stone bridgeI have far less experience reading screenplays than I would like. So, at first, I had no idea what kind of scale, interesting or uninteresting, I would find in this work. But when I read the script, I thought it depicted something hazy, something I couldn't put into words.

I was very interested in that. However, it was a different story when it came to playing the role.... I wondered if I would be able to play this role. I also wondered if it was too early for me to play the leading role. But at the same time, I strongly felt that if I gave up now, I would regret it. If that was the case, I would do it even if I had to hang on to it. I felt as if I was standing on the edge of a cliff.

common Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii)What surprised me the most when I heard about this project was the fact that Saikatsu's poetry collections are very popular among young people. When you read Saikatsu's poems, you see not only the words but also the living story of the artist behind the words. I think it is wonderful that the poems have touched the hearts of so many people. I also thought it was wonderful that he was able to present it as an expression in the form of a movie.

I often think about this as an audience member, putting aside the fact that I am an actor, but it is not often that I get to see a movie that makes me feel like I am living in the same era as the one I am watching. It is not because it is currently popular, or because it is popular, or anything like that. It is about what we are feeling and what we are carrying in our daily lives. I think it's not easy to project that into a film and deliver it. I felt that this film depicts that very well. That is what attracted me so much to this film.

stone bridgeI was not at all. I was full of anxiety the whole time. The Mika I played is an awkward person who doesn't fit in with society. She is the type of person who can't smile when she wants to, but she is not grumpy all the time. Of course, she is not happy all the time. She is the kind of girl who can't say what she wants to say well, and conversely, says things she doesn't want to say, making her very elusive. I was really worried about how to grasp her.

common Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii)He is modest, but he was very impressive. It was beautiful how she faced Director Ishii's demands head-on every day without running away from them. I think this is what gave birth to the character of Mika, a character with great meaning.

stone bridgeI think so. I tried to play it and said, "No, I'm wrong, try again! again!" It was like a repetition. I was always vaguely told that I wasn't good enough. Mika is the kind of girl who always stands on the edge, so I think the director probably wanted to bring me to the point of frustration that she has by pushing me.

common Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii)I think that this role is very difficult for me to play, even before I can demonstrate my technique as a performer. First of all, I was asked how I deal with the world as a human being. We people in our twenties have grown up placing great importance on fitting in with various things, haven't we?　But this film says the exact opposite. It's about how much you can stick to what you don't fit in or don't fit in with. First of all, you have to swallow it and face the role.

common Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii)I always play roles that have some kind of implication, so this time I wanted to change my output. I wanted to play a person who lives desperately from the front. Shinji is almost blind in his left eye. That is why he tries so hard to see the world, and because he is blind, he wants to fill in the blanks. That's why he starts to speak with great vigor, as if he is trying to fill in the gaps. In my mind, he is like a person making a speech on the street.

stone bridgeI learned a lot (laughs). The thing I found most impressive was the way he was always at the scene and the sense of distance he maintained. Because of his role, Mr. Ikematsu was right next to me the whole time, but he didn't say anything unnecessary. I was very grateful and happy that he was not too far away or too close to me. He didn't say much about his passion for the film or his trust in the director, but I could really feel it. I was impressed by the fact that this kind of relationship of trust is what makes a film work.

common Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii)The story opens with Mika's narration: "You can surely hate the world while no one loves you, yourself, for feeling sorry for you. And that's why there is no such thing as love on this planet. The first line of the poem is "And that's why there is no such thing as love on this planet. This is an excerpt from Saika's poem. He denies conventional love and romance. I could really relate to this, and I think it is true as it is.

Also, street musicians appear frequently in the film, and they say over and over again, "Keep up the good work. But it doesn't resonate with the people around him at all. They say it over and over again, and finally, at the end, they finally notice. I thought to myself, "Yes, this is the era we live in now.

stone bridgeMika and Shinji are like comrades, and they are not at all in sync with the Tokyo trend, nor are they trying to be. Maybe if they were a normal couple, that would be uncool and tacky. We want to go to the date spots that everyone else goes to, and we want to send each other text messages saying we love each other. But I thought there are some relationships that don't and can't do that.

I thought that if I could relate to people in this way, I would be happy. I thought that if I could relate to people in that way, I would be happy. I also liked the scene on the stairs of Miyashita Park. It is the scene where Mika and Shinji meet and talk for the first time at night. It was exciting and the neon lights and traffic lights were beautiful. I really felt like I was in Tokyo.

common Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii)I think this film depicts the meaning of life in today's Tokyo and in the world. What kind of future will they find after looking at the present? What kind of future will they face in the future? I hope that the audience will enjoy the last scene of the film and see what kind of choice they will make at the end.