This article was originally published by i-D Japan.
Kai Inowaki, 21, from Kanagawa
What do you express in your acting?
I express the things people write.
What makes you continue to express yourself?
I believe everyone has their own inferiority complex like I have mine. But that feeling disappears only when I’m acting someone else. I can become a stranger, [someone] completely different from myself in the video, and it’s fun for me to think about what I can do while I’m that person.
What’s the moment you feel joy or satisfaction?
When many people give me great feedback, and when my initial simple desire to to be on TV became a determination; [that I knew it was] what I want to do.
What kind of person do you hope to be in 10 years?
No matter how many years later, I always want to be part of every piece that I can.
Aju Makita, 15, from Kanagawa
What do you express in your acting?
The feelings of the character that’s not written in the script.
How do you describe yourself in one phrase?
I know what I like and don’t like.
What kind of person do you hope to be in 10 years?
A person that knows herself.
What do you want to challenge next in your role?
The character of a problem-free girl.
Which artists do you look up to?
Ms. Hikari Mitsushima [a young actress who currently stands out in Japan].
What makes you continue to express yourself?
It’s fun to be able to become someone totally different from my real self when I stand in front of the camera.
What’s the mission for future artists?
To continue expressing the feelings of people that we normally refrain from showing.
Hayato Isomura, 25, from Shizuoka
What do you express through acting?
People.
How do you describe yourself in one phrase?
A guy acting like a grown-up.
What’s the moment you feel joy or satisfaction?
When people who saw my role or a piece I’m in tell me how it made them “decide to live more positively”.
What kind of person do you hope to be in 10 years?
Someone closer to Hollywood.
What was the experience where you first felt the joy of expressing yourself?
Receiving applause from the audience after I performed.
What’s the challenge in your next role?
[Playing] a person in a grueling situation.
Which artists do you look up to?
Mr. Yusaku Matsuda.
What makes you continue to express yourself?
It frees me, it’s my only motivation in life.
What’s the mission for future artists?
To express the people that live in that moment, at that time in history, and to pass that on.
Ayumi Yokoyama, 23, from New York
What do you express in your craft?
I express feelings and energy through photography and video.
How do you describe yourself in one phrase?
Forever Dreamer.
What’s the moment you feel joy or satisfaction?
When I’m just about to reach my goal or my dream. Because once I reach it, I only start reflecting on it.
What kind of person do you hope to be in 10 years?
A person who’s out in the world supporting minorities (especially Asian women).
What was the experience where you first felt the joy of expressing yourself?
When the great sensation I felt after sending out my rumbling energy toward the camera for the first time, and my satisfaction after finishing a piece.
What’s the next challenge in your craft?
I want to try characters that are a little insane, like ones in director Sion Sono’s pieces.
Which artists do you look up to?
People who are confident in freely expressing themselves without concern for opinions of others.
What’s the mission for future artists?
To communicate to your audience, no matter what it is. And to have them input what we, artists, output where then the receiving audience creates a new expression from that.
Kilala Into, 17, from Osaka
What do you express in your craft?
Something someone wants to communicate.
How do you describe yourself in one phrase?
An agent.
What’s the moment you feel joy or satisfaction?
When I have a conflict with someone.
What kind of person do you hope to be in 10 years?
I want to keep my 17-year-old feelings.
What was the experience where you first felt the joy of expressing yourself?
The response after the screening, of course, but also the great sensation from clashing with “someone” in a role, as “someone” that’s not myself.
What’s the next challenge in your work?
Something I haven’t done yet.
Which artists do you look up to?
There are many people I find wonderful. But I want to continue expressing myself without losing my own style.
What makes you continue to express yourself?
Because it’s in my nature and I want to.
What’s the mission for future artists?
To not “lie”.
Hiroto Ooshita, 19, from Gifu
What do you express?
I focus on observing each and every human being on this planet.
How do you describe yourself in one phrase?
Rockstar wannabe.
What’s the moment you feel joy or satisfaction?
At the end of the day, when I’m sitting on the toilet at home reflecting on my day.
What kind of person do you hope to be in 10 years?
I still hope to be an actor. But I want to free myself from my part-time job, and be happy.
What’s the next challenge in your expression?
I want to play a role in a movie.
Which artists do you look up to?
Ms. Hiroko Yakushimaru [an actress and singer].
What makes you continue to express yourself?
Movies are something that continue to last forever and I want to be part of that creation. It’s also so exciting I can hardly contain myself.
What was the experience where you first felt the joy of expressing yourself?
When I had a part in a music video, my family watched it so many times [that we went over our family data limit on our cellphones].
What’s the mission for future artists?
To realize that your existence is related to the development of the world, whether in a good way or a bad way.
Credits
Photography Kenta Sawada
Styling Kumiko Sannomaru
Hair and Make-up Yoshikazu Miyamoto at Perle management.
Photography assistance Takuto Yamasaki. Styling assistance Anna Okuyama.