Screenwriter Kankuro Kudo and musician Yoshihide Otomo have worked on two of the best serial dramas of the 2010s, “Amachan” (2013) and “Idaten: A Tale of the Tokyo Olympics” (2019). The two have teamed up for the first time in a long time for the drama series “A Town Without Seasons,” which will be available on Disney+ from August 9.
Based on a novel by Shugoro Yamamoto, which depicts human tragedies and joys, and which was also the basis for Akira Kurosawa’s “Dodes’ka-den” (1970), one of the most popular films in postwar Japan, the film is set in a temporary housing town 12 years after the catastrophe called “Nani” in the film, and depicts the lives of people trying to live tough and happy lives amid poverty and confusion.
Otomo’s accompaniment, which embodies what Kudo calls a “messy” feeling, colors the chaotic energy of the people and the city in a variety of ways. How do music and images resonate with each other in the creation of the work? What are the thoughts that go into it? In this interview, the two artists reveal the secrets of their work.
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Attracted to the uniqueness of Akira Kurosawa’s “Dodes’ka-den”
-I heard that “A Town Without Seasons” was a 30-year-long project.
Kudo： I first encountered Akira Kurosawa’s “Dodes’ka-den” when I was around 20 years old. It was clearly different from any of Kurosawa’s works, and I was most attracted to it. I went back and read the original novel by Shugoro Yamamoto, and as I repeatedly saw both the film and the novel, I began to think, “Someday I would like to remake this story in a different form. At the time, however, it wasn’t anything more than the kind of unrealistic fantasy that movie directors would often discuss at bars, saying, “If I were to remake this story, I’d like to have this person play this role.”
After “Idaten” was over, when we talked about what to do next, I suggested that if I could come up with a project of my own, this is what I would most like to do.
Kankuro Kudo joined Otona Keikaku in 1991. As a screenwriter, he won the Best Screenplay Award at the 25th Japan Academy Prize and many other screenplay awards for the movie “GO” in 2001. Since then, he has written screenplays for high-profile TV dramas such as “Amachan” and “Idaten: Tokyo Olimpic Story”.He made his feature film directorial debut in 2005 with “Yaji and Kita: The Midnight Pilgrims. He has also appeared in numerous films as an actor. His upcoming films include “Hello, Mom” (September 1) and “Yutori desuka nanika international” (October 13).
-Kudo, you are not only the writer and director for this project, but also in charge of the project.
Kudo： This is the first project to be credited as a planner.
-Not only the casting but also the staff lineup reflects your intention. Did you approach Otomo?
Kudo： Yes. When I was thinking about this story, I thought Otomo’s accompaniment would definitely be a great fit. Co-directors Satoko Yokohama and Naoki Watanabe (also assistant director) agreed with me.
Otomo：Until now, the director has worked between Kudo and myself, so I was happy to talk directly with him about the music.
Also, I love “Dodes’ka-den” so much that if asked to name my five favorite movies, it’s definitely one of them. Takemitsu’s music is probably my favorite film music. I even covered the theme song myself. So when Kudo told me about this project, I thought it’s perfect.
Born in Yokohama in 1959. Spent his teenage years in Fukushima City. He has been creating a wide variety of music from improvisation and noisy works to pop music, always in a simultaneous and independent manner, and his activities have spanned the globe. In 2013, he composed music for “Amachan” and in 2019, for the NHK historical drama “Idaten”. In response to the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, he launched “Project FUKUSHIMA!
-The music for “Dodes’ka-den” has a warm and gentle tone.
Otomo： Yes, it’s relatively gentle for Mr. Takemitsu. But if you listen to it carefully, it’s quite strange. I really like his work, which is strange, as in “Kaidan” (1965, directed by Masaki Kobayashi), and “Dodes’ka-den” also oozes that “strangeness. That’s what I like about it.
Kudo： I was at the recording for the opening scene in which Roku-chan runs.
-Roku-chan, the young man driving an imaginary train only he can see. Gaku Hamada played the role.
Kudo： When I saw the band playing along with the picture of Rok-chan running, I thought the same method must’ve been used for the recording of ‘Dodes’ka-den’?”
The tempo of the music was gradually increased to synchronize with the images of the train gradually getting on track and speeding up, but I thought that this could only be done by matching the sound to the actors’ performances.
Otomo： I’m not sure if it’s correct but, that scene definitely could not have been done without matching the pictures. Looking at Mr. Takemitsu’s records, it seems he composed the music for “Dodes’ka-den” later than the shooting, so I wanted to incorporate that process as well. The music made by today’s composers is the worst at that kind of improvisational matching. That’s why I decided to do something that can’t be done with hammering this time.
The setting is a town with temporary housing where people affected by “Nani” take shelter. The main character, Shinsuke Tanaka (Sousuke Ikematsu), aka Hansuke, sneaks into the town with the light-hearted idea that he will receive “up to 10,000 yen” just for reporting what he sees and hears in the town. However, Hansuke is the very man who has lost everything due to his “nani. As he observes the residents living on the edge, Hansuke becomes fascinated with them. Meanwhile, rumors begin to circulate in the town that the temporary housing complex is to be demolished.
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How to stay away from “Dodes’ka-den”? The Kudo and Otomo’s challange
-Did Kudo provide you ideas for the music in advance?
Otomo：The first thing he strongly told me was not to make music like Mr. Kurosawa.
Kudo： No matter what I did, the movie’s theme song would always play in my head. Not only the music but also the storytelling and the artwork, I had to stay from the original film first. We first talked about how to distance ourselves from “Dodes’ka-den.”
Otomo： Kudo also told me he wanted the music to have an indigenous, messy feeling rather than a warm, relaxed atmosphere. But at the same time, he said we were not making similar music to “Amachan” and “Idaten.”
Kudo： The discussion we had was also interesting. We first performed the music for the scene where Roku-chan runs at Otomo’s concert at Shinjuku’s Pit Inn.
Otomo： I wrote the song for Roku-chan’s running scene first. The live concert was just around the corner, so I asked my big band to play the song without telling them what it was about. Then, I rearranged the recording to match it to the scene video Kudo had sent me. From there, we further edited the recordings.
Kudo： At that point, it was exactly as I had imagined. Even during location scouting and meetings, I carefully shared the image of the music with Yokohama and Naoki, but when I heard the first song that Otomo sent, I said, “I’ll leave it to you. I was happy to have the music delivered in the best possible form at the time when the filming had begun in earnest.
-So the process of creating the video and music was like a session.
Kudo： That’s right. But how is it possible for a song performed live to fit so well with the video? It was impressive.
Otomo： We played the song live for about 10 minutes, and we included various patterns in the song, from a slow to a fast tempo, so that it would fit any scene. I take out the part of the tempo that fits the video.
Kudo： I see!
Otomo：I felt like Roku-chan conducting at the live performance.
Kudo：As a side note, we did a lot of location hunting at various railroad crossings for the Rok-chan scene. In the end, we chose the one where a train enthusiastic boy who happened to be there.
He was checking the timetable on his smartphone and kept saying, “The next train will come from here,” or “The next train will come from here.” I didn’t use it in the video, but there is also an elevated track above the railroad crossing, where another train is also running. It’s a great place for train lovers. If train lovers actually love the place, I thought there would be no other better place.
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Meaningless loud music is the symbol of “A Town Without Seasons”
Kudo： One of the things that left an impression on me in the discussion with Otomo was the concept of meaningless loud music that he mentioned.
Otomo： Indeed, I did say that [laughs].
Kudo： Usually, music stands out too much when it tries to say something meaningful. But this is the opposite. I thought it was the best way to symbolize “A Town Without Seasons.”
I think the interesting thing about the accompaniment for this series is that it allows for continuity and imprinting. This time I was in charge of directing episodes 1, 2, 4, 5, and 10, and if you establish a standard at the beginning, such as using a song for the ending of each episode, you can gradually induce the viewer’s image of the drama. Otomo’s concept of meaningless loud music was exactly what I wanted.
That’s why I used the same music for episodes 1 and 2, but Yokohama, the director of the third episode, completely ignored it, which was also great [laughs]. It is normal for serial dramas to keep the format, even if directors were different.
Otomo： Yokohama is really interesting! In my mind, he is as strange as Rok-chan. That’s why I thought from the beginning that the director’s selections for each episode were amazing [laughs].
Kudo： Naoki is also really talented as an assistant director, but when it comes to directing, I was surprised at how much persistence he puts into each cut.
Otomo： Naoki is very persistent [laughs].
Kudo： In episode 6, which Naoki was in charge of, there was a scene of raining, and I thought that scene must’ve been a hard one. After, I asked him, “I heard that it was tough.” Then, he said, “Yes, it was tough,” as if it wasn’t his fault [laughs]. In terms of music, Naoki used completely different techniques the other directors may not use. It was a unique team of directors.
Otomo： They are very much like people in the story.
Kudo： They are full of individuality! It’s not that they were trying to do something different from others, but they were naturally going their own way.
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Kudo’s interest in the extraordinary moments arose in ordinary life
-It was clear Kudo enjoyed making this project. I would also like to ask about the earthquake. “Amachan” was about the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011 and the restoration of the closed Kita Sanriku Railway. In “A Town Without Seasons,” more time has passed since then, and the film deals with the eviction of people living in temporary housing. How did you view this film from the perspective of the “earthquake disaster”?
Otomo： Surprisingly, I did not think about that. I often visit Fukushima as part of “Project FUKUSHIMA!”, so temporary housing is a familiar place for me, and I wonder if it is because I am actually aware of the fact that it is gone.
Kudo： I wasn’t aware of it at all at the site. I wonder if it was the strength of the original work.
There is a part of me that wants people to see the drama apart from the original work. When people hear that the story is based on Shugoro Yamamoto’s original, this drama could be associated with a period drama, but the core story is universal, which I thought people still can relate to. But of course the postwar barracks in “A Town Without Seasons” are no longer there. So, it should be a story about temporary housing.
Everyone has lost their homes due to their circumstances, and they have all gathered together in one place. But they are all smiling and laughing and living strong. If this story were to be set in the present day, there was no better place than in temporary housing.
During the planning process, I had the opportunity to visit various places. I visited temporary housing in Miyagi where people who suffered from flood damage live. In Koriyama, I visited a temporary housing complex that had been damaged by the earthquake. I was actually allowed to go up to their rooms and talk with them. Some of them had customized their rooms in their own way. These experiences are reflected in “A Town Without Seasons.”
Otomo： Of course, there are people with strong characters in the temporary housing, though not as strong as the characters in the drama. I felt that there was a link between the characters in the drama and the people I met in various places, not only in the disaster-stricken areas.
-Not only in this film, but in many of your other works, you have depicted an ensemble drama set in a certain community. Otomo has also been involved in “Project FUKUSHIMA!” and other community-related activities for a long time, and you seem to actively engage with this area.
Kudo： In “Idaten,” the reconstruction sports festival held after the Great Kanto Earthquake is exactly like that. Everyone’s houses have been destroyed. During the daytime, they cook together and enjoy themselves. But when everyone goes home at night, you can hear someone crying from somewhere.
In the case of the Great East Japan Earthquake, this area was not where celebrities often come visit, but many popular idols started visiting the area for consolation. And when they left at the end of the day, people felt very lonely.
This is a universal feeling regardless of the time period and this is what I want to depict, which is why I’m interested in his “meaningless loud” situation. This also has to do with the theme I intend to deliver through my work. I’m interested in the extraordinary moments that arose in ordinary life.
-The biggest difference between the original story and “Dodes’ka-den” and your “A Town Without Seasons” is the sense of parting and ending. In the original story, there is a sense that the town and its inhabitants will continue to exist forever, but in the case of the temporary housing, the eviction deadline is approaching, and it’s foretold that one day everyone will be scattered and broken up.
Kudo： Temporary housing is a temporary place. They need to leave eventually.
When I visited the disaster area in Ishinomaki, one of the things that left an impression on me was that in temporary housing, people were friendly with each other even if they did not want to meet, because they had to, but once they moved to the reconstruction housing, they stopped socializing. One elderly person who had moved to the reconstruction housing said, “I’ve reached a certain age now, so I don’t want to get to know my new neighbors anymore.” I thought that was true. Relationships are not forever.
The local government might be happy that they found a new home and don’t need to live in temporary housing. But Some people might’ve enjoyed living there and their relationships with the neighbors.
It may be a temporary joy when knowing they all have to move out in the end but that’s why even people like Hansuke (played by Sousuke Ikematsu, the main character and the narrator of the story), with little emotion, tried to make a drama in the end and to show that he existed there. That’s why I changed the ending so drastically from the original story.
Otomo： Ikematsu’s line in the last episode. I can’t tell you because it would be a spoiler, but It was really touching. I’m sure I’d feel the same way. I usually make a big fuss at live performances [laughs].
Kudo： There are a few things that I changed from the original work and “Dodes’ka-den,” such as making the setting of Shima, played by Takashi Fujii, more modern, more middle-management style.
Kudo： When I look back at Kurosawa’s “Dodes’ka-den” again, I feel it was a very artistic work. It was the first color work for the director himself, and he painted the streets and drew the shadows of the houses in black ink. My work is not art, so I feel like I want to depict more of the relationships between people and how they clash. I feel that my work is not my work unless I can show that there is actually a relationship between these people, and that is why they clash and cooperate with each other.
Otomo： The ending was great, and the rest of the story was also great. It is a story that does not exist in the original work, but that is what I like about it. When asked to be in charge of the accompaniment for the film, I looked back at “Dodes’ka-den” again and found myself looking at it in a completely different light. I love this movie, but there are so many things I want to pick at.
Kudo：“Dodes’ka-den” is a heavy story. The second episode of “A Town Without Seasons” is also very heavy. Maki Sakai, who plays the mother, says something harsh to her son Tatsuya, played by Taiga Nakano. However, if Tatsuya is not saved in the second episode, I felt too sorry for him. So, in order to forcefully boost the emotions, I put on a happy ending song. I said, “This is a comedy! This is a comedy drama!” That’s what I thought, but in the third episode, Yokohama didn’t follow that format at all [laughs]. I was so frustrated and thought I would definitely use this song in my next episode.
Otomo： Thank you [laughs].
A Town Without Seasons
Wednesday, August 9, 2023: Exclusive distribution of all 10 episodes on Disney Plus “Star
Planning/Director/Screenplay: Kankuro Kudo
Director: Satoko Yokohama, Naoki Watanabe
Based on the novel “A Town Without Seasons” by Shugoro Yamamoto
Cast:
Sousuke Ikematsu
Taiga Nakano
Daichi Watanabe
MiuraToko
Gaku Hamada
Naozumi Masuko
Yoshiyoshi Arakawa
MEGUMI
Mary Jun Takahashi
Naoki Matsayoshi
Atsuko Maeda
Muga Tsukaji
YOUNG DAIS
Kana Osawa
Eita Okuno
Aimi Satsukawa
Maki Sakai
Hairi Katagiri
Yuriko Hirooka
LiLiCo
Takashi Fujii
Shingo Tsurumi
Bengal
Ryo Iwamatsu
https://disneyplus.disney.co.jp/program/kisetsunonaimachi
