"Chiruran: Shinsengumi Shinsengumi," a major project by TBS, U-NEXT, and THE SEVEN (known for works such as "Alice in Borderland"), began streaming worldwide on May Getsuku under the title "Song of the Samurai." It has garnered attention, reaching a peak of 5th place in the daily TV rankings of the US video streaming service "HBO Max." We spoke with lead actor Yuki Yamada about the widespread response across borders and his thoughts on playing the protagonist , Hijikata Toshizo.
◇"The way of life of the samurai is moving in any era."
The Shinsengumi adaptation of "Chiruran: Shinsengumi Requiem" (Zenon Comics), originally written by Shinya Umemura and illustrated by Eiji Hashimoto, tells the story of Toshizo Hijikata, a hot-headed Hijikata Toshizo who only seeks to be the strongest, who meets Isami Kondo, a man of great character, and together with other strong personalities like Okita Soji and Hajime Saito, they build the Shinsengumi...
The main character, Toshizo Hijikata Toshizo by Yamada, Isami Yamanami Keisuke by Nobuyuki Suzuki , Okita Soji Kanata Hosoda, Izō Okada, a Tosa samurai known as "Izō the Assassin," is played by Kento Nakajima, Jun Matsumoto, and Kamo Serizawa is played by Go Ayano.
--The film has been receiving consistently positive reviews overseas, with some calling it "a new masterpiece in the modern samurai genre." How has this feedback reached you, Mr. Yamada?
I've heard it from various sources, but the most direct way I've heard it is from producer Teru Morii. He tells me with such joy, "We're ranked 5th!", and it makes me happy too (laughs). Even though they said it would be distributed in over 100 countries worldwide, I didn't really understand how big that was, but seeing the numbers like this really made me realize how amazing it is.
I think that's not just due to our hard work, but also because of the high level of interest in Japanese culture and traditions. Sword action, swords, and samurai are things that are uniquely Japanese and have captivated the world. If you go back further, there's also the story that Akira Kurosawa's period dramas influenced many foreign directors, including George Lucas of "Star Wars" fame. I think the way of life of the samurai has always resonated with people, no matter the era.
--With just a sword in hand, they risk their lives fighting for their beliefs. Why are people so drawn to this samurai spirit?
I think it's because they're serious about it. I think people who are serious are cool, whether things are going well for them or not. Unlike the era depicted in "Chiruran," there are fewer situations in modern times where your life is taken away so easily. Even so, people who live their lives to the fullest and work hard are still cool. When I think about it that way, I wonder just how much effort those people who fought for their "sincerity," with the resolve that they might die tomorrow, must have put in.
--As the Edo shogunate was drawing to a close and the times were changing dramatically, the Shinsengumi seemed to remain committed to living as samurai. What were your thoughts on this way of life of the samurai?
I've never seen a real samurai, so I'm not qualified to talk about what a samurai is, but having had a vicarious experience through playing the role of Hijikata Toshizo, I realized I really like that way of life.
It's about the feelings one has for their sword. For example, when two people introduce themselves before crossing swords, it's also a way of remembering the person they've killed. Carrying that name on their backs, they challenge again. And they believe that they'll make the world a better place.
Of course, some were fighting for their families, and others may have been fighting for their own selfish reasons. Amidst all these people wielding their swords for their own individual reasons, I think that perhaps Toshizo didn't initially know where the tip of his sword was pointing.
I just want to be strong. But I don't know how. I thought, "I want to be the strongest," but I think there was a moment when I wondered, "What does 'strongest' even mean?" I felt the same way. As an actor, I wanted to get better at acting. I started out wanting to be a good actor, but I didn't know what made a good actor, or what it meant to be a good actor.
The world doesn't change easily, and it doesn't move forward easily. There were many days when I thought, "Then what am I living for?" For Hijikata, it was the sword, and for me, it was acting. I think that's the difference. But there was family. There was the Shinsengumi. There was the lord. There were comrades. I think that within that environment, you receive things, and your perspective changes.
Ultimately, I feel like I'm fighting to accept myself, even while doubting whether the way I've lived my life was the right one. Believing that it must be the right thing to do. I think there's probably no regret there.
--So, there were parts that resonated with your own life, Mr. Yamada?
Yes, I suppose so. I'm not a samurai, but I might have a bit of that feeling. I came to Tokyo thinking that "if I couldn't become an actor, it would be as good as death." I left with the intention of never coming back. I would only drop by when I had free time for work, and I didn't want to stay overnight or even go into my own room, so I would leave as soon as I stopped by. Even during New Year's. I came with the feeling that "I've left home," and I wanted to become an actor.
Sometimes I think, "I should have gone home more often." Because some people pass away while I'm away. But I have no regrets. Because it was my own decision. In order to accept that way of life, I need to give a good performance for the people who have passed away, for me, my father.
For Hijikata Toshizo, it was about fighting a good battle, and living a good life as a member of the Shinsengumi. He believed that this would be a way to honor those who died. If we're talking about being a samurai, that might be the kind of feeling he had.
--I felt once again that Mr. Yamada's life and the role of Hijikata Toshizo were destined to meet.
There are moments when I don't even understand it myself (laughs). Maybe I'm unconsciously making that connection, or maybe I acted with that feeling in mind, I really don't know. But that's what I think.
◇From striving to be the "strongest" alone, to a work where everyone is rewarded.
--Did you ever talk with your co-stars about your thoughts on your roles or the project?
Yes, there were. During filming for this project, we all talked about a lot of things, and I could feel that each of my co-stars was carrying a different burden. I'm sure there were some who felt, "I want people to know that I'm an actor!" when they saw this film. For example, Miyazaki Akihito and I were in the same acting school, and I remember him saying, "I won't lose to you," when we first met. So, with me playing the lead role of Hijikata Toshizo and him playing Todo Heisuke, I had mixed feelings, but also a feeling of "Let's do this!" I think each and every one of us had our own feelings about this project.
That's why, more than anything, I want everyone to be happy with this work. I feel like that's what I'm here for. I feel like I'm living out Hijikata Toshizo for everyone's sake. The more people say "Chiruran" is "amazing," the more "amazing" everyone is. That's why I still can't say "that's good" somewhere. The original story has a continuation, and I don't know yet if there will be a sequel, but it's not over. It's not finished.
We all gave it our all, and it became an amazing work, something incredible that's even making waves around the world. On set, it sounds silly, but we were even talking about things like, "What if we all ended up appearing on 'Kohaku' (a popular New Year's Eve music show)?" Even if our directions were different, everyone definitely has their own "I hope this happens" dreams.
It's the same for the staff. When someone says, "Wow, you worked on 'Chiruran'? That's amazing!", isn't that a wonderful thing? I want that kind of thing to happen to everyone involved, and I think that's also linked to what it means to represent the Shinsengumi.
--In "Chiruran," the keyword "boiling" resonates impressively. Do you have any hints for viewers of "Chiruran" on how to get their own lives burning with passion?
For me, it would be nice if I could kindle a spark in the hearts of those who watch it. There are all kinds of people in the world, so it would be wrong to say, "You should live this way," and I think that everything is about each person being able to cherish the way of life that is important to them in their own way.
So, I'd be happy if people watched "Chiruran" and simply thought, "It would be cool to live like that." It's fine if they watch the action and think, "Wow, that's awesome!" or "Kamo, so melodramatic!" (laughs). I think it's enough if that moment is enjoyable for them or helps them forget about their troubles.
But I think there will definitely be people who will gain something from it. It may only be a handful, but there may be actors, directors, or screenwriters who say, "Watching that made me want to become an actor," or "I want to create a work like that." Ten or twenty years from now, a young actor might say, "Actually, I didn't see it in real time." When that happens, this work will surely have been a success.
What I value most is that this work wouldn't have been possible without these friends. I would be happy if that comes across to everyone.
--Perhaps it means that if you live life to the fullest, you'll meet other people who are also living life to the fullest.
I don't think I've prepared for this, but I feel like this is what happened because I've just been living my life to the fullest (laughs). So I think that things like "I want to be the strongest" or "I want to be a great actor" are not things you aim for and become, but rather things that you realize you've become.
I, too, used to have a dark side, wanting to be the best so much that I'd think, "If only all the other actors were gone, I could get the part." But then I realized that's not how it works. I understood that a work of art is a comprehensive art form. I want to create a work where everyone is rewarded. If I'm cast as the lead, you can assume that's all I'm thinking about.
--Perhaps the members of the Shinsengumi felt the same way.
I think that's probably true. At first, I think it was just "I want to protect these guys." But as the number of soldiers increased, all sorts of problems arose. I think some people started to think, "Humans are such a pain." So, if I were to play the life of Hijikata Toshizo until my death, I think I would feel like I had died once myself. And then I think I would feel like I was reborn.
I wouldn't be able to do all of this without all of you who watch, so I hope you'll watch a lot. Please rack up the view count. And please, with your help, share the image of me falling as Toshizo with the world.
