#uchusen

Publication: October 1, 2025

Sanbongi Daisuke (Fire Candle)

"The broadcast for the TV series has moved into the second half, and filming is finally nearing the end, isn't it?"

Sanbongi: Thanks to everyone, I've enjoyed participating in every episode. Everyone on the Bridan side is competent at communicating, so there's been harmonious vibes since the very beginning. With that being the case, my initial impression of the Gozyuger members was that they were all rather reserved on set, which made me alittle worried as it caused me to think, "They seem pretty quiet, but will this be okay?" (laughs).

"The cast playing the Bridan members seem to get along very well with each other, huh?"

Sanbongi: Within the show, everyone has strong personalities, but Marupi and Karuma-san are sincere, approachable, and love to talk……is how it feels. During the times when we're usually together, they seem cheerful and chatty, but it's when we go out for meals and talk about work that I realize, "I guess they really do think about all sorts of things." Karuma-san in particular is articulate and smart, so talking with him is always enjoyable.

"How's the feedback been from your family and those around you?"

Sanbongi: I have a 5 year old niece and 3 year old nephew, but they seem to understand that I'm just acting, so both of them are supporting Fire Candle as their favorites. I'm truly grateful when the fans buy Fire Candle goods and send me photos and videos of them, or when they message me things like, "I went and saw the Summer film for a second time!" (laughs).

"Is there anything in particular that you like about your role?"

Sanbongi: Fire Candle's someone who isn't two faced. He always stays true to his emotions, and I like how he'll act with all his might depending on how he feels in the moment. And then for me personally, as the story progressed, I feel that the relationship he has with his subordinates like the Aryee and other Bridan executives has gradually changed. When I first received Fire Candle's setup, it was still just bullet point level information, but at the time, the Bridan members were merely colleagues, as they didn't seem like a united group at all. That's why I thought that trust probably wouldn't develop among the executives either, and that they'd likely try to outsmart each other in order to gain the Queen's approval. However, little by little, their relationship changed as the story progressed, and being able to have everyday interactions has improved their trust, so it's nice to see the Bridans starting to come together, don't you think? Each of them has grown, and it's nice to see their relationship deepening. Among them, in terms of being a villain, Kuon's the only one who's really earned the most hate. We can't see what Kuon's up to behind the scenes either, but even as the Bridans have managed to come together, I feel like Kuon's displaying different movements.

"Regarding Fire Candle personally, has he changed or grown in any way compared to the beginning?"

Sanbongi: In the beginning, even those on the staff side treated Fire Candle as what you'd call a "stupid character," and truthfully, I think his dialogue was initially meant to be like that, but in the end, he didn't turn out to be that stupid. I don't know why he turned out like this, but he seems to be smarter than what was originally planned. Maybe it's because my own IQ is high? (laughs). When it comes to his passion and manliness, I often hear, "That hasn't changed abit since the beginning," which is the part of my performance that I've consistently been trying to convey, so it makes me happy knowing that it's getting across. Including the Gozyugers, when you compare the main characters side by side, there's no other character that's as hot blooded as he is, so I think that's the position Fire Candle's filling.

"What scenes or events have been particularly memorable during filming so far?"

Sanbongi: While episodes 27 and 28 were centered around Bouquet, they also focused on the relationships on the Bridan side. In a way, since we were the main focus, I put my all into it, and performing was simply alot of fun. There were also action scenes with just Bouquet and him, but it was a story about Bouquet regaining her lost memories, where their relationship was also being seen through it. Personally, since Bouquet saved Fire Candle when he became ShinkenRed and went on a rampage during episodes 20-23, I felt like this was my way of repaying that debt. Episodes 27 and 28 also showed how their relationship had gradually evolved from being mere colleagues to trusted companions. Speaking of which, for the scene in episode 23, where Bouquet punches him in the stomach, it was also memorable since I came up with the adlibs together with Marupi. Most of our interactions usually take place inside Bridan Castle or during scenes with the Gozyugers, so in a sense, it was the first time where just the two of us had performed together properly. It was Marupi's idea for Bouquet to wake up Fire Candle and hug him, and then in response I said, "Alright, I'll perform dogeza then," and the flow of my performance naturally changed in response to the direction Marupi wanted to do, so it was alot of fun.

"In episode 20, he Engages into ShinkenRed, and in episode 23, he went on a rampage and became Jadou ShinkenRed, but what were your thoughts on these developments?"

Sanbongi: The flow of the episodes pay homage to the story of "Samurai Sentai Shinkenger," and it was also amusing how Fire Candle became a Universe Warrior with the Kanji for "fire" written on his face. Still, I knew how popular ShinkenRed was even before this, so at first I hesitated abit, thinking, "What should I do?" Respecting the original source material was essential, so I consulted with Action Director Fukuzawa-san about the Engage pose, and thought about things like, "We should incorporate other elements from Shinkenger too, right?" There's also the line "I'm the real ShinkenRed!," and we thought it'd be best to make the parts that resembled the real one to be as close as possible, but since the Fire Candle delivering those lines was a fake, the more we got closer to it, the more ridiculous and amusing it became, so we all discussed ideas while working on it. After the transformation, Suit Actor Ito Shigeki-san took over the role, but by providing my voice for his movements, this was my first time personally working on what's known as "creating a single character through two people," which was alot of fun. I made it a point to observe the action scenes that were being filmed whenever possible, where I was able to communicate effectively on set and learned alot. I could feel the passion from the Action team members as if saying, "We're pushing this production forward," and that made me incredibly happy too. While thinking about it together, they said things like, "There's that kind of expression too, right?" and, "You want that kind of movement, right?," so I was happy that they took my opinions into consideration, and it was a good experience. Depending on how they're wielded, the power of the rings can be used for justice or evil. I think this might be one of the themes in Gozyuger's story. This is a small spoiler, but in the second stage of the Gozyuger show currently playing at G-Rosso, Fire Candle's ShinkenRed makes an appearance, where after the Gozyuers recover their rings, he Engages into a hero of justice. Seeing that, I was so happy that I cried. After all, I want heroes to be heroes. During filming, I felt like my thoughts of, "The closer he gets to the original, the more he still differs from the real thing" were conveyed, or rather, spoken. After all, the appeal of Fire Candle's Engage is precisely because he's not the real one. I want him to stand tall using his own strength. So first of all, he's gotta do muscle training five days a week. G-Rosso's second stage will make you cry just from the opening scene. I really want everyone to see it!

"Did that experience help with post recording?"

Sanbongi: Especially for Jadou ShinkenRed, Ito-san's performance was solely focused on settling things with GozyuWolf, so I felt that I absolutely had to bring that intensity and passion back with me as I went to take on the challenge of my post recording session. Post recording also requires technique, so for example, I'll think about various things like, "It's this kind of action, so I should perform it with this kind of breathing pattern," but that was only up until ShinkenRed, as after he became Jadou, it wasn't about that anymore, and I thought, “I want to push that beastly, wild side of him to the absolute limit," so in order to not be outdone by the Action team's performance, I put priority on my intensity and growled the whole time (laughs). It's obviously important to have our voices match up with the movements, but what's even more important is the emotional aspect of, "What's the purpose of that action?," so I shifted my recording to focus on the emotional direction of, "I want to land this blow!" I screamed so hard that it felt like my throat was bleeding, but when I watched the broadcast, they applied so many effects onto my voice that I thought, "Guess I didn't need to strain my throat that much, huh?" (laughs). Still, it was alot of fun.

"He also Engaged into ShinkenRed during the "Resurrection of Tega Sword" film."

Sanbongi: When I found out that he was going to Engage into ShinkenRed during the film, my performance would have to change depending on whether it was before or after he transformed on TV, so I had to confirm it right away with, "When does this film take place chronologically?" Considering how he apologized to Bouquet, Fire Candle probably didn't want to use that power that much anymore, but the script portrays it in a positive light, so wondered, "What kind of mindset should I have when I transform?" If it seemed like everyone else was enthusiastically transforming while I was the only one doing it reluctantly, I think it would've created a distraction for those who went to watch only the film. In that sense, I personally felt more comfortable thinking that the film was his first transformation, but after checking, I found out that it would happen later in the TV series, so I figured there wouldn't be any surprises about him getting the ring, and just acted normally. I talked about it with Director Tasaki too, and in the end we figured, "Films are like festivals, so maybe we don't need to overthink the details that much" (laughs).

"What are your impressions of King Candelor, the Robo he pilots?"

Sanbongi: It has a heavy feel to it, just like a Super Robo, and the way the design makes it look like flames are engulfing his entire body is so cool. His face is abit atrocious (laughs), but many people have told me that he's got, "main character vibes," so that's another point I'm happy about. That's why it's so frustrating that he keeps losing, as I really want to win, even if it means getting him a power up somehow (laughs).

"The Robo battles also feature acting within the cockpit, don't they?"

Sanbongi: Acting inside the cockpit is actually quite difficult, and the image I get from reading the script often doesn't match the finished product. I thought from the script that King Candelor was dashing around, but in the footage he's walking slowly, and there are alot of subtle nuances like that. I initially struggled with how to approach this, but most of the time the Robo battle footage has already been filmed, so I watch that and adjust my image while we're recording. If there's no footage, I'll look at the storyboards to get a feel for the vibes, but I've only had to use them once. Small details like, "Where's his gaze being directed at this time?" change depending on the connection to the previous shot or the relationship between the character's positions, so I'm always mindful of that as well. In that sense, it feels similar to the difficulty of post recording, since you always have to match the footage.

"King Candelor's Minipla has also been announced for release, but in its promotional video, you introduced yourself as the "Premium Bandai Super Sentai Cheer Squad Captain," right?"

Sanbongi: I of course didn't just claim that title on my own (laughs), I was playing with the DX TegaJune and DX Tega Sword, posting videos about them on SNS, and I guess they liked what they saw, as Premium Bandai approached me with that offer. So, I ended up promoting King Candelor. I don't know what the future holds, but I think they'll want to promote other Gozyuger related merchandise, and I might even appear at toy related events. I'm truly grateful to have had the chance to try out so many different jobs. I'm really just having fun playing around (laughs).

"Is there anything you'd like to challenge yourself to before the final episode?"

Sanbongi: Action scenes are alot of fun to do, so I definitely want to keep challenging myself to them. I was told that wire action is out of the question since "it would require putting holes in my costume," and I haven't done any napalm scenes yet either. Surprisingly, I haven't done that many full on physical action scenes myself, so I really want to do more of those too.

"Are there any other characters you'd like to play, or any characters in particular that are your favorite?"

Sanbongi: My absolute favorite is Garyudo, as his design is just the coolest. For other characters I'd like to play, I'd love to try someone who's two faced, like Kuon, Kumade or Sumino. Fire Candle is straightforward, so if I'm going to play someone, I'd rather try a character who isn't like that. Still, when I first read the script, Fire Candle was the one that made me think, "I like him the most" (laughs).

"Now then, what kind of outcome do you want for Fire Candle?"

Sanbongi: I still have no idea what the ending will be like, but I hope that the core essence I've carried throughout my entire performance so far won't become blurred. Whether he "leaves" or becomes an ally, I just hope that he stays true to himself and continues to live as Fire Candle until the very end.

"And now finally, please give a message to the fans."

Sanbongi: I'm just gonna assume that whoever's reading this interview has already preordered the Minipla King Candelor. Once it's shipped out, let's make them together (laughs). What's more, preorders for the Figure Hero Fire Candle & Bouquet are also currently open. I'd be really, really happy if you got them! As for Fire Candle's future, and even how Gozyuger itself will unfold as we head toward the final episode, I have absolutely no clue, but I'm going to put my all into my performance right until the very end, so please continue supporting both Gozyuger and Fire Candle! _

Marupi (Bouquet)

"The broadcast is now in the second half, but is filming going well?"

Marupi: My image of Bouquet has become pretty clear, so I feel that things have become easier for me in terms of interpreting the script. As the story progresses toward the ending, some parts will become heavier, so the overall outcome might just "break even," but even still, the enjoyment I feel while performing has only increased. I've spent an incredibly long time together with the Gozyuger team, both on and off set, so we've naturally become alot closer to each other compared to what you'd find from other dramas or films. Also, with Bouquet's image becoming clear, while performing, I get the sensation that I'm "standing in front of the camera as my true self." That's something I can't experience in other productions, and it's been alot of fun to do.

"How's the feedback been from your family and those around you?"

Marupi: Ever since Gozyuger started airing, I've gotten feedback not just from family and friends, but from all sorts of people, like my classmate's niece. I'm grateful, and it's what makes this job worthwhile. Even when I'm working on other projects, people tell me things like, "I'm watching Gozyuger" or, "Bouquet's nice," but I would've never imagined that anyone would say, "You're wonderful," even though I play an enemy commander, so it was a pleasant surprise. Honestly, I'm just happy (laughs).

"How's the teamwork with Sanbongi-san and Karuma-san from the Bridan team been?"

Marupi: There haven't been many shoots where all three of us interact together, but we've felt comfortable together since the show started. In a good way, with both Sanbongi-san and Karuma-san, the Bridan team feels relaxed, like we were a naturally functioning team from the start. Each of us is digging deep into the love we have for the characters we play, and because everyone's properly and directly facing what they need to do, we all reach the same outcome. So, even without them saying it out loud, I think I can understand what they want to do, and it's been that way since the very beginning.

"The atmosphere on set seems like it's very good."

Marupi: Both Sanbongi-san and Karuma-san feel like "big brothers who are always very kind to me." I meet up with the Gozyuger team on set just as often, and we all get along great, but everyone except Ryugi's Kanda-san is younger than me, so my impression is that "everyone's very cute." Sanbongi-san usually comes across as cheerful and energetic, but during his off time, he's incredibly naive, so he tends to show off a fairly cute side. If you're wondering just how cute he is, it's enough for me to tease him (laughs). Karuma-san joined filming alittle later, so at first I wondered what kind of person he'd be, but he turned out to be a truly wonderful person. He naturally fit into our group and has a mood maker like vibe that puts us at ease. When the three of us are together, we're basically just screwing around (laughs). By the way, there's a program called "Gozyuger Supplementary Plan: No.1 Confessional" that's being distributed through the TTFC, but this program encourages us to actively try out adlibs, so you can enjoy seeing our more natural expressions!

"What's something in particular that you like about Bouquet?"

Marupi: Bouquet isn't human, as she's an artificial being, but she's incredibly human like, don't you think? In a way, she is artificial, but I think she's a girl who lets her feelings show. Despite not being human, Bouquet-chan's charm lies in the fact that she's more human than the other characters in Gozyuger, such as her "otaku moves" toward Rikuo and the affection she has for Fire Candle-san and Bridan. So, I hope that I've been able to express that beautifully, and if that's what makes people say, "Bouquet's wonderful, isn't she?," then I'd be incredibly happy. My most favorite thing about her is how emotional she is. However, she's not always emotional, and is usually very calm, but I feel like her way of thinking is somewhat different from normal people. For example, during her interactions with Rikuo, like the confession scene during the festival episode (episode 21), she's shocked, thinking, "I was rejected!," but the next time she appears, she's acting normally. Depictions like that turn into "inhuman aspects," and I think the script has helped with those parts.

"In episode 15, when she first spoke with Rikuo, her realistic otaku moves became a hot topic."

Marupi: She only showed off alittle bit of her otaku moves, but seeing it became more of a hot topic than I was anticipating made me happy. Director Tasaki-san told me, "I want this to be one of the most memorable love scenes in the show, so I need you to genuinely feel the butterflies in your stomach." The scene with Rikuo wasn't that long, but within that short time, Bouquet's emotions fluctuated dramatically, which made it amusing. She's flustered by the distance between herself and Rikuo, but she also has affection for her Queen and a sense of loving towards Rikuo, so switching gears was hectic (laughs). The response from the fans was incredible too, and reading all the different reactions on SNS like, "Her otaku moves were realistic and amazing" and, "The vibes were completely different during the Bouquet and Rikuo scene" was really alot fun. Regarding my otaku performance, I never received anything like acting directions from the Director or Producers at all. That's why when I'm acting like that, I "power up" in my own way and have fun doing so. When I'm playing Bouquet-chan, I also feel like my vocal range becomes higher than usual.

"Is there anything else you pay attention to when performing?"

Marupi: I'm also trying to deliver a performance that prevents the viewers from reading into a single emotion as much as possible. As an example, if those watching the scenes with Rikuo think, "This is love," that's fine, but if someone thinks it's more like, "She likes him as a person," then that's fine too. I think Bouquet is the character that's the hardest to understand, and that's why I enjoy all the speculation that comes up, as it makes me think, "Nice" (laughs).

"What scenes or events have been the most memorable?"

Marupi: Episodes 27 and 28 that aired in late August felt like Bouquet's main episodes, so I guess I have a strong attachment to them. While still showcasing her otaku side and dignified side as a Captain, these episodes also offered a glimpse into Bouquet's true self that hadn't been revealed before, and I think they were episodes that made you think, "So that's why she's Bouquet the Loving." In addition, they're episodes that really highlight her cuteness, so I thought, "I hope this'll get Bouquet more fans," and the fact that I could perform with such conviction was also a major factor in making me feel that way. Also, before that in episode 26, another memorable thing was taking on the challenge of performing an insert song together with Sanbongi-san. To begin with, this was my first time singing a song at all, so I was truly shocked as I thought, "We're releasing a character song?!" Still, I had fun recording it, and along with having a high level of polish, the finished song has a "this is Bridan!" feel to it, so I think it's become the Number One character song.

"What are your impressions of Calendius, Bouquet's personal Robo?"

Marupi: When I first saw the design, it was so incredibly cute that I was surprised by its visuals and thought, "This can't be an enemy." Fighting while generating her own weapons looks cool, and her movements are so acrobatic that it's like she's dancing with grace, and no pun intended*, but it's genuinely lovely. Since she doesn't appear in many episodes, there aren't that many battle scenes with her either, but she still manages to look strong. In the scenes where I'm in the cockpit, I make sure to perform with conviction so that I won't be outdone by Calendius. The cockpit doesn't allow for much movement, so it's difficult trying to look strong while inside it. In addition, when fighting Tega Sword Blue, which Rikuo pilots, she goes berserk, so I have to make my movements look even more dramatic by using only my upper body and face. Doing action scenes barefaced really made me appreciate how challenging it is. I think there'll be lots more action scenes with Calendius and me in the future, so I hope you'll look forward to that too. ("karen" = lovely, which is also used for the first part of Calendius's name)

"In the Summer film, she Engages into MagiRed."

Marupi: As I mentioned during Gozyuger's production announcement, if I had to name one Sentai team that I love, it'd be "Mahou Sentai Magiranger." The staff were aware of this, and then when Producer Matsuura-san and Scriptwriter Akiko Sensei asked me, "If you could transform into a past warrior, which would you like?," I answered, "Magiranger please!," so that might have had an effect too (laughs). For starters, I never even imagined that Bouquet would get to Engage, and there was also a chance that there wouldn't be a transformation scene either, so I was really happy to see her transform with proper effects. Even after transforming, MagiRed's suit looked abit loose, so it really felt like I was the one who had Engaged, which made me happy. I was able to watch the filming on set, but this time Director Tasaki added a technique called the "Bouquet Special" after the fact just for me. My screen time itself wasn't very long, but hearing the fans say, "MagiRed was great," made me really happy.

"Are there any other characters you'd like to play, or any characters in particular that are your favorite?"

Marupi: I'd like to try them all since everyone's so appealing, but in terms of "I want to play a villain," it'd have to be Kuon. While Bouquet and Fire Candle-san haven't really done anything villainous so far, Kuon is the only one acting like a "bad guy." My favorite character is definitely Bouquet, but my second favorite would be Kin-chan. She's the cutest and most peaceful character, and as the only healing character among the regular cast, I can watch her scenes calmly. I love Kin-chan as he acts as an oasis within the chaotic world of Gozyuger.

"What do you want to challenge yourself to before the final episode?"

Marupi: I haven't received scripts beyond the halfway point yet, so I don't know how things will end, but as for action scenes, it looks like I'll get to try out all sorts of things going forward, so stay tuned (laughs). As for what I want to do, I'd like to Engage in the main story too. It's just something I'd personally be happy about, as I don't know if Bouquet herself would be thrilled about it.

"What kind of outcome do you want for Bouquet?"

Marupi: Even after the developments I've become aware of, I'm sure many things will happen, and depending on the character, they might get happy endings or bad endings, but if the ending makes everyone watching think, "I'm glad for Bouquet," then even if it ends tragically for her, I'll be happy. Even if Bouquet's happy, if the viewers think, "That's not quite right," I think that would be a bad ending. So, if Bouquet could reach an ending where people think, "She's Number One within Gozyuger," that'd be the happiest ending for me. I want to do my best until the very end so that I can exceed the expectations of everyone who's been supporting me.

"Finally, please give a message to the fans."