The TV anime "Night of the Living Cat", based on the cat manga by Hawkman and Mekaroots, currently being serialized in "Monthly Comic Garden" and the manga site "MagComi" (both Mag Garden), will be broadcast on TV Tokyo, BS Tokyo, Animax, and others from July 7th, and will be streamed on ABEMA on July 1st. The story is set in the year 20XX, when a virus that turns humans who touch cats into cats suddenly appears, causing a "Nyandemic", and the human race resists the temptation to touch cats and tries to survive in a world full of cats. Reina Ueda plays Kaoru, a high school student who loves cats and works as a waiter at Megokoro Nekome, a cat cafe run by her brother, and Yu Serizawa plays Tsutsumi, who attends the same high school as Kaoru and loves cats but is allergic to them, and both of them are cat lovers and own cats. We spoke to Ueda and Serizawa about their thoughts on the show and cats.
◇I know because I love cats!
--As a cat lover, what is your impression of the work?
First of all, I was shocked by Ueda's drawing skills! But even though the illustrations have a very serious atmosphere, the content is comical and cute, and the gap made my brain go haywire (laughs). Kunagi (the amnesiac cat cafe employee) is drawn with an expression that makes it impossible to imagine that his head is filled with cute cats, so I continued reading, thinking that it was a unique work like no other. The world view is comical, with hard and cute elements combined, and although they are running away like in a zombie movie, the inhabitants of this world love cats, so I couldn't help but laugh when I realized how much they love cats and put them first. I understand! This is a work that makes you realize that you are also a big cat lover.
Serizawa: It has the impact of a zombie movie or TV drama, but it's not scary at all (laughs). If you imagine yourself becoming a cat, it's scary, but it's not scary. Is it okay to become a cat? That kind of struggle is interesting. It was really interesting to see these strong men from overseas dramas falling head over heels in love with a cat, and I felt like I was reading a work in a new genre. I really enjoyed reading it.
-What is your impression of Kaoru, played by Ueda-san?
Ueda and Kunagi have said that "his harsh words are the flip side of his love" and that "he has the responsibility and consideration to consider the health and mood of each cat," and he is exactly that kind of person. He is shown checking Kunagi's progress at work and reviewing his drills like a teacher so that Kunagi can do his job and private life without any problems, and he is also shown to be a caring person. When he picks up Kunagi who has fallen down, he also shows his strong sense of justice. Not only does he pick him up, but he also shows his strong sense of responsibility to take care of him properly. He also tries to help Tsutsumi who is in trouble. I don't have that kind of personality, but he can give people strict warnings and I felt that he is a really kind person. He is strong and reliable in saying harsh things because he thinks of the other person's sake. He is a person with a strong kindness and he gives a cool impression.
-What did you keep in mind when acting?
Ueda-san: First, I was given the direction to be "more energetic." She's kind and good-natured, but her strength and reliability come out on the surface. I felt that she was living that way. She has a lot of cool expressions, but I imagined she would be better expressed with more emotion. I was also told to "weather the warrior feeling," and although there are parts where she gradually gets used to fighting, I was conscious of her being an ordinary girl at first. She also has some tsundere-like elements, so she's also like a cat.
--What about Tsutsumi, played by Serizawa?
Tsutsumi Serizawa is a girl who attends the same high school as Kaoru, and is a big cat lover, but has a dilemma of being allergic to cats. At school, she is being bullied by Kaoru, and the reason for this is not clearly depicted, but I think she may be shy or have difficulty expressing her feelings. During her monologues, she seems to be having a lot of fun, has a lot of thoughts, has a bright side, and is emotional. Maybe she just can't express them well? Being allergic to cats is also a key to the work. There are scenes where she is able to get through because of her allergies, so she is a very important character.
--When you act?
During the audition, Serizawa-san played the role in a relatively cheerful manner, but during the recording, she said, "Because she was bullied, she can't open up and can't speak straight." There are lines where she stutters and starts talking. I was conscious of the fact that she's not very good at saying what she thinks.
◇ They pull on each other
--What did you feel while working together?
Ueda-san doesn't decide to speak in a certain way, but rather values what he feels at the time and the feelings that suddenly come out, and when I listened to the lines several times in the test, the actual performance, and the retakes, the same lines have completely different nuances and ways of saying them, but the axis of Tsutsumi does not waver. It's fun to listen to the high degree of freedom of expression, and I can watch Tsutsumi with a sense of understanding. When we are interacting, I am also the type who often does not become the same in the test and the actual performance, and sometimes it works well, but there are also times when it turns into a worry, but Tsutsumi responds to it accordingly, so thank you! I feel like that.
Serizawa: I felt that Reina was pulling me along. As a character, Kaoru pulled me along well, and Tsutsumi followed her as best he could. In the play, Kaoru's words carry weight and persuasiveness. There is a clear reason for her lines, and they are conveyed, so when you hear the lines, you can believe them and get on board, and that's because it's Reina. We're in the same year, but I love Reina's acting. I haven't had a chance to interact with her recently, so I'm glad to hear you say that. I was just riding on Reina's lead.
Ueda: I was also on board. I've always loved (Serizawa), and I've seen her in both troubles and when she's free from them, so I can feel her change and evolution. I really respect her.
Thank you, Mr. Serizawa ! That's too much.
To be continued in interview (2).
