Part 4:'Haruma Miura will live inside our hearts forever through media' His vocal coach reveals 'The future he dreamt of.'
Written by Journalist NKANO Kaori
It's been a year since actor Haruma Miura suddenly passed away. Ms. Kaoru Saitoh, Haruma's vocal coach, who trained and supported him for 7 years, took our interview.
'I decided to take this interview to deliver a kind message to all fans. So it would make heal not only myself but also his fans who still suffer from their scars and are looking for an answer.'
This interview is structured with 4 parts based on Ms. Saitoh's stories with Haruma. The first and the second part covered how he confronted his role, Lola, from "Kinky Boots," which led him to win the Sugimura Haruko Prize of the Yomiuri Theatrical Grand Awards. The third part covered his reason for becoming a singer and his notebook for the lyrics. In this final part, we will cover the future he dreamt of and what we can do from now on.
At the Venice Film Festival, 2016. Photo by Getty Images
Kaoru Saitoh
Vocal coach and pedagogue. Graduated from the Vocal Music Corse, Faculty of Music, Tokyo University of the Arts. Started her career in her childhood as a nursery rhyme singer. After working in the NHK education show as “Uta no One-san (The main woman singer),” she started her career as a trainer focusing on vocalization. She conducts lessons related not only to singing but also anything about vocals. 90% of her students are professional actors and singers.
In the movie "天外者（Tengaramon）," Their lessons' achievement
End of last year, Ms. Saitoh also went to see Haruma playing the lead role of Tomoatsu Godai in the film "Tengaramon."
'His co-stars had a very attractive and strong presence. For instance, Mr. Takanori Nishikawa had a strong vocal since he is a singer and a strong character. I believe that Mr. Nishikawa's presence had a good influence from the stage of book reading on the character-developing process of Tomoatsu Godai, who moved history forward. Tengaramon's film shooting started after Haruma learned the technique of using his voice tone to create depth in their conversations while playing the role.
Haruma was originally a playful and sensitive person. He could make the most of his characteristics and fuse them with the boldness of the role to create a solid presence as Godai. I thought, 'Well thought out, the results of the lessons are showing.' By distinguishing his voice tones, he achieved to express different sides of Godai, such as his kindness, love for his wife, and his unique character.
Haruma's acting was expressive and natural, which was fantastic. Regarding his acting, for me, there was absolutely nothing to criticize. My lessons focused on expanding his expression of ideas and strengthening those with technique.
One day, Haruma told me, "I get a stomachache when I get nervous." After hearing that, we practiced how to use his stomach to vocalize, since the stomach is deeply related to the vocals.
For example, in a scene in which Haruma needs to act the feeling of 'Hara wo tateru'（an idiom to express anger in Japanese, which literally translates to 'make your stomach stand up'), I made him imagine what it would be like to vocalize as if 'your internal organs are "literally" turning vertical.' I asked how he would breathe while acting. I told him that his action would be more convincing if he could bring what he imagined in his head into his acting.
This method was very new for Haruma, and he said, "There's such a concrete way of expressing." He was crazy about those lessons, and he told me, "I guess to live (Ikiru) as a character means literally to breathe (Ikiru) as the character." You could see what he learned, especially in the scene where Godai makes a speech in front of the crowd.'
We talked a lot about the future
Ms. Saitoh did not have a chance to talk about "Tengaramon" with Haruma. However, during the 7 years they spent together, Haruma often spoke with Ms. Saitoh about the work he would like her to see and his future vision.
'We talked a lot about the future he dreamt of. I told him there were tons of things to think about if he was planning to leave his job for a while to go to New York and concentrate solely on his studies.
Haruma wasn't the type of person who did something for money. I guess he was not that good at managing it either. He once brought a transfer form and told me, 'It's overdue. I needed to pay on my way back home, and he asked me the place of the post office. He was a very dedicated actor.
"30s must be the busiest and the most fulfilling moment in your life," "I hope that you will meet someone who you will marry someday," "May you perform on the Broadway stage and find good roles and productions".… We talked about those things a few days before his birthday April 2020.
Since Haruma told me, 'It's my birthday next week,' so I gave him a portable sanitizer spray as a gift. He looked happy when I told him, 'You can't find these spray-type sanitizers since they're all sold out these days.' When I gave him expensive gifts, he was always worried about getting something in return, so I always gave him something modest.'
Ms. Saitoh's handmade sweet Watson pomelo peals, which Haruma used to like. Picture by Kaori Nakano
Drinking tea and eating sweets. They were treasuring those kinds of moments. Picture by Kaori Nakano
Want to spread the book "日本製（Nihonsei）"
Ms. Saitoh sometimes updates her memories with Haruma on Facebook. Her Facebook page has become a place of comfort for Haruma's fans, and people who love Haruma gather there, forming groups for various activities. There is also a project to donate Haruma's book "Nihonsei (made in Japan)" to libraries and spread it around the world, to introduce his works in English, and to make a map of places related to Haruma where he filmed.
'Even though it seems like one person's comment, I realized that there are hundreds of people who are suffering in the same way. They love Haruma and want to do something. I'm updating information for those people.
Recently, I have had several non-professional students coming to my classes who are also fans of Haruma. They say Haruma gave them courage, and wanted to study as Haruma did and learn the same thing. They were eager to learn, sat in the same chair Haruma sat in, drank tea from the same tea set that Haruma used, and we chatted a bit.
Taking the lessons that Haruma took, going to places where Haruma went for the book Nihonsei, and cooking dishes that Haruma introduced on his Instagram… No matter what you do, if you can feel Haruma, they will help you to take a step forward.
When I do lessons for professionals who are Haruma's friends, Haruma naturally comes up in our conversation like "Haruma was moved by this method" or "I haven't taught this yet." In those moments, it feels like Haruma is watching us from above. For me, this was a little step.'
Living inside the media
Whilst we have more positive movements, some fans have mixed feelings about how Haruma ended his life.
'I understand how sad the fans are by reading the comments on Facebook. I always miss Haruma as well. Suppose there is anyone out there who can't accept reality and can't move on. In that case, I believe it is important to tell them about all the real Haruma that was not captured in the media and talk about his effort to dedicate his time to studying to become the person he wants to be.
Haruma's roles often make me think about the eternity of life, and his roles carry many of his thoughts and feelings. I decided to take this interview since I wanted to let people know how he cultivated those ideas.'
Haruma's comrade Yuya Yagira, who co-starred with Haruma in the movie "太陽の子（Gift of Fire）" to be released in August 2021, said, "I will always love and cherish Haruma."
'Haruma is still alive inside the media. Imagine how he spent his days looking at his pictures and works. I hope people who had interactions with him will talk about him sometimes.
Haruma was a very kind-hearted man who always thought about others. He enjoyed studying towards his dreams every day. I hope people will remember his cute rumpled smile, hold the kind heart he gave to us, and enjoy his works forever.'
Haruma is still alive inside the media
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