Returning to season 2 of Alice in Borderland, Kento Yamazaki confirmed that there will be many explosive “chemical reactions” with his “soulmate” co-star Tsuchiya Tao.
For audiences who love Japanese films, Kento Yamazaki is a name that is no longer too strange with “many faces”. People often joke that whenever there is a movie adaptation, invite Kento to star if you want the film to be successful. That’s right, after going through a series of projects like Death Note, Orange, April Is My Lie… and now Alice In Borderland, the “Japanese treasure” actor has all confirmed his name. his age.
With Alice In Borderland, Kento Yamazaki shows a very different image than before: sloppy, miserable, struggling and full of tears. In the same way that the male lead Arisu realizes his worth when entering the “world with no way out”, the handsome man born in 1994 also took a big step forward on his acting path, successfully escaping from the world. The label “shoujo prince” can only act in one style. In this exclusive interview about season 2, Kento Yamazaki looks back on his journey as Arisu with shining eyes, boundless pride in the project, and sometimes chuckles when he hears the name. Tsuchiya Tao – his screen “soulmate” and also the female lead of Alice In Borderland.
There will be an extremely interesting opponent and “sticky rice” appears!
How does Kento feel when he returns to season 2 Alice in Borderland?
In season 1, I had the opportunity to work with the best team and people in Japan. Through our efforts, we have successfully brought Alice In Borderland to a global audience. Regarding the plot, season 1 saw the characters complete the first life and death stage. Now, the audience will enter season 2 with countless mysteries still lingering in this Borderland world. There’s definitely an answer to everything somewhere that the previous film left open.
In addition, season 1 also closed the first half of the original manga! For me, this new season is no longer a life-and-death race. Each character will be deepened, not only about their existence but also the meaning of life in general, on the question “What do we do on this Earth?”. These messages and subtexts are all in the original, and I think the whole crew has conveyed them into the film in the most complete way.
Does season 2 of Alice In Borderland have any games that have impressed Kento until now?
Every game in the movie left a deep impression on me. I quite enjoyed the rounds in season 1, but this season 2 is different. Looking at the cards this time around, that alone is quite different. Season 2 forces the characters to take on more challenges, and now the whole city of Shibuya is part of the game. We had to run away from Gia Bich all over the place, then shoot wildly and together defeat formidable opponents.
I don’t know if I can reveal this, but soon, there will be an extremely interesting opponent and “sticky rice” appears, the audience will definitely like him!
Kento participates in a lot of action scenes in this part, right?
I remember there was a shooting scene and a pretty thrilling driving scene. Arisu lives in the real world so when he first picked up this weapon and used it, he was scared. And I had to make that fear real. Like when you hear a “Bang!” really loud, you have to know how to react appropriately. Looking back, I think I did well!
When receiving the script for season 2, what were Kento’s feelings at that time?
Super cool, of course. I really liked the details in the original story, but when I turned it into a movie, I found the project to have many new aspects that are very good. It’s natural to stick to the original, but the new things from the script that I received in this season 2 are also worth looking forward to. The games that Arisu is about to participate in will be new and attractive in their own way.
This period will have many rounds that require high physical strength. In season 1, Arisu didn’t understand what was going on and just “followed the flow” and participated. But this time, he will go to war. Besides, there are also “boss”, or rather, the administrators, who bring not only rounds but also quite poignant words. Personally, I really like the lines of “Old Chuan” Kyuma and “Dam Co” Mira.
Arisu and Usagi understand each other from the bottom of their hearts
In terms of characters, what does Kento think audiences can expect from this season 2 alone?
Arisu of season 1 is quite fragile and only focuses on keeping his life. And because of that, his friends died one after another… So he thought to himself: Why am I alive and not everyone else?
At that same moment, Arisu met the most important person in his life – Usagi. This predestined relationship helps him overcome his own weakness and stop being selfish. I see that he is much stronger mentally this time, all thanks to Usagi and the idea of surviving together to the end. The two characters will have an expected development in the next season 2.
Arisu and Usagi’s relationship is the highlight of season 1. Where does Kento think this strength comes from?
Simply because we are in the mortal world. There, people win and lose, betray and eliminate each other like meals. But in that same world, Arisu and Usagi understood each other from the bottom of their hearts. In order to build this chemistry throughout the movie, they never cheated on each other even once, which also helps the two bond more emotionally.
I think in real life, if there is a machine working together like that, you have reached the true value of trust. You and them have a very special relationship. Going back to the movie, in order to be able to live together, the characters must learn to cooperate and support each other – something that is paramount. In addition to Arisu and Usagi alone, there is also an element of romance. In short, I want to say: That is the power of love!
We’ve talked a lot about Usagi, so who is Kento’s favorite character in the movie?
All of them (laughs). This question is actually quite difficult! If I had to choose my favorite character, it would probably be Kyuma and Chishiya. Both of them I like. Regarding Kyuma, despite being an opponent, his outlook on life is quite impressive. It’s easy to fall in love with him, he’s a good person and very straightforward especially when facing you, like a head-to-head fighter.
For some viewers, the movie will be quite scary but bear with it…
Alice in Borderland constantly emphasizes on the theme of life, that “living is more important than just being”. According to Kento, how will season 2 continue this message?
Depending on each character, there will be different living messages. I think all of them, the way they’re living, there’s nothing wrong here. Even those who are labeled “villains”, cannot just because they represent minority views can be judged as evil. Assuming the villain accounts for 90%, what about 10% is the hero? So that 10% turned into villains? That is not correct. See, those are the things that make me think a lot and feel quite convincing.
I can only add that, in Borderland or even the real world, it becomes very important for these people to feel this, that, and that about life. Because that’s the feeling depending on where each person’s heart is. During the process of filming this movie, I realized and learned that the heart is very intimate. It governs the way we see and reflect on our lives.
It sounds like Alice In Borderland isn’t for everyone. What does Kento think people who don’t know about the film will be attracted to?
I think Alice In Borderland takes place in contemporary Japan, so it won’t be there to appeal to today’s audience, even if it happens in our own daily lives. Besides, of course, there are still interesting elements about the game, the survival battles.
As for the game system in the movie, it’s a life-and-death line that each player has to face. For some viewers, the movie will be quite scary but bear with it, because these games can’t help but be brutal. But that is what makes them attractive and worth watching, so they will attract a lot of other viewers. In addition to enjoying movies in an entertaining way, the audience can also come up with associations and fantasies like “If I entered the world of Borderland, what would I do?” such as.
How does Kento feel about starring in one of the most successful manga adaptations ever?
“Manga” is pride in Japanese culture. Today, there are many real-life movie projects adapted from comic books, attracting a large number of views around the world. Just thinking about it makes me proud!
Finally, can Kento reveal a little about the changes of the upcoming season 2, compared to season 1 and compared to the original?
I feel Arisu’s desire to return to the real world very clearly. Arisu also didn’t want to abandon anyone, didn’t want to see anyone die. In addition, Shibuya will surprise everyone when it is now extremely deserted, looking like a “invaded” ruins.
There is also one more game of Gia Bich. In the manga, Arisu doesn’t participate in this game, but in the movie, everyone does. It will be interesting to see!
Alice In Borderland has released the full season 2 series since December 22, 2022.
