Yuta Kaji's Movie Fortune Telling -Tsugumi's Case

Kaji: Thanks for your time today.

Tsugumi: Thank you very much.

Kaji: It's been a while.

Tsugumi: It's been a while.

Kaji: You came to my first film festival.

Tsugumi: I had seen "SOLANIN" on DVD but had never seen it in the theater, so I decided to go.

Kaji: I see. That was the rental video era. So how old were you when you saw it?

Tsugumi: I think it's middle school or high school.

Kaji: I wonder why I decided to watch "Solanin" at that time.

Tsugumi: I wonder why. I originally liked the movie itself and had seen many of them, and I also liked Dr. Inio (Asano) and I really liked Aoi Miyazaki. That's probably why I decided to watch it.

Kaji: It was a film festival where I curated the films, or rather selected the films. I did the styling for "SOLANIN. I happened to read the original manga at the right time, and the styling in the manga was so good that I thought I would like to do the styling if it were to be made into a movie, and a few years later I was asked to do it (laughs). (Laughs.) It was really a coincidence, and I had never styled a movie before, but I took the job. Incidentally, I think there are certain things that become the royal roadmap for that generation, but you don't belong there, do you, Mr. Asano? Not everyone knows about it. How did you get there?

Tsugumi: As for artists, I have loved Ginko Boyz since I was in junior high school, and there was no one around me who knew about them, I was also attracted to movies, manga, and music that were a bit muddy.

Kaji: Then, the reason why Tsugumi and I got to know each other was "Solanin".

Kaji: We had never worked together in the fashion business, but he showed up at a film festival and I met him there, and that's how I got to know him. You are a model now, right?

Tsugumi: Yes, I started modeling when I was about 15. For the past few years, I have also been doing acting.

Kaji: I see. So your main focus is modeling, but you are gradually doing other things as well.

Tsugumi: I had always wanted to work in the field of expression, so I decided to work for an agency where I could work not only as a model but also in movies and singing, and where I could meet people I liked. It is a high-fashion agency. I wanted to do everything, but it didn't work out that way at first. I kept saying that I wanted to do acting as well, and after a number of things, I am finally able to do it now. I am now doing acting under a different management.

Kaji: That's a bit like being single-minded. You know, many people blame the environment. But do they feel indebted to it, or do they have some other reason?

Tsugumi: Of course I feel indebted to him. He raised me from a stage when I had no idea what I was doing, and he was really like a parent to me. Besides, I have no desire to quit the fashion business, and I have no particular desire to shift gears. I want to continue to have a positive influence on both fashion and acting.

Kaji: It's your own decision to be somewhat materialistic and to master modeling, isn't it?

Tsugumi: Yes, that's right. I went to an integrated junior high and high school, and there was an interview with the principal in order to move up to the high school. There was an exam and an interview, and it seemed like everyone was able to move up to the next level. But on the day of my interview with the principal, I decided to quit while eating lunch. I suddenly realized that if I went back to school, I would not be able to continue my modeling career, so I said I would not take the interview. It wasn't so much a trigger, but more like a sudden decision to quit.

Kaji: How is modeling work for you?

Tsugumi: I think I have found the right fit, and I have finally begun to understand what people are looking for. Looking back, I think this was the only way for me to get into this field, and it was the right entry point. At first, I always wanted to do movies and acting, so I thought why couldn't I do that from the beginning, and I had a sense of inferiority about it, but recently I have come to think that I was not wrong.

Kaji: Then I have a different question. What is the balance between your work and your private life?

Tsugumi: I am very negative about myself. I enjoy meeting with others, but when I am alone, or when I think by myself, I am extremely negative. So, as a subject, as a different person, I can name the good and bad points from the outside, but when I think by myself, all I can see are the bad points.

Kaji: I think of it as an individual.

Tsugumi: Oh yes. I don't really like my current situation or myself, but I really like the things that come with me. I balance it out a lot with friends and work.

Kaji: By the way, what do you do when you're off the clock? What do you do with your time?

Tsugumi: I try to go outside, especially recently, because I tend to be negative when I am alone. I like to watch movies and have drinks with friends, and I spend a lot of time in contact with entertainment. I go to live music concerts, movies, and comedy concerts, and I spend most of my time doing things that I can experience live.

Kaji: Do you remember the entrance of a movie in your memory?

Tsugumi: Entrance to movies. I have the impression that I watched a lot of adventure movies. I remember watching "Indiana Jones," "The Goonies," "Back to the Future," and other such movies to death when I was a little kid. Also, do you know "Hat to Cat"? It's a children's movie, but I liked it so much that I still watch it over and over again. I still go back and watch them now... I like those little foreign adventure-type movies.

Kaji: As an entry point for elementary school students, it's the same as for everyone else. They start with something easy to understand, and then they start going their own way, including "Solanin" along the way. How did you start?

Tsugumi: Well, I wonder what it was all about. I tend to start with "people. I often watch movies because I like the writers and actors.

Kaji: Do you often watch movies in theaters?

Tsugumi: Basically, I want to see movies in theaters if I'm interested. I also have a lot of subscriptions, but I tend to stop when I want to go to the bathroom or have a drink. I stop just because I need to use the restroom for a moment or have a drink, or I start touching my cell phone and can't go on. A movie theater is a very luxurious time where you can completely shut out everything and just watch the screen.

Kaji: It really feels like an experience, doesn't it, movie theaters? How old are you, by the way?

Tsugumi: 24.

Kaji: Is it easy to talk about such things with people of the same generation? For example, I went to see "The Wretched Ones. I liked it a lot, but it's the kind of movie that some people might not understand. And to see a movie live, It's not something that everyone takes for granted. It is rather rare. How do you feel about that, including those around you?

Tsugumi: I went to such a school from high school, so many of my friends are basically involved in the arts. Many of my oldest friends from junior high school are friends with me because of that. I can talk with them quite a bit.

Kaji: According to the information I receive, you know, movies are now shortened to 2 hours, which is ridiculous. Many people are getting by with that kind of thing, though I don't know anyone around me. Actually, you are of that generation, but you yourself don't seem to be, and you don't seem to be included in the so-called "youth image" of these days. However, it just so happened that I went to such a school environmentally, Many of them are light on their feet when it comes to entertainment.

Tsugumi: It's like a normal part of everyday conversation. There weren't many kids who said what was good about it or that they didn't agree with the sensibility there.

Kaji: We have just heard bits and pieces of what you have to say, but you are always honest with yourself, always wanting something, and always trying to see beyond that, even if only dimly, in your own way. What kind of things, for example, influence your desire for something?

Tsugumi: Movies and stage performances are very important. When I saw "SOLANIN," I thought it was a movie that I should really see now. I am so glad that I was able to see it here. I think there are a lot of good times like that. I am the type of person who is always thinking about various things, so I shut them out and gain various insights by letting other people's lives enter my mind. Solanin" is about a girl who is about 23 years old, and there are many people around me who are at a crossroads in their lives, whether they are working in the entertainment industry or not, Many people around me, both in and out of the entertainment business, were at a crossroads, thinking about changing careers or quitting the entertainment business. It really stuck with me, and the music of Aztecs (ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION) I also really liked the music of Aztecs (ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION). After that, there was a turning point in my life.

Kaji: You mean after that, after you saw the movie?

Tsugumi: Yes, after that movie, I was depressed once by certain things and sought out music and movies. And when I heard (the song) "Solanin," I thought this is it. The chorus of the song says, "If the happiness lasts for a long time, I'm sure some bad seeds will sprout and it will be goodbye. It's already goodbye.

Kaji: For example.

Tsugumi: I found the answer I was looking for here. I knew that in the end I would seek stability, but even if I did that, the problems that were there in the first place would eventually appear, and it would only make things more difficult in the future. I was vaguely aware of this when I reached the turning point. I was actively thinking, "Maybe I should do this," or "I don't know, but I think this is definitely the right way to go," and the film and music were able to put it into words and convey it to me. In that sense, it was the story that influenced my decision.

Kaji: I'm just now starting to get a sense of what Tsugumi's information is on the whiteboard, but right now we are talking about "Solanin," and I think the words in the song helped me to get through it. Are there any other turning points for you related to the film, or did you become like this or like the film after seeing it?

Tsugumi: I wonder, can I look at your phone? There are a lot of movies. There are movies that I have seen many times. I think this is a good thing about me, but I tend to forget a lot. The same goes for stories, and I'm the type of person who takes in a lot of books. Even if I really like a work, I sometimes forget the ending. So I often rewatch them. There is a movie called "The Life of Matsuko Hateful Matsuko" (......).

Kaji: Was it Matsu Takako?

Tsugumi: No, it's not. It's a very hard film, but it's very positive, with a touch of comedy. There are a lot of colorful developments and details, but in the end, it's the worst. But in the end, it's the worst...but it's "for life. As it says, the film comically depicts Matsuko's life, and although it's a very tragic story, there's a part of me that feels right at home in the film. It is a movie that I watch when I feel stuck.

Kaji: I don't know about you, but I think I will always remember the journey of the four boys in "Stand By Me." Seeing it in your teens, 20s, 30s, and 40s is totally different. Every time I see them, I feel fresh again. But "The Life of Matsuko Hateful Matsuko" doesn't surprise me so much. If I were to put it in terms of clothes, I would say it looks good on me. What about the others?

Tsugumi: Do you know "Why is it Bad in Hell? It's directed by Sion Sono and stars Minamoto Hoshino and Fumi Nikaido. It's splatter, splatter, splatter, and it's just plain awful, but I've seen it several times. I wonder why. It's not so much that it affects my life, it's more that it's a reset, but that's exactly what ...... is all about. Actor Hiroki Hasegawa plays the role of a director of an independent film, and in the end, Gen Hoshino and his friends go to film a yakuza beatdown and get involved, but he films the whole thing. But Hasegawa filmed all of that, too. He ended up bloodily retrieving the film and running happily. The passion of the boys was very moving to me.

Kaji: It's the difference in the sound you play. Your thoughts are reflected in the movies and music you like. It's like the temperature is very intense. I don't have an expression like that.

Tsugumi: I understand, I understand!

Kaji: Then I don't mean to be a little mean, but in my mind, you know, I already have a zone of certainty. But what about the ones that aren't, like ......?

Tsugumi: I watch, I watch, I watch very much! I also like conversational dramas, including Aki Kaurismäki's "Withered Leaves," but I don't really classify them into genres, especially films. I don't think I really categorize films, especially films, because what I receive from them is completely different. I want to feel what I think when I watch them. In terms of directors, I really like Akiko Ookyu. She often does live-action adaptations of Risa Wataya's novels, such as "Jiyujimu Furete Ro", "Ama Sake de Ugai", and "Watashi wo Kuiteime". These are works with a lot of tension, I'm very much influenced by him.

Kaji: It's like you can swallow even the toughest road. Aren't many of them rather hard? I feel like I can savor even the ones that are reasonably hard as a work of art.

Tsugumi: I also love horror movies. I watch them to death. Horror movies are really entertainment. I want to enjoy them. I want to experience more horror. I want to enjoy horror films as entertainment, and at the same time, I want to gain awareness of them, I want to enjoy them as entertainment, but at the same time I want to learn from them. I also want to learn.

Kaji: I am in the middle of a whirlpool of reference examples of where I am headed and where I want to go from here.

Kaji: Do you know there is a movie called "Tsugumi"? Directed by Jun Ichikawa. If there is another movie called "Tsugumi" and Tsugumi is the star, we don't even know where the story will go.

Tsugumi: That's right. By taking in other people's lives, I can come back to myself. I have a strange sensitivity, and I get sad just listening to other people's advice. I am the type of person who gets too involved in the person's feelings and becomes depressed, so I think I have a huge range of emotions.

Kaji: It's good that you're just realizing that you can't keep up with the swing of things, but when you get caught up in it, do you then have a plan for what you're going to do about it?

Tsugumi: I want to shut down my emotions, so I watch comedy or movies that have nothing to do with me at all.

Kaji: Like eating ramen for a bit?

Tsugumi: Yes, yes, yes!

Kaji: You know yourself very well. I don't know whether I know it or not (laughs). (laughs) But the fact that you can verbalize so much is very admirable for a 24-year-old, even though it's hard to judge by age. I didn't understand. Thank you very much, I'm having a good time today.

Tsugumi: I'm glad to hear that! I really like movies and I like talking about them, but I was nervous because I thought what if people think I'm a shallow person (laughs).