Boukenger Day Isn't A National Holiday Yet

Publication: May 9, 2026

That Hero (Gavan), is a Ninja

As Doki Reiji (Gavan Infinity) and his colleagues from the Archives Division of the Galaxy Federal Police travel through various dimensions to investigate the incidents caused by Nega Emorgears, an unknown Gavan appears before them. His name is Kazanami Kunai (Gavan Raiya). Kunai, who comes from the ninjitsu clan of the kazanami style, is a dimension traveler just like Reiji, with his objective being to identify the mastermind behind the frequent Emorgear incidents occurring on MultiEarth Ζ2066 and annihilate the enemy.

Kunai, whose younger sister Hatsune had been taken hostage by the Galactic Syndicate Bai Akube, was being used as a spy by their leader Rurugie. However, after confronting and coming to terms with his own fears through Reiji's words, Kunai awakened as a warrior who could transform those fears into strength, and succeeded in defeating Rurugie. Those with the title Gavan, who would normally never cross paths, meet and join forces to crush evil, and the battle with Bai Akube was an incident that made us realize once again the possibility of joint investigations between fellow Gavans.

Realizing the necessity of having allies through his collaboration with Reiji, Kunai sets out on a journey to forge a bond with the Gavans who operate in different dimensions in preparation for the battle against the great evil that Rurugie had spoken of. Thus, the heroic tale woven together across multiple dimensions plunges into a new stage!

Yasui Kentaro (Kunai)

The new Gavan is cool, and occasionally surreal?!

-The classic appeal of taking on a challenge-

"Please tell us how you felt when you heard that you had been chosen for the role."

Yasui: I would've never imagined that I'd become a hero at 34, and it made me think that I was living a fascinating life. This is gonna sound like a joke, but I absolutely loved "Ninja Sentai Kakuranger" when I was a kid, so I feel a connection to Gavan Raiya since he also uses a ninja motif. Before I entered filming, I had the chance to watch the "Kamen Rider x Super Sentai LIVE & SHOW 2026," but that's when I truly felt the seriousness of the situation, as it made me feel a sense of responsibility.

"What were your thoughts in regards to the planning and story of this work?"

Yasui: This production inherits the Super Sentai series that had persisted for 50 years, and since it was created with the theme of "surpassing," I was also looking forward to seeing what kind of content it would include. When I actually saw the finished product and script, I thought it was great that, while taking a contrarian approach or deliberately using unconventional methods is what's currently popular, they went with an incredibly classic approach. I feel that this production puts into words the things everyone thinks but can't properly say.

"For your role as Kunai, what kind of character do you personally perceive him as?"

Yasui: He initially enters the story shrouded in mystery, which gave off the impression that "this guy was tough," but I'm now gradually starting to see the gap in him, so I find him to be a lovable character. Kunai's lines all basically use anastrophe. For example, if a scene has the line, "I did this and that," he would say it as, "This and that, I did." When I'm on set, the first thing that comes to mind is of course just the normal way of saying things, so every time I have to remind myself, "Ah, it's reversed, it's reversed!" Also, since my character doesn't say much, I'm incredibly mindful of what kind of tone and volume I should use in order to leave a lasting impression.

"What are your impressions of his younger sister Hatsune?"

Yasui: Hatsune has a strong personality, and I feel like she matches Maikichi-chan's own nonchalant nature, and in a good way, I feel like there's a frivolous side to her. I think that it'd be really great to have a little sister like her. Maikichi-chan and I were talking about how we'd like to "become popular as siblings," and seeing her ask various questions regarding acting made me realize what a serious girl she is.

"There are many scenes of you together with Commander Daares, aren't there?"

Yasui: That's right. However, Daares is really far away in terms of our relative positions (laughs). To be honest, we haven't had many opportunities to act together face to face, but I think he has great style, a wonderful voice, and is really cool. He's sophisticated but kind, as he always keeps a watchful eye when the younger members are acting lively on site.

"Please tell us your impressions of Gavan Raiya's visuals."

Yasui: They're insanely cool! Not just the design, but the pose also pays homage to Jiraiya, and even when you turn Gavan into an initial, it becomes G-Raiya. Although the production team is using "surpass" as the theme, I can sense that they created him with love and respect for past tokusatsu works in mind.

"How do you communicate with Suit Actor Tsutamune Masato-san?"

Yasui: Tsuta-san moves around more than usual, or rather, he express alot through body language, but after watching my performance, he's been holding back when it's time for him to portray Rayia. I've had the opportunity to do sword action in a Toei production before, but this is my first time doing bare handed action, so I'm learning the basics of action, like how to maintain distance, from Tsuta-san and the others every day. During Kunai's action scenes, there's lots of spinning movements to convey the agility you'd expect from a ninja, so I'm also learning technical aspects, such as where to place my center of gravity in order to spin more easily.

"What's the atmosphere like on set?"

Yasui: At first, I was incredibly nervous joining a set that everyone had spent months establishing, but now that I've settled in, I can even screw around (laughs). Out of all the sets I've participated on so far, this one's the most harmonious, and it's easy to communicate with the staff, so I'm really enjoying it. I didn't realize this until I actually got on set, but since there are things like action scenes, there are quite alot of cuts. Still, since all of the staff members are used to the process, they're very organized, so there's hardly any downtime. I was truly impressed by the expertise they've accumulated over multiple years.

-Spinning action that embodies a ninja-

"With his first appearance in episode 10, Kunai's action scenes were immediately depicted."

Yasui: Director Fukuzawa had previously worked with a member of our group (7ORDER), so before I started filming, I asked, "What kind of person is he?" and they replied, "He's someone who loves interesting things." When I actually met him, I realized he was someone who seriously loves action. There is an Action Director on set to coach us on the action moves, so it's actually pretty rare to be given advice from the Director in regards to hand movements. Fukuzawa-san gives me direct guidance, saying things like, "This carries this meaning" and, "It's best to do it with this timing." Episode 10 marked my first appearance, and Director Fukuzawa had said, "I want to show off a cool Kunai" and, "This is the big climax, so let's give it our all," so I also challenged myself to doing difficult techniques, like when I used Reiji's arms to spin myself around. I pushed my body to the limit, so I wanted to make sure to mention out loud that "I did not use a stunt double!" (laughs).

"(laughs). Within episode 10, which action did you struggle with the most?"

Yasui: During the fight with Gavan Infinity, I did a front flip and then rolled when I landed……and doing that in succession was difficult. We practiced the action countless times, but when we went to the set, I had to do it at a decline, which felt considerably different from when I did it on flat ground. Still, along with Director Fukuzawa saying he wanted to show off Kunai's cool side, I thought that if I could prove here that "this guy can really move," then even die hard tokusatsu fans would recognize my efforts, so I really put my all into it. However, probably because they think I can do it right away on the spot, I haven't had any more action rehearsals at all since then, so on the day of a shoot, they'll suddenly tell me, "I want you to spin around here" (laughs). Still, memorizing new techniques is fun and exciting, don't you think?

"Episode 11 focused on Kunai's inner self, with his character being explored in depth."

Yasui: I thought it would inevitably feel rushed for a character who just appeared in the previous episode to undergo such a change within a single episode. To avoid the feeling of "he changed way too fast," I was determined to properly convey the impact of each and every line Reiji spoke.

"If you had to pick a scene that you put a particular amount of effort into, which one would it be?"

Yasui: Knowing that Kunai has his own burdens, I approached the scene where he clashed with Reiji, who accepts it all and responds in kind, with the understanding that it was a crucial moment. Kunai overcame his fears and looked ahead, but that kind of thing isn't unique to just heroes, as it happens to everyone when they're starting something new, right? I personally really resonated with Reiji’s line, "When you accept something, it turns into strength," and I put alot of effort into the part where Kunai lets those words sink in.

"What's your impression of Reiji's Nagata Kouhei-san?"

Yasui: No, really, he's the best! Actually, Kouhei was sitting right next to me during the audition, where even back then I thought, "This guy seriously gives off hero vibes." His own personality is just as straightforward and passionate as Reiji's, where I had thought, "It'd be great if he becomes a hero," so when he was cast as Reiji, I thought it was a perfect fit. On set, I always go over every fine detail together with the Director, asking what Reiji might do, as his sincerity and straightforwardness has significantly influenced the entire team.

"Yasui-san, What kind of conversations do you have with the Director on set?"

Yasui: Since Kunai's character varies quite abit depending on the story, the Directors each have their own interpretation, so for example, Director Kato was in charge of episodes 11–13 and would say things like, "Ah, that's good," even when I was aiming for something slightly surreal. The scene at the end of episode 11 that involved Hatsune was actually created on set. My image of him was that he doesn't get that excited, so the plan was to directly ask Reiji for help when Hatsune said he was "too close." However, Director Kato thought of a performance with Kunai entering Hatsune's line of sight as she looked the other way in response to him placing his hand on her shoulder, which was abit different from my own interpretation. When I talked it over with Maikichi-chan, we decided that "it might be easier doing it that way," which is how we ended up with the current scene. Kunai's character is really crumbling but (laughs), I'm curious to see how everyone will respond to this, and since I imagine future scripts will be written with this performance in mind, I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of scenes they'll create.

"In episode 12, Kunai's obsession with walls was depicted."

Yasui: I was shocked to learn that he liked walls that much (laughs). Since the lead in for his cool entrance in episode 10 was effective, I took that as an opportunity to have some fun, so I screwed around as much as I could (laughs).

"Since Setsuna's naturally aloof, it created some good synergy, didn't it? (laughs)."

Yasui: That's right, it's amusing how they're both on the wavelength, huh? The comical exchange between Setsuna and Kunai, which left Reiji sidelined, really showed the team chemistry between the three of them, and it's the kind of scene that makes you want to support the whole group, so I'm looking forward to seeing how things will turn out for them.

"How has it been working with Setsuna's Akahane Ryuga-san?"

Yasui: He's really tall and has a small face, so he's got a really attractive appearance, and I thought he might be a cool guy, but when I actually met him, he turned out to be incredibly cute (laughs). He instantly changes when he gets into his role, as I feel that there's a huge gap in his character.

"In the upcoming episode 13, a development unfolds where he gets caught up in an incident that occurred on MultiEarth 15109, which is where Kiki and Koto are from."

Yasui: I did alot of action with Koto, but Koto's Lana-chan is so full of energy that she somehow makes me feel young (laughs). When we talked during a break, we realized that the areas where we work are surprisingly close, so we had a lively conversation about the stores we're both aware of.

"Finally, please share your enthusiasm for future filming."

Yasui: Kunai's fundamentally cool, but he also has a charming side, so I want to bring out those moments and make him a character people will love. For that sake, I'd like to try incorporating more surreal humor (laughs). Also, I want to gain popularity alongside Hatsune as older brother and little sister. They both have blond hair despite coming from a ninja family, so the gap between their super gyaru appearance and anime like setup is what makes them amusing, and it'd make me happy if our performance could really hit all the right marks for the viewers.

Q: What's your favorite anime/manga?