Mikako Komatsu x Aki Toyosaki x Yui Ishikawa: Interview for the anime "CITY THE ANIMATION" (1)

The TV anime "CITY THE ANIMATION", based on the manga "CITY" by Arawi Keiichi, known for "Nichijou" and other works, will be broadcast on ABC TV, TOKYO MX and other stations from July 6th. "CITY" is a manga that was serialized in "Morning" (Kodansha) from 2016 to 2021 and is currently making a comeback. It depicts the lives of slightly unusual people living in an ordinary "CITY", such as university student Nagumo Mitori, Niikura and Izumi Wako. It is produced by Kyoto Animation, just like the anime "Nichijou", and it is also a hot topic that this is the first time in about six years that the company has been involved in planning a new TV anime. We spoke to Mikako Komatsu, who plays Nagumo, Aki Toyosaki, who plays Niikura, and Ishikawa Yui, who plays Wako, about the behind-the-scenes of the recording, where they said, "There were many first-time experiences."

◇Intelligence!

--It's a work that's so fascinating it's hard to put into words.

Komatsu: You're doing something that everyone has thought about at least once (laughs). What would happen if you did that? It's an extension of that.

Ishikawa-san is very detailed. The drawings are so detailed that the things drawn on the posters and hats are connected to the next ones, so much so that you can't blink. Of course, it's fun to look at it without thinking about anything, but you'll also want to stop and look at each frame. No matter how many times you look at it, there's always something new to discover.

Toyosaki: Everyone has kindness in their hearts. It's an anime that wraps kindness in comedy. Before the recording, the director said, "The characters and world you draw are gags, but the intelligence that drifts from them is also attractive, so I hope we can express that well," which was very impressive. We also do our best to act out the gags, but the anime has a certain intelligence to it, and I think that's its unique charm. It's a slapstick show, but it's very calculated, and it's a wonderful, rich anime.

Komatsu-san's work connects various episodes together, so you'll think, "Here we go!" and the way it's connected is very intelligent. It's a well-balanced work that shows off the greatness of the original work to the fullest while also digging deeper into it as an anime.

Toyosaki: There was a visual of the three of them in a toy box, and that is exactly the charm of this work. It feels like the box is filled with irreplaceable treasures, and they are being pulled out and presented as an anime.

◇A return to the roots in some sense?

--Did you keep intelligence in mind when acting?

Komatsu-san, that's it (laughs). This is the largest number of people on set in recent years, and every time we perform, we have to go through a process of trial and error. He places great importance on the flow and tempo, and his enthusiasm is incredible.

Toyosaki: I've been a voice actor for almost 20 years now, but there have been many first-time experiences for me.

I've also never seen anything like the way Ishikawa creates his paintings.

There were some scripts that Komatsu-san had never seen before. They were in five columns. It made me realize that there are still new things to do!

When I read the script , I couldn't imagine it in my head, but I realized during the rehearsal that this is what it was. I'm happy to have so many first-time experiences. There are a lot of challenges. That goes for the animators and the music team, and we on the sound team are also challenging ourselves with new approaches every time.

Mr. Ishikawa, you really value momentum and energy.

Toyosaki and Tsuruoka (Yota), the sound director, place great importance on the atmosphere and flow, and bring together the acting that is born out of a live feeling.

Even in places where Ishikawa would normally record separately, he placed great importance on preserving the live feel, so in a way it's a return to his roots.

Mr. Komatsu is a veteran actor, and it's amazing to see him take on such a dual role, so it's quite a luxury.

Ishikawa-san, that's so extravagant! It's a comprehensive art form that combines painting, music, acting...

Even Toyosaki-san does it all at once, so the dubbing ends surprisingly quickly. She expresses herself with her whole body, trying to surpass the other person's excitement, and it's amazing. Her excitement is rising and she's sweating.

I can feel that I 'm being tested! It's like a martial art.

--Do you also value a sense of tempo?

There are some parts where Komatsu-san deliberately goes a little off-topic, so there's a bit of tact involved.

Ishikawa: The finished picture is calculated, but sometimes I deliberately deviate a little.

To be continued in interview (2).