-I guess Mirai* is a character you've never played before.
*The character she played in the movie “Loan Shark Ushijima”
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“When I read the script and had an idea of what kind of character Mirai is, I thought 'Is it okay that me play this character?'”
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-Precisely speaking, where did you find that you're not sure whether you can play this role or not?
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“When I picture me playing Mirai in the original comic, I found it's difficult to picture the actual image. The original comic has a lot of it's own fans, and I had a fear that if Oshima Yuko were to play this character of Mirai, people may say it's wrong and it spoils the taste of the original comic. But when I thoroughly read the script, and figured that I may be able to play Mirai, who I think is easily fooled and affected by people. Basically, the girl who is basically air-head but is a good person. I figured I want to play Mirai. From that moment, I've been looking forward to joining the filming and go deeply into the world of 'Loan Shark Ushijima.'”
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-It's the role that is different from the usual image of Oshima-san.
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“I think so. It's the polar opposite. ”
. -Did you have trouble finding common points between you and Mirai?
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“Not really. Unexpectedly, there're many common points between us. You know, she kinda admires Jun, the leader of 'Event circle' who is trying to seize his chance to go big in Show-Biz. And I am also attracted to people who are ambitious, who're trying their luck in the bigger world, working hard to become big in the world of glitz and gram. So…. I figured that we're the same in terms of being very curious about many things.”
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“Personally I don't think Mirai is a dirty role. She is told that 'Why don't you sell your body?' from a person who she admires, and even from her mother. But she can say 'NO' when it's necessary.”
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-Drama version of “Loan Shark Ushijima” is depicted from the perspective of Chiaki, the new employee played by Katase Nana-san. But this time, the movie revolves around many people, displaying many characters in objective manner, including Mirai. Could you tell me which one is your favorite character in this movie?
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“My favorite character is Nikumamushi. I really like this character. I can't ever fathom the fact that he is the same human being as me LOL. If he were to exist in the real world, I would ever never want to get involved with him and I bet he would never ever be involved with me. He is a sort of completely different existence from me. He is such an inspiring existence that he can do things beyond my imagination. So I can't help but be attracted to him. Besides, I have the impression that he is the person who is most loyal to human nature. He never hesitates to reveal things that the everyone wants to hide inside, and live the way he wants to live…. I think it's kinda similar to a monster. But when I figured that he is the monster that every human has inside of them, he became the most attractive character in this movie for me.”
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-I think your role in this movie is something you may be told by people, “You're so courageous for taking on such a dirty role.” Have you ever felt hesitant to take on this role?
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“Yes, I'm often told similar kind of things, but personally I don't think Mirai is a dirty role. I rather have the impression that she is honest and genuine and that she is a good girl. Even though she has no concrete goal or dream, something she is eager to do it in her life, she can adapt to the society and survive… How should I put it? She has, well, her own ideas, but she is fooled and affected by other people, which made me think that she has a constant change of the emotional state just like a normal person.
She is told that 'Why don't you sell your body?' from a person who she admires, and even from her mother. She had a relationship with a guy who she met in the dating cafe, just for the purpose of making money. But somehow, she can see all the things that she has encountered in her life objectively, or I should say that she can say 'NO' when it's necessary. So I don't think her role is something dirty. I played her role with an idea that she is a good girl in my mind and seeing her from that perspective that enables me to see her as a good girl.”
. -You completely got rid of the aura that you exude when you're in AKB48 for this movie,.
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“Did I? Probably it's because I think nothing about AKB48 when I'm in the filming work session for acting related work. But I don't really have a clear idea about it. I just always think about acting, and love to feel the atmosphere of the filming session. So I just looking at the movement of filming staffs, and feel the joy in the fact that I'm actually a part of this filming session! That's how I'm doing in acting related work.”
lor: #993366;”>-I think there are many girls like Mirai in the real world, especially in Oshima-san's generation. How did you feel after you virtuallly lived their life in the movie?
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“I was shocked by the fact that there exists the thing called 'Dating Cafe'. When there are that many dating cafes on streets, it's so easy to step in the cafes if you have some small chances. The cafes are not that dark inside. It's kinda like Manga cafes or Internet cafes. I figured that there might be many girls who step into the cafes to make an easy money. I thought everyone has a possibility to do that. But I think the most dangerous thing is to cross the line and go too far, straying too much off the normal path. We must set a limit to what extent we can go.”
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–Didn't you feel the fear of money?
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“I did. But it's more like that we lose our mind for money because our desire swallows up limitlessly, more than money itself. So I figured it's important to understand our own desires and control it. Tell your desire who's a boss.”
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-I have an impression that Oshima-san is a kind of girl who say things that are necessary to be said when they are necessary to be said. So I kinda feel the essence of Mirai is similar to that of Oshima-san.
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“I think I probably have an idea that I must be consistent with what is in my head. Mirai is also a girl who keeps herself consistent without actually knowing it herself. That's why she, in the end, goes back to her home after she runs away. She was able to understand what making money is all about. After she met Ushijima, her feeling towards Jun were shaken as well. But, ultimately, she has been consistent with being herself. That's why in the end, she came back her home. It saved her, or I should say it depicts why she is such a nice girl and that she could understand the meaning of Ushijima's words, 'That's you HOME'. I'm a little different from Mirai as I clearly have a standard value in myself that serves as a criteria for judging things. I think about things based from the inner standards of myself. Thus, I make an answer for things I see and hear based on my own sense of values. Of course I sometimes lend my ears to others and accept opinions of others as they are, but ultimately I give an answer to myself by myself.”
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I feel so grateful that director Yamaguchi said he needed Oshima Yuko in this movie for the role of Mirai.
The name “AKB” is such a big thing for me. No matter what kind of work I do, AKB is something I can't avoid being conscious about. So, it has a significant meaning for me that he chose Oshima Yuko as an actress, and valued me as an actress.
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-Director Yamguchi said “Mirai's role is for no one else but Oshima Yuko.” It's not just someone from AKB, but it has to be Oshima Yuko. So you're required for this movie. What do you think about this?
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“I feel so grateful about this. The name of “AKB” is such a big thing for me. No matter what kind of work I do, AKB is something I can't avoid being conscious about. So it has a significant meaning for me that he chose Oshima Yuko as an actress, and valued me as an actress. I believe he said that based on his impression of my acting after he watched my past work as an actress. And he advised me so kindly and thoroughly on my acting during the filming session. His advie really conveys subtle nuances. Because the director told me like 'At that moment in that scene, you were being Mirai.' I can easily understand what Mirai is like, and was getting more and more like Mirai as the filming went on. So I have a strong impression that the director helped me create the character of Mirai for this movie.”
. -Episodes about money frequently come up in this movie. I think there're many things you didn't know about Loan Shark, so how your ideas about money and the way you see money have chaged through the filming of this movie?
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“I think nothing has changed in me. I won't never be involved with a Loan Shark, anyway LOL. It's not just about money, but I keenly felt that I need to set a limit for my desire, as well. Our sense of values change constantly. We've become old, and influenced by people around us. So I figured I need to be able to judge things objectively while keeping my own sense of values.”
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-How did you feel when you see Yamada Takayuki-san? Was he scary?
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“He was scary. I'd always been nervous with him.”
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-(He was scary) As an actor? or as Ushijima?
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“I think it's both. But I shall say Yamada-san is so scary as if he was completely a different person when he became Ushijima. During the acting, I thought I would be killed all at once my eyes meet his. That was the first time I felt I would be killed by someone, I can't escape from this guy. So I couldn't move at all. Or I should say, I moved backward. I was so impressed by Yamada-san who can go that deeply into his role that he can actually make his co-stars feel the real fear.”
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From FREECELL Special issue 6 大島優子 「闇金ウシジマくん」公開記念インタビュー
Thank you for your translation!!
Yuko-san’s so smart as always, she knows what should to say and what answer that can impress me ><
It make me really want to watch this movie (but I can't TT^TT)
Thank you for translation ^^
Really admire Yuko.
She answers really good and smart
Thank you for your translation!!
Yuko-san’s so smart as always, she knows what should to say and what answer that can impress me ><
It make me really want to watch this movie (but I can't TT^TT)
Thank you for the long translate.
Thanks for translating Yuko’s interview, it really shows how serious she is as an actress. I think this movie will be out of my depth, sounds intense.