Actor Kohei Shoji is currently playing the role of Kamen Rider Vlam/Rakia Amarga in the special effects drama " Kamen Rider Gavv " (TV Asahi, Sunday 9:00 AM). He is also currently appearing opposite lead actor Shunsuke Kazama in the TV Tokyo drama series "10 Things I Want to Do Before I'm 40" (Friday midnight 12:12 AM). Although his character has the same blonde hair, Shoji shows completely different expressions in both works. We spoke to him.
◇ A family with children at the park exclaimed, "What?!"
Shoji made his acting debut five years ago in the Super Sentai series "Mashin Sentai Kiramager" (2020-2021) as Kiramei Silver/Crystalia Takamichi. He achieved the feat of having "two major special effects regular appearances" with "Kamen Rider Gavv." "I'm very happy to have had the opportunity to become a character in a popular series with such a long history. Moreover, I don't think it's often an opportunity for an actor to face one role for such a long period of time, so I'm happy to have had the opportunity to experience this twice," he said with joy.
In "Kamen Rider Gavv," Rakia was initially an enemy of the main character, Kamen Rider Gavv/Shoma (Hidekazu Chinen), as a "dark rider," but now they fight together. "At first, it was hard to read what he was thinking, but his range of emotions expanded, and I found many of his actions and words convincing. Personally, it was very easy to play him. I also found the process of him becoming a hero who protects people while shouldering the burden of his own crimes very fascinating," he said, exuding his love for Rakia.
He has also noticed a positive response to his work. "Thankfully, the number of opportunities for people to talk to me has increased (laughs). When I was playing with a family I know at the park, other families who happened to be there were surprised and said, 'What?!' I love children myself, so it makes me happy when people talk to me."
"Kamen Rider Gavv" is entering the final stages. "I think everyone is thinking that even though it's the final stages, there are more enemies than expected (laughs). Will they be able to defeat the formidable foes including President Bocca Zeludac? What kind of future will Shoma find that satisfies him? I hope you will watch to see what the fate of each character will be," he said.
◇Muto Yugi! Co-starring with Shunsuke Kazama: "I was secretly excited"
In the drama "10 Things to Do Before You're 40" that started in July, he plays a salaryman in his late twenties, with the same blonde hair as Rakia.
The drama is an adult office love story that transcends age and position, woven together by Jujo Suzume, a man in his 40s played by Kazama, and Tanaka Keiji, a tall, cool subordinate played by Shoji. He was selected to play Kazama's love interest, their first co-starring role, at the audition. "I'm from the generation that played the Yu-Gi-Oh card game loads, so I was secretly excited to see Muto Yugi (the character played by Kazama in the anime Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters) there! And more than anything, he's a senior actor. I thought I'd be nervous and anxious, but, if I may say so myself, it just felt right. Strangely enough, I wasn't nervous once filming began."
During breaks in filming, he and Kazama go on ramen shop tours. "For no particular reason, we started the habit of going to a nearby ramen shop that caught our eye (laughs). Normally, ramen isn't really an option when I go out to eat, but after filming started, I went to about 20 places in the two months or so. Even though he must be busy, I was grateful that my brother (Kazama) made time to talk to me even on his days off," he said gratefully.
It is a so-called BL (Boys' Love) drama that depicts love between two men, but this work has its own unique features. "It is a BL genre, but it is more of a human love story. It is a work that depicts the struggles of two men, one approaching 30 and the other 40, as they make choices about their careers and lives."
It's been about five years since Shoji started his entertainment career in 2019. When asked about his future goals, Shoji, who is showing signs of a breakthrough, said with emphasis, "To be in demand. This is the first time I've had the opportunity to act as the second lead, but I want to become an actor who is in demand by more people." Like Rakia and Keiji, he speaks in a calm and cool tone, but his passion is burning.
