Bakuage Sentai Boonboomger Official Perfect Book: Bakuage All Right Part 1 of 2: Haruhi, Yuki and Miu Interviews (very long post, translations below)
(Part 2: Ryu, Satoru and Yu's Interviews)
Publication: July 1, 2025
Iuchi Haruhi (Taiya Hando/BoonRed)
-The likable Red-
"First, could you tell us your initial impression of Taiya Hando?"
Iuchi: In the beginning, I received his character description that included details like his age, but my immediate thought was, "He's complicating!" (laughs). For my own image of Sentai Reds, I just had a strong impression that they were the hot blooded types, so I was surprised to find out that this wasn't the case for him. I was told he was the type who keeps his passionate feelings hidden inside, has a fairly high mental age, is wealthy, and is a genius inventor (laughs), so I remember struggling to grasp that image since I couldn't find any relatable characters to use as reference either.
"He's a character with many secrets, but had you been provided a description of his general beliefs?"
Iuchi: That was completely absent……However, I was also told that it was "okay to make it up myself," so for example, I'd create backstories in my mind to act out in regards to why Taiya was initially so fixated on screams or why he had to act so mature, as I thought that something must've happened in his past. I think that him not being able to show his true self to others and trying to be an adult by retreating into his shell is the result of him growing up while still carrying some kind of childhood trauma and not having completely overcome it yet. I was surprised to find that my interpretation was pretty close to the Producer's.
"What else did you keep in mind while performing?"
Iuchi: During script readings, Director Nakazawa would constantly tell me, "Settle down more. Be more mature!" Even when we'd get on set, he'd say things like, "That's still childish" and, "Move more slowly." I guess I was rushing somewhere along the way. However, during post recording sessions, I was told things like, "Your voice is still too quiet!" and, "Get more excited!"……(laughs), which made me worry, as I wondered, "Is it really okay to raise my voice this much?" After watching the broadcast, I realized it was surprisingly alright as long as it was just my voice, so from then on, I felt at ease and things went smoothly……well, not always (laughs), but I figured it'd be fine to go that far.
"We can imagine that Suit Actor Mori Hirotsugu-san was fired up for his first time playing a Red, but what did you discuss regarding the role?"
Iuchi: For better or for worse, I felt like I'd get too hung up on things, so I tried not to get too deep into our conversations, but we did go over poses and movements on set. For example, the "Cranked up (Bakuage dana)" movement was something I suggested. I did some research on my own about the psychology behind touching one's chin, and figured if I acted decisively after that, it might make me look like a hero. After that, during the post recording sessions for episodes 1-3, I feel like the image of him somewhat solidified in my mind when I saw BoonRed fighting. He's cool and passionate when fighting……or rather, you could say that he appears cool on the surface, but gets incredibly excited when facing a crisis or danger.
"I see. Since you often performed together, how was it working with Boonboom's Fujita Yohei-san?"
Iuchi: I talked to Yohei-san quite abit while we were together. For example, things like, "Let's do a fist bump here." In that sense, I interacted with him just as I would with the unmasked cast, and the voice of Boonboom that played in my head was of Yohei-san's voice. Boonboom himself is over 2 meters tall, or to put it another way, he's large both vertically and horizontally, so it was incredibly intimidating, but I got used to that right away too. Still, whenever Boonboom or Byundi moved, they'd make such loud sounds, that we'd inevitably have to record our lines as well, so for the everyday scenes, we had to make sure it properly matched our lip movements, which was really tough. It was also difficult trying to recreate the atmosphere we had while performing on location.
"Did you have any tricks for getting the atmosphere just right?"
Iuchi: Just before the recording session, each of us would say our signature lines. For example, if it were Chasshiro, he'd mutter, "……I won't accept it!," in order to incorporate his character's energy before getting into his performance. This was something everyone did.
"This was obvious in Bakuage 1, but during the early stages, the one who was positioned to drive the story forward as the protagonist was Mira, not Taiya."
Iuchi: Mira and Jou are more like Reds, don't you think? I think it was pretty common for there to be situations where everyone around him transformed first, and then Red transforming last. It was like that in King-Ohger too, and I guess there must've also been patterns like that in the past, but I myself always struggled with what kind of approach to take.
"Just as he dismissively said that they should dispose of the dress, he accepts Mira's firm refusal with a smile on his face. He's a rather complex character, huh?"
Iuchi: Taiya's lines could come off as sarcastic or even abit mean spirited depending on how he said them, so I was always thinking about how to perform them aptly.
"We think a large part of it had to do with the certain touch of cuteness that would vaguely peek through him."
Iuchi: However, that wasn't something I was consciously doing. The Producers had told me that while Taiya himself is only 25, he wants to come across as older. While my actual age is 20, I was playing the 25 year old Taiya, and since both of us seem to be trying abit too hard to act grown up, it doesn't come off as sarcastic. In that sense, I'm thankful to everyone who took that into account and chose me.
"He was a rather difficult character to grasp, but on the other hand, we were also introduced to his unique catchphrases like, "This is what it means to take control of your own wheel" and, "This store, I've bought it!"
Iuchi: During the proposal stage, lines like "I've fallen for you!," "I've bought it!," and "take control of your own wheel" had already been written in, so when I read the script, I knew they were his signature lines, but I never practiced saying them during acting lessons, you know? (laughs). However, I remember thinking that if I "locked in" on their direction during the beginning, it would become difficult to change later on, so for the time being, I figured I'd turn them into catchphrases that could be said in a variety of ways. So whether it was with someone like Mira or the store clerks, I'd adjust the intensity of my voice depending on who I was speaking to.
In Bakuage 2, we thought the line directed at Chasshiro, "Has what I've fallen for ever let me down before?," was memorable."
Iuchi: I could tell from this line that things would progress based on those kinds of vibes going forward, so I thought this scene was an important one. What I was particularly conscious of was that their relationship appeared to be the kind where they both have each other's backs. After all, Taiya's partner is Chasshiro. I think that Boonboom in comparison is more like a family member than anything else. For example, when Jou said that he wanted to join the Boonboomgers, he was coldly brushed off with "that's impossible," right? That's not the kind of view he holds towards Chasshiro. Since they're equals, I was conscious of speaking to him in a gentle, or rather, an inquisitive manner.
"Since it signified that recruiting him wasn't a mistake, Chasshiro wasn't able to complain."
Iuchi: Right, right, it was pretty sneaky, huh? (laughs). It made me think that Taiya was quite a flirt.
"By the way, what were your thoughts on the JAF segments that promoted traffic safety during the ending credits? We imagine it required a different kind of performance compared to the main story."
Iuchi: It felt like we were just standing around, so I initially wasn't sure what to do. At some point though, it started to feel like it was okay for us to just be ourselves, so from then on, it became alot of fun. It felt like we had to "do what we could within those 5 seconds," where it sorta turned into a free for all as we kept doing it (laughs).
-Taiya is Taiya-
"Not long after the five Boonboomgers gathered, cracks began to form during Bakuage 8. Taiya's the kind of person who tends to not say what really needs to be said, is he?"
Iuchi: It's not that it was a secret, he just didn't go out of his way to say it. Even though he can talk to Boonboom, I guess he unconsciously tries to act like an adult when he's with everyone else, or maybe he just finds it difficult to show his vulnerabilities. Simply put, he's not very good at talking about himself. I had a feeling at that point that his lack of communication skills probably wouldn't change, and that it'd likely end up causing more trouble down the line (laughs).
"It was a serious development, in stark contrast to how things had been going so far, but what was the atmosphere like on set?"
Iuchi: Nothing in particular changed, I guess. I was still smiling. For myself as a viewer, I kept wondering when Taiya was going to get beaten up, so I thought, "Finally, he's gonna get covered in bandages" (laughs). Taiya's always resilient, don't you think? Even when the enemy is about to deliver a blow, everyone else flails while only Taiya stays on his feet and dodges with a quick spin. In that sense, it was the bloodshed I'd been eagerly waiting for. Watching characters like Jou transform while covered in dirt made me feel like, "He's such a hero!," so I was really envious.
"The "thank you, everyone" at the end was a significant moment that wrapped up the two part story."
Iuchi: It was only at that point that the atmosphere on set felt different. It was abit solemn, and very quiet. The plan was to first shoot the scene where everyone was crowded together, and then move onto the cuts where only Taiya's in frame, but everyone was so kind back then, as they silently mimicked similar movements from behind the camera in order to make things easier for me.
"Naito Raita made his appearance in Bakuage 11. When Taiya's together with Naito, his facial expressions seems abit more childlike, wouldn't you say?"
Iuchi: We agreed to have them give off something similar to a teacher and student vibe, so it'd make me happy if they came across that way. With King-Ohger, each of them had their own retainer, and I think they had the opportunity to interact with a wide range of people, but the Boonboomgers are isolated (laughs), or rather, it feels like a self contained group of five or six people, so interacting with Nagato-san was a really fresh experience.
"Following that in Bakuage 12 was the collab episode with "Engine Sentai Go-Onger." How was it working with Furuhara Yasuhisa-san?"
Iuchi: Up until then, it felt like only one person was Red and one person was Blue, so there wasn't anything in particular that overlapped in terms of character, but I was worried about what would happen if another Red showed up. While Sosuke and Taiya have completely different personalities, they both seem to have the same vibes when things quiet down abit, so I wondered how it'd turn out. However, since it was a show I grew up watching when I was little, it was an incredibly moving experience. When I first held Speedor, I was like, "I know him! I used to play with him!" (laughs).
"BoonViolet made his entrance in Bakuage 16, but Miyazawa Yu-san's participation had a huge influence on Iuchi-san, right?"
Iuchi: Yes. I think part of it had to do with Yu-kun's personality, but since he has experience from working on a variety of sets, there was a certain way of behaving that came from it, so I learned alot from that. As an example, up until then, even if I had an idea of how I wanted to move in certain situations, I couldn't really bring myself to tell the Directors. After all, the Directors have everything memorized in their heads, including the movements of the camera, so they build the direction based on that. However, seeing how Yu-kun was constantly exchanging ideas with the Directors made me realize that it was okay for me to consult with them too. My approach to reading the scripts changed after that, and I was able to adopt a perspective where I'd ask myself, "What can I do here?" or, "Wouldn't Taiya move more like this?" However, when the two of us did script reading, Violet was such a pushy character that I started to worry and think, "Oh no! If this keeps up, I'll get completely swept along!" (laughs). For this reason, I in turn couldn't budge. I realized that in order to not get pulled along by Sakito, Taiya had to continue being Taiya.
"In Bakuage 18, The exchange of, "Well isn't that great, but there wasn't a single Earthling who heard my screams!" and, "I'm right here, aren't I? If you're not in the right frame of mind, you can't hear what's right in front of you. But I can hear them now!" was also very memorable."
Iuchi: Taiya probably saw Sakito as a reflection of his former self. That's why he couldn't just leave him alone. We were running behind schedule on that scene, and just barely managed to capture the last moment of the transformed parts, but the sun had already set, so we had to reschedule the remaining shots for another day. We had been watching Mori-san and Tsuta-san perform, where we planned to keep that same energy going, so we were like……alright (laughs). Our emotions inevitably reset, you know? So, while the staff were still working on preparations, the two of us did a read through while standing there, checking in with each other to make sure we were both in the right mood before we went into filming. At that time, I felt like I was really acting, and my emotions were running high too, so it was alot of fun to perform.
"Bakuage 24 was a long awaited episode that was undoubtedly a Taiya main episode."
Iuchi: I personally had this feeling like, "Finally, it's here!" Even the episode featuring the appearance of BoonRed119 was really just about Boonboom, and more than that, it felt like the candy and afro detectives were the ones who stood out the most, so you know (laughs). Also, during our first meeting, when they asked me about my own weaknesses and strong points, I mentioned that "playing the guitar is my special skill." It also made me happy that they were able to incorporate that into the story.
"It's also an episode that delved into Taiya’s past, which we previously could only fill in with our imaginations."
Iuchi: I always thought he must've been a reserved kid. He still loves to develop things, so I think he probably used to do that on his own when he was younger. Because of that, I figured that meeting someone was what made him start to enjoy interacting with people, but I'd been wondering what exactly that event was, so it really felt like I got the exact answer I'd been looking for. I think that if they didn't depict a deeper exploration into his background, it likely would've also been hard for the viewers to really empathize with Taiya. In that sense, it made me happy that people could finally see a more human side of him. Still, it's a truly heartbreaking past, don't you think? It is a children's program after all, so we had to phrase it as "she went far away."
"How was it filming the movie Promise the Circuit?"
Iuchi: When I heard that it was going to be filmed at a racetrack, I thought, "The films are really on a whole different scale!" For the TV series, we'd usually film in Tokyo or the surrounding Kanto area, but this time we traveled by bus all the way to Shizuoka, which took two or three hours. Also, surprisingly enough, it was my first time inside of a forest. We went there again later on to film the Tent Grumer episode (Bakuage 22), but it felt incredibly fresh. More than that, it was the first time we filmed all six of us transforming at the same time. It was immediately after Sakito joined, so we had yet to do it together. It made me happy when Genba joined and the five of us transformed, but I felt the same kind of excitement at the time as I did back then. It made me once again realize that the Boonboomgers were finally a complete Sentai.
-Reaching a beautiful ending-
"As the story entered the second half, A series of serious episodes ensued, including the appearance of the obviously suspicious Tokoyari Eiichiro, the return of Madrex, and Genba's withdrawal."
Iuchi: It felt abrupt, didn't it? As you might expect, the set was completely silent when we filmed the scenes where they try to stop the rampaging Genba and the moment where he left. Well, that's also when we suddenly got an episode featuring a heartwarming curry story (laughs).
"That was Bakuage 31, right? It's a memorable episode as it shows Taiya, whose approach is completely out of touch, attempting to help others by throwing money at the problem."
Iuchi: It's the "spinning his wheels" Taiya that the Directors had been talking about since the very beginning. I thought, "It's finally here."
"He's kind toward everyone, but he doesn't really understand the nuances of the heart."
Iuchi: That's right. I thought that maybe his clumsiness was just a result of spending so much time alone.
"The line "the joy of creating…huh" in the flashback scene was also memorable since it perfectly fit with the show's theme."
Iuchi: It wasn't just to reinforce Taiya's wealthy status, but just as the story was starting to get pretty heavy, the structure deliberately returned to the basics of storytelling, which I think was another amazing aspect of it.
"One of the highlights of Bakuage 37 was the action scenes between him and Chasshiro."
Iuchi: That was alot of fun! Everyone else fought while transformed during the Antenna Grumer episode, but Taiya was the only one who didn't, right? When Sakito arrived, I practiced the moves together with everyone else, so while I thought, "Maybe I can do it this time," I ended up just dodging kicks again (laughs), but it was the first time I really went all out. Of course, I can't move as beautifully as the Suit Actors, so to put it bluntly, I was basically just fumbling around while we were filming, but I was amazed at how cool I looked due to the way they captured the shots. I felt like the ultimate hero. When I heard that we'd be fighting in Taiya's garage, I wondered, "How are we supposed to move around in a place that's packed with furniture and various other items?"
"Action Director Watanabe Jun's style is to create video storyboards in advance, but did Iuchi-san participate as well?"
Iuchi: Yes! I filmed it alongside Chasshiro and the Suit Actors. We also had about two action rehearsals. We see Taiya as a child in this episode, right? I'm not actually in that flashback scene, but I was allowed to visit the set, and after filming finished, I was given a brief moment to sit in the same chair and perform the same movements in order to get my emotions in order.
"During the end game, with his mentor's betrayal and the “parting” with Boonboom, Taiya faced a series of trials, so we think you must've been especially fired up for Bakuage 44."
Iuchi: I really was. What's more, since it was my first time working with Director Miyazaki, we spent about an hour discussing things beforehand, and even confirmed the plan multiple times on set as well, so it turned out to be an incredibly intense shoot. Because of this, I felt completely drained at the end of each day. After all, Taiya's emotions had never really broken down or been crushed to that extent, right? I was always conscious of trying to look cool on camera, but I was told to completely abandon that and be more unrefined, even vulgar if necessary. So, I wasn't thinking at all about how I'd look in the footage. Especially before filming the scene where the "rain bringing" Boonboom collapses, I had walked far away by myself in order to try and focus as much as possible, but I used up an incredible amount of energy in the process.
"What did you think of the broadcast?"
Iuchi: I'd stop myself from saying "it was satisfying!," but the tone of the production had shifted all at once, so as someone involved, I was really happy about it.
"By the way, since your schedule overlapped with Gozyuger, how did you manage to switch emotions?"
Iuchi: After I'd put my costume on and get my makeup done, and this was really right before filming, I had a routine where I'd close my eyes and say "Taiya Hando!" out loud in order to get into the right mindset, so I did that more often than usual. When I'm memorizing a script, I record myself reading it out loud and then repeatedly play it back, but when I need to switch my mood, I rely on my ears for that too. Still, it was tough. We actually filmed the scene where I transform into KuwagataOhger between the day Boonboom got taken down and the day with the rainy scene (laughs).
"In Bakuage 45, we see him desperately struggling to revive Boonboom, but what did you keep in mind while portraying Taiya, who'd never been in such a cornered situation before?"
Iuchi: The directions in the script had "a worn out Taiya" written down, and I think it also had Mira saying, "You haven't eaten a thing since then!," but I figured it'd be impossible to create that look and feel entirely through my acting skills alone, so I decided I had no choice but to put my physical state into it. And so, before filming this scene, I lost about 5 kgs, didn't sleep the night before the shoot, and even went for a run right before entering the set, so I pushed my body to the absolute limit, where I was on the verge of actually damaging my health, before taking on the shoot. That's why I had brain fog the entire time (laughs).
"It was also great that Mira was the one who had to nudge Taiya. Their roles had reversed compared to when they first met, which we thought was a genuinely beautiful narrative structure."
Iuchi: That was really great! They were in a pretty desperate situation by the time it reached Bakuage 44, right? That's why when I received the scripts for episode 45 and 46, I became uneasy and thought, "Is it really gonna end in two more episodes? Will it be carried over to a film or a V-Cinext?" (laughs), but I was surprised to see it end so beautifully. Taiya and the others, who had always wanted to go to space, set off on their journey, while Sakito, who had lived his life away from Earth, stayed behind. The development of their positions ultimately reversing really moved me. I was like, "So that's why Sakito didn't get a Champion Jacket!," and the way everything connects was also wonderful, don't you think?
"As the wrap up drew closer, what were you feeling going into shoots?"
Iuchi: I acted while savoring each and every scene. I had naturally put alot of care into the previous episodes as well, so emotionally, things felt the same to me, but there were many scenes that reminded me of the early days of filming, like the moment when Taiya rushed to Mira's wedding ceremony, so every day of filming was overwhelming, as I knew it'd really be coming to an end very soon.
"The Bakuage Sentai Boonboomger VS King-Ohger V-Cinext was filmed before the main series was finished, right?"
Iuchi: Yes. For the time being, I was told that Boonboom gets taken down once, but aside from that, I went into it knowing absolutely nothing about how the story would unfold toward the end, so that was difficult.
"How was it working together with characters from a completely different worldview?"
Iuchi: In a typical VS, each and every character works in a pair, right? I mentioned earlier that the Boonboomgers are pretty isolated, but just the fact that we got to interact so closely with other people was a fresh experience. In fact, the plot had Taiya stepping into King-Ohger's world, and it was the first time I'd ever filmed in such a crowded place. It was a set where you could constantly hear someone's voice, which wasn't the case with Boonboomger's, you know?
"You were able to experience live compositing, right?"
Iuchi: Was I the only Boonboomger member to do this in the V-Cinext? We filmed in front of an incredibly large green screen. I knew it'd be difficult, but there were way more things I didn't understand than I had expected, so it was challenging. However, the wedding scene in Boonboomger's final episode was also filmed using a green screen, so I was glad that I was able to experience that once before it. Just like with post recording, I'm truly grateful to have had such a valuable experience.
"And now finally, please share a few words reflecting on the past year of Boonboomger."
Iuchi: I chose to work as an actor after going through various experiences, so the fact that my first major project was with the long running Super Sentai series made me feel incredibly grateful and blessed over the past year. But right now, I can't even begin to imagine how I'll feel when it's all over (this interview took place in the middle of the FLT). That's why I'm trying to stop thinking about things for now, and am approaching this Final Live Tour with the feeling that each and every city and each and every show could truly be my last. Of course, I'd be happy if we get a VS with the Gozyugers next year. An interaction between Tsutsumi and Taiya would be really interesting too. Still, that in no way means it's definitely going to happen. I want to stay focused and give it my all right up until the very end, so that even if this Final Live Tour really is the last one, I won’t have any regrets. Thank you so much for this past year!
Hayama Yuki (Ishiro Meita/BoonBlue)
-A year facing the range of "cool"-
"What was the initial explanation you received about Ishiro Meita's character?"
Hayama: The first thing Director Nakazawa told me was that it's "okay to trust Taiya 100%." However, I heard that the other characters weren't as close to Taiya as he was, and when reading the script, I thought that if I didn't clearly convey that difference in closeness, he'd just come across as a rude person, so I was careful about that.
"What were you mindful of when portraying Ishiro?"
Hayama: Even when everyone else is making lots of noise in the garage, Ishiro often sits alone on the sofa, but honestly, he kinda wants to join in (laughs). I made a habit of gazing toward that lively direction, and giving off an aura that made it seem like he also wanted to join in. Ishiro's definitely a cool character, but after playing him for a year, I realized he puts on that cool front in order to hide his weaknesses from others, so he's probably not really that cool. This is something I incorporated that Ishiro has a tendency to do, but he often crosses his arms. Crossing your arms can imply that you're cautious of the other person or are trying to appear tough in front of them, so I thought that Ishiro would naturally do this kind of gesture, as even when it appeared unnecessary to do so, I'd make it a point to cross my arms.
"Do you have any memories of your first transformation?"
Hayama: I can now jump into action with a quick "Boonboom Change!," but at first, I couldn't help but feel self conscious, and since I transformed before fully solidifying my image of Ishiro's character, when I rewatch the first episode, my movements seem so incredibly small that I want to tell myself, "It's okay to go all out!”
"What discussions did you have with Suit Actor Yoneoka Takahiro-san before your first transformation?"
Hayama: I remember him saying, "Let's just do it coolly." After that, we naturally adjusted to each other as we watched the other's performance, but the first time the two of us had a proper discussion regarding our roles was before filming for Bakuage 6. We also talked before Bakuage 14, where Ishiro's painful past is revealed, and before I knew it, we had become close enough where we'd go out for drinks after filming finished, where I realized that "we got along surprisingly well." However, Takahiro-kun can seriously handle his alcohol! I always tried my best to keep up with him, but it was impossible, so I'd end up giving up and heading home alone (laughs).
"In Bakuage 2, when Mira said, "I think I might like working as a Deliverer," there's a wonderful shot of Ishiro smiling happily."
Hayama: To be honest, I struggled alot more with facial expressions compared to Haruhi or Miu-chan. Because Ishiro doesn't say very much, viewers have to rely on his on screen facial expressions in order to decipher his emotions, so if there's "too much information," it'll alter Ishiro's mood, but if there's too little, I won't be able to properly convey what the Director and Scriptwriter want to show, so Director Nakazawa gave me some rather strict guidance when it came to that. Still, because of that, as we progressed toward the final episode, the range of my acting as Ishiro also expanded, so I'm incredibly grateful to Director Nakazawa.
"Bakuage 6 began with the scene where Ishiro becomes suspicious of Jou for being too "pure" and starts to follow him."
Hayama: Up until then, Ishiro was a character who made smart movements and spoke very little, so I approached this scene thinking the key was how far I could go, and how I could break away from everything that had been built up to that point. The very fact that he's trying to find faults in Jou just shows how petty he is, huh? (laughs). It's simply lame for a spy to hide behind a post box. Still, I put alot of thought into just how lame I could make it. The scene where Ishiro slumps over in shock in the Deliverer's garage after blurting out his inner thoughts was something I proposed to the Director myself, where I was allowed to do it. I was worried that this might stray from the image the viewers had of Ishiro, but I'm glad I was able to take on the challenge here.
"During Bakuage 8, Jou and Mira learn that the Boonboomgers were originally a racing team for the BBG. Ishiro knew this from the start, but at what stage did Hayama-san learn about it?"
Hayama: I also learned about it for the first time from its script. So, while I thought that it'd only be natural for Mira and Jou to feel how they did, I did my best as Ishiro to give off the impression that he'd "known about it from the beginning." Which is to say, that Ishiro had quite a few scenes like that! (laughs). I hadn't originally been told much about Ishiro, and we shot the scene where he meets Taiya right after filming first began, but I didn’t even know in what way it'd be used (laughs). It was the same during the middle of the show, when it came to light that Bundorio was a Hashiriyan, but every time a new fact came out, I tried my best to put on a face that made it look like he had known all along.
"At the end of this episode, Ishiro stares in stunned silence at the fallen Taiya for a few seconds before rushing over to him and shouting "Taiya!," which became a hot topic."
Hayama: I thought that Ishiro probably couldn't comprehend the situation, that Taiya, who he'd always believed could never be defeated, ended up so badly beaten, and while that alone was hard for him to believe, Taiya then lost consciousness and collapsed, so that's why I acted in that way. When I heard about the response it got, it made me happy knowing that people were paying attention to the smallest of details.
-Overcoming the past and taking control of your own wheel-
"After that, the Boonboomgers learn about Taiya's dream and reunite again. The scene where each of them shared their feelings to Taiya was very touching."
Hayama: In that scene, after hearing everyone's thoughts, Ishiro sums it up by saying, "Well, there you have it," but I immediately thought, "Huh, you're the one summarizing it?! (laughs), and in a good way, the fact that he mistakenly assumes that he's the one in charge is so in line with Ishiro, don't you think? (laughs). After that he says, "Don't leave me behind this time," but I think that during the previous battle against Madrex, when Taiya left him behind to face the enemy alone, it must've been quite lonely for Ishiro. I think those words encompass not just the physical fact that Taiya was knocked out during the battle, but also the guilt he felt for not being able to fully support Taiya, as well as all the painful experiences Ishiro's gone through in his own past.
"In Bakuage 11, you took on the challenge of performing a Change scene while doing unmasked action."
Hayama: It was my first time doing action scenes, so I was given time in advance to practice and went into it feeling fully prepared, but as expected, I still wasn't used to it and we had to do countless retakes. The camera man got some good shots, so the end result is somewhat watchable, but for me personally, it was a shoot that left me feeling incredibly frustrated.
"Bakuage 14 was a main episode delving into Ishiro's past. How was it on location at an aquarium?"
Hayama: All of the fish were incredibly beautiful. To be honest, I've only been to an aquarium a couple of times before. Because of that, after reading the script, I went on location without fully grasping the feeling that Ishiro finds healing by watching fish, but when I actually saw the fish swimming around in the aquarium, I truly understood how seeing such a beautiful sight after enduring such a painful experience would make anyone cry. And then, another memorable thing from that day was the TTFC members who participated as extras. Being able to perform together with everyone made me very happy, and having so many small children participate was incredibly healing.
"The scene with Ishiro trying to take on Reizoko Grumer alone, where Mira comes to his aid and shouts, "You're so stupid, Chasshiro!" was memorable."
Hayama: I actually told Miu-chan this, but that paired performance was a total loss for me. It wasn't really about winning or losing, but honestly, I felt like I had been completely outdone by Miu-chan. I made various suggestions, and Miu-chan went along with them, but ultimately, I believe that scene worked because of the atmosphere Miu-chan created and the expressions on Ishiro's face that were drawn out by it, so while it was a shoot that left me feeling abit frustrated personally, it was also a day when I truly realized just how amazing of an actress Suzuki Miu is.
"The Summer film (Promise the Circuit) was released around this time, but were there any memorable moments from filming?"
Hayama: Finally meeting HIKAKIN-san, who I'd only ever seen through a screen, made me incredibly happy. When we greeted him, he had an incredibly gentle demeanor, and he in turn greeted us so politely that it made me think that even if I become famous in the future, I want to be the kind of person who can always maintain that kind of attitude. Also, towards the very end, when Ishiro stops the missile, I had an incredibly smug look on my face that the Director gave the OK to on the first take, but it must've looked like I was thinking, "That wasn't quite right," as Director Nakazawa picked up on it and let me do it one more time. Thanks to that, we were able to capture an even better smug look! (laughs).
"When asked what he wants from the food stalls at the fireworks festival in Bakuage 25, Ishiro shyly replies with a candy apple."
Hayama: At first glance, this scene seems cute, but I felt like I needed to take this line seriously. The reason being is that I think Ishiro probably wasn't raised with much affection when he was a child. This is just my own interpretation, but he was raised by his parents to follow in their footsteps as spies, so as an example, they likely never bought sweets for him or took him to exciting, lively places, so I'm certain he used to look at those kinds of treats and places with envy during his childhood. With that sort of longing in mind, when his friends asked him what he wanted, he found himself torn between wanting to be selfish with them and feeling too embarrassed to actually say it, which is when the words "ca…..candy apple" slipped out.
"It's really great that no one poked fun at it, and that they all said "alright!" with smiles on their faces."
Hayama: That's right! It's because they're people who say those kinds of things that Ishiro remains friends with them.
"After that, Genba withdraws from Boonboomger in Bakuage 27, but what did you think of the parting scene by the river?"
Hayama: Actually, while we were filming this scene, there was a moment when I realized that my vision of Ishiro and the Director’s vision of Ishiro were different. When Genba started to walk away from everyone, I initially performed the scene with Ishiro turning around to Genba. That's when the Director called for a cut and said, "You don't need to do that," but in my mind, Genba was a friend, and since Taiya was letting him go, I felt that Ishiro had no choice but to "pick him up." At a later date, I had the chance to speak with the Director directly, and after listening carefully to his perspective, I'm in agreeance with him, but at the time I remember thinking, "We've already done over 20 episodes, but what if my view of Ishiro differs from the Directors?"
"Bakuage 29 was a main episode for Ishiro and Sakito, but do you have any memories of working with Miyazawa Yu-san?"
Hayama: I always tried to prepare several different patterns for the scenes I was going to perform before entering the set, but Miyazawa-kun played Sakito in a way I could've never imagined, so just like in the scenes with Miu-chan in Bakuage 14, I instantly panicked and thought, "Oh no! He's gonna upstage me!" However, at the time, rather than feeling frustrated, it felt more like a learning experience for me as an actor. Miyazawa-kun is older than me and has been in the industry longer, but I think that difference alone makes such a difference in the presence he possesses.
-The culminating one on one showdown between two No.2s-
"Following that in Bakuage 31, Ishiro, Jou, Sakito and Byundi become addicted to Hashiriyan curry."
Hayama: Filming the scene where we ate that Hashiriyan curry was insanely funny (laughs). We sat at a four person table, where the arrangement had Jou next to me, Sakito in front of Jou, and Byundi across from me, and while we were told, "It's okay to go slow, but try to finish eating at the same time together," when I had about a quarter of my curry left, I glanced over to "see how everyone else was doing," and saw that Jou had already finished his portion and was scooping up the remaining curry sauce from his plate to eat! First of all, that was super funny, but sitting diagonally across from me was Sakito, who seemed exhausted while eating, as Miyazawa-kun looked like he was in constant pain, with the look on his face being hilarious too, and then when I looked in front of me, Byundi's Suit Actor Takada-san was just repeatedly raising and lowering an empty spoon to his face. It's only natural that this would happen since he's wearing a mask and couldn't actually eat, but there was something about his gestures that I found strangely hilarious. I was surrounded by a mechanical lifeform that couldn't eat, a suffering old man, and a young man with a big appetite, so I was seriously on the verge of bursting out laughing. However, I knew that if I laughed, the scene would become NG, so I bit my lip and held it in (laughs).
"At the start of Bakuage 34, a welcome back party was held for Genba. Ishiro's "is there anything you'd like to say?" was a nice assist."
Hayama: He was just trying to hide his embarrassment, don't you think? He wanted to say something to Genba now that he was back, but is too shy to just honestly say "welcome back," so he tried to create an opportunity for Genba to apologize while being abit mean. It's the same with this scene too, but Genba and Ishiro aren't exactly "chatty." While Ishiro is Boonboomger's No.2, Genba was assisting Taiya first, so both of them are pretty much positioned as Taiya's right hand men. I talked with Genba's Soma-kun about how it's because they have some similarities that the two of them are fine without having to say much. They both maintain a good distance from each other.
"In Bakuage 37, you played a duel role, that being Ishiro and the fake Ishiro, but how was filming?"
Hayama: First, I really enjoyed playing two roles in a single episode, and since I was so frustrated with my unmasked action scenes during Bakuage 11, I remember doing alot of practicing since I was determined not to make the same mistake again. When it came to differentiating my portrayal of the fake Ishiro from the real one, I don't know if it was visible on screen, but I focused on making his eyes look lifeless. Since Taiya and Ishiro locked eyes, I paid alot of attention to the look in his eyes.
"How was it working with Sutea's Naito Konomi-san?"
Hayama: Naito-san is a pro when it comes to action, so I have no doubt that she still remembers it all perfectly, but I really appreciated that she put up with me, a complete beginner at action, and practiced with me a countless amount of times. Naito-san and I agreed on our interpretation regarding Sutea, but I think it's more interesting to let the audience decide what kind of relationship the two of them once had, so I'll leave that up to your imaginations.
Bakuage 43 was the collab episode with Gokaiger that also featured Ishiro's betrayal, but how were you feeling as you went into filming?"
Hayama: I just tried to do it as coldly as I could. Still, Taiya knew what Ishiro was thinking from the very beginning, and there's a scene where Taiya was the only one who actually noticed what was going on when Ishiro pointed his gun at everyone, which served as a foreshadowing shot. After firing a shot at Sakito's feet as he comes running toward him with, “I'm disappointed in you, Informer!," the camera zooms in on everyone's shocked faces, but Taiya's face is the only one that isn't. When I watched the broadcast, I thought that Director Nakazawa was truly amazing. Also, during the filming of that episode, I was trying to keep my distance from everyone, but my birthday just so happened to be around that time (laughs). So, everyone gave me a cake and presents, but I had mixed feelings, like, "What kind of face should I make when I accept this……still, thanks……" (laughs).
"Starting from the following week, Ishiro no longer appeared in the opening and was no longer credited as a Boonboomger."
Hayama: It really made me think that Ishiro was going to leave……which was quite a shock, but that's exactly why I enjoyed seeing the reactions on SNS after the episode aired even more. Speaking of, when I was shopping at a convenience store during this period, after I finished paying and was about to leave, I felt something tapping my leg, where I was like "huh?" and saw a small child standing there. When this child said, "Ishiro, please come back," I thought, "Uwah~! I'm so sorry~!" (laughs).
"What were you feeling during filming of the climactic scene in Bakuage 47, where he summoned Boonboon Marine to the wedding ceremony for his dramatic comeback?"
Hayama: Personally, I was like, "I can finally perform together with everyone else! I'm so happy!," and as Ishiro, since he’d been used by the enemy for so long, I went into the shoot feeling like he could finally get his revenge. Even for the line, "Spindo! That monkey is your weak point, it's a Ghassolin tank!," I expressed abit more emotion than Ishiro normally would. However, the wedding ceremony scene was really difficult to perform since the background was a green screen. I had to perform while imagining where everything was, and since the angles of the props changed with every cut, it made me realize once again just how amazing the cast of King-Ohger really is.
"Do you have a favorite scene from the final episode?"
Hayama: I guess it'd have to be the confrontation with Grantu. This was the scene that gave me the most trouble during the post recording session, as the Director asked me to redo it multiple times, where I was also selfishly asking "to try it one more time" as I took on the challenge. I struggled quite abit trying to convey the feeling of, "Why are you like this?! You're so pathetic!" towards Grantu through my voice, but thanks to my persistence, I think it turned out to be a really great scene. Even though he calls him pathetic, the fact that he actually puts it into words like that is what I think makes Ishiro so endearing. Having lost sight of his own wheel, I personally think Ishiro could probably imagine how Grantu felt, but he just can't understand why he'd hand his wheel over to someone else, which is what caused his feelings to explode, leading to that final one on one confrontation. Takahiro-kun's performance was also wonderful, as it was the culmination of BoonBlue.
-I want to be the reason for why children "keep trying"-
"How did you feel when it came time for the wrap up?"
Hayama: I cried more than I thought I was capable of crying……When everyone was saying a few words during the wrap up, I turned away to hold back my tears since I knew I'd also start to cry if I looked at everyone else's crying faces, but when I saw Director Nakazawa’s face, I just couldn’t help it……He brought me my bouquet with an incredibly kind smile. Yeah, when I thought about how he had looked after me for a whole year……I just couldn't hold it together.
"Hayama-san is cheerful and good with his words, so at first glance, he seems like the polar opposite of the quiet and cool Ishiro, but do you see any similarities between yourself and Ishiro?"
Hayama: People often tell me that we're polar opposites, but I'm actually alot like Ishiro (laughs). First, the way we try to act cool is very similar, as I also feel like I have to put on a certain look around others, so I totally get Ishiro's desire to look cool, but we're very similar in that we spend time with the people we're close to no matter what, while at the same time, similar in that we also enjoy spending time alone
"And now, please tell us once again what you like most about Ishiro."
Hayama: That he overcame such a difficult situation. On top of that, I really love and respect the fact that he can properly smile now. Honestly, I think the reason I was able to pour so much love into this role is because I finally got to appear in the Super Sentai series, which was something I had been longing to do, but even putting all that aside, I think I genuinely love Ishiro.
"In the Bakuage Sentai Boonboomger VS King-Ohger V-Cinext, Ishiro ends up on the same team as Decotrade and Nkosopa's king Yanma Gast, but Yanma's Watanabe Aoto-san is actually a senior from your agency, right?"
Hayama: That's right. We were already really good friends, but Aoto-kun's my senior, so I was really nervous about performing with him. Still, I was simultaneously beyond happy to be able to carry on the legacy of my beloved senior and that our characters were interacting with each other.
"The moment connection with Shugoddam was established, there's a scene where he shoves Yanma aside and shouts, "Taiya! It's me!"
Hayama: The Director and I were of the same opinion that it was "something Ishiro would do," so that's how it turned out, but before I shoved Yanma, I wanted to make sure I told Aoto-kun properly, so I said, "Sorry. I'm gonna give you alittle push now," where he was surprised and said, "Why?!," so explained the relationship between Ishiro and Taiya before shoving him (laughs).
"After filming for the main series finished, there were events like G-Rosso and the Final Live Tour, but how was it performing in front of your fans in person?"
Hayama: I was really grateful that tons of guests came to both the G-Rosso shows and the Final Live Tour. Up until then, I had only seen reactions on SNS, so seeing nearly filled seats at every performance genuinely moved me as I realized that "this many people were supporting us." Especially for the FLT, many people from the other regions who couldn't make it to Tokyo came to a venue that was closer to their homes, and while there were lots of people who saw us live for the first time, there were also those who were having their last chance, so I wanted to express my gratitude properly at every performance, and above all else, seeing children was incredibly healing. This is just a personal opinion based on my own experience as someone who loves tokusatsu hero programs, but I really do think heroes should be there for the sake of children. For example, if a child manages to endure something or overcome a challenge, they might be rewarded with a toy of their favorite hero or a trip to a show……I want heroes to be that sort of "reason to keep trying" for children. When I saw children in the audience, I truly believed that "those children were what made us heroes in the truest sense." So, whether it was through the comments I made as Ishiro at the end of a performance or within the show itself, I believe it was my job to make the children who come to these venues think, even if just alittle, "I'm glad I came today, and I feel like I can do my best from now on.
"What are your memories with the members during the Final Live Tour?"
Hayama: Actually, the first time all six Boonboomgers had drinks together was in Nagano. It was so much fun, and really made me realize once again how much I love everyone. We talked about wanting to keep these bonds going for another 10 or 20 years, or rather, that we want to stay connected forever.
"What kind of year was Boonboomger for you Hayama-san?"
Hayama: For me, it was a dream come true to finally appear in a hero production, as I got to try out all sorts of things every day and experience so much both personally and as an actor, and if I were to put it in just a few words, it was an incredibly fulfilling and truly enjoyable year. Still, I don't just want it to end with a simple "it was really fun," as it was also valuable time that made me think about how I could use this experience in the future and what I needed to do in order to take the next steps. Ishiro was a cool role, so next time I'd like to try a role with a different kind of image, and desires I've never had before keep coming up one after another.
"What would you say to Ishiro if you could speak to him now?"
Hayama: Seriously, I just want you to be happy! Also, I want to say good luck as an Informer in space, and to express my gratitude for letting me encounter you and discover the joys of being an actor.
"Finally, please give a message to all of the Ishiro fans reading this book."
Hayama: Thank you very much for loving Ishiro. The saying "take control of your own wheel" is also the theme of Boonboomger, but I believe that Ishiro left the team for the sake of protecting his friends, and even though everyone hated him, he continued to hold onto his wheel, determined to help the team, which is why he was able to land that blow against Spindo, and I think that this can be applied to all of you supporters as well. Going forward, when you find a dream or something you want to do and take hold of your wheel, if you keep holding on no matter what others say, I believe that even if everything doesn't turn out perfectly, you'll be closer to achieving an incredibly rewarding outcome. If I can deliver courage to everyone through Ishiro's way of life, then as the one who played him, nothing would make me happier.
Suzuki Miu (Mira Shifuto/BoonPink)
-A Reddish Pink-
"Do you remember when you were first given an explanation regarding Mira's role?"
Suzuki: An explanation regarding Mira……was there one? (laughs). I think all I was told was, "You're the only woman in the group, so do your best!" In Super Sentai, a single team will often have two distinct types of girls, but this time, I had to bear the responsibility alone. That's why I was told that they wanted her to be both as cute and pretty as possible, but that's a fairly difficult thing to ask for, don't you think? (laughs). Filming ultimately started without any real answer of what to do though.
"Mira's just an ordinary girl, so compared to a spy or alien, there probably wasn't much that needed to be explained."
Suzuki: That's true. However, and this wasn't actually written in the script or anything, but as for the reason why she almost got married to that spoiled rich guy in the first episode, Director Nakazawa suggested, "Let's say for example, it's a situation where her father ran off after racking up debt, and she was told to marry some rich kid in order to clear it?" Also, one of the keywords that came up when discussing Mira was "easily influenced." Since the theme is about taking control of your own wheel, I was asked to depict the story of how Mira came to take hold of her own wheel within a single episode. Still, a kid as cheerful and energetic as Mira seems like the kind of person who'd speak her mind pretty clearly, don't you think? That's where it got difficult, but where we also resembled each other……I'm also told that I seem cheerful or straightforward, but when those around me voice their opinions, I often can't speak up even if deep down I disagree.
"When the program initially started, you mentioned aiming for the classic Pink look, but was that because you were conscious of being both cute and pretty?"
Suzuki: Maybe, I feel like that's how it went. She has a feminine side, but is also strong and resilient……is the kind of image I had. In reality however, people often wrote things on SNS like, "She's more like a Red" (laughs). It's true, she was in a position to drive the story forward, and her overflowing energy really strayed from that of a classic Pink. Still, I felt like they didn't mean it in a sarcastic way, and that they were saying it because it was what they liked about her, so it was ultimately alright. As of late, we're in an era where men can be Pink and women can be Black, so looking back now, I realize that I didn't really need to be worried about following what's considered classic.
"As the heroine of a children's program, was there anything in particular that you were conscious of?"
Suzuki: I remembered the anime I watched when I was little and tried to make my performance as easy to understand as possible. I think nuanced acting that's required in dramas geared towards adults is hard for children to grasp. At first, what surprised me the most about working on Boonboomger's set was just how many camera cuts there were. On other sets, they'll shoot a scene two or three times all the way from start to finish while changing the camera's position, but with Super Sentai, they cut after just one or two lines. I thought it was a really unusual way of filming, but when I was told they keep changing shots in order to keep children from getting bored, I realized that children really are prone to becoming bored. With that being the case, I figured my performance would be more enjoyable to watch if it was easier to understand.
"What kind of conversations did you have with BoonPink's Sakanashi Yume-san?"
Suzuki: I don't remember us talking that much during the beginning, but around the time we filmed Bakuage 7 or 8, I felt like our creative directions were drifting apart abit, so from then on, we started to coordinate things more frequently. Yume-san was the one who was moving around in a more tomboyish and aggressive way. When I consulted with Director Nakazawa, he suggested, "It might be best if Yume-chan tones it down abit, while Miu-chan in turn should be alittle more energetic," so rather than trying to match one approach or the other, we decided to meet in the middle (laughs). After we finished filming the final episode, when Director Nakazawa and all of the cast and actors gathered for a small closing party, Director Nakazawa said, "No, you were seriously linked up. You two looked so much alike," and that made me incredibly happy. It caused us to instinctively hug each other and high five. Yume-san is older in terms of age, but in a good way, I feel like we were able to talk as equals.
"What were your thoughts in regards to Mira's costumes?"
Suzuki: The shorts were something Director Nakazawa was particular about. However, I'm not the type to normally wear things like shorts or miniskirts, so I was abit uneasy at first (laughs). It was cold during Winter, I tanned during Summer, and even during filming, I had to keep pulling my pants down whenever I moved even the tiniest bit, so it was tough. Still, during costume fittings, I was bold enough to voice alot of my opinions. For example, I'd suggest things like, "This style of shorts looks more modern." Director Nakazawa also took my suggestions into account, and together with the female staff members, we worked to find items that were "just right."
"Nakazawa-san was probably trying to bring out Mira's lively image."
Suzuki: Right. He also mentioned something like, "Long pants make her look too grown up….." At that time, her age hadn't been decided on yet, but I was told that she was right around 20. I guess they ultimately settled on her being 23? That's why I felt that having energetic shorts might end up making the outfit look too childish, so I paired it with a slightly muted, deep pink turtleneck, and was careful to maintain the overall balance. I wanted to wear something that even I myself would find cute. That's why I especially love the one that has the white vest on pink, as it feels like it just screams Mira. It might even be my favorite Mira costume.
"In Bakuage 1, she played such an active role, that she was practically the protagonist."
Suzuki: While I felt grateful, I also felt pressured. I think that how much viewers enjoy the first episode is crucial for keeping them watching throughout the year, so when I read the script, I really wasn't sure what to do.
"Her screaming "kya!" upon seeing Wedding Dress Grumer was quite memorable."
Suzuki: That was often said online too. People were like, "This is the kind of Pink we've got this year" (laughs). I didn't think I was that forceful about it, so I never expected that part to be pointed out……However, in the script, it was written as, "Piyaaaaaaa!" So, I asked Director Nakazawa, "Instead of "piya!", would "gyah!" be alright?," and he said, "That's totally fine." Even he was like, "The heck is "piya" anyways?" (laughs). Since the script was by Tomioka-san, it must've been related to anime expressions. Still, it should be "gyah!" rather than "kya!" After all, "kya!" gives off a feminine impression, which doesn't suit Mira.
"Bakuage 2 is a Chasshiro episode, but it's also an episode where Mira plays a significant role."
Suzuki: I was amazed that she could fit in with the coolness of the two guys who were there from the start, with their clingy, or I guess, tender vibes (laughs). If you think about it normally, it'd be awkward. However, with Mira joining, it created this sense of familiarity, and made me think, "Maybe the viewers can also join me as apart of Boonboomger? Let's join!" Also, in the initial setup for Mira that I received, besides "doing her best at her part time jobs" and "easily influenced," it mentioned things like, "Watching over Taiya and Chasshiro's relationship with a smile on her face, thinking it's fine" (laughs). She won't get involved between those two, but is someone who'll watch over them.
"She's like a mother (laughs). Following that in Bakuage 3, it was purely a Mira episode."
Suzuki: It was quite some time ago, so I can't really remember exactly how I felt going into the shoot, but I don't think I was particularly nervous or anything. There's the scene at the end where she hands the hand mirror to the grandmother, but people are Mira's driving force. She's the kind of kid who finds strength in someone else's smile……is what I realized when I watched the broadcast. That's something I should've noticed before filming (laughs), but I felt this would become the starting point for my portrayal as Mira.
"You also experienced napalm explosions."
Suzuki: I received my Super Sentai baptism (laughs). It was our first experience with napalm during Boonboomger, but……I was up first, where I thought, "Riding a bike through an explosion is impossible!" The staff have been doing this for decades, so they just casually said, "Alright, let's do napalm~" like it was nothing, but I was so scared that I started crying. In the end, I managed to endure it with everyone's support, but napalm was something I was weak with until the end. I never got used to it. To my surprise, it's not that hot, but it still scared me. Even when I braced myself and thought, "Here it comes, it's coming," I'd still flinch, but they wouldn't be able to use it if I flinched, so I was under pressure. At that time though, it was fine since I was moving forward while yelling "gyah!" (laughs).
-Fulfilling my role as Mira-
"In Bakuage 8, cracks end up forming between the five members who had finally come together."
Suzuki: I remember thinking that this was a crucial two part story, as the Boonboomgers would truly come together and be bound by an even stronger bond. However, what I found abit difficult was that whether or not you reveal a secret is all a matter of personal choice, isn't it? At least, that's how I see it. However, the fact that Mira felt so strongly about it, to the point of speaking up like that, means she trusted Taiya as a friend and really wanted him to tell her, don't you think?
"Even in Bakuage 14, she angrily told Chasshiro things like, "Doing everything alone! Dying alongside them! What are you even fighting for then?!" and, "It'll all be meaningless if you die!," so we think what angered Mira the most was that she was thinking, "Why are you so quick to risk your life?!"
Suzuki: For sure! Both Taiya and Chasshiro tend to resort to self sacrifice, but there's definitely that question of, "If you die, what's gonna happen to Earth after that?" In that sense, women might actually be more down to earth, or rather, unexpectedly composed. It’s like she was saying, "This isn’t the time to be daydreaming." Of course, I think what lied at the core of it all was Mira's kindness.
"Following that, Bakuage 9 also had a major highlight."
Suzuki: "I'm here of my own free will. If Taiya's dream is to deliver Boon-chan's dream, then delivering that dream is my dream!," that one, right? When speaking on set, while I was the one who usually forgot my lines, the reason why I can still recite it so smoothly is partly because it's a scene I personally love, but also because I read it really carefully since I thought it was an incredibly important line for Boonboomger. Mira says some good things, doesn't he?
"For the scenes where she delivered decisive lines, we got the impression that they were just as memorable as Taiya's."
Suzuki: Right, right. In the episode right before the final one, there's a scene where Taiya declared, "How about it, this is Boonboomger!," but I actually said, "How about it, this is Boonboomger!," way earlier when we did the film. Maybe Taiya was just imitating Mira? (laughs).
"While Bakuage 10 was Genba's main episode, Mira also had alot of screen time with him, right? We feel like she was often given a role like that throughout the year."
Suzuki: It was like that for the Chasshiro episode from just a moment ago, and she was also part of the set during the episode where Jou gets an apprentice, right? Even though the story would work just fine without her, the fact that she's there every time means there must be some significance behind it or some role she's meant to play. So, I think most viewers were watching from Mira's perspective, as she's "in charge" of reactions. That's why I made a conscious effort to play my part skillfully, so that the main person's appeal would shine through.
"Bakuage 11 also featured some full bodied action scenes, but what did you think?"
Suzuki: That's right, Antenna Grumer! We had an action rehearsal before filming, but I was the only one who couldn't make it since I had other work. I did get the video footage later, but since I'd never done any action scenes before, just watching the footage didn't really help me understand anything other than how difficult it looked (laughs). On the day of filming, Yume-san taught me one on one starting in the morning, but since I'm so uncoordinated, I felt like giving up. Just before the cameras started rolling, Director Jun even said to me, "Miu-chan, your face! You look nervous!" What's more, the moment filming ended, for some reason I felt like I was going to cry. Maybe I was overwhelmed by the anxiety that I was holding various people back due to my inability to do it. Ultimately, I feel like those action scenes were the most challenging, but throughout the entire year, I felt anxious every day we had action scenes. It was challenging, but also very rewarding.
"In Bakuage 20, you also portrayed past Mira."
Suzuki: Back then, Mira was just as considerate as she is now, but she had a tendency to put the people right in front of her before herself, and that felt like it was working against her. Still, if it's a friend, you can't really become close unless you start expressing your own opinions, right? Ultimately, it wouldn’t be good for the other person either. As I mentioned earlier, I'm the type of person who doesn't clearly express my own opinions to others. After all, nobody wants to be disliked, right? That's why when the mood turns into "wanting to go somewhere," I really admire kids who can just say "I'm good!" and turn it down. It's possible Mira also has a weakness within her, where she doesn't want to be disliked simply because she likes the person. Still, Mira's always had a strong sense of responsibility. Once she properly commits to something, she'll follow through on it no matter what. What's more, she won't brag about it. Simply put, those are her beliefs, that she has to see things through to the end. I really love that about Mira.
"One of the highlights of Promise the Circuit was the interaction between the guest heroine Nicola and Mira."
Suzuki: Director Nakazawa had said, "Mira's probably reminded of her past self when she looks at Nicola." That's probably why she felt so strongly about wanting to help Nicola. Also, this was the first time we filmed scenes like this with just two girls. I think Mira has a cheerful personality that makes her very easy to get along with, even with men, but realizing that she was the kind of kid who could conduct herself like that even towards other girls was a huge plus when playing Mira. I of course knew she wasn't the type to change how she spoke to someone just because they were a man or woman, but I wondered if her ability to empathize was stronger when she was with men. Personally, I feel that Mira-chan's a really good kid.
"There was also a scene where she drove the Boonboom Super Car like a pro Driver."
Suzuki: I do have a driver's license, but I'm basically just a paper driver (*she rarely drives) who mainly uses it as an ID, so we were moved by a tow truck the entire time (laughs). So, while the staff gave me tips like, "Your shoulders are abit too high," I worked on getting into a cool driving pose before they took the shot. Still, it's amazing, isn't it? The lighting and the way it was shot really made it look like I was actually driving. It was her first big moment as a Driver, so I was incredibly grateful.
"Bakuage 31 was her first main episode in awhile, and in a good way, it stood out from the main storyline."
Suzuki: It really did! As someone involved, the 3rd Lap had a series of grueling episodes, so I guess you could say that this felt abit lighter. The scene where Chasshiro and Jou ate the curry and broke down in tears had all of us laughing so hard on set.
"We also like the part where she brought the curry."
Suzuki: The part where she says, "I'm here to deliver some delicious curry~!," right? Director Takemoto told me, "Just run at full speed with all your might," but it was really tough since I was afraid the curry would spill. Also, I remember practicing multiple times with an empty spoon for the part where I fed everyone a bite of it, as I was worried that if I didn't time it right, the curry might end up on their faces or costumes. It was an episode with quite a few simple yet difficult scenes.
"During Bakuage 36, Mori Hinami-san from "Kikai Sentai Zenkaiger" appeared as a guest. It wasn't just Mori-san though, as this series featured the appearance of many former cast members."
Suzuki: All of the staff members had really nostalgic looks on their faces, you know? Especially Hinamin……I used to call her that too, but the moment she walked onto the set, I could tell she was truly loved by everyone there. She'd even sit in the Director's chair in front of the monitor, where everyone would just watch her with smiles on their faces (laughs). She's just so incredibly lovable! She's so fluffy and cute herself, and has the kind of thing that makes everyone's eyes crinkle.
"As for the story itself, it was a bittersweet one, as Mira is naturally loved by everyone around her, but had been hurting her friend without realizing it."
Suzuki: It felt like a surprisingly mature theme. There were probably some children who experienced the emotion of jealousy for the first time from this. I did quite abit of exploration when it came to my performance. From Mira's perspective, she was just doing what came naturally, but was being envied by others, so acting spiteful in order to make the other person jealous wouldn't have been the correct approach either, right? It was fairly difficult. Still, for me, this episode has become one of my top three favorites out of the entire show. By the way, the other two are Bakuage 9, where the Boonboomgers first formed, and the final episode.
"We were surprised by the part time job those two had."
Suzuki: Toys R Us (laughs). When I read the script, I laughed thinking, "They're using a store that actually exists!" Still, I thought that when small children watched the broadcast, that they'd see Mira working there part time and think, "I love Toys R Us! I wanna go there!," which brought back all the excitement I felt as a young child, and I ended up having alot of fun filming it.
"She's had various part time jobs, but which one in particular was memorable?"
Suzuki: The aquarium onee-san! When it comes down to actually doing them, isn't its "hurdle" higher than any of her other part time jobs? The location was at an actual aquarium, and they even attached microphones similar to the ones used at sea lion shows, so I was personally really excited for it. However, in reality, the sea lions were filmed separately. All of the visitor extras were clapping, but they were actually watching the dolphin show (laughs).
-Wisdom, strength, and an unshakeable heart-
"In Bakuage 47, the story unfolds in a similar way to the first episode, and Mira ends up being made into Spindo's bride."
Suzuki: I was like, "Another wedding dress?!," and while it felt satisfying to see all these elements coming together as we headed toward the finale, it really is a cruel act, you know? The idea of offering up women……to put it bluntly, isn't that just abit creepy, even downright disgusting, and completely out of touch with modern times? Of course, it was setup to make the viewers see evil as even more evil, but I think this development also highlighted Mira's wisdom, strength, and unshakeable heart as she tries not just to stand on equal footing with those who have done such terrible things, but to fight against them more intensely.
"The scene where Mira accepts to the political marriage was captivating, as it was carried solely by the acting, without any background music."
Suzuki: I don't think there had ever been a scene up to that point where I had to rely so heavily on my emotions like that. I was feeling this unexpected pressure, like, "This is absolutely going to be the most important scene leading up to the final episode, the culmination of the entire year! This is crazy!" I remember being nervous the day before too, and trying to take my mind off it by talking with the other members. On the day of the shoot, everyone was incredibly focused, and we hardly spoke at all, which was unusual. So, Genba asked her, "Do you even know what you’re saying?," and when I replied with, "Of course I do!," I looked around at everyone's faces, but because we'd been working together for so long, just looking at each of their faces caused me to feel a surge of emotions. It really made me realize how much doing this for a year helped when it came to acting. However, at the end, when I said, "Taiya, this is the wheel I'm going to grab hold of," I was trying not to cry, but afterwards, Director Nakazawa told me, "You could've cried, you know," and said that by deliberately shedding tears, it would've connected to Mira's determination to persevere despite everything.
"I see. Not shedding tears may be more in line with Mira, but we understand his perspective as well. There really is no right answer in acting, is there?"
Suzuki: That's exactly what makes it fun, but also what makes it difficult. Director Nakazawa's words were persuasive, and he's the kind of person who made everyone think, "If Director Nakazawa says so, then……" That's why I still find myself wondering which one would've been better.
"It was also really cool how she asked Spindo for a wedding gift."
Suzuki: I personally thought that was cool too! I performed it while thinking, "Go for it!" (laughs). Mira knows how scary Spindo is, but still did it despite that. It wasn't the kind of strength that came from being fearless, so I could really feel Mira's growth. Also, the part at the end where she kicks him with an "oriya!" was so satisfying. Haruhi-kun provided skillful support, so I think that's what made it such a cool scene.
"What awaited you on the day of the wrap up?"
Suzuki: I felt so, so lonely, and had wanted to cry ever since that morning. First, we filmed the part where they walk on the BBG course during the final scene, then in the afternoon, we filmed the roll call, but even during the BBG course portion, I couldn't stop myself from crying. I was like, "Ah, so this is where Boonboomger's story ends." It really made me feel just how much I truly loved Boonboomger. The other members poked fun at me by saying, "Miu-chan, you're crying already?!," but by the afternoon, everyone was wailing, so I was like, "It's the same for all of us!" (laughs).
"Currently (at the time of this interview), you're touring nationwide for the Final Live Tour, but how's it going?"
Suzuki: Hinamin told me, "The Final Live Tour is alot of fun!," but it really has been. Even though we're doing three shows a day, so many people come to each one, and during our final messages, they cry, which made me realize just how much we're loved. I have no idea how many times I've cried during the FLT (laughs). Also, I'll never forget when the six of us had drinks together during the Nagano performance. For one reason or another, someone would always be missing, so there haven't been many opportunities where we go out and eat together as a group of six. We were all on the verge of tears as we talked about how we'd truly met some great members.
"Was the G-Rosso Unmasked Warrior performance challenging?"
Suzuki: (in a lowered voice) It was insanely challenging! Doing it six times a day will of course mess with your sense of time, and it was rough in terms of stamina. For guests who are watching for the first time, and those who might only come once, you can't cut corners, can you? That said, repeating the same thing over and over again multiple times made it hard to maintain motivation. That's why when the G-Rosso performances came to an end, we all encouraged each other by saying, "You did a great job!"
"The G-Rosso shows were also really wonderful."
Suzuki: Hearing something like that makes it feel rewarding. There was always the risk of getting injured, so every movement was seriously timed down to the very second, with even the backstage flow having to be precise. That really showed the professionalism of the actors. I thought it was a really incredible show.
"And now finally, can you share your current state of mind as you look back on the past year of Boonboomger?"
Suzuki: Everyday I count down the days until it'll be completely over, and it makes me feel lonely (laughs). When I think that I won't be able to play Mira anymore, it feels like losing someone incredibly important. When I play Mira, I find myself feeling more positive too. Of course, playing the same role for a whole year made me have doubts like, "Is this really okay?," but now, I truly feel glad that I was given the opportunity to perform. Going forward, I want to work hard and give back so that people will think, "Wow, this kid was in Super Sentai too!", and I want to continue to be involved in creating works that inspire people to stay positive.
