Interviews from the premium Tokyo Revengers Live Action DVD box-set (pt. 2: Nijirou Murakami)
As stated before I plugged these through a translator so I am not sure if there are any specific connotations or distinctions with the verbiage used. But yes I find Nijirou Murakami’s iteration of Kazutora to be really interesting considering how his take on the character is so unique from the original source material; and I like that he wanted to do his own thing while also still making sense within the context of the movies as an adaptation.
Part 1: Bloody Halloween Destiny
“I had also seen the previous film, "Tokyo Revengers," and enjoyed it as an audience member, so I was surprised when I heard about the role, but when I heard I'd be playing the role of Kazutora, I immediately replied, "I want to do it!" I thought Kazutora would be the best fit for me in terms of my level of enthusiasm, so I was happy.”
“Regarding his appearance, I thought it would be good to create my own version of Kazutora while skillfully extracting the beautiful parts of the original work. In a sense, I think of Kazutora as a "tragic hero." It's precisely because I have fond memories of the old Tokyo Manji that I feel such self-loathing. It's not so much self-loathing as it is hating the whole world (laughs). The weight I was carrying was so heavy that it felt like I was the only one with a different gravity.”
“The scene when the Tokyo Manji Gang was formed was difficult. I felt that Kazutora was a bit of an outsider among the six of them. Of course they get along well, but with the members having such strong personalities, I don't think they see themselves as part of a group. Among them, Kazutora admires Mikey, but he has known Baji for a long time, so I think his bond with him is strong. He loves everyone and is deeply connected to them, but I tried to act with the intention of creating a feeling that there is just a slight sense of discomfort. I think Kazutora probably doesn't like being in groups, and his personality doesn't suit him.”
“Kazutora's defining feature is his dual personality. He has a baby face and is cute, but he's also comfortable tormenting the weak. He's third in line to Valhalla, but he's also the most spirited, so I was conscious of portraying him as a champion who doesn't fight easily. He's the kind of person who wants to fight with the attitude, "This isn't a child's fight." Because the original work has a cute and adorable touch, I approached the action scenes hoping to bring out the power that only a live-action film can have.”
Part 2: Bloody Halloween - Decisive Battle
“Looking back on the filming, I feel like I've pretty much done it, and I have a sense of accomplishment in my own way. The action scenes are great, but overall, I think the film is full of energy. But the character of Kazutora himself is not a character with a positive energy, so it was difficult to strike that balance. There were times when I felt like I was being taken over both physically and mentally, and I think the entire filming team also had to work hard, reaching their limits and then rebuilding.”
“I was planning to do a lot of action this time, but actually, Kazutora isn't a very action-packed character. Kazutora doesn't fight easily, and he does resort to underhanded tactics. I thought maybe he was in a position to change the mindset of the fight, so I was conscious of that in the way Kazutora fought. If anything, the flashback scene of when Tokyo Manji Gang was formed was more difficult to express, as I had to express his admiration for Mikey and at the same time his complicated feelings of not accepting him. I played the role thinking that Kazutora fundamentally started out thinking, "I don't know anything about anyone other than Baji!"”
