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▼ Ryo Kato: Outstanding Presence / Comical TV Personality Aiming to Break New Ground by Portraying Uncanny Character
- Category:Event
He has striking eyes and bold brows, and his reactions seem a bit exaggerated. Even when he’s on a TV screen, his presence can jump out at you like a three-dimensional image.
Ryo Kato has risen to stardom in the showbiz world over the past year or so, thanks to the remarkable impression he makes with his appearance and comic performances. Now the 27-year-old is aiming to break the mold: In September he will take on a stage role in which he will play a main character with an uncanny presence.
Kato can currently be seen almost every day on TV. In a commercial for a life insurer, for example, he comically portrays an immortal, while on variety shows he displays his dancing skills, which he has been working on since the age of 5. He also appears on talk shows, as a panelist on quiz shows, and as a judge in look-alike contests. As an actor, he can be seen not only in TV dramas, but also in films and on stage.
Kato’s extraordinary presence undoubtedly comes from his arresting appearance — something that he finds troubling.
“When I see myself on TV, I still think about what a weird face I have,” Kato said during a recent interview. When I described his face as clear-cut and masculine, he replied: “Such a description could be true for each part of my face, but together they are just a jumble.”
Kato has had a long career in the showbiz world for his age. A native of Shizuoka Prefecture, he made his debut in 2000 by appearing in “Appare Sanma Dai-sensei,” a popular TV show featuring discussions between star comedian Akashiya Sanma, who played a teacher at a fictitious school, and the children who were his students.
Right after joining the cast, a young Kato was made fun of for his bold eyebrows by Akashiya, who also pointed out his campy mannerisms.
When the comedian nicknamed the boy “Mama” (madam), Kato replied, “Please call me ‘Kurumi-chan,’” choosing a girl’s name.
“I was thinking, ‘I’m not campy at all!’” he recalled. “However, perhaps I sensed, even as a child, what others were expecting me to do.”
Five years later, Kato was given a role in the film “Hinokio,” which made him serious about acting. The story follows a boy with mental and physical disabilities who remotely controls a robot to send it to elementary school. Kato played one of the humanoid’s classmates.
The robot only appears on screen thanks to computer-generated imaging technology. “When we watched the finished work on screen, we saw the robot where we had seen nothing [during shooting], and we were acting right next to him,” Kato said. “I was so impressed.”
Mikako Tabe, who played another classmate, won that year’s Blue Ribbon rookie award, while Kanata Hongo, who played the boy controlling the robot, later hit the limelight as a good-looking actor.
“They motivated me,” Kato said. “But ... it’d be a lie to say I didn’t feel frustrated with myself.”
He received acting offers only occasionally at that time, and after graduating from Tama Art University, suddenly had a lot of time on his hands.
“I wondered what I was doing,” Kato recalled. “I was so worried, thinking I’d be fired by my agency.”
Chance to repay favor
One day, Kato was told by the agency to come in to its office. He went in, prepared for the worst.
However, the agency told him he’d been offered a role in the TV drama adaptation of “Omoni Naitemasu” (I’m mostly crying), a comedy manga about a beautiful art model. In this 2012 drama, Kato played one of the main characters — a gay man who has an extraordinary presence due to his shaved head and black school uniform with a stand-up collar — and it became a successful role for him.
In December last year, Kato starred as the title character in the stage adaptation of “Patalliro!” — a long-running comedy manga created by Mineo Maya about a smart, mischievous boy king. It was his first lead role. Kato’s chubby body shape and behavior are described as being almost identical to the character, and the author has said he is the “only actor who can play Patalliro.” It has been decided that there will be a stage sequel next spring.
Actor and stage director Masahiko Kawahara has always recognized Kato’s talents and supported him. Since 2010, the two have occasionally worked together as stage director and actor, and Kawahara gives him tough instructions.
At the same time, however, Kawahara speaks positively about Kato to those around him, saying things like: “I don’t understand why Kato’s struggling. I’m sure he’ll be a hit as soon as he’s featured on a TV variety show.”
When Kato took a role in a stage play directed by Kawahara in 2014, the director visited an executive of the actor’s agency, saying: “I hope you’ll step up efforts to promote Kato — at least for two more years. Otherwise, he will just end up being a creepy old guy.”
“There aren’t many people who give me as much support as he does,” Kato said. “I hope to return the favor.”
And the chance has just arrived. Kato will perform in “Ningen Fusha” (Human windmill), a play directed by Kawahara that will kick off in September.
The show is both comedy and horror, with fellow actors Songha playing a struggling children’s book writer and Mimura appearing as a TV personality. Kato portrays a strange man who holds the key for the story to move forward, a role that was played by Sadao Abe in 2000 and Kawahara himself three years later.
Kato said he initially felt so much pressure about playing the same role as these two actors.
“When I watched them perform the role [in videos], I found that they both displayed their own good attributes,” Kato said. “Their performances made me feel excited, thinking about how I can portray the character.”
In “Ningen Fusha,” Kato aims to overturn his public image as “camp” or “pop.”
“I hope I can make audience members think: ‘Oh my, Kato was only laughing on TV shows before, but now he looks so scary,’” he said.
“Ningen Fusha” will be staged from Sept. 28 to Oct. 9 at the Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre’s Playhouse in Ikebukuro, Tokyo, before traveling to six other cities. Visit www.parco-play.com/web/play/ningenfusha for details.
Ryo Kato has risen to stardom in the showbiz world over the past year or so, thanks to the remarkable impression he makes with his appearance and comic performances. Now the 27-year-old is aiming to break the mold: In September he will take on a stage role in which he will play a main character with an uncanny presence.
Kato can currently be seen almost every day on TV. In a commercial for a life insurer, for example, he comically portrays an immortal, while on variety shows he displays his dancing skills, which he has been working on since the age of 5. He also appears on talk shows, as a panelist on quiz shows, and as a judge in look-alike contests. As an actor, he can be seen not only in TV dramas, but also in films and on stage.
Kato’s extraordinary presence undoubtedly comes from his arresting appearance — something that he finds troubling.
“When I see myself on TV, I still think about what a weird face I have,” Kato said during a recent interview. When I described his face as clear-cut and masculine, he replied: “Such a description could be true for each part of my face, but together they are just a jumble.”
Kato has had a long career in the showbiz world for his age. A native of Shizuoka Prefecture, he made his debut in 2000 by appearing in “Appare Sanma Dai-sensei,” a popular TV show featuring discussions between star comedian Akashiya Sanma, who played a teacher at a fictitious school, and the children who were his students.
Right after joining the cast, a young Kato was made fun of for his bold eyebrows by Akashiya, who also pointed out his campy mannerisms.
When the comedian nicknamed the boy “Mama” (madam), Kato replied, “Please call me ‘Kurumi-chan,’” choosing a girl’s name.
“I was thinking, ‘I’m not campy at all!’” he recalled. “However, perhaps I sensed, even as a child, what others were expecting me to do.”
Five years later, Kato was given a role in the film “Hinokio,” which made him serious about acting. The story follows a boy with mental and physical disabilities who remotely controls a robot to send it to elementary school. Kato played one of the humanoid’s classmates.
The robot only appears on screen thanks to computer-generated imaging technology. “When we watched the finished work on screen, we saw the robot where we had seen nothing [during shooting], and we were acting right next to him,” Kato said. “I was so impressed.”
Mikako Tabe, who played another classmate, won that year’s Blue Ribbon rookie award, while Kanata Hongo, who played the boy controlling the robot, later hit the limelight as a good-looking actor.
“They motivated me,” Kato said. “But ... it’d be a lie to say I didn’t feel frustrated with myself.”
He received acting offers only occasionally at that time, and after graduating from Tama Art University, suddenly had a lot of time on his hands.
“I wondered what I was doing,” Kato recalled. “I was so worried, thinking I’d be fired by my agency.”
Chance to repay favor
One day, Kato was told by the agency to come in to its office. He went in, prepared for the worst.
However, the agency told him he’d been offered a role in the TV drama adaptation of “Omoni Naitemasu” (I’m mostly crying), a comedy manga about a beautiful art model. In this 2012 drama, Kato played one of the main characters — a gay man who has an extraordinary presence due to his shaved head and black school uniform with a stand-up collar — and it became a successful role for him.
In December last year, Kato starred as the title character in the stage adaptation of “Patalliro!” — a long-running comedy manga created by Mineo Maya about a smart, mischievous boy king. It was his first lead role. Kato’s chubby body shape and behavior are described as being almost identical to the character, and the author has said he is the “only actor who can play Patalliro.” It has been decided that there will be a stage sequel next spring.
Actor and stage director Masahiko Kawahara has always recognized Kato’s talents and supported him. Since 2010, the two have occasionally worked together as stage director and actor, and Kawahara gives him tough instructions.
At the same time, however, Kawahara speaks positively about Kato to those around him, saying things like: “I don’t understand why Kato’s struggling. I’m sure he’ll be a hit as soon as he’s featured on a TV variety show.”
When Kato took a role in a stage play directed by Kawahara in 2014, the director visited an executive of the actor’s agency, saying: “I hope you’ll step up efforts to promote Kato — at least for two more years. Otherwise, he will just end up being a creepy old guy.”
“There aren’t many people who give me as much support as he does,” Kato said. “I hope to return the favor.”
And the chance has just arrived. Kato will perform in “Ningen Fusha” (Human windmill), a play directed by Kawahara that will kick off in September.
The show is both comedy and horror, with fellow actors Songha playing a struggling children’s book writer and Mimura appearing as a TV personality. Kato portrays a strange man who holds the key for the story to move forward, a role that was played by Sadao Abe in 2000 and Kawahara himself three years later.
Kato said he initially felt so much pressure about playing the same role as these two actors.
“When I watched them perform the role [in videos], I found that they both displayed their own good attributes,” Kato said. “Their performances made me feel excited, thinking about how I can portray the character.”
In “Ningen Fusha,” Kato aims to overturn his public image as “camp” or “pop.”
“I hope I can make audience members think: ‘Oh my, Kato was only laughing on TV shows before, but now he looks so scary,’” he said.
“Ningen Fusha” will be staged from Sept. 28 to Oct. 9 at the Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre’s Playhouse in Ikebukuro, Tokyo, before traveling to six other cities. Visit www.parco-play.com/web/play/ningenfusha for details.
- August 23, 2017
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