Interview With Eijo Akaso
Location: Anime Expo 2023
Interview Date: 7/3/2023
Anime Herald: What did you do to prepare for the role?
Eiji Akaso: I didn’t have much time to prepare. One thing I did was practice American football because there’s one scene with it. Also, I prepared for action.
Anime Herald: How does your character Akira Tendo evolve throughout the story?
Eiji Akaso: At the beginning of the story he’s working for his company as a wage slave. He was overwhelmed and under pressure. Now that he doesn’t have to go back to work, he felt the joy of his newfound freedom to go exploring. Additionally, as he grew closer in his friendships with Shizuka and Kencho, he grew as a person.
Anime Herald: Different characters reacted to the zombie apocalypse in different ways. The main character, Akira Tendo chose to live his best life. Which character did you most identify with?
Eiji Akaso: I would reach similarly to Kencho in the film. I would be afraid of zombies and not know how to react. The fear would overwhelm me.
Anime Herald: Were you personally a fan of zombie and horror movies? If so, how did that affect how you played your character?
Eiji Akaso: I like horror movies. If I had to name some… The Exorcist and a Japanese movie, One Missed Call (Takashi Miike). It didn’t really help me act in this movie though.
Anime Herald: Can you share any stories from the production of the movie?
Eiji Akaso: I had a conversation with the director before we began production. He told me that my eyes were very important. I needed to use them to differentiate Akira as alive versus the dead-eyed zombies.
Anime Herald: There is a lot of action in this movie. What did you do to prepare for your role as an action hero?
Eiji Akaso: I did stretching exercises every day. On my days off, I practiced action.
Anime Herald: Thank you very much.
Eiji Akaso: Thank you.
