February, and its predecessor "Bakuage Sentai Boonboomger King Oger" (2023-2024), has been showing for a limited time since May 1. We spoke to Haruhi Iuchi, who plays Bun Red/Norimichi Daiya, and Sakai Taisei, who plays Kuwagata Oger/Gira Hasty, about how it felt to play Sentai Red for a year, as well as behind-the-scenes stories from the filming.
◇Iuchi-kun is "a good kid and a well-loved person"
--First of all, please tell us how you feel after a year running "Bakuage Sentai Boonboomger."
Iuchi: Before we started filming, Sakai told me at the baton-passing event that the year had flown by in a flash. Before we started, I thought a year would be a long time, but when I actually started, every day was hectic, and it felt like it had gone by in about three or four months. It was a fulfilling year that I will never forget.
Sakai: I also felt that the year since "Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger" ended went by in a flash, but I feel like it went by even faster when we were filming. Meeting with the same cast and staff every day to create a work is hard but worth it. I think it felt fast because we spent such a rich time together. (Iuchi) Thank you for your hard work as the middle (red) for the past year.
Thank you, Iuchi-san...!
--There are things that you can understand because you're both Reds.
Iuchi: Since all the members of Super Sentai are one, I didn't think of myself as the leader, but when it comes to events or interviews, I'm often entrusted with giving the closing remarks... (laughs).
Sakai: I think it's a big deal that we were able to get through the year. It was a great experience for me.
Iuchi: I also had a good experience.
-As an alumnus, do you have any advice for me?
Sakai-san: Everyone in King-Ohger and I have been saying about Iuchi-kun that he is a good kid and a person who is loved. I hope he keeps going forward like this.
--Iuchi-san appeared on the currently airing "No.1 Sentai Gozyuger" (TV Asahi, Sunday 9:30 am) and transformed into Kuwagata Ooja in the first episode, which became a hot topic. How do you feel?
Iuchi: Kuwagata Oger is a cool and popular hero that Sakai-san spent a year creating, so I thought it would be terrible if my performance gave people the wrong impression and made them think, "Maybe he's not so cool," so I learned a lot before playing the role.
--Even though the story is set in a different world, you still paid attention to it. What kind of attention did you pay to?
Iuchi: While still retaining the coolness, the character is different from Gira Hasty (played by Sakai), but Tsutsumi Natsume, so we had to go through a lot of trial and error to make sure the difference was conveyed well.
--Sakai-san, what did you think of Iuchi-san's transformation into Kuwagata Oger?
Sakai-san: I'm glad it was Iuchi-kun. Kuwagata Ooja belongs to everyone, so just because Iuchi-kun transformed, there was no "Why!" or anything (laughs). It's fine as long as it's cool.
Iuchi: I'm happy to hear that, Sakai-san!
--So, does that mean it's your seal of approval?
Sakai: Of course! By the way, I heard that 49 squadrons worth of Reds will be gathered together (in Gojuger), and that they will appear as enemies, so I can't predict how it will turn out, but (Iuchi-san) you've heard what will happen, right?
Iuchi: No no! I didn't know anything other than what I learned in episodes 1 and 2 (in which I appeared). I was told that it was a fight over a ring (the Centa Ring), but Tsutsumi (the character I played) left in episode 2 anyway...I wasn't informed of how the story would develop, so I'm in the same situation as the viewers.
Sakai: Is there a possibility that you might get involved in a fight in the future...?
Iuchi: I'm looking forward to it because I don't know anything right now.
◇Are the King-Ohger team made up of college students?
--Now let's talk about "Bakuage Sentai Boonboomger vs. King-Ohger." Is there a difference in atmosphere between the Boonboomger team and the King-Ohger team?
Sakai: I think we get along well, but I had the impression that the (Boonboomger team) was more likely to have lively conversations.
Iuchi-san: Everyone in King-Ohger talks in a bright and cheerful manner, but I think they have a mature vibe. Compared to the Boonboomger team, they're like an elementary school student and a university student (laughs).
Sakai-san: That can't be true! (laughs) We're kids too.
--There is one member of King-Ohger who is an adult in terms of age...
Sakai-san: Yoshihisa (Hajime)-san? Not at all (laughs). Yoshihisa-san has an innocent side to him.
Iuchi-san: For us, the two older members took the initiative to be the ones who got teased, so we got along well and had fun for a year without worrying about anything. When I saw the King-Ohger members talking, I thought that Yoshihisa was the same, and I felt that they were a very good team.
--Please tell us your thoughts after reading the script and your impressions of the story.
Sakai: (King-Ohger) had an unrealistic world view, so I wondered what a collaboration with Boonboomger would be like.
Iuchi-san: When it came to the pairing of those two, there was a part where I thought, "That's what I knew would happen!" I think we probably had the same idea in mind, right?
Sakai: They are a "sticky duo" (laughs).
Iuchi: It's pretty much obvious now (laughs). Director Hiroyuki Kato is the one who shot the comedy episodes of Boonboomger, such as the baseball episode, the soccer episode, and the Christmas episode. So there's a lot of playfulness in it! Look forward to it!
--The ending dance was also worth watching.
Iuchi: Director Kato told me, "Just do whatever you want until we stop the camera!"
Sakai: It was basically an etude while I was playing the character (laughs).
What are the highlights of the dance?
Sakai-san: I guess it was the part where I was holding the steering wheel of a car. Yuuyo-kun suggested, "Why don't you try this?" and we did it together in the ending. It was really good when I saw the finished package.
Iuchi: We danced in a variety of places, so I'm glad they used it properly (laughs).
--Finally, please tell us what are the highlights.
Sakai-san: The simultaneous transformation of two squadrons is something you can only see in a VS work! I think it turned out really cool!
Iuchi: (Interacting with the King-Ohger members) I think you'll be able to see expressions on the characters' faces that weren't seen in the TV series, so please look forward to it.
"Bakuage Sentai Boonboomger VS King-Ohger" is currently being shown for a limited time at Shinjuku Wald 9 (Shinjuku, Tokyo) and other locations. The Blu-ray and DVD will be released on October 29th. (Interview, text and photography: Endo Masaki)
