by Actor Rihito Itagaki will appear in “Scary Picture Book season 4” (Night 10: 30-11: 00, NHK E-Tele) broadcast on January 7th (Friday).
The program is a program in which an up-and-coming young actor reads aloud a mysterious picture book and plays the main character of a horror drama before and after that. So far, a total of nine works have been broadcast, and it has become a hot topic due to the fear of story development and the beauty of anime.
Itagaki, who appears in the 6th episode of such a program, reads “Kappa” (Shiobunsha) drawn by Natsuhiko Kyogoku based on Kunio Yanagita’s famous book “Tono Monogatari.” And in the drama part linked to the picture book, he plays a high school student who has a horror experience while cleaning the pool.
This time, on WEB The Television, we interviewed Itagaki after shooting. He asked about his involvement with horror and picture books and his aspirations for 2022.
Interview with Rihito Itagaki
First of all, please tell us your impressions of shooting the drama part.
It was my first time doing horror work. I’m not good at horror, but I enjoyed it with just the right amount of fear. I am also looking forward to seeing what kind of fear and value it will bring by combining the drama and reading parts of the picture book into one work.
Please give us your impression of reading this recitation work, “Kappa.”
Interestingly, it was a “red” kappa unique to “Tono Monogatari,” which was different from the image I had for kappa. The ending of the story was also surprising.
“Scary Picture Book” is a new program style, reading aloud, anime, and drama. Please tell us what you would like us to pay particular attention to.
Not only horror but also “voice-only work” like reading aloud will be done for the first time, so what kind of new expression will be given to my fans who have seen various works so far? I would like you to look forward to it.
“Because I have no inspiration …”
You said you are not good at horror, but have you ever experienced horror?
I like watching live games, so I watch people play (horror games) through the gaps in my fingers. I don’t see much at night (laughs). I’m not inspired, so I’ve never experienced anything (laughs).
Are there any school ghost stories that you thought were scary when you were young?
There was something like a giant dinosaur bone specimen in elementary school. Depending on the season, when the time was late, the room where the specimens were placed could be dark, but it was scary.
It is said that the reading part will be recorded from now on, but please be enthusiastic.
The content is horrifying, so I hope to aim for the right pitch and intonation. I’m looking forward to it.
What are your aspirations for 2022?
Looking back on 2021 for yourself, what kind of year was it?
I think that 2021 was a year in which I grew as an actor in various ways by playing a wide range of roles, including the leading drama and the second taiga drama.
In “This is ethics from now on” (NHK General TV), I played a child with an attachment disorder, but after seeing his impressions on SNS, etc., he realized that he was in a position to connect the work and the viewer. I strongly felt something like that.
Finally, please tell us your aspirations for 2022!
2022 will be a significant milestone of 20 years old, so I would like to do my expression in each work as I like. Also, I would like someone familiar with alcohol to take it! (Lol)
