Natsuki Hanae and Soma Saito talk about the behind-the-scenes of recording "The Last Blossom"

On October 22nd, a stage greeting for the original animated feature film "The Last Blossom," a collaboration between director Kinoshita Mugi, who worked on the TV anime "Odd Taxi," and manga artist and screenwriter Konomoto Kazuya, was held at Shinjuku Wald 9 (Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo), with director Kinoshita and voice actors Natsuki Hanae and Soma Saito in attendance. Hanae praised "Housenka," saying, "When I put myself in their shoes, it really touched me and brought me to The Last Blossom. The structure is fantastic, and the plot twists are resolved at the end, and I was moved by how neatly it all wraps up."

Saito also nodded and said, "It was wonderful. I have been saved by many pieces of fiction. Having come across it now is a form of salvation. Even if I had seen it at a time when I was more introspective than I am now, when I thought the world didn't understand me and that no one was even looking at me, I think it would have been a huge relief. It's such a wonderful work that I'm grateful to have had so many encounters, made so many connections, and been able to be involved in it as an actor."

"The Last Blossom" stars Kobayashi Kaoru, Junki Tozuka, Hikari Mitsushima, Miyazaki Yoshiko, and Pierre Taki. Hanae, who plays Kensuke, the son of Nagata Nana, the partner of the main character Akutsu Minoru, also played the main character Odogawa in "Odd Taxi," while Saito, who plays the intellectual yakuza Wakamatsu, also made headlines for his role as Tanaka, who works at a game company in "Odd Taxi."

Director Kinoshita explained the reason for casting Hanae and Saito, saying, "I was looking for someone I felt could breathe life into the characters. I knew the skills and passion of Souma and Hanae, so I offered them the roles."

Hanae said that he recorded the scene with Miyazaki, and recalled, "It was a very natural performance, so I was worried about how close I should get to it, but we were able to have a dialogue together, so it was really easy to work with. He's a really wonderful person, and I felt at ease."

Saito, who plays the intellectual yakuza Wakamatsu, said that the recording process was not easy, as it required multiple takes. "I only have a few scenes in which I appear, but we spent a considerable amount of time recording. In the end, it was a patchwork of various takes, but I felt very disappointed after the recording ended, realizing that I had only been able to delve deeper into the character in a flat way. It was a shame because I was so serious about it, but it was also fun."

Saito praised Hanae's acting, saying, "Early in my career, Hanae was the main character and I was a minor character, but when I heard his acting, I realized that I would never be able to walk the same path as him. I like him, admire him, and trust him, so I felt that he was extremely talented this time as well."

Hanae commented on the appeal of Saito's acting in "The Last Blossom," saying, "I really loved the scene where he gets shot! I watched it about three times. It was really fascinating."

Finally, Hanae said, "It's a truly wonderful work. Even if you watch it years from now, your feelings may change. I hope that ' The Last Blossom' will continue to bloom in your hearts and live on forever."

In "The Last Blossom," an elderly man serving a life sentence, Minoru Akutsu, is about to die alone in his cell when a mysterious The Last Blossom, who can speak human language, tells him, "You've had a terrible life," and through the conversation, he begins to reflect on his past. He confronts his past life and tries to reclaim what he has lost.