Kenji Sakaguchi Says 'Ikebukuro West Gate Park' Was His Turning Point as an Actor
Sakaguchi's return to acting after illness and his deep immersion into the complex Kanki role highlight a personal and professional milestone for the actor, linking his early breakthrough to a major franchise installment.
Reporting from 1 source: Cinema Today.
Kenji Sakaguchi, playing Kanki in the upcoming 'Kingdom: Soul's Decisive Battle' film, reflects on his year-long preparation for the role and identifies his 2000 drama 'Ikebukuro West Gate Park' as the first turning point in his acting career, a role he says connects to his current work.
Kenji Sakaguchi, who plays the Qin general Kanki in the fifth 'Kingdom' live-action film 'Kingdom: Soul's Decisive Battle' (releasing July 17), spent a year preparing for the role. After suspending entertainment activities due to illness and working in coffee businesses, he received the offer around summer 2023 and decided to take it, thinking it might be his last chance at a major role. He practiced horseback riding, sword fighting, and strength training, and kept a Kanki figure on his desk and the character's face as his phone wallpaper to immerse himself. Sakaguchi calls Kanki a 'dark hero' like Darth Vader or the Joker, full of contradictions, and says his 2000 drama 'Ikebukuro West Gate Park' was his first turning point as an actor, a role that still connects to his work today.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.
Sources
- Cinema Today 坂口憲二、俳優としての転機は「IWGP」 「父と共通項を見つけられた気がした」