The TV anime series "This Monster Wants to Eat Me," based on the manga by Naekawa Sai, currently serialized in Dengeki Maoh (KADOKAWA) and other publications, began airing on AT-X, TOKYO MX, and other channels on October 2nd. Set in Chuyo, Ehime Prefecture, the series tells a beautiful yet poignant story that begins with the encounter between Yaotome Hinako, a girl who wishes to die, and Omi Shiori, a mermaid who desires her flesh. The protagonist, Hinako, who lives alone in a seaside town, is played by popular voice actress Reina Ueda. Ueda says, "Hinako is shrouded in a faint darkness that makes even the viewer feel pain," so we spoke to her about what went on behind the scenes of the recording and the appeal of the series.
◇A story of twisted and fragile girls.
The manga has been serialized in Dengeki Maoh since October 2020. A mermaid girl named Shiori suddenly appears before Hinako and gently tells her, "I've come to eat you." Shiori protects Hinako until she reaches her peak maturity, promising that she will one day eat her, and Hinako begins to feel a strong desire to herself, thinking, "Maybe this person can make my wish come true."
Ueda said of his impression of the original work, "While there are comical scenes, the horror scenes are also very scary, and yet the main character, Hinako, has an overall gloomy quality that makes even the viewer feel uncomfortable. The relationships between the characters are also somewhat twisted and fragile, which was very impressive."
"I think that a story about someone coming to eat you is a very scary one, but rather than being scared of being eaten or dying, Hinako finds it a relief, which makes it painful to watch. I thought this was a work that made me want to keep watching to see if Hinako will change after meeting Shiori."
After a certain incident, Hinako becomes lonely and wishes to die.
"I think the biggest impact is that Hinako wants to die. She is caught between her own desire to die and be with her family, and her family's desire for her to live. As a result, she comes to the conclusion that she cannot end her own life, and lives as if she desires something that will take her life. She doesn't want to live, but she has no choice but to live in order to die. That's the situation she starts in, so I think the beginning of the story has a particularly dark image."
The original author, Naekawa, said about the work, "I really love the idea of a troublesome kid being bossed around by another troublesome kid, so I packed that into the story."
"When you look at it from that perspective, I think the appeal of the work lies in the frustration and pain it contains. There are scenes where the reader feels relieved, thinking, 'Maybe Hinako has become a little more positive,' but then there are scenes where they are shocked to find that it's actually the complete opposite, so I think it's a work that will surprise you and make your heart skip a beat."
◇Expressing the subtle hues of emotion Hinako as a child
During the recording, they were conscious of the warmth of the conversation.
"When we were recording the first episode, I was given direction on the tone of her conversations with other characters, apart from her monologue. At first, I imagined that the tone would be about the same as her monologue, but the direction was to make her a bit brighter, and to have her blend in with the other characters in her own way," which created a slight difference from her monologue and made it even more painful to watch, I think."
Another characteristic of Hinako is that she "doesn't have the energy to express negative emotions."
"He never shows any sadness or anger, and the monotony that comes from a lack of energy is particularly strong in his monologues. I think the sense of living in despair, thinking 'I have to do this' rather than 'I want to do this', naturally led to a monotony that comes across. The only times his voice takes on color are when he remembers his family and in the monologues he talks about them."
As Hinako interacts with Shiori and Miku, she begins to see glimpses of the color of her emotions. However, these are only faint colors and "subtle changes."
"When Hinako's emotions suddenly come out, she still feels unable to fully express them to the other person. I don't know if it's because she's considerate or because she's not used to it, but she doesn't fully express them, and the sound doesn't really jump out. I myself felt that she couldn't fully express her emotions because I was thinking, 'Hinako is such a kind girl,' while I was playing the role."
Ueda also said that playing Hinako was "difficult" and that she "lacked confidence." However, the words of the original author, Naekawa, were a great support for her.
"The teacher has a very broad mind when it comes to the work and Hinako, so he is often pleased with both the acting and the anime, saying things like 'it's wonderful' and 'I'm happy' and 'thank you'. The teacher said, 'Hinako is a child,' meaning his own child, but also meaning an ordinary 16-year-old girl who has stubborn beliefs and ends up messing around with those around her. He said he 'portrayed her as a child,' and I hope that this comes across in the anime."
Regarding Hinako's words and actions, Ueda said, "They're not very coherent. They make sense to her, but when you look at them objectively, there are times when you wonder, 'Why is she angry now?' or 'What is this flow of emotions?'" He is trying to delicately portray the "ups and downs that are unique to a 16-year-old girl."
◇ Behind the scenes of the recording with Ishikawa Yui and Fairouz Ai The main story is heavy, but...
Characters closely related to Hinako are the mermaid girl Shiori and Hinako's best friend, Yashiro Miku. Shiori is played by Ishikawa Yui and Fairouz Ai. During the recording of the scene in the first episode where Hinako meets Shiori, Ueda said that he felt "very scared."
"At first, he seemed very suspicious, and I thought he was someone I couldn't fathom, someone I couldn't fathom what he was thinking. It was frustrating, like we were talking but not really talking, and we seemed to be on the same page but not quite. I had always felt alone, so I thought that feeling of not being on the same page was good as we exchanged words."
In contrast to the mysterious Shiori is her best friend Miku, who has a cheerful personality and is always concerned about Hinako.
"If Hinako gives off an impression of being gloomy and damp, then Fai-chan, who plays Miku, is the complete opposite, with a bright, sunny voice that says "exactly." Her brightness and presence make you think, "Even if it's not Hinako, if this girl is there, it would be reassuring," and it made me feel even more that she is someone who can completely change the atmosphere of the room. From the perspective of Hinako, Miku is the character I can most empathize with, so I found the scene where Miku talks about her feelings for Hinako very convincing."
When asked about the recording site, they said that the three of them didn't talk much about the work.
"Because the main story is so heavy, we were very conscious of lightening the mood during breaks, so we all ate the same snacks (laughs). Fai-chan brought some sweets and handed them out to everyone as a token of friendship. That kind of thing really linked to the story, and there were many exchanges that reminded me of the fun and comical scenes in 'Watabe'. I think it would have been tough if the atmosphere had remained heavy throughout the breaks in recording, so I think it was good that everyone was chatting harmoniously together. Thanks to that, we were able to do our best."
Ueda himself said that he felt many different kinds of "fear" in "Watabe," saying, "Rather than being scary in a horror sense, I was worried that something might happen to Hinako, that I had to protect her, and it scared me. It was scary just watching Shiori and Miku interact with Hinako, who is on such a difficult line. There's a fear that if they make one wrong move, something might happen." I want to keep an eye on how the story of Hinako, Shiori, and Miku unfolds.
