Interview with Airu Kubozuka I was betrayed in a good way, or rather, I felt very fresh.
I understand that this is the first time you are wearing Lacoste items, both publicly and privately.
Kubozuka: Yes, I have. There is a store near Dotonbori in Osaka, and I have been there several times, but I have never worn it yet. I thought it was really nice, but I thought it was still too early for me. So I was happy to be able to wear it.
What is your image of the Lacoste brand?
Kubozuka:The first thing that comes to mind is the crocodile. I imagine that many of the clothes are simple to make the most of that one point. I guess there are some flashy clothes, but they are rather simple and clean, and I feel that the crocodile alligator is the only thing that can compete with the rest. So when I tried on sporty clothes this time, I was betrayed in a good way, or rather, I felt very fresh.
What kind of clothes do you like?
Kubozuka:Basically, I wear everything. I like mode clothes and casual clothes. Sometimes I wear a shirt with a beautiful knit. I want to value my own worldview, or rather, my own self. That is why I am not interested in trends, and I always dress in a way that reflects my own personality.
Do your clothes change the way you feel?
Kubozuka:It changes. What I value in modeling work like this is how I can make the clothes and shoes I wear look good. I try to express the image that comes to me when I put on an outfit.
When I was allowed to wear a leather jacket for a photo shoot once, I wanted to look good and manly, so I expressed that with my eyes. However, when I expressed my masculinity with my eyes, my expression became stiff. At that time, I was told by a photographer that "the heart is more important than the eyes," which has stayed with me ever since. I thought it was important to express the image in my mind to the people who were looking at me on the other side of the screen. This naturally brought my eyes to life.
With this shoot, I had a street image in mind, so I was in the mood to sit in an American back alley and look languid.
What did you think of the "L003 NEO" sneakers that you wore this time?
Kubozuka:When I took a quick look at them, I thought they were very fashionable. When I put my feet in them, they felt very comfortable. I felt it even more strongly when I jumped during the shoot. So I can wear them as a fashion item in everyday life, and I think they will also be useful when I want to be a little more active.
Lacoste is a brand with deep ties to tennis.
Kubozuka:The cushioning was so good that when I jumped and landed on the ground, there was no strain on my knees. I have the feeling that they absorbed the impact.
Do you have any experience in sports?
Kubozuka:I swam from the second grade to the sixth grade, and during that time I played soccer and basketball with friends, and I also did kendo. In junior high school, I did track and field and a little gymnastics. I don't play sports now, but I like to be physically active.
Do you have any sports experience that you can use now?
Kubozuka:When you put in the effort, you improve your skills. I wasn't good at studying at all because I wasn't good at sports, but I loved sports, so my efforts were often rewarded. That made me realize firsthand that hard work can help you.
And also mentality. Sports help that growth a lot, too. The thing that trained my mentality the most was kendo. When I was in a match with someone older than me and the shinai hit me, it hurt a lot. I still wanted to win, so I challenged my opponent. Then one day, I realized that my mind was being trained very well. That experience is still very useful in my work today.
I feel that the same thing can be said of the world of acting, where one becomes better through hard work and the training of one's mind.
Kubozuka:I have only just made my debut, so I am still learning, but I believe that seeing, breathing, and feeling the atmosphere at various workplaces is helping me. I am embarrassed to say it myself (laughs).
Four years have passed since your debut, and you feel that things have changed.
Kubozuka:I feel it. I have come to understand in my own way how to be comfortable in the field, and although at first I could only see myself, now I think I am able to see things outside of myself.
What kind of actor do you want to be in the future?
Kubozuka:I want to be the kind of actor who is really in the story and can deliver it as a real voice, not as dialogue. I want to give the kind of performance that only I can give. I want to be the one and only me.
Do you like acting?
Kubozuka:I love it and I enjoy it. It's crazy.
I believe that there are things that I can only do now, things that I can only do now because I am the person I am today, and that is what I am concentrating on right now. I may want to hang out with friends because of my age, but I can do that anytime. Besides, it's not just about having friends on the surface, everyone supports me. My friends are also working hard in other genres, and my competitive nature comes into play as well. In the end, I like adventures and challenges, and I want to keep doing that.
