" Assassination Classroom Assassination Classroom : Everyone's Time," a completely new theatrical film based on the popular manga by Yusei Matsui , was released on March 20th. This is the first new film in approximately 10 years since the TV anime that aired from January to June 2015 and January to June 2016, and the theatrical film " Assassination Classroom: 365 Days" released in 2016. The new film features completely new animation of episodes that had never been animated before. We spoke with Jun Fukuyama, who plays Koro-sensei, and Mai Fuchigami, who plays Nagisa/Hotaru Shiota, about their memories of recording the TV anime that started about 10 years ago, their thoughts on the new theatrical film, and the "last scene" after the end credits. (※The interview contains spoilers for the main story.)
◇In the early stages of the TV anime, there were anxieties: "We never imagined everyone would become this close."
--The new theatrical film was released as the grand finale of the "Assassination Classroom Anime 10th Anniversary" project, which began in 2025. What were your feelings when you learned about its production?
Fukuyama's initial reaction was, "Where? What are we going to do?" Of course, I was happy that a theatrical film was being made, but the story had already ended nicely, and a compilation film had already been produced, so when I first heard about it, it didn't quite click. However, when I heard about the project and actually saw the script, it all made sense, and I thought, "Ah, so that's how it's going to be." At first, it was a real surprise.
Ms. Fuchigami was certainly happy, but she was more surprised than anything else. Since it was the 10th anniversary of the TV anime broadcast, she had a feeling there might be some kind of "hint," but she thought it might be a voice drama or a web anime. She was surprised to hear that it was going to be a theatrical film.
--As part of the "Assassination Classroom Anime 10th Anniversary" project, the TV anime is being rebroadcast over a year starting in April 2025. What are your thoughts looking back on when the TV anime first started about 10 years ago?
Fukuyama-san, you never thought everyone would become this close, did you?
Fuchigami-san, that's right. What were the recordings like in the beginning? There were just so many people.
Fukuyama-san , yes, there were tons of them. Just like how classes at school are always divided into groups, there were groups of adults, groups of younger kids, and groups where everyone gathered around snacks. The producer would bring in creative snacks every week, and we would enjoy them in the studio lobby between recording parts A and B.
Fuchigami-san, that's right!
Everyone, including Fukuyama-san, would go outside the booth hungry, eat the snacks that were brought in, and then come back in. It really felt like lunchtime at school. At first, everyone was nervous, but before we knew it, thanks in part to Ogata (Megumi-san, who played Horibe Itona), we started going out to eat together all the time. Whether Ogata-san was there or not made a huge difference.
That's right , Fuchigami-san .
I felt that the way everyone in Fukuyama's work gradually comes to understand each other was very similar to how we, as viewers, came to understand each other.
--At the time, "Assassination Classroom" was a hugely popular work even before it was adapted into an anime. What kind of mindset did you have going into the recording?
There was the pressure of it being a popular work by Fuchigami-san , but it was also pretty much the first time I'd had the opportunity to play a boy character like Nagisa so thoroughly, so I was quite anxious about whether I could do it properly. There were a lot of people I was recording with for the first time, and there were also a lot of seniors, so there was all sorts of pressure, and to be honest, I wasn't really enjoying it, especially at the beginning.
Oh, I see, Mr. Fukuyama .
Fuchigami: But looking back now, I regret it. It's no use thinking about it now, but I wish I had talked to them more and played with them more. It was such a fun workplace that I regret it afterward, but I was so overwhelmed by the pressure that I wasn't able to enjoy it.
--As you gradually became closer to your co-stars, did you find yourself becoming more relaxed in a good way, including in your acting?
Fuchigami-san, that's right. Thanks to the meals with Ogata-san and the producer's treats, and the efforts of so many people, the set became relaxed, fun, and just like a school, and eventually we all started playing sumo wrestling with our hands during breaks (laughs).
Fukuyama-san was there! We also went on a trip together. It was a wrap-up trip, and although not 100% of the students and teachers from the class were able to attend, we all went to Hakone.
Fuchigami-san's private trip really felt like a student trip. We all chatted in the girls' bath, and it felt like the 3rd year E class had been brought to life in real life.
◇Let's all enjoy this wonderful original work together: The fun and joy of creating a work of art
--Mr. Fukuyama, you play the very unique character of Koro-sensei. What was it like when recording first began?
Mr. Fukuyama: Of course, there's pressure when you're given the opportunity to play a main character in any project, but I wasn't too worried about it. Just being given this opportunity felt like winning the lottery. The audition was fun, but I never thought I'd be playing Koro-sensei. That's because the original manga was only around volume 7 or 8, and the story of the Shinigami (episodes related to Koro-sensei's past) hadn't been depicted yet. I thought that if I were to play the role, it would only be if there was a setting that hadn't been in the original manga at the time, such as Koro-sensei being a former human and a young man in his late 20s or early 30s.
--So you had thought that far ahead even at the audition stage?
If it weren't for Mr. Fukuyama , there wouldn't be a right answer no matter who played the role, and it's a character that anyone could play correctly. But that doesn't mean I should just do it straightforwardly, so if I wanted to properly create the character myself, I figured I wouldn't do it unless there was a setting like that. So I was thinking of just having fun from the audition stage, and then, unexpectedly, I ended up getting the role. So all the more reason to hope that everyone could have fun too. For me, the recording studio was like a playground.
--It sounds like it was a really great atmosphere on set.
Fukuyama: That's right. After all, Mr. Kishi (director Seiji Kishi), Mr. Uezu (series composition and scriptwriter Makoto Uezu), Mr. Iida (sound director Riki Iida), and all the producers, it really felt like a real school. There's no doubt that the original work is wonderful, so instead of just putting it on a pedestal, they told us from before the first episode was recorded, "Let's all have fun with it," and "So if you have any ideas, let's just go ahead and share them." So I thought, "Okay then," and I brought a line that wasn't in the script to Mr. Uezu and asked, "What do you think of this?" He checked with Shueisha super fast and said, "Let's do it." This work made the things I wanted to do and suggested a reality at a speed that I can't even imagine now. I think everyone in the class was able to feel the fun and joy of creating something together.
I think the workplace had a really great balance between the fun of playing around with Mr. Fuchigami and the serious atmosphere of working to create something good.
That's right, Fukuyama-san . When I did something silly, I would get properly scolded (laughs).
◇Koro-sensei in the new movie: "I decided not to change anything"; "I'm happy" to play Hotaru
--After about 10 years, you'll be playing Koro-sensei and Nagisa again. What was your mindset going into the recording for the new movie?
Mr. Fukuyama had decided not to change anything about his approach. It was an extension of what he did in the TV series. We had completed the series all the way through once, but this movie is set in the middle of an episode. So, it was simply a matter of doing what we enjoyed doing back then. We felt that it wouldn't be right to try to present something special just because it's a movie. Rather, we felt that it would be best to have what was there back then, so we were allowed to do everything exactly the same way and in the same style as before.
--What are your thoughts on recording "Assassination Classroom" again after such a long time?
Mr. Fukuyama's skills and physical abilities are better now than when he was doing the TV broadcast in real time, so he can do more crazy things. That means there are parts that are easier, but there are still parts that are just as difficult. I tried to see how far I could physically go, and when I finished and said to sound director Iida, "Oh, that was tiring," he said, "You did it on your own accord" (laughs). It was still a workplace where people would give me advice, and the situation where they picked up a lot of different things and actually used them hasn't changed from 10 years ago.
Fuchigami-san hadn't had many opportunities to play Nagisa for nearly 10 years, so she was a little worried about whether she'd be able to remember Nagisa or whether she'd remember what it was like on the set of "Assassination Classroom." But when she got to the recording studio, she was immediately immersed in the same atmosphere as the "Assassination Classroom" set back then. All her worries disappeared in an instant. When she stood in front of the microphone, she felt like she just had to do what came naturally. Also, and this applies not just to me but to everyone, after one test recording, sound director Iida-san told her, "You don't have to force yourselves to sound young." I think it wasn't just me; there might have been others who came to the studio with anxieties or a lot of things on their minds, but from the moment he said that, the atmosphere completely changed to the same relaxed feeling as back then.
Fukuyama-san , that was definitely the kind of atmosphere it was.
When Fuchigami-san started recording her lines, it was just like back then. That's the kind of atmosphere it was. Also, it was really lively, so noisy that I wondered if there could be any other voice recording studio that was so energetic.
Mr. Fukuyama, I recorded it all by myself, so I can't experience the same feeling as everyone else, but when I saw the finished product, I thought, "Ah, it was better that I did it alone." I think you'll understand why when you see the movie. For me, the fact that "Koro-sensei wasn't there" was actually a good thing.
-- Ms. Fuchigami, you also play Hotaru, a girl who looks just like Nagisa, in the movie version.
When I was playing Hotaru , I thought a lot about what to do because there's no right answer. Ever since she first appeared in the original manga, I'd had a vague hope that I'd be able to play her someday, but when it came down to actually playing her, even though her face is very similar to Nagisa's, her gender and age are different, so I wondered how much I should change her, or if it would be better to keep her exactly the same, and I went into the voice recording with a rather vague feeling about what to do. They made detailed adjustments during the recording and we proceeded with creating the character, so even though it was the familiar set of "Assassination Classroom," I also felt the excitement of recording something new, and I was able to experience a variety of emotions, so I felt truly honored and happy to have been able to play the role of Hotaru.
◇The "final scene" after the end credits: "That one's going to hit you."
--What are the highlights of the new theatrical film?
For those who have been following Fukuyama-san all along, this film is a special one that is nostalgic, an album, and a reunion all in one. For those who haven't finished watching the TV anime yet, you can find out why Koro-sensei is so prominent among the students of Class 3-E after watching the movie and then watching the TV anime. For those who are new to the series with this film, it contains everything that makes "Assassination Classroom" so interesting. It's supposed to be a special theatrical release to express our gratitude as we celebrate our 10th anniversary, but it also serves as an entry point to enjoy "Assassination Classroom" once again. It's a very meaningful film, so even if you haven't seen it before, please feel free to watch it if you're interested. I'm sure everyone will be satisfied with it.
From the very beginning, Mr. Fuchigami is shown in such high-quality visuals that you might think, "What is he doing?"
--The opening scene features a very impressive depiction of space.
Fukuyama- san, that scene was strangely elaborate, wasn't it? I felt like he was dedicating too much of the quality of the animation to that one scene.
Fuchigami-san , at first I was surprised too, wondering if I'd watched the wrong show. That's how high-quality it is, befitting a 10th anniversary. Also, there are funny episodes, and even episodes where they start singing midway through, so it's packed with all sorts of things, and I think it's a work where every part is a highlight.
--After the end credits, there was a surprise scene showing what Class 3-E would look like 10 years later. What were your thoughts after seeing that "last scene"?
Fukuyama-san , I was really glad I didn't watch it with everyone at the preview screening. That scene really hits you. It was the same with the TV anime, but I'm always on the side that sends the students off, so I'm not one of the people who are there. So, if I were to say that my 10-year-old self saw that scene after the TV anime ended, I don't think I would have felt the same way. It was too fresh back then. Seeing it now, 10 years later, and hearing everyone's lines, it was quite a surprise to me to realize, "Have I become the kind of adult who feels this way about this scene now?" So, it was a scene that made me realize once again what a wonderful project I was involved in.
I think it's rare to find a work that allows for something like what Ms. Fuchigami did, and I really felt that it's a work that's loved in all sorts of ways. When I watched the preview, of course I knew that scene would come at the very end because I had recorded it, but even so, I couldn't leave my seat right after it ended, and I was struck by how strong the lingering feeling was. So I wonder what emotion will come first for the viewers: will they be surprised at the end, will they be moved to tears, or will they be happy to see what the characters look like 10 years later?
The charm of the anime "Assassination Classroom," which was clearly made with enjoyment by the staff and cast, remains undiminished even after 10 years. The new theatrical film is a special work that combines nostalgia with a freshness that could only be depicted after 10 years. I want to fully immerse myself in the world of "Assassination Classroom" revived in the Reiwa era. (Shiroinu/MANTANWEB)
