The second season of the new TV anime "Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Swordsman Romantic Story," based on the popular manga by Nobuhiro Watsuki, "Kyoto Uprising," has been airing since October on Fuji TV's late-night anime slot "Noitamina" and elsewhere. The "Kyoto Arc," which moves the setting from Tokyo to Kyoto and depicts Himura Kenshin's new encounters and his fierce battle with Shishio's faction, is one of the most popular episodes in the original work. Following the first season, we spoke to Saito Soma, who plays Himura Kenshin, and Yamane Ayaka, who plays Makimachi Misao, a new character in the second season who travels with Kenshin to Kyoto, about the behind-the-scenes recording and the attention to detail in their acting.
◇Season 2 "Kyoto Uprising" The story is getting exciting
--Looking back on the first season, which aired from July to December 2023, what do you think?
Saito: Because it's a work that has been loved for many years, especially at the beginning of recording, I was overwhelmed with the idea that I had to carry the weight of this work as the voice actor of Himura Kenshin, but looking back after finishing the 24 episodes of the first season, I realized that it was just me who was thinking that, and that we were all carrying the same weight and could walk together. So I think that the first season was very educational for me as a voice actor and as a person.
--Yamane-san, what impression did you have of "Rurouni Kenshin"?
Yamane-san: I read the original "Rurouni Kenshin" manga when I was a child and a student, and then I watched all the live-action movies, so I personally really like this work. Talking about the characters, I liked (Shinomori) Souji as a child. Girls around sixth grade want to say things like, "It's definitely Shinomori Souji" (laughs). I liked Sojiro, who was strong and cool, and had a mysterious air about him that didn't say much, but since I got to work on "Rurouni Kenshin," I've found that I like Kenshin. Kenshin is warm and kind, and there are many moments when I think, "What a great guy!"
--What was your impression when you read the original story and script for the second season, "Kyoto Uprising"?
Saito: Frankly speaking, I think the story is getting really exciting. I felt that this episode was one of the climaxes of the story of "Rurouni Kenshin." In terms of animation, the number of characters that appear in the second season has increased dramatically, and there are more diverse battle scenes and human dramas, so it's definitely worth watching. I reread the original story in preparation for this recording, and it has a really good tempo. Even episodes that I thought were long-term battles were surprisingly compact in terms of the number of episodes, and the manga has a lot of contrast, so I think it's a very exciting episode.
Yamane: When I read it as a child, the battle scenes were what left the biggest impression on me. However, when I reread it after I was chosen to play Misao, I realized that the connections between people, relationships, and emotional turmoil were expressed very vividly. Misao herself meets Kenshin and various people and faces big walls that she has never experienced before, so I wanted to play each one carefully.
◇What if you were to play Misao in the Reiwa era? No matter how serious it is, stay positive.
--Makimachi Misao is one of the heroine characters in the second season. What is your impression of Misao?
Yamane: When I saw the live-action movie, the character I liked the most was Misao, played by Tsuchiya Tao. She was very dignified and I thought she was the kind of woman that women would look up to. I was very impressed by how her inner strength and coolness were clearly expressed in Misao's innocence. When the audition for the role of Misao came, I thought, "I want to play this girl too!", so I was really happy to pass the audition. Now, as a new story, I am recording every day with the idea of how I would like to play Misao in the Reiwa era.
--What do you keep in mind when playing Misao?
Yamane: In the first recording, I was directed to make it clear that she is younger than Kaoru-san and older than Yahiko-kun, and it was quite difficult to grasp that. She is a very earnest and straightforward girl with the kind of energy that can brighten up those around her, so recently, even in serious scenes, I try not to make things too heavy, or to be too pulled by the atmosphere around her. I think Misao is a girl who can always think positively toward hope, so I will continue to keep that in mind when I play her.
Saito: Misao is a very lively, bright and energetic character, and I think she's a character who fits the role perfectly, as she was not in the story up until the first season. In the second season, Kenshin leaves Kaoru and the others with the resolve to live alone from now on in order to save everyone, and heads to Kyoto. The atmosphere could have easily been darker, but with Misao's appearance, a positive flow is created. I think that's really wonderful. Even when they are talking to each other, Kenshin is overwhelmed at first, but Misao, who keeps coming at him, gradually brings him back to a normal, level state.
--I also get the impression that Kenshin shows a different kind of kindness in his interactions with Misao than before.
Saito: Misao isn't aiming for that, but she does a good job of bringing out Kenshin's kind-hearted side. In the second season, the comical scenes are more clearly depicted, and when Misao uses various techniques such as the angry Kecho Kick, Kenshin also shows various comical expressions, and I think it's very satisfying to actually interact with him.
--Yamane-san, what are your thoughts on interacting with Saito-san?
Yamane-san I thought of Saito-san as someone who always has a loud voice and doesn't care much about distance or location. In the early part of the journey with Kenshin, I was mostly talking about myself, so I acted without thinking about how far away or how close I was, but Saito-san gave me an exquisite punchline and picked up on it by varying the pace. I felt that Misao's voice volume and range changed as she became closer to Kenshin, and I think it was a very good influence.
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