The TV anime " A Witch's Life in Mongol ," based on the manga by Tomato Soup, which was also selected as the No. 1 female manga in " Kono Manga ga Sugoi! 2023" (Takarajimasha), will be broadcast on TV Asahi's anime block "IMAnimation" from 11 PM on July 4th. The manga, which is serialized on Akita Shoten's manga website "Souffle," is set in 13th-century Mongolia and tells the story of Sitara, a girl who becomes a prisoner of the Mongol Empire and decides to use her "wisdom" to gain favor with the royal family and bring down the empire from within. Akira Sekine Sekine, known for " Soaring Sky! Pretty Cure, " plays the main character Sitara, and Jun Saito, an actor who was recently selected for the Newcomer of the Year award at the 48th Japan Academy Awards, plays Muhammad, who teaches young Sitara the importance of learning. This will be Saito's first appearance in a TV anime. We asked Sekine and Saito about the recording of the anime.
◇We must never forget Sitara's happy memories.
--The stunning visuals produced by Science SARU are also a major draw.
Sekine-san's lines are less prominent, which makes the image softer, and the light is beautiful. The background is also beautiful, giving the feeling of looking at a painting. The opening is very cool and energetic, but the delicate watercolor painting in the ending is just incredible! Even in the main story, you can feel the dryness of the air and the wind, and I was amazed at how they managed to create such visuals!
I read Saito's original work, and the characters were drawn in a style I'd never seen before. I felt that their innocence and cruelty were highlighted by this art style, and when it came to life in the anime, aspects I hadn't imagined expanded into a richer world. I was able to empathize with the characters more deeply and was completely drawn in.
-- Do you usually watch anime, Saito-san?
I can't say that I've seen a lot of movies , but I watch the ones that catch my interest. Recently, it's been "Nippon Sangoku." It's a type of work I haven't really encountered before, so it's refreshing. "A Witch's Life in Mongol" also depicts a world I've never known before. It's profound and stimulating, and I want to learn more.
Mr. Sekine is truly Muhammad!
--Shitara is a difficult character who is tossed about by a cruel fate. How did you try to portray her, Ms. Sekine?
Sound director Sekine-san told me, "This is a difficult work to put into words, so you don't have to try to explain everything," which made me feel a little more at ease. There are emotions that are outwardly expressed and emotions that are inward, and because Sitara is young, there are emotions that even she doesn't understand yet. Not only Sitara, but there are many characters in this work whose emotions are very complex and intertwined, so when recording, I tried not to over-prepare and approached the recording in a neutral state. Sitara meets many people and is influenced by many people. I, too, was influenced by the big wave that my seniors created, and I felt that I had to keep up with it. What I was careful about when acting was to never forget the happy memories from episodes 1 and 2. These happy memories are the core of her unwavering resolve. No matter how painful things get, they are both a treasure and a anchor, so I was careful to always keep them in my heart.
◇Muhammad, full of kindness
--This is Ms. Saito's first time voicing a character in a TV anime.
Saito-san , it was a completely unknown environment for me, and to be honest, I was very anxious about jumping into it. I was nervous too. Muhammad is a being connected to the very foundation of Sitara, and he gently extends a helping hand. I wanted to express a gentle voice, but it was difficult... I practiced at home, but the world I saw when I stood in front of the microphone was so different, and when I thought about how voice actors always see this view when they act, I became anxious about how they produce their voices... But thanks to everyone's guidance, such as "be gentle" and "act your age here," I was able to find what I needed to convey. But it was really difficult.
For Sitara, Muhammad is someone she looks up to, isn't he? When I first saw the finished video and heard his voice, I thought, "Wow, it's young master Muhammad!" because of his gentle voice. I thought, "No wonder she looks up to him." I love all the scenes, but my favorite is when Muhammad is being teased by Sitara. He's usually a little mature and guides Sitara with his intelligence, but he's still at an age where he's caught between being an adult and a child, possessing both maturity and sensitivity, so I think the age-appropriate reactions he shows when he's teased are very endearing and cute.
--Mr. Saito, what did you think of the video with Ms. Sekine's voice in it?
As a viewer, I was charmed by Saito's cute and innocent emotional expressions in the first episode, but then the story took a turn that made me think, "Wait a minute," and I felt that her voice changed when she made her decision. I can't quite put it into words, but when I think about her performing that role in that recording studio, I realize how difficult it must have been. I'm looking forward to seeing how her voice changes as Sitara grows. It's going to get more and more amazing.
-- Will Sitara's acting also change?
I don't consciously try to change my voice, but it might just be that it changes depending on who I'm talking to. This work features people from various backgrounds. I think it also changes depending on whether they are allies or enemies to Shitara, so I acted while receiving detailed direction. This is a work where even a single line of dialogue can be interpreted in various ways, so I recorded many different versions for some scenes. I recorded so many that you might not be able to tell which ones were actually used even when you watch the video (laughs).
Saito-san , I didn't really perform that many patterns; I carefully recorded each one individually.
-- Ms. Saito, would you like to try voice acting again in the future?
Mr. Saito, I feel truly honored to have been given the opportunity to appear as Muhammad this time, and if I'm given the chance, I'd like to try it. I want to take a closer look at my own voice and spend more time working on it before the recording. I want to be able to speak while being conscious of how I project my voice through the microphone.
Mr. Sekine was truly a wonderful young Muhammad, and I thought that even Sitara would admire him.
Saito-san still has a long way to go... It's kind of embarrassing.
Sitara's "wisdom" as she faces her harsh fate, and Muhammad's "kindness" that supports her heart. How will these two weave together the subtle nuances of emotions that are too delicate to put into words? We look forward to enjoying this, along with the stunningly beautiful visuals by Science SARU. (Manami Anima/MANTANWEB)
