An Epic Crossover: Tsuna Keito and Shimazaki Nobunaga Unite for WIND BREAKER!
On November 20th, at a Tokyo theater, a special fastest preview screening for the movie WIND BREAKER brought together actor Tsuna Keito, who plays Suou Hayato in the live-action adaptation, and voice actor Shimazaki Nobunaga, who lends his voice to the same character in the anime. A truly exciting moment unfolded when Shimazaki-san delivered one of Suou’s iconic lines live, much to Tsuna-san’s immense delight!
The Phenomenal Rise of WIND BREAKER
This live-action film is based on the highly popular action manga of the same name, which began serialization in Magazine Pocket in 2021. The original manga quickly garnered significant buzz, particularly among younger audiences, and went on to win the “Nationwide Bookstore Employees’ Recommended Comics 2022” award the following year. Its popularity soared even further with the eagerly awaited TV anime adaptation in 2024, which dominated viewer rankings across various streaming platforms. Building on this success, a second season of the TV anime is already slated for broadcast in April 2025, alongside stage play adaptations and video games, showcasing the series’ continuously accelerating popularity.
A Fan’s Dream Come True: Tsuna Keito’s Passion for Suou Hayato
With both the live-action and anime versions of Suou Hayato making an appearance, the MC asked the audience, “Everyone’s happy, right!?” Tsuna-san enthusiastically responded, “I’m happier than anyone here!” and “I love it so much!”
And it’s no wonder why. Tsuna-san is a huge fan of the WIND BREAKER manga and anime, especially the character Suou Hayato. He had reportedly been expressing his “love” to Shimazaki-san even during their preliminary meetings, which Shimazaki-san graciously acknowledged with a smile, saying, “I’m incredibly happy.”
Shimazaki Nobunaga’s Take on the Live-Action Suou Hayato
Having watched the completed movie ahead of time, Shimazaki-san shared his thoughts, remarking, “Suou was just too strong, it was hilarious (laughs).” He noted that this was a topic of discussion even during the anime recording sessions. “We often joked during the dubbing about how Suou was the only one not breaking a sweat or getting a scratch during fight scenes. His strength really shone through in the live-action as well. I watched it with the other WIND BREAKER voice actors, and everyone was laughing, saying, ‘He was strong in the anime, and he’s just as strong in live-action!’ A strange sense of shared understanding emerged,” he conveyed to Tsuna-san, clearly having enjoyed the film.
In response, Tsuna-san revealed a behind-the-scenes anecdote: “While everyone else besides Suou gets wound makeup, Suou remains perfectly clean. My makeup time was significantly shorter, believe it or not (laughs),” which brought laughter from Shimazaki-san and the audience.
The Art of Portraying Suou Hayato: Tsuna Keito’s Dedication
When asked what he focused on while playing Suou, Tsuna-san explained, “Because he’s a character I love, I felt a lot of pressure. What I paid attention to most was his smartness. His posture, his interactions, his fighting style – I had to make them look effortless. At the same time, his feelings for Nirei Akihiko needed to come across. In action scenes, it’s easy to get carried away and look desperate, but for Suou, that was absolutely unacceptable. I was mindful of this even during practice.” Shimazaki-san lauded his effort, saying, “Playing Suou Hayato in live-action is certainly challenging, but Tsuna-san truly embodied Suou. I felt like ‘the live-action Suou Hayato was right there in front of me.'”
A Surprise and an Iconic Line!
During the event’s photo session, a sensational surprise unfolded as six members of the “Suou-tai” (Suou’s squad), dressed just like Suou, appeared on stage! Tsuna-san was completely caught off guard, exclaiming, “What is this!?” As if that wasn’t enough, Shimazaki-san delivered another surprise, performing Suou’s famous line, “Now, shall we climb the stairs of adulthood together?” live! Tsuna-san was utterly overjoyed, declaring, “This is incredibly epic!” and “I’m genuinely so happy!”
Cast & Voice Actor
| Character | Live-action Actor | Voice Actor |
|---|---|---|
| Suou Hayato | Tsuna Keito | Shimazaki Nobunaga |
Release Information
The live-action movie WIND BREAKER is set to open on December 5th (Friday).
《By Yoneda Kaori》
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