Original URL: https://cho-animedia.jp/movie/171781/2/
Published: 2020/6/1
Features:
Shimazaki Nobunaga (Yamamoto Rio in Omoi, Omoware, Furi, Furare)
Saito Soma (Inui Kazuomi in Omoi, Omoware, Furi, Furare)
Mentioned:
Suzuki Marika (Ichihara Yuna in Omoi, Omoware, Furi, Furare)
Han Megumi (Yamamoto Akari in Omoi, Omoware, Furi, Furare)
※A few of the questions and answers are the same as the Katari, Katarare section of Animedia’s interview in their paper magazine.
Q: The two of you have co-starred quite often. What did you think when you found out you’d be co-starring in this film?
Nobunaga: Both Soma-kun and I auditioned for both Yamamoto Rio and Inui Kazuomi. So, when I was contacted about the casting, based on the trends of the characters we voiced recently, I first thought, “I guess Soma-kun is Rio and I’m Kazuomi.” It was actually the reverse though, so I was a bit surprised.
Soma: Indeed. I had also assumed “I guess Nobunaga-san is voicing Kazuomi. Makes sense!”
Q: Was it an unusual casting?
Nobunaga: It was really just what we thought based on the roles we typically get cast as and the fact that it was me and Soma-kun voicing Rio and Kazuomi. When we talked to each other about the casting, we found out that we’d both thought the same thing.
Soma: When it actually came time to voice Kazuomi, it was a better fit than expected. I thought it was unusual at first, but now I don’t doubt the staff’s choice one bit.
Nobunaga: Indeed. I had a lot of fun voicing Rio too.
Q: What were your impressions after reading the scenario?
Soma: First off, I thought the title was really great. I think those who read the original manga will know what I mean when I say that the work’s entire essence is contained in the title. And this work’s story does a very good job of depicting “when things don’t go well.” Feelings that don’t get across, unrequited love. Just when they think they’ve gotten closer to that person, they drift apart again. These back-and-forth relationships are no different from ours in the real world. And I found it was fascinating that the worries the characters have in the film are things that I can relate to even as an adult.
Nobunaga: I also enjoyed the realism of the characters and story. It made me think, “Yeah, this would happen in that situation” and “People are like this these days.” When I imagine myself in the characters’ shoes, they always do what I would’ve done. All of the characters in this work are very human. Even though the theme is romance, it’s also a story of human drama.
Q: Tell us about the heroines, Ichihara Yuna and Yamamoto Akari.
Nobunaga: Yuna-chan is charming because of her honesty when it comes to both love and friendship. She’s dazzling. I think that this kind of honesty is hard to maintain when you become an adult, especially when you’re concerned about what other people think or afraid of failing. That’s why Yuna-chan’s honesty is radiant and appealing. On the other hand, Akari-chan has relationship experience, so she starts off guiding Yuna-chan, but Yuna-chan’s honesty gradually gets to her, and it was sweet watching her come to terms with her own feelings.
Soma: I think Akari-chan is a girl who has to act mature because of her complicated family situation. That makes it hard for her to be true to her feelings, which is where her story begins. Akari-chan becomes changed through Yuna-chan’s pure, honest energy, and it was comforting to watch her face her feelings, clumsy as it might’ve been. I think anyone who’s gone through puberty will be able to sympathize with that awkwardness of hers. The two girls are completely different in personality and their approach to love, and the story of how they influence each other really pulls you in.
Nobunaga: They really are opposites.
Soma: I like the game that Akari-chan plays throughout the film. I loved how she wouldn’t confess herself, instead trying to draw a confession out of him. I also thought the most dazzling scene was Yuna-chan’s direct “Reject me” line. It’s great to see the girls’ different approaches to love.
Q: What was it like voicing the characters?
Nobunaga: I said earlier that I originally thought I’d be voicing Kazuomi, but I found that I related to Rio more after voicing him. He’s the type that acts based on emotion, which is similar to me. So, while he’s extremely handsome, I loved how he became a mess for the sake of expressing his love. I’ve wanted to act out such a scene for a long time now, so I gave it everything I had.
Soma: When I read the original manga, I couldn’t get a grasp on Kazuomi’s character. He has a caring and sociable personality, but he thinks too much about balancing his own feelings with other people’s expectations, and ends up getting stuck. I couldn’t get a good read on his heart at first. But when we began recording and I followed the story again from his point of view, it somehow settled in. The last scene where Kazuomi becomes honest with his own feelings left a deep impression on me when I acted it out, so please pay extra attention to that.
Q: For Yuna’s voice actress, Suzuki Marika-san, this was her first appearance in an anime film, and after the recording, she said she felt how amazing the veteran voice actors were. Did you two give her any advice?
Nobunaga: We didn’t have anything to say regarding acting, right?
Soma: Right. I think the three of us, including Akari’s voice actress Han Megumi-san, reassured her and told her to take it easy.
Nobunaga: Yeah, I think you can put on your best performance when you have both nervousness and relaxedness in moderation. As her senpais, all we did was create that atmosphere for her.
Soma: Han-san was especially supportive of her.
Nobunaga: They were like sisters. *laughs*
Q: It sounds like it was a very warm recording session. As for the completed film, Rio and Kazuomi both go through love where they have a difficult time expressing their feelings. What would you do in their situations?
Nobunaga: I think I would make a move. I’ll ponder over things for a while, but in the end, I tend to be true to my feelings. Even if I make a move and it doesn’t work out, that’s a weight off my shoulders, and I think it’s always important to express how you feel. That’s also why I respect people like Akari and Kazuomi, who can repress their feelings for the sake of others. It’s admirable because it’s something I can’t do.
Soma: Wow, I agree with everything he said laughs. If I had to find something different, I think it’d be that I admire the idea of “a love that might not come true,” and worrying that your feelings might never reach the other person. But in actuality, I don’t think I’d be able to keep my feelings a secret and worry like that. If I realize I love them, I’ll probably take action right away.
Q: Who would you recommend this film to?
Soma: The theme of this film is “love,” but I want it to be seen by a wide range of people, without narrowing it down to that one point. This is because I think everyone has some form of “adolescence.” Whether it involves love, friendship, or something else, I think there’ll be parts of this film that’ll tug at your heartstrings. If you’re an adult like us, it might make you think “I should’ve gotten more out of my youth.” *laughs* But that’s not a painful feeling; rather, it’s something you feel in a refreshing, touching way.
Nobunaga: Indeed, I think it’ll move your heart no matter how old you are. Personally, I highly recommend it to people who want to become more proactive. After watching the film, I’m sure it’ll make you want to take action.
Soma: Yeah! It’s especially recommended for people who want to be proactive.
Nobunaga: In that case, I recommend it to everyone except for people who really don’t want to be moved, or want to maintain calmness in their heart. *laughs*