Continuation of interview (1) 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 group, is one of the most popular episodes in the original work. Following on from the first season, we spoke with 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 behind-the-scenes recording and the attention to detail in their acting.
◇The pressure of playing Misao is so great that you can't sleep - I'm grateful to the Kenshin team
--Have there been any changes in the way you play Kenshin between the first and second seasons?
Saito: I think that the expressions Kenshin shows change when he interacts with different people, but as an actor, I find it very enjoyable that he shows a new side of Kenshin when he talks to new characters. Kenshin is more of a multifaceted person than a two-sided person, and it is someone who confronts him who brings that out. I keep in mind that dialogue is very important, whether it's a serious scene, a comedy scene, or an everyday conversation.
--What was the atmosphere like at the dubbing studio for season 2?
Saito: In season 1, the Kenshin crew got along well, and the studio was very harmonious. For season 2, the Kenshin crew was going to be acting separately for a while, so we didn't get to record together that much, but we had more opportunities to record with new cast member Yamane and Hino Satoshi, who plays Saito Hajime. When the members change, the atmosphere and rhythm of the dialogue inevitably changes, but the overall atmosphere was, "Ah, it's the Kenshin crew after all." It's a very calm set, isn't it?
Yamane: Yes. I think the set is always filled with friendly smiles.
--Yamane, were you nervous about joining the Kenshin team from the second season?
Yamane: Not just at the beginning, but up until around episode 29, I was so nervous I couldn't sleep the night before recording. I'd never worked on such a big title, and the character I was playing was played by so many people in the past. So I felt a lot of pressure to "produce something that everyone can be satisfied with," and I was really nervous on set at the beginning, but Saito and everyone on set spoke to me in a very cheerful way, and I felt like I could be here. From then on, I felt like I had a clear direction to play the Misao I felt with confidence.
--I heard that in the first season, the cast often left the recording set and went out to eat together. Did you have such opportunities in the second season?
Saito: Yes. We've gone out to eat a few times. It's been a lot of fun, hasn't it?
Yamane: It's been a lot of fun (laughs).
Saito: The other day, the Kenshin group plus Misao got together for the first time, but it didn't really feel like that. It had the vibe that we've been going out to eat regularly for quite some time. We're all around the same age, so we never run out of things to talk about. I'd love to go out to eat with everyone whenever I have the chance, so it's so much fun that I hope I'll have more opportunities to do so in the future.
Yamane: That get-together was so much fun that I had a dream about the rest of the dinner party that night. At the recording the following week, we were all excited talking about how much fun we had last week. I'm so grateful that everyone welcomed me so warmly into the team. ◇The Wall of Season 2 - Profile of Troupe Leader Saito Soma
--In season 2, Kenshin and his group will face off against a powerful enemy, Shishio's group. Do you feel the unity of the Kenshin group even during recording?
Saito: I think that each member of the Kenshin group will be forced to take on a difficult challenge in order to grow, so I think that's a new attempt. Until now, they've been in the same place and faced difficulties together, but I feel like a new challenge has arisen, where each person has to overcome their own wall. I think that's the same for us actors. I think that the day will come when the Kenshin group will gather again after overcoming their own wall, so I need to keep my guard up and take on a challenge every episode. I'm looking forward to the day when Kenshin and his group overcome their own wall and meet again.
--What wall do you feel Saito is facing in season 2?
Saito: We're recording at the stage before she encounters a strong enemy that puts her in a desperate pinch. So, it's like I'm gradually building up passion inside of me. In the first season, there were episodes where I would release all my passion once every few episodes, but this time, I think I need to think about things in a longer span. I want to build up passion so that when the time comes, I can release all my power, even more than in the first season.
--Yamane, are there any scenes that you feel are a wall?
Yamane: I think the scene where she finds out that everyone in the Oniwabanshu is dead, and the scene afterwards where Sojiro and the old man fight, are big walls for Misao that she has never overcome before. How she overcomes them is one of the highlights. In the beginning of the second season, Misao is often cheerful and bright, but from now on, there will be many expressions that she hasn't shown before, so I want to play them carefully.
--What were your impressions of each other as voice actors after working together as Kenshin and Misao in "Rurouni Kenshin"?
Saito: This is the first time I've worked with Yamane in earnest, so I was able to get a good feel for what kind of acting he'll do when I was in front of the microphone. I think he's a pretty difficult character to control. However, he can't be a noisy character, and he can't be a pandering character either. I thought it would be difficult to handle him precisely because he's such an innocent character. This is something I feel about everyone in the Kenshin team, but Yamane also definitely gets better with each test, the actual performance, and retakes. His ability to adapt and understand is amazing. Once Yamane got a grip on the character of Misao, she gave the story a rhythm and pace, so it was really easy to work with him. If you get into Misao's rhythm, Kenshin will naturally show a variety of expressions, so I think he's a lot of fun to interact with.
Yamane: Thank you. When Saito-san is on set, he is always reading the script. He has the original work open on a tablet and is always checking the relevant scenes for recording. Even in scenes where he is not in them, I can see him carefully watching the other actors' acting, and I feel very lucky to be able to be part of a production with such a great leader. I learn a lot from him, telling myself, "I want to become this kind of senior, this kind of actor."
Thank you, Saito-san.
Saito-san and the other voice actors are taking on the second season with even more enthusiasm than the first. I am looking forward to seeing what kind of battles will unfold between Kenshin and his friends and Shishio's group.
