He spoke his mind honestly and without pretense, and I felt he was a trustworthy person.
For Yoko Yamanaka, director of the smash hit film "The Namibian Desert," Ryuichi Sakamoto was a master she only saw on TV. He first appeared in real life when she screened her debut film, "Amico," which she made independently, at Japan Cuts, a Japanese film festival in North America, in New York in 2018.
"The person sitting in front of me had beautiful, stylish hair and I thought he looked like Ryuichi Sakamoto. When Amiko's behavior became out of line, he laughed out loud. After the screening, the director, Kazuhiro Soda, was there, so I mentioned it to him and he said, 'That's Sakamoto. He lives nearby.' I was so glad I recognized him right away."
Later, Yamanaka heard from Aiko Masubuch, a curator at Japan Cuts, that Sakamoto had praised the film for its reckless and violent yet delicate nature. He then asked if he could use his comments in a flyer for the film's theatrical release.
"After receiving an official comment, they promoted me by having me appear on radio shows and saying, 'I'll be your supporter!'"
Yamanaka, who says that at the time she didn't open up to anyone, recalls: "When I was working with Sakamoto on set, there was someone who was very overbearing because they didn't have the time, and I was feeling uncomfortable working with them, but Sakamoto came over and said, 'That sounds unpleasant, doesn't it?' That was really nice. It made me realize that it was okay to be honest like that, and that there was nothing strange about me feeling that way. His unpretentiousness and honesty in saying what he thought made me feel that he was a trustworthy person."
Yamanaka also points out how great Sakamoto was as an actor in "Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence."
This film depicts the interactions between men who met in a prisoner-of-war camp in Java, Indonesia in 1942. David Bowie and Beat Takeshi also star. Directed by Nagisa Oshima. Released in Japan in 1983.
"I love how Yonoi's character, who is bound by masculinity, blends perfectly with the qualities that Sakamoto-san already possessed. When I appeared in the film, I asked him to let me also do the music, and that was his first time doing film music, and it has become a piece that will be talked about for eternity. I think his vitality and mindset are incredible."
When thinking about the young people who will encounter Sakamoto's work in the future, Yamanaka says, "I envy Sakamoto."
"He left behind an incredible amount of work, writings, and words. It's nice to know that what he left behind remains something that can be felt forever."
