Takayuki Yamada: My life has always been a place of constant excitement, and the paths are endless

Takayuki Yamada(Yamada Takayuki)

Born in 1983, he made his acting debut in 99. He has starred in many films, including "Crying Out Love, In the Center of the World," "Train Man," the "Ushijima the Loan Shark" series, the "Yoshihiko the Brave" series, and "The Naked Director." He is also active in a wide range of fields, including as a producer and director for the film project "MIRRORLIAR FILMS," which aims to discover and nurture creative talent.

Yamada Takayuki is an indispensable presence in the Japanese drama and film industry, playing a variety of roles, from serious to hard-boiled to comedy. 23 years after his debut, he now works not only as an actor but also as a producer and director. We asked Yamada about his origins, his commitment to his roles, and his journey to this point.

The joy of acquiring new things

I was always a curious child. On my way home from school, I would always want to explore new paths.

I took a detour home instead of taking the same route. I enjoyed experiencing new things, taking unfamiliar roads and finding unexpected places. I had a curiosity to see and learn about what was out there with my own eyes. That feeling hasn't changed, and I enjoy going to unfamiliar izakayas and chatting with strangers. I enjoy spending time with others, but I also cherish the time I spend alone. Regular conversations with old friends are fun, but they're not very stimulating. When you venture into a new environment alone, you end up talking to people of different ages, genders, and occupations, and sometimes you come across things you'd never have thought of. These experiences can also provide hints for a role. They can also be used to influence the other person's emotions when acting, such as how to use awkward moments or how to create a condescending expression. I'm always seeking and enjoying such stimulation.

■ "Acting" is "living" someone's life

My path to show business was heavily influenced by my older sister. Seeing my older sister grace the cover of magazines, and the reaction in the countryside was huge, and since I didn't have any dreams or careers I wanted to pursue, I thought maybe I'd go to Tokyo and become a "celebrity." However, I never seriously considered acting as a career. In the acting lessons I took, I was told the blunt words, "When you're standing in front of the camera, you can't be yourself," which confused me (laughs). I became an actor without really knowing what I was doing, but in my second year of acting, I was cast in a morning drama. On the way home from a daily performance, exhausted, I suddenly thought, "Acting might be fun." That enjoyment made me want to pursue acting. For me, acting isn't about "acting," but about "living the character's life" as a character.

When I'm in character during filming, I don't just concentrate and get into the right frame of mind; whatever state I'm in, I try to make the 38 years I've lived as "Yamada Takayuki" disappear. I leave the experiences and memories of Yamada Takayuki somewhere. Of course, I can't erase all of them, but I put myself in the other person's shoes, think about things as that person, and live as the character.

Because of this, I never hate a character, no matter how awful they are. When I'm acting, I'm embracing the life the character has lived and becoming that person. That's why, no matter how terrible something is, there's always a reason why it turned out that way. One time, I finished filming and immediately started filming another role. The character had a completely different personality, but while I was doing the same task of opening the script and memorizing my lines, the previous role suddenly came flooding back. It was difficult to switch roles, but the character that I thought had finished with the previous shoot still lived on within me, and I felt joy at having become so one with the character. In my 20s, the job of an actor was both joyful and stressful for me. I would get an offer, be happy about it, stress myself out trying to get into the role, feel joy in creating it together with everyone, think about and act in ways that were different from what I expected, and then have the audience watch and react to it in various ways. Throughout the process, joy and stress were two sides of the same coin, and I was influenced by them. However, now I know that the stress I feel can only be relieved on set, and I've come to realize that I don't need to aim for perfection. That's why I feel I can't quit this job. However, I'm someone who easily gets bored, and I've been doing the same job as an actor for 23 years now. Although I'm doing the same thing, acting, there's no two times that are exactly the same, with the staff, scriptwriters, co-stars, etc., so I feel that this is what makes it exciting, and I realize that this is what makes it fun.

■There is a life that can be seen by continuing to do one thing

I would like to encourage all students to just try to stick with one thing. Nowadays, there are many reasons you can use to quit, but I think it would be a waste to quit before you have discovered the true benefits of it. The mere act of starting something is an experience, but I think it would be better to quit after discovering the benefits. There will probably be many things you dislike, but I think it's a good idea to stick with anything for at least two years.

Also, I don't think you have to think that what you're doing now is the best. I became an actor somehow and have been able to continue because I love acting. Rather than deciding to continue as an actor and feeling like I have to endure in order to do so, I created an imaginary escape route by continuing to act until I found something else I wanted to do, and I think that's what has allowed me to enjoy it at my own pace. In this way, I hope you create your own escape route, become irresponsible in a sense, and do things without taking on too much responsibility. If you continue as much as you can at your own pace, life will work out. I hope you will take on the challenges of the future with that mindset.

(Aki Kawanami, 4th year student at Tsuda University)

Filming assistance: Photographer Seita Hirota

<English article>

Takayuki Yamada

My life, always looking for stimulation, the road is endless

■Profile
Born in 1983, he debuted as an actor in 1999. He has starred in many films, such as Crying Out: Love in the Center of the World, Train Man, Ushijima the Loan Shark, The Hero Yoshihiko and the Demon King's Castles series, and The Naked Director. He is also a producer and director of the film project MIRRORLIAR FILMS, which aims to discover and nurture creators.

Takayuki Yamada acts in various roles, including serious, hard-boiled, and comedy, and is an essential part of the Japanese drama and film industry. Twenty-three years after his debut, he is now an actor, producer, and director. We interviewed Mr Yamada about his roots, his passion for his roles, and his progress so far.

Enjoyment of gaining new things

I used to be a child with a lot of curiosity. On my way home from school, I took the long way around on purpose instead of the same way because I wanted to find a new way to get home. I enjoyed experiencing new things – different and unfamiliar paths and going to unexpected places. I was curious to see and know what was there with my eyes. It's the same now. I enjoy going into Izakaya(pubs) that I don't know and talking to people I don't know in the places I visit. I like spending time with someone else but love going out alone. I enjoy the usual conversations with old friends, but they are not stimulating. When I go into a new environment alone, I talk to people of different ages, genders, and professions, and sometimes, things come up that I wouldn't think of at all. Sometimes, that gives me an idea for acting, such as how to use pauses that make the other person feel awkward or make facial expressions that make you feel superior, which can be a great way to move the other person's feelings when acting. am constantly looking for such stimulation and enjoy it.

“Acting” means “living” someone's life.

My sister greatly influenced my decision to enter the entertainment industry. I saw my sister on the cover of a magazine, and there was a big reaction in the countryside, so I decided to go to Tokyo and become an entertainer myself, as I didn't have a dream or a career I wanted to pursue. However, I had never seriously considered acting as a career. At the acting lessons I took for the time being, I was given a rough instruction that 'you mustn't be you when you are standing in front of the camera,' which confused me ('lol'). I became an actor without knowing what I was doing, but in my second year of acting, I was allowed to participate in a morning drama(Asadora). On my way home, exhausted from performing every day, I suddenly thought, “Acting can be fun.” From that enjoyment, I decided to continue acting. For me, acting is not about 'doing a play' but rather 'living a person's life' as a character.
When I am in a role during the filming period, I am not just concentrating and creating a feeling, but I am pretending that in any state of mind, the 38 years I have lived as “Yamada Takayuki” do not exist. I leave my experiences and memories as Yamada Takayuki behind somewhere behind. Of course, not all of them can be removed, but I think and live as the person who played the role.
For this reason, I cannot hate the role, even if it is a terrible role. When acting, I walk into the life that person has lived and become that person. That is why, no matter how awful he/she is, there is always a reason why it happened. Once I had finished filming, I went straight into another filming. It was a completely different role with a different character, but while I was going through the same process of opening the script and learning the lines, the previous role returned to me with a flash. When I was in my 20s, acting was all joy and all stress for me. I get an offer, and I put a lot of stress on myself to be happy about it and get into the role. Then I feel the joy of making it with everyone else, and then I think and move further to respond differently than I thought I would, and then I get a lot of different reactions from the audience when they see the film. The whole process has been inextricably linked to happiness and stress and has been influenced by it. But now, I know that the created stress can only be resolved there, and I can also see that I don't have to try to achieve a perfect score of 100. That's why I also can't stop doing this job. However, I have been doing the same job as an actor for 23 years, even though I get bored quickly. Although I'm doing the same thing, acting, I also realize that the staff, scripts, co-stars, etc., are always different, which is why it's so exciting and interesting.

There is a life to be seen by carrying on doing one thing

I would encourage students to keep doing one thing. Now, there are more reasons you can give for quitting. However, I think it would be a waste to leave before you find the actual benefits. The fact that you started can be an experience, but I think it's better to quit after you have found the good things anyway. There are many things you may not like, but you should try to do whatever you do for at least two years.
Moreover, I feel that you don't have to think what you're doing now is the best thing to do. I somehow became an actor and continue could because I liked acting. Instead of deciding to continue acting and feeling like I had to endure it, I could enjoy it at my own pace by creating an imaginary escape route to stay acting until I found something I wanted to do more. Therefore, I want you to create your escape route that way, become irresponsible, and not take on too much. Life will be manageable if you try to continue at your own pace and as much as you can. Please try what you will do in the future with that mindset.

In charge of translation：INTERNATIONAL CHISTIAN UNAIVERSITY Mai Wako
Translated by Mai Wakao, a first-year student at International Christian University

<Chinese article>

Takayuki Yamada Living life is stimulating, and the path is endless.

Yamada Takayuki

Born in 1983, first appearance video in 1999. Starring many other movies, including ``Crying Love at the Center of the World'', ``Densha Otoko'', ``Yamikin Ushijima-kun'' series, ``Yoshihiko the Brave'' series, and ``Naked Director''. ``MIRRORLIAR FILMS'' is a video item by the author, which is a comprehensive production of other activities.

Takayuki Yamada's performances are diverse, comprehensive, and unique, making him an indispensable presence in the world of Japanese theater and television. 23 years after his departure, he was now a one-man performer. I understand that Yamada-sensei is from another country, and the achievement is achieved by acquiring something from another place.

■New things you can enjoy

I'm curious about my job. This is the new road that I want to understand.

When I left school, I intentionally walked all the way around, but I didn't want to run all the way. New things – different, different roads, unexpected places. You have all kinds of curiosity, you think about it, and you understand it. Currently, I'm happy to have a drink without knowing anything, and after that, I'm happy to be a person who doesn't know what to say. I am a different person, but I also have a special time as a person. I am happy to talk to my old friends, but the conversation is not irritating. When we entered a new environment, we were of the same age and gender, we had different gender and professional contacts, and the circumstances at the time were completely unexpected. At the meeting, the color of my corner is presented in a small way. I'm directly in the middle of the experience, and I'm in the middle of it.

■Performing is “active” in another person’s life

My sister's performance is a great movie. When I arrived, I realized that my sister and I had ascended to the city, and I had a great reaction when I was down there, so I thought that I was also a "master" in Tokyo, so I had no dreams, but I also lost my imagination. However, I have not yet confirmed the truth and am still working on the production. During the participatory performance while I was there, I was able to write a rough explanation: "When you were in the station, you didn't hear it yourself," which confused me (lol). I am currently in my second year in the acting industry, and I am allowed to participate in one of the interviews for the first time. When I was on the street in my hometown, and my muscles were exhausted, I suddenly thought, ``I can perform, but it's even more interesting.'' After that, I decided to perform the final performance. I came here, and the performance was not "one performance", so the work was "one person's life".

During my time, when I was acting, I had to concentrate my energy and create different kinds of impressions. My work is based on Takayuki Yamada's Japanese memories of a certain region. Of course, this is not the erasure of possessive memories, but it is the problem of thinking about “I”’s past life, and it is “my”’s past life.

As for the correct cause, there is no way to show the color in the corner, and I don't want to change the color. At the time you are acting, you are progressing in your life, and you are achieving success. This is because of the fact that there are many defects, and there are many others who appear, and there are causes. As soon as we finished, we were able to start again on the same day. It is completely different from each other, but during the course of my opening the book and the school textbook, the previous version of the book has arrived again and I am still in the sea. I am 20 many times, and when I came to play, I was happy and had power. I am sure that each person will be able to come to our meeting, and I will be happy to receive them. I can imagine more, I can move more, I can't imagine it, and I can't imagine it again. The process of ordering is inseparable and the impact of peace and power is inseparable. However, I am aware of the way I am currently in the world, and the power of production is only capable of solving the current situation. Therefore, I can also see that I am unable to work on my own. However, as a single actor, I completed the same work in 23 years, and I was able to easily manage it. However, I understand that the same circumstances apply to the actors, but I also understand that there are many people who want to play, because there is no doubt that the actors are working together.

■Keep an eye on your talent and life.

I wish to own the student Tono Tsukamochi incident. There are currently many reasons why you should release the product. However, I understand that you are not a genuine beauty, and the release is a waste of money. The actual situation is different from the beginning of the event, but I can understand it, no matter what, I am happy to see you again after the event. You can meet many unpleasant circumstances, but I understand, you don't have to worry about other circumstances, and it's been a long time since I've had a few years.

I understand that the current circumstances are the best. Since I am a talented performer, I am happy to perform. I am determined to play, and I have no choice but to tolerate myself, and this is the path of escape in my imagination. I hope that you will also be able to build your own escape route in many different ways, and there are certain kinds of improvements that you can't make and don't have to pay for. As a result, if you exhaust yourself, you will run out of control, and your life will be controlled. I wish you all the best in your future.

Translated by: Mio Nakayama