odorekijin

Interview with Takamoto Gaku and Kohatsu Allen,

respectively playing as Kaji Haruhi and Takatsuki Kagura,

for NAVITIME Travel.

Published on October 25th, 2023. (original article)

―Did anything stand out to you in the last opus?

Takamoto: Definitely the back and forth within each duo. The way their problems and ensuing conflicts would gradually come to light, allowing their relationship to deepen as a result was particularly memorable to me.

While Unit.1 and Unit.3 were the main focus of the last stage, this time the scenes will be centred around the relationship within Unit.2 and Unit.4.

Kohatsu: To me, it’s the fact that everybody in this troupe is relatively close in age, so we get along very well—I believe that’s why we were able to maintain a good ambiance from the rehearsals to the stage. I think that we truly managed to deliver the charm of “Tokyo Color Sonic!!” in scenes that featured all the actors at the same time, rightfully because everyone had a firm grasp of their respective characters.

In my case, (Yasui) Kazuma was the only person I had never worked with before, yet got along straight from the beginning: I’m incredibly happy that we were close enough to give each other’s feedback on how to best act out our roles.

Takamoto: (Yamazaki) Shogo-kun and I chatted a lot about that too. We had a few interviews before rehearsals started, and I believe we talk even more now compared to back then. Although we're both quite shy, I reckon we grew so in tune with one another that we just overcame that awkward stage.

During the first rehearsals, we were acutely aware of each other, and wouldn’t hesitate to comment on the other’s acting to bring out the best of the story, and ourselves as well. Together, we’re able to take on this stage.

―Did you make new discoveries about your character, or found new appeals in them after the first stage?

Kohatsu: This is a live performance after all, new things are bound to come to the surface. What we feel there and then differs with every performance, and that naturally transpires in our acting. I make sure that I have a firm understanding of the character so that I don’t lose sight of his core traits, but I also embrace what I feel on stage and spontaneously act it out.

By allowing those feelings and thoughts to be part of my acting, I got to discover new sides of Kagura-kun every time I stood on stage.

―Do you also take into consideration the audiences’ reaction to your constant changes?

Kohatsu: Definitely. Their response to our acting and overall aura on stage decidedly changes depending on the audience of the day, especially since we have jokes that change with every performance.

In the first volume, for example, Higuchi Yuuta-kun—who plays as Zaizen Mirai—was the one to kick start those jokes and drag the characters into his humoristic banters. Every single time, he knew how to spin a given situation into something truly comical. I’m not supposed to break into laughter while in-character, but he really makes keeping a serious face hard when he constantly adds to the joke (laughs).

Those daily additions make the interactions between the actors and the characters unique to each performance. That was delightful.

―What is the best aspect of playing the role of a composer and lyricist?

Takamoto: The appeal in “Tokyo Color Sonic!!” is not only the depiction of the front stage with the vocalists, but also how they portray the composers’ side of the story. As actors, we’re generally put under the spotlight. But in this production, I stand on the front stage as a character that works behind the scenes to create and support the main show. The conflicts creators face are carefully written and I believe this play offers another dimension to that appeal. It’s truly a fun and unique experience to be able to portray both the front and back stages of the industry.

―What are the highlights of “Tokyo Color Sonic the Stage Vol.2?”

Takamoto: Possibly the part where it delves deeper into Haruhi’s personal life. Relationships can go smoothly right from the beginning, but I believe it’s far more common for them to get off on the wrong foot. I want to properly integrate the building stages of a relationship within myself to best convey this authentic feeling to the audience. I will persevere to reach that objective, and stay concentrated during each and every performance.

Kohatsu: Unit.4 has gone through serious confrontations in the first volume, and left on a conflict as a result. In Vol.2, however, the two will have to overcome a certain incident together. I hope the audience will pay careful attention to our work with Kazuma, and appreciate how we portray their growth—to me, the main charm in “Tokyo Color Sonic!!” is the way relationships are shown to develop.

On the other hand, I think that my partner is simply and evidently amazing—actually, everyone in this troupe thinks the same of their respective duo. We all want to bring out the best out of our pair, and display all their charms. I want to put a smile on people’s faces through entertainment and music, no matter how grim things get in our current world. I want to create art that will make people feel the power of music.

―Do you have any anecdotes from the first volume’s rehearsals?

Kohatsu: Well, things sure were lively with us (laughs). When we had to concentrate, we were diligent and attentive to our rehearsals, but when it was time to take a break? Things got noisy very quickly—the switch between our two moods was almost jarring. Some of us would join the ruckus of larger groups, while others stuck with their pairs for a chat. There’s no barrier between us, which makes things considerably more enjoyable. It was really fun.

Takamoto: Same as you, I had a blast. During those rehearsals, I also realised that a lot of us are pretty competitive.

Kohatsu: Yeah, I’d say we are!

Takamoto: We knew that we would have a full run-through three days into the rehearsals, and I was so determined to learn my entire script by then! I think we all put our pride on the line back then, and we were competing to make our own units shine the brightest. But we weren’t inflexible and narrow-minded in our friendly face-off: our enthusiasm ran high, and it truly felt like each of the units could come out on top. We would even boast about how our respective vocalists were the best (laughs).

Kohatsu: We’re part of a fantastic theatre company, in my opinion.

―What are you eager to see in the new additions to the cast?

Kohatsu: Naoki-chan (Takeshi Naoki) is a bright person with an equally warm personality. I'm persuaded he will fit right into this troupe. I also believe in Naoki-chan’s ability to create his own version of Arashi based on Kisshi’s (Kishimoto Yuta) own feelings for the character. His approach is rather active, and I feel like he will purposefully try to poke the other characters in a good way. I’m sure his acting will bring out new charms in Unit.1.

As for Teruma-kun… I’m finally no longer the eldest in this cast (laughs). I hope that I can turn to him for help, and I wish to make this stage even greater with him around.

Takamoto: Simply put, I’m impatient to see what they’ll bring to the table. Naoki-kun is good-natured, honest, and incredibly passionate. I'm sure he’ll make a great pair with (Kitagawa) Naoya, and I have faith that he'll take Kisshi's feelings into account in his acting. I know we’ll work great with him.

Teruma-san is cool, level-headed, and almost like a big brother to us. I hope that his inspiring presence can help improve my own acting. I’m sure he’s going to follow our ad-libs incredibly well too (laughs). We have a lot to look forward to.

―Have you ever argued with your friends in pursuit of your dream?

Kohatsu: I was devoted to my club activities when I was still a student—my whole youth, actually. There weren't any strict rules or power relationships that would sour our friendly atmosphere; I remember everyone having a good time.

I’m of the opinion that we should be open when something bothers us among friends, rather than stay quiet and keep it all to ourselves—especially in a club. Being around so many people helped me realise that times of tension and arguments are bound to happen, but if we’re serious about our passion, then good communication can only lead to a positive outcome. Getting that kind of experience early was a blessing.

Takamoto: Like in this stage play, I used to make music with friends back in school as the guitarist of our band. We didn’t argue much with each other, but I vividly remember that we didn’t want to be outdone by other bands; that’s exactly the kind of resolute passion I want to apply to my acting.

―Do you have any final words for your future audience?

Takamoto: More than half a year has passed since the first volume in February, allowing us to pick up new experiences in many different places. Now that we’re gathered again for the second instalment, I can’t wait to see how everyone has grown, and I hope to show its results through our roles as well. “Tokyo Color Sonic!!” is a story about pairs working together to grow and rouse the entertainment industry, after all!

Our troupe aims to create a stage that will make our audience feel how wonderful this industry is, so I hope to see you all in theatres soon.

Kohatsu: I’m glad that we get to welcome new members in our troupe in this new opus, but I’m especially thrilled to return to the stage as Kagura-kun. Judging by our audience’s comments barely containing their excitement for Vol.2, I truly feel like this stage is a highly anticipated one. I shall firmly embody my role and show acting that will exceed these very expectations.

I will do my utmost best to put on a performance that our audience won’t regret attending so please, do look forward to it.