This exhibition looks back on the 10-year history of “PriPara,” focusing on the friendship and miracles between the main character “Laala” and the important character “Falulu.” It has also been decided that the exhibition will tour Fukuoka, Osaka, and Aichi.
In preparation for the “PriPara 10th Anniversary Great PriPara Exhibition,” we spoke to Director Makoto Moriwaki, Producer Ken Yoda (Tatsunoko Productions), and Producer Shinichiro Oba (Takara Tomy Arts) about their precious stories. Please pay attention to their words filled with love for “PriPara.”
–I’m sure you have a lot of memories associated with “PriPara,” but when you look back on the past 10 years, what memories come back to you?
Everyone: Hmm…
Producer Oba Shinichiro (hereinafter, Oba): There are so many things to talk about, I don’t know where to start (laughs).
Director Moriwaki Makoto (hereinafter, Moriwaki): That’s right (laughs).
Producer Yoda Ken (hereinafter, Yoda): That’s right (laughs).
Ohba: …Let me start. The beginning of “PriPara” is the most emotional for me. Lala’s debut isn’t in the first episode of the “PriPara” anime. She learns a lot of things in “Pretty Rhythm All-Star Selection” (April 5th – June 14th, 2014), and then she makes her debut as the main character in the first episode. Going back even further, in the final scene of “Pretty Rhythm All-Star Selection The Movie: Prism Show☆Top Ten” (released March 8th, 2014), Lala comes out saying, “Understood!”
I remember that Himika Akaneya, who played Lala, put in a lot of effort and said that line. At that time, not many people knew of Lala’s existence. After that, the movie was shown again. At that time, everyone said “Come on!” and it was quite moving because it was the first episode of “PriPara” where I felt “I’ve been recognized as the main character.”
Yoda: For me, that’s right… It was something that happened during the dubbing of the story surrounding Faruru (CV: Chinatsu Akasaki), Hibiki (CV: Mitsuki Saiga), and Fuwari (CV: Azusa Sato) at the climax of the second year.
Akasaki-san came to Moriwaki-san to ask about the development of the story, “Is this how it’s meant to be?” and “Doesn’t this make Faruru feel sorry for him?” So Akasaki-san, Sato-san, and Akaneya-san were all in tears, and we did the dubbing in that state.
–You’re talking about the “Spring Dream Idol Grand Prix” in episode 86, “Seize the Spring Grand Prix!”
Oba: That’s right. When Hibiki says she wants to be like Faruru (the vocal doll), Fuwari tells her that the outside world is a good thing, likening it to a flower (a daisy). In the end, at the climax, Faruru rejects Hibiki.
Yoda: That’s right. In other words, Faruru is an entity that cannot go outside the world of PriPara, so isn’t it too sad to say that it would be better for her to stay outside of PriPara? How do you feel about that? At that time, you talked about it quite a bit, didn’t you, Director?
Moriwaki: That’s right. However, I explained it briefly during the recording. But I think that even if I had explained it, I still couldn’t have been convinced. Because Faruru, who is a vocal doll, can’t become a vocal doll.
Yoda: In a way, telling Hibiki “Don’t become like me”… I think it’s complicated as to what nuance Faruru should use when saying that line.
Oba: I think he also wanted to know for sure whether Faruru really thought that way.
–So, was there anything you decided to change?
Yoda: No, that wasn’t the case. It’s not like I had any opinions about that.
Oba: I think there’s a strong desire to understand.
Yoda: Right. And even though you understood that, it must have been painful for you.
Oba: I think that’s because of the nature of Faruru’s vocal dolls, they are in sync with the actors. It’s sad that they can’t feel sad when something is sad. That’s what vocal dolls are like.
Yoda: That’s right. I think all of those things came together and synchronized. I think Akasaki-san, who is completely close to Faruru, couldn’t sort it out completely. We talked until we were satisfied, and then we acted, but everyone started crying.
Moriwaki: Fuwari too, it’s too sad.
Ohba: With that background, when it comes to Akaneya, Hibiki and Lala are competing with each other, and Lala grabs the Starting Charm Bell while saying, “We’re all friends! We’re all idols!”, but at that moment Akaneya starts crying, saying, “We’re all friends… Waaaaah!”
依田：あれはね。お話もクライマックスなので、キャストさんの感情が入ってくるところだとは思うんです。でも、キャストさんもいつもなら泣かずにやれてしまうんだけども、あの時はさすがに、もう感情がまさってしまったなって。長崎（行男／音響監督）さんも泣いていたかもしれない。もちろん僕も泣いていました（笑）。会場全体にもう感情が溢れていて、完全に引っ張られたものがありました。
――大庭さんも？
大庭：僕はしめしめって感じでした（笑）。「みんな泣きなさ〜い」と。
森脇：（笑）。でも……あのシーンに関しては、もしかしたら赤﨑さんは今も納得できていないかもしれない。
依田：もしかするとね。
大庭：でもね、僕、それが良いと思うんですよ。結論を出してしまえば、そこで終わりじゃないですか。今、この時点でのファルルの真の意味での本当のキモチってどっちなんだろう、って分からないところも良いと思っていて。
森脇：うんうん。
依田：そうですね。だからこそ、僕は3年目の最終話（第１４０話「み〜んなトモダチ！ず〜っとトモダチ！」）で、ファルルが1日だけ学校で授業を受けるというエピソードができて良かったなって思っています。「外に出られましたよ」っていう。しかもそれを最終話で出来たっていう。
──アフレコにもいろいろなドラマがあったんですね。
依田：もしかしたら、ご本人たちは話してほしくないエピソードかもしれないですけども……。
森脇：でも、今だからこそ話せる。
依田：そう思います。
やはり『プリパラ』のキャラクターたちは、作ったものではあるんですけども、一人ひとりが確立されて、そこに居るんだなと感じさせられますね。
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