As part of a larger feature on Char Aznable, The Anime magazine included a short interview with Shūichi Ikeda in their November 1981 issue.
The interview is on the lower half of page 19 (below).
Shūichi Ikeda (Char)
He is affiliated with Kato Kikaku. He made his debut as a child actor, and his first appearance in an anime was in Daitarn 3.
Char was made in Ken-san’s image?!
Char is a character that has a strong “cool!” element when you see him for the first time. He’s a character who hides his past under his mask – in other words, I think a lot of fans are attracted to his dark side. Also, he seems composed for his age.
Unlike we humans who live in peaceful times, Char was born into turbulent times. For us, we just face the struggles of going to college or finding a job, but he must have been thinking about what he needed to do to survive. I think that’s what strengthened Char’s adult aspects. Amuro was a boy who wouldn’t have participated in the war, yet was inevitably drawn into it, but Char was born in the midst of war, and I think he is like a living embodiment of that.
Personally, I don’t think Char is a “bad guy.” After all, judgments about “good and evil” change depending on the era. I think Char didn’t really care about the war. His purpose in life was the Zabi family, and later the ray of hope that is Newtypes. Well, I think the best way to describe my image of him is disillusionment. That’s why the way he interacts with Lalah is also the same – he’s not very active. He always seems passive. Though he’s not even that old (laughs). Yes, the image of Ken Takakura-san[1] comes to mind.
The thing that suits me about him is that he lives his life without outwardly showing his emotions. I like his famous line, “That’s just like you, Garma…” If you put it simply that way as an adult, that’s all there is to it.
I’ve been working with Char for over three years now, and next year the culmination of that work, Gundam III, will be released. I want to bring Char and myself to a close on screen. Please be sure to watch it.
Notes
- Ken Takakura, or Ken-san, was a very famous Japanese actor best known for his brooding style and the stoic, honorable presence he brought to his roles. You can read more about him here.