I am an actor

著者に会いたい

I want to meet the author

『俺は俳優だ』薩摩剣八郎さん(57)

“I am an actor” Kenpachiro Satsuma (57)

文と写真・秋山亮太

Text and photos by Ryota Akiyama

重さ100』を超すこともある着ぐるみに身を包み、戦車や高層ビルの模型をけ散らし、踏みつぶす。あのゴジラ、観客の期待通りに動かすには、相当な体力が必要だ。身長170、体重72」。薩摩剣八郎さんは10本近くの「ゴジラ映画」を経験している「着ぐるみ役者」でもある。

Dressed in costumes that can weigh over 100 pounds, they scatter and crush models of tanks and skyscrapers. It takes a lot of physical strength to move that Godzilla the way the audience expects. Height: 170, weight: 72 kilograms. Kenpachiro Satsuma is also a suit actor who has worked on nearly 10 Godzilla movies.

鹿児島から上京後、製鉄所の勤務を経て映画の世界に踏み込んだ。撮影所大部屋の下積みも経験、40年近くに及ぶ役者生活の中で見てきた映画の撮影現場のあれこれをつづっている。

After moving to Tokyo from Kagoshima, he worked at a steel factory before stepping into the world of film. He has experience working in a large studio room, and writes about everything he has seen on movie sets during his nearly 40 years as an actor.

北朝鮮製ゴジラで大暴れ

Rampage with North Korean Godzilla

アルバイトで食いつないだ極貧生活から、「ゴジラ」の枠をこえて活躍する最近の姿までが描かれている。なかでもユニー「クな経験は、北朝鮮製作のゴジラ映画とも言われた怪獣映画「プルガサリ」への出演だった。撮影翌年の86年に監督が亡命したために公開が遅れ、日本での初上映は98年にずれ込んだ、いわくつきの映画だ。

The film depicts his life in extreme poverty, where he made ends meet through part-time jobs, to his recent life in which he is active beyond the framework of “Godzilla.'” One of his most unique experiences was appearing in the monster movie “Pulgasari” produced by North Korea, which was said to be a Godzilla movie. It is a controversial film whose release was delayed because the director defected in 1986, the year after it was filmed, and the first screening in Japan was delayed until 1998.

撮影は思惑通りにいかなかった。北京のスタジオでは、着ぐるみの中で息も絶え絶えになりながら宮殿のセットを殴りまくったが、ちっとも壊れない。突き出たひさしを下からすくい上げてやっと壊した。

The shooting didn’t go as planned. In the Beijing studio, I punched the palace set while gasping for air in my costume, but it didn’t break in the slightest. I finally managed to break the protruding eaves by scooping them up from below.

平壌では、スタジオから宿泊所に帰るバスに、日本人の美術スタッフが乗り損なうという「事件」もあった。たまたまスタジオ近くを通りかかった北朝鮮スタッフが、地下鉄に乗せて宿舎に連れてきてくれたのだが、日本人スタッフが地下鉄に乗ることは禁止されていた。その北朝鮮人スタッフは翌日から姿を見せなくなったという。

In Pyongyang, there was also an “incident” in which a Japanese art staff member missed the bus returning from his studio to his accommodation. A North Korean staff member happened to be passing by the studio and took me on the subway to my dorm, but Japanese staff members were not allowed to ride the subway. The North Korean staff member reportedly disappeared the next day.

汗と涙で思い出深いゴジラだが、「着ぐるみは、もう無理。平成ゴジラは、私が経験した着ぐるみより重くなってしまった。何かのイベントで着るぐらいですよ」。

Although Godzilla is memorable because of his sweat and tears, “I can’t wear a costume anymore. Heisei Godzilla is heavier than any costume I’ve experienced. I only wear it for some events.”

今、映画の出演はほとんどない。それでも木刀の素振りや鉄アレイによる鍛錬を欠かさない。(ワイズ出版・1995円)

Nowadays, he rarely appears in movies. Even so, he never forgets practicing swinging with a wooden sword and training with an iron array. (Wise Publishing / 1995 yen)