A stage greeting event celebrating the release of "The Irregular at Magic High School: Yotsuba Succession Arc," the theatrical anime film based on the popular light novel series "The Irregular at Magic High School " from Dengeki Bunko (KADOKAWA), was held on May Getsuku at Shinjuku Wald 9 (Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo). The event featured Yuichi Nakamura, who plays Tatsuya Shiba, Saori Saori Hayami, Chiwa Saito, who plays Maya Yotsuba, and singer LiSA.
Regarding the movie, Nakamura said, "This time, the story is more about Miyuki than Tatsuya. It's an important story that shows how things will change from this point onward," and while being careful not to give away any specific scenes to avoid spoilers, he conveyed the gist by saying, "The mirror...you know, that one..." to which Hayami immediately responded, "Ah, that one!" It seemed they were able to communicate just through gestures, and Nakamura said, "I'm glad we've been playing siblings for 10 years. I wondered what I would do if we couldn't understand each other," and Hayami smiled and said, "We understood each other!"
Hayami said, "I was struck by the visual beauty and the interesting way it was presented. It's fascinating to see Miyuki's struggles depicted visually, and Tatsuya's fight scenes, combined with the music, are really cool." Saito lightened the mood by asking, "Will Maya-sama be standing this time!?" and then added, "Maya-sama is very talkative! Up until now, I had the impression that she was a 'strong and scary person,' but after playing her this time, I was able to empathize with her and realize that she also had various struggles and sufferings."
LiSA, who had seen the theatrical version that morning, said excitedly, "Every single scene that everyone performs is important, and when you concentrate on watching it, it goes by in a flash. There are highlights everywhere!"
When the conversation turned to the recording process, Saito said, "Nakamura would just sit down on set and say, 'Do your best!' (laughs). But it's precisely because Tatsuya remained completely unwavering that the emotional 'fluctuations' of Maya and Miyuki stood out. The scenes only work because of that contrast." Nakamura then lightened the mood by saying, "It makes it sound like I was slacking off." Hayami recalled, "My big brother really remained unwavering throughout. As someone acting and as someone watching, I felt an incredible sense of security."
LiSA revealed on social media that when the theme song "YES" was released for streaming, she "cried uncontrollably while listening to it because it was so moving," demonstrating how deeply she connected with the work during its creation. Director Jimmy Stone, who is in charge of the animation, sent a message about "YES," saying, "It was wonderful from the moment I received the demo, and it became the driving force that helped me get through the latter half of my directing work. I can only express my gratitude. As a director, it's no exaggeration to say that everything in this film is leading up to 'YES.' It's that powerful of a song."
LiSA said, "Please have high expectations! This song is different from the previous 'Mahouka' songs, and it will accompany both the difficult and heartwarming parts of the story. Please enjoy it along with the work." Saito added, "I feel like I was able to touch on something at the core of Maya-sama. I would be happy if that comes across to everyone watching. It's a very substantial and physically demanding piece to produce, but I'm sure you'll be very satisfied with it."
Hayami said, "I felt that I was the only one standing in front of the microphone who could express the feelings that Miyuki had nurtured and kept in her heart, so I poured everything into the voice recording. I hope you will take in their raw and realistic emotions that will make your heart skip a beat when you touch them." Nakamura concluded, "This time, it will be the beginning of a political story that will get to the heart of what the existence of 'Yotsuba' meant to the outside world. There will be many developments that have not been seen before, such as people trying to figure each other out, so please be sure not to miss it."
Finally, Hayami suggested, "You'll come see it 50 times, right?" to which Nakamura retorted with a smile, "That's terrifying," creating a lively and well-coordinated exchange typical of the "Shiba siblings."
"The Irregular at Magic High School" depicts the adventures of siblings Tatsuya and Miyuki Shiba at the First High School Affiliated with the National Magic University (Magic High School), which trains magic users. The series has sold over 25 million copies in total. The first season of the TV anime aired in 2014, and the theatrical anime film "The Irregular at Magic High School: The Girl Who Summons the Stars" was released in 2017. The second season of the TV anime, "The Irregular at Magic High School: Visitor Arc," aired in 2020, and "The Irregular at Magic High School: Reminiscence Arc" aired on January 1, 2022. The third season of the TV anime aired from April to June 2024.
