The animated film "Aikatsu! x PriPara THE MOVIE - The Miracle of Encounter!", a collaboration between the popular anime and game series "Aikatsu!" and "PriPara," will be released on October 10th. The two films have teamed up in a "dream collaboration" to commemorate the 10th anniversary of "PriPara" and the Aikatsu! Akari Ozora generation. We spoke to Shimoji Murasakino, who plays Akari, and Akaneya Himika, who plays Lala, about their thoughts on "Aikatsu!" and "PriPara."
◇Akari and Lala's straightforward and energetic personality
-- "Aikatsu!" and "PriPara" are both your first starring roles. What kind of presence do these works have for you personally?
This was Akaneya's first starring role, and I never thought I'd end up working as a voice actor in anime, so it really was a start from scratch. It was a place where I learned what dubbing was all about by watching my seniors, so it was my starting point as a voice actor. After acting for over 10 years, I sometimes get jealous of characters. I'm not as overly cheerful as Lala, so there was a time when I found it hard to keep up with her because she was so bright. In "PriPara," characters sometimes become rivals, and for me, Lala has sometimes been my rival, but she's also the friend who supports me the most. That's what Lala is, and I consider "PriPara" to be an inseparable part of my life.
Just as Shimoji- san and Himika-chan said! For me, "Aikatsu!" is an absolutely essential part of not only my role as a voice actress, but also when talking about Shimoji Shino as a person. There's no end to the "what if" stories, but if I hadn't appeared in "Aikatsu!", I don't think I would have been able to work as a voice actress for over 10 years. It taught me the basics so much that I don't think I would have been able to do it for over 10 years. The sound team was also always there for us, trying to train newcomers. I think it's because of that foundation that we've been able to come this far. It's truly an inseparable part of me.
--A miraculous collaboration has been realized.
Akaneya: I auditioned for "Aikatsu!" a long time ago, so to some extent it feels like fate. I've known about it since it first started, and I've always thought it would be fun to work with it back then. I don't know about the adult circumstances (laughs), but I felt like it was finally happening. I was honestly very happy. I was excited to see what would happen once we became one production. I had the impression that "Aikatsu!" was a little older than me, but as the same main character, Akari-chan and I have a lot in common, such as her straightforward and energetic nature, and I felt like our characters were linked, so it felt like we were relatives.
Shimoji: Of course, I knew about "PriPara." When I first heard about the collaboration, I thought it would be a film similar to "Aikatsu!"'s "Music Awards: Let's All Get an Award! SHOW!", where you watch live performance footage. But when I actually read the script, I was amazed at how solid it was! I was shocked by how many different characters appeared and how well they communicated with each other. I was excited to see the passion and overflowing passion of the staff. It really brought home to me how catchy "PriPara" is. Each character has their own ending, and their costumes have a different feel. Mirei-chan has a completely different vibe when she leaves "PriPara," and I wonder if she's closer to Yurika-sama in "Aikatsu!". The characters are so diverse and captivating. I wondered how it would turn out, but it worked better than I imagined. Both "PriPara" and "Aikatsu!" have been consistent for over 10 years, so I think they were able to come together as one complete film.
◇ "Aikatsu!" doesn't deny it, "PriPara" insists
-Akaneya, did you experience any culture shock when watching "Aikatsu!" and Shimoji, did you experience any culture shock when watching "PriPara"?
Akaneya: In "PriPara," the main character remained the same throughout, and new characters were constantly added, but in "Aikatsu!", there is a senior character called Ichigo, who is passed on to Akari and the others, which I found interesting and different from "PriPara." In "PriPara," when Yui Yui joined, they worked hard together as the double main characters, and that difference was refreshing. It's also interesting that the singing is separated.
Shimoji: For "Aikatsu!", the singer and voice actor are separate, so I only found out I'd be performing this song when I received the script. For "PriPara," the song was recorded before the anime was filmed, right?
Akaneya: That's true. I listen to the songs during recording.
Shimoji: I wouldn't go so far as to say it was a culture shock, but the stage scenes are completely different. "PriPara" has a more realistic live feel, with the performers holding microphones and changing costumes, so it was a fresh experience.
--What do you feel you have in common?
Shimoji: Everyone works hard, is straightforward, and has strong feelings. That's something they all have in common.
Akaneya: That's right. Right around the time "PriPara" started, I was also working as an idol, but to be honest, there was a time when I didn't want to do it. But through "PriPara," I began to realize that I had the wrong idea about idols. Idol activities have given energy to so many people, and that really made me realize. I realized that there was no need to be so obsessed with it. I think we all share the same feelings about idols. I learned a lot from it.
--What would you like to promote as being great about "PriPara" and "Aikatsu!"?
Shimoji: Maybe that's true for "PriPara" as well, but "Aikatsu!" doesn't deny it. They immediately accept people they meet for the first time, so in this movie too, they communicate with curiosity, asking, "What is PriPara?" I think that's what makes it "Aikatsu!"
Akaneya: What "PriPara" taught me was to show your own strength. Each character has a strong personality and they express themselves. They're all different, and Dorothy can be quite confrontational out of the blue, but she's not a bad girl. In contrast, "Aikatsu!" is accepting and curious. It's a perfect match.
To be continued in interview (2).
