Interview to commemorate the screening
Tasuku Hatanaka (Ryusuke Domon) and Yuto Uemura (Takeshi Ageha)
The third chapter of Be Forever Yamato REBEL 3199, titled Aquamarine Asteroid, is finally about to premiere. Here, ahead of the screening starting on Friday, April 11th, we conducted a conversation between Tasuku Hatanaka, who plays Ryusuke Domon, and Yuto Uemura, who plays Takeshi Ageha. We asked about the relationship between Domon and Ageha in this work and the events that occurred during recording.
Interviewer: Hiroyuki Kawai
The destinies of the two change during a fierce battle
Interviewer: Please tell us about the characters you play, Ryusuke Domon and Takeshi Ageha.
Hatanaka: Domon is the type who is so driven by his own beliefs that he loses sight of his surroundings. But once he believes in something, he has the stubbornness to stick to it. In 3199, his stubbornness wavers and he is under stress. As the actor, I think, “He should take a deeper breath,” but he just keeps going, which is very Domon-like.
Interviewer: Meanwhile, what kind of person is Takeshi Ageha to you, Mr. Uemura?
Uemura: I had the impression that Ageha was a cynical type, but due to an incident in the past, he has become a character who rarely reveals his true feelings. This will be revealed in the third chapter, so I think it will be an opportunity to get to know his true relationship with Domon. Ageha himself understands that his relationship with Domon is strained. I think he wants to approach him, but his inability to be open gets in the way. He’s not very skillful, so his words end up being provocative. I tried to approach the recording while keeping in mind the frustration that is always at the root.
Interviewer: The original series Yamato III also features Ageha. Did you use any reference points for him?
Uemura: No, the audition materials also mentioned the original Ageha, but I didn’t intend to touch on it more than necessary. I think I would be influenced if I knew the original Ageha, and I’m acting with the thought, “I’m sure he’ll have a different fate.”
Hatanaka: It’s true that Domon and Ageha in the original were played by great seniors, so I thought “I’ll be influenced,” and I was very conscious of not watching it. I really wanted to act with a fresh feeling.
Interviewer: I think the fact that Domon and Ageha were best friends is also a point, but have you two ever discussed this?
Hatanaka: No, we didn’t have any specific meetings. It’s no fun to decide on the details in advance, and I think the ideal thing is to be able to reflect what happens and what you feel on the set in your performance. It’s also fresher as a film if you build up what you feel on the spot.
Uemura: I’ve known Tasuku for over 10 years. I have a vague sense of trust that “if I pass it to him like this, he’ll return it like that.” I went in with the idea that if I was working with him, I didn’t have anything to worry about.
Interviewer: Is there anything that left an impression on you about the direction?
Uemura: General Director Harutoshi Fukui said, “Yamato may be a historical work, but I’m sure there will be parts in common between you and Ageha. Please act freely without hesitation,” and those words were very supportive. Also, there were many cast members of the same generation as Tasuku, and the atmosphere of the new crew was formed. Rather than carefully preparing for the role, I was able to ease my anxiety by adapting to the atmosphere on set.
Interviewer: What do you think you and Ageha have in common?
Uemura: I think we share a commonality in terms of clumsiness. As mentioned in the third chapter, there were times when things didn’t mesh well with Domon in the past, leading to misunderstandings. I often think about how to treat people through Ageha.
Interviewer: What direction did you take that made an impression on you, Mr. Hatanaka?
Hatanaka: Domon’s words, “I’m the spokesperson for the younger generation, so I want you to always take on challenges with a forward-thinking attitude” made an impression on me. He becomes too calm if he’s not careful (laughs), so we may have had a lot of direction in that regard. Unlike Ageha’s delicacy, I think it’s important to have a recklessness that makes you feel “frustrated” when watching him. In a sense, Domon may be the one closest to the viewers.
Interviewer: I’d also like to ask about three-dimensional objects. If you two were to build a plastic model, which mecha would you choose?
Hatanaka: If I were to make one, I would like to build a mecha from the Earth Defense Force side. Personally, I like small fighter planes more than ships, so I would like to make a Cosmo Tiger II. The scene where the Cosmo Tiger II charges into an enemy battleship on its own is really cool.
Uemura: For me, it’s the Cosmo Tiger II. Watching the battle scenes gets me excited.
Hatanaka: The design of the Dezarium side makes you feel uneasy. I think the unique shape that seems to ignore the common sense of Earth side mecha is attractive.
Interviewer: Finally, please give a message to all the fans.
Uemura: I never thought I would be involved in the Yamato series, but then I participated as Takeshi Ageha from the second chapter. The third chapter is an episode where you can see what kind of past Ageha has and how his relationship with Domon has changed. In the midst of the fierce battle, the work carefully depicts each character, so I think I was able to give it my all as Ageha.
Hatanaka: This is not limited to Chapter 3, but the beginning of every film always provides a detailed synopsis, so even first-time viewers can enjoy it. It’s a heavy film, but you can enjoy it by simply watching the battleships and following the action, and there are also aspects that you can enjoy without thinking too hard. First of all, nothing will start unless people encounter Space Battleship Yamato, so I would like more young people to watch it.