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( interview yuuki and taishi for messiah - illip july 25th 2017 )
The mixed media project "Messiah Project" based on the original novel by Takadono Madoka. Set in an alternative version of Japan, it's a story that depicts the ultimate friendships and bonds between the so-called Sakura cadets, elite spies belonging to 1 section of the police force. It's a production spanning various media, such as drama CDs and manga, TV dramas, movies and stage plays. It's a project that keeps attracting fans. The latest installment is the stage play Messiah - Yuukyuu no Toki.
This time I interviewed Izawa Yuuki, who plays Ariga Ryo, and Sugie Taishi, who plays Kagami Itsuki, both playing the lead part in the stage play Messiah - Yuukyuu no Toki. We talked about their bond as Messiah, their thoughts on Messiah as a series, and about their enthusiasm towards the performances.
Although Messiah - Yuukyuu no Toki is the fifth time you're co-starring, could you tell us about your first and current impression of each other?
Izawa: The first time I co-starred with Taishi as the movie Messiah - Shinku no Shou. Since I was filming the movie and the TV drama at the same time, it felt kind of strange back then, since in the drama my Messiah was Mamiya Seiren, but in the movie Taishi was playing my Messiah as Kagaumi Itsuki. Since the relationship with Mamiya was stronger in the beginning, I didn't talk as much with Taishi. When we did the stage plays Messiah - Hagane no Shou and Messiah - Akatsuki no Toki afterwards, we finally got closer, and our relationship was able to become clearer. Now he feels like a partner, publically and privately.
Sugie: The first time I co-starred with Yuuki in Messiah - Shinku no Shou was my first time filming, so I was already nervous to begin with. Moreover, although Yuuki and I are the same age, his history as an actor is longer, and it makes him have a kind of aura. So even though he told me it was fine to just speak casually with him, I couldn't stop using honorifics at first for a while. (laughs) At first I called him Izawa-san, then Izawa-kun, then Yuuki-kun, and now Yuuki. Contraty to the way he looks, Yuuki is mischievous and frank. As we kept doing things together, the distance between us also naturally shrunk, and now it's very nice when we're together. I don't worry anymore at all. Aside from that, I really admire Yuuki's attitude towards acting.
Although you'll finally be tackling your graduation mission in this installment, what kind of series was Messiah for the two of you if you look back on everything up until now? And how do you think you've grown personally through this series?
Izawa: I can't rank the productions I've been a part of until now, but since I've been playing the same role for about three years in this series, I have a strong emotional attachment to both the role and the series. That's what I felt when I saw the fans who came to the Messiah exhibition. When I felt that this series is loved by a lot of people, I thought my own affection for this series is strong as well. I've also grown through Messiah, both as an actor and as a person. Although the highlights and real thrill of this series are the action scenes, I think this series is a real human drama. How do you change through meeting your Messiah? Although everyone has various sides to them, isn't having a Messiah just about friendship.. about the bond between men? Someone who's lacking emotions changed through meeting his Messiah, he becomes more kind. There were a lot of things to learn through this once in a lifetime encounter, so I think it's become my masterpiece work.
Sugie: I was already a fan since I loved the world of Messiah, and since I got to participate in the production virtually right after my debut, I also have a strong emotional attachment to it. I give all I've got for every single installment. Since I grow along with Kagami, it now feels like Messiah is my growth record. Every installment is a really valuable experience. All of Messiah is full of my growth.
Do you have any memories of scenes which you can vividly remember when you close your eyes?
Sugie: There's various memories like that, but what comes to mind first is the first cut of Messiah - Shinku no Shou. Usually I'm not that nervous, but that time I was really shaking on my legs.
Izawa: Just like Taishi, it's the first time I filmed for Messiah Project, the first scene I filmed for the drama Messiah - Eisei no Shou. I didn't fully have the role of Ariga down yet, and since we did various test shots, I remember it vividly. There are many others as well. I also still have a memory of the last installment, Messiah - Akatsuki no Toki, of the scene where Taishi is taken over by Necromancer and was staring at me. Since he had become a machine, he had a cold feeling about him, but I acted with the intention of moving Taishi to tears. I was always appealing to the Sugie Taishi inside of the cold Kagami Itsuki. It seems I didn't get through to him at all though.
Sugie: No, you did get through to me. But since I thought of it as a competition between fellow actors while acting... so as an actor I just thought, "damn it, this guy!" (laughs) But on the days that tears did end up flowing even when I was acting cold, I didn't forcibly resist them at all.
What was the moment that mutual trust formed between the two of you as Messiah and as actors?
Izawa: For me it was when we were fighting back to back at the very end of Messiah - Akatsuki no Toki, when I called out Kagami's name. Since I did that so many times over during practice.
Sugie: That's right. Since it was the first time I was exchanging ideas so lively both as an actor and in my role, it really was a big thing to me. If you're insecure about your acting, you start worrying, and so it can't be done without a relationship filled with trust.
Izawa: Since it was a united front of standing back to back, I really like that scene and series of events.
Finally, please leave a message to show your enthusiasm for the performances of the play to the fans who are looking forward to this production.
Sugie: Since I love acting and I love Messiah, I'm very glad to be the center of the production and I'm looking forward to it. Of course there's a lot of heart-pounding feelings about it, both Yuuki and I said we wanted to hurry up and do it. But more than that, I feel a big sense of responsibility. Up until now my senpai have shown amazing feats. Since that sight has been etched into my eyes, we also have to make sure to show that sort of thing to our kouhai. I want to show that off. I hope Messiah will continue like that in the future as well. To everyone who likes Messiah as a series, I absolutely want to make a production that will make you want to see the next one as well. Since I really think I have to do that for sure, please make sure to come see our way of doing it. Please support me.
Izawa: The senpai have graduated and the kouhai have arrived anew... That repeated, and before I knew it, we had become old-timers ourselves. Like this you can see the work grow and progress. I hope you can support the series from here on out even now I'm graduating, I'm really grateful to have been able to be part of such a production. I'd be glad if you could support our way of doing things until the very end.