Hi I'm mukkuru (formerly dotemcee) and I am unfortunately Ultra Deep into Ultraman since 2014. There's some Pokémon in there. JRPGs and Superheroes galore.
I'm more active on twitter.
My art @mukubirdy!
I've noticed more and more stuff getting pulled from Internet Archive. Earlier in the week, I had to edit some old posts removing IA links because the content was copyright claimed and removed.
This is 2008 Youtube all over again. People upload stuff that has never been widely available, and all the sudden IP holders care about properties and media they abandoned years ago.
There's no reason in the world a VHS tape of 6 hours of KidsWB broadcasts needs taken off the internet.
Outright piracy, I understand. Don't upload brand new movies to Internet Archive you idiots.
A VHS recording of the 1996 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards? A fan mod for a 25 year old Game Boy game? A STAR WARS NOVEL THAT HAS NOT BEEN SOLD OFFICIALLY SINCE 2003? There's absolutely no reason this stuff shouldn't be available to the public.
The Internet Archive is so important and needs protected. The art, knowledge, history, nostalgia readily available there is priceless. Let us peons have this one little thing to enjoy.
Animage, September 2025 Issue
ft. Kamen Rider Gavv Cast Member Interviews
(translations below)
Publication: August 7, 2025 (before episode 47)
In pursuit of future happiness
It's an intense battle between the Granutes of Stomach Inc, who target happy humans to use as ingredients for their dark sweets, and the Kamen Riders, who stand up to protect humanity. It's also a story about battles being waged over "happiness."
The Kamen Riders who transform in order to protect humanity are Shouma, Karakida Hanto, and Lakia Amarga. What they share in common is that they've all lost precious family members in the past. Each and every one of these three have faced their own sadness, regret, and desire for revenge, but would turn them into their purpose in order to prevent more people from suffering the same misfortune they've experienced.
The one who's been helping and supporting them the entire time is Amane Sachika, who runs an everything and anything service driven by her desire to make troubled people happy. Sachika's presence had a significant impact on Shouma, where if he hadn't met her, Shouma would've undoubtedly gone down a completely different path than the one he's on now.
In sharp contrast to Shouma and his friends, who fight to protect happiness, Lango Stomach, the former president of the dark sweets manufacturer Stomach Inc, is a ruthless individual who treats not only humans, but even his own subordinates as nothing more than pawns for his ambitions. If he were to face Shouma once more, what kind of conversation would unfold between them?
The battle between the Kamen Riders and Stomach Inc is about to come to an end. Will what awaits them beyond that point be happiness, or will it be……?
_
A dazzling, irreplaceable moment
Chinen Hidekazu x Hino Yusuke
Shoji Kohei x Miyabe Nozomi
-The feeling within my chest now that a year of filming has come to an end-
Chinen: With filming for the main series finished, and with no time to catch our breaths before beginning the film's shoot, I still don't feel like it's over. A part of my mind can't help but think, "There might still be more filming left to do for Gavv."
Miyabe: Me too, I can't help but think that I might still be able to go to Hapipare.
Chinen: It felt like it flew by in the blink of an eye, but looking back, it was an incredibly rich year.
Miyabe: It was intense, no?
Chinen: Yeah, it was intense.
Shoji: Productions that go up to 50 episodes are truly a rarity in Japan. Even though I joined halfway through, I appeared in about 35 episodes, so along with being grateful for being able to perform, I felt a real sense of accomplishment like, "I gave it my all."
Hino: For sure.
Chinen: Gavv's Scriptwriter Komura Sensei had been meticulously writing since the very first episode, and I think some of the appeal lies in her solid world building and foreshadowing. When I read the script for the final episode, I was shocked as I thought, "So this is how it plays out!" Up until episode 46, I had absolutely no idea how things would turn out in the end.
Miyabe: You couldn't figure it out, huh?
Hino: Jiip, Lizel, Lango, and the President were still around.
Chinen: Right, right. I was like, "Can it really conclude in just four episodes?"
Hino: Watching the Kamen Rider series of recent years, I thought about how they sometimes build excitement by having legendary Riders appear, but having the story carried out from start to finish using only Gavv gave me a real sense of accomplishment.
Chinen: Still, I really wanted to do something together with Gotcha Senpai…
Hino: That's right! We wanted to work together with Gotcha Senpai.
-Four people connected by similar motives-
Miyabe: Thanks to Sachika, I think we had more opportunities for everyone to come together. Hanto and Lakia aren't the type to approach each other on their own, so Sachika would get them together through force. I played the role with the intention of emphasizing that kind of positive forcefulness.
Hino: While Hanto made multiple requests to Hapipare even before the story began, if he hadn't become a Kamen Rider, he probably wouldn't have gotten so deeply involved with them. The phrase "conflict of interests" may sound harsh, but since the things they wanted to protect and reasons for fighting all aligned, I feel that a bond unconsciously formed between the four of them. The cast members also get along well, so I think we managed to keep things simple, without trying too hard to create team vibes. Hide also mentioned this, but Hanto and Shouma were abit unsure of each other until around the halfway point, but the way episode 28 resolved everything all at once and brought the four of them together was pretty intense even for myself.
Shoji: Even though he gradually started to rely on Lakia and Hanto during battle, didn't Shouma ultimately try to fight alone up until episode 46? It wasn't like they were a group of four best friends, or even "team Hapipare" or anything like that, so I think Hino was absolutely right about the conflict of interests thing. They started out doing things completely independently, but gradually, their relationship deepened, as they began relying on each other, helping each other grow, and became each other's reason to live. I think that's what makes Gavv so great. Even when they're all together in Hapipare, they're mostly having a strategy meeting, and each of them has their own distinct way of sitting and sense of personal space. When acting, we were also conscious of not getting too close when it came to their relationship.
Chinen: In the very beginning, Shouma would push his way through things alone while thinking, "I have to protect humans," but by trusting Hanto and Lakia, and letting Sachika-san learn his true identity, I feel that he's learned to both depend and rely on others. From episode 28 onward, I was conscious of the peace of mind that comes from having reliable friends. That's the reason why episode 45 depicted a major decision for him, as Shouma left Hapipare, the place where he could be with the people he loved, with the resolve to never return to the human world. Weighing his own happiness against his desire to protect humanity, I think he also chose to go along with Nyelv's plan as a way to accept and move on from the fact that he was born into the Stomach Family.
Shoji: When I watched the post recording session for the scene at the end of episode 45, where Shouma goes to the Granute world with Nyelv, I got the impression that it was shot with quite abit of care. It really felt like a proper farewell.
Hino: For sure. It was a scene where Hide worked hard.
Shoji: However, his cosplay of Nyelv in episode 46 was kinda...(laughs).
Chinen: Don't say it! (laughs).
Hino: Still, I liked Shouma during that time, as it made him look sorta sexy. That Nyelv costume suited him perfectly.
Shoji: Right, right. I thought it was really cool.
Hino: You should wear it all the time (laughs).
Shoji: He said something like, "I loved wearing those clothes, so I ended up taking them with me" (laughs).
Chinen: (laughs).
Hino: Among the four of them, Shouma's the one who's most likely to take on the heaviest burden, but even when Hanto or Lakia tell him, "Hey, don't push yourself so hard," it just doesn't carry any weight. If I were in a position like his, I'd most likely push myself just as hard. That's why Sachika acts as his "brakes," and tells him that he shouldn't go as far as self sacrifice. The last scene in episode 46 was really great, as it made me feel that Sachika, the only one who doesn't transform, is an integral figure among the four of them.
Miyabe: That scene was great because even without transforming, it gave off the feeling that Sachika can take part in their battles too.
Chinen: Hanto's line, "If you go back there alone again, the president will definitely chase after you," also left a strong impression on me. Since Hanto understands Shouma, when I read the script, it made perfect sense to me that he mentioned Sachika-san's name in order to try and keep Shouma around.
Shoji: The thing is, Hanto doesn't directly say to him, "I don't want you to go."
Chinen: Right, right. Since Hanto's a human, he can't really comment too deeply on the issues a Granute has. Nevertheless, the line really worked as an expression born from the desire to stop Shouma, and it made me once again think, "Komura Sensei really is absolutely amazing!"
-Admiring the flat out cool Lakia-
Chinen: For Lakia scenes, my favorite is the one in episode 40, where Dente-ojii-san died and Lakia says to Shouma, "Your great uncle was taken out. Aren't you sad? Don't you feel insulted?!" Seeing Lakia's rarely shown emotions and distress made Shouma, who had been holding himself back, finally break down and say, "Of course I'm sad!," and the feelings he'd been bottling up the entire time came bursting out all at once. Even now, that scene is still so vivid in my memory. We shot about three takes for that scene, but Kohei-kun kept thinking, "How can I make Shouma's emotions truly overflow?," and would change his entire performance each take. Those emotions connected well within my mind during the final take, so I truly believe that scene only came together because of Kohei-kun's help.
Shoji: Please write down everything exactly as you just said it, word for word (everyone laughs).
Hino: Episodes 31 and 32, where Hanto and Lakia really got involved with each other, were fun and memorable too, but my favorite scene is from episode 28, where he destroys the water tank in Suga's lab. When you think about it carefully, he was doing something pretty dangerous, right? I'm sure neither Hanto nor Shouma could've handled that task, as I feel that only Lakia could pull off something so cool.
Miyabe: There are so many scenes with Lakia that moved me, but what sticks with me the most is just how cool he is (laughs). Like in the episode where Blizzardsorbet first appears (episode 24).
Hino: The, "At times like this, just call me" part, right?!
Miyabe: Right! When Shouma was weakened and in a pinch, Lakia suddenly appeared to fight for him, just like a true hero, and it was incredibly cool. Overall, Lakia has lots of classic, cool lines, that it makes you want to say them yourself, you know? I'd love to play a role like Lakia’s someday.
Hino: At that level? (laughs).
Miyabe: Yeah. Lakia had nothing but cool scenes, don't you think?
Chinen: The reason those lines felt so natural and effortless was because Kohei-kun had been thoroughly building up Lakia's character over time. Even the meaning behind his regularly used phrase "ugh" seemed to change with each episode, giving each one a real punch. You could really see Kohei-kun's skill shining through.
Hino: There's no doubt about that.
Shoji: Personally, I don't think Lakia has ever had any straightforward lines. Lakia's always got that slightly cynical edge to him. For example, when it comes to saying "I like you," the other three would say it in a straightforward way, but Lakia probably wouldn't even go with those words. That's why on the flip side, I feel that the lines which conveyed the other three's feelings so directly are appealing since they're things that Lakia would never say.
-Because Sachika is someone who takes people's happiness into account, she could say that-
Shoji: I really loved how Sachika freaked out when she first went to Dente-ojii-san's cave (episode 27) and when she first saw Lakia's Granute form (episode 42). For humans, Granutes are ultimately a source of fear, where flinching at their appearance is like a physiological reaction, and even Sachika, who acts as the "bridge" between Granutes and humans, felt that way. Both the Kamen Riders and Granutes are conveyed as monsters within Gavv's worldview, and this depiction portrays Sachika's role as a human representative. Among other things, what makes Sachika so special is that she genuinely tries to connect with others and actively tries to help out in a positive way. In that sense, I think Sachika's a hero, just like the Kamen Riders. Even when she's taken over by a momentary feeling of fear, she can still take steps to overcome it, and it's exactly because of this trait that makes me feel that Sachika's a hero.
Chinen: I really love the scene at the end of episode 46, where Sachika-san leaves it up to Shouma on whether he'll go back to the Granute world or not. There's of course a part within Sachika-san that doesn't want him to go, but it's exactly because she understands that there are things he needs to do, that she suppresses those feelings and asks Shouma what would make him happy. Asking Shouma what he wanted in that moment is something only Sachika-san could do, and I think it's just like Sachika-san to take what the other person is thinking into consideration and then speak calmly.
Hino: Sachika feels more like a sun at the center of everyone's lives than a typical romance comedy heroine. With that being her main premise, I seriously love the scene in episode 26, where Lakia tells the boy who created Kabuto Danshi, "Don't care," and she responds with, "Is this something to be losing your temper over?!" It's just like Sachika to say something like that at that point. It was simply an interesting exchange, and it really brought out Sachika's personality and gyaru side, so it's left a strong impression on me.
Shoji: Oh, we had to do countless takes for that scene, so it really hurt (laughs). What's more, after placing her right hand on me, she struck my back really hard.
Hino: On the other hand, because she was so reserved, the Director had told her, "That restraint is obvious in your acting, so don't hold back," and in the end, something insanely powerful came out. I just wished she had got it right from the start (laughs).
Shoji: The damage I took was gradually building up you know.
Hino: Right. And in the end, she locked in since it'd be the strongest one.
Miyabe: No, that's not it! During the rehearsal and test shots, I thought it'd be better not to hit him too hard. During the real performance, I suddenly struck him really hard, so everyone was shocked (laughs).
Hino: Well, let's just leave it at that (everyone laughs).
-Hanto possesses both human strengths and weaknesses-
Hino: Now then everyone, will you be able to come up with your favorite Hanto scenes? Are we good?
Chinen: I've got none!
Miyabe: There aren't any scenes that come to mind…
Hino: I'm going home then! (everyone laughs).
Shoji: There's an upcoming Hanto scene that I really like…
Chinen: Going up to episode 46, it'd probably be episode 36, which was by Sugihara's team. After having his reason for living and very existence denied by Lango-nii-san, while also being unable to stop Rittsun-san from attending the U.M.A. concert, Shouma was on the verge of being crushed by hopelessness. That's when Hanto showed him the comments from people who had been saved by the Kamen Riders up to that point. Reading those comments myself, everything that had happened over the past year flashed through my mind. Among Hanto's lines at that time, I think the one that moved Shouma the most was, "The people we……no, the people you've saved."
Hino: That might have been the only scene in Gavv's story where Hanto functioned as a writer (laughs).
Shoji: For me, it'd be the scene with the Granute who killed Hanto's mother in episode 38. The enemy Hanto had been hunting for since childhood was now trying to blend into the human world, and learning that he'd become someone else's reason for living, he chose not to kill him. His strength is what caused him to make that decision, but conversely, his weakness is also what ultimately stopped him from going through with it, right? I felt that it was a wonderful scene packed with Hanto's appeal, where the humanity of his character is inseparable from both his weaknesses and strengths.
Chinen: Shouma was happy that Hanto forgave the Granute for the crime he had preciously committed, and I think it might've been a relief for Lakia too. With Hanto deciding to overlook it, I felt that the Granute, who was trying to atone for his sins and move forward, still had a future, and it felt like the relationship between humans and Granutes had made significant progress.
Miyabe: The scene where Sachika and Hanto seemed to be having abit of a fight and were arguing (episode 22) left an impression on me.
Hino: It was over Bitter Gavv. That was by Tasaki's team.
Miyabe: Right, right. I can understand why Hanto developed such intense hostility toward Bitter Gavv, but after being pushed away by Sachika, he ended up apologizing to Shouma. I feel like that exchange with Sachika helped him overcome the darkest parts within himself, that being his past and his weaknesses. I think that was the scene that triggered a big change in Hanto.
Hino: Looking back on it now, by the time he told Shouma "I trust you" in episode 22, Hanto might've already found his answer. If he hadn't begun to understand that Granutes are all different from each other, I don't think he would've accepted Lakia, who showed up as a Stomach Inc part timer and beat the shit out of him, as a friend. Nevertheless, he couldn't completely shake off his fixed desire for revenge, and there were moments when he lost his rationality, but I think Hanto was struggling to remember the answer he had within himself, to confirm if "this was okay."
-Shouma's heroism in fighting while holding himself back-
Chinen: As for my favorite Shouma scene, too many of them have great lines, so I honestly can't choose……
Hino: He said it himself (laughs).
Shoji: Well, he is the main character after all. He has tons of important lines.
Miyabe: Right, right.
Shoji: When it comes to Shouma scenes, the one where he attacks the oden shop owner and causes tons of chaos was……
Chinen: No, you're wrong!
Hino: Was that Shouma?
Chinen: That was Dark Shouma! Lakia even mocked Hanto for not being able to tell them apart (laughs).
Shoji: His clothes are abit darker, but I think it's Shouma (laughs). Still, all sorts of scenes with Shouma come to mind.
Chinen: If anything, instead of something like a defining line, I'd rather hear about memorable moments from ordinary scenes.
Hino: Speaking of which, the "it's a monster" line he said after deliberately spilling coffee on the art dealer Sardina was just too good (episode 8). That deadpan delivery must've been difficult to pull off.
Miyabe: That was impressive! Director Sugihara even said, "You're good!"
Hino: I really thought that was great. Shouma's deliberate acting of "genuinely" reacting to seeing a Granute was balanced just right.
Shoji: For me, it'd be when the three of them transform at the same time in episode 41. It was a scene where I could truly feel Shouma's reliability as the main character, and personally, it was a moment I'd been waiting for. In "Kiramager," we often transformed side by side, and even the actors would feel like, "This is hot!" while doing it. I'd been wondering when we'd get to do it in Gavv, but there wasn't a scene where the three of them fought together until towards the end, so in episode 41 I felt like, "The scene I've been waiting for is finally here!" The scene where everyone transforms into their powered up forms and fights was incredibly intense, and it's one of my favorites.
Miyabe: There are plenty of memorable moments in everyday life too, but Sachika and Shouma have so many sincere scenes where they have serious conversations. Shouma was kinda timid around Sachika during the beginning, right? However, as they spent time together, before he knew it, he started adoring Sachika just like puppy.
Chinen: A puppy? (laughs).
Miyabe: Yeah, a puppy (laughs). Among them, when he returned to this world covered in wounds (episode 46) and vented his frustrations to her, I felt that Shouma truly trusted Sachika and everyone else, and playing that role made me incredibly happy.
Chinen: In that episode, there's a scene where Shouma pushes off Sachika-san's extended hand, right? He understood what Sachika-san was trying to say, but his mind was completely consumed with figuring out how to protect everyone, so he ended up rejecting her kindness in that moment. It was the first time Shouma had ever reached a breaking point like that, so it also left an impression on me.
Hino: When he fought Lango in episode 46 and 36, Shouma's resolve to fight to protect humans and the human world, even at the cost of sacrificing himself, was really cool. He would be the one suffering the most.
Shoji: You know, Shouma says "I'm fine" alot. People who aren't fine are the ones who immediately say that they're fine. Even when he was with Gavv fans, he would often say, "I'm fine."
Chinen: As Shouma, I guess the feeling that, "I can't show any weakness in front of Hanto and Lakia," and, "I have to stay strong" stayed with me throughout the entire year. That's why, even in episodes 45 and 46, where he doesn't take those two to the Granute world, I think he was facing his loneliness the entire time.
-Words we want to share with the fans who've supported us until the very end-
Shoji: Thank you for supporting us this far. I know many of you are wondering, "What will happen now?," since quite a few enemies still need to be defeated, but we poured everything we've built up so far into these final four episodes, so please look forward to them. While featuring scenes that are typical to Kamen Rider, each character receives an ending fitting to them, and I'm confident we've stayed true to Gavv's identity right to the very end. Please enjoy this poppin world until the very last moment.
Miyabe: First, thank you so much for supporting Kamen Rider Gavv over the past year! Those of you who've been watching all along must be thinking, "There's only four episodes left!," but these final four episodes are packed with intense content. While reading the script, there were unexpected developments that even we were surprised by, so I hope you'll continue to enjoy Gavv's story. There's not much time left, but we look forward to your continued support!
Hino: From here on out, you can call it a raging finish, with heart racing feelings of not knowing how it'll end until the very last moment, and the various enemies the three will face carrying multiple layers of meaning too. We're looking forward to the broadcast ourselves, wondering how everyone will feel about the conclusion to the story of Kamen Rider Gavv.
Chinen: Thank you so much for supporting us, continuing to watch us, and loving us over the past year. I hope you'll watch until the very end while speculating on how this story, which began when Shouma opened the door to the human world, will conclude. I'm sure that everyone has their favorite character, so please watch over them to see the kind of ending they'll receive. To be honest, I'm abit nervous about how everyone will take it, but I'm confident the ending will leave everyone feeling "pleased." Please see things through to the final episode!
_
The moment of reckoning with my younger brother is approaching
Tsukamoto Takashi
-Unshaken ambition despite a change in position-
"What has the response to your appearance in Gavv been like?"
Tsukamoto: Even though I play a villain, it's heartwarming to hear children say "I like Lango," and it's especially nice when my fans……mama and papa's in their early 40s tell me, "We're watching you together with our children." Fans from my own generation, who've known me since my teens, are now having children themselves, and I feel a real sense of fulfillment knowing I'm being supported across generations.
"Lango was demoted from the president of Stomach Inc to a purchasing manager, and now finds himself separated from both his company and family, so his position has changed drastically."
Tsukamoto: Lango has an unshakable drive to pursue his own ambitions, using his siblings and any means necessary to achieve them, and yet it's because he follows a single, unwavering path, that his younger brother's schemes catch him off guard. Even after being demoted and defeated once by Shouma, he takes action by saying, "I'm not just going to stay quiet and take this." I think that genuine boss like quality is what makes Lango great.
"From the middle of the show onward, he was tossed aside by Nyelv and the Jaldak Family, but we were impressed by his hard working side."
Tsukamoto: If he were abit more sinister or crafty, he could've surrounded himself with allies and handled things like that, but he has the mindset of, "I have to go myself" and, "I have to do this with my own hands." In a way, that's part of Lango's charm and what makes him so endearing.
"It was impressive that even after being demoted, he still managed to deliver solid results."
Tsukamoto: That's right. He's competent at his job, sharp, and possesses the ambition to "definitely rise to the top again." Lango himself has always remained unwavering and consistent.
"In the most recent episode, he showed off his clever side as he plotted to use Shouma and the others to defeat Bocca."
Tsukamoto: From Lango's perspective, he was only thinking about "how to regain his position as president," and I too was acting with the intention to once again show off how strong Lango is. If you watch this part of the story from Lango's perspective, you'll become excited about how he devises strategies while using his craftiness, and it might also be fun to watch while guessing what Lango's thinking of next.
"Regarding his younger siblings, how do you think Lango perceived the third brother Jiip and second sister Siita?"
Tsukamoto: Since they're younger by quite a few years, I imagine he looked down on them. Even when Siita was no longer with them, I think his reaction went as far as, "Guess that can't be helped, huh?" Still, he was eventually threatened by Jiip's crafty tricks, and he felt anger while thinking, "You bastard, it's all your fault!," but also a sense of regret like, "Maybe I should've taken better care of them." Lango is supposed to value his family and company, so even though he looked down on them at times, I felt that there was still a sense of affection for them.
"In episode 31, he acted with dignity toward Jiip, who had become vice president, displaying the composure expected of the eldest son."
Tsukamoto: Lango must've thought, "What a cute guy," seeing Jiip, who should know how fearsome Lango's strength is, putting on an intimidating front while hiding behind the President. I get the feeling that Jiip was completely absent from Lango's thoughts.
"How about the second eldest brother Nyelv?"
Tsukamoto: Nyelv's the worst, huh? (laughs). He doesn't obediently do what he's told, and he twists things around and adds one or two of his own tricks. For Lango, Nyelv's the brother he feels most strongly about, as he'll think, "You've gone and done something unnecessary!" and, "You should just do what I tell you to do!" Still, when he actually meets up with him and he says something like, "I'm sorry nii-san" with that kind of face, he just ends up thinking, "Hmmm, I guess it can't be helped," so that's the nature of their relationship.
"Lango actually has alot of compassion, doesn't he?"
Tsukamoto: No matter what, they're brothers, so I think Lango felt like, "I'm the only one who's able to wipe your ass, huh?" If they weren't brothers, he'd have taken him down in a heartbeat (laughs). (*Japanese phrase meaning to "cover for someone else's actions")
"(laughs). Glotta, the eldest sister, was the most devoted to her family within the Stomach Family."
Tsukamoto: Yeah. For Lango, she was his closest ally, his right hand woman who was moving toward the same goal, and the sibling he understood the best. That's exactly why he was at her side the moment Glotta was defeated. Even though he hadn't shown his face at all since losing to Shouma, being there for Glotta's final moments was incredibly emotional. It was a scene that very clearly showed the love Lango had for her.
"In the Summer film "The Candy House Invaders," Lango and the other siblings appear in a world where dark sweets don't exist."
Tsukamoto: The idea of us (the Stomach Family) appearing to help Shouma was something Director Sugihara Teruaki came up with. Lango and the other siblings perspective of that world is that they don't consciously think of it as "helping" him, but having the siblings help Shouma in that scene was emotional, and I think it'll be a heartwarming scene for the audience as well. For me personally, since my screen time in the film is almost entirely in that one scene, I felt like I had to pour everything I had into that single moment.
-Lango's true feelings are revealed in a direct confrontation with Shouma-
"Regarding Shouma, when they fought face to face in episodes 35 and 36, Lango was unforgiving in his words, but how do you interpret Lango's feelings toward him?"
Tsukamoto: For Lango, Shouma was someone who triggered the trauma he has from their father (Bouche Stomach), and while he doesn't have much hatred and resentment toward Shouma himself, it seems that he ended up projecting his feelings about his father onto him. If that good for nothing father had been responsible, Lango wouldn't have had to become the main provider at such a young age in order to protect the Stomach siblings and company, and Shouma wouldn't exist either. The words he hurled at Shouma, "You were a mistake from the moment you were born," felt like Lango's deepest opinion.
"What's your impression of Shouma's Chinen Hidekazu-san?"
Tsukamoto: Chinen-kun is truly passionate about acting, and the impression I get from him is that he's a kid who's worked hard to fully embody Shouma. When we faced off in that airport scene during episode 35, I could see his growth as an actor. I thought, "Ah, he's really become Gavv," and compared to when we first met, he felt way more reliable. That scene was just a performance, so I was holding back abit when I was stepping on him, but I remember him saying, "try using alittle more force," and, "If you do, I won't be able to move at all, so let's try it once and see what kind of expression I make," and we were able to seriously clash with each other, so that moment has stuck with me.
"Episode 35 was also the episode where Lango demonstrated his true strength against the Kamen Riders."
Tsukamoto: This episode really showed off Lango's strength for the first time, and I was grateful that they portrayed him as possessing absolute strength, with his Auto Guard making it impossible for all three Kamen Riders to even get a scratch on him. While the other siblings were all over the place with their intense action, Lango stood still, just swinging his greatsword, and while it was tough to film, it looked cool and felt great to do (laughs). When I saw the finished footage of that three on one battle, with all the effects added in, I was blown away as I thought, "Uwah, so cool!"
"What aspects of the visual effects and situations unique to tokusatsu, including the combat scenes, have left the strongest impression on you?"
Tsukamoto: I spent most of the year acting in front of a green screen, but thanks to live compositing technology, I could see exactly where I was in the scene on a monitor right there on set, which made it easier to visualize. It was an honor to experience the unique movements and acting techniques specific to tokusatsu, which is different from what I'm used to. Also, I don't know if it's the Scriptwriter's technique or if it's because the dialogue is so meaningful, but Lango's lines use quite complex language. There were many lines where I thought, "Will children understand this?" or, "Even adults might find this expression difficult." That's why I truly feel that this Kamen Rider is enjoyable even for adults to watch.
"Just because it's for "aimed at children" doesn't mean you should make it half baked."
Tsukamoto: That's exactly right. It doesn't just use easy to understand words, and it's not all explanatory lines. It was only after I participated for the first time that I realized, "Ah, so this is how it's done."
"Finally, please tell us what to look forward to in the finale."
Tsukamoto: After all, how Lango and Shouma settle things will likely be the main highlight, don't you think? How will the story unfold until the two face off, what feelings will they express to each other, and what kind of ending will they meet……? I myself enjoyed playing this role all the way to the end, and I believe that the outcome will satisfy the viewers. I hope you'll make sure to watch until the end while feeling all of the suspense and excitement.
