Events
09/25/2023
Showcasing NARUTO to the World via Theater! Interview with Kodai Matsuoka and Akiko Kodama from Live Spectacle NARUTO!
Using the Magic of Theater to Bring NARUTO to the People of the World! Interview with Live Spectacle NARUTO's Kodai Matsuoka (Naruto) and Playwright / Director Akiko Kodama!
Kodai Matsuoka (Naruto Uzumaki)
Born on August 9th, 1997. His major appearances include the musical Thrill Me, a stage play adaptation of The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, the ABC TV drama around 1/4, and the NHK drama series Ranman.
He'll also be in the movie The Silent Service, which arrives in Japanese theaters on September 29th (JST).
Born on August 9th, 1997. His major appearances include the musical Thrill Me, a stage play adaptation of The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, the ABC TV drama around 1/4, and the NHK drama series Ranman.
He'll also be in the movie The Silent Service, which arrives in Japanese theaters on September 29th (JST).
Akiko Kodama (Playwright / Director)
Previously directed works include the musical Black Butler: Tango on the Campania, the Shojo☆Kageki Revue Starlight: The LIVE series, and the stage play Uma Musume Pretty Derby: Sprinters' Story, among others. A trademark of her works is the wide variety of visual effects.
Previously directed works include the musical Black Butler: Tango on the Campania, the Shojo☆Kageki Revue Starlight: The LIVE series, and the stage play Uma Musume Pretty Derby: Sprinters' Story, among others. A trademark of her works is the wide variety of visual effects.
The Many Challenges of Live Spectacle NARUTO
―Can you tell us about how you felt when it was decided that you'd have a role in Live Spectacle NARUTO (hereafter, Live NARUTO)?
Kodai Matsuoka (hereafter, Kodai): I'll turn 26 this year, but at the time I was only 17...so it was 9 years ago. I was in the middle of working on another 2.5D stage play when I was contacted about performing in Live NARUTO. When I went for a meeting, I was told it would involve overseas performances, and I remember thinking to myself, "It's about time that the genre of 2.5D performances had a major shakeup." Since NARUTO is beloved by many international fans, I was feeling a lot of pressure.
Akiko Kodama (hereafter, Akiko): I used to be a director for the Takarazuka Revue, and just after leaving that company I was approached about Live NARUTO. Takarazuka's rehearsal and performance style is pretty unique, so I was surprised that someone would recruit me to work on such a large-scale production when I didn't have any experience with other kinds of theater. Perhaps it was because I didn't really know what I was doing that I didn't feel much stress, so it worked out in my favor. I mainly remember being determined to put my all into it.
Kodai: During the rehearsal period we were experimenting with all sorts of things, like trampolines and aerial silks (hanging cloths used by acrobats), weren't we?
Kodai Matsuoka (hereafter, Kodai): I'll turn 26 this year, but at the time I was only 17...so it was 9 years ago. I was in the middle of working on another 2.5D stage play when I was contacted about performing in Live NARUTO. When I went for a meeting, I was told it would involve overseas performances, and I remember thinking to myself, "It's about time that the genre of 2.5D performances had a major shakeup." Since NARUTO is beloved by many international fans, I was feeling a lot of pressure.
Akiko Kodama (hereafter, Akiko): I used to be a director for the Takarazuka Revue, and just after leaving that company I was approached about Live NARUTO. Takarazuka's rehearsal and performance style is pretty unique, so I was surprised that someone would recruit me to work on such a large-scale production when I didn't have any experience with other kinds of theater. Perhaps it was because I didn't really know what I was doing that I didn't feel much stress, so it worked out in my favor. I mainly remember being determined to put my all into it.
Kodai: During the rehearsal period we were experimenting with all sorts of things, like trampolines and aerial silks (hanging cloths used by acrobats), weren't we?
Akiko: I can't even count all the different things we attempted! I think that the current genre of "2.5D Musicals" only managed to get established because so many productions, including Live NARUTO, were giving it their all around that time.
―I'm sure performing abroad in places like Macau, Malaysia, and Singapore had many challenges, but how do you feel looking back on it now?
Kodai: The local staff had an incredible amount of passion for the performance—they even built a stage for us at the convention center from the ground up! Plus, I really felt the cultural differences. Japanese audiences tend to sit quietly and watch, but overseas people were cheering and shouting the names of the characters! The lively atmosphere really made it fun to perform!
Akiko: I remember thinking that it was great to have so much freedom to enjoy things in different ways. The audiences in Singapore seemed similar to Japan's, but I think I'd say the ones in Malaysia left the biggest impression on me.
Kodai: Personally, I had trouble with the high humidity in Malaysia. Though the fact that Naruto's costume at the time had a fur collar that trapped the heat in might have had something to do with it (laughs). In all three countries, though, I felt that it was so nice to get responses to the things I was saying. Those dramatic reactions really gave the sense that the audience was immersed in our show.
―I'm sure performing abroad in places like Macau, Malaysia, and Singapore had many challenges, but how do you feel looking back on it now?
Kodai: The local staff had an incredible amount of passion for the performance—they even built a stage for us at the convention center from the ground up! Plus, I really felt the cultural differences. Japanese audiences tend to sit quietly and watch, but overseas people were cheering and shouting the names of the characters! The lively atmosphere really made it fun to perform!
Akiko: I remember thinking that it was great to have so much freedom to enjoy things in different ways. The audiences in Singapore seemed similar to Japan's, but I think I'd say the ones in Malaysia left the biggest impression on me.
Kodai: Personally, I had trouble with the high humidity in Malaysia. Though the fact that Naruto's costume at the time had a fur collar that trapped the heat in might have had something to do with it (laughs). In all three countries, though, I felt that it was so nice to get responses to the things I was saying. Those dramatic reactions really gave the sense that the audience was immersed in our show.
"Actor's Spirit" and Technological Progress
―Do you have any particularly memorable stories about past performances?
Akiko: Through the overseas shows, I realized it was difficult for people outside of Japan to follow all of the Japanese. In the 2017 performance, we focused more on the entertainment aspect by introducing musical numbers and incorporating taiko drums, and I think that was a major turning point in the history of Live NARUTO.
Akiko: Through the overseas shows, I realized it was difficult for people outside of Japan to follow all of the Japanese. In the 2017 performance, we focused more on the entertainment aspect by introducing musical numbers and incorporating taiko drums, and I think that was a major turning point in the history of Live NARUTO.
Kodai: For me it would be the fight in the final scene of the 2015 premiere. Mr. Kurihara (Naoki Kurihara, Stage Combat Instructor) had me practice a "bare-handed" combat style that doesn't rely on weapons like swords or kunai, which helped impress on me how action scenes are also an important part of acting. You always have to be aware of the distance between yourself and your opponent during stage combat, but I don't think I truly got a feel for how to move in and get up close during fights until that premiere performance. Mr. Kurihara told me, "carry your Japanese spirit with you onto the stage", which was advice I thought back on a lot all the way through the 2019 performances.
―Is there anything specific that you'd like people watching videos of past performances to pay attention to?
Kodai: It might be fun to compare two different performances of the same show. There were cast changes between the 2017 and 2019 runs of Song of the Akatsuki, so contrasting those might be particularly interesting. The on-stage relationships in a performance can be greatly affected by even small details such as where characters are standing, so I get the impression that the actors must have had discussion after discussion about those shows.
Akiko: It's been eight years since the first performance, so I think it would also be interesting to look at the way that the technical aspects—such as lighting—have changed over time. During the original premiere it was all pretty low-tech, such as the actors having to push buttons to trigger lights on their costumes (laughs). I think the way they continue to adapt and use the latest technology available in performances is one of the strengths of 2.5D musicals.
Kodai: Speaking of low-tech, we had to use a visual poi (a gadget that creates an image by spinning LED lights) at the curtain call, which made me super nervous every time. I tend to think of the curtain call as still being part of the show, so I felt a lot of pressure to not mess up or else our whole performance would have been for nothing (laughs).
Kodai: It might be fun to compare two different performances of the same show. There were cast changes between the 2017 and 2019 runs of Song of the Akatsuki, so contrasting those might be particularly interesting. The on-stage relationships in a performance can be greatly affected by even small details such as where characters are standing, so I get the impression that the actors must have had discussion after discussion about those shows.
Akiko: It's been eight years since the first performance, so I think it would also be interesting to look at the way that the technical aspects—such as lighting—have changed over time. During the original premiere it was all pretty low-tech, such as the actors having to push buttons to trigger lights on their costumes (laughs). I think the way they continue to adapt and use the latest technology available in performances is one of the strengths of 2.5D musicals.
Kodai: Speaking of low-tech, we had to use a visual poi (a gadget that creates an image by spinning LED lights) at the curtain call, which made me super nervous every time. I tend to think of the curtain call as still being part of the show, so I felt a lot of pressure to not mess up or else our whole performance would have been for nothing (laughs).
The Two Narutos
―Kodai, you got to see Live NARUTO from the audience for the first time during a performance of The Tale of Uzumaki Naruto (2021). How was that?
Kodai: Seeing the names of the characters displayed alongside them through projection mapping during the opening kind of reminded me of a kabuki performance where the actors announce their character's background. Pair that with the fact that the original story of NARUTO is based on ninja, and it made me think about how Japan has unique things that can hold their own out there in the world. It made me really proud to have been involved in this project.
Kodai: Seeing the names of the characters displayed alongside them through projection mapping during the opening kind of reminded me of a kabuki performance where the actors announce their character's background. Pair that with the fact that the original story of NARUTO is based on ninja, and it made me think about how Japan has unique things that can hold their own out there in the world. It made me really proud to have been involved in this project.
―Did you notice any differences between your portrayal of Naruto and Masaki's (Masaki Nakao)?
Kodai: When I played Naruto, I was acting as if I had anger that filled me to my core. Masaki, on the other hand, seemed like his anger was more in his head, so I feel like we portrayed negative emotions in different ways. Naruto himself was a bit older and wiser than when I played him, and had earned the recognition of the villagers, so the change in actor helped to highlight that development.
―Akiko, what did you think about the differences between Kodai and Masaki?
Akiko: They have noticeably different styles of leadership. Kodai always gave me the impression that he was trying to fulfill his role as the lead by working hard together with the other actors. In contrast, Masaki feels like he's running ahead on his own and inspiring everyone to keep up with his effort. I think that really fits their roles as Naruto the boy and Naruto the teen.
Kodai: When I played Naruto, I was acting as if I had anger that filled me to my core. Masaki, on the other hand, seemed like his anger was more in his head, so I feel like we portrayed negative emotions in different ways. Naruto himself was a bit older and wiser than when I played him, and had earned the recognition of the villagers, so the change in actor helped to highlight that development.
―Akiko, what did you think about the differences between Kodai and Masaki?
Akiko: They have noticeably different styles of leadership. Kodai always gave me the impression that he was trying to fulfill his role as the lead by working hard together with the other actors. In contrast, Masaki feels like he's running ahead on his own and inspiring everyone to keep up with his effort. I think that really fits their roles as Naruto the boy and Naruto the teen.
The Final Chapter, and Greatest Turning Point
―A question for Akiko. You've directed every show in the series' eight-year run; what would you say the major turning points of the franchise have been?
Akiko: There's been so many. For the early shows with the younger versions of the characters we really wanted to live up to the "live spectacle" part of the name, so we included lots of novel things like aerial stunts and trampolines. After that, for Song of the Akatsuki (2017) we added singing and musical numbers to make it more entertaining. Of course, that meant we also started casting actors with singing credentials, and as the story progressed the title character evolved and the actor change from Kodai to Masaki happened. As for the current turning point, now the characters are facing inhuman enemies and we're seeing techniques that are far beyond human ability like Minato's Flying Raijin Jutsu. Everyone is working really hard to strike the right balance between the visual effects and the actors. Since it's the final chapter, you could say it's the biggest turning point of all. That said, in the very end it goes back to the Final Valley with Naruto and Sasuke slugging it out hand-to-hand. I want to make sure the pure intensity of that confrontation mirrors the fight from their younger days. I'm also really looking forward to the moment where the kid everyone called a "demon fox" becomes the Seventh Hokage.
―If you were to direct another Live NARUTO show in the future, what kind of things would you add?
Akiko: This is related to the visual effects I mentioned earlier, but I'd really like to have something like "live motion capture" that renders actors' movements into CG and projects visual effects in real time. For example, an actor could be performing Naruto's nine-tailed fox transformation in the front, with the transformation depicted as it appears in the manga behind them by layering effects over live footage of the actor.
Kodai: Yeah, since nowadays you can do motion capture without having those markers all over your body!
Akiko: With the current technology, it's not feasible to set up a system like that in a theater yet. But if it advances to the point where we could, aspects we've relied on normal videos for up until now might become even more interesting!
Akiko: There's been so many. For the early shows with the younger versions of the characters we really wanted to live up to the "live spectacle" part of the name, so we included lots of novel things like aerial stunts and trampolines. After that, for Song of the Akatsuki (2017) we added singing and musical numbers to make it more entertaining. Of course, that meant we also started casting actors with singing credentials, and as the story progressed the title character evolved and the actor change from Kodai to Masaki happened. As for the current turning point, now the characters are facing inhuman enemies and we're seeing techniques that are far beyond human ability like Minato's Flying Raijin Jutsu. Everyone is working really hard to strike the right balance between the visual effects and the actors. Since it's the final chapter, you could say it's the biggest turning point of all. That said, in the very end it goes back to the Final Valley with Naruto and Sasuke slugging it out hand-to-hand. I want to make sure the pure intensity of that confrontation mirrors the fight from their younger days. I'm also really looking forward to the moment where the kid everyone called a "demon fox" becomes the Seventh Hokage.
―If you were to direct another Live NARUTO show in the future, what kind of things would you add?
Akiko: This is related to the visual effects I mentioned earlier, but I'd really like to have something like "live motion capture" that renders actors' movements into CG and projects visual effects in real time. For example, an actor could be performing Naruto's nine-tailed fox transformation in the front, with the transformation depicted as it appears in the manga behind them by layering effects over live footage of the actor.
Kodai: Yeah, since nowadays you can do motion capture without having those markers all over your body!
Akiko: With the current technology, it's not feasible to set up a system like that in a theater yet. But if it advances to the point where we could, aspects we've relied on normal videos for up until now might become even more interesting!
Productions That Will Stand the Test of Time for Worldwide Audiences!
―What do you think is the main draw of the NARUTO franchise?
Kodai: When I read the original story, I thought it was pretty amazing that Kishimoto put in things like the relationship between the bloodlines of the Hyuga clan and the conflicts between nations in what was ostensibly a manga for adolescent boys. One of its strongest points is that it doesn't shy away from showing the complexity of conflict, and how even on the winning side there can be a lot of lingering anger and resentment. You could say that not just boiling things down to "Aren't friends important?" is a big part of what makes NARUTO so captivating.
Akiko: Naruto starts off as a very lonely person, and because of that he's not only able to reach out to Gaara and Obito who've suffered in the same way, he's even able to get through to Sasuke in the end... When I first read it I thought, "Is this really a kids' manga?" There's a lot of philosophy and getting deep into the psyche of the characters. It's also a series in which love is clearly a major theme. Like with Sasuke, where his deep love is at the root of his descent into darkness...
Kodai: There's not only the love for one's friends, but also for one's village. It's very deep...
―Please give us a message for all the fans of Live Spectacle NARUTO around the world!
Kodai: I'm really honored to have been part of a franchise like NARUTO which has such worldwide renown. We really carried everyone's love and expectations with us when taking on this series. I never expected we'd be such a hit, and I'm really grateful to everyone who supported us. Of course I recommend attending a show, but I also think it'll be enjoyable on DVD or streamed. Thank you very much!
Akiko: I've worked on a few stage series, but Live NARUTO has been the longest-running out of all of them. I'm so glad we got to continue it for eight years and create a full stage version of the story from beginning to end. Plays are best seen in the theater, but videos can be seen by anyone at any place or time, and I'm really glad our work has been preserved that way. Even as the generations go by, I think being able to watch the whole series of productions will be valuable for the future of stage plays. I'll put my all into making the finale a success!
―Thank you both very much for your time!
Kodai: When I read the original story, I thought it was pretty amazing that Kishimoto put in things like the relationship between the bloodlines of the Hyuga clan and the conflicts between nations in what was ostensibly a manga for adolescent boys. One of its strongest points is that it doesn't shy away from showing the complexity of conflict, and how even on the winning side there can be a lot of lingering anger and resentment. You could say that not just boiling things down to "Aren't friends important?" is a big part of what makes NARUTO so captivating.
Akiko: Naruto starts off as a very lonely person, and because of that he's not only able to reach out to Gaara and Obito who've suffered in the same way, he's even able to get through to Sasuke in the end... When I first read it I thought, "Is this really a kids' manga?" There's a lot of philosophy and getting deep into the psyche of the characters. It's also a series in which love is clearly a major theme. Like with Sasuke, where his deep love is at the root of his descent into darkness...
Kodai: There's not only the love for one's friends, but also for one's village. It's very deep...
―Please give us a message for all the fans of Live Spectacle NARUTO around the world!
Kodai: I'm really honored to have been part of a franchise like NARUTO which has such worldwide renown. We really carried everyone's love and expectations with us when taking on this series. I never expected we'd be such a hit, and I'm really grateful to everyone who supported us. Of course I recommend attending a show, but I also think it'll be enjoyable on DVD or streamed. Thank you very much!
Akiko: I've worked on a few stage series, but Live NARUTO has been the longest-running out of all of them. I'm so glad we got to continue it for eight years and create a full stage version of the story from beginning to end. Plays are best seen in the theater, but videos can be seen by anyone at any place or time, and I'm really glad our work has been preserved that way. Even as the generations go by, I think being able to watch the whole series of productions will be valuable for the future of stage plays. I'll put my all into making the finale a success!
―Thank you both very much for your time!
Live Spectacle NARUTO ～The Shinobi Way of Life～ First Performance in Kanagawa on 10/8 (JST)!
Plus, previous performances from the Live Spectacle NARUTO series will be available for streaming!
Check the official site for details, including information on tickets and more!
Check the official site for details, including information on tickets and more!
