And here's a report from Miss S, my friend who met N after the play (and agreed I could post this):
(note: S had sent some letters to N introducing herself as a fan, and telling him she would go to his play in Osaka)
My Thoughts on Meeting Masatoshi Nakamura (June 27, 2009)
By: S
I met Masatoshi Nakamura twice. When I first sat down in the theater, he was wandering around the stage and scanning the audience. I think he may have seen me as I was on the side where he was in the sixth row (and believe me it was obvious who I was). Some people got up to go to the stage to give him things. I hesitated at first but then decided to go. An usher tried to stop me and I just said DOUZO (please). She let me go. He looked past some people in front of me said; "Are you Sxxxx? I got your letter. I want to talk to you more. Will you come back to my dressing room after?" I was shocked and amazed but very excited.
After the performance, the producer of the play (Mr. Kokami) had someone take me backstage. MN and I talked for about 10 minutes in his dressing room. I was very comfortable with him right from the beginning when he indicated that he knew who I was. He is so very nice. He is reserved, quiet, and very kind. We talked about many different things. It was incredible. I got the programs for myself and ar_woo signed. I told him that ar_woo was making a website in his honor in Chinese. I told him all of the DVDs I have of his performances, and when I mentioned American Pastime, he said; “I was going to give it to you but you already have it." I responded with: "sumimasen" sorry. I thought that he really wanted to give me something, so I said to him: “That’s ok, I am very happy that you signed my program and that I got a picture with you.”
We went out of the dressing room because he said that he wanted to introduce me to someone. It turned out to be Mr. Kokami who said: “So you did get to meet him then.” MN told Mr. Kokami that I was a Spanish teacher from California. He also told him with pride: “She extended her trip just to see me.”
Not only did he remember my name but also he remembered that I am a Spanish teacher. WOW! At one point, I said to him, “You played a teacher in one of your early dramas, didn’t you?” He said, “Yes, I did.” I then said: “You had long hair back then…” He nodded and laughed.
He also walked me to the door, not just the dressing room door but also the one to the hallway exit. He said he wanted to see me out. As I was walking out, I realized that he was still in the doorway behind me just looking at me. I turned around and bowed to him one more time, thanking him again.
His English is perfect. He has a bit of an accent but hardly noticeable, and I heard no mistakes. He did not even have any trouble searching for words or anything. In fact, he even used some expressions that someone whose first language is not English would not normally use. It really showed me how well versed he is in English. He told me that I spoke Japanese well after I said nice to meet you and thank you in Japanese. I then said in Japanese that I only speak a little Japanese. It was after that that I told him "you speak English very well". He replied with "I don’t think so. I learned it in the University but I don’t use it much now."
He wanted to know how I discovered him and I told him about the Reward of Pride. He said, "Oh a crime drama." I tried to say the name in Japanese and only got the first word out but he completed it for me. I told him that I had from episode 19 to 40 something on tape... that I had taped it every week and still had them. He seemed very surprised. I told him about the DVDs of his I had including Budokan. He was quite surprised that I had his Budokan DVD. He kept thanking me repeatedly, and I kept thanking him repeatedly.
I remembered that story about ar_woo's friend, Kendama, talking to him on the phone in the 80s, but I never dreamed that so many years later he would still be the same way. I was so very impressed. He is just so humble and so unaffected by his success in spite of the fact that he is one of the biggest stars in Japan. I think that is probably one of the most wonderful things about him.
I am still in amazement over meeting MN. I still cannot believe it. Of course, now I am saying to myself that I wish I had done this or I wished I had asked him that. You know how it is... it all happened so fast. He is truly a special person. I was very surprised that he is so different in person than he is when he is performing. In person, he is very reserved and quiet. What impressed me the most about him is that he is so humble and unaffected by his success. He made me very comfortable from the very beginning. When I was talking to him, I felt like I was just talking to an ordinary person, not a big star who has been admired by so many for more than 30 years. He is so very talented and such a nice person too. I now completely understand why he has been so popular for so many years.
