interviews + 15 "H na 2 Shot" HYDE X Hiroki Narimiya
Dec 2004 H
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- what’s the first impression you guys have for each other?

HYDE: I thought he’s kind of cute, and fresh
Hiroki: I felt that Hyde is very calm, and also.. his movements.. is very interesting (laughs)
Hyde: (laughs)

- (Hyde) were you aware of that?
HYDE: no, I don’t know (laughs)
Hiroki: (Laughs) When I was in High School, I listened to L’Arc~en~Ciel, and I would sing “winterfall” etc at the Karaoke after school. I even went to a Live concert once, but I hadn’t got a chance to meet him, I finally met him when he was a guest for one show that I was in. I totally thought he was “Kakkoii” (Cool), but when he greeted us it was like “Aa, Doumo” (humble) , (laughs)

- So he was surprisingly easy going
Hiroki: Yeah, I thought he was a frank person.

- Even though HYDE san has a gorgeous aura, there is no barrier.
Hiroki: Ah, I totally felt that. It was like, he moved according to some instinct like how animals smell or according to his feelings, and I did not end up developing any sort of barrier towards him.

- So it was like he is easy to approach and talk to?
Hiroki: Yeah, but I didn’t end up talking to him very much (laughs) Because I was very nervous… it was awful during the show.
HYDE: You gnawed quite a bit (laughs)
Hiroki: (laughs)

- At the set of this movie ( Last Quarter), you two did not get to meet at all right?
Hiroki: We didn’t even meet once.

- After the movie’s done, how does it feel to see each other to be in a same movie?
HYDE: From before I had thought that Hiroki is a great guy, and he’s cool. And his role in the movie was quite funky, and I think he was very good at it.
Hiroki: Thank you very much (laughs) As for HYDE san’s character, it was like, even if he doesn’t speak, Mitsuki can hear him in her head.. kind of character, which I thought must be a hard role. I was very much interested in how this character existence would be expressed like under these conditions with impact. And ended up, very naturally, quietly, (HYDE was able to present the character in a) unbelievably shady kind of charm… or I should say a kind of dark attractiveness, of which was with sadness and loneliness. The character really gave me this kind of feeling.

- The two of you (the characters) were expressed as an extreme like shadow and light. As if you two were pulling apart a woman from 2 different worlds. But I felt that there is still a connection between the two with the same woman attracted to both of you at the same time.
HYDE: Indeed, now that you mention (laughs)

- Like you two share the same soul, as if the roots were connected…
Hiroki: Umm. I think Adam’s character is quite “My pace”. I admire him very much and meanwhile also see him as a rival. Although it is true that we both fell in love with the same person, I didn’t think the two characters share that many similarities. Instead I thought it was more like, although the two was completely different, they still fell in love with the same person. And the Mitsuki that Adam sees is again somewhat different from what I see… Only that through the story, it shows how I changed from the start to the end, and also how Adam’s grown after death. How he returned her once again to the living world, forgiving and admitting... it was Adam’s kindness. And I think because of Adam, I would tell Mitsuki “ Also give all your love to that!” ( sorry I dun get what this quote means). Both characters were troubled by various problems and they both learnt and change, and I think this is where they were similar and shared common ground.

- Adam was growing very quietly …
HYDE: (laughs)

- Supporting the person you love and encouraging them to live, meanwhile without that person you cannot live… its like two extremes. Being able to think for others and sacrifice like that, you think it is a strength or a weakness or people?
HYDE: wow... this is some serious topic.. (laughs)

- Well I personally think both view points are valid but I’m just interested in which side you would associate more with?
HYDE: For me… no, I don’t feel that way, because I’m very well alive now. Although I hear a lot about how people suicide because they get dumped, but for myself I cannot understand.
Hiroki: (laughs)
HYDE: Being unable to understand….in contrary I actually am jealous of those who can. It’s like, you are THAT in love? Like, I’ve never liked someone THAT much! ( hss: yes! I’m sorry OM! Evil laugh) Although its not in me, I admire that… (laughs)

- (laughs) How about Narimiya san?
Hiroki: Un… if you ask me which type I am…I think I will be the type that would not be able to live because their loved one is gone. I try to not get into that part, instinctively protecting myself I guess. But there’s no such thing… for example, for and 19 years, I keep thinking…if I was dumped I’ll die… Being onself, yet loving another person, is probably a very contradicting and complex concept. Anyhow, if you go out with someone, you will put some weight on the relationship, and if they suddenly disappear, of course you will worry and get nervous. And it depends on how strong yourself is, whether you’ll just kill yourself or you’ll be able to stand up again… Because being able to take the relationship so seriously, it is trust, and it is also love……And this theme was reflected throughout the movie very much. For those who have seen the movie, I’ll be happy if you can think about it. But for me, I am still not sure. I still don’t understand love that much… But I’m a little different from HYDE in the sense that if I meet a person that I think is “the one”, I would like to take my chances for once.
HYDE: I see... I guess I probably won’t…(laughs)

- That was a very clear cut no! ( laughs)
HYDE: Yeah, I’m sure… not even in the future.

- Well, so how were you able to indulge in the character when you were acting/
HYDE: hmmm, how shall I put it? Mesmerizing myself I guess? If other actors were asked to cry, they will cry right away. I’m surprised! I thought… just use some eye drops for those! (laughs) I’m impressed. And, looking at that, when the same situation happened to me, of course I couldn’t ask for some eyedrops (laughs). I would definitely not be able to ask for such thing. So, if I have to cry… I thought about lots of things, but I guess the best is to mesmerize myself. Like, you would naturally cry if you really don’t want that person to die. In order to get into the character I must do that.

- So you used some senses that you wouldn’t have used making music?
HYDE: Hmmm… for music, I can instantly get into that world once I start singing. As for acting, I’m not at that level yet.

- During filming, what was the most memorable?
HYDE: …………various things..but the most amazing one is how Chiaki chan was practicing my song ( Cape of Storms) on the piano. It was like, wow, she’s playing my song! ( Laughs)

- Did you help her out?
HYDE: Like saying “ No, not right here” ? No! I won’t say that! ( laughs)

- Sorry! (Laughs)
Hyde: But for the parts where her phrases weren’t enough, I was playing with a keyboard so it was overlapping and it was quite nice. And also, for my parts the filming was half in London and Japan, but the London parts was completely different! Because we were only filming some document scenes there, so it felt like I was just going on vacation (laughs)

- That’s a very nice scene then.
HYDE: yeah yeah! And since my role is a musician anyway, so I thought… a normal musician would be okay so I played my role without much special cautions. But once I came back to film in Japan it felt more like “work”. And it was really damn cold (laughs) I seriously felt it. But it was fun… And after my parts were done, I kept thinking what else is being filmed now… I actually thought I’d go check out the progress when I have time… but I end up not being able to go at all (laughs)
Hiroki: (laughs)

- How about you Narimiya san?
Hiroki: I started with a scene that was with Mitsuki, and in then having Kurogawa Chika chan and Ochiai nobuki kun join the scene. And I was thinking “ I must become good friends with them” And, these kids were at their teenage stage where they were shy and stuff (laughs). At first they were trying to act mature, but once I start to try to get to know them they become more easy and they were then always laughing, and it feels like our ages are matched. I don’t have much experience working with those who are younger than me, so it was very fun and enjoyable at the set.

- I see. For this movie, “ Fate” is a big keyword I believe, and what do you both think about “Fate”
Hiroki: Basically I like occult stuff, so I would think it’d be nice if there’s such things, like I’m sure there’re UFOs and ghosts.

- Oh when did that begin?
Hiroki: Since I was a kid I loved it. But now, I’m too preoccupied with just living normally already so I have no time to think about those things (laughs) But, I would like to think that there’s a destined person, “the one”, …that they must be somewhere in the world…And also, towards future, I can’t say much and don’t know much about whatever “fate” that is out there, but looking back, I can say “ Hm, I think that was fate that that happened…”

- How about HYDE san?
HYDE: Well, there are destined encounters etc, and there are choices…but I tend to think that everything has already been decided. Its like even when you say “ I am going to make a decision” is actually being decided that you’ll make a decision…I’m this kind of boring person (laughs)
Hiroki: (laughs) I also think about that too. Everything is fate it seems like.
HYDE: that’s right.
Hiroki: In a good way doesn’t it kinda pleasing to know
HYDE: That rules have been decided?
Hiroki: Right, it makes you feel, kinda easy. It might even take out the recklessness.

- That you can just let your life live itself?
Hiroki: Hmm, I guess, for me.
HYDE: …Well, Now is really, only NOW. So, the future can see my path, but… I cannot. So……..Hmmm how shall I put it? Its like, at the end, its still you who needs to actually make a decision and choose your path, and even though from the future it may seem trivial and it looks like it was fate that you took that path, but the fact that you are here now, presently, making decisions, it is still quite scary because you still wonder, am I making the right decision?

- Because there’s no such signs as “This way” in life.
HYDE: Would be nice if there was some sort of future camera or what not. (laughs)
Hiroki: (laughs) …Somehow when making big decisions, I tend to think that way probably. But when no matter how hard I think I can’t get an answer…the path that I take, I will just think, Fine its just fate that I’ll go down that road.

- Like pushing yourself forward?
Hiroki: Yeah, like, whatever lets do it. Its like telling myself “ GO, lets do it” ? (laughs)

- (laughs) HYDE san probably use “ the another me” to look at yourself from an objective view?
HYDE: I really don’t do anything, seriously ( laughs). When I get drunk I will be alone though ( laughs) (huh what’s the relationship? Hss doesn’t get! Haha)
Hiroki: (laughs) This movie is about 2 people meeting because of fate, and slowly pulling their distances shorter and getting closer…something that is more than just “ like” (suki), being able to get to somewhere out of reach, grabbed on something, although not knowin that it maybe……… it was like watching the growth of the two in that way. Liking and loving someone, is like the job of a lifetime for human beings. Humans must have been borne for that purpose. The ultimate desire must be love, and wanting to love someone. I hope these messages can be felt from this movie…
HYDE: He is a good guy so this time I’ll let go, next time if we meet I’ll not let Mitsuki go! ( laughs)
Hiroki: Hahahhaa! No, Seriously I thought, if Adam was alive, I am for sure to lose…(laughs) It was dangerous! (laughs)
HYDE: So, glad that I was a ghost huh?… hahahaha
Hiroki: Yeah, seriously, thank god you’re a ghost! (laughs)