Tokyo: My Best Actor Gear List

Chapter 91 A true master always has the heart of an apprentice.

Chapter 91 A true master always has the heart of an apprentice.

The studio shoot has temporarily come to an end.

In preparation for the next shot, the set underwent a one-hour adjustment period.

Half of the tungsten filament lamps were turned off, leaving only a few working lamps on to cool the hot tubes.

The staff were busy pushing flight cases around, and the tense filming scene relaxed a little.

As the crackling sound of electricity gradually subsided, the burning heat on the skin also began to slowly dissipate.

Kitahara Shinsuke unbuttoned his collar and walked to the vending machine in the corner.

The sound of the coin rolling was particularly crisp in the empty corridor.

"Clang!"

A can of iced coffee fell to the ground.

"Um—Kitahara-senpai."

A somewhat reserved voice came from behind me.

Kitahara Shin bent down to take out the drink and turned around.

It is Toshiaki Karasawa.

The young actor had changed out of his reporter costume and was now wearing a plain cotton T-shirt. He was holding a can of oolong tea he had just bought, and his face showed a mixture of excitement and lingering fear.

"Thank you so much just now."

Toshiaki Karasawa bowed deeply again, this was the third time he had thanked him. "If you hadn't helped me up and given me directions, that long take would have been ruined by me. I would definitely have been scolded to death by Director Itami."

"Director Itami does have a bad temper, but when he scolds someone, it's usually about the issue, not the person."

Kitahara Shin pulled the tab, took a sip of the cold coffee, and let the bitter taste wash away the dryness in his throat. "And with that chaotic scheduling, anyone would be nervous the first time filming, but you reacted very quickly, which is quite good."

"

"No, no, no, compared to you, senior, I am still far from being good enough."

Toshiaki Karasawa waved his hands repeatedly, his eyes full of admiration. "I just watched the replay on the monitor. When you stood there—you were just like a real veteran employee of the Okura Hotel. That aloofness was truly amazing."

He lowered his voice, leaning closer as if sharing some secret information: "Actually, I was really scared before filming started, because everyone said that Rentaro Mikuni is particularly—"

It's terrifying. I heard that to prepare for a role, he actually had his teeth pulled out. And he never speaks to newcomers on set; if someone doesn't act well, his gaze can freeze them to death.

"I almost bumped into him just now, my legs went weak, thankfully you were there to stop me."

Kitahara Shin smiled.

Rentaro Mikuni's reputation has indeed been circulating in the community for a long time.

That kind of dedication to a role, to the point of obsession, is indeed an insurmountable mountain for today's young people, inspiring both awe and a desire to escape.

"senior."

Summoning his courage, Toshiaki Karasawa looked earnestly at Shin Kitahara. "I know this is presumptuous, but could I—become your apprentice? I want to learn acting from you! Not just techniques, but also the ability to manage the entire production on set!"

His eyes sparkled, revealing the naivety and enthusiasm of a newborn calf.

Kitahara Shin paused for a moment, then shook his head.

"No need for the apprenticeship requirement."

He leaned against the vending machine, watching the workers dismantling the set in the distance. "I don't have that much to teach you either. In this film crew, I'm just a student who's still learning."

"Huh? How could this be?"

Toshiaki Karasawa looked incredulous. "You acted so well that even the veterans of the Three Kingdoms period took a second look at you. You're too modest."

"It's not modesty."

Kitahara Shin's tone was calm. "You'll realize once you've acted more. Acting is like a mountain you can never climb to the top. I'm only halfway up now, and I'm still far from those monsters who live on the summit."

"Tsk tsk tsk, listen to that, listen to that."

A mocking voice came from the side.

Juzo Itami walked over at some point, still holding that cigarette that seemed to never end.

He wore his signature multi-pocket vest and had that sly, worldly-wise grin on his face.

"Excessive humility is pride, Kitahara-kun."

The director exhaled a smoke ring, reached out and patted Toshiaki Karasawa on the shoulder, startling the young man. "Young people should have the vigor of youth. When it's time to be a little wild, you should be a little wild. Save those old-fashioned words for when you're over sixty."

"Director—" Toshiaki Karasawa stood up straight nervously.

"Alright, don't be nervous. You did a decent job today, you didn't embarrass me."

Itami Juzo waved his hand, dismissing the excited young man, then turned to look at Kitahara Shin, his gaze becoming more profound.

"However, what you just said wasn't entirely wrong."

The director pointed towards the dressing room, "The old man sitting in there is indeed a mountain. The fact that you realize you're still halfway up the mountain means you haven't had your ears plugged by the applause outside."

Kitahara Shin stared at the closed door of the lounge.

"I had a lot of trouble taking on that scene," he admitted.

During the filming just now, that one look from Mikuni Rentaro really put him under immense pressure.

That's something that can't be compensated for by skills or equipment; it's the weight condensed from decades of life experience.

"normal."

Juzo Itami smiled. "He's eaten more salt than you've eaten rice. Take your time learning; that's the most interesting part of making movies."

After saying that, the director stubbed out his cigarette and turned to check the footage on the monitor.

Kitahara Shin stood there, holding the can of coffee that had begun to warm up.

He remembered his previous life.

In that huge film and television factory called Hengdian, he saw too many people who called themselves "actors".

Those popular celebrities can't even memorize their lines, just reciting "1234567" in front of the camera, relying entirely on post-production dubbing; those slightly famous young idols only ever have one set of expressions when acting—a furrowed brow means pain, a glaring eye means anger, and a raised corner of the mouth means happiness.

They are adored by their fans and propelled forward by capital, but they have never truly looked down to see the path beneath their feet.

At that time, he was a background extra who rarely even got to show his face.

However, he was fortunate enough to have played minor roles in the film crews of several veteran actors.

He had seen how real actors would repeatedly tumble and fall in the mud for a single shot that lasted only a few seconds; he had seen how they would wear only a single layer of clothing in winter and a cotton-padded coat in summer to fit their roles, without a single complaint.

It was because he had witnessed the brilliance of that "craftsmanship" that he was so determined to climb that mountain after his rebirth.

He didn't want to be a cog in the machine that could be replaced at any time, nor did he want to be a plastic vase that was only for people to admire.

He wanted to be the kind of "person" who could stand firm amidst great storms.

"We still need to practice."

Kitahara Shin muttered something to himself, threw the empty can into the trash can, and turned to walk towards the actors' dressing room.

There are still a few details in the script for the next scene that need to be refined.

The lounge was quiet.

Most of the actors have already left, or gone outside to smoke and get some fresh air.

Kitahara Shin pushed open the door and walked softly.

In the corner of the room, only a floor lamp was on.

In that warm halo of light, Rentaro Mikuni was wearing reading glasses, holding a pencil, and writing and drawing on a magazine.

He was still wearing that theatrical suit, his back ramrod straight, his expression focused as if he were reviewing some important document.

Kitahara Shin didn't disturb him, but simply walked to the other side of the sofa, sat down, and took out the script to read.

But there were only the two of them in the room.

The scratching sound of a pencil on paper was particularly clear in the quiet air.

Out of curiosity, Kitahara Shin looked up.

The old man wasn't holding a script, but an educational magazine. He was filling out a 3x3 grid.

That's Sudoku.

In Japan at that time, although Sudoku had been promoted by Nikoli Publishing, it was still a relatively niche intellectual game that required strong logical thinking. It was usually played by math enthusiasts or young people who liked to use their brains.

It's surprising that this nearly 70-year-old national treasure actor has such a taste.

Perhaps it was because Kitahara Shin's gaze lingered a little too long.

Rentaro Mikuni stopped writing.

He slowly raised his head, and through the lenses of his reading glasses, his eyes, which had just been filled with a sense of oppression in the play, now looked at Kitahara Shin with a scrutinizing gaze.

"What's wrong?"

The old man's voice was soft, "Don't you think it's strange that an old man like me would still be playing with such mentally taxing things?"

They got caught.

Kitahara Shin paused for a moment, then closed the script and sat up straight.

"no."

He spoke sincerely, "I was just a little surprised. I thought that someone as senior as you would usually close your eyes to rest or read during your breaks."

"snort."

Rentaro Mikuni took off his reading glasses, rubbed his eyes, and said, "Don't bother with such formalities. What kind of people haven't I seen?"

The old man's lips twitched slightly, a half-smile playing on his lips. "The less you use your brain, the more rusty it becomes. Acting requires using your brain, so it needs to be used too."

He pointed to the nine-square grid in the magazine, which was already more than half filled with numbers.

"Do you know how to play this?"

Rentaro Mikuni suddenly asked.

Kitahara Shin looked at the complex chart.

This is a very difficult, "veteran" level endgame.

In his previous life, he did play this game on his phone to pass the time while waiting for his scenes. He understood the rules and the basic problem-solving approach.

but.

Looking into Rentaro Mikuni's eyes, which seemed to see right through people, Kitahara Shin hesitated for a second.

Pretending to know something in front of a true master, or only being able to scratch the surface, would only make one appear frivolous.

When dealing with seniors, honesty is sometimes more important than showing off.

"Won't."

Kitahara Shin shook his head. "Although I know the rules, I haven't even scratched the surface. I haven't yet figured out how to play this kind of game that requires extremely strong logical reasoning."

"Um."

After listening, Rentaro Mikuni did not show disappointment or ridicule. He simply shook his head slightly and put his glasses back on.

"Young people these days are too impetuous."

He picked up his pencil and refocused his attention on the 3x3 grid. "Whether it's acting or filling in numbers, you have to be patient and meticulous. One wrong step, and everything falls apart. If you can't see through the logic, you'll just be going around in circles forever."

The room returned to silence.

All that remained was the scratching sound of a pencil rubbing against paper.

Rentaro Mikuni didn't say anything more, nor did he shoo anyone away; he simply immersed himself in his own world of logic.

This disregard is actually a form of acceptance—at least he didn't get angry because he was disturbed.

Although Rentaro Mikuni was aloof, he was clearly someone who enjoyed the pleasure of thinking.

Sudoku is the key to unlocking this veteran actor's floodgates of conversation.

If you can keep up with his pace in this regard, you might be able to truly enter the world of this master and learn from him the true essence of acting that is not found in books.

Kitahara Shin silently reopened the script, but his mind had already wandered far away.

He was calculating in his mind:

When I get back today, I need to go to the bookstore and buy a few advanced Sudoku tutorials.

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