Asami Seto plays Shisui in the TV anime " The Apothecary Diaries ," which is based on a light novel by Natsu Hyuga , born from the novel submission site " Shosetsuka ni Naro ." Shisui is a new character introduced in the second season, a chatty and cheerful maid who loves insects, and her heartwarming interactions with Maomao and Koran are memorable. We asked Seto about her thoughts on "The Apothecary Diaries" and Shisui.
◇You can also record several different versions of your lines.
The light novel version of "The Apothecary Diaries" is published by Hero Bunko (Imagine Infos), and its comic adaptation has also gained popularity. The original series has sold over 40 million copies in total. The story is set in a glamorous harem on a certain continent, where a young poison taster named Maomao and a handsome eunuch Jinshi become embroiled in an incident that takes place in the harem, which is full of conspiracies and rumors. The first season of the TV anime aired on Nippon TV from October 2023 to March 2024. The second season is currently airing on Nippon TV's anime slot "FRIDAY ANIME NIGHT (Fura-ani)" every Friday at 11:00 PM.
Seto said he became addicted to "The Apothecary Diaries" after watching the first season.
"I love the story of the women's battle that unfolds in the closed world of the harem, and how Maomao gets embroiled in various conspiracies. It has a historical feel to it, which I like, and the mystery solving is fascinating. There are comedy scenes, but when the story gets serious, it changes completely and becomes heartbreaking and painful. I enjoyed the first season as a viewer, and was very happy to be involved from the second season. Maomao and Jinshi seem even more attractive in the second season, and I like them even more now."
Kosui, who loves insects, has something in common with Maomao and is cute like Koran. The interaction between the "threesome" is heartwarming.
"From the first season, there was a lot of interaction between Maomao and Koran, but from the second season, Shisui naturally joined in. Although she is a girl with a strong personality, Koran is honest and cheerful with everyone, and she resonates with Maomao, who has an otaku temperament, so from the beginning, I felt an atmosphere where it was natural for the three of them to be together. I was conscious of making her cheerful, but in the first recording, I was given the direction to 'be more innocent,' so I kept that in mind while acting."
Although Seto sometimes plays cool and handsome characters, he is also well known for his performances as innocent children.
"I've had many opportunities to play cool or mature characters, so it's been a while since I've played a cheerful, innocent character, and it was a lot of fun. I was able to act alongside Aoi (Maomao) and Kuno (Misaki), who plays Koran, and it felt like I was part of their group, so it was a lot of fun."
The scenes with Maomao, Xiaolan, and Zicui are heartwarming, but as the story progresses, there are also some scenes that hint that Zicui is more than just a maid...
"In the PV, she gives off the feeling that she's not just a maid, and in the film, she says something a little meaningful, which makes Maomao look puzzled. I don't know what it is yet, though... I sometimes record the lines in several different versions, and then I adjust the nuance to convey it."
Shisui likes insects, but what about Seto himself? When asked...
"That's normal (laughs). I don't like squiggly insects like earthworms and larvae, but I'm fine with hard insects. I even used to keep rhinoceros beetles as pets. I can even kill cockroaches myself. In my house, my father wouldn't kill cockroaches, so my mother and I often fought (laughs). I guess I've had this mentality of "I have to do it myself!" since I was a child."
◇The truth will send shivers down your spine
When her appearance in "The Apothecary Diaries" was announced, Seto commented, "At the recording studio, I am always overwhelmed by Maomao's narration." She is inspired by acting with Yuki, who plays Maomao.
"Maomao's narration is the axis of this work, and I learn a lot from watching Aoi's acting plans every time. It's difficult to switch between monologue and on-line dialogue, and Maomao has a lot of lines, so it's hard to keep her from getting out of breath. I spoke to her personally, and she said that she is conscious of the nuances of the 'points' so that viewers can understand just by listening to the words. Of course, the finished product is broadcast, so it's fun and educational to see the difference between how the test and the actual production are put together on site."
The characters Seto is interested in are Maomao and Jinshi. "It's the classics! Maomao's "I don't care" attitude is great. Jinshi is cute in his childish way," he said, adding that he is fascinated by the acting of Yuki and Takeo Otsuka , who plays Jinshi .
" Jinshi is cool, but when it comes to Maomao, he gets flustered, and his comical acting is wonderful, so his range is amazing. When we record together, I look forward to seeing what kind of expressions Jinshi will show. Maomao and Mr. Jinshi are popular characters, and everyone has high expectations, but Aoi and Otsuka's acting goes beyond that, so I've become a big fan."
In the second season, the story will move forward significantly as Jinshi's secret is revealed.
"From here, we enter the "Turn" part of the story, and there are some things that make you wonder, such as why Maomao was kidnapped, and things that were not clear until now will become clear. The world outside of the harem will also be depicted, and everything that has been bothering you up until now will start to connect. There are scenes that touch on the core of the story, and when you find out the truth, you may be shocked. Don't miss it! I'm looking forward to the broadcast too."
As Seto-san says, it seems there are even more surprises to come. What will happen to Shisui? I can't take my eyes off the future developments.
