The theatrical version of the TV anime "My Dangerous Wife (BokuYaba)," based on the popular manga by Norio Sakurai currently serialized on Akita Shoten's manga site Champion Cross, will be released on February 13th. The teen love comedy stars Ichikawa Kyotaro, a nerdy boy in the midst of his chuunibyou syndrome, and Yamada Anna, a beautiful, outgoing girl at the top of the school's social hierarchy. The first season of the TV anime aired from April to June 2023, and the second from January to March 2024. The theatrical version will consist of re-edited footage from the TV anime, as well as all-new footage of what happens "after" the second season and "that moment between Ichikawa and Yamada." We spoke to Horie Shun, who plays Ichikawa Kyotaro, and Hitsujimiya Hina, who plays Yamada Anna, about their thoughts on "BokuYaba."
◇ “Big sister” Tamura Yukari’s singing is amazing!
--The film is also attracting attention for the first time featuring live scenes of the band "Primary COLOR," in which "Onee" Ichikawa Kana is the vocalist and guitarist.
I thought Hitsujimiya-san's song was wonderful, and Onee-san's voice was wonderful. I'm really looking forward to being able to watch and listen to the live video on a big screen. And she's so cute! Onee-san's facial expressions were also cute and lovely.
Horie-san's older sister is so cute, and as a younger brother I used to think she was gross, but I also started to feel like, why would he choose such a cute older sister... (laughs). Tamura Yukari's singing voice is really wonderful. I used to go to Tamura Yukari's concerts when I was a student, so as an otaku, I got a little fangirly feeling when I saw her appear in a work where the character she plays sings, and I thought it was kind of amazing...
--The lyrics are linked to the relationship between the two people.
It perfectly ties in with the scene in the second half where the two of them are running, and it's cute, cool, and tear-jerking. It plays at such an exquisite moment that I'm sure everyone who sees it on the big screen will cry.
-What's your favorite scene?
Hitsujimiya-san is in almost everything, especially the scene where he throws the bicycle.
I understand Horie-san .
Hitsujimiya-san , that angle of the shot is one thing, but it's so powerful, it makes you wonder what happened!? The indescribable atmosphere between the two of them was very impressive. Another moment that made me cry in the anime was in season 2, when he gave her an accessory and said, "You're so cute I could die." It gave me goosebumps and tears. It was so wonderful.
Horie: I was overwhelmed by the beauty of the visuals from the first episode, with every detail carefully drawn in. The subtle detail of Ichikawa's bangs in the scenery seen from his point of view, the way the light filters in through the curtains in the library, the delicate background with a slightly dusty feel - I felt the visual beauty in every detail. Kensuke Ushio's music beautifully colors the world of the two characters. When I heard that he paid attention to every detail, I was reminded once again of how grateful I am to be involved in such a wonderful work. When the promotional video for the first season aired, I was struck by how they included sounds that would normally be cut out as noise. I was also grateful for the way they used sound in a way that made the acting sound better.
Hitsujimiya-san: The movie version has a unique way of flowing time, so I'm sure you'll be drawn in if you watch it in the cinema. The movie version shows a different landscape. The same story is moving in a different way. Combined with the songs in the movie, I discovered new things, like how the story progresses and how parts are made to look like this.
◇Hina Hitsuji is evolving every day
-What inspired you while working together?
This was my first time acting alongside Horie-san , and I felt that he is an actor who readily absorbs a variety of things. There was a gap of about six months to a year between the first and second seasons. I felt that he must have absorbed a variety of things on other sets during that time, and I got the impression that he is an actor who is evolving every day.
Before recording Hitsujimiya-san , I wondered what kind of person would be playing Ichikawa-kun, and when I looked up his promotional photos, I saw that he looked like a very confident person.
It's a promotional photo of Horie (laughs).
Unlike Ichikawa -kun, Hitsujimiya-san is confident and cheerful, I think?
Horie-san, did you imagine that much from just one photo?
Even Hitsujimiya-san was dwarfed in the studio when we actually got to the set, making me wonder if it was really the same person.
Horie-san was really hunched over.
When I met Hitsujimiya- san, my impression of him was the same as Ichikawa-kun's. However, when it came to acting, I saw him take the initiative to move the story in a positive direction, and my impression of him changed rapidly.
--Ichikawa has a lot of monologues, so it must have been a difficult role.
Horie: Especially at the beginning of the first season, there was almost no dialogue and I was talking to myself in my head, so it was difficult.
--What about Yamada?
In the scene where Hitsujimiya gradually becomes more gorilla-like while humming, we adjusted the level of freedom, playing a version that is very free and a version that still retains a human touch, and I feel that through his direction, Anna's true personality was formed.
-What does the series "BokuYaba" mean to you two?
Horie: This is an unforgettable work for me, and one I will never forget. It didn't all start with positive emotions. Even during the audition, I felt like I was taking a commemorative exam. During the audition, there was a scene before and after my voice changed, and I thought that if a male voice actor was going to play it, it would be after my voice changed, and that the scene before my voice changed would definitely be played by a female voice actor. It seems that fans thought the same, and there were some who said that a female voice actor would be good for the role of Ichikawa. I was anxious about the recording, and I was always lacking in confidence. I had never portrayed a voice change before, and I was able to take on the challenge, so I feel like I've gained a little bit of confidence...
Hitsujimiya: For me, this is a work that gave me confidence in myself. Although I was confident in acting cheerfully through my character, I thought that if I laughed out loud in front of strangers or acted cheerfully, people would dislike me... Through Anna-chan, I received a lot of compliments, and people would say, "It was wonderful, it was like Anna-chan," and I felt like people were gradually acknowledging that they liked me that way too. If I hadn't met Anna-chan, I feel like I would have lived a more quiet life... It was a turning point in my life. I'm really glad I met Anna-chan. (Anima Mitsuru/MANTANWEB)
