Translation by Sakaeandfrog
Rena, Jurina, Akane and Director Miyake Ryuta interviews regarding 「Gakkou no Kaidan」drama, from Idoool website (online July 27th).
Spooky stories and…
Where we wonder how Rena can survive in this world. Getting scared of your own keitai girl? For real? ( */o\)
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Since July 20th SKE has been starring in the omnibus drama 「Gakkou no Kaidan」broadcast by BeeTV via keitai only.
「Gakkou no Kaidan」spread in the 90s along with the boom of urban legends, novels, movie, drama and anime were produced successively. Emblematic work of the 90s, it has now become a “reminder of Japanese summer”. Initiator of this big hit, the original work「Gakkou no Kaidan」(Kodansha) by Tsunemitsu Tooru is , 11 years later and under the supervision of Tsunemitsu himself, adapted in a drama with new stories.
Storytelling is assured by Matsui Jurina and Matsui Rena, who both ranked as “senbatsu members” in 「AKB48 27th single General Elections」. Furthermore, 11 members of SKE48, which has known a significant breakthrough all around during this year elections, will appear in a total of 15 episodes focusing on legends such as 「Ichimatsu Ningyo」,「Kokkuri-san」or「The red room」. A production that won’t betray fans’ expectations for sure.
I’ve proceed to interview Matsui Jurina, Matsui Rena and Takayanagi Akane who play in the drama. Please check their comments regarding their enthusiast performances in this classic horror work.
Matsui Jurina interview
Q - Regarding ghost stories, have you personally heard of any such scary stories or experiences some yourself?
There really are a lot I’ve experienced first hand.
I was sleeping normally one night when I suddenly heard the voice of a baby crying. I woke up and I expected my mother to be lying next to me as usual but maybe did she had to wake up especially early that day, but she wasn’t there. I always set my alarm clock on my phone and leave it next to my bed, since I started to get scared I tried to reach for it but suddenly I couldn’t move my body anymore and felt completely paralyzed.
Later, after I enterer SKE48 I got more and more occasions to stay at the hotel in Tokyo because of work and that particular day the hotel was next to a graveyard. I was sharing a room with Rena-chan. When I first looked at that room I saw a mirror beside the bed, that instant my blood froze. But I was very tired and before I knew it I had fallen asleep. When I wake up because of something weird happening, it’s often around 3 a.m. That day too, at 3 a.m my eyes suddenly opened wide. I could hear voices of people and crows and suddenly a scream 「Ahhhー!」, and again I was paralyzed…
Another story taking place in an hotel. I felt asleep normally but my eyes kept opening themselves, sleeping, awake, sleeping, awake and every time I felt asleep had a bad dream. I was relieved when I woke up in the morning and nothing had happened so I went to wash my face. I was going to take a towel hanging there to wipe my face, but when I opened it there was like a bloody hand-print in it. I wanted to complain to the front desk but when I reach downstair with my other luggages, I felt like I would be cursed if I said anything so I left keeping silent, seized with fear.
There are more but… (laugh) , I went in excursion when I was in elementary school and 4 of us tried to go in an haunted house, we were all scared but I was walking ahead leading our group. And then, even though it was supposed to be only puppets inside, I felt something touching my leg. Later, for work, I got the opportunity to talk with the manager of this haunted house and told him about what happened and he calmly told me「Is that so? I’m often told by visitors that they heard baby crying voices or that they saw things that aren’t supposed to be there….」. I got really scared.
Over! (laugh)
Q - It sounds like you often get through sleep paralysis, what happens after?
I can move normally again. In my case in never last longer than 15～30 seconds. I’ve been told paralysis could happen when you’re extremely tired but it still is very frightening when when start hearing voices of baby crying. I tend to sleep on the side a lot, but when I wake up paralysed I’m always lying on my back.
Q - Is there any SKE member with strong supernatural sensibility?
We have some. Like Deguchi Aki-chan or Yagami Kumi-chan.
They often say “there is one around here” or “this place isn’t very good/safe”. And it seems they would see things if they enter haunted house so they don’t go near them.
Q - Have you ever tried things like kokkuri-san? (tln : kokkuri-san is the Japanese equivalent to the western table-turning)
I did I did! With some friends. We all repeated in chorus something like「Who are you Who are you You who loves me」(laugh), but I thought then someone among us was arbitrarily moving the pen (laugh). But it did move so… Eerie isn’t it?
Q - Now, the scariest thing in the world for you.
Amusement parks. (laugh) I’m not good with either haunted houses and roller coasters. I’m told I look like I would be fine with them but I can’t ride anything else than coffee cups, merry-go-round and small roller coasters so I’m always waiting in front of the amusement ride carrying everybody’s stuff. That’s why I find amusement parks scary.
Q - A message to end please.
New SKE48 drama 「Gakkou no Kaidan」has started! Different members will be wearing special make-up for the occasion. It might be a bit scary, but don’t forget to check it out!
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Matsui Rena interview
Q - Speaking of ghost stories, have you personally heard of any such scary stories or experiences some yourself?
Thanks to work I got to meet with a lot of people who could sense the supernatural and every time I’ve been told 「You can see them, right?!」. They explained me that I was certainly seeing things but was feigning not to. It sends chills down one’s spine, doesn’t it?
Also the other day while I was staying at the hotel, I was told by members that they had seen a ghost in the corner of my room. I was quite nervous and when I tried to open the door of the room I suddenly felt like I couldn’t move forward anymore and couldn’t enter the room. I thought “It’s there!”, and then realized the strap of rucksack was stuck in the doorknob. (laugh) It’s not like I had many personal spooky experiences! (laugh)
Q - It seems like you don’t have any affinity with the supernatural but do you believe in spirits and such?
I don’t believe in ghosts (tln: as in monsters), but I think spirits exist! Ghosts would be able to take form and bewitched you while spirits are only souls, you see? They are two close things but different in my opinion. And so I believe in spirits.
Q - Would you say you’re easily frighten?
I probably am. I jump out of my skin every time someone comes behind me and tries to surprise me with a Boo!. I can’t watch horror movies either… I did watch a scary movie on my keitai once before but then I got scared of my own phone.
Q - Can you tell us if among members some have an acute sense for supernatural?
I think Deguchi Aki-chan can see things. She has been through a lot of sorrow you know… Oups, she will get mad! (laugh) Kumi (Yagami) too gives the impression she has known a lot of unfortunate events. (laugh)
I’ve heard that one day when taking her bath at the hotel she was suddenly surrounded by hair, it must be difficult to deal with.
Q - For you, what is the scariest thing out there?
I can’t stand blood. I’m losing all strength when I see blood. To the point I can’t watch surgery scenes on tv. Just by imagining it, I’m getting scared….
Q - A message please.
In this drama, SKE48 members will be playing in ghosts stories as famous as Kokkuri-san or Ichimatsu Ningyo. Stories which will send chill down your spine, perfect for this summer. By all mean, give it a look!
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Takayanagi Akane interview
Q - Were you already interested in working as an actress before this drama?
I’ve liked acting for a long time, I always wanted to try working as an actress.
Q - Compared to your other works within SKE48, what did playing in this or drama bring you?
I don’t have much experience as an actress yet but I had the chance to play in 「SKE48 Magical Radio」before. I had to adapt to the role on some aspects, other parts were written in accordance to my personality so overall I could play very naturally, but this time my character was totally original and it was my first time playing in a ghost story too. It was refreshing to sink in the role progressively. I knew the story already but even though I turn excessively fearful, I think it will give a good fright to those who will watch the drama too.
Q - Dialogues are the pivot of this drama in my opinion, how did you deal with them?
It proved to be a challenge to remember all my lines… but I didn’t give up! (laugh)
It would have been boring to deliver my lines plainly, so I practiced thoroughly my tempo and tone. I asked the director for advices regarding how to insert Inagawa Junji-san’s expressions without going overboard.
Q - Other SKE48 members appear in the drama, did you talked to each others regarding this project?
We exchanged things like「Today I was shooting that episode」or「This and this happened during the filming」. Some girls played the role of a ghost, please look forward to discover a new facet of those members.
Q - A last word to rise everyone interest please.
The first time I heard about this drama project I thought it was joke (laugh). Girls with no experience in acting are taking part in too, I think it’s a great opportunity to show how SKE48 has grown and it will become a representative work from the group. BeeTV can be watched on keitai at any time, when in the transports or whenever you need to chill down to escape summer hotness. Even if you’re not into horror, some of the stories are about love, even if for a single episode, you should be able to see you oshimen, so by all means give this serie a try.
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Director Miyake Ryuta interview
(skipping questions about his work and the challenge it was to direct this project)
Q - Is there any anecdote or episode regarding SKE48 members’ acting or impressions you had during the shooting you can share with us?
I was an SKE48 fan before we started on this project, I was very excited to work with them. The first time we met I got the feeling there were a lot of good girls in the group, that it would be easy to work together, more than anything I spent a pleasant time with them.
In the episode 「The 2nd toilet stall」Oya Masana-chan plays a ghost named 「Kutsuwada Shiori」. When I met Masana-chan on the set I told her 「Don’t play your character as if you were a ghost, but like Kutsuwada Shiori herself, with her emotions」. It seemed to me after that that she played with an expression such as if she was envisioning more than her simple form. Like the way they are written shows it, 「spirits 」 can only take form if you pour your 「heart」in it. (tln : spirit = 心霊 ; heart = 心). I believe that there is only by playing with his or her whole heart that one can convey the deads’ suffering and sorrow.
SOURCE: Sakaeandfrog
