Actor Kentaro Ito stars in the drama series "Continuous Drama W: Consultant - The Man Who Writes About Death," which will be broadcast and streamed on WOWOW Prime and WOWOW On Demand starting June 7th. We spoke with Ito, who plays an aspiring novelist who transforms into an assassination consultant, about his thoughts on the series.
The drama is based on Im Sung-soon's novel "The Consultant" (Japanese translation: "The Consultant - The Man Who Writes Death"). Izaki Yo (played by Ito), an unremarkable aspiring mystery novelist, is dragged into a mysterious organization called "The Company" and transformed into an assassination consultant specializing in writing "perfect assassination scenarios" that no one will notice. However, he gradually becomes entangled in an overwhelming evil and finds himself with no escape. It is a dark suspense drama depicting people being tossed about in the darkness of a capitalist society where even "death" becomes a commodity. The directors are Hideo Nakata, known for the "Ring" film series, and Yoshinori Kobayashi, known for the "Unfair" series (Kyodo Television).
◇The "sense of what I like" that I cherished
When asked about playing a character with a dual personality like Izaki, Ito said, "It's difficult, but the fun outweighs the difficulty."
"Not just in this work, but I personally find it very rewarding to portray how people change. People grow and change through the people and things they encounter. As the days go by, there are parts of them that grow and change, and parts that remain the same. I enjoy acting out those aspects, and I also enjoy thinking about them. I think that was particularly strong in Izaki's character."
People change depending on the situation and environment, but there are also core values that remain unwavering. Ito said about his approach to the role, "Izaki aims to be a novelist, so I wanted to keep in mind that he loves writing, no matter what form it takes."
"It's precisely because I have this feeling of love that I also feel guilt about indirectly killing someone. Even so, I made a conscious effort to always keep that feeling deep down that I love writing, writing novels, writing screenplays. I think many people have probably experienced the rebellion against having something they love exploited, or the frustration of feeling like they're going to stop loving it. I wanted to cherish that feeling of starting something I loved, but then going in a different direction."
When asked if he himself had ever felt that way, Ito replied, "Yes, I have. There were times when I felt like it was starting to feel like work even though I was doing it because I loved it, or when I wondered why things were turning out this way," showing his understanding of Izaki's feelings.
◇GACKT to be bombarded with questions?
GACKT plays Kurokawa, the mysterious man who tries to lure Izaki into the evil organization. Ito was impressed by his overwhelming presence, saying, "He was perfect for the role."
"Kurokawa is somewhat otherworldly and elusive. GACKT's portrayal further amplified his mysterious aura. While Izaki is the protagonist and the story progresses from there, Kurokawa is also a character that symbolizes the narrative. I felt he was an important figure who would influence the story, so I was grateful to be able to work with GACKT."
Ito said that she was nervous about going to the shoot with GACKT, wondering "how much he would talk to me, and whether there would be any barriers," but she is grateful that he was surprisingly friendly.
"I asked about life in Malaysia, and since I also enjoy working out, I asked about weight training and diet. We also had casual conversations and talked about our hobbies, so I had a very enjoyable time during the shoot."
◇Re-evaluating input for those in their 30s
Ito will turn 29 in June, the same month the drama begins airing. When asked what he wants to do before turning 30, he laughed and said, "I haven't really thought about it," but added, "In terms of my late 20s as I prepare for my 30s, I've been taking in more input from various people's stories and works than I did in my early 20s."
"Of course, it's not that I wasn't doing it at all, but in my early twenties, I felt more like I was just frantically focusing on whatever was in front of me, rather than consciously thinking, 'I should take in this kind of information.' From around the age of 26, my awareness of taking in information increased more than ever before. That process is ongoing, but I think I should increase the amount of time I spend on it."
Regarding turning 30, Ito says, "I have the image of being an adult, so when I actually get closer to it, I think, 'Huh, is this all there is?' (laughs)." Nevertheless, the increasing presence of younger people on set is helping her to develop a sense of being an "adult."
"When I'm alone or with my friends from my hometown, we say things like, 'We're still stuck at 18,' and it doesn't really feel real. But when I'm on set with younger kids, I feel like I have to be more responsible. I do feel like I'm being made an adult in that way."
"Continuous Drama W Consultant - The Man Who Writes About Death -" will air and stream every Sunday at 10 PM on WOWOW Prime and WOWOW On Demand starting June 7th. It will consist of 6 episodes. The first episode will be broadcast and streamed for free. (Interview, text, and photography by Masaki Endo)
