Bakuage Sentai Boonboomger Photobook: Don't Stop the BoonBoom Main Cast Member Interviews (translations and other pages below, very long post)
Publication: February 14, 2025
Iuchi Haruhi (Taiya Hando)
-Taiya cranks up his mood without showing emotion-
Everyone wrapped up filming together. At the time, it really didn't hit me. I think it was about two days later that I actually felt it……
Over this past year, I had a routine that I set up for myself, where the day before filming, I'd reread the script for corresponding scenes, and always make sure to do a final check before going to sleep. However, I guess that's come to an end. Now that filming is completely over, I feel alittle sad, as I can actually sense that Taiya's fading away.
Regarding Taiya, when I look back, the first thing I was conscious of was raising my mental age and trying to play my role as a calm character. However, if I made him too cool, he'd be too similar to Chasshiro, so instead of expressing his emotions, I'd crank up parts of his mood……I put great value into those kinds of things while acting.
The first scene we filmed was for the first episode, where Taiya buys the luxury brand store. I remember I didn't know how to move in relation to the camera's position, and was just trying to figure it all out. Not long after that, I had the opportunity to film my Boonboom Change, and when I put on the Boonboom suit for the first time, I had the feeling of, "I'm a hero!" The other thing I remember well was post recording with Director Nakazawa's team during episodes 1-3. At first, I held back my voice in order to keep it in line with Taiya's character, but when Director Nakazawa told me to "make it much more louder," I realized that it was "okay for him to be in high spirits after the Change." That became one of the opportunities for me to broaden my perspective of Taiya Hando.
I'd been going out to eat with the other members since fairly early on, but as filming progressed, it was exciting to see the number of friends increase one by one. The first climax for the five Boonboomger members was in episodes 8 and 9, when Taiya rushed over to them and said, "This is the most…," to which the other four replied, "Cranked up." It was an unforgettable, passionate scene. I think this moment slightly changed the way Taiya interacted with everyone.
Also, the presence of Yu-kun, who joined us halfway through, was a big deal. Until then, I had always thought that the right thing to do was to act according to the image the professional Directors or Cameramen had in their minds, so I had never thought of acting based on my own initiative. However, when I watched Yu-kun, he'd constantly make suggestions like, "I wanna move like this, but what do you think?," and I saw the course of things change, as those on set would respond with, "Alright then, let's go with that!" That's when I started reading the script with the thought of, "As one of the people creating this show, I also have to get involved on set!," and my attitude once again changed alittle bit.
-A dream filled ending typical of Boonboomger-
In episode 24, I was also happy to have my special skill of playing the guitar put to good use. As a matter of fact, during our first meeting, the Producers asked me, "Do you have any special skills?," to which I answered, "I can sing and play the guitar." That's when the Screenwriter's desire to "write about Taiya's first love" was incorporated, causing the episode to materialize. The script doesn't go as far as to depict what happened to Mahiro Sensei, but I wanted to understand it in my own way, so I talked to the Director and Producers before I went into it, and I even imagined what kind of feelings Taiya would be having and wrote them down in a notebook. The subject of the story was painful, but the shoot itself was fun. Taiya's a character who I had a hard time getting into, but by depicting him during his childhood, I think I was able to dig deeper into my role.
I pushed myself to the limit towards the very end of Boonboomger and lost about 5kg, which caused some concern as my face began to look really hollow (bitter smile). Still, as a result, I was able to get into it and concentrate while playing Taiya. The scene where he conveys his feelings to the other four during episode 45 was very memorable. In the completed footage of episode 37, a flashback scene was inserted, the one where child Taiya hears sad crying in the next room, and I was there to observe the filming of that scene. I wanted to internalize Taiya's feelings, so I asked and was allowed to sit in the same spot after they filmed it. I performed the scene with the other four in episode 45 with that in mind, so I was able to convey Taiya's feelings clearly.
I liked the last scene in the final episode. I thought the reversed situation was good, as it concludes with us five who protected Earth leaving for space, and Sakito, who had said that he "abandoned Earth," staying behind. For me, it was a conclusion that I would've never imagined. I was really excited while filming our participation in the BBG, and being able to say the line "Let's get cranked up!" at the very last moment will always remain in my heart. I believe it was a dream filled ending, one truly typical of Bakuage Sentai Boonboomger.
Hayama Yuki (Ishiro Meita)
-I aimed to play a role that anyone would think was cool-
For my role as Ishiro, I first talked with BoonBlue's Suit Actor Yoneoka Takahiro-san about how I wanted to "make him a cool character by any means," and so we decided to aim for a role that anyone would find cool, from his gestures and posture, to his pose when he changes into BoonBlue. Going along with that, his passionate side also came out around episode 6. The Director in charge of each episode enjoyed those playful parts and would tease me about it, so by also adding in some adlibs myself, I think I was able to broaden the range of my role. Yoneoka-san gave an energized performance in the Go-Onger episode, but by seeing that, it made me feel that although Ishiro's a spy of the underground, he was longing for something "sparkling," and I feel that it further expanded my role.
The first time Ishiro's past during his spy era was depicted was in episode 14. It was an episode that showed Ishiro's cool, cranked up appearance, but I felt that if I didn't establish a solid "foundation" here, it would affect how he was seen in the future. That's why I was so fired up to film the flashback scene. I also received tons of motivation from Miu-chan in this episode. Miu-chan has an extensive acting career, and above all else, the ways she delivered her lines were very convincing. The sequence of events that leads to Ishiro being stunned as she says, "You want to protect the place that's important to you, right?!," is a scene that everyone needs to watch. Up to that point, Ishiro had kept abit of a distance from everyone except for Taiya, but I think this was the first time he was willing to approach another member of the team.
The next spy story was in episode 29, which features a scene where I Boonboom Change while fighting against Gong Grumer, and I challenged myself to doing action, which isn't one of my strong points. Also, I was paired up with Sakito. Compared to the other three, he had a greater sense of distance from Sakito, but since they suddenly got involved right from the start, it was difficult trying to figure out how I should treat him. Also, when Sakito says, "You didn't grow up well, huh?," he responds with, "My parents did the same work I'm doing. You can figure out the rest." It's a line that expresses Ishiro's dark past, and he tells it to the person he was most distant from. It was an important moment that brought the two of them closer together.
Episode 37 had alot of action scenes, and I believe I was able to get them done with the support of Action Director Watanabe Jun-san and Yoneoka-san. I think that different people have different interpretations of the relationship between Ishiro and Naito Konomi-san's Sutea, and although we watched each other's performance on set, we never really compromised on things. I hope everyone enjoys speculating on that point. On the opposite end, Director Hayama Koichiro gave me easy to understand examples of how the fake Ishiro would fight against Taiya, which helped me better visualize his image. What's more, for the action scenes involving Taiya, Haruhi stayed with me countless times until I memorized how to do them, which was very helpful.
-If you grab hold of your wheel, things will become clearer-
From episodes 43-47, I think some of you may have been on edge watching Ishiro's actions. Still, since Taiya said in episode 37, "I can tell just by looking into his eyes," it was properly foreshadowed. Although Ishiro pointed his gun at everyone at the end of episode 43, it's important to note that Taiya's reaction at that moment wasn't captured. This was Director Nakazawa Shojiro's goal, as this detail wasn't in the script, but since he and Taiya trust each other without needing to say anything, he purposely left out Taiya's reaction. As for myself, I think that the role Ishiro played during the very end was a great one. Mira's marriage is an homage to the first episode, and his return in episode 47 along with his partner, Boonboom Marine, made me feel "cranked up" when I read the script.
The wrap up for actors was the final roll call during the final episode, and we were all able to finish filming together. Each person's name was then called out on the spot, and everyone would cry. I was determined not to cry, but when they called my name, Producer Kuji Yoshito-san and Director Nakazawa came into my sight, and I couldn't stop crying……I'm not entirely sure if I was able to speak coherently then, but I was truly overwhelmed with emotions in that moment.
The theme of Bakuage Sentai Boonboomger is to "take control of your own wheel," and while it may have looked as if Ishiro had sold his soul to the Hashiriyans during the very end, I believe that he was able to steer his way down the path of victory by taking the wheel in his own way. In reality, things may not always go as planned, but if you grab the wheel without abandoning your beliefs, I'm sure something will become clearer. For us actors, we'd be beyond happy if you could take away such a message from our work.
Suzuki Miu (Mira Shifuto)
-I tried to be conscious of "Mira's feelings" when performing in the second half-
After filming throughout the year, I did have some vague concerns in the beginning, but I'm really glad that we were able to get through it safely without any major accidents or problems occurring. Also, after a year of working with the same staff, I realized just how much fun it is to work together as "friends" to create a production.
As for my role as Mira, I was told that she doesn't "take a backseat to the main character," but is instead the first character that the viewers can emotionally attach themselves to as the story progressed. I knew that if I didn't carefully act out Mira's growth throughout the year, it would appear rushed and unconvincing, and by extension, the story wouldn't hold up. In the beginning however, Mira was presented in a fairly fun way. In the script, her screams were written as "Piyaaa!" (laughs). That was one of the reasons why up until about the halfway point, I was more conscious of how she was being seen from the outside instead of from the inside. However, in the latter half, I tried to play the role with "Mira's feelings" in mind, rather than thinking too much about "how I want her to be seen." In that regard, there may be a big difference between the beginning and the ending. I was also happy that Director Nakazawa Shojiro noticed that and said that "I had changed up my performance quite abit."
In the very beginning, it was fun being teamed up with Chasshiro in episode 6. I think Mira's someone who can be paired up with anyone, but Mira seems to be the only one who can make teasing Chasshiro look amusing (laughs). Even in the scene where we follow Jou, I had alot of fun filming and discussing the details with Yuki-kun, such as how we'd hide ourselves by retying our shoelaces and hiding behind a telephone pole.
Episodes 8 and 9 was the first crisis that the Boonboomgers faced, and the atmosphere on set was tense and different compared to the previous episodes. During all this, I think it was just like Mira to vent her feelings towards Taiya at the end of episode 8 with, "Why would you do such a reckless thing?" However, I could understand the feelings they both had, and condemning someone for something you're not aware of was pretty difficult to perform. I thought it'd be bad if she came off as being too confrontational, so I played the role hoping to convey Mira's honesty.
-I love how everyone in Boonboomger lives their lives to the fullest-
There were multiple main episodes for Mira, such as episodes 14, 20 and 31, but episode 36, in which I performed with Mori Hinami-chan, is the most memorable. When she learns that Aki, played by Hinamin, had given up on her dream, she speaks her mind by saying, "It's frustrating….that unlike how Taiya is with Boon-chan…..I can't make her dream come true." I had discussions with Director Watanabe Katsuya about that scene, and I thought about it alot myself. Mira's story began with her easygoing personality in the first episode, but up until then, there were very few scenes depicting her being worried. Mira's usually cheerful and in high spirits, so I wondered, "Would it be okay to show her being worried?," but I think it's her worries that really show the strength of their friendship.
Also in this episode, there's a scene where I Boonboom Changed without the helmet, so I also played the last scene where the mask was equipped. I was advised to pull my chin up in order to look cooler, but I was pretty scared since my field of vision was limited and I could only see my feet. Still, I ran as hard as I could, hoping that I'd look cool.
I think the major event at the end of the show was the development of Mira's decision to get married, which was depicted in episode 47. To be honest, I had something that was worrying me as the story was unfolding, and I talked to the Producers about it. Even though she became a Boonboomger in the first episode and was working hard at her part time jobs, I wondered, does Mira have any big dreams in her life? They created this development based on that. I wanted Mira to have a dream, but instead, it's Mira's strong desire to help the people in front of her that helped her grow so much. I took this as a message that the staff had prepared for my sake. During the actual shoot, after she decided to get married, there was the line, "This is how I'll grab hold of my wheel," and just looking at everyone's faces made me cry……I believe that this performance came out because I'd been building up my role as Mira and trusting everyone.
Based on the title, many of you may have thought that Bakuage Sentai Boonboomger was a cheerful and upbeat production. I myself am one of those people, but with six people, there were six different lives, and now that it's all over, I strongly feel that the appeal of this show was that "each and every one of them overcame their struggles and became stronger." For myself personally, I have always and will always love the way everyone in Boonboomger lives their lives to the fullest.
Saito Ryu (Jou Akuse)
-I was surprised at how similar I was to Jou Akuse-
When I was in elementary school, I served as class president and was known for being a rather serious type of person. However, I wasn't serious at all, as I had more of a clumsy side in comparison (laughs). That's why when I first learned about Jou's setting, I was very surprised at how similar he seemed to myself. Also, my own father is a firefighter, so I felt a sense of familiarity towards his role as a police officer, as they're also civil servants. That being the case, I thought, "If I just honestly express all the feelings I've had over the past 19 years of my life, I might be able to become Jou Akuse." During the beginning, I went into filming with those types of thoughts in mind.
Jou's real role began in episode 5, but the first scene we filmed was in the first episode, where he gets wrapped up in one of Wedding Dress Grumer's dresses. It was fun to see his clumsiness immediately come out, but Director Nakazawa Shojiro had told me, "It's fine to make as much noise as you'd like." At the time, my performative skills were still lacking, so I was abit confused. I now have the confidence that I can make things more interesting (laughs).
I put alot of effort into the fight scene against Darts Grumer in episode 5. I knew from the moment I read the script that the action leading up to my Boonboom Change was "an absolute must." During filming, Darts Grumer's Suit Actor Imai Yasuhiko-san lent me his support by saying, "It's okay to go all out," and under the passionate direction of Director Watanabe Katsuya, we filmed with my entire body getting covered in sand and dust. That day, I went home and shampooed my hair about six times, but sand kept falling from my head (laughs), and even when I rewatch it now, I can see just how much strain I put on my body. Director Watanabe also helped me out alot in the episode where I'm paired up with Mira, but I think episode 5 was the starting point for me as Jou.
From the moment we met, I became good friends with the other cast members. We didn't have many opportunities to meet until episode 4, but after episode 5, I think we were able to join up smoothly from episode 6 onwards. I was happy to finally be able to film together with everyone.
In episode 6, he immediately gets involved with Mira and Shiro Senpai, and I was also grateful for all the opportunities after that where Jou played a bigger role, such as in the Kaseki Grumer episode, the candy detective episode where he teamed up with Genba, and the baseball episode. What's more, they were all crazy episodes (laughs). Especially for episodes 21 and 23, the one in charge of them was Director Kato Hiroyuki, and he's the kind of Director who'll constantly incorporate alot of funny things, so I also had alot of fun while getting into a playful mood. In episode 21, there's a scene where I interact with Genba in my afro hairstyle, and I thought it'd turn out funnier the more serious I performed it. I took these kinds of things into consideration when I performed.
-I cried so much during the wrap up, that I was teased by everyone around me (laughs)-
Episode 40 was the episode where I myself felt a sense of accomplishment. After episode 15 aired, I received feedback from various people telling me that "it was good," but it was thanks to Director Hayama Koichiro, who brought out Jou's appeal, that I as an actor felt the desire to show off even more of my performative range. This time, episode 40 was naturally made possible thanks to Morichi Natsumi-san's wonderful script, and Director Nakazawa and Cinematographer Kamiaka Toshikazu-san's strong tag team, but I could personally feel the growth I had made up to that point, and the line, "There's no such thing as a 100% perfect hero," went viral on SNS, with the great response from those around me also giving me confidence.
Filming for the last chapter progressed at a good pace, and it felt like it went by in the blink of an eye. During this time, what surprised me was Chasshiro's betrayal and Boon-chan's defeat. I had only heard alittle bit about it beforehand, but when it was time to read the script, I was shocked and thought, "Are you serious?!" And then, Jou quit being a police officer, and in episode 46, he was confronted by his senior officer played by Takada Masashi-san……I didn't expect things to turn out this way, so I had abit of trouble trying to wrap my head around the situation. It was as big of a situation for me as it was for Jou. In the end, the five of us left for space, so I interpreted it with, "I guess he's on temporary leave for the time being?"
The Assistant Director made the necessary adjustments to our schedules so that everyone would be able to be together for the wrap up. The night before the last day of filming, I cried all alone at home due to feeling lonely, so on the very day of filming, I thought I'd be fine since I cried ahead of time. However, when I saw the face of BoonBlack's Suit Actor, Shige-san, I couldn't help but cry. I was crying so much that everyone around me jokingly said, "You're crying way too much!" (laughs). Over the past year, there were times where I was guided gently, and times where I was guided strictly, but I was truly happy on this set.
Soma Satoru (Genba Bureki)
-From being a Procurer with a detached position to becoming friends with the Boonboomgers-
When it was decided that I'd be playing the role of Genba Bureki, I was told that, unlike the other members, I'd be "playing an alien." However, since I didn't know the reason why he was always licking lollipops or the beliefs that he held, I had to make detailed adjustments all the time while thinking, "I guess it'd be alright if I did this much." It was around the time we were filming the Summer film when I learned about the developments for the second half of the story, and I thought that his feelings toward Nicola, who was invaded by Hashiriyans, were different from everyone else's, so I was conscious of those expressions in my performance.
In the beginning, I didn't have much to work with, so I was trying to figure out how to say distinctive lines such as "Seems like you're in trouble" in a way that felt right to me. There's abit of a suspicious, older feel to him, and I thought it'd be great if I could add some expressions that were unique to Genba. The first thing we filmed was the scene in episode 2, when he receives a job request from Taiya. From episodes 1-6, he had watched them from a detached position as a Procurer, so I was very happy when we were ready to film episode 7, as he joins the Boonboomger's as their friend.
In episode 10, I was able to do some action before his transformation. I was confident in my athletic abilities, but the movements done by BoonOrange's Suit Actor Ono Yukimasa-kun, who showed me some examples, were amazing, and while I felt alittle overwhelmed, I tried to do my best. Ono-kun and I would both always talk about "how we felt during this part," and I was always amazed by the action I saw during post recording.
His destined rival Disrace appeared at the end of episode 26, and he left Boonboomger in episode 27. There's a scene where he says, "That's why I'm giving up my front row seat," and as myself, I definitely didn't want to leave, but at the same time, he doesn't want to involve his friends any further, so……it was quite difficult for me to perform. After that, I didn't get to see everyone as often as I would've liked to, and there were also no good opportunities to go out and eat together. That's why when he returned in episode 33, I was so happy that I couldn't help but talk nonstop with everyone on set (laughs).
During filming of episode 33, I almost cried when I said the line, "This is the place where I belong," and I was also deeply moved when Taiya asked, "What has the Procurer procured for us?" to which I answer, "Myself, of course." The scene where all of us perform the Boonboom Change also suddenly made me feel that "having friends is great." I was personally grateful for the fact that both episodes 27 and 33 were done by Director Nakazawa, as I was able to make progress while consulting with him.
-One thing remains for Genba, that being his important mission to retake planet Bureki-
I also enjoyed being together with Sakito during the soccer episode. We're both from Shizuoka, and I'm a Shimizu S-Pulse supporter, so because of this connection, we were invited to participate in an event by Shimizu S-Pulse in September. As for the drama, he clashes with Sakito, and well, fighting doesn't bring them closer together, but because they both love soccer, it seems like they let out more unnecessary feelings than usual. They had clashed before in episode 32, but I think they were finally able to work out their differences in this episode.
I had the feeling that the "end" was gradually approaching during the final stages of filming, but in the final episode, when their transformations are cancelled during the battle with Spindo, as we were filming the scene where they stand up while conveying their feelings, the feeling that "it was finally coming to an end" suddenly hit me. Here, Genba says, "In this universe, that's what we call love," but combined with the location, which captured the sunset, and the atmosphere on set, it made me get more into it.
The ending was a beautiful conclusion, but as for Genba, he still hasn't retaken planet Bureki. Because there's still an important mission left to do, it didn't finish with a happy ending, however, they were able to defeat both Grantu and Spindo and save Earth, so it was still a big step in the right direction.
Now that it's all over, I feel alittle sad since I no longer have to spend time thinking about the next day's shoot. Looking back, I really didn't know what I was doing a year ago, but I'm here now thanks to all the fans who supported me, and over the past year, through the feedback I received at events and on SNS, I was motivated by the fact that I was involved in a production that was loved by so many people. I'll work even harder so that everyone who got to know me through Bakuage Sentai Boonboomger will see a different side of me. I look forward to your continued support!
Miyazawa Yu (Sakito Homura)
-I was able to gain experience both as myself and as Sakito Homura-
When I "encountered" Sakito at the audition, I felt that he was so similar to me, that I thought, "If I fail this, I don't think I'll ever have a chance in any tokusatsu production." Once I entered filming, I was very happy to hear that Director Hayama Koichiro said on set that he had "wanted to film Miyazawa as Sakito." When he makes his entrance during episode 16, I played the role with the impression that he was an overly self conscious perfectionist, but as things continued with episodes 17 and 18 being done by Director Kato Hiroyuki, I was able to bring out more of his weaknesses.
During the joint reading session before I went into filming, the Director and Producers said that they wanted me to "act in a childish way," but I was thinking of taking my performance in a slightly different direction, so the most important thing was being able to create Sakito on my own terms. Also, I think that by looking for places where I could be abit playful on set, I was able to gain experience both as myself and as Sakito Homura.
Episode 41 is an episode that I'm deeply attached to, as I was able to incorporate my special skill of playing soccer. The "Pulse Ace" that appears is a play on Shimizu S-Pulse, but I used to be a member of Shimizu S-Pulse's lower division when I was in middle school, and I was deeply moved by the collaboration event between Boonboomger and Shimizu S-Pulse that took place during the broadcast. The story was rich in content, with its appropriate comedic feel, our passion for soccer, and my pairing with Genba, so I think the viewers enjoyed it. Among other things, the scene where Genba and I pass the ball to each other with napalm exploding in the background had to be done in one take, so I had a fairly long discussion with Satoru beforehand. It was quite difficult even for experienced players like us, as there was gravel everywhere we stepped, and the unique shape of the Boonboom suit's shoes made kicking the ball feel different, but fortunately, we got the OK with our very first attempt. In terms of the story, his clash with Genba reminded me of the sumo episode, and I also thought it was typical of the younger Jou for being so straightforward and acting as their middle man. That scene was effective because of Ryu's careful performance, and I thought it turned out to be a very good scene where you'd naturally think, "If Jou said it, then it must be right."
-The final scene where Sakito remains on the Earth personally gave me goosebumps-
After the soccer episode and Christmas episode, the final stages of the show had some dramatic developments, but episode 45 was the one that I put the most effort into. Bundorio stopped functioning, the Boonboomgers were split up, and Taiya was mentally out of it. During all this, Sakito and Byundi confront the Hashiriyans together……It was a hot development, as the man who abandoned Earth now fought to protect it, but in playing Sakito, I saw it as a "fight to protect his friends." If we go back to episode 18, Sakito said, "I just wanna protect my only friend and his family," but I believe that episode 45 encapsulates the change in his feelings from that point on. This episode was directed by Director Hayama, who also did the episode where I first appeared, and the scene where I pushed my way through the crowd and shouted, "You guys…didn't the Boonboomgers save you?!," was a direction given to me by the Director, so I myself also wanted to live up to the trust he put in me.
In the final episode, I felt the team's unity as they defeated Spindo, and I also thought it was wonderful that everyone's individual scenes were properly depicted. I hope that you were able to feel that high level of unity. And, the final scene where Sakito remains on Earth personally gave me goosebumps. When I first read the script, I thought, "Uwah, this is seriously good!" Living on Earth, the number of people he came to love steadily increased, and it seemed to match up with the way Sakito lives his life, so I'm satisfied with it. I felt that there was nothing wrong with the performance I had been doing, and I can only thank all the staff members for preparing and directing such a conclusion.
The last scene we filmed was our final roll call. This was the end of filming, but the show was still going on, so to be honest, I didn't really feel it. However, when the time came for them to address me, I couldn't help but tear up when I saw the large number of staff members.
I had been involved since episode 16, and was very excited to be in the position of shaking things up as the additional member, and I feel that the feedback I've gotten in regards to that has been good. The show itself will remain even after the broadcast is over, so we'd all be happy if people said, "Boonboomger was great, wasn't it?" We don't know yet if there'll be an anniversary project in the future, but I hope that Bakuage Sentai Boonboomger will remain in the hearts of all the fans forever!
Handwritten Messages
Iuchi Haruhi
"What was the most cranked up scene that you performed as Taiya Hando over the past year?" The scene in the final episode where everyone says, "This is the most cranked up!"
"What did you think was the "coolest part" about Boonboomger (or Taiya Hando)?" The parts were he wouldn't ignore!
"What part of Taiya Hando's "costume" or "weapons" did you think was cranked up?" The tool design of the weapons!
"A word to Taiya Hando!" LOVE
"A word to your Boonboomger friends!" I'm glad it was the six of us…I had fun. Thank you!
"A word to all the fans!" Thank you so much for your support over the past year! I look forward to your continued support!
Hayama Yuki
"What was the most cranked up scene that you performed as Ishiro Meita over the past year?" Bakuage 29's action scenes.
"What did you think was the "coolest part" about Boonboomger (or Ishiro Meita)?" His activities as an Informant.
"What part of Ishiro Meita's "costume" or "weapons" did you think was cranked up?" His three piece suit and necktie that would change every episode. That you could turn the Boonboom Handle with just one hand!
"A word to Ishiro Meita!" I love you.
"A word to your Boonboomger friends!" Ishiro had trouble fitting, so thank you for looking out for him!
"A word to all the fans!" Thank you for your cranked up support!
Suzuki Miu
"What was the most cranked up scene that you performed as Mira Shifuto over the past year?" Episode 36's helmetless running scene.
"What did you think was the "coolest part" about Boonboomger (or Mira Shifuto)?" That she worked hard for the sake of someone else instead of herself.
"What part of Mira Shifuto's "costume" or "weapons" did you think was cranked up?" That you could hold Boonboom Handle's Rod Mode upside down (it's dangerous, so good children shouldn't imitate that!)
"A word to Mira Shifuto!" Mira being cheerful gave me tons of energy! Thank you :)
"A word to your Boonboomger friends!" I was really happy with the six of us! We're forever friends!!!
"A word to all the fans!" I wouldn't have made it this far without everyone's voices of support. Thank you so much!
Saito Ryu
"What was the most cranked up scene that you performed as Jou Akuse over the past year?" My first transformation.
"What did you think was the "coolest part" about Boonboomger (or Jou Akuse)?" Getting dirty.
"What part of Jou Akuse's "costume" or "weapons" did you think was cranked up?" His police uniform.
"A word to Jou Akuse!" You're an honourable man!! Make sure to zip up your fly properly!!
"A word to your Boonboomger friends!" Thank you for the past year! Sorry for when I acted out of line 🖤
"A word to all the fans!" Thank you for your support over the past year! I look forward to your continued support.
Soma Satoru
"What was the most cranked up scene that you performed as Genba Bureki over the past year?" When after leaving once, he reprocured himself through his friends.
"What did you think was the "coolest part" about Boonboomger (or Genba Bureki)?" With every episode, his friends became the embodiment of "taking control of your own wheel."
"What part of Genba Bureki's "costume" or "weapons" did you think was cranked up?" His fluttering costume made action scenes look more attractive.
"A word to Genba Bureki!" I'm glad you returned to Boonboomger!
"A word to your Boonboomger friends!" Thank you for trusting me and waiting for me ^_^
"A word to all the fans!" Thank you so much for always giving us tons of support!
Miyazawa Yu
"What was the most cranked up scene that you performed as Sakito Homura over the past year?" The six person transformation in Bakuage 48!
"What did you think was the "coolest part" about Boonboomger (or Sakito Homura)?" Honestly gaining control of your own wheel!
"What part of Sakito Homura's "costume" or "weapons" did you think was cranked up?" All of it!
"A word to Sakito Homura!" Sakito Homura! Enjoy living a chaotic life on Earth!
"A word to your Boonboomger friends!" Claim absolute victory in the BBG!!
"A word to all the fans!" Thank you for your support in Bakuage Sentai Boonboomger over the past year! It was the most cranked up year!!
The Heroes Cranked Up Roundtable A long roundtable discussion with the six cast members who played the heroes who protected Earth. They'll talk about their memories from the past year, as well as bombshell stories that can only be talked about now?!
-The six cranked up members have gathered-
"First, please tell us about the relationship between the six of you after spending about a year together."
Hayama: In the beginning it was just Satoru-kun, but the older members were extremely reliable.
Suzuki: Yeah.
Hayama: We got so used to it, that we slowly started to develop a habit of screwing around with them (laughs).
Soma: That's right (laughs).
Hayama: Still, I think it's because they both allowed us to do that that people have come to say, "Boonboomger had some great vibes."
Iuchi: That was a big part of it.
Miyazawa: Y'know, I'm not sure if we've forgiven you yet (laughs).
Soma: Right?
Hayama: Even in this interview, we can talk about how we mess with them, so in that sense, Satoru-kun and Zawa-nii are the greatest.
Miyazawa: I suppose so (laughs).
Suzuki: The youngest members, Haruhi-kun and Ryu-kun, are both 20, while Zawa-kun is the oldest at 29 years old, so the age difference between us is the kind where you wouldn't normally have many opportunities to interact so closely. However, I still think the reason we were able to get along so well was because we were together for a year.
Miyazawa: Normally, I'd be concerned about both sides of the situation.
Iuchi: You were cautious.
Hayama: He was, wasn't he?
Soma: In the beginning, Zawa-kun didn't get involved with us at all for some reason.
Miyazawa: That's because there's a generational gap between us (laughs).
Iuchi: I felt the same way too. At first, it was the age difference, and since I went to an entertainment high school that didn't have any club activities, I rarely had any opportunities to interact with my seniors.
Miyazawa: And yet now we're like family.
Soma: We've even been asked, "Are you guys related?"
Suzuki: During the wrap up, the staff had said, "You guys look like relatives."
Miyazawa: It made me realize that even though there's a 9 year gap between us, we become friends.
Hayama: Of course, we weren't just playing around, as Zawa-kun drew a clear line when it came to work, and I really received a ton of inspiration from him. The only exception is Soma-san (laughs).
Soma: So that's how it is, huh? How strange (laughs).
"I see, so this is how you "tease those older than you" (laughs)."
Soma: Even though Hayama-kun and I go out to eat together pretty often…
Iuchi Hayama Suzuki Saito Miyazawa: (laughs).
"Did Soma-san and Miyazawa-san have to worry about anything when dealing with the younger members?"
Soma: I was the oldest of the original five, so I didn't want them to view me as "scary" (laughs). I wanted them to be able to be carefree, so I aimed to create a "Buddha" like appearance, someone who was accepting of everybody (laughs). By the way, we're being interviewed right now while eating our bentos, and Ryu just stole my tamagoyaki……
Saito: He won't get mad at all if I take it from him (laughs).
Soma: No, no, I told you tamagoyaki is my favorite, c'mon now! This is how they mercilessly tease us (laughs).
Iuchi Hayama Suzuki Miyazawa: (laughs).
Miyazawa: I joined in the middle of the show, but after it was decided that I would perform, I searched up information on who I'd be working with. That's when I was like, "They're all younger than me!" (laughs).
Soma: I get that. You were shocked, huh?
Miyazawa: However, I still thought that there was only one person "below me."
Soma: Who? Ryu maybe?
Miyazawa: No, like you, I'm from Shizuoka. That's why I thought you'd be the first one I talked to (laughs).
Suzuki: Did you think you'd have a better opportunity with Satoru-kun since you're both closer in age?
Miyazawa: Yeah. It's because even Miu-chan and I are about five years apart.
Soma: That's true.
Miyazawa: Before we became friends, I wondered if we would even get along.
Suzuki: Usually, when there's that much of an age difference you're like, "Where do we start?"
Miyazawa: I've also said this elsewhere, but at the same time I was having my costume fit, Miu-chan and Ryu came running to the makeup room and excitedly said, "Uwah, so this is Violet!" At that moment, I felt that everything would be alright. Or, perhaps what I mean to say is that I was the one who took a step back (laughs).
Suzuki: That's right! In another interview, Zawa-kun had said that he was grateful for the two of us closing the distance between him, but just recently, when the topic happened to come up in a private conversation, he said, "To be honest, I was abit put off at the time" (laughs).
Saito: That's harsh (laughs).
Miyazawa: It's because of how energetic you kids are.
Iuchi: You're always saying that.
Suzuki: We're all energetic.
Hayama: Right, we tend to hear that alot.
Miyazawa: That's how it is now, but in the beginning I had the feeling of, "How should I deal with them?"
Iuchi: At first, I felt like I had to talk to them as adults, but Satoru-kun and Yu-kun were the ones to bring a stop to that. That's why I'm very grateful for them.
Soma: In our group chat, Haruhi initially used a large amount of emojis, which made me think, "Ah, he's being cautious" (laughs).
Iuchi: Ah, I didn't realize you had seen right through me (laughs).
Soma: I noticed it from the very beginning.
Suzuki: I see. He did use a large amount of them.
Miyazawa: Is that so? I would've liked to have seen that.
Soma: By the time Zawa-kun joined us, he was no longer doing that.
Suzuki: It's because you "brought a stop to that," remember?
Hayama: (he looks at Miyazawa-san) And here I thought you were a good guy.
Miyazawa: Hey!
Iuchi Suzuki Saito Soma: (laughs).
Miyazawa: To begin with, our generations are so different, that I don't know what's popular. People of my generation would do stuff like go to karaoke.
Soma: Yeah. Things like what's popular and fun among today's youth.
Miyazawa: I had no idea about TikTok or anything like that (laughs).
Soma: You know, the way people say TikTok now is with an intonation! (laughs).
Miyazawa: Eh, it's that true?
Soma:……that's how it seems.
Miyazawa: However, it was a completely different story when I entered the set. I was conscious of the fact that it was our place of work.
Soma: There was a clear distinction in the way you'd switch.
Miyazawa: Right, which is the most important thing!
"Do you have any painful or difficult stories that you can only talk about now?"
Iuchi: What's okay to say? (laughs).
Saito: Ah, I was late once.
Suzuki: Wha!
Iuchi: Do you feel remorseful about it?
Saito: I do.
Suzuki: I don't know what to take away from this.
Soma: Just let it play out (laughs).
Saito: However, I made it in time for the shoot itself.
Miyazawa: No, no, that's totally normal then (laughs).
Saito: When you've been doing something like this for a long time, you inevitably start to slack off, huh?
Suzuki: You can't say that about yourself! (laughs).
Iuchi Hayama Soma Miyazawa: (laughs).
Iuchi: What was abit difficult for me during filming was not using my bike. I didn't ride it throughout the filming period because I didn't want to cause trouble if I had an accident. Besides, with it being my first time living in Tokyo, I thought I'd be fine without a bike, as there are tons of trains in Tokyo. However, once I started living there, I found that there were many places that would take too long to get to if I used the train or bus, but could be reached pretty easily by bike. I'm alittle disappointed that I couldn't even go out and have some casual fun (bitter smile).
Saito: That was a model answer!
Miyazawa: Is it okay to talk about what was difficult for me?
Hayama: The Boonboom dance?
Miyazawa: No (said firmly).
Hayama: Not that, huh?
Miyazawa: Sakito's hair style.
Iuchi Hayama Suzuki Saito Soma: Yeah (they fully agree).
Miyazawa: Every time I went to a shoot, it would become coarse and stiff. After filming, I would have to go home and wash my hair because of how difficult it became.
Suzuki: After filming would finish, we'd say, "Let's all go out for a meal!," but only Zawa-kun would go home and take a shower before rejoining us.
Miyazawa: That's because if I left my hair as it was, my hat would look like it was floating.
Iuchi Hayama Suzuki Saito Soma: (laughs).
Soma: That being said, I had trouble with my hair too.
Miyazawa: What was the case for Satoru? It must've been with your Burekiian form.
Soma: Yeah, it was when I transformed into my Burekiian form.
Hayama: Putting on the makeup too.
Soma: That's right. What's more, my skin is fairly tan.
Saito: Sure is.
Soma: So, I had to apply whitening cream in addition to getting my makeup done. I also had to wear cat eye contacts, but if I blinked even slightly, they would immediately rotate. That's why it was very difficult for me to perform close up shots in that condition.
Suzuki: You wouldn't blink.
Soma: Still, they'd eventually also fall out if I didn't blink for a long time.
Miyazawa: Your contacts fell out countless times.
Soma: Yeah.
Hayama: What comes to mind for me was the action. Exercise has never been one of my strong points, and there were a few times where I just couldn't keep up. To be honest, that was really tough.
Soma: No, no, you were really cool!
Hayama: Really?
Suzuki: Yeah.
Soma: Like in episode 37, you were amazing, don't you think?
Hayama: Well, in any case, I was just desperately trying to keep up.
Suzuki: You seem to have good reflexes.
Miyazawa: And he can dance. Me on the other hand, I'm no good at dancing (laughs).
Hayama: Wasn't it quite difficult for Miu-chan to get into costume?
Suzuki: That's right. There were so many part time outfits, so I remember having to get my costume fit for almost every episode (laughs).
Hayama: You went in to get your costume fit all the time.
Suzuki: Also, my legs were very cold.
Hayama: I had a feeling you'd say that.
Suzuki: Especially during Winter (bitter smile).
Hayama: And, those weren't even the worst ones. There's the wedding dress you wore in the final episode.
Suzuki: Yeah.
Hayama: You had to have the staff help you when you moved.
Suzuki: I couldn't move without my attendants.
Hayama: "Attendants" (laughs).
Miyazawa: It really seemed like that.
Suzuki: Also, I couldn't sit on a chair, so when filming stopped, I had a blanket laid out on the floor to sit on until my next turn.
Saito: You were like a princess!
Suzuki: The dress looked like it was floating as it spread out on the floor.
Saito: She often called upon us (Saito-san and Hayama-san) and gave requests like, "Please get me some sweets" (laughs).
Iuchi: She simply couldn't move.
Suzuki: (speaking like a princess) "Excuse me, can you fetch me a drink?"
Miyazawa: She's totally a princess now (laughs).
Suzuki: Another challenging thing was that this production has shorter shots so that smaller children watching wouldn't get bored. In scenes where we convey our feelings, they weren't that long and involved a series of cuts, so we had to raise our emotions pretty intensely, which was difficult. If I had to put it another way, I think it really strengthened our responsive skills.
Hayama: That's a good way of putting it.
Suzuki: You get it though, right?
Hayama: Yeah, I know exactly what you mean.
Suzuki: Zawa-kun had a difficult time with that at first too, right?
Miyazawa: I'd usually start from one or two of my previous lines, but if I thought that it'd still be too difficult, I was allowed to start from even earlier.
Hayama: Yeah, you'd do that.
Saito: Everyone's talking about something serious…
Soma: Ryu, do you have anything else since your story about being late didn't work out?
Saito: Yeah. I play a police officer, so it was quite difficult putting on all that equipment. It was pretty heavy, and there's a proper way of putting it on, so I had to make sure to check it every time. I thought this was to be expected by all the people who actually work as police officers.
Soma: Oh, that was a good story you just gave!
-Looking back at each memorable scene-
"From here, we'd like to ask each of you to pick one person at a time and name a performance or scene of theirs that left a lasting impression on you."
Soma: I guess Haruhi should be first, right?
Hayama: I think I was the closest to Haruhi's Taiya, but when I met him as fake Ishiro in episode 37, the performance Haruhi gave was completely different from what I usually did with him, and I thought the detail in how he differentiated his role was amazing.
Suzuki: The expressions Haruhi-kun showed were really great, as his emotional range swings between the line of difficult and exceptionally good. The facial expression he made at the end of episode 24 also conveyed his delicate feelings.
Iuchi: Thank you very much.
Miyazawa: I still love the, "Let's all hurry!" line he says in the final episode.
Suzuki: That was great too!
Miyazawa: All I can say is that it's like you can see the very moment he switches.
Suzuki: It gives off a similar feeling to when your body trembles with excitement, you close your eyes, and then shoot them open, right?
Miyazawa: Right, it's like that kind of switch.
Suzuki: The scene in episode 45 where Taiya loses sight of his own wheel was really impactful. It's like he was performing with his soul.
Miyazawa: I'll never forget the one on one performance I did with him in episode 18. It made me think, "So this is the man called Taiya Hando, huh?" That scene is still fresh in my mind.
Hayama: (to Iuchi-san) Were you nervous?
Iuchi:……I was (laughs).
Saito: There was a scene that I really liked, the musical scene with Itasha was in the Christmas episode, right?
Soma: Yeah.
Saito: At that point, Taiya makes a face that's like, "Eh?," looks around, then sits down without saying a word, and that made me burst out laughing.
Iuchi: That was entirely Director Kato's direction.
Saito: It was hysterical.
Iuchi: This is especially true since Taiya's not the type of person to do something like that.
Saito: I desperately wanted to say, "Don't just sit there in silence!" (laughs).
Soma: It would've been even funnier if he responded to it with something like, "That was cranked up!"
Suzuki: Yeah, like in the Toilet Grumer Limited episode.
Saito: Yeah, that happened.
Iuchi: That's where I tried to play the version of Taiya that Mira had in her mind (laughs).
Hayama: That was alot of fun.
"Next, what do you think of Ishiro Meita's Hayama-san?"
Iuchi: My favorite scene is in episode 14, when he relies on Mira. Ishiro had always operated in his own world, but Taiya also had the desire to draw him into everyone world, so Taiya felt happy when Ishiro was able to rely on Mira, someone he had come to love. I had read the script beforehand, but when I saw the broadcast, I was moved all over again.
Hayama: That was also made possible due to Suzuki-san's help.
Suzuki: No, no, that's not true.
Iuchi: But it was just the two of you!
Suzuki: Of course, when we were filming that scene, I thought, "Yuki-kun really likes acting." In the aquarium scene in this episode, when Chasshiro shows his annual pass, I (Mira) try to take it, but he quickly pulls his hand back. He was the one who suggested we do that with, "How about if we improvise like this?"
Hayama: All while I acted like a brat (laughs).
Suzuki: I felt that I wasn't capable enough when imagining things that weren't written in the script. That's why Yuki-kun's suggestion made me think, "That could happen!"
Miyazawa: Yuki's really serious, huh?
Suzuki: Yeah, I get him.
Miyazawa: Over this past year, he'd be thinking about the character of Ishiro Meita more than anyone else, and whenever he'd talk about his performance, it was always, "Ishiro's this, and Ishiro's that" (laughs).
Iuchi Suzuki Saito Soma: (laughs).
Miyazawa: There were times when Ishiro would fool around, which I thought would've been difficult, but Yuki was able to express it in his own way. My favorite scene was in the final episode, right before he leaves Earth. He happily says, "An Informant in space, I like the sound of that.
Soma: I also thought he looked happy when I watched him.
Miyazawa: He'd been separated from the Boonboomgers for quite some time, so I think he might've felt bad about it. By doing that performance, I could really feel that he had come back as Ishiro.
Hayama: I'm grateful.
Miyazawa: It was "the best of Ishiro."
Hayama: I'm glad to hear you say that.
Soma: Personally, I liked it when Chasshiro got teased by those around him. Like in episode 40, when Itsuki-kun said, "I want to be a cool hero like BoonBlue," Mira and Jou's reaction was to look at Chasshiro and say, "Cool?" (laughs).
Suzuki: I liked it when Mira pinched his cheeks.
Iuchi: Yeah.
Hayama: That was in the final scene of episode 37.
Soma: It was fun to watch scenes where Chasshiro "comes down" from a stressful situation, as I would think, "Ah, so this is how it's being done this time."
Saito: Yuki-kun mentioned earlier that he's not good at action, and looking back at our first action practice, I could sorta sense that he was having a hard time. However, the action with Gong Grumer in episode 29 was really cool. He must've practiced alot, but it was still captivating. After that, in episode 37, he did action scenes for both Ishiro and the fake, and I felt like he had come a long way with all the moves he was able to do.
Hayama: You sound like a parent (laughs).
Saito: I'd like to mention that I've rewatched your boxing action with Gong Grumer about six times.
Hayama: Eh?!
Suzuki: Amazing, you've got a fan.
Hayama: Ryu, thank you~ (laughs).
Saito: No, I was just curious about the moves you were doing.
Hayama: I guess everyone was looking at different parts. This is the first time I've heard all of that.
Iuchi: You're embarrassed, huh?
Hayama: I am. Ryu should be the first one I treat to some gyudon, don't you think? (laughs).
Suzuki: For me, it was probably when he was paired up with Mira in episode 14. It's the scene where Chasshiro's desperately struggling to keep Reizoko Grumer from going to the aquarium. I had never seen Chasshiro with such intense passion before. Mira had already transformed, so the first time I saw him like that was during post recording, but it was Yuki-kun's acting that really got me into the mood during recording.
Hayama: It was all thanks to the Screenwriter (laughs).
Suzuki: You looked happy (laughs).
Miyazawa: He was all smiley.
Suzuki: And, I know I keep saying this, but when Chasshiro talks to Mira face to face like a normal person in that episode……seriously, his visuals were just too good.
Hayama: It was both an Ishiro episode and a visual episode.
Soma: Visual episode he says…..(laughs).
Suzuki: And, I guess he was really fired up since it was one of his main episodes, as during filming, he made constant efforts every morning to get rid of any swelling (laughs).
Hayama: You didn't have to bring up that part! (laughs).
Iuchi Saito Soma Miyazawa: (laughs).
"Now for the next turn, we'd like you to talk about scenes featuring Mira Shifuto's Suzuki-san."
Soma: Speaking of Miu-chan, she was a monster during post recording.
Suzuki: Eh? What?
Saito: He means to say "you're very skilled."
Suzuki: For real? That makes me happy!
Saito: How is it that you're always able to skillfully match up your voice?…..
Suzuki: Yay! (laughs).
Hayama: Another thing is the straightforward way in which she communicates. In episode 14, when she said, "You're so stupid, Chasshiro!," I could really feel Mira's energy just from watching the footage, and I felt that there was alot to learn when it came to making emotional outbursts like that.
Suzuki: That makes me happy.
Hayama: I learned a…alot!
Suzuki: Don't stutter at the best part! (laughs).
Hayama: (laughs).
Soma: Yuki-kun mentioned emotions just now, but I liked Miu-chan's part when we spoke our lines one by one before defeating Madrex in episode 9.
Suzuki: When I say, "That's what it means to take control of your own wheel!," right?
Soma: Yeah. Your eyes sparkled, and your line was filled with emotion, so that moment really grabbed me emotionally.
Suzuki: Everyone's injured makeup looked good too.
Soma: That combined with the atmosphere of the setting sun made it even better. Towards the end of the show, when Mira makes up her mind to get married, Me, Sakito and Jou were on the receiving end of things, but we were also greatly helped by her. It was easier to do our performance since we could understand Mira's feelings.
Suzuki: That makes me feel good (laughs).
Iuchi: My favorite Mira scene, and the one where I also thought Miu-chan helped me out, was in episode 45. They had created a rather dark scene in regards to Bundorio's shutdown, and I went into the scene worrying about how to go back to Taiya's usual self within the 30 minutes we had. However, thanks to Miu-chan's performance, I was able to bring Taiya back to his energetic self.
Suzuki: Heh~ I didn't know you felt that way.
Iuchi: Taiya saying, "Thank you, I'm glad you guys are my friends," followed by Mira's genuine look of relief on her face as she said, "You've finally regained control of your wheel," was very comforting. That put me in a better mood as we faced the final episode, so I really feel thankful for that.
Suzuki: No, no, I wouldn't have been able to cry if I hadn't seen the look on Taiya's face. I feel the same way, you really helped me out.
Soma: Are you reciprocating your love to each other?
Suzuki: That's not it (laughs).
Miyazawa: It's the result of their synergy.
Suzuki: That's it!
Miyazawa: I don't have any specific episodes in mind, but rather, when I think of Miu-chan, her persuasive words come to mind. I especially felt that in Mira's main episodes. I think it's Mira who connects the Boonboomgers together, and I think she had a big influence on the production.
Suzuki: That makes me happy.
Miyazawa: What I also thought was interesting was that when I saw Miu-chan on set, she would adjust the number of steps she took in order to match the camera's position.
Suzuki: Yeah, I did that (laughs). I'd usually be good with three steps, and then I'd just say my lines from around there.
Miyazawa: Seeing that up close, I thought of her as a very hard worker. Mira's good balance was likely the result of Miu-chan's hard work.
Suzuki: Thank you!
Saito: This might overlap with Zawa-nii, but while I think that each person had their own main episodes, Mira would be right there next to us.
Iuchi Hayama Suzuki Soma Miyazawa: Yeah!
Saito: When you pair up with someone like that, the explosive power is incredible. How would you describe it? Like an amino acid??
Soma: Something like an umami seasoning that makes everything taste better?
Saito: Ah, that's it! If you don't add it in, it's somewhat tasteless, but with it, I'd say it adds depth and takes it up a level. That's why I think Mira's presence was of great help to our team.
Hayama: Thank you for being an amino acid.
Saito: Thank you amino acid.
Suzuki: I did my best as an amino acid! (laughs).
"Next should be Jou Akuse's Saito-san. What does everyone think?"
Iuchi: What I'd like to mention with Jou is his injured makeup for the baseball episode. The makeup artist told me that a role like Jou's is one that's really deserving of injured makeup.
Hayama: That's true.
Iuchi: The way he got covered in dirt, was sprawled out on the ground, and yet still stood up was really cool.
Suzuki: You know it!
Iuchi: As for Taiya, he's happy to watch Jou's growth, or to put it in a slightly weird way, he likes seeing Jou get dirty (laughs).
Saito: Hahahaha (laughs).
Suzuki: It's kinda nice when Jou gets dirty.
Hayama: It's great.
Iuchi: It looks great on film, doesn't it?
Hayama: Going along with that, I guess I'd pick his first Change in episode 5. The scene where he crawls while still standing his ground is really memorable, don't you think? Boonboomger consists of a group of people who hold various beliefs, but among them, Jou possesses an honest sense of justice, and I think that was most strongly portrayed in episode 5. Watching him on set, I honestly felt like, "Ah, he's a hero."
Miyazawa: I think that out of all the characters in Boonboomger, the one who was closest to their role was Ryu, and there were countless times where I felt that he really linked up with Jou's honest character.
Iuchi: Yeah
Hayama: There were.
Miyazawa: Especially when he was trying to appeal to something. There was something about it that would just resonate with you. The same goes for the Keytarou episode, the scene with Itsuki-kun in episode 40, and the scene against the police squad in episode 46.
Hayama: Episode 40 was especially good!
Miyazawa: When it comes to tearful episodes, I think that most people would pick the one where Genba leaves, but I'd cry every time there was a Jou episode.
Saito: Eh?!
Miyazawa: No, it was frustrating how Ryu's performance made me cry.
Iuchi Hayama Suzuki Soma: (laughs).
Miyazawa: Still, it really touched my heart. I really think that only Saito Ryu could've played the role of Jou Akuse. He's also really good at action. He moves his body well.
Saito: That makes me happy!
Soma: For me, it's the part in episode 28 where he Boonboom Changes while running into the fight against Neon Grumer.
Saito: Yeah, I was filmed wearing a maskless Boonboom suit.
Soma: That maskless facial expression, and the intense passion conveyed through his lines. I guess you could call it a "feeling of hitting the right mark." Zawa-kun mentioned it too, but his honesty resonates with you as you watch him, which is exactly in line with Jou, but I think is the same for Ryu too.
Suzuki: I talk about it in every interview we do, but my pick is always going to be episode 15. His crying face at the end when he took down Kaseki Grumer was heartbreaking, and there's also the scene where Jou makes up his mind.
Saito: It was when he said, "I'll take him down!"
Suzuki: Yeah. Despite feeling conflicted, he said he'd fulfill his duty as a police officer. That was also bittersweet. It was a scene that was really painful to watch.
Saito: My performative skills were still pretty rough during that episode, so I had alot of trouble with it. I think Director Hayama helped me alot in that episode.
Miyazawa: It's usually Jou who gets caught in the middle of a dilemma, don't you think? I guess expressing that is also quite difficult to do.
Saito: Yeah, it was. Every time I'd wonder at what point the conflict between what he wanted to do, what contribution he'd make as a police officer, and what decisions he'd make as a hero would alternate.
"What are some of the most memorable scenes involving Genba Bureki's Soma-san?"
Miyazawa: What should we do?
Suzuki: There's really nothing to say, right?
Soma: Why~?!
Hayama: I guess there's nothing in particular.
Soma: Well, guess I'll head home early then (laughs).
Iuchi Suzuki Saito Miyazawa: (laughs).
Iuchi: Alright then, I'll start! I also like the scene in episode 27, where Genba leaves Boonboomger, but I've talked about it in many other places, so I'll name another scene. I recently had the chance to rewatch the clip of his first Change in episode 7, and I thought the whole sequence of movements, starting with the line, "I'm gonna accelerate you guys," and then raising the Boonboom Change Axe to then pull out the Boonboom Booster was incredibly cool.
Iuchi Suzuki: It was when he said, "(speaking in unison like Genba) Let's take control of the wheel of being Boonboomgers together!"
Saito: A key point is the part where he bounces his hand alittle.
Soma: You were paying attention, huh?
Iuchi: Furthermore, in Genba's case, he isn't characterized by his quick decisions, but by his slippery movements instead.
Soma: Was that……a compliment?
Iuchi: Huh, you don't get it?
Hayama: You're saying his movements are sexy, right?
Iuchi: Right, right, sexy!
Suzuki: Genba's movements had some sex appeal to them.
Iuchi: I could feel his mature sexiness, which is exactly in line with Genba. I felt that again when I rewatched it.
Miyazawa: For me……yeah, I think it'd be the part where he's sucking on a lollipop in the opening credits.
Soma: Why?!
Miyazawa: Sorry, that just sorta came out.
Soma: That's going way too far (laughs).
Miyazawa: That was just a joke (laughs), Genba and Sakito were involved in many scenes, so I had many opportunities to talk with Satoru, and I found him to be a really passionate guy when it came to his performance. In particular, he kept the alien setting a secret. That was the most surprising thing.
Suzuki: Eh, you knew from the start?
Soma: I knew about his real identity, but details like him being an heir of planet Bureki and the Hashiryan invasion came later.
Suzuki: Eh~. Still, you knew from the beginning that he was an alien.
Soma: Yeah, I knew.
Saito: So that's how it was.
Suzuki: Did everyone know?
Hayama: No, I also didn't know.
Soma: I think I mentioned it to Taiya along the way.
Iuchi: I only overheard alittle bit about it.
Suzuki: Heh~!
Miyazawa: Not only did he keep that a secret, but he also kept a clear plan in mind and made sure to express the way Genba "should be" in each and every scene. What was particularly memorable was the expression on Genba's face at the end of episode 26 when he saw Disrace. I thought that he had really brought out the best of everything he had accumulated up until that point. I'll never forget it.
Hayama: From there, Genba left Boonboomger and suffered for awhile, but in the beginning of the next episode where he had come back, Genba had a really refreshed look on his face (laughs).
Suzuki: I noticed that~!
Hayama: I once again thought that that kind of carefree vibe is unique to Genba Bureki.
Suzuki: It was that scene, where the camera pans from his legs to focus on his facial expression.
Hayama: Right. Also, Satoru-kun's scripts were amazing. I could catch a glimpse of them from the post recording microphone next to me, and they'd be completely red. This of course varies from person to person, as I myself am the type who doesn't write many notes, but even so, I was impressed by his enthusiasm to learn.
Soma: I'm just prone to worrying (laughs).
Hayama: They were so red, that it makes me want to post a photo on SNS so that everyone can see.
Iuchi: You really pay attention to the smallest of details.
Saito: Regarding the scene in episode 33 where Genba returns, the Action Director of "Kamen Rider Gavv," who I had the opportunity to speak with at the studio, highly praised it by saying, "The expressions on Taiya and Genba's faces as they stared at each other were really good."
Soma: Eh, really? Should I move over to Gavv's set now?
Iuchi Hayama Saito Miyazawa: (laughs).
Suzuki: Please stop (laughs).
Saito: I'd like to bring up the scene in episode 15, where Jou and Genba talk. At the end, Genba mutters, "A lonely dinosaur, huh?…," and at the time of filming I thought, "What is this line?" When I look back at this scene now, the kind, lonely, and indescribable expression on Satoru-kun's face really hit me.
Suzuki: For me it'd also have to be episode 33, but it's for the scene between Shirabe-san and Genba. I felt like he poured out everything he had been holding back up to that point.
Soma: That's something I discussed with Director Nakazawa Shojiro.
Suzuki: On another occasion, the Director told me, "I told him that it'd be more like Genba to hold back there," but finding the right balance must've been very difficult, right? Mira is someone who can show her emotions, but he won't be the same Genba if he shows too much, and if he holds back too much, it'll seem like he's lost his humanity. After hearing that story, I rewatched the second half of episode 33, where he comes back to us, and was convinced as I thought, "So that's the reason." Something will make his heart tremble, but he won't shed tears, and I think that's appropriate for Genba.
Iuchi: Come to think of it, Yu-kun mentioned his identity being revealed, but is it okay if I add something quick?
Miyazawa: Go ahead!
Iuchi: At a later date, Satoru-kun told me why he only revealed it to me, that being, "I think Taiya would've already noticed." Just hearing that…no, he really thinks about the details of details.
Suzuki: That's Amazing!
Soma: Not at all.
Iuchi: What's more, at that time, the details hadn't been worked out yet, but when I read the script for episode 27, Chasshiro asks, "Did you know?," to which Taiya replies, "I had a feeling he wasn't an Earthling," so it was just as Satoru-kun had predicted.
Suzuki: I see!
Iuchi: Satoru-kun is amazing, even though it wasn't his role, he thought Taiya already noticed.
Hayama: How do you even think that far ahead?!
Iuchi: Right? It's really amazing.
Soma: It's embarrassing.
"Finally, there's Sakito Homura's Miyazawa-san."
Hayama: After all, he has the longest acting career out of all of us, so I was always inspired by him.
Iuchi: No, seriously. With that being that case, it'll be hard trying to narrow it down to just one thing.
Hayama: My favorite scene was without a doubt the one at the beginning of episode 29. I had created my performance to a certain extent and took it to the set, but then Sakito started doing moves that I would've never expected (laughs).
Suzuki: You were like, "Wait, this isn't what I had in mind!" (laughs).
Hayama: That's how I felt. Still, I thought that if I became intimidated here, I'd lose to Zawa-kun, so I tried a variety of things on my own. I think it was one of the opportunities for me to grow as an actor, and it's a scene that left a very strong impression on me.
Miyazawa: If we were at the Deliverer's garage like normal, you could imagine what you'd be like, but with filming on location, you don't really know until you get there. In my case, I was pretty much doing things in the moment.
Iuchi: When I got involved with Yu-kun, that's where I'd really learn something. If I'm not mistaken, the scene where we're all talking and having fun in the final episode was also changed on set.
Suzuki: Eh, is that true?
Iuchi: I talked it over with Yu-kun, and he asked me something along the lines of if I wanted to be the "first to respond," but with Sakito, I thought words were unnecessary, so I just tapped my fist against his chest and said, "I'm counting on you" ……I said that just before the take, right?
Miyazawa: That's right.
Iuchi: I really liked the look on Sakito's face in that scene, and thanks to that, Taiya felt like, "Now Earth is in good hands," and even though it was done on the spot, Yu-kun responded perfectly in his performance.
Miyazawa: I think I was able to respond because there was something about Haruhi's performance that resonated with me.
Soma: Even without any lines, Sakito was able to convey the message he wanted to say. That was also the case with the sumo episode, and I learned alot from watching it.
Miyazawa: I'm grateful.
Soma: Genba himself isn't a character with many lines, so when he was silent, I would just look at everyone's expressions, but even in those moments, I felt that Zawa-kun had a wide range of performative skills to draw from.
Saito: I was impressed by his interactions with Byundi. He was constantly talking with Suit Actor Takada Masashi-san, as well as BoonViolet's Tsuta-san, but seeing him talk all the time, even when the cameras weren't on, taught me how to approach acting.
Miyazawa: I'm sure this is true for everyone, but this was the first time I interacted with a Suit Character and performed a role together with a Suit Actor. With that being the case, I think we each had our own ideas of, "What I'd do if I were you," and I wanted to present a character that matched that of BoonViolet, and by extension, Sakito Homura.
Suzuki: Sakito has a childlike charm, a presence that makes everyone tremble easily, and a unique sex appeal, and while we were shown various sides of him, there's a sense of unity that made him look like a proper individual. I think that's what Zawa-kun put into consideration when playing the role of Sakito.
Miyazawa: That makes me happy. Let's all go out for yakiniku next time.
Iuchi Hayama Saito Soma: Yay!
Suzuki: We've been waiting for that!
Miyazawa: Ah! Is that what you guys were after?! (laughs).
-The six people who finished Boonboomger-
"I think it's time we conclude, but we'd like to ask each of you one last time for your thoughts on the past year."
Iuchi: It was fun.
Hayama: It was, wasn't it?
Suzuki: Wait, wait, hold on (laughs).
Soma: Isn't that too short?
Suzuki: It is!
Saito: Well, it is true that it was fun…
Miyazawa: No, stop, speak one at a time, let's do this properly.
Hayama: We got along well with each other over the past year, and I of course hope that we can continue to be friends, but when I see the five of them, I feel like I've learned so much as an actor. In that sense, what was great about being a Boonboomger was that I was able to gain some really good experience for my future acting career by working together with these five people. I realize I'm talking seriously now, but I'm truly happy that I got to meet these five actors.
Suzuki: I'm truly happy from the bottom of my heart that I was apart of these six, and I hope that even after 10 or 20 years have passed, our current relationship will continue. They're my best friends.
Hayama: If something ever happens, us five will be there for you.
Suzuki: That's reassuring!
Saito: Miu-chan summed up everything just now. I thought the same thing after finishing filming, but I think it was actually a good thing. I would've hated it if any one of us was missing, and I honestly feel that the hard work we all put in over the past year was well worth it.
Suzuki: It's kinda sad that it's over…
Soma: On the very day of the wrap up, I think I was relaxed, as I thought, "Ah, it's over~," but when we actually wrapped up, I was so overwhelmed with emotion, that it surprised even myself.
Miyazawa: It was more than you were expecting, huh? I'm surprised.
Soma: Over the past year, I really saw alot of what I liked about everyone, and it was also really exciting when Zawa-kun joined us halfway through. I really think that the balance between these six people is outstanding, and I think we became such a great team because of all the wonderful qualities everyone has. Thank you so much!
Suzuki: Encountering you all and the time we spent together was irreplaceable, and it'll stay with me for the rest of my life.
Miyazawa: I arrived along the way, where I ended up joining a team already consisting of five people, but they were five truly charming people. We got along well in the drama and in our daily lives, and there was so much that I learned from them, so I want to be the first to say how grateful I am that we were able to do this together for a year. And, while this may be the end of Boonboomger, I hope that each one of us will take the experience we've gained from this production to the next level, and that one day, when the time comes for "all these members to gather," we'll already be capable of aiming higher and attract the attention of many people. That's why I hope you'll still support us and continue to carefully watch over us.
"And now, we'd like to ask Iuchi-san for some closing remarks."
Iuchi: Is it alright if it's abit long?
Hayama Suzuki Saito Soma Miyazawa: Of course!
Iuchi: Boonboomger was my first drama job, and I played the main role of Red. Super Sentai productions are a team effort, so I didn't want to get too worked up about being known as the star or leader. However, in interviews I was often asked, "What's your enthusiasm as the leader?," and in the beginning, I'd go into the set being 90% anxious and 10% excited. Also, I'm the type of person who values spending time alone, and while I don't know if there were moments where they didn't think well of me, everyone accepted me for who I was and treated me in a really kind and friendly manner, so I have nothing but gratitude for that. Recently, I've had more opportunities to hear people say to me, "You've grown in the past year," and while I think that's only natural due to how I interacted with people on set and how the staff guided me when I didn't know anything, the most important thing was that I received so much from everyone I performed with. That said, I do think I've grown over the past year. We were all talking about it before this interview, but even after it's over, I sincerely hope from the bottom of my heart that we can get together regularly afterwards to talk about casual things and spend time together. Finally, I have a confession…….I came to Tokyo by myself for this job, and these five are the first friends I made! Let's continue to get along well!
Hayama Suzuki Saito Soma Miyazawa: That makes us happy!
