ASTAGE-ENT.COM: GACKT "immediately declined" offer to play high school student Movie Tonde Saitama Japan Premiere in TOKYO

The Japan premiere of the movie Tonde Saitama was held on 28 January at Tokyo Dome City Hall. The two leading stars, Nikaido Fumi and GACKT, along with co-stars Iseya Yusuke, Brother Tom, Shimazaki Haruka, Kato Ryo, Masuwaka Tsubasa, Nakao Akira, Kyomoto Masaki, and director Takeuchi Hideki attended the event.

This movie, which thoroughly disses Saitama Prefecture, is a live-action adaptation of Maya Mineo’s popular manga of the same name. This comedy, set in a fictional world where Saitama citizens who are being persecuted by the big city Tokyo, is about Saitama citizens fighting for their freedom in a battle that involves the whole of Kanto. Dannoura Momomi, a male high school student from Tokyo, is played by Nikaido, while Asami Rei, a transfer student returning from America who is actually a Saitama citizen, is played by GACKT. Akutsu Sho, the leader of Chiba Liberation Front which stands against Saitama, is played by Iseya, while Saitama Duke, the legendary Saitama citizen, is played by Kyomoto.

Based on the famous line (?), “Saitama citizens, eat the grass over there”, a grass-coloured (green) carpet was laid out for Nikaido and GACKT to walk in on instead of a red carpet!

GACKT, who received the offer to play a high school student, revealed that “When I heard that it was for a high school student, I immediately declined”, and despite that, “But I heard that he was a ‘special high school student’, and I got interested, wondering what kind of high school student that is. All my co-stars’ makeup was amazing too, and the set was ornate and gorgeous. We managed to film with a good flow”.

This movie was one that had a gathering of quirky, individualistic actors too. And of those actors, Nikaido said, “Really highly individualistic pepole were gathered. It was as if everyone came to earth to represent their on planets, do everything with a flourish, then go home all at once (smiles)”. When she said, “I worked with the feeling that I had to properly do what I should while thinking that I was the most decent one there”, GACKT retorted with, “No, I thought I was the most decent one though”. Looking back, he said, “While in the midst of it, it was so much so that I was under the impression that the staff’s (normal appearances) looked weirder than our appearances”.

GACKT declared this movie as “this century’s greatest farce”, but he spoke of how they earnestly tackled it, saying, “The director told us that acting as if we were trying to incite laughter was not allowed, so we acted seriously until the very end”. However, “There’s a scene where Iseya-kun was shoving peanuts into my nose. Iseya-kun was so serious that I got peanuts stuck in my nostrils a number of times during rehearsals. Do you understand how I feel?”, he said with a wry smile, drawing laughter from the audience.

In addition, because of their co-starring, GACKT finally got to meet Kyomoto Masaki for the first time. It appears that it took 15 years for them to meet, and GACKT divulged, “When I visited his dressing room to greet him, Kyomoto-san said to me, ‘We finally get to meetー!’. And after that, he said, ‘But, you knowー we’re the same type, aren’t we!’. Without thinking, I ended up blurting ‘Are we!?’,” and the audience burst out in laughter. Continuing, he said, “Kyomoto’s world is amazing!”, sharing Kyomoto’s state as he said, “On the first day of filming, Kyomoto-san’s lines were so long (smiles), and I said to Fumi-chan (Nikaido), ‘There’s no way he can remember such long lines!’”.

Shimazaki and Masukwaka are both native Saitama citizens. Masuwaka nodded in agreement as Shimazaki said, “I can finally confidently say that I come from Saitama”. Going on, she added, “Something that we can be proud of has been made. Since we’ve only had Saitama Super Arena until now”. Masuwaka grinned as she said, “But they are very loving disses. I think it’ll leave you feeling like you had fun after the movie”.

Lastly, Nikaido appealed, “It is packed with the gallant figure of Kyomoto-san (smiles). And I hope that we will be able to increase the number of hearts that love their local areas through this movie”. GACKT said, “When you (watch this movie and) think that it’s lame, please let your voice out and laugh”. During the photo session, they made the “Saitama Pose” with the audience and then closed off the event.