[Reporter Liao Lihui/Reporting from Taipei] The 2026 Kaohsiung Film Festival opened today (9th). The film "Parallel and Vertical" was invited to be screened. The protagonist "SUPER EIGHT" Yasuda Shota and director Kobayashi Shotaro were interviewed at noon. Yasuda showed his usual gentleness at the beginning: "I am really very happy to be here. I feel that the so-called one-time meeting is like this. This is a valuable experience in a lifetime."
Shota Yasuda and Shotaro Kobayashi came to Kaohsiung with their new work "Parallel and Perpendicular". (Provided by Kaohsiung Film Festival)
The last time Akita Yasuda came to Taiwan was the Arena Concert in 2018. He revealed that although he did not have the opportunity to come to Taiwan during this period, he can now meet everyone through this work. "Even if we are from different countries, we can connect them through cultural and musical works, and understand them as the same creature regardless of race. I came to the Kaohsiung Film Festival."
Yasuda, who loves the ocean, was asked what his impressions of Kaohsiung were. Yasuda Akita responded: "I walked from the hotel and felt the sea breeze. They said that there are whale-shaped buildings here and the Takaryu Kai Music Museum are all buildings related to marine elements. In the morning, I ran to drink soy milk. It is more comfortable to blow the sea breeze on the roadside near the sea."
This is a work that Shouta Yasuda participated in from planning to performance. The reporter jokingly asked: "Do you want to save money to act in it?" Shouta Yasuda immediately burst out laughing: "Absolutely not! It's definitely not because I don't have the budget to act in it. I really like it. Only participate in a project, feel things like wild animals, some barriers do not need to exist, do not need to overthink and guess, simply trust the other party." In making this work, Yasuda Akita wants to tell those who are alone, "You are not alone!"
I originally thought that Akita Yasuda must be very cute, but I didn't expect that he is a SUPER IDOL who is both handsome and capable. (Provided by Kaohsiung Film Festival)
Talking about the reason for taking on the role of "Parallel and Vertical", Yasuda Shouta said that in recent years, many Japanese film and television works have been adapted from existing original works and are very popular. This shooting made him deeply feel that despite the limited budget and time, the crew is still working hard to move in the same direction. Even with limited resources, good works can still be produced.
What attracts him even more is the movie's rethinking of "ordinary." Yasuda said: "I have felt since I was a child that the adjective "ordinary" has often been heard in society, but the so-called ordinary actually varies from person to person, and everyone's perception of ordinary is different." He believes that people are sometimes confused by the behavior of others that is different from themselves, but as long as they are willing to understand each other's differences, many problems will have the opportunity to find solutions.
The movie touches on the issues of ASD (autism cluster disorder) and developmental disabilities. In order to get closer to the characters, Yasuda personally visited relevant people and found that everyone has a completely different personality and expression. Some are shy and introverted, while others are enthusiastic and lively. These characteristics do not differ depending on whether they have ASD.
He shared that after actually meeting the prototype of the protagonist "Dagui" and his family in the film, he did not want to create the character through speculation or deliberate imitation, but hoped to truly understand what kind of person Dagui is. "During this process, I also felt my own existence again. Until now, Daiki still exists." Akita Yasuda emphasized: "I thought that if I really went to 'act', the fictional elements would be discovered, so I gave up acting."
Akira Yasuda’s big smile is so cute! (Provided by Kaohsiung Film Festival)
Director Kobayashi Shotaro shared that Non, who plays the younger sister, was someone he wanted to work with long before he became popular. At that time, I proposed an invitation idea to others, but was questioned because the other party was not well-known yet. Later, Non attracted attention for his work "Little Ama", and opportunities for cooperation became difficult. Kobayashi Shotaro also considered the language and regional characteristics required for the character. He believed that if he wanted to present the life atmosphere of Osaka, it was very important for the actor's language background to match the role. Non was from Hyogo, which fit his imagination of Clausa. Non also liked the script after reading it, which led to this cooperation.
As for inviting the former idol Yasuda Shodai to star, Kobayashi Shotaro said frankly that because he had previously collaborated with Yokoyama Yu, he was invited to the Tokyo Dome to watch the show. "I shook hands with Yasuda among the crowd. This is our intersection a long time ago."
However, the first thing that really brought us closer to each other was the experience of having a meal with the screenwriter, producer and Akita Yasuda before filming started. It was originally just a lunch to discuss work, but it ended up lasting 6 or 7 hours. From the work communication, we gradually talked about each other's lives and ideas. He laughed and said that at that time, he could no longer tell whether he was in a meeting or attending a party for mutual communication. From the chat, he felt that Yasuda was a very natural and real person.
The lovely Yasuda Yasuda shared details about the filming of "Parallel and Perpendicular" with director Shotaro Kobayashi. (Provided by Kaohsiung Film Festival)
When asked how Yasuda Shodai was shaped today? He mentioned his family, members, fans and people around him, "I think it is not me who shapes me, but their existence, so I have the motivation to work hard. I am very grateful to them."
Yasuda Akita was diagnosed with a benign meningioma of about 8 centimeters in 2017. He shared that he experienced two illnesses and nearly died, which gave him a deeper understanding of life and a better understanding of the connection between himself and others. "I feel even more that I do not exist just for myself, but for others, and I hope to be a strength for others."
In the end, Akira Yasuda felt deeply. His life has entered the third stage. Compared with the past, he now wants to protect the important people around him. "They are all more important than me."
