On Friday, July 5th (North American Western Time), Director Norihiro Naganuma, Character Designer Yukiko Nakatani, and Color Designer Misato Aida appeared at Anime Expo 2024, the largest anime convention in North America, thrilling 3,400 North American fans.
Anime Expo 2024, the largest anime convention in North America, was held in Los Angeles, USA from July 4th to 7th. Director Norihiro Naganuma, character designer Yukiko Nakatani, and color designer Misato Aida appeared at the event as part of The Apothecary Diaries SPECIAL EVENT Powered by TOHO animation. This was the first overseas event for the TV anime The Apothecary Diaries.
3,400 North American fans gathered at the venue. Some were dressed in cosplay as Nekoneko and Jinshi, and the excitement was already building before the event even began. When the visuals from “The Apothecary Diaries” were projected onto the screen, the audience erupted in cheers. When Director Naganuma and his team took to the stage, the venue erupted in applause and even more cheers.
Standing before the North American fans, Director Naganuma said, “This is the first overseas event for ‘The Apothecary Diaries,’ so I’m happy to meet all the overseas fans like this. I’m happy to see with my own eyes how much the film is loved in North America and how much fun everyone is having.” With these words of gratitude, the event began.
When asked about the character designer Nakatani’s attention to detail in the designs of Nekoneko and Jinshi, he replied, “Nekoneko is not a very cute character by nature. But I aimed to create a winsome face so that everyone would love her. Jinshi is ‘simply beautiful.’ Drawing a beautiful person is the most difficult, so I struggled until I solidified the design.” This answer drew laughter from the audience.
When we asked color designer Aida about his particular attention to color use in “The Apothecary Diaries,” he revealed his particular attention to color use in the work, saying, “Color design is the job of deciding on colors for characters and props. After deciding on the basic colors, we also decide on colors that will change depending on the situation and time. I was conscious of creating a cohesiveness that would allow the viewer to focus on the story and characters, while still bringing out the splendor of the harem. A key point unique to this work is expressing things that match the ‘emotions of the characters.’ I make small changes to the colors, such as using strong colors that look a little unnatural, deliberately making the eye colors vivid, or conversely, lowering the saturation to show depressed emotions.”
Having heard that Nekoneko is very beloved in America for her strong, straightforward character, the director was asked what makes her different from other characters. He replied, “Nekoneko’s strength isn’t something she was born with, but I think what’s fascinating is that she faces difficulties with the knowledge she has cultivated throughout her life. I also think that Nekoneko’s sense of justice, which is not swayed by those around her, is what sets her apart from other works. Also, as Nekoneko is a character who likes poison, there are many expressions that are unique to anime, such as her ears popping out and her eyes sparkling. In a way, the ears could be like a poison radar, haha,” which drew laughter and applause from the audience.
Furthermore, on this day, as a special performance only available at AX, Nakatani-san performed a live drawing! It was a special experience to be able to watch the process of drawing on the colored paper on a live camera, and the North American fans were riveted by the Nekoneko that was completed in no time!
Finally, a group photo was taken with all the fans who had gathered at the venue, and the event came to a close with great success!
Event title: The Apothecary Diaries SPECIAL EVENT Powered by TOHO animation
Date and time: Friday, July 5th (North American Western Time)
Venue: Los Angeles Convention Center
Speakers:
Director Norihiro Naganuma
Yukiko Nakatani (Character Design)
Misato Aida (Color Design)
The second season is scheduled to air in 2025!
The first season is currently available on various streaming platforms!
Set in the harem, a young poison taster girl solves various difficult cases that occur within the palace, this hugely popular harem mystery-solving entertainment series has sold over 33 million copies in total!
A second season is scheduled to air in 2025.
In a certain great country located in the center of the continent, there was a young girl in the harem where the emperor’s wives lived.
Her name is Maomao.
She used to work as a pharmacist in the entertainment district, but is currently working as a servant in the imperial harem.
One day, he learns that all of the Emperor’s children have short life spans.
今現在いる二人の御子もともに病で次第に弱っているという話を聞いた猫猫は、興味本位でその原因を調べ始める。
呪いなどあるわけないと言わんばかりに。
美形の宦官・壬氏(ジンシ)は、猫猫を帝の寵妃の毒見役にする。
人間には興味がないが、毒と薬への執着は異常、そんな花街育ちの薬師が巻き込まれる噂や事件。
きれいな薔薇にはとげがある、女の園は毒だらけ、噂と陰謀事欠かず。
壬氏からどんどん面倒事を押し付けられながらも、仕事をこなしていく猫猫。
稀代の毒好き娘が今日も後宮内を駆け回る。
原作：日向夏（ヒーロー文庫／イマジカインフォス刊）
キャラクター原案：しのとうこ
監督・シリーズ構成：長沼 範裕
副監督：筆坂 明規
キャラクターデザイン：中谷 友紀子
色彩設計：相田 美里
美術監督：髙尾 克己
CGIディレクター：永井 有
撮影監督：石黒 瑠美
編集：今井 大介
音響監督：はた しょう二
音楽：神前 暁・Kevin Penkin・桶狭間 ありさ
オープニングテーマ：Uru『アンビバレント』
エンディングテーマ：wacci『愛は薬』
アニメーション制作：TOHO animation STUDIO×OLM
製作：「薬屋のひとりごと」製作委員会
猫猫：悠木碧
壬氏：大塚剛央
高順：小西克幸
玉葉妃：種﨑敦美
梨花妃：石川由依
里樹妃：木野日菜
阿多妃：甲斐田裕子
梅梅：潘めぐみ
白鈴：小清水亜美
女華：七海ひろき
やり手婆：斉藤貴美子
羅門：家中宏
李白：赤羽根健治
小蘭：久野美咲
翠苓：名塚佳織
やぶ医者：かぬか光明
羅漢：桐本拓哉
ナレーション：島本須美
公式サイト
公式ツイッター（＠kusuriya_PR）
◆NOVELS
『薬屋のひとりごと』
1～15巻 好評発売中！
著者：日向夏
イラスト：しのとうこ
ヒーロー文庫／イマジカインフォス刊
◆COMICS
『薬屋のひとりごと』
1～13巻好評発売中！
作画：ねこクラゲ 構成：七緒一綺 原作：日向夏（ヒーロー文庫／イマジカインフォス刊）
掲載 月刊「ビッグガンガン」（毎月25日発売） スクウェア・エニックス刊
『薬屋のひとりごと～猫猫の後宮謎解き手帳～』
1～18巻 好評発売中！
作画：倉田三ノ路 原作：日向夏（ヒーロー文庫／イマジカインフォス刊）
掲載 月刊「サンデーGX」（毎月19日ごろ発売） 小学館刊
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