Oops^^;

I realize I haven't posted here in ages...really really sorry:S Sometimes I get caught up in the rush and things fall through the crakcs unfortunately^^; But I think I'll try reposting my artcile and song translations here from lj, since I know some people prefer it here^^  First I'll do the Cinema Square interview:3

Credit to Mori for the gorgrous scans!:D

This magazine's exlusive long interview with Matsumoto Jun [The Three Scoundrels of the Hidden Fortress]

Matsumoto Jun has been picked to star in the remake of director Kurosawa Akira's [Kakushi Toride no San

Akunin]. While still prior to going into production at the time of this interview his body was already

brimming with energy for the piece. It's a fusion of the over ten year career as an actor he holds, his

stoically sincere acting stance, and his first action period piece. In the end, what kind of radiance will

he emit...

There's nothing I can do beyond bringing out everything I have.

When I watched the original piece I unintentionally yelled out [Cool!].

- With regards to starring in the remake of director Kurosawa Akira and star Mifune Toshirou's masterpiece

[Kakushi Toride no San Akunin], what were your thoughts upon hearing the plan initially?
Matsumoto: First I initially read the rough script, then after that I watched Kurosawa-san's [Kakushi

Toride no san Akunin], and the establishment is a little different ne. Of course it is a remake, it's

fairly dramatized. My particular role is, in terms of the original, part of the peasant combination of

Taihei, played by Chiaki Minoru-san, and Matashichi, played by Fujiwara Kamatari, but the name has changed

and Mifune-san's role as the military commander Rokurouta has changed into the man named Takezou that I'm

playing. How they escape to their allied country while protecting the princess and war funds...in other

words, the broad story line is the same ne.
- When you tried reading the rough script how did you feel it to be, including your own role?
Matsumoto: The dramatization was done by the writer Nakajima Kazuki-san, who worked in the theatre on

[Gekidan Shinkansen]. I really liked the Shinkansen play and I got the impression that there were parts

that had Shinkansen type action and parts that were more adventure. In other words I thought "it's a fast-

paced action movie". But when I watched Kurosawa-san's piece after that I got a completely different

impression ne. From the beginning there were points where I thought it honestly might be desolate even if
we did a stright remake.

*Dies a thousand deaths*~X3

After all the original is just too amazing. That's why if someone had said [We're

doing a complete remake of [Kakushi Toride no San Akunin, will you do it?] I probably would have said [I

won't] ne (laughs). Because we definitely can't do the same things as the original.
- What points would you have felt were too amazing?
Matsumoto: First of all, the action was amazing no matter how you look at it! The crowd scene at the

beginning, Mifune-san's hand's-free horseback riding action scene (an incredibly famous scene that occurs
in the original piece), the festival scene, there were a lot of impressive scenes. This is a personal

opinion but, watching Hong Kong action movies there aren't any parts that make me think 'this is amazing'.

I probably see it as cutting it to make it perfect. Other than that, even if you watch something like [The

Matrix] there's amazing parts with CG and wire action, but that's not the magnificence of flesh and blood

human beings. Because when I watched [Kakushi Toride~] I unthinkingly blurted out [Woah, that5's cool!] ne.

That feeling was incredibly refreshing. Maybe you'd call it a dancing of the heart, or a swift sense of

exhilaration. It certainly may not be something where you can laugh with abandon, or a story that colors

your heart with it's emotion, but it goes straight inside you ne. In a good sense I guess it's the feeling

that your feet aren't on the ground anymore. Your body gets a little lighter you could say... I came to

know a sensation that isn't in this current movie. That's why I think there's no need for us to do the

exact same thing shot in the exact same style. But, since I read the rough script first this time there

were things, including the actors I'm co-starring with, that floated to mind. That image really pulled at

my interest so I thought that I wanted to try doing my best. But when I saw Kurosawa-san's piece as you

would think I worried a little that "this might turn into a lot of trouble" ne (laughs).

I want to constrain the focal point to what kind of piece we'll create.

- Don't you feel pressure?
Matsumoto: Though I do have thoughts like 'what do the people who watched the old movie and the people who

are always involved with movies think with regards to making a Kurosawa film?', to me that doesn't really

matter much ne. Which is to say, it's not so can I escape from the kind of judgement and criticism, nor to

confirm or deny it, it's because I want to turn the focal point to what kind of piece we - (this edition's)
director Higuchi Shinji-san who's at the top of the list of the Higuchi Group, will create. The major point

being that Kurosawa-san's [Kakushi Toride~] is uneblievably respected.
- You can't just show the same things again ne.
Matsumoto: Because we can't win unless we do more than just the same things ne.
- Is that so?
Matsumoto: Yes. I don't feel like we'll win. I don't have any intention of fighting either (laughs). To the

point where I want them to change the title (laughs). That's right. After I went to see the Shinkansen play

[The plot of the Inugaoka family] recently I went to go eat dinner with (Shinkansen's head and producer)

Inoue Hidenori-san and others. Actually, a long time ago director Higuchi-san was repsonsible for filming

Shinkansen. When I told him about telling Inoue, a big movie fan, that we were doing a remake of [Kakushi

Toride~] he jokingly worried [he'll probably asy harsh things to you~] (laughs). When I conveyed that to

Inoue-san he said [Well of course!] (laughs). Therefore, I think that it's a given that people who watch it

will compare them, that doesn't bother me, but when it comes to the acting side I have no intention of

doing it while being concerned about comparisons ne. Because there's nothing I can do beyond bringing out

everything I have.

Right now I feel like I'm swaying abck and forth between pressure and excitement.

- You've performed in a lot of things, like movie and drama versions of comics, that have an original

behind them, but when you were doing [Boku wa Imouto ni Koi wo Suru] as well you determinedly said "The

assesment of those who watch it isn't everything" ne.
Matsumoto: Naturally there are a lot of things that I feel from reading the original, lots of hints that I

profit from, so I think I want to reflect that (the original) in my own way. But with originals there are

readers to begin with, and I think there are as many impressions of it and ways to read it as there are

readers, so if I tried to reflect all of that the things that are my own would disappear ne. This time it's

not a character just like in the original, so when I saw the original it was an unusual feeling. If I was

doing that role exactly in that way I'd probably feel an incredible amount of pressure, but that's not how

it is. It's not the same kind of script.

But there's also a "what will happen?" kind of pressure, so right

now I guess it feels like I'm swaying abck and forth in the interval between pressure and excitement.
- In regards to role creation, have you already been picturing it in your head?
Matsumoto: It's an extremely vague concept, but I do have one. In the movie that Kurosawa directed and

Mifune-san starred in there was an impression of swiftly occurring excitement ne. So I think that it would

be nice if it became a piece where you could feel that sensation, though fine as a "shape that we make it",

somewhere inside it. [Seven Samurai] is also one of director Kurosawa Akira and Mifune-san's works, and at

any rate Mifune-san was as stirring as always, it's amazing how his prescence is always really cool.

Therefore, rather than a sense of undertaking a Mifune-san type role I think it would be good if the whole

piece could be composed of things that make you feel that exhilaration and excitement.
- It's a Nakajima script so I don't think there's anyway it could not turn out like that, I'm looking

forward to it! On a side note, is this your first period piece?
Matsumoto: It is ne. But I like period pieces. I love things like [Abarenbou no Shogun] and [Toyama no

Kinsan], so I used to watch them a lot when I was in preschool.
- A sombre preschool student ne (laughs). For exmaple, I think there are things in period dramas like

wearing wigs, binding your hair...
Matsumoto: Takezou is one of the mountain folk, since he's not a samurai he doesn't bind his hair, and the

speech at this point, as far as the script goes, is also normal ne.
- Mountain folkmeaning?
Matsumoto: A gold digger. An image of a not so bad brigand I guess. He has a certain past, he's been living

in solitude so though he's done bad things at his base he's not that bad of a person, it appears.
- It seems like it will become a wild sort of feeling ne.
Matsumoto: It's quite wild ne. But whether it will actually go like that or not, I'm so uneasy I can't hlp

myself (laughs).
- Eh, what do you mena 'that'?
Matsumoto: I can't really say in detail, I think there's a possibility that it could change from here on,

but at this point the plan is to grow my hair out, and also the hairstyle will change to give the effect

kind of like that of a fleeing soldier.
- It's not a comical feeling like the old version?
Matsumoto: There are those kind of parts as well, but the worthless kind of feeling of the combo in the

original isn't everything ne. The way of depicting it was of the two as one unit, but the ones we're going

to be protraying aren't going to be like that. Also, gold isn't their only goal. In terms of my character's

background, he's burdened with a certain destiny or fate, since he's always been just surviving on his own

he doesn't trust other people very much, he has a personality where he doesn't open his heart up much. But,

I think the other companion will be quite a bit of comic relief so I guess we might be able to strike a

good balance there.

Every piece becomes a turning point for me.

- Next year the movie version of [Hana yori Dango] is also being released but it's almost like it's an

exact opposite piece ne. Your breadth of roles seems like it will become quite incredible.
Matsumoto: I'm not conscious of that kind of thing at all ne. They're completely different roles, they're

not being shot simultaneously, and I think I can switch between them.
- As an actor you're armed with many pieces, if you include when you were a (Johnny's) Jr. you have an over

ten year career ne.
Matsumoto: I guess it will be 11 years. But, nah, I don't think there's that kind of thing (laughs). I

think I've lived nonchalantly.
- Not at all (laughs), looking back on this 11 year career is there a piece that left a deep impression, or

a piece that let you see your direction as an actor?
Matsumoto: Every piece would be like that wouldn't it ne. Looking back now on all the pieces I'm glad that

I was able to do them. I learned a lot of things. I think they all became good points for me. Therefore, if

you were to ask [what was your turning point?] I'd answer [all of them], if you were to ask [what was the

most clear turning point?] I think I'd answer [none of them].
- When comparing to before is there anything in your acting skills that became visible, or that changed?
Matsumoto: If the roles were different the co-stars and staff were also different so my plan on what I was

thinking at the time woul also change so... What could it be...
- For example, in [Hana yori Dango] the Doumyouji Tsukasa role was given a good performance as an

arrogantly strong-willed, but kind of foolish, endearing character, but on the other hand in [Kiiroi

Namida] you transformed into a plain boy to the extent that you felt your eyes were fooling you, thinking

'this is the same actor who played Doumyouji?', depending on the piece it changes suddenly but how do you

usually create your characters?
Matsumoto: Character creation...how exactly do I do it ne (laughs)? I don't even know myself ne.

In the past on set if I couldn't operate as I'd chosen I didn't like it.

- By the way, have you ever learned anything from watching the character creation of the other Arashi

members in [Life is Hard Dakedo Happy] or [Kiiroi Namida]?
Matsumoto: No, I do it in my own way. Although there have been times when I've thought anew "so that's how

this guy returns a performance" or "this is the kind of stance he has o set", but I haven't learned

anything ne (laughs).
- (laughs)
Matsumoto: Although I've never been aware of thinking "in this piece I change this part of myself like

this", first I start by envisioning the role in it's entirety so that I can go to the set. Because the

things that each character "holds" will themselves change I think up the "backbone" in my own way. When

this person is saying these lines I think they have to come from that character and it not be me that's

saying them.

I don't have any confidence after performing

Other than that, what I'm always conscious of is wanting to act with the attitude of doing it

because I like the piece. I think that's the same for any actor, if there wasn't anything attractive in the

script I guess they probably wouldn't do it. Reading that I find what may be the wonderful parts of that

piece in my own way, interpret them in my own way, explain and understand it in my own way. Adversely, all

of the pieces that I've held this far were all good.
- That's right ne.
Matsumoto: Other than that, speaking of character creation, even if, for example, there was a character

that I couldn't sympathize with at all, I think I'd like to grasp it enough to bring it inside myself. I've

never studied at a theatre group or an acting school, I've also never studied under anyone, so I do a lot

of things based on sensations ne. There are times where I create the character while thinking "I wonder if

it's okay this way?" though... I wonder how normal actors answer at times like this ne.
- Your character creation will also change before and after you go on set ne.
Matsumoto: That's right ne. But I think on a certain level things like in this scene this is how it's being

expressed, or what I want to appeal to, it's because I comprehend my role that I go into it. Only, of

course, there's also things that you create after entering the set and knowing the sense of distance and

atmosphere of the other actors. The sensation of with what distance to relate to the other person, how to

actually move at the point of the performance, I don't decide those until I got to the set. There's also

the thoughts of the director and the staff, the kind of environment, what's in the surroundings, those kind

of conditions will become much clearer ne. For example, when you go to set there's times when the props

will increase or the set will change as well. That's why even if you solidify everything it can all

collapse, I make it so that I leave it a "blank space". In the past I used to decide what I'd do inside my

head, so there were times when if things didn't go that way on set I alone would be panicking (painful

grin).
- About when did that change?
Matsumoto: Gradually I guess... Because after all acting isn't something you do by yourself ne.
- So that means that as your experience accumulated confidence came with it ne.
Matsumoto: With that, I don't have any confidence after performing. I get the feeling that kind of

thing is arrogance. There's as many ways to act as there are people, if other actors did the role that I do

it would probably become yet a different character, if the co-stars changed the acting would change again.

I always feel like the best of that time seems it will exhaust itself. It's not something that will get

better if there was more time or you could add on more takes though ne.

Because the camera is something

that cuts out that "moment". I guess it's the same as the fact that even if you shoot the same scene 10

times it's not a given that the 10th take will be the best. The fresh, first take might be good, the 3rd

take where you've realized something might be good ne.
- I see. But what you said before about having no confidence, was that...modesty? (laughs)
Matsumoto: No, I'm telling you it's how I really feel (laughs)!
- Well, of course, confidence in the good sense is not having any blurryiness in the acting. Looking back

on the characters that Matsumoto-san has played that's what I think.
Matsumoto: Yeah, I think that I do my utmost so that there's no blurriness.
- Despite that, when doubt arises do you consult with the direction and decide on the direction?
Matsumoto: I have times like that. But I think that performing is something that you do without excuses, no

matter what conditions you're in. When I act I end up wanting to make excuses no matter what though ne

(laughs). For example, if there on monitors on the drama or movie set I'll check them and think "let me do

it one more time!". But, beginning with the staff, everyone operated with all of their energy for the sake

of that one take, so it has to be decided by that one time ne. That's why I always think that I have to

preserve my ability to concentrate.

"It's not so can I escape from the kind of judgement and criticism, nor to confirm or deny it"

"I'm always conscious of wanting to act with the attitude of doing it

because I like the piece"

"Performing is something that you do without excuses, no

matter what conditions you're in"

[Kakushi Toride no san Akunin] Nationwide release by Toei on May 10th, 2008.
Director: Higuchi Shinji; Writer: Nakajima Kazuki
Starring: Matsumoto Jun, Nagasawa Masami, Miygawa Daisuke/Abe Hiroshi, others.
Distributor: Toei

Ha~<3 Well, I was in constant peril of getting sucked into staring at these gorgeous shots (the second and third one literally made my jaw drop the first time I saw them...>_<; and I love how throughout the shoot he has less and less clothingXD) but actually I really enjoyed reading this article^^ I've always been keenly interested in his theories on acting, and you can tell when he talks about it that he gets very deeply involved in the conversation. And what he said about having no confidence after giving his performance...he hides it very well. Maybe it's because he puts everything he is into his performances, but there's very little room for doubt or hesitation in his acting and he always comes across as if he were aware of just what he needs to do. Of course, having never studied acting in a classroom or apprenticeship sense has forced him to develop his own techniques and they've served him well, although I get the feeling he would have liked to have a chance to explore the craft in that way. But what I really found striking was the last few lines, where he said that he feels he always has to be at full concentration to avoid putting to waste all the efforts of those around him...that was the real Jun I think. He comes across as arrogant or aloof quite a lot, whether he intends to or not, but we've all heard or seen how he is actually a really considerate, caring person, and I feel like that really comes out in that one line:3 This is probably why he said that in his private work he's always much more tense then with the other members, and changing gears is tough; on set he pushes himself so hard that it must seem annoying sometimes when the others just goof off around him, but I'm glad that he's starting to appreciate the balance^^
On a side note, I watched the original this week, and I highly highly recommend it>_< Within the first 5 minutes I was captivated (despite the really difficult dialect, which I still can't say I get 100%:S), and I fully agree with Jun about the feeling of exhilaration and excitement that is evoked throughoutX3 It's a fabulous movie, I won't go into the plot to avoid spoiling it, but if Jun's horseback scene is half as impressive...well, let's just say I can't wait to see what they do with it, now that I know what it's based on^^ I really hope Masami doesn't copy the princess' role too closely though...she was a little weird^^;

Oh, one little thing, I was listening to some of Jun's older radio shows and he wsaid that when they were taping Shukudai-kun one day Ogura suddenly came into his dressing room and gave hima watch from the Showa 40 era!X3 Apparently Ogura collects old watches, and at one point Jun and he got into a huge discussion about them, and now Ogura gave him one for his birthday, that's so sweet:3

<3<3<3