The TV anime "The Shosetsuka ni Naro Diaries" is based on a light novel by Natsu Hyuga, which was born from the novel submission site "Let's The Apothecary Diaries ". The second season is currently airing on Nippon Television's anime slot "FRIDAY ANIME NIGHT (Fura-ani)", and Aoi Yuki , who plays the main character Maomao , is said to be perfectly suited to the role, and is attracting attention. " Aoi Yuki is amazing after all." This is a phrase I heard many times while interviewing the cast of "The Apothecary Diaries". What is it about Yuki that makes her so amazing? We will explore her charm.
◇Co-stars also praised
The light novel version of "The Apothecary Diaries" is published by Hero Bunko (Imagine Infos), and the comic adaptation is also gaining 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.
Yuki is a popular voice actress known for her roles as Madoka Kaname in "Puella Magi Madoka Magica," Hibiki Tachibana in "Senki Zessho Symphogear," Tanya Degurechaff in "The Saga of Tanya the Evil," and Nodoka Hanadera/Cure Grace in "Healin' Good Precure." Her overwhelming acting ability and range of expression allow her to freely play a wide range of roles, from pretty girls to villains to comical characters.
Although she has a low energy level, her role as Maomao, who actually has a passionate heart deep inside and solves difficult cases with a nonchalant attitude, is said to be a perfect fit for her.
Mamiko Noto, who plays the Empress Dowager, praised the play, saying, "It's as if all the miracles have come together. It's a wonderful approach that I've never thought of before. Maomao can be a bit gruff, but she's very charming and puts in some really incredible acting. I've worked with her on other projects so I knew she was a great actor, but I'm once again reminded of just how incredible she is. I have a lot of respect for Ao-chan, who plays Maomao ."
Takeo Otsuka , who plays Jinshi, also seems to be inspired by her, saying, "I know it might sound strange for me to say this, but Yuuki is perfect. Not only does he respond to orders, but his acting really hits the spot. When going from monologue to lines, they might be recorded separately depending on the location, but basically they're recorded as is. The words come out as Maomao is thinking, and every little detail, like the timing of the words, is just right. So I'm able to ride that atmosphere and act."
◇“Muttering to oneself” is amazing!
Maomao has a lot of lines. Generally, she is cool and calm, but gets excited when it comes to poisons and medicines. Her long monologues during the detective scenes are also memorable. "I learn a lot from watching Aoi's acting plan every time. It's difficult to switch between monologues and on-line lines, and Maomao has a lot of lines, so it's hard not to get out of breath" (Asami Seto, who plays Komidori), and "I was shocked to see Maomao read her long lines" (Hina Kino, who plays Satokihi), and there were also voices praising her "monologues".
Ishikawa Yui, who plays Rikahi, also spoke about the amazing things about "Soliloquy," saying, "It's amazing, as expected. I could list so many amazing things about her. Maomao seems like it would have a really hard time. There are a lot of difficult words, and a lot of monologues, but Ao-chan does it perfectly. I had been reading the original work before it was made into an anime, but with Maomao chan's performance, Nekoneko becomes more three-dimensional and the character becomes clearer. Ao-chan has a great point of view. Her sense and empathy are outstanding."
Maomao has long monologues and calmly makes her deductions, but the information is conveyed clearly. When I interviewed Yuki, he said, "That's something I'm trying to focus on."
"These days, some people watch at double speed, or while doing other things. I think it would be great if the message could be conveyed even when the viewer is not looking, and if the viewer could focus on the images. I'm sure that if you watch it, you will be able to enjoy this world even more. The lines are long, but I'm trying to narrow them down to the parts where you have to listen carefully, and create a flow in the acting. It's really difficult though. The words are beautifully chosen in the original work, so it sounds nice, and you end up wanting to hear the whole thing. Maomao isn't the type of person who has many emotional ups and downs, so I'm trying to make it easy to listen to, without overdoing it."
While conveying the "monologue" in an easy-to-understand way, she also expresses Maomao's unique personality. The balance is exquisite. It may be "difficult," but the fact that she expresses it so naturally is what makes Yuuki so amazing.
