The CD release of the first season began in 2021, depicting the youthful story of four buddy pairs aiming for the top of the music festival. New characters were introduced in the second season. Then, in 2023, the third season “Tokyo Color Sonic!! Trust” kicked off the second “Tokyo Color Sonic” and the King’s throne was chosen. Then, fourth-year students Haruhi, Kairi, and Kagura graduated after the festival. Various problems, the feelings and growth of the characters are depicted in a delicate story.
This year, a new series with a new style focused on drama will start. Based on the theme of “The individual time each buddy spends,” new stories of five buddy pairs will be spun in different seasons, places and times.
Unlike previous CD series, the drama will be sold online through various distribution services. Animate will also be selling a set with merchandise that includes a serial code for the main drama!
This time, we interviewed Shoya Chiba, who plays Komiyayama Arashi, and Yuto Uemura, who plays Kirishima Sora, who have just finished recording for “Tokyo Color Sonic!! the BUDDY CASE by SPHERE RISE,” which will be released on August 23rd! We asked them how they feel now that the new season has started.
──Thank you for your hard work in recording. After the story of the two in the 3rd series, a new story was depicted after they had advanced to the next grade, but first of all, please tell us how you felt about this episode.
Shoya Chiba, who plays Komiyayama Arashi (hereafter, Chiba): My impression of KaraSonic so far has been that the main story delves deep into the members’ journey towards music, while the bonus dramas also highlight the comical aspects.
This time, there were many scenes in the main story where he spoke quite frankly, which was refreshing. Because he has played various situations up until now, I think I was able to discover a lot of new things about his humanity, rather than just making it a joke. Things like how he communicates with his family and how he is confused around women. It was fun to be able to capture Arashi, who I thought had become a completely grown-up character, in his true form.
I thought something had happened to Sora, and I was really worried as I read, so I really understood Arashi’s feelings. I was a little envious of the other teams, who usually have a lot of crazy exchanges, so I was happy this time. I’d like to see the other members’ episodes too.
Yuto Uemura (hereafter, Uemura), who plays Sora Kirishima: I think this drama made you feel the unique “buddy feeling” between Sora and Arashi. After winning the Color Sonic Championships and welcoming the new year with such elation, I think it was a good way for them to reunite and live their daily lives in their own way, at a time when both of them were feeling uneasy. It was refreshing to see their relationship from the everyday parts rather than from the music production.
But Sora is so outrageous. It’s fun to act as him, but he calms me down… I just take my hat off to Arashi-kun’s tolerance. And I’m grateful to everyone in the Komiyama family. Arashi-kun is the only one who can be Sora’s buddy.
──While recording, was there a line or scene that stuck with you the most?
Chiba: In the first drama, Taiyo was the one who saw Arashi off, so he was actually an important character in getting the image of Arashi. I was a little taken aback by how he had grown up from a carefree child, but it was a refreshing emotional shift to see him think about how to get the other person to face him, rather than just getting angry in a one-sided way. His confusion when he wondered if a girl had feelings for him, and the hints of Sora’s past love affairs.
Up until now, it would have ended with a joke between the two of them, but now it’s a conversation, which was interesting. I was happy to see that their relationship has developed not only as buddies, but also as just male friends. And then there was Sora’s confession. It was even more impressive when I heard it during the recording.
Kamimura: It wasn’t a line, but I was really touched by Sora’s declaration of intent in his reply to Arashi’s letter: “I dedicate my life as a composer to you.”
I’m sure they will have many more experiences in the future. They may clash or even drift apart, but I’m sure this simple yet strong feeling will remain. The exchange of letters made me want to see the future of these two polished people.
──作品が開始してから約3年。嵐と宙で掛け合いのお芝居をする時間も長い中、相手のお芝居のどういった部分に魅力を感じられますか？
千葉：自分の感情と感性にまっすぐなところ。良く見せるための余計な計算がない（ように見える）ので、そこが素敵だなと思います。
セリフを言っているとき、本当にその役がそう思っているんだろうなと思える。誇張してエンタメにするのではなく素直にそこに存在している感じが好きです。自分の（役の）正義を信じる強さと、それが圧にならない純粋さを両立させて持っているなと思うのでそこが魅力に感じます。
上村：最初の頃はたしか「ちばしょーを引っ掻き回してやるぞ！」みたいな心意気で臨んでいた気がします。役柄的にも宙のドタバタ感が不器用な嵐を前へ押し上げる要素があると思ったからです。
それから多くのドラマを積み重ねて「音楽って楽しいね」と同じラインで笑い合える宙と嵐になりました。そこに呼応するように嵐の懐の大きさ、優しさを表現するちばしょーのあたたかい部分に、大人の色気を感じます。嵐役が千葉くんでよかったです。
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