Veteran Japanese actor Kotaro Yoshida (Known For His Roles As Saito Ichigo In Live Action Osho No Ko), who voices Voltemand in Mamoru Hosoda’s newly released anime film “Scarlet” (Japanese Name: Hateshinaki Scarlet, Also Known As: Endless Scarlet), has shared deep admiration for the director’s creative mastery and the film’s emotional power in a recent interview with Oricon News. Based loosely on William Shakespeare’s classic tragedy Hamlet, this film has already generated significant conversation for its bold reinterpretation, philosophical depth, and intense dramatic storytelling.
Yoshida, widely recognized as a leading figure in Japanese Shakespeare theater, explained that the project resonated strongly with him. Appearing in the film as Voltemand, the trusted aide to antagonist Claudius, Yoshida revealed that Hosoda’s adaptation struck him with surprising force:
“I truly love the play Hamlet. I believe it is the greatest drama ever written. To see Scarlet built on the foundation of Hamlet, a text written around 1600 and still read worldwide today, moved me deeply. This film is a ‘work that should be preserved for future generations.’“
He praised Hosoda’s ability to transform Shakespeare’s narrative into a contemporary story accessible to modern audiences, saying that even those unfamiliar with the original play will feel its emotional impact.
A Reimagined Shakespeare for Today
Yoshida noted that both Shakespeare and Hosoda share a core artistic mission: to question human nature, morality, and the balance between revenge and forgiveness.
He referenced Shakespeare’s own tragic history, the death of his son Hamnet, and explained how the playwright may have written Hamlet as a plea for empathy and conscience:
“He wanted his son to grow into a person who would continue to suffer and struggle with the question of whether to take revenge. Someone with wisdom and kindness. And wouldn’t it be wonderful if everyone in the world lived that way?”
Yoshida believes Hosoda’s intention aligns closely:
“In a world where war never ends, it may be an impossible ideal, but he dared to hammer that wedge into reality. That determination is admirable.”
While Hamlet urges vengeance, Endless Scarlet reverses the message entirely. In Hosoda’s film, the king delivers a final message of “forgive,” not “kill.” That thematic inversion, Yoshida claims, makes the struggle even more painful and human.
Yoshida On His Role As Voltemand
In Shakespeare’s original text, Voltimand appears only briefly as a diplomatic messenger. However, in Endless Scarlet, Hosoda transforms him into a key figure who serves as a close aide to Claudius, executing his schemes.
Yoshida laughed as he recalled his first reaction:
“When I saw the character name, I thought, ‘Ah, just a small role.’ But then I opened the script and it was completely different. Hosoda boldly adapted the character — and it amazed me.”
He praised the director’s freedom and precision in reshaping the narrative while remaining respectful to its roots.
How Anime Outperformed Live Performance
With decades of stage experience, Yoshida highlighted animation’s ability to express emotional extremes beyond the physical limits of live actors:
“Battles and slaughter scenes carry an intensity that is only achievable through animation. I was honestly jealous of the power of the medium.”
Yoshida connected deeply with the story’s depiction of grief, particularly scenes involving the death of a child:
“As a parent, just imagining a child collapsing is unbearable. When I see wounded children in war footage, it breaks my heart. This film forces us to confront what we tend to forget.”
He reflected on the world’s current condition:
“We wake up to painful news every morning, and then forget about it as time passes. That’s why we need stories that remind us of the important things.”
According to him, Scarlet is one such story: “You’ll want to watch it multiple times. With each viewing, both the pain and the hope become deeper. It is that kind of film.”
Source: Oricon
