The TV anime "Acro Trip," based on the manga by Sawada Yone that was serialized in "Ribon" (Shueisha), will be broadcast on TOKYO MX, BS Nippon TV and other stations from October 2nd. The story follows the protagonist, Date Chizuko, who is crazy about the magical girl Berry Blossom, who protects peace, and is seen as a promising young woman by the evil leader Chroma, who recruits her into an evil organization that opposes magical girls. In this "support comedy," the timid girl's desire to "make magical girls shine more... make them struggle!" leads her down the path of evil. Ito Miku plays Chizuko and Minase Inori plays the magical girls Berry Blossom/Noichigo Kasumi. We spoke to Ito and Minase about what went on behind the scenes with the recording.
◇Berry Blossom is too cute!
--What is your impression of the work?
Ito: The jokes are funny, and the sensei's word sense is amazing! The characters were all very unique, and I read the story while making comments. The more I read the more I liked the characters, and before I knew it, I had read the whole series.
Minase: There's good and evil, and I thought maybe they were in conflict because they both had their own sense of justice, but as I read on, I found the exchanges to be so cute that I wondered why they were fighting in the first place. Even the evil characters have their lovable side, and all the characters are serious. They're all serious - being evil, being good, being an otaku... and that's why it's so interesting, funny, and heartwarming.
Ito: At first, Chizuko has a low level of excitement and lives her life calmly, but she starts out as a good girl. I thought there must be a lot of girls like that nowadays. From there, the moment you find one thing you love, the whole world starts to shine. I understand that! I was thinking that as I acted. She loves Berry Blossom so much that she becomes an evil advisor in order to make Berry Blossom shine, which is a confusing situation. Her feelings for him have become complicated (laughs).
Minase: Berry Blossom is such a nice girl that I end up saying "please say something bad!" (laughs). People even tease her and say she's "too nice." She's a girl who can help anyone, so even in her daily life, she's always rushing over to help someone in trouble. I thought she might be a shy girl, but her ability to act is charming. She's also a girl with a steadfast heart. I feel she's the embodiment of a strong and kind girl!
--Berry Blossom's appearance is also easy to understand and cute.
Minase: She fights in this costume, and it sparkles, like fluttering petals. The contrast of fighting in this costume is also good.
Ito: She's so cute! I have to support her! I'm acting while thinking that.
◇Chizuko is a sprinter!
--What do you value when playing Chizuko?
Ito: Her cold gaze towards Chroma, her assertiveness when she's making jokes, her feelings towards Berry Blossom...she has so many expressions, so I was conscious of expressing Chizuko's emotions 100% in each moment. There are times when she breaks down to the point where you wonder if she's human! I acted out those parts with all my might. She's busy, making jokes, getting depressed, having fun, etc. It feels like she's sprinting at full speed.
--Doesn't that tire you out?
Ito: I give it my all! I bring rice balls to the recording.
Minase: You brought rice balls in a triangular case, didn't you? I thought that was so cute!
Ito: I make rice balls with leftovers at home, but I often fail (laughs). The flavor is too bland.
--What about Minase?
Minase: She's pure and honest, and lives every minute and second as Berry Blossom to the best of her ability, so I was conscious of that when I stood in front of the microphone. The transformation scene in episode 1 is the first time everyone has seen her transform, but for Berry, it's a part of everyday life, so I was conscious of how long she's been a magical girl. She always has a strong sense of justice and will fight any evil with all her might. She also gives her all in her speech when she cuts off her character.
--Is she cute? Or cool?
Ito: She's basically cute, but when she's fighting, she's cool.
Minase: She's usually airy, but when she transforms, she's sharp and strong, so I tried to act in an exaggerated way during the battles. There are many cuts in the battle scenes, and they're very powerful, so I acted a little more exaggeratedly than I do in my daily life.
Continued in interview (2).
