The third season of the TV anime " Jujutsu Kaisen, " based on the popular manga by Gege Akutami serialized in "Weekly Shonen Jump" (Shueisha), titled "The First Part of the Culling Game, " aired its final episode on March 26th. In the third season, which garnered attention for its intense battle scenes between swimmers (players) in "The Culling Game," a deadly battle between those who possess jujutsu, the incarnated past sorcerer, Ryū Ishiryū, left a strong impression. Hiroki Tōchi played Ishiryū, who ended his previous life feeling "only 80% full" and harbors a vague "thirst." We asked him about the behind-the-scenes of the recording and his own "thirst."
◇Ishiryu Ryu is a man with a dangerous aura. The joy of acting that can only be found in anime.
The character Ishiryu, played by Higashi, is a swimmer whom Yuta Okkotsu confronts in the battle at the Sendai Barrier (colony), and he appears as "a cannon boasting the greatest cursed energy output among the swimmers."
"I felt he was a man with a completely different personality from mine, a man who was hard to understand. There's something appealing about people who are hard to understand, isn't there? Also, I had a strong impression that he was a man with a dangerous aura. And he's the kind of weird guy who keeps saying things that the other person can't understand."
He also said, "It's fun to play that kind of character."
"Presenting your ideas to the staff and creating something that isn't your own, and then working through that process, is something unique to animation. With foreign films, there are actual actors, so you can express yourself while staying true to them, but with animation, I get to think about 'what would happen if this person said that line?' and then I get to do that."
What I focused on while acting was Ishiryu's "strength" and "confidence."
"I think it's fundamental to have a relaxed fighting style. Of course, there will be times when you're in a tight spot, so there's a degree to that, but basically, you're strong. It's okay to be overconfident. And you need to be quick-witted. It's a fight where you can't win unless you think several steps ahead, so everyone needs to be quick-witted. I was trying to keep in mind that I am a strong person."
◇Behind the scenes of the recording of Ishiryu vs. Okkotsu: Relatable moments
The TV anime "Jujutsu Kaisen" is known for its fast-paced and exciting battle scenes, and Higashi-san recalls that "it was quite difficult to keep up with the speed" during recording.
"My episode, in particular, is mainly about fighting. When I watched a few episodes of the anime before recording, I was really impressed by the amazing visuals and music. Regarding the action, I thought, 'They're doing it in such an unusual way.' The way they use changes in pace is incredible. I acted while imagining myself living within that environment. During recording, the animation wasn't finished yet, so I had to rely on the stage directions, but I kept falling behind when I looked at the stage directions. I'm sorry about that, but I had to do it a few times, get explanations, and have discussions. Ms. Ogata (Megumi), who plays Yuta Okkotsu, was there, so I was able to watch and learn from how she interacted with the staff."
Ishiryu fights Okkotsu to turn his past life's "eight-tenths full" into "full." What struck me when I interacted with Ogata-san, who plays Okkotsu, was the uniqueness of his expression.
"I've only had the chance to interact with Ms. Ogata a few times. We haven't worked together very often. When I actually did interact with her, I realized that the way a woman plays a male character is truly unique. It's one of a kind. I think it was invaluable to be able to feel that through recording together. The way she portrays a character who is withdrawn and then finally lets something out, I thought it was wonderful. I was recording with the hope that the contrast between Yuta and Ishiryu would come through. I think it was good that we were able to record together, in the sense that our interactions led to the point where Ishiryu was able to have the battle he wanted thanks to Yuta."
In the final episode, there was a memorable scene where Ishiryu, defeated by Yuta Okkotsu after a fierce battle, smiles contentedly and says, "...Thank you. I'm full!!!" Higashi said he empathized with Ishiryu's attitude of acknowledging his opponent even in defeat.
"It's a feeling that you've received something thanks to your opponent. When I see a good performance, I don't feel frustrated or anything like that; I can immediately accept defeat. When I see something good and something enters me, I feel grateful for it. I think Ishiryu is probably grateful to Okkotsu for making up the two minutes he was short in that battle. He can be grateful even when he loses. I can relate to that. Personally, I don't like conflict if possible, and I don't want to waste energy, and I feel like it would be better if everyone could just smile, so I thought Ishiryu's laid-back attitude and ultimately feeling satisfied, a happy feeling in a way, wasn't so bad."
◇"I'm still thirsty": The yearning of 60-year-old Hiroki Higashi
Higashi-san said he empathized with Ishiryu. Has he himself ever felt a similar "thirst" in his own life?
"When I was younger, there was a time when I was completely depleted. There was no such thing as being 80% of the way there (laughs). When I was in my third year of university, I started a theater company with the idea of 'creating plays that no one can beat.' We got pretty far with that, but due to various circumstances, we ended up disbanding the company. At the time, I wanted to be on TV and in movies, but it was really hard to get into those places. Acting doesn't pay well, so I had to work part-time jobs, and I was completely parched. I guess I was just doing it on a false sense of confidence. If I lost that confidence, I would have no choice but to quit, so there was a time when that was the only thing keeping me going."
Later, thanks to the economic bubble, she received offers for TV and radio commercials, which allowed her to "do what she loves." However, she recalls, "Even then, I couldn't find an opportunity to work in video production. In the meantime, I started getting voice-over and animation work, which led me to where I am today. Looking back now, I'm grateful for that too."
Even now, as a voice actor and actor, he says he still feels that the sense of "thirst" is important.
"I'm turning 60 this year, but there are still cool and energetic seniors like Kazuhiko Inoue and Kazuhiro Yamaji who are a whole generation older than me, so I feel like I still have a long way to go. I want to be an actor in all kinds of roles, so I want to appear in movies, and I really want to work with people I admire in theater. I've been dreaming of doing something with Koji Yakusho between now and when I turn 70, and I'm going to start talking about it and working towards it. I want to do my best while I'm still able to stay just a little bit energetic. I'm still thirsty. Is it okay to stop at 80% full? I'm thinking a lot about how to fill that remaining 20% thirst. I'm yearning for it."
Higashi, who longs to play the role of Ishiryu Ryu, is a character he aspires to portray. We look forward to seeing what other captivating performances he will deliver in the ongoing "Culling Game" series.
"Jujutsu Kaisen" is a manga that was serialized in "Weekly Shonen Jump" from March 2018 to September 2024. The story follows high school student Yuji Itadori, who is thrown into a world of battles against curses after a powerful "cursed object" is unsealed. The series has sold over 150 million copies worldwide, including digital versions of the comics. The third season of the TV anime, "Culling Game Part 1," began airing in January on the MBS/TBS anime block "Super Animeism TURBO" and concluded on March 26th.
(Shiroinu/MANTANWEB)
