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mirai-e-jump · 2 months ago

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Animage June 2025 Issue ft. Karuma Interview (translation below)

Publication: May 12, 2025

Wish Hunter

As the Gozyugers were fighting against the Buraidans, who had emerged from the No One World, a mysterious warrior, known as Ring Hunter Garyudo, suddenly appeared in front of them. He's a Sentai Ring hunter who's taken down countless Ring Warriors that formed contracts with Tega Sword by using a gun that contains the power of TegaJune, the Buraidan Queen. While known as Kuon, his true identity is Tono Hisamitsu, the older brother of Hoeru (GozyuWolf), who he became separated from in the No One World.

Hoeru always saw his older brother as Number One, and had feelings of affection and respect for him. However, for Kuon, who had abandoned his old name, Hoeru is his beloved little brother, or rather, a "doll" whose feelings he distorts with the desire to do as he commands. At one point, Hoeru was enslaved by Kuon's words that rejected the idea of fighting in order to search for his genuine wish, but he was determined to face the others and the world through fighting, and so he cut ties with him.

The first round of the brother's confrontation ended in a victory for Hoeru. Defeated, Kuon utters the words, "I'm going to break you. And then, you're……going to break me," but what's the true meaning behind these disturbing words? What'll happen on the battlefield when the gong rings for their second round?! _

-I don't want people getting used to Kuon-

"Please tell us how you felt when you heard that you were going to appear."

Karuma: In the beginning, I'm almost certain that Kuon wasn't the official name of the role, but I had heard that he was a nuanced character that held an important position on the enemy side, and that he could transform. I would've never imagined that I'd be asked to join a Sentai, so I was surprised and thought, "Eh, what do you mean?," and "What color will I be?" After that, I learned about his setup in phases, and was shown Garyudo's picture among other things. I thought he'd be an impactful character who'd show off the core of Gozyuger's chaotic story, so I went into filming thinking, "I'm going to steal the show all at once!"

"While Kuon seemed to be a kind hearted person, he left a strong impression by revealing his cruelty when he rejected Hoeru's individuality and provoked the other Gozyugers."

Karuma: When I began filming, it was before the show started airing, but I felt that the Buraidan characters were so appealing, that the viewers would adore them. Before filming, I struggled with how to portray Kuon as nuanced, but I thought that if there's characters who are meant to be loved, that I should devote all my energy into playing a role that attracts hatred.

"That's true, Kuon's the type of character that's never existed on the Buraidan side before."

Karuma: That's right, he's a really bad guy (laughs). He's calm, but there are times when "a screw becomes loose," and he'll say some surprisingly relentless lines that'll make you think, "Are you sure you're allowed to say that?!," so I think his presence is one that creates a sense of tension within the show.

"There are times where he shows his irregular affection for Hoeru."

Karuma: In my mind, Kuon……I believe that Tono Hisamitsu was quite close to Hoeru in the past, but there have been many depictions that give off the feeling that he's insane. I'm playing the role with the understanding that behind his love, there's also a considerable amount of hatred and resentment being hidden away. I have a feeling that Kuon holds such negative feelings not only for Hoeru, but also about a variety of other things.

"What's your impression of Hoeru's Fuyuno Mio-san?"

Karuma: When I was first told about it, the cast hadn't been decided on yet, so I wanted to know whose big brother I was going to be as soon as possible. When I finally saw his picture, I thought, "Ah, as expected, he's a good looking guy just like me" (laughs). I was told by the staff that Mio had been a fan of mine for some time, and in fact, when I met him for the first time on my first day of filming, he was like, "Huwah……" He was trembling so badly that he looked like a frightened puppy (laughs). When I talked to him, it seemed that he bought my book among other items. I thought about using that as a way to get closer to him, but Hoeru has a great deal of respect for his older brother, and I thought it'd be okay to have abit of distance between us, so we went into filming without any changes. Going forward, I'd like to close the distance between us at our own pace.

"Although Kuon stands in a unique position, he shares many scenes with Fire Candle and Bouquet, who are also on the Buraidan side."

Karuma: When I first met them, I got the impression that they were exactly as I had imagined Fire Candle and Bouquet from reading the script. They both have such beautiful voices and perform so well, that it made me worriedly think, "Can they hear my voice?" (laughs). Still, I haven't had that many Buraidan scenes, and there are quite a few instances where Bouquet is there, but Fire Candle isn't. He basically goes solo when he fights, and among the Buraidan characters, he's got more of a lone wolf side to him. In that regard, I'm eager to enjoy more of the Buraidan scenes.

"How do you communicate with Garyudo's Suit Actor Saito Kenya-san?"

Karuma: The day we started filming was close to Saito-san's birthday, so we started things off with me saying "happy birthday" (laughs). I thought that I may have to take Garyudo's movements into account depending on how I played Kuon, so I first told him what kind of person I thought Kuon was and how I was going to play him. Saito-san also tells me what movements he's planning, and whenever I meet up with him afterwards, I'll say things like, "No, that was amazing!" and "I'll do my best with post recording too!"

"What's important to you when doing post recording for Garyudo?"

Karuma: I'm providing my voice while being conscious of the fact that Saito-san's the one playing Garyudo. However, it's really difficult recording for Garyudo (bitter smile). Since his character is so strong and composed, it's important to insert my voice not just in all the action scenes, but anywhere I can, and I have to watch each movement and guess carefully, so it's difficult. Still, I want to be the best at doing the recording out of everyone, and I'm working diligently to reach the level where people will think, "It's Karuma, so he can do it" in the shortest amount of time possible. Also, it's difficult for me to keep my enthusiasm down while still giving off his fighting spirit and overwhelming sense of strength.

"If you let your emotions get the best of you, it might diminish his sense of depth."

Karuma: That's right. I want to make people think of it as a signal that "when Kuon's like this, it's going to be a bad time," and I feel like I want to surprise them by showing my emotions exactly where they should be shown. From a broad perspective, there seems to be alot of things to consider, such as not raising my voice except in really emotional scenes, or giving a glimpse of his scary side so that it'll make you feel like, "Whatever this guy decides to do, he's just gonna do it."

"You're taking the entire production into account as you create the role of Kuon, aren't you?"

Karuma: Yes. As for myself, I don't want people getting used to Kuon. I don't want people to have a fixed idea of "what kind of person Kuon is," and I think that because there are aspects of him that are "unimaginable," he can become a character that'll cause speculation and get people to use their imaginations. Because of that, I'm playing the role with the utmost care.

"So far, what episode has had the most memorable scene?"

Karuma: Episode 9 is memorable not only for its story, but also because I took the initiative and went beyond what was in the script. There's a scene where I strike the table while talking with the other four Gozyugers at Tega Sword Village, but that was something I adlibbed. I really wanted to scare the four of them by letting his emotions explode there, but I didn't say anything about it when we were getting everything set up, and just did it suddenly during the performance, thinking, "Hate me." I ended up breaking stuff like the menu board (laughs).

"You may have put too much emotion into it (laughs)."

Karuma: Even for the final scene, when I'm squirming from the pain of my wound, I told Producer Matsuura, "I'm going to do it with the intention of making children cry," and yelled at the top of my lungs without thinking about whether they'd even use it. I could hear the people around me nervously saying, "Is this alright?" but Director Tasaki gave it his OK after my first attempt.

"So you were able to get Director Tasaki to accept your performance."

Karuma: I worked together with Tasaki-san for the first time in episode 9, where he called out to me after filming finished. I initially thought he was upset with me over it (laughs), and was just thinking about accepting whatever was coming my way, but then he asked me, "Where are you from?" When I answered with "Fukuoka," he said, "That's not what I meant, what did you originally do?," and "I like that you don't do the kind of acting that most normal people think of doing." As for myself, I was really enthusiastic about "breaking down the conventional Super Sentai," but then I thought about whether or not the flow of the set had been established, and felt that I was close to "retreating into my shell." Episode 9 had many memorable scenes with Kuon, and I acted with the feeling of, "I'm scared, but I'm just gonna let it all out!," so hearing Tasaki-san's words made me very happy.

"Finally, please tell us what points you'd like us to pay attention to in episode 12 and onwards."

Karuma: In the coming developments, events will occur that'll defy the viewer's imaginations, making them feel like, "I see, so that's the answer you've come up with!" When I read the scripts, I thought, "Ah, this is seriously interesting!," and was quite fired up when I performed. For me, these are my favorite episodes so far, and I hope you don't miss a single episode either.

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mirai-e-jump · 29 days ago

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Animage July 2025 Issue ft. Chitose Machi x Takizawa Ryo Interview (translation below)

Publication: June 10, 2025

A Splendidly Evil Family

Planning to seize control of the Granute world by distributing dark sweets that use humans as ingredients is Stomach Inc. Among the Stomach family members who manage it, the eldest daughter Glotta and second son Nyelv have completely opposite personalities.

Glotta is one of the best armed fighters in the Stomach Family, proudly displaying combat strength that can overwhelm even a Kamen Rider. In contrast, she worried when the eldest son Lango received the order for an absurd amount of dark sweets from president Bocca, showing off her family oriented side.

Nyelv, who's in charge of technological developments, contributes to Stomach Inc's prosperity through a variety of inventions. Behind the scenes however, he repeatedly acts selfish, as he was sharing information with the human Suga Kenzo, and secretly developed and experimented with the Vrastumgear.

When the third son Jiip married into the Jaldak Family, they took over Stomach Inc, and when Lango lost to Shouma, Stomach Inc underwent a drastic change. With no one to turn to, Glotta was at a loss for what to do, all while Nyelv successfully won over Bocca……these two are clearly divided into the light and dark sides of the family. With Glotta and the Kamen Riders having a rematch, the battle situation will drastically change once again! _

Chitose Machi (Glotta) x Takizawa Ryo (Nyelv)

-Love for your family has its strengths and weaknesses-

"As the number of episodes increased, how did your impression of your own role change?

Chitose: She was initially "in charge" of violence, so I thought her character was similar to that of a warrior, but in the scripts for the second half of the show, I could see the love she has for her family, and that it was her weakness. She's not human, but she has a human like quality to her, and it was abit unexpected to see her turn into such a relatable character.

Takizawa: I felt that Nyelv, a Granute whose thoughts we can't comprehend, was the most fantasy like character. When I first got the role, we were at the stage where there was no definite conclusion, so every time I read the script, I'd think about what beliefs Nyelv had and come up with my own assumptions as I performed. I can't go into details just yet, but the part of him that isn't just hungry for knowledge will come out, and in a good way, it betrayed me.

Chitose: The impression I get from Nyelv in the script is that he's completely mysterious, but the Nyelv Takizawa-kun plays often looks surprisingly childish.

Takizawa: Do you feel that he's abit mischievous?

Chitose: Yeah, that's it. I think that's what makes it fun for the viewers to watch. While I play the eldest sister, he really comes across as the youngest brother.

Takizawa: That makes me happy!

Chitose: It was also nice seeing him become agitated when Lango-nii-san confronted him over something.

Takizawa: I believe that there's faces he'll only show amongst certain siblings.

Chitose: That's really great. It's an enjoyable point that's easy to perform.

"On the other end, what's Takizawa-san's impression of Glotta?"

Takizawa: The Nee-san (Glotta) that Nyelv sees and the Nee-san that I see are slightly different.

Chitose: Oh!

Takizawa: I think Nyelv puts priority over his own ambitions, and that he couldn't care less about what Nee-san thinks.

Chitose: She's not even interested (laughs).

Takizawa: From the very beginning of the show, I felt that out of all the family members, Nee-san was the one who thought about the Stomach Family the most. I've gradually come to see that she's not simply strong, but that she also possesses something resembling kindness.

"Nyelv sometimes shows off a sort of playful attitude."

Takizawa: Like when he punched the air (episode 33).

Chitose: That seriously made me laugh!

Takizawa: He wanted to make a fool of Magen-san as much as possible, but since my performance as Nyelv was from far away, it gave off an unusually distant feeling. I thought that if I just shouted, I'd look weak, and when I was wondering if there was anything I could do, I started punching the air. The staff were pretty unsure about it, but Director Shibasaki said, "Yeah, that's good," and gave me the OK after my first take.

Chitose: So that's how it happened (laughs).

Takizawa: Earlier you said that "he comes across as the youngest," but from the start, I was trying to convey his mischievous side without forcing it too much. By doing so, I also wanted to present him in a way that would make people wonder, "What is he thinking?"

Chitose: Having a desire for knowledge is connected to being childish, so it comes across as natural to me.

Takizawa: It'll be alright if some people laugh when they see how things end for him, and it'll be alright if some feel sorry for him. I feel that Nyelv became a character that people could have those complex feelings about. Although, looking back on it like this, I think that I should've been alot more mischievous (laughs).

Chitose: I feel that this was the best balance.

Takizawa: Yeah. When it comes to performing on film, even if you think that the "flavor" of your expressions is slightly off, the camera angle or the way the Director creates the scene can sometimes make it just right. This was my first time being a regular on a year long production, and I often noticed things after watching the broadcast and felt the power that the staff have.

"We could feel the love Glotta has for her family when she immediately recognized that Jiip was using Siita's Mimic Key in episode 34."

Chitose: Yeah. I guess she really does look after her family.

Takizawa: Did you talk with Ruito-kun about what would make her realize it was Jiip?

Chitose: We didn't talk about anything in particular, but there was probably some back and forth between Hono-chan and Ruito-kun, and likely due to the performance being done with Jiip in mind, the vibes were different from Siita's.

Takizawa: Heh~!

Chitose: I was able to act naturally with, "Ah, something's off here."

-Was there a bond between Nyelv and Suga?-

"What are your impressions of Siita, Jiip, and Lango?"

Chitose: From a family perspective, Siita and Jiip are cute, but if it weren't for that, they'd just be bad kids (laughs). I can understand the resentment they had after being fired from the company and separated, but they're also at fault for not being able to do their job without properly reporting, communicating, and consulting.

Takizawa: They were employees after all.

Chitose: I have a strong impression that the Stomach Family was too dependent on Lango-nii-san, so I always thought, "Thank goodness Onii-chan is so tolerant." (laughs). I could tell that Lango-nii-san was doing his best to stand in for their father, and could feel the tolerance and love he had for his family as he listened to anything they had to say. Everyone did tons of things without reporting it to him, and yet he never really got angry, did he?

Takizawa: He never got angry.

Chitose: It's a wonder as to why he was so forgiving.

Takizawa: It'd be nice to have a big brother like Lango-nii-san. He seems like he wouldn't get angry if we ate the sweets with his name on them that he was saving in the fridge.

Chitose: I could see that (laughs). He at the very least would ask, "Did you eat it?"

Takizawa: I feel like if I said, "What~?" and gave a proper apology, he'd probably forgive me (laughs). However, I think the fact that he rose to the top of a family run business was absolutely due to Lango-nii-san's skills.

Chitose: Even after being demoted, Lango-nii-san didn't "spoil" and continued to properly produce results. He was incredibly good at his job and very mature, so I'd want a big brother like him.

Takizawa: In spite of all the bad things he did, I feel that his good upbringing was apparent.

Chitose: I could see it, he did things properly. Our father was also his father, so in reality, that's probably not the case.

Takizawa: Still, I guess it was straightforward, undistorted evil.

Chitose: In a way, he was the most honest in the family. When the time came for Lango-nii-san to "go," it felt as if a pillar within Glotta had vanished, and I myself was also in shock.

Takizawa: The shape of Siita and Jiip is very cute……

Chitose: I know! They're so small and cute that it's kinda unfair.

Takizawa: He'd completely forgive them after they'd say, "We don't care!" However, unlike how Nee-san never gives up on scolding them, I think Nyelv gave up on the two of them early on in the show.

Chitose: They took full advantage of that.

Takizawa: Exactly, the opposite of love is indifference.

Chitose: It really is. That's why on the opposite end of things, Nyelv would say kind words to them.

Takizawa: That's right. Like the "your guts" line in episode 9 (laughs).

Chitose: I loved that! He said it with such a suspicious looking smile on his face, but both Siita and Jiip looked so happy (laughs).

Takizawa: I couldn't resist saying it on the spot (laughs).

Chitose: You seemed to be having alot of fun in that scene.

"In episode 38, he remodified Jiip and installed a Bitter Gavv."

Chitose: Remodifying a family member is pretty intense, don't you think?

Takizawa: It's intense. He himself didn't get his own hands dirty. That's the crucial difference between him and Suga-san.

"What do you think Nyelv thought of Suga, who was like his research partner?"

Takizawa: I think Suga-san had tons of influence on Nyelv in many ways, and in the sense that he learned a variety of things other than just sharing information, I guess you could say that he had encountered a good person. However, I also feel that Nyelv already obtained all the information he wanted to know, and I get the feeling that he's thinking, "Suga-san rushed into danger ahead of me, huh?," or "I've come out on top."

Chitose: As Suga-san was about to pass away, Nyelv went to see him off (episode 28). Watching that scene, I felt that what they had was a unique bond that exists between intellects, and that it's different from affection. I thought that was kind of cool.

Takizawa: Still, I think he had more affection for his siblings than for Suga-san

Chitose: I'm glad. I feel kinda relieved (laughs).

Takizawa: It's not just us, but the Stomach Family has steadily become more appealing, don't you think? Furthermore, the course of action everyone takes is different.

Chitose: While facing ordeals on the hero's side is common, I feel that it's rare for the villain's side to face proper ordeals. That's why I feel attached to them when they appear to try their best to get through things.

"This is exactly the kind of adversity that Glotta's facing right now."

Chitose: That's right. Lizel's remarks are pretty harsh (laughs).

Takizawa: It's just verbal arguments you know (laughs).

Chitose: She can't win. She's weak if she can't go all out with violence (laughs). Still, the fact that Lizel told her she was "half heartedly floundering about the most" also struck a nerve (episode 34). Jiip wants to be with Siita, Nyelv has his research, and Lango-nii-san's belief in growing the company was firmly established, but Glotta doesn't have anything like that. I feel like she just wants to do something with her family.

"For Glotta, the interaction at that time was a big deal."

Chitose: Yes. So far, Glotta has clumsily cared for her family, especially for Siita and Jiip, but Jiip's explicit rejection of her made her realize that it was all meaningless. It left a strong impression on me, as the moment her family moved away from her was when Glotta started to crumble.

-These two are in charge of public relations?! An account of event activities-

"The two of you have also appeared at many events related to Gavv."

Takizawa: I feel that we're both like public relations for the Stomach Family, so when we're given the chance, we like to appear.

Chitose: We aggressively go to them (laughs). During our appearance at the "Super Hero Festival 2025," I was anxious that our presence at a heroes festival would be a nuisance, but when we finally entered the stage, I was relieved to hear people cheering us on.

Takizawa: There was a scene where you walked close to the audience, wasn't there?

Chitose: There was! I threw balls among other things.

Takizawa: They were overjoyed to see us and waved, and I was so excited that I ignored them.

Chitose: (laughs). A small child wanted a ball, and it made me so happy that I handed one over to them.

Takizawa: During the "Okashina Okashi na Tea Party," it had been awhile since I had appeared in a project outside of the main series, so I thought, "I wonder what the best way of going about this would be." Asanuma-san and I talked about how we'd "make things even more exciting!," so I'm glad that the visitors also enjoyed themselves, and even though we're enemies, I really felt like we were part of the "Gavv family."

Chitose: You two were really cool.

Takizawa: The pairing of Nyelv and Suga-san was also exquisite. Not only do they get along well, but they both know each other inside and out, which I think the visitors also enjoyed seeing. Especially for the mothers who were next to their children, it was obvious that they were leaning forward as they watched us.

Chitose: Nyelv's live performance scene was just wonderful. Takizawa-kun's coolness was also on display, and Hono-chan, who was watching the video with me said, "That's so unfair!" as we then rewatched him countless times (laughs).

Takizawa: (laughs). I came up with the choreography for the live performance dance myself.

Chitose: Since you were holding a mic at that time, I'd like to see it without the mic.

Takizawa: Nee-san's character song is also one that can be sung out loud, and seems to work well at live performances.

Chitose: It has an assertive feel to it. There are calls during the song, and I was alittle worried about what would happen if they didn't call back to me during the live, but I was glad that they properly shouted back.

"Despite being villains, we get the impression that both Glotta and Nyelv are loved."

Chitose: I'm grateful. Even though they're doing a decent amount of bad things.

Takizawa: I feel like they love their characterization. Even on other sets, the topic of Gavv will come up with, "Did you transform?" or "You appeared alot today." It seems that viewership from those in the same industry is high.

Chitose: That's for sure! After the "Super Hero Festival" ended, I received LINE messages from countless people with photos from the event, which made me think, "Kamen Rider is loved by tons of people, huh?"

"Finally, please give a few words to the fans."

Takizawa: Starting from episode 39, Nee-san will play a more active role. As for Nyelv, will his monster form appear? Or will it not? That's what I want you to look forward to.

Chitose: Glotta's starting to show that there's more to her than just being strong, but how will the story unfold from here? Make sure you see things through until the end.

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