City Wave's 'I want to Meet This Person' segment: Interview with Shosuke Tanihara
October 2003
Undoubtedly stylish, the word "smart" fits Tanihara Shosuke's poise and elocution. Shosuke, who has hitherto played many sophisticated roles, takes on the challenge of detective Kanzaki - a man bent on revenge - in this autumn's movie, Sky High. He reflects on Kanzaki who loses his beloved fiance on the day of their wedding even though he's a detective, and his desperate run in search of the malicious killer.
"It was difficult to portray that magma-like hatred and bitterness boiling in Kanzaki's heart because in reality I couldn't mentally see and understand murderous hatred. Therefore, no matter how much I imagined, I just didn't have the confidence to say, 'This is it!' Finally, rather than express these emerging emotions one by one, I focused on showing how Kanzaki didn't change deep within despite what happened to him, and made that the core. I wonder whether it will appeal to people who see this bit."
Nevertheless, to Shosuke, this challenge gives him a sense of pleasure as an actor. "This work is like grasping mist. For a brief moment, I'd think I laid my hands on it myself! That's not just my personal effort but also that of my fellow actors and the staff; when everything falls in place and materialises for the first time ... there won't be another moment like this. For just that reason, I get immense pleasure when I seize the moment. I think I act in order to savour this joy."
Shosuke also appears in a Hong Kong movie this year, stars in NHK's taiga Shinsengumi next year, and continues to be active in many areas. His motto is not to stick to genres. "For television, even if there is a viewership of 1 percent, it means 1.2 million people are watching, which makes it the most powerful genre. But for films there are no restrictions in terms of expression, moreover, because performances are repeated over and over again for theatre, my acting can grow. As a result of these advantages, I want to be an actor who has the freedom to move around."
Hiroko Sato, who calls Shosuke an "absolutely ideal man" asks him some questions about his private life.
Hiroko: Your English is good. Do you have any experience studying overseas?
Shosuke: No way! I'm happy to receive such praise but I only speak a little when hanging out with my friends from overseas. (laughs)
Hiroko. Has anything changed as you entered your 30s?
Shosuke: Because I rear a dog, I guess my feelings are directed towards something other than myself. Even when I'm having fun with friends, I'll say, "I'm feeding Dera (name of dog)," and go home. (laughs)
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