The film version of Chainsaw Man: Reze, a sequel to the TV anime Chainsaw Man Man, based on the popular manga by Tatsuki Fujimoto , will be released on September 19th. The Reze chapter tells the story of Reze and the main character, Denji, who also appeared at the end of the TV anime that aired from October to December 2022, and became a hot topic. While Denji is excited about a date with his crush Makima, he takes shelter from the rain and meets Reze, a young girl working at a cafe. Following the TV series, we spoke to Kikunosuke Toya, who plays Denji, and Tomori Kusunoki, who plays the popular character Makima, about their thoughts on Chainsaw Man and the filming of the film.
◇Everything was new to me as Denji
-The TV series "Chainsaw Man," which aired in 2022, was Toya's first starring role.
Toya: It's a manga that almost everyone in my generation has read, so when the cast was announced, I got a big reaction from my friends. I felt that it was a work that had a lot of expectations, and after it aired, I got a lot of feedback saying, "It was fun!", so I really felt like I was having an amazing experience. At the time, I was doing it without knowing anything about anything, so I wasn't aware of how difficult it would be.
Mr. Kusunoki, you were having fun.
Toya: That's right. I thought about it in my own way and it was a lot of fun. It was all a first-time experience for me, and I learned the importance of concentrating.
Mr. Kusunoki had a lot of firsts, and perhaps the way he faced them resonated with Denji. I felt that Mr. Toya was possessed, and in this movie, he seemed more refined.
--When the cast was announced, Kusunoki commented, "I was hooked on the original work, and I was drawn in by Makima's charm and fell in love with her..."
I really wanted to play Makima, so I was given the opportunity to audition, and when it was decided that I would be appearing, I was overjoyed and happy, but after it was announced, I felt the magnitude of the expectations. I felt the responsibility of being involved in such a big production, but I was also looking forward to it.
-Was it a challenge to appear in "Chainsaw Man"?
Toya: Everything was new to me, so it was all a challenge.
I didn't have much experience playing a role like Makima, who is like an older sister but also a boss, and I thought she was someone out of my reach, so I was chosen to play her, and it was a new discovery and a challenge. I was feeling my way around, but up until then I had often thought about and valued the feelings of characters, but with Makima, I played her based on what role she played in the work rather than my own feelings, which was refreshing. It's important to consider how Denji sees the other characters. After that, this experience came in handy in other works as well.
--The sequel to the TV series, "Reze," will be released as an animated film.
I was looking forward to seeing Toya-san at the theater. There was no dialogue between him and Reze in the TV series, so I was looking forward to that too.
Kusunoki: When we were recording the TV series, Reze came up, so I innocently asked the staff, "Is there a sequel?", but they dodged the question (laughs). Ever since I read the original work, as a fan, I've wanted to see a movie version, and I thought the movie version would definitely be more interesting in terms of structure, so I was happy. As Makima, there are some key scenes in the "Reze Arc" that are key to the "movie," and it's a stylish production that everyone will be able to see in the cinema, so I was looking forward to it.
◇Makima plays with sensitivity
-What is your impression of Denji?
Toya-san is very eccentric and says some strange things, but that's what makes him so appealing. At the beginning of the first episode, you feel sorry for him, but by the end of the first episode, you're like, "Huh?" I think that's what makes him so appealing. He's very honest. He doesn't lie, and he goes after what he thinks. I have that kind of side to me, but it's not easy. I think he's the kind of protagonist who throws away all pretenses.
Kusunoki-san is straightforward, a little bit silly, and typical of the main character, but the direction of his straightforwardness is a little off. He's straightforward in an impure way. As Toya-kun said, there are parts of him that we can sympathize with, and he has a straightforwardness that he doesn't usually show, which makes reading the story refreshing and invigorating. There are surprises and realizations in Denji's way of thinking, and it would definitely be fun to have one of his friends.
--What about Makima?
I think the key to Kusunoki's character is distance. She's like an ideal woman who seems within reach but is out of reach, and she has a mysterious charm that draws people in. I feel that this is what resonates with many people as I play her.
Toya-san is out of my reach, but he's someone I admire. I like him. When I was a student, there was someone I admired too...
--What do you value most when acting?
I thought that if Toya-san wasn't always at 120%, he wouldn't be able to convey a genuine feeling, so I wanted to act without any lies. Denji had nothing at first, so he feels each experience as if it were new to him. It's the first time someone has been kind to him, and in the movie, he feels like there's a girl in front of him who likes him. What does he think at times like that? I've been thinking about that.
Kusunoki: Rather than thinking about what Makima is thinking when she speaks, I base my acting on how it sounds to the characters around her. When I try to act while considering Makima's feelings, there are some unclear parts, so I make detailed adjustments while keeping the balance in mind so that it can be interpreted as how Denji heard it. As for the movie version, there is an episode in it that I really like as a Makima fan, and when I read the original work, it was what drew me to her, but there are also depictions that are different from previous versions. We discussed the sense of balance on set as we went along, so I think the character requires a lot of sensitivity.
To be continued in interview (2).
