2007/05/19 14:19
The Love of Kou Shibasaki
Kou Shibasaki’s fame and career continues to progress, her straightforwardness towards love is a popular and competitive topic for the Japanese media to report about. Now people would bravely like to ask her “What do you think love is?”
Tokyo. Kou Shibasaki returned from New Zealand after filming of the Volvic commercial and soon participated in the promotion of the movie, Maison de Himiko; you can notice the strength she had gained from vacation by hearing her voice. Kou Shibasaki talks with a nasal, soft, and cute voice, sees with a pair of large and attractive eyes; her whole self emits the glory of a celebrity. Though there is the shyness within her, she cannot hide her sincerity.
The honesty in the way she talks is surprisingly, not rude at all, in fact, is very polite. For instance, at the press conference of Maison de Himiko, she was asked about her feelings towards Joe Odagiri (who was standing beside her), she replied “This person, is very handsome, his expression in the film was handsome, his action was handsome, behind the scene he is handsome.” After using “handsome” four times in a row she added “Look at the way he stands, that’s handsome.” Joe Odagiri replied respectfully said “Shibasaki can be pissed off when she’s really pissed off, I admire this kind of forthright person, she can inspire people on a various subjects. Yet sometimes you’d feel an atmosphere of ‘have I done something wrong’”. Their conversation led the media into a cheerful laugh. A straightforward discussion without the strict rules of politeness is a new and unique characteristic in the Japanese entertainment field.
Q Please discuss the new film “Maison de Himiko that will be released on August 27th.
A When I first saw the premier, I found it quite memorable when I don’t know what kind of emotions I really have on this movie. I’m not sure of what the audiences will think about this movie, but I believe the movie will leave an unforgettable impression inside their hearts.
Q In the film, you played Saori, who had a major conflict with her father, do you think you and Saori have something in common? (In Maison de Himiko, Saori’s father, who abandoned her before, had cancer. In spite of her hatred towards him, she reluctantly accepts to help out in the old gays’ home. Joe Odagiri played the father’s lover, who developed a special relationship with Saori later on.)
A Mmhmm, Saori and myself are very similar in personality, except we do different jobs. When I’m absent from performing jobs, I’m rather conservative and shy. Though there is the script when I play the character, but because of the similarity, I think letting the audiences to feel Saori that has a shape of myself is a good thing as well. In this film, the actors are very natural in performing, not like acting, especially Min Tanaka, who played my father. In Himiko, he was responsible for seventy to eighty old homosexuals, and without noticing, as I became the substitute, I feel the pressure of facing the presence of these eighty people. In other words, he led me into the plot.
Q Please discuss your experience in
A That’s quite a long time ago in my memory, but it’s remarkable. I started to practice two months before the shooting begins, at first I memorized the lines on the script. I even made a few friends online because of “sign language”, sometimes we even meet. Since my character doesn’t talk, I keep myself occupied by eating the snacks around me, non-stop. I was wondering why these snacks are so delicious…I even gained three kilograms because of them. There are other ways to perform the part where the language confuses you, but at the same time, it is hard to accurately express it.
Q Do you enjoy music as much as you enjoy acting?
A They differentiate by the fact that they’re approached in diverse methods. But the mood and view that they want to deliver are both the same. They are expressed through song, expression, stage, ambiance, or words – that’s basically the variation.
When I started to sing, hm, I had a lot to learn, I thought it was harder than acting. Though now I’m used to it, recording or composing are comfortable with me, I like it, and am interested by it, and I want to do it.
Q Do your think singing allows you to express yourself more when you write your own lyrics and sing them yourself?
A I don’t write the lyrics according to my emotions, but instead I base each of them on a story. I have a picture in my mind already, then I use words to depict it. People don’t have to feel the lyrics, but they lyrics are present to inform them such stories; that’s how singing and acting are in common.
Right now I’m getting used to composing. When the producer asks me to write the lyrics, I’d have an image in my mind ready which I can express it by using phrases and words.
Q Are there any actors or directors whom you’d really like to work with?
A Um… I guess I’m not so eager to work with anyone, but I would like to see a lot of Asian movies such as ones from Taiwan or Hong Kong.
Q Which Asian movies have you seen already?
A (She lowered her head and smiled a bit)… um… Shaolin Soccer.
Q Singchi Chow? What’s your impression for him?
A (joyfully, furled her lips and said:) The lead in Shaolin Soccer right? He’s very handsome.
“It is wonderful when one has the love for someone and who thinks important of that
someone; this kind of love will eventually be returned.”
Q Please talk about of how you think of “happiness”
A um… that’s kind of hard. It’s, um, being able to think, yes, happiness is being able to think. For a lot of things, your experience of life where there are some hard ones, bitter ones. In the end, those experiences will turn into your wealth, I think that’s the happiness.
Q Then, what do you think about “Love”?
A (surprised) Love?! Um… that’s hard… (head lowered, thinking hard)…(acted as if nothing happened) What? What did you say?.... that’s hard!... (silent)…
(I looked at my watch, 1.2.3.4.5.6.7, seven seconds of silence, her agent said nothing
as well. It’s just like what Joe Odagiri said, I feel that I have done something wrong. I
thought about when I arrived to Tokyo that day for the photo shots. On the day of
shooting, we went to Kou Shibasaki’s agency, Stardust – located in Ebisu, with boxes
of clothes. When we took the winter suits of 05~06 shipped from Paris and New York out one by one, her eyes glittered from the bare but gentle face; Japanese call the “glitter”, “pikapika” glows. Fashion Design “Amber” had five boxes of fashion outfits ready. Kou Shibasaki carefully picked out her favourites, and shyly said “My size is very small”, like a little girl fitting into new clothes.
On the day of shooting, photographer Kawaguchi picked the VIP Ballad Club (Site for the shooting) located in Tokyo where we were surrounded by Victorian crystal chandeliers. Knowing that she loves to eat chocolate, we prepared a huge bag of chocolates wrapped in beautiful yellow Peltier ribbons. She didn’t eat any one of them during work. Instead, she had her assistant bought a box of natto. She stirred her own natto while she was getting her hair done and putting on make-up. The way she ate it made it seem even more delicious. Kou Shibasaki said “Natto is my favourite”. She slowly finished her natto and brought her chocolate home with care.
Kou Shibasaki, the Leo, is still thinking. I continued to ask uncomfortably.)
Q Is it the same kind of feeling when you’re eating natto?
A Natto, erm, it’s my favourite. (Her expression turned serious suddenly, and looked at me straight in the eyes.)
To a person, “Love”… is a feeling of fondness for a person, and thinking how important this person is, it’s a wonderful feeling, this kind of love would be returned eventually.”
Kou Shibasaki’s definition for love is like a set of lyrics that she has composed at the
spur of moment. She took the image she had in her mind and transformed it into
words to answer the question. After the interview I had a an image in my mind as
well: Kou Shibasaki and the “important” person together. I thought about her
performance in Maison de Himiko, she at the Old folks home of Kanagawa beach,
having to meet her father’s handsome lover and abandoning her own father. Indeed,
happiness is the capability to love.
Backstage: Kou Shibasaki in the Scene
Five months of preparing: When the market just switched to spring outfits we began
to schedule the cover figure shooting of Kou Shibasaki in winter outfits. The outfits of
various designer brands arrived in Tokyo one by one. DHL’s were even delivered to
the site even when the shooting began.
The impression of Kou Shibasaki may be traced back to the doramas, the way she
stood beside Takuya Kimura wearing her waterproof cotton jacket indicated her
boyish style. On the cover of August, she had a sense of calmness, and nobleness.
To dig out even more of her gentleness and feminism, the direct way is to use
an aristocratic style of background.
On the day of fitting, we could see Kou in the office of her agency. She wore a mini
skirt, boots, with a casual ponytail tied. Her skin looks perfect even when she had no
make-up on there. She looks even smaller than she is on the television. Her height,
pink dress, fury boots, jacket with cute stitching on it, her kawaii nasal voice, and her
excited expression that opened her huge eyes widely clearly showed the cuteness
within her actual age; just like a young girl off of Tokyo streets.
On the shooting day, photographer Kuo Kawaguchi borrowed the performance hall
from the Tokyo Private Ballad group. There were a group of girls whom look like
those ones from Shoujo manga, skipping delicately on the practice floor under us where
there was a huge window. On the display floor above us, which is only opened for
members only was like the home of young wives who were married to rich families, just like
in the Japanese doramas, where there were crystal lights, hand-made rugs, royal chair,
Celine jewels and gorgeous dress. She looked like she has walked out of an oil painting of
an aristocratic portrait.
After putting on the make-up and got dressed, Kou Shibasaki was like a classical
princess in a painting. Every expression, every move was a professional performance.
Special thanks to Stoique Studio and Designer Yasusuke for aids in contacting and
post-events to successfully ended the cross-nation collaboration of Vogue as well
as completing this set of beautiful images.
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