Domon | Sion | Tatsuya | Yuuri | Ayase

Naoto Takizawa.
Time Fire, Bio, Interview, Actor's Message

"The POWER is mine."

Time Fire commands the V-Rex. His Chrono Suit is powered at 125 PP to the other suits at 100 PP. However, it has NO Chrono Access. He can jump 35 meters to Time Pink's 30 meters. But his kick packs 42 tons to Blue's 45. His punch is 14 tons to Yellow's 15. And his speed! It's 280 Kilometers to Green's 900. Below on the left we have the DV Defender, Sword-mode. It and the Double Vectors both pack PP 100. Then we have his belt. Then we have his V-Commander (NOT Chrono Changer) and of course the DV Magnum which packs PP 100 to the Assault Vector's 150. Now, the DV Refreezer, like the Vol-Tec Bazooka's Puresu Refreezer, packs a good PP 200.

The Asami Group formed an elite fighting force to steal the Time Ranger's thunder... er, um, help the Time Ranger protect the city. The letters "CGC" on their caps seem to stand for "City Gaurdians." They make their first appearance at the very end of Episode 27. And in the City Guardians is an old frie -- erm -- acquaintance of Tatsuya's. His name is Naoto Takizawa. We meet him in Episode 28. He's a poor kid from the wrong side of the tracks, who got into university on a scholarship, which meant he was severely looked down upon by toadies at the school. Tatsuya knew him as they met at the Interscholastic athletic meet, and admired him and wanted to be friends. It was Naoto who defeated Tatsuya in that major competition, becoming number one and Tatsuya came in at number two. Thus he ended up in the same school. But eventually Naoto grew tired of the creeps at their University and left. He had a great deal of trouble believing in Tatsuya's overtures. In fact it's safe to say he didn't believe in them. Probably thought the rich kid was just slumming. He has considerable resentments, a feeling of powerlessness that he is determined to change. He recognized Time Red's voice as Tatsuya's. And then of course when Tatsuya's helmet was busted open there was no doubt who Time Red was. And when he heard Takku telling the Time Rangers to search for the V-Rex's control device, he determined to find it, get control of the wild robot and return to the City Guardians too powerful to ignore. What he didn't know was that the control device would turn him into a Time Ranger, and that there were other responsibilities that go along with that, than simply working for the Asami Group. The first thing he had to learn was not to try to kill the enemies, as those were merely escaped prisoners, not really monsters. It takes Sion's raw determination to get through to Naoto. But he soon takes it to heart. He has since been forced to a form of choice. Always on the outside is Naoto. He controlled and guided the City Guardians under the watchful eye of Mr. Asami, until he successfully managed to remove the older Asami from the picture and became sole commander. He himself kept a watchful eye on the Timerangers. Perhaps at first he was spying on them, but he came to think himself their guardian, in a way. He began to let himself get drawn close to them. No doubt in part because of an instinctive empathy for Ayase. Naoto had followed and been in hearing range when Tatsuya was forced to tell the others that Ayase was dying. Naoto was obnoxious, tempermental and standoffish. He is also rather extraordinarily a dreamer. He had pet birds he'd named Tora and Sakura, for two charcters in a series of famous comedy movies. He wants badly to be recognized for his talents and ability in this terrible, money-oriented world. He won his position by hard work and determination. A capable man with ambition. That's him. He and Tatsuya have that in common, they both wish to be recognized for their talents rather than their backgrounds. They just come from opposite ends of the poles. Naoto doesn't understand Tatsuya, and thinks he's a fool. A man who has everything he could want and yet leaves it...? Insane, foolish. And the Time Rangers! Offered the support of the Asami Corporation, they still choose to live in an office building with Tatsuya! He just couldn't figure it out, nor did he particularly try. It was his own future he had to secure, not theirs. He quickly came to respect the group, however little he understood them. Sion won his respect first. And even Tatsuya won his respect, in Naoto's first feature episode, 35. Tatsuya comes to beg for Naoto's help in comforting a boy due for an operation the next day, a boy whose heart is set on meeting Time Fire. Naoto refused, glad to leave Tatsuya to deal with the fallout of a failed promise and frustrated with how having became Time Fire seemed to mean everyone had a claim on him. The scientists working for Asami got to prod and poke and do all sorts of scans to his body and he had to put up with it. It gave him hives. He and Tatsuya then go to investigate a Londarz who is attacking through hospital computers. In a bizarre accident, Naoto finds himself about to be killed, and the next thing he knows he is on a testing slab again. He assumes it was just a nightmare, until he realizes events are repeating themselves. And this time he knows what has happened when the enemy fires to kill him, and he is again on the slab at the beginning of the day. By this time he is in a panic, terrified. When every step he takes leads him automatically back to the point where he meets the Londarz and is "killed" or sent back to the beginning of the day, he explains it to the hovering Tatsuya. Fear of death paralyzes him, and Tatsuya has to fight to save him. It is Naoto's first exposure to Tatsuya's basic moment-to-moment philosophy. "We can change our fate, ourselves. If you are scared, if you let it make you crazy, you're only running down the river." Naoto, raw and exhausted, accidently reveals an affection for Tatsuya. But really only the audience will ever know he cares about the younger Asami. But he does go to the sick child as Tatsuya had begged, however out of character it seemed, he had to after that day. With so little time left, he had to swiftly get another feature episode. 37 was his. He seeks more information about the Time Rangers, but they will not tell him. And Dorunero, on behalf of an irritated Lira, sends out an assassin to slaughter Time Fire. And the former Captain of the CGC returns, intending to take his place back and get RID of Naoto. Our man, who knows well that they cannot get rid of him while he is Time Fire, and V-Rex will only respond to his voice, drives the man crazy with light mockery and cool defiance. But the former captain goes too far. The Londarz send an assassin to gain control of the V-Rex and kill Naoto. They catch him at home, threatening an unaware little girl if he doesn't come with them. And when he uses the button on his watch to signal for help, the former Captain erases the signal and leaves Naoto defenseless. Not knowing if help will come at all, Naoto brazens it out. It is the Time Ranger who arrive to help him. Not wanting to be held hostage, he leaps into the river. But he is injured and Yuuri is the one who rescues and takes care of him. And it is Yuuri whom he asks again about them, and who tells him the truth. After hearing her out, he says "So all I have to do is believe you. That's all I need. I'm amazed that the V-Rex and the V-Commander are from that far in the future. And I have to work harder to get it back, with my new team. I'm sorry, I can't stay with you. Especially not with Asami, because his father would be angry with me." With frustrated annoyance Yuuri snaps, "You want power that badly?" And he half-grins back at her. "Yes. Do you understand now?" Her expression is one of quiet annoyance as she says half softly, "You have to forget about power." His smile fades to grimness. "I won't betray you." She eyes him, his bruised and bloody face, for a long moment before racing off to join her team. He is left alone by the river. Although he doesn't really get a feature episode again, he interacts with the group often and it is important. When Sion dreams of him it is as the person who comes in the nick of time. When the Time Ranger need money to pay Dorunero for a vaccine to save people from a deadly virus, it is to Naoto that Ayase goes. Naoto leads the City Guardians well. He is really, really good although he chafes under Asami's control, and ultimately moves to pull the rug out from under him while he's too sick. But President Asami didn't get where he is by being easy to get rid of. He gets control again, and this time it is Naoto who loses. For the scientists managed to alter the V-commander. Now any voice can command the V-Rex, and they can safely get rid of the troublesome upstart for someone more controllable. And so Episodes 48 and 9 are the last with him. His death is painful, sad, and oh so hard to witness. He fights every moment, for life and freedom. For his future that he never reached. Did he have a future? Hard to say for certain. Only Captain Ryuuya might have known what Naoto's original fate was. How he died in the "real" history. Maybe he died exactly as he did, rescuing a child's bird and shot down by Zenitto. Who knows..... From the Time Ranger article on Pgs. 43-47 of Dengeki Tokusatsu Tsushin 2000 Winter Vol. 4. Time Ranger: Virtual Talk. Bio of Naoto Takizawa Pg. 44 After he won the interscholastic athletic meet, he was taken into University based on that recommendation. Thus he once again met the man he faced in the final round of the athletic meet, Tatsuya, in the Karate club. They were both at the highest level in Karate and evenly matched, but the assets and parentage of Mr. Perfect Tatsuya made Naoto blaze with rivalry. He viewed the fact that Tatsuya hated his house and left it as astonishing. He was sick of Tatsuya, who wanted to dump and run from his family's power, the sort of power Naoto could never have no matter how much he wanted it, because he was born in a quite ordinary household. He was sick of his other classmates, too, who were living off their rich families instead of on their own. In the summer of his second year, he dropped out of school. After that, he studied hand-to-hand combat and weapons and suchlike. Tatsuya's father, Wataru Asami, established the City Guardians to protect against the Londarz Family, and Naoto became a member. Frequent on-the-spot encounters with Tatsuya led to his learning that the other man was Time Red. Naoto managed to get the V-Commander. As Time Fire and with the V-Rex, he suddenly had all the power in his hands. He forced Wataru to make him commander of the group. After he became commander, nothing could intimidate him. Where will his passion take him next? He is 22 years old. Time Ranger: Virtual Talk Shinji Kasahara Interviews Naoto Takizawa Pg. 46-7 Shinji Kasahara was born April 28, 1974. He is 184 centimeters tall, blood type O. Kasahara: Have you ever thought that you want to die? Naoto: What?! Geez, you're abrupt. Kasahara: I studied under the actor, Tatsuya Nakadai, and he asked me "Have you ever thought that you want to die?" He had a gun to my head and was about to pull the trigger (we were rehearsing a scene) but his question was serious. I got very angry and said "No way! But I often thought I wanted to kill!" Naoto: Are you an idiot? You must not defy your boss. Kasahara: Sure, Naoto can control his temper. Of course, Nakadai got angry with me and said, "You go home, don't sleep, and think about whether or not you have the talent to be an actor!!" (grin) It wasn't just the shock of him pushing me to think about death, but also I felt ashamed that I never take things seriously. He's about 70 years old, and he's still acting, so his words had more weight than I imagined. "You don't have the talent, do you?!" was branded on my heart. So I really poured myself into it but I didn't let anyone see. For example, I got up early for voice-training at the park. I always tried to be cool for people. On the surface, I was always laughing and easy. So I always feel very thankful to Nakadai. I feel he gave me something very good. Naoto: Didn't I see Tatsuya Nakadai in a commercial for Yakiniku Sauce? Kasahara: Yeah, yes, you know him. I was in that commercial, too. I was behind, saying "That's Karubi! Roast!" It was filmed at Toie Studios. "Will you be in the commercial, too? But we can't pay YOU much," they asked. Naoto: So you were quite the favorite. Kasahara: Yeah, but I was angry and I hated Nakadai! Don't you think the strongest human emotion is hatred? Sadness and joy are diluted over time, but hatred GROWS. Looking back, there was someone I hated at each stage of my development. "I'll show you!" I thought at them. Naoto: But that is a positive way to deal with hatred, isn't it? Kasahara: In the end, yeah. But in my most warped times, I cut myself off from everyone else. Inside my shell I worried, and worried and treasured the good things, which made me feel good. After I got a Junior, I realized that was wrong. I tried to give everything good I'd gotten from people to this person who depended on me and called me "Shinji-san." Then I tried to look for more good things. Then everyone started doing it! So I was helped by my Junior. Naoto, don't you have a Junior like that? Naoto: I don't give a damn about anyone junior to me. Kasahara: Oh! That sure sounds like you. But I understand, I mean you're always irritated and ambitious for power. When I was young like Naoto, I was just the same. I wanted to be famous, but had no idea how to go about it! I had no power, I was just on the edge. Nobody could do anything with me. Naoto: I was looking for something to take me higher. That happened to be the City Guardians. It happened that they made my achievements recognized. Kasahara: Before, when I acted with Keiju Kobayashi, he said to me "It is also an actor's job to make an environment around him in his private life." Naoto: >annoyed look< Kasahara: Sorry, sorry! I know Naoto isn't the type to let someone else tell him what to do, either. You cannot change unless you do it yourself. But I want you to keep living, your own stubborn way. I don't want you to just become friends with all five of them. But you seem... well, like you're in danger. Naoto: When I gave my little birds to that girl, Mai, I threw my weakness with them. Now all I have to do is go on. Kasahara: Don't be reckless and die. Naoto: Don't worry, I'm not ready to die. Japan 106-0032 Minato-ku, Roppongi 4-10-3 Fukuyama Biru 3F Shigoto Attn: Shinji Kasahara 〒１０６−００３２港区六本木４−１０−３ 福山ビル３Ｆ 仕事 笠原紳司宛 Message from the actor, Shinji Kasahara Original posted November 26, 2000 at the bottom of this Toie page. Iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit's me...! The day before yesterday we were drunk and Dehi and I got tangled together and the door slammed on my right index finger when I was on the way to the toilet and gods it hurt so writing this is painful *ouchouch*. Today I'm fine, breakfast was delicious and this is Naoto's actor, Kasahara Shinji! Man, the time's gone fast. Since I joined (during the July shooting) four months have passed. And now we're already in the final stage of shooting. *sigh* Regrettable. At first when I began playing Naoto I couldn't understand him. Of course what will happen to him in the end is the backbone of the mystery! "Lie!? (I'm just like Munch's Scream! (heheheh)" The only things we do know about *me* is that Tatsuya's rival is an ambitious man, and quite a yahoo when he transforms into Time Fire *grin*. The end is not in sight, and I have never acted in a role where the end is not known and I have not been prepared for it. "Chancy, Chancy! (Just like Degawa *Japanese comedian says 'chancy' a lot*)" Even if I knew the end of the story I can't do any important acting. But I wonder why.... You know, thanks to that I myself am able to make decisions and requests to the staff about what I want his (Naoto's) character to be like. (Just like Jun-kun or Silly Orange Road!) I'm grateful to the staff who listen to me earnestly, and especially to Yasuko-san. Thank you, thank you (for some reason, he wrote this in Chinese Kanji, "shay-shay"). I'm afraid little kids are going to throw stones at me, but I'm safe for now. But Naoto is truly an interesting character to play (lots of deep meanings!), though I sometimes overdo it. *grin*. Underneath it all, Naoto is painfully naive... I guess. Yes, it's like a good, full-bodied beer but it has a sharp edge (this is an old expression!) For example, if it's Doraemon, it would be the Giant Nobita remix version and Arrangement Suneo. But with Mr. Hanawa (of Chibi Maruko-chan) entering the scene. It's exactly like Furin Kazan of the Sentai-kai, Exactly! (Just like Furuta Ichirou) Maybe you don't understand what I'm saying, eh? I'm so glad if you are moved by my acting while playing Naoto, but it's okay if you're pissed off or hate it (Yup, I really don't care)! The interpretation belongs to the audience and it should be of all different shapes according to the viewer's experiences and circumstances. I want to be able to act in a play that allows the audience to give their imagination free rein. As a part of being an expressionist, there is nothing better than when my audience can cry, laugh, be angry or be happy. Ack, I said something too beautiful, now I'm getting hives (Just like Naoto)! Magu-anii is our leader, kind, strong and his standing style is really cool. As for strong, sexy girls well, even without makeup Mika-onee is a really pretty girl. She has such a sweet voice and is a cool beauty (She's always trying to make me laugh while we're filming, please stop it!), Yuji-anijya is really good with people, a great guy who hates to be defeated. And charismatic Dehi is a really big-hearted, fine emotional and honest person (my finger still hurts)! Young Kura, in fact, he's the most matured person of us, his senses are wonderful, I fell in love with him, he's great! (just like Macchi (Masahiko Kondo)) And, and just wait a little for the fortune-telling animal (wolf), the false-romanticist Kasahara! Magu-anii is at the heart of our greatest performance, we will all keep trying our very best! For the sake of tomorrow, you must watch, must watch, must watch!! (Just like Tomorrow Joe!) Oowoooooooooh I LOVE doing Time Ranger! Please keep rooting for us! G'bye (Just like Naoto 2)! ――P.S.―― If you have iMode (but a computer's okay too) you can get mail from me directly (mail from Shinji!) really I will! (very embarrassed!) I'll say what I want to say, so if you are interested in me, please send me e-mail. I'm waiting for your response! ＜＜http://www.i-mail.co.jp＞＞ 　っちゃんで〜〜〜すっ！おととい酔っぱらってトイレに行く途中デヒともつれてドアしまってまぬけに右手の薬指はさんで痛い痛いで原稿書いてますっ。今日も元気だ御飯がうまい直人役の笠原紳司でーすっ!! 　いや〜早いもんです。僕が入ってから４ヶ月半（７月クランクインだったので）も経ってしまいました。さらに早いコトにもう終盤……はぁ〜（しみじみ）。 　最初に直人と向き合ったトキは、かなり戸惑いました。最終的に彼がどおなるのかはもちろん、バックボーンから全て謎。「うっそぉー!?（ムンクの叫びよろしく）」わかってるコトといえば、竜也のライバルで野心家でキザでタイムファイヤーに変身すること（笑）。終わりの見えないトコで行きあたりばったりで演技をしたコトはなかったのでＲ。「ヤバイよヤバイよ（出川よろしく）」まぁ、わかったトコで大したコトできるわけじゃないんスけどね。でもというかぁ…だからというかぁ…そのおかげでぇ僕自身も彼のキャラ作りにアイデア出してリクエストしたり参加できたわけで…（純くんor気まぐれオレンジロードよろしく）。もちろんこんな俺ごときの意見に真剣に耳を傾けてくれたスタッフの皆さんや、とくに靖子さんあっての事ですケド。謝謝ッ！ 　ちびっこに石投げられるの覚悟して入りましたケド今のトコはまだ無事です。 　でもホント直人っておもしろい役だナァって思います（いろんな意味で）。僕がちょっと調子に乗ってやり過ぎてる部分もあるケド（笑）。 　強烈の中のナイーブが……っていうのかナァ、うーん……ビールならコクがあるのにキレがあるっ（古い！）、ドラえもんでいうならジャイアンとのび太リミックスバージョン、アレンジにスネ夫、でも登場シーンは花輪くんっ！まさに戦隊界の風林火山っ!!みたいな（古館伊知郎よろしく）！はい、よくわかんないッスね。 　とにかく直人という役で何か感じてもらえたら、それはムカツクとかキライとかでも僕はうれしいですっ（ハイ、無理してません）！解釈は観た人それぞれのモノだから、その人の環境や経験にダブっていろんな形になるハズだし、そういう観る人にとっての受け取りの自由がめェいっぱい効いちゃう芝居が出来るようになりたいっ。それで泣いたり笑ったり怒ったり喜んだりしてくれたら表現者の端くれとしてこんなうれしいことないですっ。うわっキレイ事だっ、ジンマシンがっ（直人よろしく）!! 　やさしくて力強いっ、立ち姿メチャかっこええ我等がリーダー、マグ兄ィっ！強くてお色気ムンムンっ、でも素顔はとってもかわいい女の子、美香お姉ェっ！甘い声のクールビューティー（本番中笑わすのと酔わせようとするのそろそろ勘弁してくださいっ）、周りにしっかり気がつかえて負けず嫌いのホントいい奴、裕次の兄者っ！豪快で繊細、喜怒哀楽の正直者のカリスマッデヒのおじきっ（まだ指イテェぞ〜）！実は一番大人なんじゃないかなぁ、センスピカ１惚れたぜ乾杯（マッチよろしく）クラの若っ！そしてそしてっ、待ってましたっ動物占い「狼」のちょっと不良なロマンチストッインチキ笠原!! 　マグ兄ィを中心に絶対おもしろい作品にしようと皆一丸となって頑張ってますっ！明日のために観るべしっ、観るべしっ、観るべしっ!!（あしたのジョーよろしく） うぉぉぉ〜〜〜っタイムレンヂャー愛してるぜぇ〜っ!!応援よろしくお願いしますっ!!! あばよっ（直人よろしく２）！　　 ――P.S.―― 　あなたのiモードに（パソコンでもOK）直接僕からのメールが届く「紳司君からメールです」っていうのやってます（かなり照れるんですが）。 　言いたいコト言いまくってやろうと思ってますんで興味があったら一応よろしくお願いします。返事も待ってまーす！