The third season of the TV anime series BLEACH: The Thousand-Year Blood War, based on Kubo Tite's popular manga BLEACH, which was serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump (Shueisha), entitled "BLEACH: The Thousand-Year Blood War Arc - Conflict Story", will begin airing on TV Tokyo and other networks from October 5th. The four-season series, "The Thousand-Year Blood War Arc", is finally entering its second half. This year, BLEACH is also celebrating its 20th anniversary since the TV anime began airing. We spoke to Morita Masakazu, who has played the main character Kurosaki Ichigo for almost 20 years, and Sugiyama Noriaki, who plays Ishida Uryuu, about the recording sessions.
◇How did you portray Uryuu's betrayal?
--As it's a four-season series, we're halfway through and entering the second half.
Morita: We're halfway through, but I don't feel like I'm halfway through yet. Ichigo was fighting flashily in the first half of the first season, but he hasn't fought as much since then. In my "BLEACH history," there was a particularly long period of time where I didn't fight, so I knew this, but I also feel like this is as far as it goes. On the other hand, there are many attractive scenes with other characters, and under Kubo-sensei's supervision, there are more scenes that complement the original work, making it more substantial, and we can now clearly understand parts that were not depicted in the original work, making it more fleshed out.
--The "Thousand-Year Blood War Arc" was also a hot topic because it was the first restart of the anime in about 10 years.
Morita-san: In the first season, I was very motivated and excited to act because it was the first time in a long time that I had worked on "BLEACH." After that, after Ichigo's training began, there were actually many scenes that were not depicted in the original work, and I acted each episode by trial and error, and it was an interesting adventure. I would ask the teacher questions, but he would say, "Morita-san, what you're doing is the right way." I thought he had too much trust in me (laughs). The anime was taking on incredible challenges without relying on that trust, so I was glad that I was able to take on the challenge as well.
Sugiyama: The sensei complemented the original work, and the parts that were intentionally omitted in the original work were supplemented with new scenes in the anime. Not only Ichigo and the other main characters, but each character was carefully drawn. As a fan of the work, I was happy to see the fascinating characters being explored. It was also a great point that the spotlight was once again on characters who did not appear often.
--The second season was also a hot topic because it featured Ishida Uryuu's betrayal. How did Sugiyama try to play him?
Sugiyama: I understand the relationship between the events and Uryuu's feelings, but those who haven't read the original work might be wondering why. The production is designed to give the same feeling you get when you read the original work for the first time as when you watch the anime, and I included nuances of worry and conflict in my acting, but at the test stage I was given the direction to "make it so that his feelings are faintly visible, and it's completely unclear why he did what he did."
◇I was moved by the dinner party after such a long time
--How was the recording of the third season?
Morita: I hardly recorded with Sugiyama. There were few scenes involving Uryuu and Ichigo, and I think I only met him twice.
Sugiyama: Yes, that's right. We recorded in separate locations.
Morita: When we met, we went to eat together. In the past, we often went to eat after recording "BLEACH", so it was moving to be able to do that again after such a long time. I was happy and nostalgic to be able to go to eat with Yuki-chan (Matsuoka Yuki, who plays Inoue Orihime) again. On set, Orihime, Yoruichi, Chad, and Iwashi were sometimes together, and Yuki-chan, who plays Yoruichi, and Satsuki Yukino would tease me. They've been doing this for a long time, and now it's back. I'd put the script down, go to the bathroom, and when I came back there'd been doodled on it, and it'd bring back memories... (laughs). It'd be embarrassing if there was a heart mark written under a cool line (laughs).
Sugiyama: I've never had that happen to me (laughs).
Morita: That's right. There was a box for returning the rehearsal videos, and they'd hand it to me. Then everyone started handing them to me... I'm the leader, or rather, the chore-doing! It's always been like that on set, so maybe that's what makes it so "BLEACH"-like? It's always been a lively set, so the teamwork is great, and I'm happy about that. Everyone is a great actor, so there's a synergistic effect when they team up, and I think the warmth and atmosphere on set is top-notch, which is what makes "BLEACH"-like. For "The Thousand-Year Blood War Arc," new, young cast members will be joining us. Everyone is super nervous, and they're like stone Buddhas. However, I feel that they have relaxed after seeing us interact, and it makes me happy to see them leave saying, "That was fun!"
◇No change after 20 years
--It's been about 20 years since the TV anime started in 2004. Have your impressions of each other as actors changed since then?
Morita: It hasn't changed.
Sugiyama: I haven't changed either. Since the program started, Morita has been very cherishing the original work, and he checks things like, "This scene in the original has this kind of expression, so how will the movements in the anime turn out?" I can feel his love and respect for the original work, and I always think it's amazing. As the leader, he has a very strong desire to improve the work, and that is transmitted to those around him. I'm grateful. He is a leader with love and passion for the work, and he leads the work. That hasn't changed even now.
Morita: Sugiyama and I were classmates, and we've lived the same number of years, but we're so different people... I feel that way. I'm a bit of a frivolous guy (laughs). Sugiyama is completely serious and that hasn't changed at all. It's really amazing. I met him again in "BLEACH" after a long time, and I felt relieved to see that he has not changed at all. I'm grateful that not only Uryuu, but all the other characters are continuing as they are. The main character is the most noticeable, but in a way, he's just a distraction. The other characters create a solid foundation and walls, and without them, the series would collapse. I think that the fact that everyone remains the same is one of the reasons it has continued for 20 years. Originally, "BLEACH" was born from Kubo-sensei's unique brain, and the staff and cast all work hard to create it, so I can play around as a distraction. I can say, "I think this is what I want to do!" and I can do it. There are countless ways to do it, but I want to play my own Ichigo. I appreciate and rely on Sugiyama-kun for diligently and logically organizing things.
Continued in interview (2)
