Based on the popular smartphone game "Disney Twisted Wonderland," affectionately known as "Twisted," "Disney Twisted Wonderland the Animation" Season 1, "Episode of Heartslabyul," is now available exclusively on Disney+. Set at the prestigious magic training school, Night Raven College, the dark fantasy depicts characters inspired by the charm of the villains that appear in Disney works. Following on from the game, Noriaki Sugiyama voices Grimm, the mischievous monster partner of protagonist Enman Yuuken. We spoke to him about behind the scenes of the recording and the appeal of the animation.
◇ Grimm's emotions expressed naturally
"Twisted Wonderland" features characters inspired by the charm of villains that appear in Disney works, as well as seven dormitories inspired by Disney films such as "Alice in Wonderland" and "The Lion King." The animation is based on the comic book adaptation, and Season 1, "Episode of Heartslabyul," set in the Heartslabyul dorm inspired by "Alice in Wonderland," is currently being streamed exclusively on Disney+.
Sugiyama said, "I thought it was interesting that in the world of Twisted Wonderland, characters appear as great people and there are dormitories that inherit their spirit. There's a scene where Ace Trappola from the Heartslabyul dorm explains about great people, and he describes them in a positive way, saying things like, 'They're so cool.' Also, in the game, a character appears from a door at the start, which I thought was a very unusual setting. I was surprised at first too, but I thought it was innovative and interesting."
Grimm, played by Sugiyama, is a monster who can use magic. He is a loudmouthed joker who declares that he will one day become a great magician, and sometimes stirs up trouble around him with his crazy words and actions. He becomes the partner of Enman Yuuken, a high school student who wanders from the real world into Night Raven College in the other-worldly world of Twisted Wonderland.
Sugiyama said that when acting, "Grimm is, to put it in a positive way, a mascot-like character for the work, but he is conscious of not letting his cuteness come too far."
"She has a slightly annoying side, so I tried to be as conscious as possible of her presence and character as possible, rather than just being cute. When she's scheming, she acts like she's scheming, and when she's tempted by something tasty, she's true to her instincts. For better or worse, she's a straightforward character, so I tried to express that as naturally as possible."
Sugiyama describes Grimm as a tricky character, and when it was decided that "Twisted Wonderland" would be made into an animation, he said, "It would be difficult to record in sync with everyone else, so I thought I had to work hard."
"On a technical level, I feel that this character is difficult to maintain a consistent tone with, including emotions. In scenes where the tension is extremely high, the sound can get raspy or distorted. Part of it is vocally created, so I have to be careful not to lose too much balance between consistency and the range of emotions. For me, this is a pretty high hurdle, but also a rewarding part. When I can work with the other voice cast members and get a good flow, including punchlines, expressions, and laughs, I think, 'Ah, that's great.'"
◇The charm of his partner, the heroic sword and dorm leader Riddle: The unique sound of animation
One of the major features of the animation is the presence of Enman Yuuken, Grimm's partner. Sugiyama describes Yuuken's charm as "a nice guy as a person." He also said about Yohei Azakami, who voices Yuuken, "Azagami-kun is also a very straightforward and serious young man, so I've been talking with the other voice actors about how he's a perfect fit for the role."
"Yuuken is a very mature character, with a higher mental age than his actual age, a philosophical personality, and the ability to see things from a broader perspective, so when Grimm says, 'I'm going to become a great magician,' he doesn't make fun of him, but takes him seriously. I think that this is also part of the relationship between Grimm and Yuuken. So, while Grimm will often make light-hearted remarks when talking to Ace, I don't think he says anything like that to Yuuken. I think that Grimm's respect for him is reflected in his words and actions."
Sugiyama says that the character he wants viewers to pay particular attention to in Season 1, "Episode of Heartslabyul," is Riddle Rosehearts, the dorm leader of Heartslabyul. He strictly adheres to the mysterious laws created by the "Queen of Hearts" and punishes those who break the rules, making him feared by the dorm residents. Riddle is played by Natsuki Hanae.
"The characters are well-defined from the beginning, so I would like you to pay attention to Riddle. Hanae-kun is acting very lively and well, so I would like you to watch that as well. The illustrations are also wonderful, expressive and beautiful, and Hanae-kun's acting and the music combine to create many great scenes."
One of the attractions unique to animation is the sound.
"The environmental sounds inside Night Raven College and the forest are well represented, and when a character calls out to you, even if you're wearing headphones you can tell which side of the screen they're on; it feels like a lot of care has gone into the sound localization. I think you'll enjoy the game even more if you pay attention to the audio and sound images as well as the visuals."
And don't miss Grimm's exploits, who are more than just cute.
"He has some annoying sides, but also a bit brave, cute, and surprisingly small-minded, and the balance in that area is really nicely done. I hope you enjoy watching it."
