Yoko Shogenji of the idol group Hinatazaka46 will serve as a promotional ambassador for the TV anime "Snowball Earth," which is based on the manga by Yuhiro Tsuji, currently serialized in "Monthly Spirits" (Shogakukan). Shogenji, who loves manga and anime, was appointed as a promotional ambassador and shared her thoughts on the series and manga and anime.
◇Shocking lines from the anime
Shogenji was born on February 14, 2007, making him 19 years old. His serious interest in anime and manga began with "My Hero Academia."
"When I was in fifth grade, a friend introduced me to ' My Hero Academia,' and I found it incredibly interesting. I was shocked by how amazing anime could be! When I was in first year of middle school, ' Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba' became popular, and since I had plenty of free time due to the pandemic, I started watching a lot of different anime from then on."
Shogenji says he "started with popular, well-known works that everyone knows," but he quickly became engrossed in them.
"I gradually discovered the joy of finding my own preferred type of anime, and I delved deeper and deeper into it. Before I knew it, anime had become a very familiar part of my life. I've watched the 'Ouran High School Host Club' anime at least 10 times, and of course I've read the original manga. I also bought the first volume of 'Oshi no Ko' on its release day, so I think I'm pretty good at finding works that resonate with me (laughs)."
Anime and manga have also influenced Shogenji's outlook on life.
"I'm greatly influenced by it! I'm the type of person who gets so engrossed in the world of a work that I become so obsessed with it that my personality changes every time I read it (laughs). In particular, when I heard the line from the character Osamu Dazai in ' Bungo Stray Dogs,' 'Don't pity yourself. If you pity yourself, life will be an endless nightmare,' I was struck by it. When I'm feeling down, I sometimes try to protect myself by wallowing in sadness, but the moment I heard that line, it was like I woke up and thought, 'That's so true!' That line is truly indispensable in shaping who I am today, and it has become a source of energy in my life."
◇My first love was Kitaro
She also said, "I really love stories about ghosts, spirits, and beings from the so-called 'other side'."
"I'm drawn to the eerie worldviews of works like 'Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun' and ' The Summer Hikaru Died.' Actually, my first love was Kitaro from ' GeGeGe no Kitaro.' When I was in kindergarten, I had such a vivid imagination that I was so scared of ghosts that I couldn't sleep alone at night. Seeing this, my mother showed me 'Kitaro,' and I learned that there are yokai that are on humans' side and protect them, and I was so thrilled that I fell in love. Even now, when I rewatch seasons 5 and 6 of the anime and read the original manga, I still think he's so handsome and his battle scenes are so cool."
In "GeGeGe no Kitaro," she is also a favorite character of Neko Musume.
"When I was little, there was a period when I would hiss at my parents whenever something unpleasant happened. They would say I was like Neko Musume, and eventually I started to believe that I was Neko Musume myself (laughs). So when I saw Kitaro saving Neko Musume from danger, it made my heart flutter."
◇Excited about anime
The TV anime "Snowball Earth," for which Shogenji serves as promotional ambassador, is a sci-fi x monster x robot action series set on Snowball Earth, an Earth covered in snow and ice. The story follows Tetsuo, a shy boy, and his giant robot partner Yukio, as they return to Earth 10 years after a final battle for the survival of humanity, only to find it frozen solid. It will air every Friday at 11:30 PM starting April 3rd on Nippon Television's anime block "FRIDAY ANIME NIGHT (FuraAni)."
"The battle scenes are absolutely thrilling! I'm not very familiar with science fiction, so at first I was worried about whether I'd be able to understand it, but the setting was very easy to understand, and I just kept reading. Before I knew it, I had finished all the volumes and was so engrossed that I was like, 'Wait, what happens next!?'"
Although she wasn't very familiar with science fiction, she became completely hooked. "Snowball Earth" is full of various appealing aspects.
"It has horror elements that I love, for example, the monsters behave like humans, but their way of thinking is not human, which was unsettling and thrilling. I'm also a sucker for stories about family love, and I shed tears many times at the family-like bond between everyone trying to protect the village (Mall) from the monsters. And then there's the bond between the protagonist Tetsuo and his partner Yukio. Yukio has feelings, he's not just a machine. They've been together since Tetsuo was a child, and their bond, which surpasses even that of family, after going through harsh situations together, is really cool, endearing, and an enviably attractive relationship."
The anime will be directed by Munehisa Sakai and produced by Studio KAI. Shogenji, who had a sneak peek of the anime, excitedly said, "The visuals are really beautiful and exciting!"
"Of course, the action scenes are impressive, but as a fan of the original manga, I get really excited when 'that face' from the manga appears. In particular, the accuracy of Tetsuo's facial expressions is amazing, and it got me really hyped. And then there's the voice! With a voice added to his shy personality, his cuteness comes across even more directly, and I just love him! I think it's a work that can be enjoyed not only by sci-fi fans, but also by beginners like me."
As a promotional ambassador, she enthusiastically stated, "This is a work that can be enjoyed by everyone, from children to adults, regardless of generation or gender, so I will do my best to spread its charm! Please support us!" She will also express her love for the work as a fan representative.
