" Call of the Night Call of the Night ", based on Kotoyama's popular manga, will be broadcast on Fuji TV's anime slot "Noitamina" every Friday at 11:30 pm from July 4th. This will be the first sequel in about three years since Season 1, which aired from July to September 2022. We spoke to Sora Amamiya, the voice actress for Saegusa Nazuna, about her thoughts on the series and what went on behind the scenes during recording.
◇It's both difficult and interesting
"Call of the Night" is a manga that was serialized in "Weekly Shonen Sunday" (Shogakukan) from August 2019 to January 2024. The story is about Kou Yamori, a second-year middle school student who suffers from insomnia, who meets the beautiful vampire Nazuna Saegusa and becomes fascinated by her, who teaches him the joys of the night.
Amemiya describes Nazuna, who has a mysterious beauty and charisma, as "unlike any character I've played so far," and says that she is "both difficult and interesting."
"Nasuna is usually cool, but she also has a cute side. She has opposing sides - when she's cool she's cool, and when she's cute she's cute - and it's difficult, but interesting, to bring out both extremes in this character. Nasuna's voice is a little rough. If it were to lose that, she wouldn't be cute, so I feel it's rewarding to express the two extreme charms that she possesses while maintaining that roughness and preserving the character's feel. Nasuna has helped me broaden the scope of my acting."
For Amemiya, playing the role of Nazuna was a challenge.
"I really wanted to play the role, but I wasn't confident at the audition. I also thought that there were many actors with huskier voices than me... That's why I was so happy when I was chosen. It was a voice production and acting that I'd never done before, so it was a lot of challenges, but because my personality is similar to Nazuna's, it was a lot of fun to play the role despite the challenges."
Nazuna's charm comes from her slightly foolish side. Not only is she cool and cute, but Amemiya's acting also shines in the comedy scenes.
"The scenes where she screams at full speed are also fun. In Season 2, the range of gags has expanded, and there is more screaming. There are also scenes where she makes surreal quips, or makes a quip with a straight face and then plays a joke, which is a lot of fun. She switches between high and low voices, which puts a lot of strain on the throat, but it's really funny. Her constantly changing facial expressions are fun, and it makes me like her more and more. There are scenes that make me realize she still has this charm, and I really like Nazuna."
He said that recording the "blood-sucking sounds" in Season 1 was also a memorable experience.
"You put your teeth against your lower lip and breathe in between your lips and teeth, and when I tried it, it came out pretty good (laughs). It was my first time, and I wasn't sure if it would turn out well at first, but the staff praised me a lot. I was really nervous because it's something I don't usually do, and I still get nervous. The sound was really quiet during recording, but they adjusted the volume, and it came out really nice when it aired."
◇Don't get swallowed by the bean paste
The dialogue between Kou, played by Gen Sato, is also a big part of the appeal of "Call of the Night." The combination between the two is also excellent.
"Moto-kun and I remained close even after Season 1 ended, so we were able to perform together without feeling shy. It's been a while since Season 1 for both Moto-kun and me. I think we were both worried about whether we'd be able to get back into character. But as we listened to each other's voices and interacted with each other, we felt like we were returning to character. When I was unable to participate in the recording, Moto-kun told me that he felt like he could become Kou because of Nazuna, and I realized that we both felt the same way."
Another point of "Call of the Night" is the interesting dialogue. You can enjoy the acting battle between the gorgeous voice actors, including Yumiri Hanamori as Akira Haruka Tomatsu, Haruka Tomatsu as Seri Kikyo, Eri Kitamura as Nico Hirata, and Shizuka Ito as Kabura Honda.
"Everyone is amazing! Their acting is so wonderful, it gets me excited. None of the characters are ordinary, and the cast members make me think, "That's how it is!" They exude an air of being extraordinary, while also letting the emotional side of each character shine through. As a viewer, I think the finished video is amazing! I was able to record Season 2 with everyone, and in terms of the story, I had more opportunities to interact with various people. There is an atmosphere that can only be created through interaction. In Season 2, there was also an after-talk, and I was happy to have the opportunity to talk with everyone after the recording. Our teamwork has become stronger. I think it's gotten better. In terms of content, each character is explored in more depth in Season 2, so I think the cast members other than Nazuna and Kou were able to get to know the characters they play more deeply, and I think they have become more of a camaraderie."
In Season 2, one of the major highlights will be the dialogue between her and Uguisu Anko, played by Miyuki Sawashiro.
"Anko is a character who lives in her own world, and is completely different from Nazuna. Her sense of tempo and way of speaking are completely different. I thought that I must not be swept away by Anko's pace. Each of them has a strong personality, so it's great that they don't mix with either of them. There is an atmosphere that only exists for the two of them in that space, and it's an everyday conversation, but I felt like I would be swept away by their pace if I let my guard down, so I had to concentrate really hard. Anko is a big presence for Nazuna, and Nazuna's emotions are more unstable than ever before, and there are times when she becomes distressed. I'm really looking forward to seeing how it turns out in the video."
The appearance of a nurse named Haru Saegusa, who looks just like Nazuna Saegusa, in Season 2 has also been a hot topic. Haru will be played by Maaya Uchida.
"Actually, I also auditioned for Haru. I was really stuck. Would it be better to be completely different from Nasuna? Or would it be better to look similar to her since she looks so similar? If I looked too similar, she'd end up looking like Nasuna. When I saw Maaya play Haru, I thought, "So that's it!" She wasn't as similar as I had imagined. But there are some things in common, like the way she speaks, the way she uses words, and her facial expressions, and the balance is exquisite. It was a Haru that I couldn't have imagined, so I thought it was amazing!"
◇ I don’t stay up late, but…
When asked about staying up late in relation to the title, Amemiya said that he tries not to stay up late too much.
"If I don't get enough sleep for several days in a row, I'll catch a cold, so I value sleep. No matter how busy I am, I make it a rule to make sure I get enough sleep. I sleep about seven hours, and also take naps in the afternoon. If I don't get enough sleep, I can't produce high or low voices, my sense of rhythm gets off, and I can lose touch with the tempo of the piece."
On the other hand, he also said, "I do attend work drinking parties."
"I don't usually drink alone, but I drink quite a bit with everyone. I'm usually quite shy, but when I drink, I feel super happy! It's like everyone in the world is my friend! (laughs). I think of myself as someone who shouts things like "Ahhh!" on a daily basis, but I shout even when I'm drunk. That may be something I have in common with Nazuna.
It seems that we will see a lot of scenes of Nazuna screaming in Season 2.
"There are a lot of lines that have to be shouted. Especially in the first half, there is a lot of shouting in the comedy scenes. In the second half, there are some delicate emotional movements, so you will be able to see a side of me that you didn't know in Season 1. I think everyone will be able to see a new side of me. Season 2 is full of highlights. Every episode is like a chorus, and you'll be amazed at how much variety they managed to fit into this number of episodes. I think it will really resonate with people who are a little tired of their daily lives, but want to get excited. ' Call of the Night' is natural and not forced. It accepts your flaws without feeling pressured. It's a story that doesn't force you and is easy to get into, and because it has a strong human drama and passion, you can connect with it at any time."
What kind of expressions will Nazuna show in Season 2? Be sure to pay attention to Amemiya's acting.
