Jinsei Interview: Creator Ryuya Suzuki and Voice Actor/TV Reporter Miho Ohashi
A scene from Ryuya Suzuki’s JINSEI. Photo Credit to Greenwich Entertainment
Interview by Jonathan “Joestar” Beltran
Interpretation by David Neptune
Your backdoor anime hangout had the privilege to interview two important people involved with Jinsei: creator Ryuya Suzuki and voice actor for Sakura Jenkins, Miho Ohashi. We dive into the writing process as well as a look into a particular scene Ohashi-san deeply resonated with.
Otaku Hourly (OH): Suzuki-san, Ohashi-san, thank you both so much for allowing us to be one of your promotional avenues to spread the excitement for your upcoming film, Jinsei. What can people be most excited for?
Ryuya Suzuki (RS): I would, in a word, say story development. You're really going to see all sorts of things in this film.
Miho Ohashi (MO): I don't really want to say anything. I don't want people to have any kind of preconceived notion. So I'd love for people to go in as a blank slate and enjoy every part of this film.
OH: And a question for Suzuki-san. I read in an interview that you opted to write each scene on the spot as you went along. Can you expand on that? And was there a scene you wrote that caught you off guard?
RS: I made this feature alone, and so knowing that I was going to take this approach, I knew that if I wrote the entire film, I wasn't going to be able to get through the whole thing. So I kind of chose this role-playing game style of creating each scene as I go to keep it interesting for myself, really. So in the first half, I kind of felt like I was leading the characters along, but in the second half, the characters started running and I was sort of chasing after them.
So I really felt the joy of creation in making this film.
OH: I really felt the organic development of the film, especially in the second half with Sakura Jenkins coming in. A question for Ohashi-san. You play as Sakura Jenkins. How did you get involved and how was playing her?
MO: I’m not an actor myself - I’m a television announcer. So Director Suzuki reached out to me and that’s how I was brought into the project. And I feel like I was able to put some of my feelings of what I feel about the entertainment industry being a TV person into the film. There were moments of doubt in my career when I saw things, heard things. And I was able to face this issue of the idols in the entertainment industry in a new way I think.
And in terms of the actual acting Director Suzuki taught me everything because I didn’t know anything - I had never acted before. I'm sure I made him sweat a lot.
A scene from Ryuya Suzuki’s JINSEI. Photo Credit to Greenwich Entertainment
OH: A question for both of you - I read somewhere that the process was, “Let's create this together” for voice acting. Are there any behind-the-scenes stories?
MO: I was such a novice at the time. I asked Suzuki-san, “What do you think of my work?”
RS: [I told Ohashi-san] “You are such a legendary announcer I was really nervous to be working with you, but I felt your nerves.” And so I felt like I didn’t have to hold back. We’re both nervous about this and we can just do our best together. And you’d think there were a lot of takes we didn’t use, but really it was all just experiment[ing] and trying things out. It was a lot of fun.
MO: Oh you’re very kind!
OH: I just want to say - the bathroom scene was such a great scene; to see how the nameless protagonist comes in to see Sakura Jenkins stand up for herself. It was great.
MO: Thank you very much. I love that scene as well. And I would say that that scene kind of portrays what I couldn't do in the past. So it was kind of like my revenge in the film.
OH: Wow. And going off of what Suzuki-san said, as well as what you said, Ohashi-san. I want to ask you both about Sakura and the main character's relationship. They're very much kindred spirits. The sense of justice, the emptiness they felt, and the tattoo. I was touched by the end when I saw that the main character had the same tattoo on his left shoulder and Sakura on the right shoulder. I'd love to know what your guys' thoughts about their relationship.
RS: I’m happy that you noticed the shoulder thing - thank you for that. There are a few characters that are closest to the protagonist: there’s Hiroshi [the stepfather], Kin-chan [best friend/idol partner], and then, of course, the partner Sakura [who] I think is probably the closest. At the same time she’s also at odds with him in terms of the protagonist really only expressing through actions and Sakura having more heart and speaking her truth. So I think what they lack is filled in with each other and the two make one whole.
MO: As Suzuki-san said - the two of them met and Sakura was completed by that and I put everything in that last line “Anata” [You/Love].
OH: Suzuki-san. Ohashi-san. I wish you all the best for Jinsei's success here in the West. Thank you so much for the movie. It means a lot. Here's to its success.
Many Thanks to:
Ryuya Suzuki-san and Miho Ohashi-san for their time.
David Neptune for his interpretation services.
Maddux Brown of 42 West LLC for facilitating and organizing the interview.
Greenwich Entertainment and 42 West LLC for the interview opportunity