Continuation of interview (1). A collaboration between the popular anime and game series "Aikatsu!" and "PriPara," the animated film "Aikatsu! x PriPara THE MOVIE - The Miracle of Encounter!" 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 asked Shimoji Murasakino, who plays Akari, and Akaneya Himika, who plays Lala, about their thoughts on "Aikatsu!" and "PriPara."
◇Johnny Sensei, Hibiki and Mega-nii are the bridge
-What was the recording like?
Shimoji: I was recorded with a large group of people, but Himika-chan and I were recorded separately. I was happy that the "PriPara" team laughed at Johnny-sensei (laughs).
Akaneya is really interesting!
Shimoji's "Aikatsu!" team laughed at Hibiki and Mega-nii, and they acted as a bridge between everyone, including Johnny-sensei. Johnny-sensei and Yasumura Makoto-san also made me laugh in the TV series, so I was happy to see that the other teams were also funny.
Akaneya: I can't stop laughing. I also really love the exchange between Mega-nii and Johnny Sensei!
I thought Shimoji-san must have had a lot of fun writing the script. There was an atmosphere like a class reunion. There was a nostalgic feeling, but also a new feeling, and it was a peaceful recording session.
Akaneya: I recorded with Ishikawa Yui (who plays Shinjo Hinaki), and I had previously worked with Ishikawa as a regular on another production, which was a serious one, so it was refreshing to see Ishikawa cheerfully saying "Thank you!". Recording while listening to the voices of the other characters made me feel as if I was in this world's dimension, and it was a lot of fun.
-What were your impressions when you heard each other's acting?
Akaneya- san is the ultimate protagonist, pulling everyone along. But it's not one-sided, she has such energy that before you know it, everyone is following Akari-chan, and I think that's something she has in common with Lala, in that she has a protagonist-like temperament. There's no humidity, and there's a refreshing feeling that breaks through. It's not that she doesn't have any worries, but during the recording, I felt a dry brightness that didn't make it seem like that. There were times when I felt like if I followed her, the future would be bright, and she was like a reliable older sister. I got the impression that if I followed this older sister, there was nothing to be afraid of.
Shimoji-san: There are scenes where Akari seems like an older sister because of her age, but Lala-chan innocently leads everyone. Because Lala is so innocent, it felt like everyone in "Aikatsu!" and "PriPara" was being pushed forward.
◇The best new song that combines everything
-What are your impressions of each other as actors?
I was very grateful to Shimoji-san . I recorded first, so even though there was a framework in the form of a script, he had to act out Lala based on what I had presented, so I didn't intend to do anything unreasonable or outlandish, but I'm very grateful that he made it work. I felt that he must be a very generous person.
Akaneya: I'm the one who's most grateful. Thank you for leading me! That's how I felt. I relied on Shino-chan's acting during the recording, so I felt really comfortable.
Shimoji-san was great!
Akaneya: Although the recordings for the anime are sometimes done separately or without parts, there is still a desire to have a proper dialogue, and while listening, I wondered if Murasakino-chan is also someone who really loves acting. I was able to rely on Murasakino-chan's acting to record the voice, so I am grateful.
New songs will also be performed.
Shimoji's song is so catchy and cute that I find myself humming along. It really hit home because it's a miraculous movie and a miraculous unit. Hearing the voices of all the Luminous singers made me feel so happy, like always, yet different from usual. Noruka, who sings Akari, and I have similarities, so I feel a sense of sympathy for each other, and it feels like Akari is in the middle, connecting the two of us.
Akaneya: It has the feel of the songs we've always sung in "PriPara," but it also has a "Aikatsu!" feel to it, so I think it's a song that takes the best of both worlds. It's a song that we all created together, so it really touched me. When you combine it with the dance from the anime, it's really cute! It's a great song that combines everything, so I hope you enjoy it.
