Hinako Kikuchi stars in the film "Kakushigoto" (directed by Nakagawa Shun), co-starring Daiken Okudaira and Natsuki Deguchi. She made her screen debut in 2021 in the film "What on earth am I fighting against?" (directed by Lee Toshio), and is one of the promising young actors who won the Newcomer Award at the 46th Japan Academy Awards for her performance in the film "Phase of the Moon" (directed by Hiroki Ryuichi), which will be released in 2022. Now 23 years old, Kikuchi said, "I never thought I'd be in a youth-themed film," so we asked her to look back on her appearance in this film.
◇Even when the cameras weren't rolling, "I want to be a Para
The film is a youth drama based on a novel by Yoru Sumino, known for "I want to eat your pancreas," and depicts the precious days of five men and women who "can see people's feelings a little." " Ae! group" members Shoya Sano and Iku Hayase also star in the film.
Kikuchi says, "I want not only junior and senior high school students, but everyone who has spent their teenage years to see it."
"There was a scene that really moved me, and I definitely got energy from the story. I'm sure that everyone will feel something in different ways, so I want as many people as possible to see it."
The character I played this time, Aya Kuroda (aka Para), is a character who always acts at her own pace and is unpredictable in her words and actions. She is torn between her true self and the person she wants to be, and there are many layers of gradation between the two... it was a difficult role.
"I think that not only me, but everyone is concerned about their position and where they belong when interacting with others. I myself have always been a very timid person, and have lived my life thinking about my position at every opportunity, so I can understand the pain of being tied down by that. That's how I created the character of Para."
Kikuchi analyzes that Para's usual candid behavior comes from a "lack of self-confidence," and that "the self I've created, the person I want to be, is used as armor." He then hints at a sense of accomplishment, saying, "I think it was because I never forgot that that I was able to remain a Para on the set."
"Even behind the scenes, when the cameras weren't rolling, I wanted to be Para, and it was really refreshing to have to flip that switch when interacting with everyone. Looking back now, I think I was using my brain a lot, but I was happy to see everyone laughing, and I spent my time thinking, 'I guess this is how Para feels right now.'"
◇ "I feel most alive" when I'm acting
Kikuchi, who naturally and delicately expresses the self-consciousness and emotional turmoil that are typical of teenagers, expressed her gratitude, saying, "I never thought I would be able to appear in a youth-oriented work, so I am very grateful to have been chosen for this work and this role."
"For me, it was a new challenge to take on a new role, so I learned a lot in terms of the breadth of my acting. I've always liked bad endings and grotesque things, so I hope to use this as a source of nourishment and steadily build up my experience."
It's been about five years since he decided to pursue a career as an actor. Looking back, he says that working on the films "Kakushigo" and "Kakushigo" was "the first time I was able to get close to the staff on set."
"Until now, I didn't have much time on my hands and didn't know much about anything other than the acting department, but on this set, I was able to go out with the camera and lighting departments during breaks and see up close how everyone felt about the project and how much effort they put into each and every scene, and it completely changed my perspective on filmmaking. While I still think that creating things is fun, I've come to realize that there are still many aspects that I haven't seen, and I'd like to learn more about those aspects in the future."
Regarding acting, he revealed, "I always find it rewarding. I don't know why, but when I'm acting, it's the moment when I feel most alive."
"I'm happy that I'm able to spend more time living off my roles, and it's become like a lifeline for me personally. I really do think of it as my livelihood, so with this foundation, I'm confident that I'll be able to continue enjoying acting for as long as I want to."
Looking to the future, she says with a gleam in her eyes, "My goal is to continue to encounter works that allow me to play roles that I want to play."
"I don't think there will ever be another set where I can say I'm 100% satisfied with my acting, but I'm a bit of a competitive person by nature and I always want to aim higher, so I'd like to keep exploring and not be satisfied with myself now."
