The TV anime " Ace of Diamond Ace actII -Second Season-," based on Yuji Terajima's popular baseball manga "Ace of Diamond Ace," is currently airing on TV Tokyo and other networks. This sequel comes approximately six years after the previous series, which aired from April 2019 to March 2020, and follows Seidou High School baseball team as they compete in the summer tournament to determine the West Tokyo representative. We spoke to Nobunaga Shimazaki , who plays Akira Furuya, a pitcher who is both a teammate and rival of the protagonist Eijun Sawamura , who wears the ace number in this tournament, and Takahiro Sakurai , who plays Kazuya Miyuki , the catcher and captain who is facing his final summer as a third-year student, about what happened behind the scenes during recording.
◇A work overflowing with passionate feelings: "If Osaki-kun is there, everything will be alright."
--The production of the sequel anime was announced as a surprise at a streaming event in May 2024. What were your initial feelings when you learned about the production?
Shimazaki-san (who plays Eijun Sawamura) Ryota Osaka always said, "It's not over yet," and I also believed that "it will happen someday." How about you, Sakurai-san?
Sakurai-san, if you ask too much of me about things like this... well, you know. So I just stayed natural. Whenever I met with the members of "Ace of Diamond," we often talked about "seeing each other again someday," so when it was announced as a surprise, I didn't know how to react at first (laughs).
Shimazaki-san , we had a feeling there would be some kind of surprise during that broadcast, so we all thought, "Isn't this where they'll announce the sequel?" But when the announcement actually came, they revealed an illustration drawn by Terashima-sensei, and we all let our guard down for a moment. We were happy, but also like, "Oh, that's it!" We only realized afterward that the illustration said "Sequel Production Confirmed," and we didn't know how to react properly.
Sakurai- san? What does it say?
Ms. Shimazaki, there was a period of time when no one touched the original illustration drawn by the sensei, which is something that shouldn't normally happen. The producer, who was in the back of the studio, was crying like a baby, and it was a really warm atmosphere.
Sakurai-san, this is a work that's packed full of the passionate feelings of these men.
--This is a sequel after about six years, so I imagine it's been a while since you recorded anything. What was your mindset going into it?
Sakurai-san , I simply thought it would be best not to overthink it. I'm getting older myself, so I figured I'd have to adjust and fine-tune things accordingly, but I went into it with the intention of having fun. I'm surrounded by cast members I know well. We can manage as long as Osaki-kun is there. When he's there, you can naturally become the character. He's really fired up, and his voice is loud (laughs). So loud that you think the microphone might break.
Ryota Shimazaki will soon be 40, but he's grown even bigger than he was in his 20s.
--In an interview, Ms. Osaka herself said that there were parts in the first two episodes that she "hadn't been able to fully express."
I suppose Mr. Sakurai was looking at it very critically. We didn't think that way at all.
Mr. Shimazaki , I only joined the production team from episode 3. To be honest, I was a bit out of my element at first.
Sakurai-san's form?
Shimazaki-san almost lost her form. When I joined in for episode 3, everyone seemed to be in top form. In particular, Ryota and Sakurai-san's passion was incredible. This passion really spread to everyone on set. Not only were their roles passionate, but just watching Ryota and Sakurai-san's backs gave me a good kind of thrill, and it was an environment that made me think, "I have to do my best too."
--In the main story, Sawamura's excellent pitching led to a victory against Hoken Gakuen in the fifth round, and we also saw Furuya being inspired by Sawamura's performance.
Shimazaki- san said that when he saw Eijun's performance in the Hoken match, he was really impressed, and there were some similarities between him and myself, but Furuya is very composed. He has grown a lot, and even in situations where the old Furuya would have lost his form, he remained steady. I was the one who almost lost my form.
--Did you rebuild it yourself?
Shimazaki-san , in the end, I think things will work out as we go along. Sakurai-san said, "If Osaki-kun is there," but for me, I think things will work out as long as Eijun and Miyuki, Ryota and Sakurai-san are there. I feel like I can fit in there properly. So, for now, I'm in a state where I should just enjoy it and not overthink it.
◇The passion of captain Kazuya Miyuki
--What do you value most when acting? Has anything changed compared to before?
I'm sure Sakurai has changed, but to be honest, I don't really know. So I'm just going to go with the flow and do it. I'm older than before, so there will probably be moments when my age shows, but that's just how it is. Also, this work really emphasizes monologues. They're delivered with the same intensity as lines. That's because you can't talk during a game, so I think monologues that express your feelings are quite important. Plus, I play the catcher, so I have a lot of them, and sometimes Eijun and Miyuki even communicate through monologues.
Yes , Shimazaki-san has one.
Sakurai-san, that's what's good about it. It means they understand each other. That style and method of expression unique to this work has remained unchanged from the beginning, so I just want to cherish that. If there are any doubts or uncertainties, we can just go back to that point. The foundation is solid, so we'll try to embrace change as we go along. We don't want to make a big deal out of every little detail, so it's all about "teamwork."
Shimazaki-san , personally, when I look at Miyuki and Sakurai-san, I feel that their leadership qualities have improved.
Sakurai, that's something I don't know.
You can definitely feel the passion that Shimazaki- san has for Miyuki, and you can also sense that he's made up his mind as captain. I feel that Sakurai-san's demeanor, methods, presence, and approach on set are having a very positive influence on everyone.
Sakurai-san, I wonder if that's really the case. One thing I can say is that even though everyone is approaching it with their own individual themes and challenges, I think the desire to "make something good" is the same, so I hope that ultimately translates into the quality of each episode.
◇High school baseball players with potential: How raw and authentic can they be?
--From your perspective, Mr. Sakurai, what is the appeal of Furuya, played by Mr. Shimazaki?
Sakurai , despite his powerful arm capable of throwing speedballs, actually possesses contradictory qualities, such as a body that doesn't quite match that power and a delicate side. That's part of the potential of high school baseball players, and I think it's what makes the characters so appealing. As Shimazaki-kun also mentioned, Furuya has started to pay attention to those around him. It's unthinkable that he would speak up to others like that before. That helps them to improve together, and the team becomes more united. That's why Furuya's presence is so important to the Seidou High School baseball team. It's true that Furuya is taciturn and doesn't say unnecessary things, but that's part of his identity. Sawamura, who is very self-expressive, and Furuya, who is the complete opposite, used to clash, but now they're facing the same direction, improving each other's strengths and pushing each other to improve. Both of them are passionate, but the difference in how they express their passion is what makes the Seido baseball team so interesting. I think that's all thanks to Shimazaki-kun's expressive abilities.
Shimazaki-san, this boy (Furuya) has really grown up. As Sakurai-san said, the fact that he's started to notice his surroundings is a big deal for him, and that's what makes Furuya so appealing now. I started playing Furuya when I was about 5 years old after becoming a voice actor, and now he's 16 or 17, so he's grown and changed. I'm not trying to force that onto him in a strange way, but I really want him to be the Furuya he is now. If I try to play him using the elements, attributes, and symbols he had in the past, I think it probably won't work, so I want to cherish the Furuya of today. Because Furuya doesn't have many lines, each word isn't heavy, but it's not light either. It has a mysterious resonance. I'm still struggling to express that, and I'd rather it be a little bit shaky. Ten years ago, both Furuya and I were much more wavering, but now the wavering has become more solid. However, I'm also worried that if I let my guard down, he might become too solid and lose his sense of future potential.
I can't help but wonder if Sakurai-san will lose something once he completes the project.
I think that Shimazaki-san 's genius might be partly due to a certain wavering nature to it.
I think the reason Director Sakurai doesn't nag too much is because he knows that adult intervention can sometimes stifle potential. What you do with good intentions might improve the balance, but it can also eliminate anything that stands out. That's why he leaves a certain degree of autonomy to them.
Shimazaki's portrayal of Furuya has the potential to become something completely different and extraordinary, far beyond the finished product everyone can imagine. And that's especially true because Eijun is by his side.
-- Are there any aspects of the recording process that are left up to each individual cast member?
Sakurai: That's right. We're all working towards the same goal. I've really internalized the character, and now it's just a matter of how well I can deliver a performance, how raw and authentic it can be. I want to create that kind of feeling.
--In the quarter-final match against Sosei High School, which begins in episode 4, Furuya will be the starting pitcher. What are some of the highlights?
Shimazaki-san's portrayal of Furuya has been quite inconsistent, with many ups and downs, including various slumps and injuries. I hope everyone will look forward to seeing how Furuya, burdened by expectations—which in a sense are almost like a curse—will pitch.
Sakurai will definitely win. Furuya will do it.
Shimazaki-san , alright!
I think Sakurai's focus as Miyuki is on "how to win." I think what's important is the feeling and impression you get from winning. It's a sport, so sometimes winning can be detrimental, and sometimes losing can lead to growth. But within a limited time, they are all fighting together as one to win the championship. Everyone in this work wants to win the championship. I hope you will watch and see "how they win" in that context.
*The character "崎" in Nobunaga Shimazaki's name is correctly written with the "tatsu" radical.
(Shiroinu/MANTANWEB)
