June 2015 Cinemacafe Strayer’s Chronicle interview (on leadership etc.)

Photo by Nahoko Suzuki (Cinemacafe)

I’ve translated Okada Masaki’s interview done in June 2015 during the promotion of “Strayer’s Chronicle”. Written by Cinemacafe, the interview talked mostly about leadership. It is particularly interesting to me that Masaki already accepted who he was when he was 24 years old, while at the same time trying to improve himself. Hope you enjoy it. 日本語の分は英語の後で。

[interview] Okada Masaki talks about his ideal leader

“Somehow I understand. However, it’s rather difficult to say it out loud (laugh)”, he muttered before turning his head as he blushed and smiled.

Life-size. The way he is. Natural. However you describe it, it matters not. Okada Masaki’s purity makes it difficult for a person to be here without adorning such purity, without trying to describe it. 


Following the release of “Antoki no Inochi (Life Back Then)” four years ago, there must be a reason why Okada was selected to star in this work of Director Zeze Takahisa [note: Takahisa-san directed both ‘Life Back Then’ and ‘Strayer’s Chronicle’]. Yet, the actor himself never confirmed it. 

“I can’t possibly ask such a thing”, he said with a chuckle. “However, it means a lot to me that I was able to participate in this work. I truly hope from the bottom of my heart that many people will come to see it. I’m very grateful to be able to work again with Director Zeze,” he smiled.


This work that “means a lot to [Okada]… to participate” is a work that includes a lot of action scenes. Strayer’s Chronicle is a movie based on a best-seller novel of the same name written by Honda Takayoshi. In playing the protagonist Subaru, born with special abilities as a result of a secret agency’s experiment, Okada had to attend action scene training sessions for the first time in his career.

“I truly started afresh, anew like a blank canvass. The gentlemen in the action department gave a lot of thoughts in portraying action scenes for the role of Subaru. This particular scene for Subaru has such a feeling that the movement should also be such and such, that I can only say “I see, I see” and try to remember that. They showed me one way to show it. By capturing the practice scenes with a video camera to view later, I can see how the placement of the hip and the angle of the legs give totally different looks. That way, I received the lesson fresh from the (film) making process. I also try to train whenever time permits.”

[note: Masaki said 方々‘katagata’ here, which means ‘gentlemen’ or ‘associates’, a more formal way of saying ‘people/folks’.]

あの時、昴の回し蹴り！
That time, when Subaru delivered a mawashigeri (a roundhouse kick) at Sō!#strayerschronicle#ストレイヤーズクロニクル#荏碕昴#昴#壮#岡田将生#okadamasaki#masakiokada pic.twitter.com/sGmYr7qjS2

— Southern River 南川雪月 (@snowmoon74) May 27, 2018

By the way, Okada-san’s hairstyle was mainly straight and smooth here. The swishing sound effects and the swaying hair that react to the magnificent action movements look cool. Although the original fluffy hairstyle you usually had was also cool, it seems this time you’re like “I’m getting the straight perm!”.

“When you’re doing action scenes like that, it’s natural for your hair to swirl around wildly… So, I thought why not deciding on having a change once in a while?  Of course, I realised that the hairstyle was faithful to the original work.  However, at times the curls came out, thus the next day the director would ask me what actually happened,” Okada said with a bitter smile.

[note: I might have mistranslated the context here. Let me know of a better suggestion. Also, below is a clip of Masaki fixing Director Zeze's tie. He was so funny here!]

スーツといえば…ネクタイを締められない瀬々監督と締めてあげる岡田くんが親子みたいで可愛かった(^^) pic.twitter.com/g4p285atPK

— 岡田将生 色々配信 (@rimi61391802) August 19, 2018

I understand that this loving “tsukkomi” (banter) shows how nice Director Zeze is; that it stemmed from a solid, trusting relationship. You regretfully said, “Although coming from me, it will sound cheap…”, however, going through two scenes, I can’t help sensing your increasing respect/feelings towards the Director.

‘I gave it all out for dark tensions that were unsurprisingly produced during death scenes. I really like those instances. But I’m actually a shy and clumsy person. I like it that we’re making a movie that required me to get bruised quite a bit. Although it’s a bit weird to say, but it’s interesting to watch (laugh). This way of life is cool.”

Do you admire such a life? When asked, he chuckled, said “Well, how to say it…” and again stuttered. However, he acknowledged, “Perhaps I am indeed thinking as such.”  The directives from Director Zeze were that “I want you to always be in conflict”. With a special power of being able to see three seconds ahead in the future, Subaru is leading his special powered friends, using their powers for a better future.  

“On one hand, Subari is a truly gentle young man, but his life is actually very conflicting. While supporting his friends, he keeps thinking of how they would live, how they would fight for their lives, seeking for his own justice, living through all these.  Regardless of whether he has special abilities or not, his problems are those of normal people who are just trying to live their lives. Although the manifestations might be different, there are many parts that I can sympathise with.”


Like Subaru leading his friends, Okada also faced a leader’s position in the shooting site. From Shimizu Hiroya, Seto Toshiki to Narumi Riko, the co-stars were all his juniors. Reminiscing, he chuckled and said, “Well, that’s really a new feeling for me.”

“For instance, what am I thinking about right now? Are there things that are hard to do? Or other circumstances that I should be more concerned of? However, for this time around, I became more resolute just by looking at my friends, such that our time together was a very pleasant time for me. However, because I am quite older than Shimizu and Seto, I can’t keep up with their stories (laugh).  We played game during our free time and ate yakiniku together. I never had to invite myself until now.”

“However, I still need to improve myself. I should be a bit more firm,” he said with a reflective vibe. “Being a person who is surrounded and followed by nature and people alike is cool, I’d like to become such a leader,” he said.

“Nevertheless, after all, I am who I am. So far, I have been following the examples set by my seniors. Ideally, I’d like to be the person I said earlier, thus I’ve been trying to incorporate good traits from around me. Whenever I received any good example, I plan to keep it inside me. While accepting who I am now, I think it is also nice to be a new person worthy of myself.

The first action trainings, the first experience of being a leader… Despite having those first things, he still powerfully said, “I want to do things I have never done before.”


“It’s okay to fail. I’m scared, but I shouldn’t be. I was also afraid of the challenge this time, but I thought it would be very good to dive into it. I can’t just always play it safe, right?

It’s like going back home crying after a challenging day (laugh), sometimes I get tired, thus I also tend to go with things that are more secured. However, year after year, I feel strongly that I want to challenge myself.   I also think that it would be nice to take different types of actions; the time might be ripe for challenges that I have yet been able to imagine.  Although I can’t see three seconds ahead of time like Subaru, come what may, I do think I have the power to face them, to do my best with my destiny.”

-xxx-

Photo by Nahoko Suzuki (Cinemacafe)

【インタビュー】岡田将生、憧れのリーダー像を語る 『ストレイヤーズ・クロニクル』

「何となくは分かりますけど、自分の口からはちょっと言いづらいです（笑）」と呟いた後、照れと笑みをこらえるようにうつむいてしまった──。

等身大。ありのまま。ナチュラル。表現は何でも構わないが、岡田将生ほどピュアに、飾らないでその場にいようとする人はあまりいない。

4年前に公開された『アントキノイノチ』に続き、瀬々敬久監督作の主演に抜擢された理由もそこにありそうだが、当の本人は起用の訳を監督に確かめてはいないそうで、「そんなこと聞けないです（笑）。でも、今回の作品は参加できたことに意味があって。いろんな方々に観てもらいたいなと心の底から思っていますし、瀬々監督と再びお仕事ができて本当によかったです」と笑顔を見せる。

「参加できたことに意味がある」のは、アクションを求められる作品だったことも大きいという。『ストレイヤーズ・クロニクル』は本多孝好の同名ベストセラー小説を映画化したもの。その主人公であり、極秘機関の実験によって誕生した特殊能力者・昴を演じるにあたり、まずは初めてのアクショントレーニングに臨んだ。

「本当に何も知らないところから始まったので、すべてが新鮮でした。アクション部の方々が、昴という役に合ったアクションをいろいろ考えてくださったんです。このシーンの昴はこういう感情だからこういう動きになるんだなとか、『なるほど、なるほど』と思わされることばかりで。見せ方１つにしてもそう。練習風景をビデオカメラで撮って見せてもらったんですが、腰の入れ方や足の角度で見え方が全然違うんです。そうやって教えていただきながら作る過程が新鮮でしたし、時間が許す限りトレーニングもしました」。

ちなみに、本編中の岡田さんはサラサラのストレートヘア。華麗なアクションの動きに反応し、バッサバッサと揺れる毛束がカッコいい。本来の癖を活かしたフワフワヘアもキュートだが、「今回はストレートパーマをかけました！」と明かす。

「アクションのように動きのあるシーンを撮るとなると、髪の癖が出ちゃって…。なので、思い切ってかけちゃった方がたまにはいいかなって。もちろん、原作の描写も意識しました。ただ、それでもたまにクルッと癖が出ることはあって…。『本当にかけた？』って、かけた次の日に監督に言われました（苦笑）」。

愛あるツッコミがナイスな瀬々監督とは、固い信頼関係で結ばれていることが分かる。「僕が言うと、安っぽくなっちゃうんですけど…」と恐縮しながらも、２本の現場を経た今、監督に向ける思いは増すばかりのようだ。

「いつ死んでもおかしくないくらいのテンションで、現場を引っ張ってくださるんです。その姿がすごく好き。それに、恥ずかしがり屋で、不器用で、人間っぽいんです。ちょっと失礼な言い方ですけど見ていて面白いですし（笑）、身を削りながら映画を作っている姿が素敵だなって。生き方が格好いいんです」。

憧れる気持ちがあるのでは？　と訊くと、「どうだろ（笑）」と再び照れモードに。だが、「もしかしたら、そう思っている自分がいるのかもしれないです」と認める。その瀬々監督から受けたオーダーは、「ずっと葛藤していてほしい」というもの。3秒先の未来が見える昴は特殊能力者の仲間を率いながら、未来のために力を使おうと奮闘し続ける。

「昴は本当に優しい青年である一方、すごく葛藤しながら生きている。彼は仲間のことを支えながら、どう生きていくか、どう戦っていくかを考え、自分の正義を模索し、貫きながら生きてきたんです。そんな彼の悩みは特殊な能力があるかないかにかかわらず、今を悩みながら生きている人に通ずるもの。形は違うけど、共感できる部分はたくさんありました」。

仲間を導こうとする昴同様、岡田さんも撮影現場ではリーダー的ポジションにあったとか。清水尋也、瀬戸利樹から成海璃子まで、仲間役の共演陣は年下の俳優ばかり。「それがちょっと、新しい感覚で…（笑）」とふり返る。

「今、何を考えてるのかな？　とか、やりづらくなかったかな？　とか、自分よりも周りが気になる状況って今まではあまりなかったんです。でも、今回は仲間役ということもあって顔を見ているだけで思いが強まったり、一緒にいて心地いい時間がありました。清水くんや瀬戸くんとは年齢が離れていたので、話についていけなかったりもしたんですけど（笑）。空き時間にゲームをしたり、みんなで焼き肉を食べに行ったりもしました。自分から誘うなんて、今まではなかったんですけど」。

「でも、僕はまだまだだなって。もうちょっとしっかりしなきゃなと思いました」と反省の色も見せる中、「自然と人が集まってくるような、ついて行きたくなるような背中のリーダーになれれば格好いいし、素敵なんだろうなって」と語る。

「でも、結局のところ、僕は僕なので。これまで先輩方の背中を見させていただいて、こんな人になりたいなと理想にすることもありましたし、いいものを取り入れようともしてきました。そうやってちょっとずついただいたいいものが、今の自分の中に入っているつもりです。そんな自分でありながら、また新しい、自分らしくなれたらいいなと思うんです」。

初めてのアクショントレーニング、初めてのリーダー体験…。初めてづくしの作品を経てなお、「これからも、やったことのないことは全てやっていきたい」と力強く言う。

「失敗してもいいし。怖いですけど、怖がらず。今回の挑戦も怖かったですけど、飛び込むのはとてもいいことだと思っているので。セーフティなところにばかり行っても仕方がないですしね。挑戦ばかりでも毎日家に帰って泣くことになるし（笑）、時には疲れちゃうのでセーフティな方にも行きますけど、チャレンジしたい気持ちは年々強くなっています。また違う形のアクションができたらいいなとも思うし、今は想像すらしていないような何かに挑戦する時が来るかもしれない。昴みたいに３秒先を見ることはできないけど、僕、何かに出会う力というか、出会いの運だけは持っているんじゃないかなと思っているんです」。

Photo by Nahoko Suzuki (Cinemacafe)

[Intabyū] okadamasaki, akogareno rīdā-zō o kataru “sutoreiyāzu kuronikuru”

`Nantonaku wa wakarimasukedo, jibun no kuchi kara wa chotto ii dzuraidesu (Emi)' to tsubuyaita nochi, tere to emi o koraeru yō ni utsumuite shimatta ─ ─.

Tōshindai. Arinomama. Nachuraru. Hyōgen wa nani demo kamawanai ga, okadamasaki hodo pyua ni, kazaranaide sono ba ni iyou to suru hito wa amari inai.

4-Nen mae ni kōkai sa reta “antokinoinochi” ni tsudzuki, zezetakahisa kantoku-saku no shuen ni batteki sa reta riyū mo soko ni ari-sōdaga, tōno hon'nin wa kiyō no wake o kantoku ni tashikamete wa inai sōde,`son'na koto kikenaidesu (Emi). Demo, konkai no sakuhin wa sanka dekita koto ni imi ga atte. Iron'na katagata ni mite moraitai na to kokoro no soko kara omotteimasu shi, sese kantoku to futatabi oshigoto ga dekite hontōni yokattadesu' to egao o miseru.

`Sanka dekita koto ni imi ga aru' no wa, akushon o motome rareru sakuhindatta koto mo ōkī to iu. “Sutoreiyāzu kuronikuru” wa honda takayoshi no dōmei besutoserā shōsetsu o eiga-ka shita mono. Sono shujinkōdeari, gokuhi kikan no jikken ni yotte tanjō shita tokushu nōryoku-sha subaru o enjiru ni atari, mazuwa hajimete no akushontorēningu ni nozonda.

`Hontōni nani mo shiranai tokoro kara hajimattanode, subete ga shinsendeshita. Akushon-bu no katagata ga, subaru to iu yaku ni atta akushon o iroiro kangaete kudasatta ndesu. Kono shīn no subaru wa kōiu kanjōdakara kōiu ugoki ni naru nda na toka,“naruhodo, naruhodo” to omowasa reru koto bakaride. Misekata hitotsu ni shite mo sō. Renshū fūkei o bideokamera de totte misete moratta ndesuga, koshi no irekata ya ashi no kakudo de mie-kata ga zenzen chigau ndesu. Sō yatte oshiete itadakinagara tsukuru katei ga shinsendeshitashi, jikan ga yurusu kagiri torēningu mo shimashita'.

Chinamini, honpen-chū no Okada-san wa sarasara no sutorētohea. Kareina akushon no ugoki ni han'nō shi, bassabassa to yureru ketsuka ga kakkoī. Honrai no kuse o ikashita fuwafuwahea mo kyūtodaga,`konkai wa sutorētopāma o kakemashita!' To akasu.

`Akushon no yō ni ugoki no aru shīn o toru to naru to, kami no kuse ga de chatte….Nanode, omoikitte kake chatta kata ga tamani wa ī ka natte. Mochiron, gensaku no byōsha mo ishiki shimashita. Tada, soredemo tamani kurutto kuse ga deru koto wa atte….“Hontōni kaketa? ” Tte, kaketa tsugunohi ni kantoku ni iwa remashita (kushō)'.

Ai aru tsukkomi ga naisuna sese kantoku to wa, katai shinrai kankei de musubarete iru koto ga wakaru. `Boku ga iu to, yasuppoku natchau ndesukedo…' to kyōshuku shinagara mo, 2-pon no genba o tata ima, kantoku ni mukeru omoi wa masu bakari no yōda.

`Itsu shinde mo okashikunai kurai no tenshon de, genba o hippatte kudasaru ndesu. Sono sugata ga sugoku suki. Sore ni, hazukashigariya de, bukiyōde, ningen ppoi ndesu. Chotto shitsureina iikatadesukedo mite ite omoshiroidesushi (Emi), mi o kezurinagara eiga o tsukutte iru sugata ga sutekida natte. Ikikata ga kakkōī ndesu'.

Akogareru kimochi ga aru node wa? To kiku to,`dōdaro (Emi)' to futatabi tere mōdo ni. Daga,`moshika shitara, sō omotte iru jibun ga iru no kamo shirenaidesu' to shitatameru. Sono sese kantoku kara uketa ōdā wa,`zutto kattō shite ite hoshī' to iu mono. 3-Byō-saki no mirai ga mieru subaru wa tokushu nōryoku-sha no nakama o hikiinagara, mirainotameni-ryoku o tsukaou to funtō shi tsudzukeru.

`Subaru wa hontōni yasashī seinendearu ippō, sugoku kattō shinagara ikite iru. Kare wa nakama no koto o sasaenagara, dō ikiteiku ka, dō tatakatte iku ka o kangae, jibun no seigi o mosaku shi, tsuranukinagara ikite kita ndesu. Son'na kare no nayami wa tokushuna nōryoku ga aru ka nai ka ni kakawarazu, ima o nayaminagara ikite iru hito ni tsūzuru mono. Katachi wa chigaukedo, kyōkan dekiru bubun wa takusan arimashita'.

Nakama o michibikou to suru Subaru dōyō, Okada-san mo satsuei genbade wa rīdā-teki pojishon ni atta to ka. Shimizu hiro 也 , Seto Toshiki kara narumiriko made, nakama-yaku no kyōen-jin wa toshishita no haiyū bakari. `Sore ga chotto, atarashī kankaku de…(Emi)' to furi kaeru.

`Ima, nani o kangae teru no ka na? Toka, yari dzurakunakatta ka na? Toka, jibun yori mo mawari ga ki ni naru jōkyō tte ima made wa amari nakatta ndesu. Demo, konkai wa nakama-yaku to iu koto moatte kao o mite iru dake de omoi ga tsuyomattari, issho ni ite-gokochi ī jikan ga arimashita. Shimizu-kun ya Seto-kun to wa nenrei ga hanarete itanode,-banashi ni tsuiteikenakattari mo shita ndesukedo (Emi). Aki jikan ni gēmu o shi tari, min'nade yakiniku o tabe ni ittari mo shimashita. Jibun kara izanau nante, ima made wa nakatta ndesukedo'.

`Demo, boku wa madamadada natte. Mō chotto shikkari shinakya na to omoimashita' to hansei no iro mo miseru naka,`shizen to hito ga atsumatte kuru yōna, tsuiteikitaku naru yōna senaka no rīdā ni narereba kakkōīshi, sutekina ndarou natte' to kataru.

`Demo, kekkyokunotokoro, boku wa bokunanode. Kore made senpai hō no senaka o mi sasete itadaite, kon'na hito ni naritai na to risō ni suru koto mo arimashitashi, ī mono o toriireyoutomo shite kimashita. Sō yatte chotto zutsu itadaita ī mono ga, ima no jibun no naka ni haitte iru tsumoridesu. Son'na jibundearinagara, mata atarashī, jibunrashiku naretara ī na to omou ndesu'.

Hajimete no akushontorēningu, hajimete no rīdā taiken…. Hajimete-dzukushi no sakuhin o tate nao,`korekara mo, yatta koto no nai koto wa subete yatte ikitai' to chikaradzuyoku iu.

`Shippai shite mo īshi. Kowaidesukedo, kowagarazu. Konkai no chōsen mo kowakattadesukedo, tobikomu no wa totemo ī kotoda to omotte irunode. Sēfutina tokoro ni bakari itte mo shikataganaidesushi ne. Chōsen bakaride mo mainichi-ka ni kaette naku koto ni narushi (Emi), tokiniha tsukare chaunode sēfutina kata ni mo ikimasukedo, charenji shitai kimochi wa nen'nen tsuyoku natte imasu. Mata chigau katachi no akushon ga dekitara ī na tomo omoushi, ima wa sōzō sura shite inai yōna nanika ni chōsen suru toki ga kuru kamo shirenai. Subaru mitai ni 3-byō-saki o miru koto wa dekinaikedo, boku, nanika ni deau chikara to iu ka, deai no un dake wa motte iru n janai ka na to omotte iru ndesu'.