The Japanese dubbed version of "Time Agent -LINK CLICK- Eito Chapter," a sequel to the original anime "Time Agent -LINK CLICK-" distributed on the Chinese video streaming service "bilibili," is currently airing on Fuji TV's late-night anime slot "B8station." This time-based suspense drama follows Toki (Cheng Xiaoshi), who has the ability to "dive" into the world of photographs and possess the mind of the photographer, and Hikaru (Lu Guang), who has the ability to grasp events that have occurred in the world of photographs within the past 12 hours, as they solve special requests that come to the Time Photo Studio. The "Eito Chapter" depicts the encounter between Toki and Hikaru, who travel back in time. We spoke to Toyonaga Toshiyuki, who plays Toki, and Sakurai Takahiro, who plays Hikaru, about behind-the-scenes recording, highlights of the "Eito Chapter," and each other's charms.
◇ "Eito" was a film I approached with great determination, and it changed the way I saw the work.
--In the second season of the previous TV anime, Toki and Hikaru tracked down the mastermind behind a series of murders. Just when it seemed the case had been solved, it ended with a surprising revelation that Hikaru had been replaying the past in order to change the fate of Toki, who had died. Looking back on the second season, what are your thoughts?
Toyonaga: The first season was an anthology format that explained the abilities of Toki and Hikaru, while the second season took on a suspenseful twist, and the way this work is not bound by a single genre seemed really fresh to me. I remember being excited while recording the second season's plot to find the culprit.
It's almost the same as Sakurai -san and Toyonaga-kun, but I thought it was a scary story. The impact of the second season was so great that I was dreading the start of the "Eito Arc." That's how painful the ending of the second season was. I was also impressed by how the production created the illusion that time was moving forward, with the influence of the repeated, painful scenes appearing like a pendulum.
As Toyonaga-san and Sakurai-san said, the second season goes back and forth over and over again on the same timeline, so in the second half I was wondering, "How many more times will he die?" When the "Eito Arc" was decided, I jokingly told the staff, "I wonder if he'll die again this time" (laughs).
--The "Eito Chapter" depicts the meeting between Toki and Hikaru, and Hikaru's struggle to overcome his fate of death. What were your thoughts after reading the script?
Personally, Toyonaga-san , I honestly thought, "Huh, what's the continuation of the second season?" However, since the subtitle is "Eito Arc," I thought there would surely be some kind of hints or gimmicks scattered throughout, and I thought I had to prepare myself for the fact that this time too, I wouldn't be feeling happy.
--Indeed, Toki's death was depicted early in the first episode.
Toyonaga: That's true. He dies at the beginning.
Sakurai-san, by depicting past encounters under the umbrella of the "Eito Arc" rather than the third season, I thought it would be a major update that would rewrite all the information we have so far. If you think about the fact that the first and second seasons were based on the premise of the "Eito Arc," it changes the way you see the work. I knew the rules from the first and second seasons, but I felt like I was further educated in the "Eito Arc," and I still don't think I fully understand this work.
Toyonaga: That's true for me too.
Sakurai: There are so many things that are impossible to say for sure, so many uncertainties. This time, the past is depicted almost entirely from Hikaru's perspective, and it's a story about him trying to grasp the light in a time that repeats like a nightmare, but a new character gets involved. The new character is also an uncertain element, so I can't help but imagine that someone further outside is actually holding the baton. So I can't just accept it at face value.
Because it's Toyonaga-san , I find it very difficult to do interviews like this (laughs).
Sakurai-san has become very talkative. How should I explain this?
Toyonaga: You probably think that we performers know everything, but there are many things we don't know either. If I don't start with that introduction, I might take away the fun of everyone thinking about it.
◇Toyota Toshiyuki's lightness and Sakurai Takahiro's solid foundation
-When you play the buddy characters Toki and Hikaru, do you find any stimulation from interacting with each other, or do you feel that you're glad to have this person as your co-star?
Sakurai- san and Toyonaga-kun are perfect for Toki. They have a lot of ideas for expression, and each one is interesting. I think that Toki's slightly wild and unrestrained impression is something that only Toyonaga-kun could create.
Toyonaga: Sakurai-san has a lot of confidence in me, that no matter what I throw at him, he'll always be Hikaru. The foundation of the character that Sakurai-san creates is incredibly solid, so no matter how much I push him, his core stays the same and he enjoys being Hikaru, and I really feel that on set. Toki often has to speak quite quickly to cram in all the necessary information for his lines, and at those times I tried to cherish the wild feeling that Sakurai-san mentioned, the sense of just throwing things out even if my words were a little off, and I hoped that would lead to Toki's unique style.
Sakurai-san, it certainly feels good to listen to. The lines have a certain groove, or a slightly bouncy feel.
Toyonaga-san, I feel good too.
Sakurai- san and Toyonaga-kun are people who can do things that I can't. If I were to play a role like Toki, I would probably end up with an unnecessary nuance. I really envy Toyonaga-kun's light-heartedness, boyish innocence, and ideas.
◇Resetting Toki and Looping Hikaru - Completely different approaches
-What did you keep in mind when recording the "Eito" episode?
It's a story about Toyonaga-san going back to the past, but Hikaru seems to remember the present. Toki is the only one who returns to the past with a completely blank slate. So, my approach was to reset Toki each time he dies because he has died so many times, but I was conscious of resetting him again in my mind and perhaps even making his mental age a little younger. When I first read the script for episode 1, I thought, "This is tough for Sakurai-san..." so I thought I should play the role while remembering the reckless and free-spirited Toki from the first season.
As Sakurai- san and Toyonaga-kun explained, it's impossible to know how many times Hikaru has repeated his first encounter. Even in such a difficult situation, he is desperately trying to change his future. He tries out the process of meeting Toki over and over again, trying to create as different a path as possible. However, if he begins to read too much into it and continues without being able to check the answers, he risks undermining the foundation of his acting. So, while keeping in mind the loop as information, I wanted to keep the expression as simple as possible. The visuals are already complete, and if he were to make it more complicated and do something that doesn't fit the tone of the drama, the work would no longer be beautiful.
--There are many mysteries surrounding the work, so it seems like it would be difficult to act, but what parts do you find enjoyable?
Toyonaga: Regarding "Eito Hen," Toki just needs to live as he is, so I feel like a lot of it is left up to the actor. Toki is in a position where he can think exactly what he says without any ulterior motives, and act accordingly, so it can be expressed without any misunderstandings. The depth of the character of Toki is up to the actor, which is both difficult and fun. I hope that by playing him, the character of Toki will grow and become deeper. I think it's a completely different approach from Hikaru's.
Sakurai: The "Eito Chapter" is almost entirely filled with Hikaru running around trying to save Toki somehow, but there are a few scenes in between that are cutely made to avoid being too heavy, which was a relief. I thought this was a key point, so I tried to express Hikaru's character with that in mind.
It's amazing how Toyonaga-san has such a deep implication. There are hooks in Sakurai-san's expressions. Even though I don't know much about the work in the first place, I wonder what's going on in Sakurai-san's head when he can set up a hook and leave in an implication.
Sakurai: No no, I just included a fair amount and then said later, "No, it wasn't included." (laughs) However, I thought it would be better to have a lot of hooks planted in, and it was fun to do so.
--What are the highlights of the "Eito" chapter?
Toyonaga-san, please watch it with care. I think those words are perfectly suited to this work. I believe this is a work that will live up to the excitement of everyone who has made it through the first and second seasons. If the first season was an omnibus and the second season was suspense, then I personally think that the "Eito Arc" is hard-boiled. Also, because of this "Eito Arc," it is a season that makes sense in a sense, as it leads into the third season. It is not a so-called spin-off, but a legitimate sequel. I hope you will watch it without any negative attitude.
Sakurai: Because the ending of the second season was so shocking, I think you can watch "Eito Arc" a little more calmly. It was tiring but interesting to go back and have all the information updated. Once you accept the facts, you can enjoy learning about them anew. As Toyonaga said, this work is important as it leads into the third season, and there's a real surprise waiting at the end. I hope you enjoy it, including that.
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