This is a youth romance drama set in the film club of a boys’ school, and the catchphrase for the anime is “We learn about love through the lens.” This TV anime depicts the feelings and worries of adolescence through the love stories of three couples: Mao and Kotobuki, Jin and Yoshikazu, and Rei and Shion.
To celebrate the broadcast of the anime, we interviewed the cast members who play each couple! This time, for the third installment, we spoke with Eguchi Takuya, who plays Inaba Rei, and Saito Soma, who plays Yoshino Shion.
–You two have been playing the roles since the drama CD, but what were your thoughts when you found out that the series was going to be adapted into an anime?
Saito Soma, voice of Yoshino Shion (hereafter, Saito): We had the opportunity to act together in the drama CD “Yoiyoi Monologue”. Personally, I thought the illustrations were beautiful, so I would like to see the atmosphere and the beauty of the lines expressed in the anime. Also, the cast may not continue in the drama CD and the video work, so I am happy and honored to be involved again.
Takuya Eguchi (hereinafter, Eguchi), who plays Rei Inaba: I’ve had the opportunity to record with Souma before, but I remember having a lot of fun when we were recording the drama CD for “Yoiyoi Monologue”. I’m excited to be able to continue playing the role of Rei in the anime, as I think I’ll be able to express it in a different way from the drama CD, based on the same original work.
–Please tell us what you think is the appealing aspect of the characters you played. First, please tell us about Rei.
Eguchi: People who you don’t know what they’re thinking are mysterious, aren’t they? That’s why you want to know. I also like characters who have an air of having given up on something, but not quite, and I think they’re attractive. People say they’re cold, but they’re just quick to reach a conclusion because they’ve thought about the future. On the contrary, the closer you are to them, the more you realize that it’s because they care about you.
In the story, he is called “trash” (laughs), but trash has his own way of thinking. “Wouldn’t it be better to put it into words?” I think he is a person who places importance on actions, so I felt that this difficulty was also attractive.
Saito: Personally, I’ve always liked characters like Rei, not Shion, and if we went to the same high school, I would want to be friends with her. As Takuya said, there is a process of foreseeing the future, but I never take it out on her… although I did take it out on her at first (laughs).
Eguchi: When you were introducing yourself to the seniors in the film club, Shion said, “I’ve come here to find a lover,” but you replied, “There’s a 100% chance you won’t find a lover.”
Saito: Rei isn’t the type to talk a lot, so if you get to know him better, you can see what he thinks and how he sees things. He’s mysterious and makes you want to know more about him, but once you get to know him better you realize he has a surprisingly cute side to him, which I think is what makes him so appealing.
–Next, please tell us about Shion’s appeal.
斉藤：詩音みたいな人は個人的に好きです。ただ、今だったら仲良くなれるけど、10代の頃に出会っていたら鼻につくのかなと。10代の僕は斜に構えている人間だったので（笑）。
あと、これは拓也さんとも話したんですけど、今回アフレコをして、詩音って口だけではなく、すごく努力もしているし、ちゃんと行動しているところが素敵だなと改めて感じました。それは（九条）桐斗やみんなもちゃんと見てくれていて。逆に自分がやるべきことに真っすぐ向かい過ぎてしまうから周りの視線に気付けていないけど、上辺だけではなく、やるべきことをきちんとやっているところが、人として尊敬できるなと思ったし、好きなところです。
江口：詩音は、自分の芯や価値観がしっかりあって、自分の心にウソがつけない、ハッキリした部分を持っているところが素敵だなと。人間はどうしても周りの目を気にして、臆病になって、やりたいことを踏みとどまってしまうことも多いけど、詩音は自分が思ったことを信じて進んでいく強さがあって。そして周りの人を突き動かしていく何かを持っていると思うので、そこが魅力的だなと。
僕自身は学生の頃はあまりしゃべらないし、人と関わらないタイプだったから、詩音みたいな人がいなければ人間と会話できなかっただろうなと思ったりして（笑）。だから詩音みたいな人はありがたいです。
――礼と詩音にフォーカスしている第8話からのストーリーやエピソードの魅力とは？
斉藤：最初は詩音が主体的になって、物語を動かしていきますが、段々二人の関係性が変わってきて、後半にいくにつれて、礼の魅力がよりじんわりと見えてくる、そんなピュアでストレートな物語だなと思っています。
江口：詩音は人に元気や勇気を与えてくれるキャラで、自分のやりたいことに対して真っすぐだからこそ、最終的に礼は心を動かされます。礼は、口数は少ないけど、頭の中ではいろいろ考えています。しかし、相手の反応なども先読みしてしまうから、「言ってもムダだろう」と思ってしまって。
でも有言実行タイプの詩音に惹かれて、変わっていき、お互いに影響や作用されていって、パートナーになっていく姿は美しいですし、魅力じゃないかなと思います。
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