" Onmyo Kaiten Re:Birth ", the first original TV anime by david production, the creator of anime such as " JOJO'S BIZARRE ADVENTURE Fire Force ", will be broadcast on Fuji TV's late-night anime slot "+Ultra" from July 2nd. The story is about a delinquent high school student, Narihira Takeru, who is transported to another world, Dengi Heiankyo, after an accident, and meets the heroine Tsukimiya in the other world. In order to save her life, he repeatedly time-leaps and faces the threats that attack Dengi Heiankyo. In order to gain the power to protect Tsukimiya, Takeru asks the strongest onmyoji Abe no Seimei and others to teach him onmyodo, and grows as a person. Taihi Kimura, who plays Takeru, will be playing the main character in an anime for the first time. We spoke to Taihi Kimura, who plays Takeru, Uchida Maaya, who plays the heroine Tsukimiya, Kimura Ryohei, who plays Abe no Seimei, the strongest onmyoji who protects Dengi Heian-kyo, and Kaito Ishikawa, who plays Atsuna, an elite onmyoji with top-class skills and proven track record, about what went on behind the scenes during the recording.
◇ Yankee-like straightforwardness
--What was your impression when you read the script for episode 1?
Ryohei Kimura: I thought the mix of cyber and yin-yang was interesting. In the first episode, only the introduction of the story is depicted, but the information obtained from the script, such as the streetscape and culture of Denki Heian-kyo, is amazing, and a unique world unfolds. There is an original story, battles, and a mystery, and it was very exciting.
Taihi Kimura: Onmyoji, cyber, reincarnation, loop, yankee... there's a lot of information. It's high in calories. However, Takeru is an idiot, so I tried to play him straightforwardly. It was a different impression from previous reincarnation stories in another world, and I had high expectations that it would be a very interesting work.
I was attracted to Uchida-san's audition materials because they were interesting. Just the audition materials for Tsukimiya contained a lot of information. I was quite surprised, and I thought, "I definitely want to play this role!" There are many different elements included, and the more you dig into it, the more appealing it becomes.
Ishikawa: To be honest, my first impression was that I didn't know what was going on (laughs). I think everyone who watches the first episode will feel the same way. I was excited by the way the story didn't give detailed explanations and just went with the flow. What on earth is going on? The script was full of questions, and it made me more and more interested. During the audition, they explained about Onmyoji, but not much about the world. When I received the script, I wondered what it was all about, but they also gave me materials that explained the worldview in detail, so I read through them.
-What did you keep in mind while playing the role of Takeru?
Taihi Kimura Takeru is a straightforward and good guy. He's super stupid, and I'm also simple-minded, so I was able to get along with him quite well (laughs). There were a lot of scenes where I had to shout, so I watched a lot of "Dragon Ball" movies before going to the recording. He has the straightforwardness of a delinquent.
Uchida- san, was Taihi a Yankee?
Taihi Kimura: It's different, but I grew up in a town where there were a lot of people who really exuded Takeruism (laughs).
--Is your outfit today also inspired by Yankee style?
Taihi Kimura san: I start with the shape (laughs). If I don't know what to do, I sometimes move in the same way as the character. On the first day of recording, I did my hair slicked back.
--What about Uchida, who plays Tsukimiya?
Uchida: I read the script and felt that Tsukimiya was often portrayed from Takeru's point of view, rather than from Tsukimiya herself, so I started by playing Tsukimiya from Takeru's point of view. I acted in a way that brought out the cuteness and charm of a girl that comes from within at that moment. She's very cute and can do anything, and Takeru has feelings for her and accepts them. There is a scene in the story that goes forward where they go on a date, and I acted in a strong way so that it was easy to understand that she is shy, and I am conscious of playing a girl who has no elements that would make her disliked. I was also given the direction to make her cuter, so I acted in a strong way.
--There seems to be some mystery surrounding Abe no Seimei, played by Kimura Ryohei...
Kimura Ryohei: Dengi As the head of the Heian-kyo government, he has a lot of power and is the one who unites everyone. He's always smiling and is kind to everyone... He's a wonderful person.
Uchida-san, what!?
Mr. Ishikawa, there's not much I can say at this point.
To be honest, I don't mind if he seems a little suspicious. No, he's really just a nice guy (laughs). He has a deep, unfathomable heart.
--What about Atsunaga, played by Ishikawa?
Ishikawa-san is a fool in a different way from Takeru, and he is earnest and funny. He doesn't throw curveballs, but is straightforward and doubts what he should doubt and believes what he should believe. He had a lot of gag lines from the audition, and even in the character PV, only about 10% of the lines were serious (laughs). He is earnest, sincere, and an elite, but the way he is treated is gag-like. He is a challenging character. I approached the role hoping to act in a way that would give the audience a sense of his backstory.
◇An exciting world view
-What was your impression when you saw the video?
Taihi Kimura is simply beautiful. I also really like the neon feel. The moment the battle scene begins, it gets dark and the light shines from below, which is really cool. The enemies are cool, and the design of the shikigami (the spirits controlled by the onmyoji) is innovative, so it's a work that can be enjoyed just visually.
My first impression of Uchida-san was that she is really beautiful. Since it is an original work, I think the introduction is important, but the people living in the world of Dengi Heian-kyo have different hair colors, and I was drawn in by the idea of what this world is. The world, which feels somewhat out of place, is very beautiful. The scene where Tsukimiya dances is very beautiful.
Ryohei Kimura: The story has a background similar to the period dramas we've known for a long time, but with elements of the near future, and it's driven by Onmyou magic. I was excited by the discrepancy, and I felt a sense of expansion. It's interesting enough to make you want to see even the parts that aren't depicted. I like it.
Ishikawa: There is a sense of speed. There is a lot of information, but it unfolds smoothly, so the next development happens before you can think about it. The onmyoujutsu is cool, and the techniques are impressive. 3DCG is increasingly being used in animation, but the cyber worldview and onmyoujutsu are also very compatible. As for the accessories, the gadgets on the onmyouji's arms and items like talismans are cool and I admire them.
-What scene did you find interesting?
The setting and characters are appealing, but the fact that the world is in a loop also makes it feel strange to watch. The world isn't just looping on its own, but someone must be plotting something or something big must be happening. It's also fun to follow the story and unravel it.
Taihi Kimura: There are many elements to the story, but why is Takeru in a loop? What is Takeru's existence? What is that power? There are also mysteries surrounding Takeru himself. As Ryohei said, it's worth pondering, and you can re-examine even the smallest scenes.
Uchida-san's tough times are also well depicted. As the story progresses, some tough times come out, but it's interesting, so I hope you'll watch it. Since it's an original story, you don't know what's going to happen, so I hope you'll be swept up in the development. I'm looking forward to seeing how it all ends.
Ishikawa: The story unfolds in such a way that oni (monsters from another world) come to Heian-kyo and are defeated... but there are many different oni, each with their own unique personality, so I hope you'll pay attention to their designs as well.
To be continued in interview (2).
