The TV anime "Sorry, My Little Brothers," based on the manga by Akira Ozaki, will begin airing on TOKYO MX, BS11, and other channels from July 3rd. It's a sweet home romantic comedy that unfolds under one roof when high school girl Ito suddenly becomes the older sister of four unique "little brothers" in the Narita family after her mother remarries. The Narita siblings are voiced by a stellar cast of voice actors, including Toshiki Masuda as Ito, Toshiki Masuda as the eldest son Gen, Kensho Ono as the second son Raku Narita, Momoka Terasawa as the third son Hiiragi, and Momoka Terazawa as the fourth son Rui. We asked Yashiro, Ono, and Terazawa about what happened behind the scenes during recording.
◇ Momoka Terasawa is amazing!
--What are your impressions of the work?
I thought it would be so much fun if something like this happened to Ono when she was a student. Living alone with siblings must be tough, and from Rui's perspective, he must feel lonely without his parents, but as I read, I thought it would be fun to be able to live like this as a high school student. The story revolves around the romance between Gen and Ito, but the family and everyday life are depicted in a fun way, leaving you with a cheerful feeling. I even feel a little envious.
I think Yashiro's work falls under the genre of shojo manga, but I was reading it without really knowing what it was. Then, at some point, I realized, "Oh, this is shojo manga!" Until then, I had thought it was a heartwarming family story and was reading it thinking, "This is interesting," and "Human relationships really do happen like this." It's interesting to read it as a romantic comedy, but I think it's a work that contains many other interesting elements as well.
Ms. Terazawa, I also first encountered the work during the audition, and it was the first time I'd read a shojo manga in a long time, and it reminded me of the excitement I felt back then. It's not just the story of Ito and Gen, but also the human drama and heartwarming stories of the surrounding characters, making it a story that never gets boring. It had elements that made me so hooked that I read all the way up to the latest volume that was out at the time in one go. I was reading it thinking how happy I would be if I could be involved in this work.
--What were your thoughts when you heard that four of you, including Masuda-san, would be playing brothers?
Yashiro-san, my first thought was, "Wow, Kensho-san is my younger brother!" But considering our careers, he's my senior, like an older brother. I thought it was funny to be sandwiched between my seniors (Masuda-san and Ono-san).
Ono-san, I feel exactly the same! I also thought, "Taku is the older brother!" During the audition, we did dialogue in a group, and among the members at that time, I was overwhelmingly the oldest (in terms of age). When the cast was decided, I felt relieved because the brothers were around the same age. This was the first time you acted together with Terazawa-chan, right?
That's right , Terazawa-san !
I thought Yashiro-san's Rui would be the most difficult role, but when I saw it, it was amazing (laughs). Terazawa-san's portrayal of Rui was perfect. He's a monster in the best sense of the word! I was shocked at first, thinking, "Is this what the Reiwa era feels like...?" (laughs). I realized that acting can be this free, and I felt that I absolutely didn't want to miss a single word.
That's right , Ono-san .
Terazawa- san, no way...
Mr. Yashiro has such charisma and is so perfectly suited to the role that it made me realize how ordinary I am. He was truly amazing.
Ono-san was really great, wasn't she?
--What about Terazawa-san?
First of all, the cast members I'm working with are incredibly talented, and I felt a lot of pressure being among them. I've known all of them since before I debuted, and to think that I'm standing shoulder to shoulder with such amazing people, like a sibling... To be honest, I was a little intimidated, but once I got to work with them on set, I felt incredibly fortunate to be spending such a wonderful time. Everyone's acting was so natural, and I just wanted to keep up with them. Because I'm the newest in terms of experience, I was worried that I would stand out in a bad way, and I sometimes tried too hard. But after listening to the senior actors' performances, I realized that "naturalness" is what this work needs. I tried to bring the character to life naturally while still retaining my own individuality... and I had a truly invaluable time. It was a happy time. Thank you!
◇Naomi Ozora, like a thread
--What were your thoughts about thread and origin?
Ms. Ono, Ito, and Gen may clash at first, but as they spend time together as a family, they gradually come to understand each other. I hope you will watch over that process.
Yashiro-san , Ito and Gen have trouble being honest with each other, but they complement each other perfectly. And for their relationship to grow, the people around them are absolutely essential. You might find yourself empathizing not only with Ito and Gen, but also with the people around them. I hope you'll pay attention to their school friends, and of course, their family.
You can also enjoy the frustrating relationship between the two characters, Mr. Terazawa . They both have their awkward sides, which leads to conflicts, but they also have a desire to make things work, and that's how they end up becoming a family.
--Ms. Oozora plays the role of Ito. What were your impressions of Ms. Oozora?
I was really helped by Ms. Ono's energetic personality. She was truly amazing. She always took the lead, saying, "Let's go!"
Ms. Terazawa behaved like the eldest daughter on set as well.
From the very first episode, I felt that Yashiro-san should just follow this older sister! The reason why Oozora-san is Ito is so evident in her acting. Isn't she just too nice? (laughs). She herself is similar to Ito, isn't she?
That's right, Ono-san . They do look alike.
Yashiro-san is energetic, and she has the same kind of nurturing nature as Ito-chan. They're also similar in how they can be a little vulnerable when they get flustered (laughs).
--Besides Oozora-san, who else in the cast is a mood maker?
Yashiro-san, Oozora-san might have been the only one who could be the mood maker (laughs).
Ono-san was such a mood maker (lol). He carried everything on his shoulders.
Yashiro-san really seems like the leader of the group.
Mr. Ono, I think that's probably the unanimous opinion of all four of your brothers.
--Ms. Terazawa, you're the youngest of the five of us, aren't you?
I might have been relatively quiet. However, Naomi -san was always sitting next to me. During the recording of the first episode, I was nervous because I was recording with such amazing people, but Naomi-san helped me relax. She asked me all sorts of questions and complimented my clothes and nails, saying they were cute. I tend to get flustered on set, but the senior actors were really kind and always helped me out. In a way, I think I was able to be like the youngest child in the story, just like the character I was playing.
--Finally, do you have a message for those who are looking forward to the anime?
The story woven by Terazawa- san, Ito-chan, and Gen-kun is, of course, truly wonderful, and there are also stories that focus on Raku-kun and Hiiragi-kun, from which new characters are introduced. There are so many charming characters that I can't decide on a favorite (laughs). Wonderful stories are woven by wonderful characters, so I hope you will enjoy not only the relationship between Ito-chan and the others, but also the other charming characters.
Ono-san's character, Hiiragi, doesn't appear very often, but she's the character who undergoes the most transformation in the story. I was entrusted with a very rewarding character, and personally, I hope you'll pay attention to her efforts as you watch.
While the story primarily revolves around Ito and Gen, I think you'll enjoy the relationships and developments of each character. If you think about it objectively, there are some deep and not-so-funny situations, but Ito always brings energy and delivers the story in a bright and pop style, so I think you'll be able to enjoy it without feeling any pressure. (Manami Anima/MANTANWEB)
