. not that I don't like it, but it's not quite the same as having my image cemented as "the Yu-Gi-Oh guy."
What did you think about and do in order to understand the character deeply and get into the role?
I did everything I could think of. I did extensive research, imagined the family structure in the novel, imagined how he was born, how he spent his school years, and how he grew up at home. . I spent a lot of time filling in the blanks that were not depicted in the script or the novel. But that was only the first step in understanding him.
If I stick too much to my own image, I might end up being biased and different from the person I am supposed to be. . I think it would be impossible for me to create the role by myself. So, I had a lot of discussions with Mr. Lee, and we came to the conclusion that this is the kind of person Wen is. I had a lot of discussions with Mr. Lee, and we came to understand and portray the character of Wen in a more three-dimensional way, exchanging ideas like this and that.
I feel that such a careful and sincere attitude is important in understanding and respecting others.
. yes, I agree. For example, Bun is reported in the play as a kidnapper, but in reality there are complicated circumstances in the background. Such things are not easy to understand. . I myself still don't know if I am getting to the character of Fumi Saeki properly. It is not an easy path to reach a proper understanding of a person or matter.
People are multifaceted beings, and it takes time and effort to properly understand these multifaceted aspects. I think it is the evil of the information society and the Internet society that makes people think they understand something easily by skipping over that part. Everyone must have the awareness to stop, think, and imagine. Otherwise, we may end up harming people without their knowledge, or we may be complicit in distorting the truth.
Do you feel that there is a gap between the image you have in the world and your true self?
When I say on the radio, "I love Yu-Gi-Oh! on the radio, I was called a Yu-Gi-Oh geek for a while afterwards, and I sometimes think that's not the only reason. (Laughs.) After all, the person I am at home is different from the person I am at work.
I had the impression that you liked Yu-Gi-Oh!
Of course I like it! It's not wrong, and it's okay for people to think that way (laughs). . but I also wanted to make sure to keep the sense that that's not the only part of who I am. It's fun when the radio is full of Yu-Gi-Oh talk, and that aspect is certainly a part of me. But there are so many other personal aspects to me, and I felt that to have a fixed image of myself as a "Yu-Gi-Oh man" was not who I really am. But it was my decision to give out that kind of information, and I don't want to explain that in detail.
Do you feel a sense of responsibility as an actor?
I am always conscious of the fact that I am in a position to express myself on the stage and to deliver my words. Everything I say in public is linked to my image as Momori Matsuzaka, so I take responsibility for my words.
