Tokyo Color Sonic!! the Stage | Interview with Kishimoto Yuta, Komiyama Arashi's actor

[odorekijin]

Interview with Kishimoto Yuta, playing as Komiyama Arashi, by Animate.

Published on September 27th, 2022. (original article)

 

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――What were your first impressions of Tokyo Color Sonic's world, characters, and overall setting? What appealed to you in it?

Kishimoto：These kinds of near future stories tend to be unrealistic or coming from a whole other dimension, yet here the story is very realistic and down to earth.

There’s room for anyone to relate to the characters, be it from their worries, the issues they face, or their relationships. It’s the kind of thing that’s made to give the audience the push they need.

Since it's also music that pushed me to get into the entertainment world, I don’t feel so much of a stranger to their passion for music. Like, even though I go through different stuff everyday, I can be my most honest, truest self only when confronted with music.

As the only vocalist of the dance & vocal unit “龍雅-Ryoga-”, I have been living with music by my side for as long as I can remember. I felt a sort of fateful connection with my similarities with Arashi’s.

With the pandemic, I feel like we have a new approach to what entertainment should be and how it should be executed, which is why this series is perfect for this era we live in. I feel great potential in what we can achieve through this production.

Being cast for this stage led me to discover Tokyo Color Sonic!!, who made me want to do my best like just they do. I can't deny this desire to spread what this series has offered me and deliver it to many people that has also bloomed in me.

――Other than the one you play, who is your favorite character in Tokyo Color Sonic?

Kishimoto：Sora, for sure; I think it’d be nice if he was really there in reality. He's kind, but he won’t hold back to give you his sincere opinion—he would be the one to confront you with the words you've always wanted to hear. If I had someone like him by my side, I would end up asking for his advice all the time: I think that's how and why Arashi gradually opened up to him.

In terms of appearance, I guess I’d say Kagura? Both his style and aura have this mature and suave feel to him, which I think is super cool.

――Do you have a favorite song from Tokyo Color Sonic?

Kishimoto：I like the main theme song, Begin on buddy, and Arashi’s first song, NEW DEVIATION—I listen to them everyday (laughs). NEW DEVIATION’s power to push me on, even when I’m at my lowest, truly is incredible; all my troubles seem to evaporate when I listen to it.

Not only is it a perfect-fit for Arashi, but Sora’s also amazing in his production: it’s a song that made me feel like these two were meant to be buddies.

I like songs that are positive and give me spirit, that’s why I’ll listen to them in the morning, before rehearsals, to get my body and soul in the mood! But if I listen to them at night, I’ll have trouble falling asleep (laughs).

The moment I first listened to it, I immediately thought about singing it myself, and if I could do it on stage, then I would perform it with all my might.

――How did you feel when you got cast for “Tokyo Color Sonic!! the Stage”?

Kishimoto：I was happy, of course, but then I remembered Arashi’s central role in this production and a lot of stuff just flooded my brain all at once: like, what it meant to entrust his role to me, in light of all the stuff that he has carried with him thus far.

Now that I am an active solo artist and actor with a dancer & vocalist background, receiving this offer at a time where I had just begun to figure things out felt kind of providential.

I want to use all the experiences I’ve gained up until now and pour them into my portrayal of Arashi’s charms. I believe that this role and production will both be a major turning point in my acting career, so I’m eagerly looking forward to the beginning of the rehearsals.

――What were your first impressions of Arashi? Did you find any differences or anything you could relate with him?

Kishimoto：The biggest thing is that we both adore music. Arashi was a rowdy youngster before entering high school, he gives this impression of being rude and unapproachable, and I often give off that aura on first impression too.

It’s hard to get in his head, and he often puts up a front—I understand and empathize with him, really. Basically, we look like each other a lot.

――Arashi is tenacious and never quits once he has his mind set on an objective. Do you find any similarities with him on that topic?

Kishimoto：I am the same: once I've made up my mind, I follow through and get to the bottom of it. That’s my strength, but also one of my weaknesses as I’m pretty stubborn in return.

I feel like I've become more understanding as I've gotten older, so I sort of became better at dealing with that kind of stuff, but... I also get his rough temperament and passion being a result of serious conflicts, I can relate with that.

――What was your first impression of your buddy, Sora?

Kishimoto：Sora's charm lies in his spontaneity, how he doesn't try to fit in, and do things his own way regardless. This makes Arashi and him polar opposites, to the point where they would never ever get along. Honestly, I also thought that it would be too much of a reach for them to be friends. (laughs)

But Sora is as passionate as Arashi is, he just expresses it in a different way. That’s why I think Arashi fits perfectly with him.

――Have you ever worked with Sora’s actor, Kitagawa Naoya-san, for private or professional means?

Kishimoto：This is the first time we worked together, and I had the pleasure of actually meeting him during our paired buddy photoshoot. Even though we have plenty of friends and acquaintances in common, it’s pretty odd that we somehow never met before.

My first impression of him was simply that he had a lovely smile. When I spoke with him a little, he was warm and I felt a nice connection between us—I knew that we’d get along well. I could feel the Sora-ness in Naoya-kun already; I can't wait to actually practice with him.

――Kitagawa-san said he was a little shy around others…

Kishimoto：I felt that, yes (laughs). I’m not the type to initiate conversation either, but I won’t hesitate to hop in if everyone around me is having fun. I’m honestly far from being shy (laughs).

I was a bit worried that Naoya-kun would be too anxious around strangers: when I brought the topic up, he seemed pretty chatty with me, so I couldn’t help but feel relieved.

――A message to Kitagawa-san?

Kishimoto：I think Sora and Arashi’s relationship is quite deep, and I’m sure that Naoya-kun and I can develop a similarly wonderful bond. Let's give them the best music ever, together!

――This project has a music battle as its core. In that regard, what is a song that you like the most, one that left a strong impact on you?

Kishimoto：One song that I regularly find myself coming back to is Noriyuki Makihara's “Far, far away”. It's a song I listened to a lot when I moved to Tokyo. The main character also moved to Tokyo after graduating from high school, and tells his friend that he has decided to make his dream come true in that city: he asks them to wait because, one day, he’ll shine—that day, they would understand why he left. Of course, friends encourage you, but it’s not so much about them telling you to do your best, and rather being able to lean on them.

Whenever I successfully wrap up a play, I try to look back on what I’ve done right, what I could improve on for my next role. When I listen to "Far, far away", I remember those days and it cheers me to do even better than before.

I have been listening to this song ever since I was a teen, yet the way I feel about it always seems to change depending on my current situation. This song also made me realize the moving power music can hold.

――Have you ever been to a music festival before?

Kishimoto：I like music festivals like "a-nation” and such, so of course I have already attended as an audience, but also as a performer. You can enjoy music out in the open, dance and party, basking in the freedom of summer—live music is a festival’s peak selling point, don’t you think?

The artists get to perform outdoors, and the audience can listen to the music unfiltered, live and feel it in their bones.

Although the live performances’ Blu-ray and DVDs’ quality have improved with all the cameras and visual effects technology, enjoy it as if you were there, I still think that the best way to experience a concert is to actually come to the venue.

――Do you have any manga or anime you like or are currently into?

Kishimoto：I wasn’t really exposed to manga or anime before entering the 2.5 stage entertainment world: I only read "One Piece" as a child, while the rest of my childhood was spent chasing after a soccer ball.

Of course, I watch or read the titles I perform in, but I also try to catch the popular series that are trending, like the classic “Demon Slayer”, “SPY x FAMILY” or “Tokyo Revengers”. I’m always interested to know what draws the audience in, and why a certain anime can be popular. When I actually get into it, the realization almost strikes me, like a big “OOOH!” moment (laughs).

――To you, what’s the appeal of 2.5 dimension stages?

Kishimoto：I think that 2.5 dimension stage plays are the strongest of the genre. Rather than simply adapting the manga or anime for the purpose of a stage, it faithfully recreates the world, the art, adds dimension through the characters' clothes and makeup, bringing it all together through their speech pattern and actions: it makes the fans and broader audience feel as if they have stepped into a true, three-dimensional world.

Of course, it takes acting and drama impact seriously, and I think it is safe to say that 2.5 dimension stages are now considered part of the general entertainment scene. The cast also has to be on a lot of fronts: rehearsals are truly something else, which is why a lot of precision is required out of us.

The staff also pays keen attention to details, which the fans pick up in return. I have nothing but deep respect for the audience and all the people involved.

I believe that manga, anime, and video games are part of a culture that Japan can be proud of and spread to the world, that's why I want more people to experience 2.5 stages: I strongly hope that we can reach people overseas with it. I look forward to what the future holds for us: both the creators' abilities and the customers' attention get better by the year, with their synergy perpetually progressing.

――Is there any memorable role or stage you can tell us about?

Kishimoto：The musical “Hakuouki Shitan Kazama-hen” was definitely a turning point. Not only was it my first time sword fighting on stage, but I also performed with people I deeply respect—this production changed my approach to stage plays and my own acting.

Witnessing with my own two eyes how everyone performed with their guts and soul, as if it were the last, made me fully realize where I needed to improve and actually level-up my skills. I’m so glad that I was cast in this play. Our performances were held during spring so, whenever that season comes around, I am reminded of those days.

――A message to the audience?

Kishimoto：I believe that all Tokyo Color Sonic!! fans have been conceptualizing and eagerly looking forward to this stage adaptation.

Standing on stage for you all, I will share my feelings and conflicts with Arashi who I will earnestly portray, trying to feel from deep within what acting means to me.

I think this stage will reach its apex when all characters will clash and meet, passions and ambitions synchronizing. Attending this stage, I hope that everyone will get to discover new aspects of their favorite characters and will come to like them even more than before.

For those who have yet to know about Tokyo Color Sonic, this stage is the perfect opportunity for you to get into it: although it’s set in the near future, you will get to experience firsthand how the era and atmosphere aren’t so foreign to our present. The compositions and music are cool, the visuals and fashion are super trendy, but most importantly: each character has their own set of fascinating charms.

We’re confident in making people interested in Tokyo Color Sonic’s stage adaptation, and we’re determined to make everyone fall in love with the series, so we hope to see you there. Finally, I’ll dye the theater in Arashi’s colors!