An interview with Ken, after the Oscar (29 Feb 2004)
(thanks mfu_1 for the translation)
Ken: Please, do not look back on it, yet! (laughter) I have a long life ahead of me.
Q: You have big ups and downs. You do not look back on those things?
Ken: Well, rather than looking back, I would like to look ahead in the future.
Q: You have said finally took one step in Hollywood.? What is Hollywood to you now?
Ken: I do not know, yet. Really. I mean what to do next, and then next. Right now, I got much attention; but, I'd better think of what I really can do, and make right choices. I start to understand the difficulty in this process. I just plan to take one step at a time very carefully.
Q: You once compared the job overseas as Mr. Everest to Mr. Fuji. Have you not seen the peak, yet? Ken: Well, I think I reached the peak in that sense. At least, I feel that I have climbed a mountain of that level. But, what shall I say, that also means I have to challenge another one. No matter which mountain you climb, you need very thorough preparation, and there will be a risk. So, my plan is to climb any mountain very carefully, you know.
Q: Now that the ceremony is over, is it a relief or a tension toward the next stage that you have now?
Ken: It is a relief, yes. (laughter) Finally, I can go back to a normal life. That is what I feel now. (laughter)
Q: This is a live broadcast to Japan, as you know. I think many people in Japan, fans in Japan, was hoping for you to win. Do you have any message to those Japanese people?
Ken: Yesterday, the entire staff held a party for me. They kindly said to me that being nominated for the Oscar is almost like winning the one, as the level of achievement. You should be proud of yourself already, they said. They all said that, you know. So, on my way back to Japan and in the future, I will feel proud being able to be involved in such a movie, being able to live a moment in such a work, doing my best.
Q: Have you seen the Mystic River?
Ken: Yes.
Q: What did you think of Mr. Tim Robins' performance?
Ken: It was a great acting, a great performance, I thought.
Q: Have you talked to him?
Ken: Yes, at the ceremonies of the Golden Globe and SAG, since our tables were close. Not today, since the seats for the Mystic River team was at the center.
Thank you very much (for the interview) for such a long time (laugher).
