Reina Ueda：The difficulty of playing Chinatsu-senpai in the anime "Ao no Hako" - "I have to be careful not to come across as cunning"

The world premiere of the TV anime "Ao no Hako," based on the popular manga by Miura Koji currently being serialized in "Weekly Shonen Jump" (Shueisha), was held on September 7th at TOHO Cinemas Hibiya (Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo), with Chiba Shoya as Inomata Daiki, Ueda Reina as Shikano Chinatsu, Kito Akari as Chono Hina, and Kobayashi Chiaki as Kasahara Tadashi in attendance. Ueda, who plays the heroine Chinatsu, a second-year high school girl basketball player who not only has the skills but also the personality and star quality, said, "She's glamorous with star quality, but she also puts in a lot of effort, which is cool. She also has a mysterious side that makes you wonder what she's thinking. What's great about her is that she's so honest." Ueda said that while acting, he was conscious of acting in a straightforward manner without being cunning. "There are many heart-pounding scenes, but I tried to be careful not to come across as cunning. She is a kind and considerate girl, so it was difficult to act in a way that would capture that nuance without overdoing it."

On the day, a blue carpet was set up at Hibiya Step Square in Tokyo Midtown Hibiya (Tokyo), inspired by the series, and Chiba, Ueda, Kito, Kobayashi, and Uchida Yuuma, who plays Hariu Kengo, appeared on the stage. It was also announced that the band Official Hige Dandism (Higedan) would perform the opening theme "Same Blue," and singer-songwriter Eve would perform the ending theme "Teenage Blue."

"Ao no Hako" is a popular work from Weekly Shonen Jump, and expectations for the anime are high. Chiba, who plays the main character, Taiki, said confidently, "I'm sure I can exceed everyone's expectations. It's new, but also somehow nostalgic. I think it will touch everyone's hearts. It's a warm work that affirms the feeling of love."

"Ao no Hako" is set at Eimei Gakuen, a powerhouse sports school, and tells the story of a youth club love story in which Inomata Taiki, a member of the boys' badminton club, falls in love with Shikano Chinatsu, a senior in the girls' basketball club. The story delicately depicts the dedication of life-sized characters who devote themselves to club activities with their own feelings in their hearts, and the subtle emotions that occur when you fall in love with someone. The series began serialization in Weekly Shonen Jump in April 2021. The comic has sold over 5 million copies in total.

The anime will be produced by Telecom Animation Film, the studio behind the Lupin the Third series. It will be broadcast on 28 TBS affiliates every Thursday at 11:56pm starting October 3rd.