#😔... | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

mirai-e-jump · 2 months ago

Text

Uchusen Vol.188 (Spring 2025) Kamen Rider Gavv | Detail of Heroes ft. Main Cast & Director Interviews (other pages and translations below)

Publication: April 1, 2025

Chinen Hidekazu x Hino Yusuke

"Half a year has gone by since the program started, but have there been any changes in your surroundings over the course of filming so far?"

Chinen: People rarely called out to me on the street when the show first started airing, but recently, I've had people at the location sites react with, "Ah, it's Shouma!," and children will give me their drawings of Gavv as gifts. It got me to realize that tons of children are watching Gavv.

Hino: I'm glad that you've been working so hard. Everyone's looking at Hide……

Chinen: That goes for Yusuke-kun too!! (laughs).

Hino: No, when we were previously filming at the river, we waved back at a father and his child who were waving at us from the opposite side and saying, "Ah! It's Gavv!" Then, the father kept saying, "He's so cute~"……he wasn't looking at me (laughs).

Chinen: That's not true! He probably didn't realize it was you due to the distance between us (laughs).

Hino: I guess you're right! It's thanks to that costume that he forgot it was me! (laughs).

Chinen: The first time I could really feel the reaction of the fans was on February 5 at the "Super Hero Festival"!

Hino: Right! From adults to children, it made me happy that so many people were cheering us on.

Chinen: Many of them came dressed as Shouma. Both men and women. I thought that Kamen Rider fans were mostly made up of men, but I was surprised and happy to see that there were "so many women as well!"

"Please tell us your first impressions of each other, as well as your current impressions."

Hino: When I first met Hide, I got the impression that he had a puppy like cuteness to him, but after overcoming numerous obstacles over the course of filming so far, he's become more reliable. He used to be the "cute junior" who would ask me various questions, but now I feel like we're rivals who compete with each other in a mutual way. Also, given that we always spend alot of time together, even if we don't exchange words, I've started to tell if he's "doing well today," or if he "didn't get enough sleep today." Although, the way we screw around becomes more intense the closer we get to each other (laughs).

Chinen: Yusuke-kun has a longer career as an actor than I do, so I've been following by his example since filming began. He consults with me after the daily shoot, and has taught me so many things. And then recently, I've gradually come to understand more about acting, and we've been able to discuss the production and my way of thinking as an actor. Previously, all I could do was run after him, but now I feel that we're rivals who inspire each other and can run together.

"Chinen-san also played the role of Dark Shouma, but how was it playing a double role?"

Chinen: Being able to try out a different acting style from that of the usual Shouma was a valuable opportunity, so I prepared a "dark notebook" to write in for the role of Dark Shouma. I went into filming with that same amount of enthusiasm, but because both my performance and post recording time was now doubled, my tiredness came out more easily. However, with the help of Yusuke-kun and the rest of the cast, and with Director Tasaki giving me alot of advice for his first appearance in episode 21, I was able to perform the role without issue. Still, everyone said to me, "You're acting more lively than Shouma normally is" (laughs).

Hino: Hide had just gotten used to playing the role of Shouma, so I envied him since he was able to approach his performance from a different perspective. Even when transforming into Bitter Gavv, he created the role with sparkling eyes by saying stuff like, "What if I stick out my tongue here?," and it looked like he was having fun.

Chinen: When you play a role that's so close to your actual self, you lose sight of the boundaries between yourself and the role. With that being the case, it was very refreshing to play a role in which I ran away without paying for hot oden and beat up the old lady who ran the dagashi shop.

Hino: Yeah? So uh, which role is closer to you? (laughs).

Chinen: You oughta know!! (laughs). I was able to do bad things in my performance that I'd normally never do, so I was eager to create the role. Still, even though Shouma beats up Dark Shouma, those he harmed and the people who were in the area still leave with a bad impression of Shouma. It broke my heart to think that Shouma was creating a difficult situation for people to be in.

"We think that Hanto also had a difficult time dealing with emotional highs and lows, as shocking facts kept being revealed one after another."

Hino: I could feel the Planning and Scriptwriting team's strong determination of, "This is the kind of position Hanto's in" (laughs). After learning that Shouma's part of the Stomach Family, I thought that he was able to reconcile with him, but soon after, he learns about his mother's final moments, and then he learned the truth that his mentour's death had been arranged by Suga……it was like being hit with flurry of punches. Shouma's the only one he can talk to about Granutes from another Kamen Rider's perspective, so if he left him, Hanto would be all alone, wouldn't he? And when that happens, the only person he can count on is Suga, and yet Suga had him wrapped around his finger. While Hanto took an incredible amount of mental damage from that, it was so rewarding for me as an actor.

Chinen: In episode 22, he settles things with Hanto, but right after that in the beginning of episode 23, he rejects him by saying, "I can't deal with you." I could comprehend the story, but it was difficult for me as Shouma to create the flow in which Hanto's feelings would be properly connected to it.

Hino: When Hanto found out that Shouma was part of the Stomach Family, he fell into a mixed feeling of sadness and rage that Shouma had hidden the truth from him, and then there was the confusion and conflicting feelings he had about their friendship up to that point. I prepared with incredible enthusiasm to express this. Still, while deep down in his heart he was expecting for his mother to still be alive, when he was told about his mother's final moments, he came to learn that her encounter with Shouma is what led to her death. I was in a complicated situation, because if I let my emotions explode right then and there, he'd be blaming Shouma, so I had to suppress my emotions. That's why instead of using my performance skills, I just went with the flow and let things naturally take over from there.

"With the addition of their ally Lakia, has there been any change in your teamwork?"

Chinen: Kohei-kun looks cool, but he's a passionate man full of love and who values communication. That's why with Kohei-kun's arrival, everyone has more time to get together.

Hino: We didn't have much time to go out to eat together before Kohei-kun came along. But now the four of us, which includes Sachika, go out to eat together, as well as spend our private time together.

Chinen: Honestly speaking, I was worried that Shouma and Gavv would be overshadowed by Lakia's Kohei-kun, as he already had a year of experience in "Mashin Sentai Kiramager." Kohei-kun is cool and Lakia's character is appealing.

Hino: Vram is also really cool.

Chinen: Vram's first appearance in episode 17 was so cool, that it made me nervous, but in any case, Lakia is appealing.

Hino: There's no doubt that he's cool. However, as Kamen Riders facing the same enemy, I was worried when I simply wondered, "Can they really become friends when he beat the shit out of Hanto?" For Hanto, he's the same species as his mother and mentour's killers, and unlike Shouma, Lakia himself has no feelings for humans. I can't imagine how the relationship between these two will develop.

Chinen: Lakia's not the most social either.

Hino: Lakia's personality change and Hanto's growth will likely cause a sense of friendship to blossom.

"As a result, Shouma had to tell everyone his secret, but were there any changes in your performance compared to when you were hiding it?"

Chinen: I was hoping you'd ask me that! (laughs). Up until now, the level of secrecy would be different depending on the person I was working with, so it'd be like, "I want to keep this secret from Hanto, I've already told this much to Lakia, and this is a secret from Sachika-san." That's why I had to write out these situations in the script as I performed in order to keep them organized. So, I'm relieved that he was able to tell everyone the truth (laughs). Especially since he was able to reveal his secret to Sachika-san, Hapipare really became a place for Shouma to belong, and I think it helped him to feel secure within the story.

Hino: Having a place to return to is nice, isn't it?

"Both Gavv and Valen have appeared in numerous forms, but please tell us your favorite forms for each other's Riders, not your own."

Chinen: It would have to be Valen's Frappe Custom. The Gochizou that Hanto had been using until then had to be given to him by Shouma or made by Suga-san. However, the Frappeis Gochizou is one created just for Hanto. The Gochizou itself has a unique design that's divided into a top and bottom section, with each having a cute name, that being "Frappe Ichirou" and "Frappe Jirou." All the Gochizou-chan are like Shouma's children, but they're special children that he gives to Hanto as presents after overcoming various obstacles.

Hino: The scene where Valen's mark was engraved on it was great.

Chinen: Now that he's powered up, Valen can finally stand on his own (laughs).

Hino: The situation hasn't changed though, as Shouma still had to give him the Gochizou (laughs). I like Gavv's CaKing form. It's the first "Gochizou that doesn't disappear even if it's used," but that's because it's a "handmade sweet created with someone else in mind." I think it's great that those feelings became a special power, as it makes it seem heroic. Also, it's interesting that the Whipped Soldiers come out, as now we can do action scenes with multiple people. The Rider Kick making candles appear is also cool.

Chinen: CaKing form's cape is cool.

Hino: The cape is cool! It's so unfair! Next time, birth a Gochizou for Valen that'll give him a cape too! (laughs).

"Do you have any episodes that have been most memorable so far?"

Hino: It was really tough filming episode 24, where I was covered in ink. My costume was also inked, so it was a one take situation, and I couldn't even go to the bathroom during the shoot in order to avoid getting ink on the set and equipment. In a physical sense, it was the harshest part of the shoot.

Chinen: It's episode 24 for me too. Shouma, who had been weak up until then, recovered with the ice cream Sachika-san gave him, but I personally have a strong emotional attachment to the situation because it was mentally difficult for me to reconcile with Hanto.

"Finally, please give a message to all the Gavv fans."

Hino: From now on, Shouma, Hanto, and Lakia will work together to face the increasingly intense battles against the Stomach Family. As for Hanto, one highlight will be his "battle to protect humans" as a Kamen Rider, where he'll draw upon the bonds he established in the first half of the series. I look forward to your support until the end!

Chinen: After this, Gavv will enter a new chapter, with new enemies and a more expansive story. Not only Shouma's team, but the circumstances of the Stomach Family will also be explored, so please pay attention to that. The foreshadowing that Komura Sensei has been carefully scattering will gradually be brought to light, but even we don't know what will happen in the end either. Everyone, please look forward to future developments! _

Asanuma Shintaro

"Please tell us the details of how you became involved in this work."

Asanuma: I received an offer from Toei. To be honest, I had previously received an offer for the Kamen Rider series, but I wasn't able to appear due to my schedule. I wanted to appear in the series by any means, including as a revenge for that time, so I'm glad that it came to fruition.

"Your image is different from when you voiced Juran in "Kikai Sentai Zenkaiger," so some tokusatsu fans were probably surprised."

Asanuma: Normally, whether I'm a Voice Actor or actor, I usually perform my roles with the consciousness of not making the viewer feel that I'm "Asanuma Shintaro" as much as possible. Ideally, I'd like for people to notice that it's me for the first time during the end credits. As someone who originally came to Tokyo to become a film Director, I'm very happy to be able to spend all my time on the set of the drama, rather than in the usual post recording studio.

"What's your impression of the Kamen Rider series?"

Asanuma: I watched "Kamen Rider (Skyrider)" and "Kamen Rider Super-1" as they aired when I was a child. I also watched "Space Sheriff Gavan" and "Dai Sentai GoggleV," but the tokusatsu heroes that I was particularly engrossed with were from the Kamen Rider series.

"Do you have any special memories?"

Asanuma: It's a shame to say this, as I've had regular appearances in Super Sentai and Ultraman, but the heroes I have a particularly strong attachment to are Kamen Riders. I lost my father when I was four years old, but I still have a cassette tape with his and my voice on it from when he was still alive. In those days, video cameras had yet to become a commodity in most households, so the only memories I have of my father are in photographs and on that cassette tape. On side A of the cassette, there's the voice of my father reading the Kamen Rider manga to me and my older sister. It was the original manga drawn by Ishinomori Shotaro Sensei, so I think it was alittle difficult for me to understand at the time (laughs). And then, side B has the sounds of my father and I playing Kamen Rider. That's why Kamen Rider is an important connection between me and my father, and an indispensable part of my life.

"We heard that you also did hero shows. Did you ever perform as a Kamen Rider?"

Asanuma: After serving as grunts and monsters, my first time performing in a hero suit was for MammothRanger in the "Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger" show, and from there, I played Kamen Rider V3, Stronger, and Black RX, just to name a few. When it came to the shows, they were gorgeous, in part because they used original stories, but there were also joint performances with senior Riders and Super Sentai, which wasn't common at the time. After that in 2000, I created and directed a performance called "Zipper!," which was a hero show about what they do behind the scenes, but in order to familiarize the performers to the world of the show, I was assisted through the cooperation of a show team that I had previously worked with. Since I referred to them at the time (laughs), I participated with them and played the role of Kuuga. I also participated in the show when they revived "Zipper!" in 2003, playing the role of Faiz.

"We'd like to ask you about Kamen Rider Gavv this time. What were your first impressions when you heard about the setting and worldview of this work?"

Asanuma: I was particularly surprised that it was a "sweets Kamen Rider." I've been surprised by Rider designs in the past, but I never thought I'd be surprised by the motif. Then again, I was also incredibly surprised when fruit was used in "Kamen Rider Gaim" (laughs). I thought, "What kind of substance would come from a sweets motif?," but there were many aspects that reminded me of Showa era Riders, such as "leaving while concealing his name and true identity," "being perceived as a monster," and "becoming a hero after being remodified." It also made me happy that the secondary Rider wears leather and has the occupation of a "reporter." It was also an honor for me to be the one in charge of his remodification surgery. That's why when I heard that Suga was going to transform, I started imagining things like, "He's a scientist, so maybe he'll become the Reiwa version of Ika Devil?" (laughs).

"But instead of becoming a monster, he transformed into a Kamen Rider."

Asanuma: The only thing I could say was, "Alright!" (laughs). When filming started, I never heard anything about me transforming into a Kamen Rider. However, I was told by one of the staff members that, "If you keep saying that you want to transform, it could happen." So, I was absurdly honest and kept saying it, and then my wish came true (laughs). While I might have been too greedy, I really wanted to become a popcorn Rider! My first photo book was titled "POPCORN," and I said to myself, "If I'm going to transform, I have to become a popcorn Rider!" I can talk about this now, but the reason Suga would snap his fingers every now and again was my way of adlibbing the impression that "it's bursting like popcorn." In the end, I was told, "A Popcorn Gochizou will appear, but it won't be used for transforming" (laughs).

"You put in alot of painful effort before you transformed into a Kamen Rider, huh? (laughs)."

Asanuma: Incidentally, when Hanto returns to the lab after making up his mind to undergo the remodification surgery in episode 6, I was eating peanuts, which was also me adlibbing. I used the peanuts that were served on set to express Suga's sense of composure that "he'll come back soon enough," and his lack of humanity, as he's carelessly eating during a serious scene. Actually, it may have also come from some expectation that I'd "transform into a Rider with a nut themed sweet……" (laughs).

"What was it like filming the transformation scene?"

Asanuma: One thing I was particular about wasn't the pose, but the way "Henshin" was said. It was a very relaxed and unserious way of saying it, that being, "What was it again? Ah, that's right. Henshin." What I envisioned was a system where the Bakemagnum is activated through the input of a vocal keyword at the end like, "I said it because I had to say it." "Henshin" is a very important word for Kamen Riders, and I think it's one that even evil Riders cherish. However, the man called Suga would never cherish it (laughs). For Suga, the use of his transformation item and the way he says "Henshin" isn't a cool signature phrase, but are instead just "a part of the process." Therefore, I thought about how much I could do to create a transformation that would be unsuitable for NichiAsa. When I demonstrated it in front of the Producer, he said, "Uwah, that's scary," so I felt that this was the right thing to do.

"To begin with, how did you prepare for the role of Suga?"

Asanuma: I expanded upon the image I got from the script and added things like, "He can't take a hint." Suga isn't a "suspicious monster," but rather a "freak with significantly low interest regarding people." For example, when Hanto tells him that his mother was kidnapped in episode 4, before he empathizes with his painful situation, he's more interested in the fact that she was taken alive and not as a Human Press. He's lacking sensibility, and he couldn't help but quickly ask, "That was how many years ago?" without lowering the tone of his voice. I'm conscious of making him the kind of "guy you don't want to open up to as much as possible." Out of all the characters in Gavv, I think he's by far the least trusted by the viewers (laughs).

"Did the Directors or staff give you any orders for the creation of your role?"

Asanuma: One day, I found a note tucked inside the script explaining Suga's past and background. It was by Scriptwriter Komura-san, and she wrote about how Suga isn't simply just a mad scientist and why he's so obsessed with Hanto. However, I was given this just before filming of episode 27. I was shocked and was like, "Is now the time for this?!" (laughs). That said, I also felt that the image of Suga that I had created up to this point wasn't wrong, so even if I had received the note earlier, I don't think it would've made much difference. Sadly, Suga was defeated, so I don't know if the contents of the note will be depicted in a future work, but I hope it'll be revealed in something like a spin off.

"Did you have meetings with Bake's Suit Actor Kitamura Kai-san?"

Asanuma: I have a mutual acquaintance with Kai-san, so I greeted him and we exchanged LINES when he was playing Otake (the Mushroom Granute) in episodes 5 and 6. Before filming for Bake, I gave him a voice message saying, "This is how I'd read this line," and he would listen to it and perform the post transformation version of it. Therefore, I have the impression that the two of us created Bake's performance together. Also, we both have similar heights and are left handed. I was surprised by this wonderful coincidence, and at the same time, I was excited to think that he'd be able to naturally portray my transformed self.

"Asanuma-san, you've appeared many times as a Voice Actor in tokusatsu productions, but how was post recording for Gavv?"

Asanuma: I didn't think that Suga was the kind of guy who'd go, "Hah!" or "Oriya!," so even during battle, I would say rough, casual lines like, "How about this?" or "Let's stop doing that. It's unsightly~." I was just talking the whole time. Hide and Yusuke, who were watching, were shocked and said, "It's okay to record so liberally?!" I panicked and said, "No, no, this is because it's Suga! You guys aren't allowed to imitate me!" (laughs).

"We've been asking everyone involved with Gavv, but what's Asanuma-san's favorite sweet?"

Asanuma: I like anything, but I think I eat snack (crispy) items most often. By the way, Bake uses a chocolate chip cookie Gochizou, but an anime I appeared in not that long ago called "Promise of Wizard" collaborated with "Aunt Stella's Cookies" and ran a campaign in which the characters from the anime refer to their favorite cookies. At that time, I played the character Owen, and he recommended their chocolate chip cookies. For almost four months now, I've been thinking, "I want to tell everyone about this coincidence!" I finally got my chance to tell you about it (laughs).

"Finally, please give a message to our readers."

Asanuma: Will Nyelv-kun read it?

"No, direct it towards our readers (laughs)."

Asanuma: Ah, sorry (laughs)……To be honest, I'd like to use this opportunity to apologize. Up until now, I've been asked many times by friends and the other actors around me, "Will Suga transform?" We weren't at the stage yet where I could talk about it, so I kept saying, "I can't, I can't. I'm doing my best not to make my exit."…….Everyone, forgive me! I did transform!……Hah~ I feel relieved! Finally, I'm free now (laughs). And then, to all the fans who support Shouma and Hanto and their friends. I'm truly sorry for making you feel uneasy up until now……or maybe, thank you if you did feel uneasy. Kenzo Suga's role was to stir up Gavv's story, so it'd make me happy if you've been watching Suga with that feeling in mind. Now that the selfish, psycho, and annoying being that was Suga has been defeated, who will your fear and anger be directed towards now? How about Nyelv-kun? Nyelv-kun! You'll have to take care of the rest! (laughs). It wasn't quite the image of Kamen Rider that I had envisioned from my childhood, but I'm proud that I was able to leave my mark on the show. I'd like to go to my father's grave and report this to him. I'll say, "I know it's different from what you remember, but I transformed into a Kamen Rider." _

Action Director Fujita Satoshi

"You've worked as a performer in many productions up until now, but what made you decide to become an Action Director?"

Fujita: I'm short, and when I first started working in this field, I was told by those around me that "it'd be difficult to continue working as an action actor when I'm this short, and that I should consider a different career path." That's why I started helping Watanabe Jun-san, who also went from being a performer to an Action Director with "Kamen Rider Zero-One," and starting around "Saber," I helped edit video storyboards (storyboards made with moving pictures), and from there, my vision for being an Action Director grew. After that, Producer Minato, who's also a close friend of mine, hired me as the Action Director for "Kamen Rider Outsiders," and that came to be the stepping stone for where I am now. The presence of Director Nakazawa and Producer Takebe, who selected me as the Action Director for "Kamen Rider Geats" TV series, was also very important.

"What exactly does the job of an Action Director entail?"

Fujita: In some cases, I'll think about the direction, and once I've thought about it, I'll go as far as to say, "I'll request a crane on this day, and will arrange the amount of people needed to assist the action staff on that day." It feels like I spend more time on paperwork. However, maybe it's just the way I spend my time. Director Kamihoriuchi has an incredibly sophisticated way of doing things, and he manages to do them skilfully and smoothly. I'd like to learn from him. Looking back on it now, I've loved music videos since I was a teenager, so when I was listening to the music, I'd think about the shots and direction in my head. So, maybe I had the desire to become a Director even back then. I still have a desire to shoot music videos, and perhaps that's connected to the fact that I tend to create catchy scenes when I'm filming action.

"Please tell us how you became the Action Director for the final episode of "Kamen Rider Revice."

Fujita: Sites like "Wikipedia" say that I worked with Jun-san as an Action Director for the final episode of Revice, but in reality, I only directed the scene where Kan Hideyoshi-kun from Geats appears. All he did was encounter and speak with Igarashi Ikki in front of the bathhouse, so I didn't really do that much as an Action Director.

"So Geats was your debut as an Action Director for a TV series. Now then, how did you get the offer for Gavv?"

Fujita: I was approached by Producer Takebe, who had also helped me with Geats. At that point, it was packed with tons of original ideas, and I personally felt that it was really interesting. Once the script's setting and plot were completed, I was surprised to find that despite its poppin appearance, the details of the story were very harsh. Shouma's life growing up is also quite tragic.

"What do you keep in mind when filming this work?"

Fujita: This isn't just for Gavv, but I'm always conscious of creating actions based on a person's background and personality, rather than the impression I get from their appearance. That's why I wanted to forget about Gavv's heroic design for a moment, and instead create a wild stance and fighting style for him that reflects his origins where "a Granute is a monster." I discussed this with Gavv's Suit Actor Nawata Yuya-san, and we came up with the style you see now. We of course didn't disregard the design, rather, we calculated the advantages of "the gap between that design and the wild actions."

"How did you think of Valen's actions so that they'd be in contrast to the wild Gavv?"

Fujita: At first, I imagined Valen as a cool character, but when I read the scripts for episodes 5 and 6, in which he fights an enemy as a Kamen Rider for the first time, I got the impression that he was more desperate to bear his fangs than be cool. Director Morota agreed with me on this. Also, unlike how Shouma's from the Granute world, Hanto was just an ordinary human before he underwent the remodification surgery, right? Based on this, I decided to create a character who'd be loved by the viewers for being "not super strong," but "passionate and reliable."

"It was shocking to see Valen get crushed by Glotta in his second appearance."

Fujita: I was also shocked and said, "How can he get the shit kicked out of him during his second battle?!" (laughs). However, Director Sugihara wanted to make Glotta an overwhelmingly strong character, so I understood, thinking, "If that's the case, then it's alright for Valen to suffer." Still, in episodes 7 and 8, Valen's Suit Actor Kaji also did jumping scenes, and Valen had many cool stunt like highlights, which made him really cool.

"What about Vram, the tertiary Kamen Rider?"

Fujita: I also discussed with Suit Actor Eitoku-san on how to express the character who comes after the wild Gavv and the passionate Valen. In fact, Gavv's "wildness" and Valen's "passionate ruggedness" are similar in some ways, so we decided on a "downer but cool type," as it was an attribute that neither Rider had. At first, I thought of him using a fighting style called "pudding kenpo," in which the Rider is always shaking while fighting, as it would take advantage of the "pudding Rider" and "jellyfish motif the Granute transforms from" setup. I came up with various ideas and also created video storyboards, but in the end, they were rejected (laughs). The only thing that remained was the "knee sliding into a yankii sitting pose" scene, which was used to agitate Valen. That was a move that I had been cooking up since the beginning. As a result, I decided on his fighting style by expanding upon that move.

"Please tell us about their opponent, Kamen Rider Bitter Gavv."

Fujita: Bitter Gavv wasn't that strong when he first appeared, as he leaves the scene after Vram puts enough pressure on him. Nevertheless, I thought about adding in a variety of fun elements. When I think up actions, I try to include elements that'll make people "want to imitate them." Therefore, Bitter Gavv was given a distinctive stance, and I also included the scenes where his joints dislocate during battle. If those who watch the program think, "That's cool~, I wanna dislocate my joints too," then I'll have succeeded (laughs). You really shouldn't dislocate them! For scenes where his joints dislocate, Suit Actor Nakata-kun and I discussed, "Wouldn't it look more detached if we did it this way?," and I created a video storyboard. Chinen Hidekazu-kun's performance as Dark Shouma was also really good.

"For this series, Gavv is made up of a small number of regular characters and Riders, but wasn't it difficult to create multiple Riders in a production like Geats?"

Fujita: I always think in terms of "this person is likely to do that," but on the flip side, I'll create their personalities by subtracting things that "this person wouldn't be able to do." I'll explain this directing method to the Suit Actors and ask them to come up with their own personalities. That way, I'm sometimes able to make use of the ideas they come up with as they are, use them later once they've grown, or maybe I'll use them for another character.

"Please tell us what you're conscious of in terms of the Granute characters that appear in each episode."

Fujita: I also try to take the beliefs and personal lives of the grunts and monsters into consideration. Tokusatsu works don't often delve into those kinds of aspects for the monsters, but……as an example, I think that a monster with hammers for arms lives a life of their own with those hammers. I'm a fan of Ghibli productions, and the worlds that Miyazaki Hayao-san depicts have a sense of reality within the fantasy. In a similar way, I believe that fantasy creatures like monsters can be made more convincing by presenting their beliefs, and when that happens, viewers will become more invested in the monster and show. I think the mood of the Agents performances is a particularly important part of showing Gavv's worldview.

"For the "reality in the form of fantasy," what exactly did you want to express?"

Fujita: For example, when a Rider pulls out a weapon, even though nothing should be there, they'll often pull it out from behind their backs or from out of frame, but I didn't want to do that. Therefore, I made sure that the Gavvgablade that Gavv uses comes out of the mouth on his stomach. Doing it like this increases the level of reality within the fantasy, don't you think? I think it'll get the viewers excited and invested in it. At the same time, it's also possible to create a "subtractive" direction like, "If the mouth is covered, the weapon can't come out."

"Are there any impressive action scenes that you've directed so far?"

Fujita: This is relevant to what I said before, but ever since the Gavvgablade first appeared, it just popped out of the mouth on his stomach, but I'm sure those watching must've thought, "I wish it came out looking cooler." The first time I made that look cool was in episode 11, when the sword flies out of the belt and hits an Agent. If I cut out that scene, the impression would've been something like, "Well, it's still interesting," but I think those who watched it were moved by their desire to see the "sword come out in a cool way." I like scenes that are created by build ups like those.

"In that episode, a highlight was the battle scene where they fight while knocking over the vending machine."

Fujita: Nawata-san and I both did our best in episode 11, but Director Kamihoriuchi did an amazing job of preparing things. Immediately after the script was finished, we received an order for "the battle to have these kinds of vibes," and it was decided that we'd construct a back alley set instead of filming on location. We prepared vending machines and outdoor units for the shoot, and then were subsequently given the order, "Since we can use the difference in elevation, can you think of some actions to take advantage of this?" I made about three video storyboards and had thorough discussions, and I exchanged ideas with the Director, where we came up with some interesting scenes, such as knocking over a vending machine and dropping an outdoor unit.

"Gavv uses lots of CG effects, but how do you shoot action scenes that use CG compositing?"

Fujita: Green screen filming techniques are common now, but it's still difficult to construct a scene from the script and have the entire film staff understand it. In my case, I'll discuss things with the Director, create a video stroyboard, and then think about the angles we want to shoot from and figure out what filming method to use. Along with it being easier to understand than verbal communication, we're also more likely to share opinions such as, "If that's the case, then maybe this is a better way to do it."

"The action of fighting by grabbing onto onomatopoeia words such as "munyu" is a direction unique to Gavv."

Fujita: That was shot on site using wire action, and then the letters for "munyu" would be added in post. I love wire action.

"Please tell us about any challenges you've experienced during filming so far."

Fujita: There have been so many challenges, that I don't know which one to talk about (laughs). What I'd like to say is that I've seen people on SNS say that, "Gavv started filming early, so it's nice that they have plenty of leeway," but because we started filming early, the deadline is also early, so there's really no time to spare. Toei's currently in the process of changing the filming schedule in order to "start preparations and filming early so they can create a good production." This policy will be very good for the coming future, but Gavv is stuck in the middle of this transitional period, so we're still exploring some things. The film staff and cast have been working hard despite such a schedule due to all the fans who look forward to the broadcasts.

"Will you no longer work as a Suit Actor in the future?"

Fujita: I do one offs every now and again, but balancing major roles like I used to do with being an Action Director is difficult. When I was working as a Suit Actor, moments where the character I was playing shined or gained depth felt rewarding. Still, I think the Action Director that I am now has more authority over giving depth to characters. I don't have a particular preference for one over another, but right now, as an Action Director, I'm excited about making Gavv and Valen and their friends shine. I'm doing everything I can to make it exciting for the children in front of the screens, the adult fans, and for Sugita-san, the Writer for Uchusen's "Detail of Heroes."

"Sugita-san too?! (laughs)."

Fujita: Sometimes when I'm directing, I'll think, "Sugita-san, you'll probably like this angle," or "Sugita-san! You'll be able to see the details here" (laughs).

"That's an honor. We'll pass this on to him. Finally, please tell us Fujita-san's favorite sweet."

Fujita: If I had to choose, I'd say it's "uirou." It's not a specialty from my hometown or anything like that, I just prefer uirou to yokan.

"Now then, please give a message to all the Gavv fans."

Fujita: Many people have said, "this Rider is my favorite," but I hope that the action was the deciding factor in making them their "favorite." The film staff and action team are working together, and we're doing our best to deliver you beautiful action, so please continue to support us!

127 notes · View notes