Continuation of interview (1): The second part of the two-part film series of the anime Given, based on Kizu Natsuki's popular BL manga, Given: To the Sea, was released on September 20th. The Given anime series began as a TV anime that aired on Fuji TV's late-night anime slot Noitamina from July to September 2019. It depicts the youth of the members of the rock band Given, and concluded with Given: To the Sea. We asked Yano Shogo, who plays the main character Sato Mafuyu, and Uchida Yuuma, who plays Mafuyu's lover Uenoyama Ritsuka, about the recording process and their thoughts on the conclusion.
◇Ritsuka, who embraces Mafuyu - Thoughts on "To the Sea"
-- Given: To the Sea is the culmination of the Given anime. Which scene is the most meaningful to you? Yano: All of the scenes are important, and of course there is not a single wasted scene, but in the first part, "Given the Movie: Hiiragi Mix," Ritsuka joins Mafuyu's childhood friends, Kashima Hiiragi and Yagi Genjun's band "syh," as a support guitarist, and Mafuyu feels like Ritsuka has been taken away from him, so the scene at the beginning of "To the Sea" where he calls Ritsuka and they are alone was memorable. It's a short time until the last train, but I felt that the space just for the two of them, with Mafuyu relying on Ritsuka, was very endearing. I felt that it was very precious that Mafuyu can honestly rely on Ritsuka alone. This may be because I'm getting older (laughs). Uchida: Apart from myself as the actor, there is also myself as a viewer at the same time, so when I watch it, I sometimes feel like, "That was good." Yano: Also, I really liked Yuuma's acting in this scene. Yuuma-kun's acting doesn't really read the lines, but makes you feel like "Rikka is speaking." He's very enveloping, so I think I was able to play that kind of Mafuyu, and as an actor, I was very happy to be able to have a dialogue with Yuuma-kun again.
Uchida-san: You're making me blush (laughs).
Yano-san: You're making me blush.
Uchida-san: I'm glad. It's Yano-san who's bringing that out, though.
Yano-san: No no.
Uchida-san: What made the biggest impression on me was the "syh" live scene.
-- In order to face Mafuyu, Rikka completes a song called "To the Sea," left behind by Mafuyu's ex-girlfriend Yoshida Yuki, and Mafuyu gets to listen to the song at the "syh" live show.
Uchida: This time, Rikka and Mafuyu have feelings for each other, but rather than confronting each other, they are somewhat reserved with each other, and as the story progresses while they are thinking about various things, music is the trigger that melts their hearts. The two of them cannot decide or find their future unless they communicate with each other, so when I think that "To the Sea" was a big trigger, I really felt that those two really needed music. For Mafuyu, music may have been scary, but it is also music that allows you to leave behind what is important to you, and it is also music that shows you a wonderful, warm future, and Rikka felt like she was able to convey that possibility. In that sense, it felt like Mafuyu watching the live performance and Rikka standing on the stage were connected to each other.
--What is your impression of "To the Sea," which is an important song?
Yano: If you hear it in the play, you'll definitely cry, right? I think it's a song that really shows what kind of person Yuki was. It's a straightforward, very kind song. I felt that Yuki must have imagined this kind of future, and that this is what she thought about Mafuyu. In the story, Ritsuka completes the song that Yuki left behind, but Ritsuka erases himself and makes it so that only Yuki exists. Mafuyu says that he "found Yuki" in the song. But at the same time, I thought that he might have felt Ritsuka, listening to the song.
--Uchida-san, you participated in the recording of "Umi e" as a chorus member.
Uchida-san It's not often that we go to record just the chorus, so I remember being quite nervous and wondering "how should I sing it?" For Ritsuka, music is the "words" he uses to convey his feelings, so how he approaches it is related to his identity. I felt the difficulty of the recording. Now that I think about it, it's a really great song.
◇ "Yuma-kun is the sun" "I was completely dependent on Yano-kun"
--Yano-san and Uchida-san have played Mafuyu and Ritsuka, who have feelings for each other, in the "Given" anime series. What are your impressions of each other as voice actors?
Uchida-san I've always felt Yano-kun's straightforwardness since the first time we worked together on set. He's cheerful, but he's also very serious and earnest. That's why I could really sense his nervousness, and I could really sense that he was trying to approach recording with a single core. So when we do something together, I feel a sense of security and that he's "reliable," and I like that about him. Recording "Given" was a lot of fun, and I've always thought, "I want to record more," since the beginning. After the TV anime, the movie version, the OAD, and the two-part movie, I've become even more reliable. I was relying on him a lot, or rather, I was completely dependent on him (laughs).
--Were you inspired by Yano's acting?
Uchida: I really felt that I had to approach the scene where I confess my feelings to Mafuyu as Ritsuka. Mafuyu has a very hard core, and it's very difficult to move her, and I think she's a very strong person, so I thought that Ritsuka had to be the kind of person who could embrace that, reach out and hold her hand.
--What do you think is attractive about Uchida, Yano?
Yano: First of all, Yuuma is kind. He's really kind, passionate, considerate, and has a lot of manpower that can make people smile. I think he's the sun. Yuuma's sun-like way of making everyone bright, his manly side when it matters, and his gentle side are all reflected in Ritsuka's acting. Ritsuka's unconventional, unconventional side, and his sensitive, troubled side as a high school student come to life because of Yuuma's acting. He doesn't say lines, but rather it's Ritsuka, played by Yuuma, who is "speaking." That's why it's easy for me to take on the role of Mafuyu, and I just have to react to that. So just as Mafuyu was pulled by Ritsuka, Yuuma pulled me along too. Even in interviews and stage greetings outside of his acting, you can see that Yuuma's words are full of emotion.
Uchida: No, no (laughs).
Yano: I think you're a wonderful person, including the sensitivity of your choice of words. I could go on and on about your charms!
Uchida: Thank you (laughs).
