NEWS.DWANGO.JP: GACKT "immediately declined" offer to play a high schooler in his late 40s

Actress Nikaido Fumi and singer GACKT attended the Japan premiere of Tonde Saitama the movie (releasing 22 February), which was held in Tokyo on the 28th, along with Iseya Yusuke, Brother Tom, Shimazaki Haruka, Kato Ryo, Masuwaka Tsubasa, Nakao Akira, Kyomoto Masaki, and director Takeuchi Hideki.

This is a live-action adaptation of the intense gag manga of the same name by mangaka Maya Mineo which thoroughly disses Saitama citizens. Asami Rei (GACKT), who is a transfer student returning to Tokyo, takes on a battle that involves all of Kansai to gain freedom for Saitama citizens as a member of the Saitama Liberation Front which seeks to abolish waybills.

GACKT, who is now 45, revealed the backstory of his casting, saying, “Initially, I was told that it was an offer to play a high school student and I immediately declined”. After which, he spoke of continuous surprises, adding, “But I was told that even if he is a high school student, he’s a special high school student, like ‘What!?’. And after that, I heard about the plot and went to film, but on the first day, I was greeted with a kiss scene. What kind of process is this!?”. Despite that, he eventually became enthusiastic, saying, “We started with such an ornate and luxurious set that our get-ups felt more normal, to the point that the staff’s plain appearances looked out of place. All my co-stars’ makeup was amazing too and since things began with a great start, we began filming with a great perspective. It felt like we were being manipulated by the director’s hands until the very end”.

It was also his first meeting and first time working together with Kyomoto, who has a similar presence as him. GACKT was looking forward to it, saying, “I’ve been acquainted with Kyomoto-san’s makeup artist since a long time ago, and I kept hearing about him, but it as the first time I was actually going to meet him so I was looking forward to it”, but he added with a wry smile, “When visited Kyomoto-san’s dressing room to greet him, and he said ‘We finally get to meet~! But, you know, we’re the same type, aren’t we!’. Right then, I blurted, ‘Are we!?’”.

On the other hand, of the quirky actors which included Kyomoto who were gathered, Nikaido said, “Everyone came from their own planets to earth with a flourish, and all went home with a flourish, that’s what the site felt like. That’s why, in this time’s film site, I worked with the feeling that I had to properly do what I should while thinking that I was the most decent one there”. To that, Kyomoto inclined his head, as if thinking, “What? That was a surprisingly impolite thing to say coming from here, isn’t it?”, while GACKT raised his hand without missing a beat, retorting, “I thought the same thing. That I’m the most decent one”.