The drama series "Kitakata Kenzo Suikoden," starring actor Oda Yuji, will be broadcast and streamed on WOWOW and the video streaming service "Lemino" from February 15th. We spoke to the three actors - Oda, who plays Song Jiang, the leader of Liangshanbo who motivates people through trust; Sorimachi Takashi, who plays Chao Gai, the other leader of Liangshanbo who leads Liangshanbo alongside Song Jiang; and Kamenashi Kazuya, who plays Lin Chong, a member of Liangshanbo who is a master spearman and a genius warrior - about their thoughts on the work and their roles, as well as the harsh behind-the-scenes filming.
The drama is based on the monumental historical epic novel "Suikoden" series (Shueisha Bunko) by Kenzo Kitakata. Set in China at the end of the Northern Song Dynasty (early 12th century), the story follows a group of outcasts who, despite rampant corruption, gather under Song Jiang, a low-ranking official, who believes in justice and rises up to challenge the great enemy of the state in an attempt to change this unjust era.
The loneliness of a leader struggling with a great contradiction
-How did you interpret the role you played, and what points did you focus on most when acting?
Oda: Song Jiang hardly ever carries a sword, so he's not much of a fighting force (laughs). In his case, his pen and words that move people's hearts replace his sword, but there are also contradictory aspects to him. He writes books filled with anger and emptiness because the world has become one in which small happiness and peace are no longer possible, but fighting to overthrow a country means the lives of both sides will be the price. While he wishes his comrades would not die, he has to entrust them with dangerous missions. He also tries to go to the front lines, but is stopped. Song Jiang has no power, so he has no choice but to rely on his comrades. I worked hard to express this inner conflict.
Sorimachi: Even though we all share the same goal, our methods and values are different. However, at the core of it all are universal emotions that transcend time, such as "trusting others" and "caring for others." That's why I focused on portraying Chao Gai not just as a strong character, but also as someone who is considerate of his teammates and has leadership qualities.
Kamenashi: Lin Chong is an overwhelmingly strong character, but I focused on portraying the kindness and softness that exists within him, as well as the subtle emotional fluctuations that arise from his encounters with people and each and every event. I felt that he was the type of person who finds meaning in life by proactively fulfilling his role rather than trying to influence others, so I tried to portray the sense of each character making use of their individuality and complementing each other.
Oda: Each character has some kind of "wound" and each one of them has their own struggle to face that wound. Because it focuses on human beings, I'm sure you'll be able to find a type that suits your taste.
◇ "Every shot, every cut, everyone is serious" Even the fishing rod and every dish are done professionally
--The footage conveys the passion on set, but can you tell us about a moment in particular when you felt the production team's dedication and passion?
Oda: I still can't forget the fishing rod used in the scene. It was made from a single piece of bamboo, and a craftsman in Kyoto had been asked to prepare one that could actually be used. I'm quite picky about fishing, but it made me want to give it a try.
Sorimachi: Personally, I want one now (laughs).
Oda: That's true (laughs). He was also particular about everything else, and I was surprised to learn that he even went to China to buy all kinds of accessories.
--That's an incredible amount of energy.
Oda: Also, every time I thought, "Is today the climax?", he was so fired up. He took his time and carefully filmed every scene, and there was absolutely no compromise. I was overwhelmed by his attitude. I even wondered if he was planning to put the finished product in a museum.
--What about you, Sorimachi-san and Kamenashi-san?
Sorimachi: We were particular about the location. We went to a variety of locations, and every time we acted we were able to act in an atmosphere that was close to the real thing, which I think allowed us to bring a different feeling to the acting than if we were on a set.
Kamenashi: Wherever you look, you can feel the passion of the production team. There were many difficult scenes, but I was able to perform without compromise thanks to the support of that passion on set. The same goes for the parts that you can't see in the scenes; for example, the food in the pot was cooked according to authentic Chinese recipes.
Oda: We ate it after filming was over (laughs). Regarding food, there was a scene where I ate a whole roasted frog, and although it was a casual scene and the frog wasn't even shown in close-up, that was also real.
Kamenashi: Each and every detail had a positive effect on our acting. Every single cut, everyone was serious.
◇ A sense of unity in the tough scenes, including the "hellish 8-minute long take"
--I imagine it was a long and tough shoot, but was there anything that particularly made an impression on you?
Oda: It's a grand scale production with a lot of characters, so at first it was hard to remember the names of the people and the characters (laughs). As for filming, it's an ensemble drama, so there were a lot of scenes where I wasn't in them, and as a result there were times when there were gaps in the schedule. It was difficult to figure out how to connect the emotions in that situation. Halfway through, I decided to "stop trying to create a character in detail" and just see it as part of my lifestyle, and I approached it with the mindset that "Song Jiang is me."
Sorimachi: The cave scene left a strong impression on me. It was quite tough to act in a pitch-black cave, but we overcame that tough scene early on, and I think that because we shared that moment as a team and filmed it, it created a stronger sense of unity.
Kamenashi: The scene that left the biggest impression on me was the one where Lin Chong reunites with the others. With Lin Chong carrying out an important mission to get things moving, filming the series of scenes from the prison was an experience that I'll never have again.
--It seems physically and mentally tough.
Kamenashi: Yes, that's right. I was made to keenly feel the harshness of nature (wry smile).
Oda: The scene where (Kamenashi) carries someone through deep fresh snow was shot in a "hellish eight-minute long take" with no cuts to the series of movements, as instructed by the director. It was shot in a way that was like, "Show us the limits of Kamenashi, surpassing Lin Chong." I think they'll use a shorter time than that, though (laughs).
Kamenashi: I would cry if it was all cut (laughs). Also, in the scene where I was held captive and given salt water for the first time in days, I was harassed and the staff wanted to see my reaction more realistically, so I asked for "a little salt water," and they prepared incredibly strong salt water for me. I actually choked on it (laughs). I don't think I've ever eaten anything that salty in my life (laughs). It felt more like a documentary than a play.
◇ "Oh, we forgot," he reflects
--Please tell us what you thought about the film "Kitakata Kenzo Suikoden," what you felt through filming it, and what message it sends to us living in the modern age.
Oda reflected, "Ah, we've forgotten. It's been a long time since we've stood up and spoken our opinions. We often end up being too considerate or holding back and swallowing our opinions." There is a vague feeling of stagnation in modern society, but I hope that seeing the way the characters stand up against injustice live their lives will give people a little bit of energy and cheer them up.
Sorimachi: The feeling of trusting people and loving others are important to humans, regardless of the era. We live in a world where the environment and circumstances are constantly changing, but I think we should never forget the importance of such roots, regardless of the era.
Kamenashi: I was reminded once again of the wonderful thing about not being alone and that you can't do anything alone. I think that even though the historical background and values may be different, the fundamental aspects of human beings don't change much. What kind of environment do you put yourself in and what choices do you make? I think this is a universal and eternal theme. With the advancement of digitalization, there may be fewer risks and it may be easier to speak out than in the time of Suikoden, but it really made me think... Their way of life seemed to be asking us living in the modern age what we should pursue even if it means taking risks.
"Kitakata Kenzo Suikoden" consists of seven episodes and will be broadcast and streamed on WOWOW Prime, WOWOW On Demand, and Lemino every Sunday at 10 pm starting February 15th. (Interview and text by Endo Masaki)
