Japanese actor Takeru Satoh admits, ‘I am now in love with the Philippines’

After the Asian premiere of Rurouni Kenshin Kyoto Inferno held last August 6 in SM Megamall,the film's star Takeru Satoh also attended the public presscon of the movieheld the following day at the Glorietta center in Makati city along withco-star Munetaka Aoki and director Keisho Otomo. Fans of the film waitedoutside as early as 8 am even before the mall opened and reserved their spotfor the 6 pm event. Takeru arrived to hordes of screaming fans whom he greetedin Tagalog, “Masaya ako nakita ko kayo!”

The 25-year-old Japanese actor reprises the role of HimuraKenshin, a former assassin who becomes a wanderer in the second installment ofthe Japanese live action film trilogy based on a popular manga and anime.Playing the role of the legendary swordsman, Takeru said is the most major rolehe has ever played and cannot think of what roles he wants to take on next.“Having been given this major role in my life, it's really difficult for me tothink of what I can do next but if I were to wish something I would want towork again with director Otomo and create some great movies with him again,” hesaid through an interpreter.

Takeru also admitted that working on the Rurouni Kenshin movies and the fightscenes were a big challenge. “I got injured a lot of times so I really can'tspecify one (specific) incident. But my favorite battle scene would be in the Legend Ends and it's the last fightscene I had. That's really the part where I bring out everything out of all thescenes I have done. In the fight scene where I fight against Shishio that issomething that you definitely have to watch out for,” he added.

Takeru also shared that the role also taught him a lesson heapplies to himself. “In my daily life, with what I do when I'm not sure of mydecision making, I always ask myself, 'If I was Kenshin what would I decide todo?' So he's already like someone that I respect and look up to and I refer tohim my decisions in life,” he said.

Takeru said the movie teaches the viewers a better way tolive life. “It teaches the fact that you cannot really diminish or delete thepast. I'm going to dwell into something very philosophical, some people may sayjust forget the past and just think it never happened but in my case I thinkKenshin still let the past influence his decisions in his life. I feel that itis very admirable that he still remembers and looks back on his past and triedto live a better life based on that past. For me and hopefully everyone canalso learn to live that way of looking at the past and living and movingforward,” he explained.

Apart from the epic battle scenes, Takeru said the moviealso showcases how beautiful the Japanese culture is. “We were putting that inmind and we wanted people to appreciate and understand something that isdistinctively Japanese as a culture as we created this action movie foreveryone to enjoy. “I hope that RurouniKenshin will pave the way for more and more Japanese movies to come to thePhilippines. And with that I really hope that I could come back again to thePhilippines,” he said.

Takeru said he was overwhelmed and shocked by the warmreception he received from all his Filipino fans who came to see him in person.“This is my first time to visit the country. I'm glad I came. I am now in lovewith the Philippines,” Satoh said during the Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno presscon.

Watch Takeru Satoh in Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno as itopens nationwide on August 20 and in TheLegend Ends when it premieres September 24.