Actor Issei Takahashi stars in the WOWOW drama "Serial Drama W 1972: Fireflies at the Beach" (Sundays at 10pm), which starts airing on October 19th. The crime suspense story is set in Okinawa in 1972, and Takahashi plays Maeda Taichi, the team leader of the Special Task Force, which investigates the theft of one million dollars from a cash transport truck. We spoke to Takahashi about his thoughts on his role and the series.
◇The staff are the “first customers”
The drama is based on the novel "Hotaruhi at the Beach" (Futaba Bunko) by Izumi Sakagami, known for "Invisible," which won the 23rd Oyabu Haruhiko Prize and was nominated for the 164th Naoki Prize. In 1972, as Okinawa was being converted back to Japan and the yen was being exchanged for dollars, a cash transport vehicle collecting dollar bills was attacked and $1 million was stolen. Concerned that this could develop into a serious diplomatic issue if the Japanese or US governments were to learn of the incident, the Ryukyu Police formed a special task force led by Taichi Maeda (played by Takahashi) to solve the case in secret. With only 18 days until reversion, Maeda and his team worked hard to solve the case. The robbery was suspected to be the work of a local gang, but it turns out that US military personnel were behind it...
When asked how he felt when he received the offer, Takahashi said, "Because the story is based on real events, I thought I needed to handle that part very carefully. I accepted the role knowing that I had to carefully consider how I would act."
Regarding this film, which is based on a true story, he said, "While there have been works that deal with the wartime and postwar periods, I have the impression that there haven't been many stories set in this era, and I've never been involved in or acted in one." He also revealed his expectations, saying, "As an actor, I have the opportunity to experience things virtually, so I was looking forward to seeing what I would feel when I was immersed in the setting of 1972."
So how did you feel after performing it?
"I found a character like Maeda fascinating. A role that doesn't explain much, doesn't reveal many emotions, and whose true nature is revealed only when confronted with things, seems like something that can be done easily, but in fact it's more difficult than I imagined. There are so many things that become too much, and I often find myself wondering, 'What is acting after all?' In that sense, it was a role and a production that was worth acting in."
Takahashi said that the filming was very fulfilling. When asked what he kept in mind when creating his character, he said, "As with any project, I try not to create a blueprint (for the role) on my own," explaining that the reason for this is that "(Projects and roles) are created together with the team through repeated conversations."
"For example, when I played Maeda Taichi, I think the reaction I get from the staff to my acting is the 'first audience.' I always attend every set, cherishing that 'response.' Rather than feeling like it's just the actor making it, I feel like it's a team effort."
This marks Takahashi's third collaboration with director Hirayama Hideyuki, following "Let's Play with Good Kids" and "Serial Drama W Hitori Shizuka." Takahashi jokingly describes Hirayama as "stubborn (laughs)," but also expresses his gratitude and trust, saying, "In a work with a historical background, I was very grateful for the way Hirayama was present."
"While Mr. Hirayama has his own beliefs and what he is trying to create, as long as we are actors, it is not a documentary but fiction, and it has no meaning unless it is entertaining. I'm sure Mr. Hirayama was constantly struggling with how to elevate this work as a drama, as an entertainment piece. As a director, I think it takes stubbornness and a certain level of spirit to present a certain worldview."
◇Identity is "something that others decide"
When asked about the similarities between him and the Ryukyu Police detective Maeda Taichi, the character he played, Takahashi laughed and said, "Maybe it's the fact that he's described as someone who you can't tell what he's thinking."
"I think I'm putting my thoughts out there, but surprisingly there are a lot of people around me who say they don't understand. I think Maeda felt the same way. I think I'm doing things that are relatively easy to understand, but there are a lot of people who don't know what I'm thinking, so maybe we're similar in that way."
Regarding the evaluations from those around him, Takahashi said with a wry smile, "I've become a little more aware of it recently. Come to think of it, people have been saying that for a while," but he also smiled and spoke of his own beliefs, saying, "I don't think that matters to me other than my acting. I'm totally OK with people describing me like that as an individual, and as long as they don't see me that way because of my acting, then I think it's fine."
Maeda is someone who is constantly questioning his identity, but Takahashi shares his opinion on what it means to be "oneself," saying, "I'm consistent in how I think in certain situations. However, I believe that identity is fundamentally something that is decided by others. So it depends on how others see you."
"I've just been consistent in the events and things that happen at the time, and I've never analyzed them and defined myself as 'this is who I am.' I don't think there's anything more lonely than deciding 'I am this kind of person.' But there are definitely things that are consistent, and I try not to think too deeply about them."
Finally, when asked about the highlights of the drama, he said, "The characters of the Special Task Force members are all completely different, and the way things are seen and perceived changes depending on who is in the task force, so that's one of the elements that makes it interesting to watch." He also called on viewers to "think about who you empathize with as you watch."
"Serial Drama W 1972: Fireflies on the Beach" is a five-episode series that will be broadcast and streamed on WOWOW Prime and WOWOW On Demand. The first episode will be broadcast for free. (Interview, text, and photography: Endo Masaki)
Hair and makeup: Tanaka Makoto (MARVEE) Stylist: Kobayashi Arata (UM)
