Sakamoto Yuji - Soredemo Ikite Yuku interview Part 4

I sort of finished this before my last trip and was waiting for Chuks to get back to me with some answers but forgot to copy my work to my phone. I'll probably need to go back and clean up the translations but I doubt I'll have time. The way Sakamoto Yuji talks is a pain to translate. Original text can be found here. Corrections and comments are most welcome. Big thanks to Chuks and Satomi for helping with the translation!

Abiko: In a previous review, the scene where the wrong-doer’s family and the victim’s family were eating soumen together. (Episode 6: Uninvited guest)

Sakamoto: Yes.

Abiko: The viewers were always interested in how the mother of the victim (Otake Shinobu) was going to end up meeting the wrong-doer’s family as she did not want to meet them. The cause of the meet up was when the son Eita scolded the mother, “Why are there no teas and cakes?”. I don’t know whether that was real or not and but I thought that it was a good attitude for the promise (to keep it real).

Sakamoto: As I thought. The situation that killer’s and victim’s family are in is an unknown world to me. In the end, I don’t know what’s real or not. In that case, I feel the danger when the two meet. Everytime I write I write this scene, it becomes something ordinary but I wrote with a feeling that it was something that could not be avoided. About that scene, I once wrote a normal scene where Otake-san from the victim’s family spoke her mind while the killer’s family listened and answered. However, that really felt out of place so I took it in a different direction. Even so, it took a lot of courage for me to remove it.

Abiko: Even if you cut that scene, in the end, the characters came to life in your head. The mother’s actions became very natural. Sakamoto-san, don’t you think that was very natural?

Sakamoto: I didn’t want to write it as I one sided scene so they ended up eating soumen together although there was the emotion of hitting something.I think regardless of what happens, those characters have defects. That’s what make a ‘character drama’. There are cases where someone says, “This character say such a thing.” In the past I thought this was strange and couldn’t be helped. “Wouldn’t it be weird if someone said something?” Of course, tone when speaking is a trait of the person expressing his/her feelings. People think about good things and also about bad things as well. People who are calm and composed do lose their temper. If one where to write their characters as if they were real, there is no such thing as there is no way a character would say this.

Abiko: One cannot capture the multifaceted picture of human life without moulding your characters as 3-dimensional. About moulding the characters, was there any feedback from the actors that unfluence the moulding?

Sakamoto: Of course, did not harden in the end? In the planning book, it was always written ‘this character is the mood maker’ or ‘this character can’t stop being angry’  but to follow that absolutely is not interesting. In actual fact, people are not so easily defined.

Abiko: This type of one sided coding is to make it convenient for viewers and readers.  Are you prepared to refuse to follow the pattern and say you don’t care about ratings?

Sakamoto: If I don’t code characters into certain archetypes, there won’t be any ratings. Normally, such a dark protagonist won’t appear on a television dorama. Actually, when I was doing trendy doramas back in the day, it was much more relaxed. During the age of trendy doramas, the characters’ setting was created by one writer but this is the age where even the conclusion of the first episode is written by multiple writers. They can’t write without deciding what their characters are beforehand.

Abiko: The first thing I am most concerned with is how did you set up the criminal's story? There is even talk that although he was rehabilitated, people around him constantly looking at him caused him to return to what he was! There is also the possibly that he was already born with the characteristics of a killer or a psychopath. However, in the end although I felt that it was ambigious,  the modelling of the character could only be done by Sakamoto-san's gaze.

Sakamoto: Although I've watched a lot of movies and read a lot of books, in the end, I could not find out how to illustrate a killer's feelings or his internal thoughts. People kill other people in doramas is usually because of a grudge or an easily understood reason but whichever one chooses, to project the image of a psychopath cannot be done. From the first episode, I was conflicted with how to create the ego of a killer. How do I illustrate something that I do not understand? So as not to write a poor script because of it, I had to procceed carefully and think when I was writing. On that point, when I decided on the second incident, there were objections from the staff and I heard talk that the actors were also uneasy about it....

Abiko: So there was a possibility that the second incident would not happen?

Sakamoto: Yes. At that point I wasn't sure where to take the conflict between the killer's and victim's families to in the end. Nevertheless, I had to do it by force! If I didn't do it, the show would fall into the pattern of a killer regretting his actions and I didn't want to do that. I didn't want to 100% beautify and wanted to avoid creating sympathy for a killer and explained that because a criminal did such a thing that such sorrow was created. However, I had to proceed without knowing how to illustrate such a criminal. And then when I was writing the 7th or 8th episode, I saw Kazama-san's acting which made me think a lot. He wasn't acting acting like a psychopath nor a regular human. Somehow, I felt that he had captured it. When stumped, its a good idea to watch the actors.

Abiko: Its a good thing Kazama-san played his character with ambiguit, isnt' it?

Sakamoto: I decided to write a scene in which his motive of murder is reveled to the extent that satisfies viewers somewhat, in not so explanatory way. But I didn't want the scene on the last episode, so it was on the episode before the last episode. I also didn't want the scene to be too focused either. So my compromise was him making a little confession to his grandparents. However, I myself has no idea why he killed the little girl, and it remains as my assignment (to figure out).

Abiko: Although I am surprised after hearing it, if there was not somekind of will, that certain moulding of the character would not be possible. I think that the acting of the character would not be possible. However, the scriptwriter did not change his mind and the actor had to act it out.... however, when Kazama-san did his blank acting of his character, I don't think there was an ominous rebirth of his character but I think that there was a jolt.

Sakamoto: When there is an incident, everyone tries to read a character's mind , don't they? I find that trying to read a character actually strange.

I myself don't really know what the character is thinking as well so no way can anyone possibly know. So for this type of acting, personally I think it is very good. No matter how I explain it, the viewer will be disappointed.


Abiko: From now one, what other type of doramas are you going to create?

Sakamoto: Whatever I will do depends on the job. Ah, however, have you seen Carnation?

Abiko: I haven't seen Carnation but I've heard good things about it.

Sakamoto: I think that is an excellent dorama. I've seen two weeks worth on NHK's On Demand.

Abiko: That's the so called morning dorama established tendency. Because of that, there is a lot of exposition and the dialogue is very explanatory.

Sakamoto: Carnation probably doesn't have to explain everything. There is narration, but as far as it is neccessary for the creation of the show. Explanatory narration should be omitted as much as possible. I found the directing and acting in Carnation, very interesting.

Abiko: So after this you want to do something completely different? I'm talking about doing something easy to understand.

Sakamoto: As for as it is requested from television doramas, of course something as easily understood as Mito Komon. However, there are people who say its ok to make another Mito Komon and there are people who are motivated to make something that is not made for ratings. Sometimes, the company would say, do something without caring about the ratings! I have encountered this interesting circumstance once in a while.

Abiko: Circumstance, eh. I thought you were going to say something about chemistry.

Sakamoto:This drama born because of the combination of the broadcasting company which was bold enough to make the decision, the producer who is originally from variety shows and has the permission of making as he wishes, and the skillful actors like Eita and Mitsuhima. I guess you can call it chemistry but it happened incidentally. I'm a veteran now and I'm not sure how many more years I get to do serial dramas. Creating such a dorama disqualifies me from being a television scripwriter.

Abiko: Are you saying that because you have previously complied with requests well, once in a while you want to do exactly what you want?

Sakamoto: There is of course an expectation that its something that I should do, but that is viewed as something young people should do. I made my debut earlier than usual, but I am writing scripts while having my keeping the thought that my job could possibly end at the back of my mind. There are basically no veteran writers for 9 o'clock love doramas. From now on, I expect job requests to steadily decrease.

Abiko: Have the requests decreased?

Sakamoto: Occasionally when talk of work comes to me, people come to be with book that they want me to adapt. Recently a lot of books are written about families where there has been a death. (laughs) This label has been stuck to me and I can't go back.    

Sakamoto Yuji - Soredemo Ikite Yuku interview Part 3B

The original interview can be found here. Corrections and comments are most welcome. Thanks to Chuks and Satomi for translation help. Only the last 1/4 of the interview left to go, if I can tear myself away from Ryu ga Gotoku Ishin. Click on the translation tab for the previous parts.

Sakamoto: Once I saw the actual thing, I could write according to the images that I saw and did not have much resistance (to the difference between the images in Sakamoto's mind and the actual thing). Therefore, I cannot enjoy watching first episodes every time.

Abiko: In the fifth episode, there is a long scene where Otake Shinobu-san speaks by herself for close to 10 minutes. This is an incredible scene. Since you did not go the shooting location might have not known about it……

Sakamoto: No, I only heard about it later. Otake-san went to the location in a flash, did the difficult scene and quickly went back home. (laughs)

Abiko: Was it done in one shot?

Sakamoto: Of course it was in one shot. It’s like that every time. Just before that scene was shot, Otake-san was jokingly quarrelling and having fun talking with everyone. When it was time to start, she got into character immediately.

Abiko: Although this scene wasn’t done in one cut, did you use multiple cameras at the same time?

Sakamoto: Yes. We used a similar set up for Kazama’s scene in episode 8. Incidentally, in that scene where the interior of the house was actually a studio set, any scene featuring the entranceway to outside was actually at the Nagano location shoot. When Otake-san was rehearsing she said ‘After Kazama-san leaves the house, I have to go after him.” So Otake-san had to see him off not just from the inside of the house.

Abiko: So, she had to go the Nagano location shoot.

Sakamoto: Exactly. If we did not shoot the outdoor scenes with Otake-san in Nagano, it would be inconsistent but Otake-san could not make it to Nagano for scheduling reasons so she was told, “Otake-san please don’t go outside”. So they were shooting the big fight (between Otake-san and Kazama-san) and straight after “Ok, cut!”, Otake-san in a flash went outside the house set and said, “from here its Nagano…” with a twinkling smile. She really is a monster! (laughs)

Abiko: (laughs) In spite of that, you wrote it the long lines because it was Otake-san?

Sakamoto: Yes, because it was Otake-san. Although I’ve seen Otake-san act in plays, I wanted to see a different sort of acting from her on television. When I think of plays, the main thing is always long lines. I actually write a lot of lines similar to a play but that was too much for me.

Abiko: So, did Otake ask for the lines?

Sakamoto: No, no. It was the producer who wanted the long lines. Of course, I did not write the long lines thinking that they would be able to be broadcast on television. Starting from the scene where Otake-san leaves the house and says, “You killed my daughter” to going to the lake, along the way I was thinking what sort of emotions are there in first half and wrote that in the script…. I thought the first half was really interesting but if we cut the second half, it won’t make any sense, so we put more weight on the second half.

Abiko: After rewatching that long line scene, although Otake-san was the only one speaking, the people in the background still have to act. I think that it must have been difficult for them to act when they can’t speak and can only listen. Just in case, there were cuts in the scene so was it done in one shot? Was it shot in the flow? I’m interested to know.  

Sakamoto: For television doramas, outside of location shoots, everything is basically done in one shot. The shootings outside were done piece by piece. Naturally there are no long shoots in television doramas. However, people working on the show were nervous. At the time of submitting my first and second drafts, Otake-san was informed that there were long dialogues. After the script was delivered, were flipped through the pages and were surprised that there were a lot of long, continuous dialogue in it but I heard that Otake-san did it like there was nothing to it, as usual.

Abiko:  It’s not really that important a scene but after reading the script I’m interested and stuck a tag on this part. In the last episode, Eita’s and Mitsushima Hikari’s characters went on a date. They were talking about where they wanted to go for vacation and Mitsushima said she wanted to go to Easter Island. When she was asked, “What do want to do there?”, Mitsushima-san said, “The Moais to..” (Easter Island statues) She’s was talking about Eita’s face, wasn’t she?

Sakamoto: Aaa…. Was she?

Abiko: Eh? She wasn’t?

Sakamoto: No she wasn’t. (laughs)

Abiko: Its about something else?

Sakamoto: She wasn’t thinking about anything in particular. (laughs)

Abiko: But, Mitsushima-san glanced at Eita’s face when she said Moai and said “It’s a secret” and laughed.

Sakamoto: That’s the type of person she is. That is Futaba’s role. She’s interesting because she stops herself before she says something.

Abiko: That’s right. That’s right.

Sakamoto: Actually, I don’t know. (laughs) Maybe Mitsushima-san thought so when she was doing that. My assumption is tha the Futaba that Mitsushima portrays liked the Moai since she was a kid and just wanted to see the Moais. That’s probably what she wanted to say when she stopped at “Moais to…”

Abiko: Ehhh… Aa, I’m glad I asked.

Sakamoto: You should ask when you have a chance. The explanation might not be what you were expecting. (laughs)

Sakamoto Yuji - Soredemo Ikite Yuku interview Part 3A

I haven't touched the interview since my Japan trip but I am determined to see this through to the end. Thanks to Chuks for fixing my translations and hopefully it reads better than my previous efforts. Corrections are most welcome. This is the first half of part 3 of the original interview which can be found here.

Abiko: I think Soredemo Ikite Yuku was a revolutionary dorama. The unification of language in novels and doramas has actually become possible. Characters can speak not just through conversation but also explain things through verbal expression. The lines in the drama sound realistic, just like you see in novels. The characters(casts) speak naturally, without any unnatural explanations (explanatory dialogs) you see in many dramas. Plus, I think the direction of the fighting scenes were excellent.

Sakamoto: Thank you very much.

Abiko: The direction of the fights were different from the so called usual ones. For example, the actor playing the criminal, Kazama Shunsuke and the victim's mother Otake Shinobu scene at the fishing house (Episode 8: Prepared for everthing). After they found out who each other were, they started to fight. There is no way Otake Shinobu can win. (Laughs) Although, she cannot not win, Otake was leaning on Kazama, and Kazama doesn't stay still and and take the beating. He fights back while listening to her yelling. Isn’t everything in this scene in line with the promise to be real? So, I am interested in finding out who's decision it was. I thought it was the director's decision but there were more than one directors, right?

Sakamoto: It was decided by 3 people.

Abiko: In the case where there are multiple directors, who's decision has the most influence on the style of the directing?

Sakamoto: I think it is the producers together with the directors after having detailed conversations. The only thing I ask is this, 'please shoot the performers' acting properly'. Recently the demands on the actors have become wide ranging. Not only do they have to act, they have to be able to do facial expressions that are easy to read. An example of the type of acting that is asked of them is that when surprised, they go 'Waa!'. Actors act the way they are expected to in accordance with the changes in the times. The starting point of an actor's job is the create emotions and that is the foundation of acting. However nowadays, so not to be boring to the viewers, every scene is burdened with high tension. Even the script and lines explain everything so it is easily understood. This prevents actors from acting they way that they want.

Abiko: Yes.

Sakamoto: However for this dorama, I only provided the emotions of the characters and minimum setting, to let actors create the dorama by acting the way they feel is right. We have to protect the actors and let them ride the emotional waves, capture the actor’s expression of emotions and just continue with it. When the whole crew keep it in mind and just focus on the actor’s acting and nothing else, there won’t be a need to shoot from various angles. Music or gimmicks can’t capture the actors’ unspoken emotions between the lines. Once everybody starts to focus on nothing but shooting the actors’ performances, Otake would get into character followed by Eita and Mitsushima. When that happens, watching the actors performance becomes watching them portraying someone’s life realistically.

Abiko: The actors' tension and the atmosphere at the set can be seen in the performance, can't it?

Sakamoto: The actors' decide how good a dorama is. It was nothing to do with the script or the director. In any case, everything is about whether the actors can unleash their acting powers.

Abiko: The actors' are unable to put their mind at ease until they have given their whole effort, right?

Sakamoto: Yes. Even with Mitsushima-san, at the time she was waiting for the script for the third episode, she was nervous because she could not wait to see the script. I could feel everyone had high motivation.

< I want to see Otake-san who normally acts on stage in television>

Abiko: Sakamoto-san, did you managed to go to the shooting locations?

Sakamoto: I did not even go to the locations once.

Abiko: Then what did you think of the finished product when you saw the DVD that they sent you?

Sakamoto: I honestly think it is interesting. I was not pleased with the script and most of the lines I wrote for the first episode. However, after the second episode, I became used to that world and began get in tune. I began to enjoy the show and thought, "Ah, this is good." (laughs)

Abiko: Why were you not pleased?

Sakamoto: I'm not certain but I had a vague image in my head. A character wearing a certain clothing a certain way or speaking in a certain rhythm. Although I don't have a concrete idea, these images exist in my head when I write.

Abiko: So the more you watched the more you got used to the show being different from your images.

Sakamoto: Yes.

Sakamoto Yuji - Soredemo Ikite Yuku interview Part 2B

Finally halfway done! This is the juiciest part of the interview so far and makes me want to watch Mother after this. It also makes me question had happened with Woman's script because Sakamoto Yuji did Soredemo Ikite Yuku without restraints. Anyways, all corrections and comments are welcome. My translation is a bit rough in the beginning but the second half was much easier to translate. Hope the 2nd half of the interview is as easy. Original interview can be found here.

Abiko: Did they come out of Sakamoto-san’s head or influenced from feedback from an actor? I’m interested to know which one.

Samakomo: Let’s take Mitsushima Hikari as an example. Normally when you see her acting, words fluently flow out of her nonstop but I like the acting when someone has difficulty with their words. Character who feel strongly about something about something but cannot express themselves well. I think that's where Mitsushima-san is at her best, or most captivating, so that's the kind of dialogue I went with. When I see this type of dialogue on television afterwards, I think, ‘this person said some interesting things’ and it is this type of model that I wanted to do.

Abiko: I see, so you get those type of inputs. In the case of novels, of course there are people who set up their models before writing but for me, I start from zero and I don't write with a model in mind. This difficult to write style of dialogue erupts in this dorama because because you use the novelist way of writing. Without this type of conversation (where characters don't express themselves well), the meaning cannot be communicated. The atmosphere before and after or the colour of the actor's face all are important parts of the dialogue. However, all of that looks natural.

Sakamoto: Yes.

Abiko: Especially in regards to recent tv doramas, I think they over explain things. No one actually talks like that (in real life). I find it painful to watch. However, Sakamoto-san's script feels like its creating distance from the viewer (making it more difficult for them to follow). For example it won’t explain why a character says ‘yes’.

Sakamoto: For as long as I’ve done television, its probably at the top of the what type of script one is not supposed to do. Fundamentally, television is about (characters saying) lines like ‘This is what I'm feeling now’’. Then there is the problem of having to tell the viewer "What is next" so that they understand. As well for dorama creators, there is a question of whether that is a fun thing and a lot of creators face that dilemma. In my case, because of of my age, I don’t really care about dorama taboos and I’ve been breaking them recently. This time I sincerely didn’t try to follow the rules of dorama and wrote whatever was appropriate for the subject. I could do it because the producer was of the same opinion.

Abiko: This is an unusual case, isn’t it?

Sakamoto: The producer was someone who had always been doing variety shows. After doing them for 20 years, he had finally come into the world of doramas and was just happy to be doing doramas. As he was the producer of the variety show Warrateiitomo! He had nothing to lose and nothing to hope for. He said, “For the time being, do whatever you want!” Usually television is for people who wash plates while watching. This time, I made the dorama for really pay attention to what they are watching! On that point, the producer and I never wavered and creating a dorama where if you don’t watch attentively, you will not understand what is happening.

Kurashina Kana is never be meiwaku.

Oguma: Excuse me, I have a question I want to ask. Similar to Mother, this time the 7th episode had the killer and the lover’s recollection scene which lasted more than 30 minutes. Many doramas have recollection type scenes in them but I think that such a deliberate flashback are not done in other serial doramas.

Sakamoto: At the time of doing Mother, it was something I tried although there were dissenting opinions. In Mother’s recollection scene, the main character played by Matsuyuki Yatsuko did not appear. It was mostly acted by the abusive mother played by Ono Machiko. At that time, Ono Machiko wasn’t that famous. There were many people who thought that was out of place. In the first place, I didn’t intend to do that recollection scene. At the time that the dorama started airing, I received mail speaking ill of the abusive mother from people I knew. “She’s a pig who only knows how to depend on men!” 

Both: (Roar of laughter)

Sakamoto: Even now, I’ve kept that precious mail. (laughs) "A good for nothing for abuses her child!" I thought that she was misunderstood. So with that feeling, I had to explain it to these people although the dorama was already close to the ending…  Do you want to hear about some minor details?

Oguma: Yes please.

Sakamoto: At the 9th episode, Matsuyuki Yukiko’s character got caught, episode 10 was the trial and the 11th was the ending. Actually the whole of the 10th episode was supposed to be about the trial where the main character is judged but that was taken out and the recollection scene put in. I wrote the script for Ono Machiko’s character and then everyone became worried. (laughs)

Abiko: Is that because no one famous appeared?

Sakamoto: For the whole episode, the main character did not appear and usually the viewer would not accept it….

Sakamoto Yuji - Soredemo Ikite Yuku interview Part 2A

Anyway, here's my crappy translation of the first half of part 2 of the interview. I hate the way this Abiko guy talks. He likes to say the same thing twice, completely differently and with slight nuances. As always, corrections are most welcome.

PART 2

AV STORY FROM THE FIRST CHAPTER

Abiko: In the very end, the main character returned the AV didn’t he? As for that, I think this dorama shows the attitude of not wanting to settle for mediocrity. Actually don’t you think that the ending is a bit light?

Sakamoto: For me, I don’t like the main character to disappear from the story. I’ve never written it like that.

Abiko: However, there’s the side story isn’t there? The AV story existed from the first episode. (translator's note - I don't even remember an AV side story. Need to rewatch)

Sakamoto: However, I didn’t intend for it to appear at the end. At that time I was thinking about for to end this and I thought, “He should pick it up and return it.” Actually in the first draft, I wrote a returning the AV scene.

Abiko: Aaa -, I see.

Sakamoto: After returning it, he would have met the dead sister’s family. That is what I wrote for the first draft. However for the second draft, that scene was erased. The situation where he did not return the AV was created.

Abiko: However, wasn’t there the scene where Mitsushima came to the house and found the AV? However, he hadn’t gone and returned it.

Sakamoto: He had forgotten to return it.

Abiko: The script writer as well?

Sakamoto: I didn’t forget it, its more it was forgotten in the story. That tends to happen. Whether to return or not, lets leave it for the time being.  I tend to do that sort of thing  I think guys would thinkg “Suddenly die in an incident, what is going to happen to the AV that is hidden from the family.” In this case what I imagined is “When is the AV that is borrowed around the time the sister dies going to be returned?” From the start of the AV thing, I wanted the theme of whole story to be about to living in unusual circumstances and having to deal with ordinary life. More than peeking at reality, I wanted to see the lifestyle of someone who cannot escape from such an incident because it is interesting. Once I pile that up, the dorama won’t be clichéd. I felt when writing that daily life can be unusual.

I HADN'T DECIDED ON WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE 2ND HALF

Abiko: How many revisions of the script did you do?

Sakamoto:  Err, 3 scripts. After that with some adjustments about 3.5 scripts. I felt that for the first pass, about 1.5 times of the material that I wrote were cut and amended. At the second script, the story began taking shape…

PAGE 2

After that the director and producer had their input. After that I would say it took roughly 3 drafts of the script before it came close to its final form.

Abiko: Before the shooting began, did you finish all 11 episodes of the script?

Sakamoto: Not at all. 3 or 4 books/chapters.

Abiko: But, did you finish the scripts from that?

Sakamoto: I had not decided anything about the second half.

Abiko: Ehhh?

Sakamoto: No matter what dorama, its going to be like that every time. If not, the dorama won’t be good.  I am asked the people around, “What is going to happen?” As I hadn't decided on anything yet, I could not give anyone a straight answer.

Abiko: Did you not have the image of the conclusion?

Sakamoto: Before I decided on the story, the only thing I come up with was the synopsis. ‘What type of person is this character’. It would be good if I could capture the character image.  Its is important to thing and write at the same time, but if I know the answer (to who the characters are), its is not necessary to write.

Abiko: When I rewatched the DVD, I thought I should think thoroughly. You finished writing 11 chapters from the beginning and how many time you had to revise your script. Ordinarily I know its not like this but was it like this in this case? (This paragraph does not make sense to me.)

Sakamoto: Are you talking about the side story?

Abiko: Yes, the side story.

Sakamoto: As for serial doramas, at first you need to sow a lot of the seeds. After that there are things you need to pick up, things you should not throw away will appear. Anyway, you need to sow a lot of seeds. Ahh, that thing was there! And you can collect/harvest and as  it grows into a side story. Anyway, scenes, dialogue and items that make an impression naturally become side stories.


A VERY BAD SCRIPT

Abiko: About TV dorama scripts, talk about casting?

Sakamoto: A lot of things have to be there. If I can’t decide on the casting, its is very difficult. Since I debut 20 years ago, at that time the system was that casting is already decided while the dorama is being being created. I am used to that and it is easier for me because I grew up in that system. Now its very difficult for me to  write a script before casting has been done.

Abiko: DVD special bonus was the script which I read slowly read . Of course, every even deleted stuff . Spoken words and conversation and verbal expressions are all in the script….

Sakamoto Yuji - Soredemo Ikite Yuku interview Part 1B

Second half of Part 1 of the interview. Apologies for shoddy quality. There are quite a few perplexing lines for me. I can read most of it but I have a hard time understanding his point so some lines seem machine translated. This Abiko dude knows how to speak in bloody long and difficult sentences. The original Japanese interview is here. Corrections and suggestions are most welcome.

PAGE 3

Abiko: I was shocked by this show and wanted to say to people involved in making TV doramas, "If this can be done, you guys have to work harder!" In terms of Dialogue, acting and execution. Even when novels and doramas are predictable and string together cliches, that is ok. However this dorama has been the beginning rejected (such mediocrity) and has been about being real.

Sakamoto: Yes.

Abiko: As for that secret (about the quality of the show), who's intention/will power was it that made this possible? What type of the miracle of collaboration, chemistry or from an original script with a strong idea that the scriptwriter Sakamono-san. Can you tell me in detail the start of your plan?

Sakamoto: After I did Mother for Nipponterebi, I could not decide on what to do next. At that time, I heard from Fuji TV about the bare bones plan for 'there is a killer and there is his sister'. I thought it was interesting, very interesting. For doramas, the past and the future are must both exist in the story. You can't do doramas only about people who have suffered from traumas in the past live difficult lives. However, if the viewer can forsee  or anticipate the future (of the story) then the dorama can continue. I had to plan for what will happen.

Abiko: Certainly.

Sakamoto: As for dorama planning, even if you have special plans or settings, sometimes you have cases where what's going to happen next has not been written. After coming to do standstill, I thought there was a destination to this project and I went to 'I want to makes this dorama!'. After that I asked Eita-san and he agreed to do it. After that, it could finally move forward as a TV dorama.

Abiko: At that time the of screnarios has not started, right? At that time, Eita's character (the victims brother) hasn't appeared, right? As for the murderer and his sister, did you want Eita-san to play the murderer?

Sakamoto: At first, that is what I thought. In my head, I had the image of Eita-san as the murdererer and at that time, Eita-san also indicated his interest (in the role). After that, I was thinking of the plot and from out of the people associated with the victim came the main character...

PAGE 4

Sakamoto: Well, there are a variety of factors that lead me to this decision. First, I could not write from the murderer's point of view. The victim's family, I put to the side and I could really feel the plot start to advance.

Literally: If you don't determine (what is) good or evil,you can write anything.

Abiko: So the story starts from 'there is a killer and there is his sister'. In the beginning what were the components that you wanted to write? Heating up the materials/story about the people involved with the crime. From before, this is your writing style isn't it? 

Sakamoto: Well...... actuallly its not.  I did not feel that its would have been easy to expand on the dorama.

Abiko: In this case gathering the necessary materials, hunting for scenarios and developing them. What is the nucleas of what you were developing?

Sakamoto: I haven't brought any story materials yet. Well,before writing anything the only thing I determined was that it was not going to be black and white. In regards to Soredemo Ikite Yuku, it means the victim's family. The victim's families go through a lot of things and I wanted to paint that confrontation. I wanted a dorama about two characters with different thoughts and positions meeting. So I wanted to see whatever themes flow from it.

Abiko: There is an interview where Mitsushima-san said she was offered the job and her schedule didn't match and she had to refuse, However I read that you really wanted her for this role.

Sakamoto: When Mother was other, I wanted to next job to be with Mitsushima-san. The keyword that come out for me was 'younger sister'. Please do this Mitsushima-san. I want you to do this. That was my intention at the start of the plan though it was pretty big.

Abiko: from there, if I'm not working or repeat Shinahan while trouble this and that producers and directors and we willl or realigning the plot.

Sakamoto: A lot of TV doramas are shot in Tokyo, right? So from the start I wanted to set it in the countryside. No matter how much effort you put into it, there are people who are tired of seeing Tokyo. The only things I thought about were going to the countryside and the dorama looking different from usual.With that, we decided to go to locations like Nagano and Yamanashi...

Sakamoto Yuji - Soredemo Ikite Yuku interview Part 1A

When Chuks posted the link to the Sakamoto Yuji interview in the comments section, I knew I had to translate this thing.  This is only half of the first part of the interview and it took me a couple of days and asking friends to help with bits and pieces. My Japanese is crap so lots of mistakes here and there. Its going to take me a while to translate the whole thing and I can't guarantee I'll do it.

I need to finish Zero no Kiseki so I can get straight on either Sora no Kiseki or Sen no Kiseki, can't decide which. This Eiyuu Densetsu series is the most wordy RPG I have ever played. If anyone's got any corrections, please let me know. If anyone with decent Japanese wants to translate the rest of the interview, even better!

'There is a killer, and then there is his sister'

Ekirebi!  Writer and mystery author Abiko Takemaru says Soredemo Ikite Yuku is as a once in 50 years masterpiece. Just recently the long-awaited DVD was released. Memories of the dorama’s script and actors have resurfaced. I requested to talk to screenwriter Sakamoto Yuji of this drama.  The very rich and interesting dialogue has been split into 4 parts.

Abiko: Last time there was no announcement of the DVD.  I thought this is a dorama that everyone should see.  So I wrote the previous review.

Sakamoto: I was encouraged by the review.

Abiko: Did you think about the bad ratings or small numbers? This time did you plan to do 11 chapters from the beginning?

Sakamoto. Yes. I did not want to do a shortened story.

Abiko:  As one would expect nothing was cut, but did the numbers had any effect at all on the fact there are no deleted scenes/extras and no announcement of the DVD.

Sakamoto: It seems there are no extras.  Extras not are necessarily influenced by ratings. Its an unfortunate consequence and I think the producer was sour about it.

Abiko: But with your previous work "Mother" had a considerable popularity.  Did you think any of the numbers would come out a little better?

Sakamoto: My job is not having to worry about the ratings while writing this and I'm not writing just for that.  Summer doramas are always very difficult in terms of ratings. Because it was summer, I I made a dorama about adventure.

Abiko: Didn't the DVD sell well?

Sakamoto: DVDs don't sell well in this era. Well, what can I do about it?  But there is an impression that sold well in comparison with the ratings for Mother.

Abiko: Eh? Mother had good ratings right?

Sakamoto: No, the ratings were not good. This is a part of the illusion since the ratings went up towards the end, but on average the ratings were low. Mother is an April program and Soredemo Ikite Yuku is a July program. Personally I don’t think there would changes. (in the ratings)

Abiko: There is a mistake putting it in the summer season?

Sakamoto: I can't deny that, it is evident that doramas don't rate well in summer. People are not at home because of the obon festival. Normally the numbers as a whole go down....

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We were prepared to from the very beginning for that.
 
Abiko: Dorama ratings in general have fallen, haven’t they?  Not to mention this time its also a dark dorama. I thought that it couldn’t be helped if I couldn’t get the numbers. Then later Kaseifu no Mita’s last episode got over 40%. I couldn’t believe it. An unbelievable rating appeared. I unexpectedly watched the whole of Kaseifu no Mita. I thought it was an overly simplistic and overly easy to understand dorama and no matter how you think about it, the story is nonsensical. Don’t you feel that compared to the old days, dorama making is about looking down on the viewers? Well, that could simply be my impression because of my old age.

Sakamoto:  I don’t think they treat the audience like idiots .  It is true that not easy to understand doramas and do not get ratings. TV is about ‘explain explain explain’: It’s the Mito Komon predetermined ending. I think Its not about writing for idiots but rather writing in good faith. (not sure about this one)

Akibo: About looking down (on the audience), don’t you think you have to do it or else they won’t understand?

Sakamoto: Even to make something that its very easy to understand requires much effort and devotion. Today’s doing variety and doramas today. Compared to the past, this business is more difficult.  In the past planning and scripts are less detailed, photos were simply taken. Now its ‘ you have come all the way here’ or ‘use that hand or this hand’. There is no doubt that it takes tremendous effort to make a hit dorama.

Abiko: Sakamoto-san said that you did not care about audience ratings while ago, but what about the other staff?  For example anyone who is depressed?.

Sakamoto: There was no sign of anyone who was depressed on set. There was a sense of accomplishment and everyone was proud of the launch. No matter what the numbers were, everyone was excited for the launch. The producer was mostly ashamed but I can feel that the sense of accomplishment was there from the director, actors and everyone on set.
 
Abiko: Well I’ve rewatched the whole thing on DVD.
 
Sakamoto: Thank you.

Abiko: I want to say it again, in my review I asked whether or not this dorama was an illusion. (laughs) After watching this dorama, I thought I had been cursed because the basis for judging other shows has gone up…