The TV anime "Rascal Does Not Dream Rascal Does Not Dream of Santa Claus" (Dengeki Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai" was broadcast from October to December 2018, and the movie versions "Rascal Does Not Dream of a Dreaming Girl", "Rascal Does Not Dream of a Sister Venturing Out", and "Rascal Does Not Dream of a Knapsack Kid" have also been screened, but the "College Student Edition" will be the first TV anime series in about seven years. The main character, Azusagawa Sakuta, who was a high school student, has become a university student and will have to face new worries while making new connections. We spoke to Kaito Ishikawa, who plays Azusagawa Sakuta, Asami Seto, who plays Sakurajima Mai, Sora Amamiya, and Reina Ueda, who plays the new character Miniskirt Santa, about what went on behind the scenes of the recording and the mysterious Miniskirt Santa.
◇What are the changes for university students?
--What changes have been made to the college student version?
Ishikawa: Compared to when they were high school students, society has expanded, and I feel that Sakuta has taken a step back in the way he communicates with people. What hasn't changed is his love for Mai, which has only deepened. It has deepened and become a stronger bond. It's not just that they've become more lovey-dovey or sweeter, but their relationship has deepened and their interactions have become more relaxed. I'm acting while being conscious of the closeness of their hearts, such as when they start talking to each other. I can imagine that they have steadily narrowed the distance since the high school version, spending a lot of time together and deepening their understanding of each other, so I took that into consideration when recording.
As for Seto and Mai, I don't feel much of a change. I think the world changes a lot when you go from high school to college. But Mai has had another world besides her studies since she was a child, and she has a superhuman personality, so I wonder if she will be shaken or change? When you go from high school to college, many high school students wear uniforms, and at university, everyone starts wearing casual clothes, which is a fresh experience, and I think it's a time when you can see each person's personal side. But Mai may not waver. However, I think she is aware that her lover and the people around her have taken a step forward and her environment has changed. Mai has made tremendous progress in her work, so maybe she has less time to spend with everyone? I also thought that. As Ishikawa said, it's not that she has changed in particular, but rather that because they have been spending more time together, the form of their love has become closer to that of family, and it has changed softly and naturally.
Amamiya-san's Uzuki may not have changed much. That has meaning in the college student arc, so I tried to act without thinking about her growth between the high school and college student arcs.
--Mr. Ueda, you started appearing in the college student version. What were you conscious of?
Ueda-san: At first, I was told to "act without thinking about anything," so I didn't think too deeply about my purpose or identity, and instead focused on the conversation at the time. I was able to have a dialogue with everyone, which helped me a lot.
--The TV anime "Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai" aired from October to December 2018 and was later made into a movie version, but this will be the first TV anime series in about seven years.
Ishikawa: This is just my own bias, but it's rare for a film to be made into a TV anime series again. When I read the original work, I felt that there were some parts that would be difficult to express without a series. While there is the unknown presence of Touko Kirishima, each heroine will have to face their own troubles. By making it into a series, I think we can deliver the good points of the work in an easy-to-understand way, so I was happy.
Seto-san: I like looking forward to the episodes that are broadcast once a week, so I'm happy about that. I get absorbed in the broadcast, and then I have a week to think about the next episode... I have time to think physically, and I think the college student arc is perfect for the series. Touko Kirishima's song has been on the Internet, and I wonder if that kind of gimmick is possible because it's a TV anime series? I'm excited to think about it.
Amemiya -san: In the first season, Uzuki appears here and there as the leader of "Sweet Bullet," and I think she has a strong impression of appearing in "Odekake Sister," but in the college student arc, Uzuki's story will be gradually depicted. As someone who plays Uzuki, I'm happy that this will be depicted as a series.
Ueda : When I first saw the title, I wondered if it was a romantic comedy, but while it does have a romantic comedy element, I felt that it also had a strong sci-fi element of adolescent syndrome and mystery. As Seto said, I think it's a work that has a draw every week and is good for thinking about the next episode. If you watch it while wondering who the miniskirt Santa is, you'll feel refreshed and surprised at the same time...
◇More male cast members!
--What was the atmosphere like during recording?
Seto-san is so comfortable! I've been involved with "Aobuta" for a long time now, and new characters will be appearing this time, but no matter who joins, I think everyone will become part of the "Aobuta family". Everyone has a lot of experience, and even if they are told something difficult, they instantly correct the direction, so I have the impression that the recording time went by in a flash.
Amemiya-san: There are a lot of cast members this time. Because the filming is fast-paced, there are almost no breaks, but when we have time, we chat and the atmosphere is really friendly. It's a comfortable set where you can be there without any stress.
The bond between Ueda, Sakuta and Mai has deepened, and they seem like they're close friends, but Ishikawa and Seto also have the same vibe of having worked together for many years. That was very impressive. Also, the cast members who play unique characters are all very glamorous. Not only in their acting and posture, but in their very presence, they're all so glamorous, it's dazzling! I thought.
Ishikawa: As the college student version came out, the number of female cast members increased, but so did the number of male cast members. That really saved me. It's not that there were a lot of women and it was awkward, but when there are people of the same sex on set, it's easier to talk to them. Just as Sakuta's society expanded, I felt the same way. Around the time of the movie version, the COVID-19 pandemic occurred and we had to record in separate locations, but from the college student version onwards, we were able to gather together and record, so in that sense I was able to get a feel for the atmosphere of the work while dubbing.
Seto-san is having fun!
◇Miniskirt Santa and Mai are...
-What impression did you have of the "Rascal Does Not Dream" series, Mr. Ueda?
Ueda's characters are life-sized and have modern worries, so I could empathize with them and feel a sense of affinity with them. It's a work that seriously addresses these issues, so it tries to face and resolve the issues of adolescence while still in adolescence, but I think that in the real world, it's often difficult to face things that seriously and become an adult. I feel like I'm being saved as well. I also felt like all the characters were close to me at heart. I felt like I've been through that with all the characters, and I felt that it was a work I want to keep watching, including that. Just as Sakuta said, "I want to become a kind person," it's a kind work that is there for you.
When I heard that Seto-san and Reina-san had been chosen to play the miniskirt Santas, I was like, "Wow!" and I was super excited. I imagine you were a bit worried because you were joining a long-running series midway through.
Ueda-san is the type who is always lacking in self-confidence, so I was worried that I would be a hindrance.... During the test and the actual performance, everyone's conversation seemed to flow smoothly, which was really pleasant. Sakuta-kun was calm, but he was able to interact with each other in a way that showed the differences in their relationships, and I thought that was very skillful! I was worried because we were all really amazing people. By the end, we were able to communicate well enough to play word chains with everyone during the break.
Ishikawa-san (Ueda-san) is really a perfect fit for the role. Whatever the true identity of the Miniskirt Santa, the heroine of this work has inner worries, and those worries become the character's personality, but among them, Miniskirt Santa's adolescent syndrome is the product of a delicate heart, so I thought the expression would be delicate as well. Ueda-san's acting is perfect.
--Miniskirt Santa is a mysterious character. If I were to explain without giving away any spoilers...
I think Ueda- san is a competitive person.
Seto-san's line, "You can see me," is the same as Mai-san's.
What is your relationship with Ueda-san and Mai-san? Are they connected?
Ishikawa-san, the miniskirt santa, says the same lines as Mai-san when she first appeared. Furthermore, her circumstances and strength may also be similar to Mai-san's. I think she gives us a glimpse into what it would be like if someone walked a different route from Sakurajima Mai, with a different lifestyle and environment.
To be continued in interview (2).
