Scriptwriter Tsutomu Kuroiwa and producer Keigo Higashinaka of the TBS Sunday Theatre series "Reboot" (Sundays at 9pm) starring actor Ryohei Suzuki, spoke to us about behind the scenes of filming, casting, and future highlights ahead of the final stretch starting from episode 7.
◇The fear comes from the fact that there was a positive response
--How do you feel about the response so far, including the playback records on "TVer," the excitement on social media, and the various speculations that have been flying around with each episode?
Higashinaka: It's a fairly complicated story, but our original plan was to create a work that could be enjoyed even after repeated viewings. In that sense, I'm very happy to see the comments on social media from viewers who have enjoyed the series over and over again through streaming services.
Kuroiwa: The energy on set was amazing, and I knew the actors were giving great performances, so I felt confident, but this was the first time I was so scared that if there was no reaction at all, I would wonder, "What should I do next?" So, to be honest, I was very relieved, including the reaction that followed.
◇Kenichi Matsuyama → Ryohei Suzuki is a specialist who gives his stamp of approval to the possibility
--In the series of scenes in the first episode where Hayase Riku (Matsuyama Kenichi) reboots into Gido Ayumu (Suzuki), the stages of him becoming a different person were carefully depicted, and I thought they were very convincing scenes.
Kuroiwa: There have been many stories since ancient times about people changing their face to become someone else, but this time, our starting point was to take a more realistic approach, thinking that with the advances in plastic surgery technology, it might actually be possible to make it happen.
Higashinaka: As the cooperating producer working with me was conducting research, he spoke to a specialist doctor about the possibility of replacing Ryohei and Matsuyama, and he said, "It's possible with these two." Apparently, it's actually easier to use plastic surgery on real faces, and as we gathered various research results, we decided to "make sure this scene is properly shown."
Kuroiwa: In many cases, the scenes during the plastic surgery period are skipped, and the next moment the bandages are removed and the face has changed, but this time, if we can properly show the stages of transformation (into a different person) in a realistic montage scene, I thought it would be a new kind of "transformation work" that has never been seen before.
As a result, the footage became so bad that it was hard to tell where Hayase ended and Gido began, which I think made the scene more convincing from a narrative perspective.
Higashinaka: From a producer's perspective, a scene like that takes days and money, and it's the kind of scene you really want to cut (laughs). But I felt the passion of Ryohei, the staff, and Kuroiwa to try something new, and I thought we had to do it. In fact, everyone worked on it with incredible passion, and I think it was a scene that came about because all those different things meshed well together.
--Please tell us about a scene that has left an impression on you from the episodes that have aired so far (up to episode 6).
Kuroiwa: In episode 6, after Gido dies, Hayase hands the divorce papers that Gido had entrusted to his wife Mayu (Kuroki Meisa) and says, "Gido has run off overseas with another woman." Just the scene where Hayase eats Hayase pudding and the tears he had been holding back begin to overflow is enough to make me cry, but it also really moved me, and I thought it was amazing that I was moved by something that I couldn't quite tell whether it was sad or happy, and it made a big impression on me.
Higashinaka: For me, the most memorable scene was the one in episode 6 where Gido dies. From episodes 1 to 4, Gido was seen as a villain, but through that scene, even when viewed objectively, you really start to love him as a character. When you realize, "So, in the end, this guy was only doing it for his wife," it becomes very sad. I feel like that scene really shook me up.
◇The amazingness of Suzuki Ryohei and Toda Erika
- Can you tell us what impression you have of Suzuki through this work?
Higashinaka: This was my first time working with Ryohei, but it was a world line that only Ryohei could have played out, and during filming he worked on each and every scene with such stoicism, putting his soul into it, and my impression of him being a truly amazing person was that he was such a great person.
Kuroiwa: I've worked with Ryohei a few times, so I knew he was an incredible person, but this time he was even more so. He was able to effortlessly do things that normal people can't do, and it was like watching an athlete, and it really brought home to me how amazing actors are.
-What is your impression of Toda-san?
Higashinaka: Toda-san is also a very stoic person, and she was always checking the nuance of every word in the script, as well as the intentions of the production team, such as what they wanted to convey to the viewers. Her acting was light-hearted but soulful, and I was really drawn to it when I saw it on set.
Kuroiwa: Toda-san is, of course, a great actor, but she also carefully calculates how much of her own feelings she should express and the balance with the hidden parts of the character she is playing. She has a very quick mind and I felt that she has good intuition.
◇That character makes a surprise reappearance!? What to look forward to in the future
--The casting of Fujisawa Suzuka from "Mrs. Green Apple" and Tsuda Atsuhiro from "Diane" has also been a hot topic in this film, but are there any scenes with the two of them that left an impression on you?
Kuroiwa: I think that producer Higashinaka's casting was a perfect fit, and I'm impressed with how well he cast the characters.
Higashinaka: With Fujisawa, it was really fate. His partner Fuyuhashi (Nagase Ren) plays a character who seems to be carrying something on his shoulders, but I had the image that Kiriya (Fujisawa) would be the opposite, someone who looks more carefree.
Meanwhile, I heard from an acquaintance that "Fujisawa seems to be interested in acting," so I made him an offer and he readily accepted, squeezing time into his busy schedule to appear in the film.
Ando, played by Tsuda, was killed off immediately in the first episode (lol), but even when watching the prank program "Detective Tsuda" series on "Wednesday Downtown" (TBS), I got the impression that he was a good actor and had the power to really move people's hearts. I wanted to see Tsuda's realistic acting in those tense scenes, so I offered him the role. By the way, Ando will appear again later on.
Kuroiwa: Huh!?
Higashinaka: It's really just a glimpse (laughs). You might not be able to find it, so please look closely.
Kuroiwa: Is that so? (laughs). But when we first heard about it with Tsuda-san, some of us, including myself, were concerned, saying, "What if we end up laughing during that (serious) scene?" But in the end, that scene was surprisingly hard for a 9pm Sunday night. But I think Tsuda-san's presence made it milder in a good way. I thought, "So that was the intention!" but was that really the case?
Higashinaka: That's right (laughs).
Kuroiwa: If it had been a more hard-hitting actor rather than Tsuda, the scene might have been a little too intense, so in many ways the balance was excellent.
-Finally, please give a message to the viewers.
Higashinaka: Up until now, there have been some parts that have been intentionally made complicated, but in episode 7, those hints will be unravelled all at once. At the same time, it will become an emotional story, so I hope you will enjoy it without thinking too much about it from here on out. Also, there will be a big surprise in store for the final episode, so please don't miss it and watch until the very end.
Kuroiwa: From here on, various answers will be revealed, and as Higashinaka said, I think it will be a story that can be simply enjoyed, so I hope you will enjoy that. Also, I think you will understand why the title "Reboot" was given at the end of the final episode, so I would be happy if you could feel the meaning of "restart" through this work.
