The film adaptation of the TV anime " Jujutsu Kaisen ," based on the manga by Gege Akutami , serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump magazine, " Jujutsu Kaisen 0" (directed by Sunghoo Park-ho Park), will premiere on October 17th. Released on December 24, 2021, it was a huge hit, grossing approximately 26.5 billion yen worldwide, and was also a hot topic after being selected for the Best Animated Feature Award at the 45th Japan Academy Awards. Based on the original manga's "Volume 0," "Jujutsu Kaisen 0 : Tokyo Metropolitan Curse Technical School," the film tells a story of love and curses centered around protagonist Yuta Okkotsu and his childhood friend Rika Inorimoto, who becomes a special-grade cursed spirit after being involved in an accident. We spoke with Megumi Ogata, who plays Yuta Okkotsu, and Kana Hanazawa, who plays Rika Inorimoto, about behind-the-scenes footage from the filming, their thoughts on the re-release, and each other's charms.
◇ The difficulty of portraying the growth of Yuta Okkotsu and the role of Rika, who has become a vengeful spirit
-What were your honest thoughts when you found out that "Jujutsu Kaisen 0" would be screened again about four years after its release?
Since the release of Ogata-san's film , we've been fortunate enough to have something happen every year around December 24th, and every time that happens we've said, "Why not bring back Rika-chan's support screening?" (laughs). So we thought, "Here it comes!"
Hanzawa says it really happened.
Since it was Ogata-san , I initially thought that a screening would be held to support Rika-chan (laughs). I thought it might be some kind of special event, so I'm grateful that it will actually be screened.
I'm happy for Hanazawa-san . I think everyone will be more excited about the fact that the TV anime will continue from here.
--Looking back on the recording, which scene was the most difficult?
It's been really tough for you , Ogata-san.
Hanazawa-san and Okkotsu-kun had particularly intense scene changes and a ton of action.
Ogata : That's right. Okkotsu grows in the blink of an eye, but it would be strange if he suddenly started to feel strange, so we had to connect the two and pass it on to the next scene. I was always thinking about what kind of feelings he needed to have in each scene to make it work, and what would be the hook to help him grow. I wanted to do something to keep that from slipping away and to follow the path.
Hanazawa-san's method is incredibly delicate. I wasn't able to be at the dubbing studio the whole time, so when I saw the finished product, I realized how much effort Ogata-san put into it.
-Hanazawa-san, what scene was the most difficult for you?
Hanazawa: I guess it would be the way Rika-chan speaks when she becomes a vengeful spirit. I couldn't really imagine it before recording, so when I actually went to the recording studio, I was conscious of the fact that my body was different from my original one and it was difficult to speak, and it felt weird. All the lines written in the script had voiced consonants, so even though I was speaking in a husky voice, inside I was still Rika-chan, and I was acting for Okkotsu-kun. It must have been difficult to do it while being conscious of all of that.
--You also depicted Okkotsu and Rika as children.
There wasn't much information about Hanazawa-san and Rika-chan, so by reading the original work, I was able to understand that her family environment wasn't very good and that she must have really treasured the time she spent with Okkotsu-kun. Also, in the original work, her facial expressions weren't shown much, but in the anime, I realized, "Oh, so that's how she smiles." She's quite mature, but when she's with Okkotsu-kun, she's able to show a childlike smile, and I got the feeling from talking to Ogata-san. Some things were prepared in advance, but there was a lot I took in on the spot.
◇ Megumi Ogata's unrelenting passion and Kana Kana Hanazawa's breadth
--You co-starred in "Jujutsu Kaisen 0" as Okkotsu and Rika. What do you think are each other's charms as voice actors?
Ogata-san and Hanazawa-san are rare people.
Hanazawa- san, no, no, no...
Ogata-san , that's not something to be humble about (laughs). In this industry that's in the midst of a warring states era, with new faces constantly emerging, she's still playing similar roles to the ones she played in the past, and like Rika-chan, she's also playing many different roles. The kind of slender heroine that Hanazawa-san played when she first debuted - I sometimes call them "white heroines" - those roles are often played by girls who have just debuted. But Hanazawa-san has continued to play them for so long. And while she's playing those kinds of heroines, she's also increasingly playing strange roles - excuse me, unusual roles. I think it's amazing that she can do them all.
I'm so happy, thank you, Hanzawa-san .
Ogata-san , that's amazing. That means you have such a wide range of roles. I think that's how a voice actor should be, but it's not that easy. Women in particular don't get to do such a wide range of roles. At first, you won't be called to audition for a role that's different from the one you've played up until then.
Hanazawa: That's right. It's got color.
Once Ogata- san is assigned to one role, she ends up getting similar roles. But among those roles , I think there's something about Hanazawa-san that makes you think, "Maybe she can do this too. Let's try this," and that's why she's given so many different roles. She's continued doing that for so long, and has also appeared on variety shows. There are very few people who can properly compete with comedians, make comments, and leave a lasting impression.
Hanazawa : When I was a child actor, there was something that Sanma Akashiya taught me, and it always made me think, "I have to leave my mark."
Even Mr. Ogata , there aren't that many people who can actually put this into practice, so overall I think he is quite a rare person.
Thank you, Hanzawa-san . Whenever I work with Ogata-san, I always think that it's amazing how she never loses her passion when acting. I know that's how it should be, but it's not easy to achieve. I can really feel it when we're interacting with each other. That's why I'm so grateful to be able to act with her.
Ogata : That's because you've always been 14 years old. For many years, you've been burdened with the fate, the curse, of having to remain 14 years old. You have to carry the soul of a 14-year-old, so that means you have to maintain that passion.
When you're at the recording studio with Hanazawa-san , you can see that the persuasiveness of what she conveys as the character is truly amazing. So, I really want to be like her, but I think that it's something that only Ogata-san can do.
Ogata-san, that's not true.
Since it's Hanazawa-san , I'd like to continue working hard so that I can continue to work with Ogata-san.
Ogata-san, I agree (laughs).
◇Okkotsu-kun and Rika-chan are precious. A work with no wasted space.
-What points would you like people to pay attention to at the revival screening of "Jujutsu Kaisen 0"?
Ogata: This film is not forced in any way, and there is nothing wasted at all, making it a film that is perfect for the theater. There is a lot of action that will look great on the big screen in a movie, and the sound is also fantastic. Aoyama Hideki, who is a support member for my live performances, is involved in the soundtrack for this film, and as he said, the sound was recorded to match the film, and I think even just the music has a very live feel to it. I hope you will take this opportunity to enjoy this film that is perfect for the theater.
Hanazawa-san, I think that people who enjoy the TV anime will want to come here again once they see Geto and Gojo (in the second season), so I'm grateful that they're screening it at the perfect time. Also, Okkotsu-kun and Rika-chan's heartbreaking, but the feelings they put into it are, how can I put it... precious. So I hope you'll see it in the theater many times. For me, tears start just when King Gnu's "Reverse Dream" (the ending theme) plays. That's why I can't listen to it carelessly (laughs). So I hope you'll shed your tears in the theater.
"Jujutsu Kaisen" is a manga that was serialized in "Weekly Shonen Jump" from March 2018 to September 2024. The story follows high school student Yuji Itadori, who is thrown into a world of battles over curses after a powerful "Kaigyoku/Gyokusetsu/ Shibuya Incident," aired from July to December 2023. The third season, "Culling Game Part 1," will air in January 2026.
