A brand new anime adaptation of Hojo Tsukasa's manga "Cat's Eye," which gained popularity mainly in the 1980s, has been available exclusively on Disney+ since September 26th. The same work was also broadcast as a TV anime from 1983 to 1985, and is now being made into an anime series again for the first time in about 40 years. The story follows three beautiful sisters, Kisugi Hitomi, Rui, and Ai, who run the night as the phantom thieves Cat's Eye, causing a stir in the world. The appearance of Mikako Komatsu as Hitomi, Ami Koshimizu as Rui, and Yumiri Hanamori as Ai has also been a hot topic. We spoke to Komatsu and Koshimizu about their thoughts on the series.
◇My mind went blank during the audition
-What kind of image did you have of "Cat's Eye"?
Komatsu-san wasn't born 40 years ago, so she's not from that generation, but she still knew the work and the music. Before I knew it, I knew the basic information about the three sisters, a phantom thief, and a detective in love. It was so ingrained in me that I can't even remember how I found out. That's how great and influential the work is.
Koshimizu: I grew up in the generation that re-aired the show, and as a child, I would watch it on TV after school. The ending left such a strong impression on me that I would even imitate the aerobics routine. It may not be unusual now, but I admired the women who tried to achieve their goals on their own, without relying on the opposite sex, and saw them as cool women. I was a child at the time, so I used to pretend to be Sailor Moon, but when there were just the three of us, we would also pretend to be Cat's Eye. We would make shuriken out of origami and say things like, "We're going to steal it!" (laughs). Watching it as an adult, I was surprised to realize that the three sisters had such a serious purpose.
-Did you get the role through an audition?
Komatsu: I auditioned for both the tape and studio auditions. There was a lot of pressure. During the tape audition, I had a strong respect for the work, so I rewatched the anime again, wanting to express the image of the 80s anime as much as possible. During the studio audition, I was asked, "What if we reset what we had prepared and created something new?" and my mind went blank. I had a very strong image of Toda Keiko as Hitomi. When I was offered the role, I thought I wouldn't know until I got to the set, so I was nervous.
During the tape audition for Koshimizu , I was supposed to audition for a character other than one of the three sisters, but I asked if it would be okay to audition for one of the three sisters as a commemorative audition, and when I got the OK, I thought about it a lot. Considering my real age, and even though my voice is very different from Fujita Yoshiko's, I thought Rui was the only option... I auditioned for the role using my own voice as a token of respect, and then I was invited to the studio audition. There, I was told the same thing as Mikako, which I hadn't thought about at all...with no plan. I went in thinking, "I'm least confident in my 'true self,' but I'll give it a try..." I thought I probably wouldn't get in, so when I was selected to appear, I almost fainted. I felt pressure, but I also wondered what I should do, and of course, I was very happy.
-What kind of reaction have you received from those around you?
Komatsu's parents loved "Cat's Eye," so I felt pressure from them, saying, "Hitomi?! Are you sure? Does it have that element?" (laughs). I can't perform it in front of them, so I'm a little scared of what they'll think. People involved in the anime also pressured me, saying, "Do your best!"
One of Koshimizu's classmates joked, "Are you going to wear a leotard?" (laughs). He also said, "I've never felt anything sexy about Ami, so I watch it with the same feelings as my mother." It's a work that people watched as children, so everyone has their own thoughts about it.
◇First of all, it's a romantic comedy
-What did you keep in mind while acting?
Komatsu: I was nervous about the first episode. I was directed to be "younger" than I thought, but I had an ideal in my mind of how I wanted the characters to speak based on Hojo-sensei's illustrations, so I tried to stick to that and make the tension a little younger. Sometimes it sounded cold, so I was directed to be "kinder" towards Toshio.
Koshimizu-san is quite good at romantic comedy.
Komatsu: This time, the main premise was that it was a romantic comedy, so I tried to create as much of a soft charm as possible while keeping the tension in mind.
Koshimizu-san was so cute!
Thank you, Komatsu-san ! The story is set in the Reiwa era, and the sense of age back then is different from the sense of age now.
Koshimizu-san has too much respect for the cast (of the 80s anime). I'm a fan of the series myself, so I tend to be strict with myself. I had a battle with myself, thinking, "This isn't Rui-san..." Rui also has an adult charm. While being conscious of her current age, I tried to portray her as the calmest of the three sisters, and also the one who comes up with plans and explains things, so I tried to give her a soft feminine charm while also being conscious of a firm feeling. I'm not confident about it, but it was something I put effort into.
Komatsu: When the three of us lined up on set, there really was an atmosphere like sisters. Maybe our positions were similar. I relied on Koshimizu-san!
Koshimizu-san was carrying a lot of pressure, but he said, "Let's go!" (laughs). There was a sense of tension during the recording, but everyone was calm, and the breaks were relaxed, and it felt soothing, like being in your living room at home. I felt that from the first episode onwards. It may seem strange to say this because I'm in it myself, but it was a wonderful cast and I felt comfortable.
Komatsu: That's right.
◇Feelings of elation and excitement
--What are the highlights of the anime?
Regarding Komatsu-san's Hitomi, it's her relationship with Toshio. The detective and the phantom thief are enemies, but they are also lovers and engage in secret activities that cannot be made public. Hitomi has many different sides to her, but sometimes she reveals feelings that she cannot reveal to anyone. I think that this is her mysterious charm and one of the highlights of the show. It retains a Showa-era feel, but also has a romantic comedy updated for the Reiwa era.
Koshimizu-san, even though it's the Reiwa era, there are still some rules to follow.
You'll be like, "This is it, Komatsu-san !" and I hope you'll look forward to that too.
As Koshimizu-san becomes the Reiwa version, we hope you will look forward to Ai-chan's special technology inventions. She will announce the names of the inventions, so please pay attention to that as well.
-What do you think is the appeal of "Cat's Eye"?
Komatsu-san , the three sisters are really fascinating. Tear is tolerant and maternal, as well as sexy and intelligent. Hitomi is not fully mature, but she is a Madonna-like figure admired by her classmates, and is stubborn and competitive inside. Ai has a boyish charm, but is cute and inventive. Each heroine is filled with the aspirations that make you wish there was someone like her. The story is set in the city, has adult charm, and I felt once again that it condensed the aspirations of that time. 40 years later, in the Reiwa era, I think there are some aspects that seem fresh.
I think the fact that Koshimizu-san isn't bound by "femininity" or anything like that is an appealing aspect that connects to the modern day. Hitomi relies on Toshio emotionally in some ways, but she's not completely dependent on him, and their equal relationship is wonderful. There are bad, rich people who appear in each episode, but that's good too. It's interesting too.
That's right, Mr. Komatsu . It feels so bad it's almost unpleasant.
Koshimizu-san and Tear are adults who go to stylish bars. Drinking in such places is something I have never been through, and I think it's a world that I long for.
Komatsu: The opening and ending themes are cool and exhilarating. They're arranged for the Reiwa era, but still retain the atmosphere of the time. I think it will be fresh for first-time viewers. For those who have been supporting the series for a long time, there are some scenes that will make you nostalgic and think, "That's it!" I think this "Cat's Eye" is a great fusion of both.
Koshimizu-san, it's good to have a set pattern. Toshio and the others don't even notice, and it looks like they're going to find out, but they don't. I'm excited to see that this is the set pattern! Besides the three sisters and Toshio-san, there are other wonderful characters and cast members. I hope you'll look forward to that as well.
