Akari Takaishi: Don't compare yourself to others, paint your life in your own colors

■ Profile

Born on December 2002, 12 in Miyazaki Prefecture.
She debuted as a member of a dance and vocal group in 2016. After graduating, she began full-fledged acting. In 2020, she was selected to play the role of Kamado Nezuko in the stage play "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba," attracting attention. She has upcoming releases such as the film "Tooi Raimei" (directed by Ohashi Takayuki), and is also appearing in "Miniature Garden Lemmings - Lynching Club," currently airing on AbemaTV. In August 2021, she will return to the stage as a"Stage 'Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba' Part 2 Bonds"She appeared as Kamado Nezuko in the film. This is her first leading role in a film.

Akari Takaishi is expanding her horizons in theater and film.Baby Warukure the MovieIn this film, she plays a female assassin. We asked her about the highlights of the film, which features flashy action scenes between two teenage female assassins, a rare occurrence in assassin movies, and her future prospects as an actress.

■Acting is something I've always dreamed of since I was in kindergarten

I first wanted to become an actress when I was in kindergarten. It all started with the TV drama "Boys Over Flowers," which was airing at the time. While most people would watch the drama and think, "I want to be like the main character, Tsukushi Makino!", I was drawn to Inoue Mao's profession as an actress, and dreamed of becoming an actress from that point on. Apparently, I stood out from my kindergarten friends, who all wanted to be florists or something, because I was the only one who said I wanted to be an actress (laughs). I was always energetic and loved to move my body, so I started dancing in the third grade of elementary school. That's when I saw a poster for a contest sponsored by Avex, which led to my entry into the entertainment industry. With my parents' permission, I entered the Avex Kids Contest in 2014 and entered the entertainment industry. I debuted as a member of a dance and vocal group in 2016, and after graduating from the group, I fully pursued my dream of becoming an actress.

■The moment the role switches on is so much fun!

When I act as an actress, there are times when I get so immersed in the role that I lose sight of my surroundings. I really enjoy those moments when I become the character to the point that I am no longer myself and lose control. I act with the thought, "I want to experience this feeling again!" Also, there have been times when the character I'm playing has become part of my everyday life. At those times, I was surprised and a little scared (laughs). There are times when I feel that my job as an actress is tough, but I try not to think of it as tough and instead focus on enjoying my work. I want to enjoy doing whatever I do!

■First starring role in a movie! "Baby Warukyuure"

In this film, I played the role of Chisato, an assassin. I had previously worked with Izawa Saori, who played my partner Mahiro, and the director, on another film, so when I was chosen to play the lead role, I was filled with joy and excitement. Chisato and I have many similarities, such as our dry and cheerful sides, and I often felt that we were similar, so I could relate to each other in many ways, and I often acted naturally. Preparing for the role of an assassin was very difficult, as I started out not knowing how to hold a gun. In particular, Chisato is a girl who likes guns and is used to handling them, so I made sure that she was always touching them during breaks in filming so that the audience would not feel uncomfortable seeing her holding a gun.

The action scenes, one of the highlights of this film, were practiced within a limited time. The way you hold the gun can change the way it looks, so in addition to practicing how to hold it, I also studied in detail how the recoil when firing a gun actually moves. Also, Izawa-san, who plays Mahiro, is a professional stuntwoman, so I was able to get tips from her as I went about filming.

■In this film, pay attention to his cuteness, which overturns the image of a "hitman"!

This work tells the story of two high school graduate assassins, Chisato and Mahiro, who continue their killing spree while also entering society as working adults and being tossed about by all sorts of social injustices, sometimes growing and sometimes not.

When you think of a movie about a hitman, you might imagine something scary or dark, but "Baby Warukyuure" is a cute film that overturns that image. The contrasting characters of Chihiro and Mahiro in particular are very interesting, and you might find some empathy in the way they grow as they are pushed around by society after suddenly having to adapt to it. I think it's a film that will resonate with many people because it depicts the path that everyone goes through, from being a student to becoming a working member of society.

We have deliberately not depicted any episodes from Chihiro and Mahiro's past or future, and we hope that viewers will use their imagination to think about what happened in the past for the two of them and why they became assassins.

Also, this time I had the honor of singing the insert song for the movie, "Raguna Rock ~Baby Warukyuure~"! I hope you enjoy the movie and the song!

■I would like to continue playing various roles in the future

Until now, I have mostly been on stage, but through "Baby Warukyuure," I have felt even more strongly that I want to try various roles in film productions in the future. I would particularly like to play a quiet character with a personality opposite to my own. I am interested in roles like Mahiro, who is usually quiet but cool! I would also like to continue challenging myself with action roles like in this film. And one day, I would like to co-star with actresses I admire, such as Mitsushima Hikari and Ishihara Satomi. I will continue to work hard, dreaming of co-starring with them both!

■Message to university students: "Don't compare yourself to others"

When you go from being a student to joining the workforce, your environment changes completely. In fact, what I personally feel now that I've entered the workforce is that I was unconsciously dependent on others during my student days. After graduating from high school and working as an actress, I realized that my student days were a very valuable and important time. That's why you should cherish the present. Don't try to force yourself to compare how you feel with others, but be honest, be yourself, and cherish your own way of thinking and life!

Student Newspaper Online, June 1, 2021, Interview by Suzuka Sakamoto, 3rd year student at Bunkyo University

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