Takeru Satoh was in Singapore during the launch of WAKUWAKU JAPAN in November and MyFatPocket was privileged to have an interview with him.
Takeru starred in his first lead role in 2007, for the drama Kamen Rider Den-O (TV Asahi). Currently, he is most known as the lead in the recent film adaptations of popular anime Rurounin Kenshin, titled Rurounin Kenshi (2012), Rurounin Kenshi: Kyoto Inferno (2014), and Rurounin Kenshin: The Legend Ends (2014).
Takeru Satoh in Rurounin Kenshin: The Legend Ends (2014), Credit: Wordpress annsantos08
Takeru Satoh's award winning role in Emperor's Cook (2015), Credit: Soompi
Takeru Satoh won the Best Actor award for his performance in Emperor’s Cook this year and remember to catch him on his new movie, Bakuman.
1. Are there any other roles that you would want to try out in the future?
I want to be in a role where I’m totally transformed by makeup, and no one can recognise me.
2. You played a manga artist in your new film. So are you good at drawing, just like the character in your new film?
I’m not really good at drawing at first, but I practiced a lot for this role, and now I’m a little bit better.
3. We love your roles in Rurounin Kenshin and Bitter Blood. Which character, Himura Kenshin or Sahara Natsuki do you relate more to?
Both characters are very different from who I am, and Kenshin is so strong and he is almost “un-human”. So if I have to compare these two characters, I would pick Natsuki.
4. Have you ever thought about venturing into the music industry?
I love music a lot and I have a lot of friends who are very talented in music. I think I’ll just leave that to them.
5. Do you like reading manga in real life? Or do you have a collection of manga?
I started reading mangas since I was very young, and I have always been surrounded by mangas. I am still buying mangas like One Piece and Hunter Hunter. I do read other mangas too but I got to say that these two are my favourites.
In fact, my sister was trying to become a manga artist once, and there are still a lot more mangas at my parents’ house.
6. In the movie, the character you played became a manga artist because of the girl he loves. What would you do to get the attention of the girl you like?
I’m into ping pong these days and I play ping pong at the bars! And I will tell her that I will win the match for her. (Laughs)
7. Which is your best physical feature?
(Laughing and thought really hard) I have got a straight line across my palm. I was told that my palm line looks exactly the same as great man from Japanese history. I’m not sure what it is good for, but people told me that that is good. So I guess that’s my best physical feature.
8. You have played so many roles before. Is there any one that left a great impression? Or is there any particular role that you enjoyed playing the most?
Many of the roles I played left a great impression, so it's really difficult for me to choose. But if I have to choose one, I would say its Rurounin Kenshin for movies, and Emperor’s Cook for dramas.
I had the most fun filming Rookies though, because the cast was mostly guys!
9. You just received your “Best Actor” award for your performance in Emperor’s Cook. Is that more of an encouragement, or is that pressure for you?
There is definitely some pressure, because more will be expected from me in the future. I feel that I’ll need to do even better next time.
10. What do you look out for when you select a new role?
I will look at the storyline as a whole and what kind of message it will be sending out. That is more important for me.
11. Is there any actor or actress that you really want to collaborate with?
I attended the Busan Film Festival not too long ago and I was on the stage with the artistes from China, Korea and Japan. We were talking about doing something together. I don’t want to end this as just a verbal promise, and I really hope to make this come true, and perhaps to work with Mark Chao in the future.
12. What are your plans for 2016?
I do not have a specific plan yet. With the winning of the award for Emperor’s Cook, 2015 is a very memorable year for me. There is definitely pressure moving forward, but I am excited about what is to come.
WAKUWAKU JAPAN, a channel aimed at providing round-the-clock Japanese contents, with dramas, variety shows, movies, music, sports, anime, food and travel, was launched in Singapore last month. Through the channel, viewers are introduced to the Japan of today, arousing interest in Japan’s culture, and introduce to them a myriad of Japan’s hidden charms. Sign up for WAKUWAKU JAPAN here.