Yuuya Yagira Reveals Glimpse of Madness in Past Interview Following Success of Sins of Kujo
He makes people on the street bleed and hurt
Yuya Yagira (36), starring in the Netflix drama “Sins of Kujo,” is enjoying strong success. Since its release on April 2, the series has consistently remained at the top of the “Today’s Series Top 10.” On social media as well, a wide range of opinions about the content have been shared, indicating that a large number of people are watching the work.
Yagira first appeared in film at age 14 in “Nobody Knows” (2004), where he immediately won the Best Actor Award at the Cannes Film Festival. It was the first time for a Japanese actor and the youngest ever—a dazzling achievement so overwhelming it could have been crushing. Although he reportedly struggled under that pressure, he overcame it and built an impressive career. Today, whether in films, television, or streaming productions, his works are consistently successful, making him a top-tier actor without question.
Because of this, Yagira is highly sought after across many productions. What is particularly interesting, however, is that a strangely large number of his roles involve violent works. Moreover, he does not merely appear in them; he often portrays violent and psychologically intense characters himself, which have also been extremely well received.
“After ‘Nobody Knows,’ Yagira struggled for a while to re-establish his presence, but he suddenly drew attention with the lead role in the film ‘Destruction Babies’ (2016). In a bleak provincial town, he violently assaults passersby without showing any emotion. Even with almost no dialogue, the impact was tremendous.
Other works include ‘From Today, It’s My Turn!! The Movie’ (2020), the ‘Gannibal’ series (2022, 2025 / Disney+), and more recently the film ‘Natsume Arata no Kekkon’ (2024), where his violent roles have again been well received. Of course, he also plays many good-natured characters, but in Yagira’s case, it is the deranged roles that leave the strongest impression,” said a television magazine editor.
Why is it that violent roles suit Yagira so well? Is it because there is a hidden madness within him? Curious about what he is like in his private life, we spoke to various people connected to him.
“I knew he was different from ordinary people.”
“I have interviewed Yagira-san many times, and during interviews he shows not a trace of madness. He is quiet, and answers questions with a slightly shy smile. He doesn’t seem to think of himself as a big star at all, and he often says things like ‘I want to be popular’ or ‘I want to be well-liked,’ laughing like ‘hehe.’ My impression is that he is a bit naïve and very gentle,” said a women’s magazine writer.
Another writer also described Yagira as having absolutely zero ‘madness’:
“He is extremely humble. Even though his popularity and achievements are recognized by everyone, he himself doesn’t seem to have any awareness of it, and in fact sometimes seems a little lacking in confidence. When I interviewed him for a media outlet targeting younger readers, he even said sadly, ‘Young people these days probably don’t know me.’”
“That’s probably why he answers every question so carefully and sincerely. It makes you wonder why this person fits such deranged roles so well.”
However, as the reporting continued, another hidden side of Yagira began to emerge. A veteran writer who has been interviewing him since his teenage years shared the following story:
“This was when he was still a teenager. It was an interview related to a horror project, so I asked him, ‘Are you okay with ghosts?’ And he said with a smug face, ‘I can see them.’ And he wasn’t joking or trying to lighten the mood—he said it with complete pride. It made me think that even though he looks ordinary, someone who wins awards at Cannes is clearly not an ordinary person in some way.”
“Now that he’s an adult, he probably just doesn’t show that side anymore. But I think it’s because he has something unusual deep inside that he is able to draw people in with acting that only he can do.”
“He is someone who has a drawer that we have not seen yet.”
Takahiko Kageyama, professor at the Department of Media Creation, Doshisha Women’s College of Liberal Arts, evaluates Yagira as follows:
“Yagira-san has gone through various struggles stemming from the brilliant debut of ‘Nobody Knows,’ and in recent years he finally seems to have entered a period of ‘fruition.’ In particular, since marrying Ellie Toyota, he has given the impression of being in a more stable phase of his career.
His eyes are striking. At first glance they appear strong, sometimes even carrying anger or madness, but deep down there is always a sense of sadness. Whether he plays villains or serious roles, there is always some element of sadness present, and I believe that is what draws many people to him. He is very good at portraying madness, but what I personally like is his performance in delicate roles such as in ‘The Lion’s Hideaway’ (TBS, 2024).”
On the other hand, it is also said that his claim of “I can see ghosts!” with a smug expression is another side of Yagira.
“When he seriously says ‘I can see them!’, it is not necessarily a lie—it is part of who he is. However, that is only one aspect of him, one of many facets he possesses both as a human being and as an actor.
Truly insane people cannot portray madness. It is precisely because he has a solid foundation of rationality and accumulated experience that he can convincingly portray both intense madness and delicate roles. Yagira still has many facets we have yet to see. It is too early to define him at this stage, and he is an actor who continues to evolve in a way that is almost frightening.”
It seems certain that he is someone who carries something unusual deep within.
Interview and text by： Nanako