August 2005
Grazia
"Nice woman" theory by nice men
--Hiroyuki Sanada's case


Quiet, strong, and has a warm heart deep inside --not only the main character of coming-soon movie "Aegis" but also many other characters he play, are all "nice guys" with a good-old Japanese mentality. And that is the charm that comes out from Hiroyuki Sanada himself. As an actor and as a man, with a mature atmosphere, his gentle eyes hit the reporter. His version of "nice woman" theory is a cheer to us, with a global perspective.
(Written by Ako Shiroe)


"In the original novel, he is a chubby, downtown-accent middle-aged guy. I kinda liked it, so I was thinking of starting filming with a bit overweight. But the director and the producer asked me to "leave the original middle-aged guy taste, but with a bit sharper image," so the character ended up somewhere in the middle between the original by Harutoshi Fukui and the real me."

Hiroyuki Sanada is upbeat in talking about the main character, Hisashi Sengoku, in the movie "Aegis", which is opening this summer.

Sengoku is a widower with an elementary-school girl, and works as a petty officer in Marine Self Defence Forces' Aegis warship "Isokaze". His days were going peacefully, but one day, while Isokaze is in training in Tokyo Bay, it is sea-jacked by a group led by the sub-captain of the ship. The crew are all forced to leave the ship, and Sengoku follows that order at the beginning, but strong-willed Sengoku changes his mind and swims back to the ship. And he goes into the deadly fight to bring back the ship.

"Even though he is an SDF officer, normal Sengoku is just a regular guy, not so strong nor brave. If nothing happened, he would have no chance to face the real fight and would be just doing his job like a saraly-man. What would such a regular guy think and do when he faces the national life-or-death situation? I thought it would be really interesting if I can express that process. That was my target. He is on the most high-tech warship, but Sengoku is a totally "analog" guy. The way he fight is to send morse signals, or send hand signals, laying down on the deck of the ship (laughs). I loved this uncool figure."

So you loved the guy while you play the role?

"Yes. And in reality, there are so many regular guys like him in this world and they have this grass-roots strength, don't you think? People with a stiff ideology or who cling onto the social status may be weaker when the framework is lost. The regular people do not rely on such things from the beginning, and I think they would be more likely to change, support or protect things. I entrusted this hope and ideal to this character."


I got to know the joy of becoming "naked"

By the way, Sanada-san is growing big in the silver screen these days. With Sengoku in "Aegis" or Seibei in "The Twilight Samurai", he is so convincing to the audience that these roles are to be played by nobody else but Hiroyuki Sanada.

"A few years ago, I went through a turning point as an actor. Well, how should I say, as I get older, I take off things that I had on me before, become lighter and lighter. Finally, I am in a fight "naked". I feel like it now.

It started when I joined Royal Shakespear company in 2000 in London. I was the only Japanese, among actors and staff. Nobody knew my name or past career, so I had to convince them, meet their expectation, and win the reputation each time. With that situation, I had to take off the things I had, show real me and compete like that. It is, of course, scary. The nervous feeling when I was thrown onto the stage with no frills around me. Stinging audience's eyes. It is so scary, but I loved it. (laughs) I was trying so hard to build the relationships with staff and fellow actors, and to get the ovation from the audience, and at the same time there was another me who was praising myself, "OK, looking good." (laughs) I felt like that. It was many times more refreshing than sitting where I am comfortable, doing the job with no problem with the things that I already had."

He does not sit still comfortably, so his footwork is light and his world is expanding quickly. After that, Sanada-san played in "The Last Samurai", and the Chinese blockbuster "WuJi - The Promise" which is scheduled to be released later this year in the world. He has already gone beyond the boundary between Japan and the world.

"Going back and forth between Japan and overseas is a great lifestyle for me. It is not easy, though. (laughs) It is difficult to speak both British English and American English. It took me 3 weeks to finish the voice-over of Mandarin, until it sounds perfectly native. I was surrounded by 5 supervisors and was confined into a studio for 12 hours a day. It was so hard, but was fun. There was a word that I could not pronounce, but one day finally I could, and people started to understand. It was such a great joy."

But it sounds like a regular person would give up...

"Honestly speaking, I sometimes feel, 'it's getting too hard, maybe I should stop here'. But I am putting this mission onto myself. I want to make a way so that the young Japanese actors compete in the world when they become big in the future. I will open our way to the world and make it somewhat smooth, so they can come in easily and compete equally. That is my lifework. So even if when I feel I come to my limit, I would think 'wait, I am not doing it only for myself'. I can do more for that purpose. I can have the second wind then."


The world wants "Japanese-ness"

As an actor, and as a man, his gentleness and the depth is growing with age - and such Sanada-san's version of "attractive woman" is?

"Outside of Japan, I feel that the number of foreigners who like the good points in Japanese and try to learn from them are increasing. In the fimling, sometimes the new system or atmosphere that blends Japanese and Western things suddenly appears. For them, it is very refreshing and attractive. Then of course, we are supposed to show the goodness as Japanese. With Samurai popularity, a man is supposed to have the spiritual factor. For a woman, hidden charm or modesty. If a Japanese woman does not have such a charm, they might think she has no charm at all. If a Japanese only tries to imitate Western things on the surface and to act like them, then this person's value gets tanked. So even in Japan, from now on, the people who have Japanese-ness, in a good sense, will be admired as 'nice', I believe."

Modesty. The word that most of us forgets about a long time ago. Is there any way to get it now?

"The important thing is to look at oneself honestly. If you look upwards, look up at the higher ideal, you will find things that are lacking from yourself, if you like it or not. Willingness to learn those things, and the respect for your predecessors who already passed the stage you are in. If you have those, then your attitude to others change naturally, and you can be nice to others. With the gentle eyes and attitudes. On the contrary, if you become complacent at yourself, you start complaining to others. That is not so beautiful."

Such a modesty is not the virtue of only Japanese, but "interestingly, people on the higher position tend to have it", says Sanada-san. "The main staff of 'The Last Samurai' was like that. Nira who did the costume also did 'The Lord of the Rings' and got Oscar last year. Lily at production design and Lois at make-up, they are all the top women in their fields. They are so modest and nice to others, and I was moved by it. They say clearly what they have to say, but they also have ears to listen to others. If they don't know something, they would come to ask modestly. Their level of pride is different. It is their pride to do a good job in a main part of things, and they know that it is no use to be arrogant. All of them are older than me, but they all have starry eyes and child-like curiosity, and so charming, and I thought, 'woo, they are so cool'."


Women who can find luxury in small things

"Outside of Japan, I feel that Japanese people have become numb about luxury and happiness, because of the abundance and peace within Japan. In 'Aegis', the men are doing the futile fight, even with their own justice, but if I look at that fight, I still feel a great apprication to peace. And if you have a heart to appreciate peace, you can feel "luxury" even in small things. Feel thankful. Feel happy. That is a great thing.

A person should be happier with no limit. You should become happier and happier, and then share the happiness with others. I believe so. If you are full of happiness with no complaint in your heart, you make others around you also happy. Such a woman is emitting charm of modesty, sexiness and humanistic charm. A woman who can share the happiness with others. That is the ultimate 'attractive woman'."