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not_sophieLast update 10/2/2025 (Added Aki Toyosaki's comments. And would you look at that, there were only those six anyway, so this is done now unless I come back to edit it.)
I was always planning to do this anyway, but I thought since it would be less insightful on the creation and inspiration of the story, I'd do it a billion years later and focus on Aikawa's prequel novel instead. But the prequel novel is hard for my unfluent eyes! I don't know these kanji! I am unimpressed with the speed of my progress trying to read it but don't want to become discouraged, so for now I'll just do that tiny bit by tiny bit on my days off from work and do stuff like this and other easier things alongside it and on work days. I like to feel like I'm accomplishing things. I need that dopamine. I'm a druggie, gimme my instant gratification and I'll eventually learn enough kanji and git gud at grammar so the novel will become instant gratification in its own right.
... Anyway. Today is Cast Comments Day. I added the parenthetical "voice of whoever" to the titles for your convenience. Enjoy!
Special Interview with Kaito Ishikawa (voice of Jirou Hitoyoshi) (July 3, 2015)
--Talk about how you felt when it was decided that you would play the role of Jirou Hitoyoshi.
I received quite a bit of the original story materials for the audition, and from the moment I looked through them, I thought, "I want to do this at any cost!" and I really wanted to be involved in the project, no matter what form that involvement took. To be honest, during the audition, there were aspects of the character's standpoint and surrounding circumstances that my interpretation didn't quite project. I also asked a question in a weird way, and on top of all that, I was so nervous I was stammering a lot... When I went home, I talked with my manager and said "this might not work out," with my shoulders slumped. But even with all that, somehow, we got the unbelievable result that I had been chosen, and the two of us were overjoyed. I remember talking about how I was going to pour my soul into playing the role of Jirou.
--Now that recording has begun, please tell us about anything that has brought out your enthusiasm about this role.
Since this anime wasn't based on an existing work, I feel like the Jirou I imagined in my head has some small differences from the Jirou the scenario writer and director have in their minds. We want to create an image of Jirou that we can all share, so the all the staff has been working to reconcile those differences and have a unified, consistent view that "Jirou Hitoyoshi is this kind of person." I'm sure that by doing that, we'll all be able to have a much deeper understanding of Jirou as a character.
--Do you have a message for people who are looking forward to the premiere?
Concrete Revolutio is an original work, so you can't read ahead to see how everything develops. That's the same for me, too, so I'm exciting waiting to see what happens.
What sort of way will I act as the protagonist named Jirou? How will the story go from here? While we look forward to seeing the direction the anime goes in together, I'll do my absolute best, and I really hope you'll all cheer me on!
New Comments from Sumire Uesaka (voice of Kikko Hoshino) have arrived!! (September 18, 2015)
[not-sophie note: The video message on the site was privated on the youtube channel it was hosted on, so I can't translate anything extra she might have said in it. Heck, I don't even have a way to confirm IF there was any non-redundant comments in it. All you get is what was put into writing on the official site itself because of the mysterious change to private the video. Also, later on, Uesaka starts talking about things like the Showa and Heisei eras. Japan gives names to specific time periods (based on the "rule" of each Emperor). The Showa era spans the reign of Emperor Hirohito (1926-1989) and after his death, we got the Heisei era with with Emperor Akihito's reign (1989-2019).]
Concrete Revolutio: Superhuman Phantasmagoria will begin broadcasting soon. We have comments from the voice talent for Kikko Hoshino, Sumire Uesaka, who has just finished recording for Episode 2.
--What's your impression of the character you voice, Kikko Hoshino?
My impression is that she seems very cute, and has an ardent sense of justice. She seems like a very honest character.
Because Kikko is a witch girl, the scenes where she uses magic and the transformation sequence are super cute, and I got really excited when acting out her voice.
Kikko hides the fact that she's a witch girl, and tries her best to fit in with society. For example, there's a scene where she's working a part-time job as a waitress, but she shows a lot more enthusiasm than you need to for a normal job. She answers so cheerfully, and I think she must be unconsciously bringing out her heart for these interactions. Since she's really afraid of people finding out she's a witch girl, I keep in mind that unique situation during my acting.
--What kinds of instructions did you receive while recording?
I was often told, "when there aren't any visuals, that's your chance to emphasize the dialogue and do your acting free from having to match or be pulled along by the visuals."
Kikko is still a middle schooler, and has feelings that are fickle and change easily, so one facet of her is that she has that sort of impulsiveness that's characteristic of going through puberty. Another facet is how she frets over the subtle sense of distance she has with Jirou, and she's always very aware of his childhood friend, Emi. I feel like I was given a lot of direction to put more emphasis on these aspects.
--What would you like people to notice about Kikko?
The Superhuman Bureau that Kikko comes to join has a lot of adults who have sweet sides nad bitter sides, but I think having the slightly clumsy Kikko join them will let us see the good in their personalities more prominently.
Also, her stockings are cute. And it's not just Kikko, either. The wester-style clothes of the characters are all really cute. Some day I want to coordinate my outfit to be similar to Kikko's.
--Do you have a message for people who are looking forward to the premiere?
Concrete Revolutio: Superhuman Phantasmagoria is, above all, a work centered on the keyword "superhumans." But it's also a work filled to the brim with the dreams of adults who lived in an era alongside superheroes, so this work will of course be enjoyable for those who were alive during the Showa era, which this anime's own "Shinka" era is based off of. But I also think that for younger people like myself, who were born in the Heisei era and don't know the Showa era at all, will be able to enjoy it as something that feels fresh.
The story itself also has a lot of depth to it, so I really hope you can enjoy its boldness to the fullest!
New Comments from Kaito Ishikawa (voice of Jirou Hitoyoshi) have arrived!! (September 18, 2015)
[not-sophie note: As with Sumire Uesaka's video message, Kaito Ishikawa's video message from this page seems to have been privated, so I can't translate any potentially not-redundant comments that may or may not have been in the video message. All you get is what was put into writing on the page and it's not my fault so don't blame me.]
Concrete Revolutio: Superhuman Phantasmagoria will begin broadcasting soon. We have comments from the voice talent for Jirou Hitoyoshi, Kaito Ishikawa, who has just finished recording for Episode 2.
--What's your impression of the character you voice, Jirou Hitoyoshi?
In the beginning, the impression I got was that he was an extremely cool character. But as I acted out his lines, I realized he has a strong will and passionate heart inside of him, too.
He's not the cold-hearted type of cool, he's the stylish kind of cool.
--What aspects do you feel are part of Jirou's appeal?
To tell you the truth, there's a lot I don't understand yet about Jirou. I can't picture his private life at all...
He hides his thoughts, so it's hard to see the things that make him who he is. But in a way, those mysterious parts could be what makes him so fascinating.
--What kinds of instructions did you receive while recording?
There wasn't anything specific... Actually, before we started recording, I had the chance to have lunch with everyone, and even though I was given an explanation of the work at the time, I was never given any directions relating to the voice acting like, "please play this character in this way" or anything.
I plan to focus on thinking things through thoroughly following each episode, so I'll get to know Jirou and this anime better.
--Do you have a message for people who are looking forward to the premiere?
This is a work that us voice actors, along with the staff, are creating by pouring our souls into it.
I feel like this is becoming a work that's truly enjoyable if you think about each character's individual lines and what type of message they're sending while you watch. That said, it's not like it's a really difficult work; I think it's easy to get invested in the story, so I'll be extremely happy if you love Concrete Revolutio: Superhuman Phantasmagoria.
New Comments from Eriko Nakamura (voice of Fuurouta) have arrived!! (October 18, 2015)
--What's your impression of the character you voice, Fuurouta?
I think Fuurouta is the exact symbol of a child with his ability to casually express the most pure feelings. When I first went to the audition, the reference materials said that Fuurouta is a person who became a ghost, but because he's a ghost, he doesn't grow older. He's always going to be a child, and that's a dilemma that also makes him hold some bitter feelings. Even though I thought, "what would that mean?" I went ahead and hurled myself into reading the lines, and that's when feelings like, "oh, I'm really frustrated right now" and "this is so fun" surged out spontaneously. Children express human emotions honestly. I realized that I needed to play Fuurouta by acting reflexively on what was happening in front of me, without calculating it.
--What kinds of instructions did you receive while recording?
After forcing my way through the audition, I realized that, as an actress, forcing my way through would be no good. After that, up until it was time to record for Episode 1, I constructed in my own way what sort of child Fuurouta was. But that was the exact Fuurouta who came out during the audition, who thought things like, "I don't understand but it's fun," or "I don't understand so it's frustrating," and "I don't understand but I feel like I want to" that I felt was just like Fuurouta. Fuurouta's childishness was by no means all there was to him, though. Unaware of that fact, I was faced with the recording of Episode 1. I tried over and over again, but my lines wouldn't come out right. It was super depressing.
I was told things like, "Ms. Nakamura should keep going as Ms. Nakamura" and "be more like a child," but since I myself can't be a ghost or a child, I didn't understand what it really meant to keep going as Eriko Nakamura. When Director Mizushima saw me that way, he created a chance to talk. That's when I was able to understand what it meant to keep going as myself. "You don't have to act out Fuurouta, because Fuurouta is already inside you. We saw that during your audition. So just bring that out, and you'll be fine," Director Mizushima told me.
It wasn't that they wanted Eriko Nakamura, they wanted me to bring out the Fuurouta that's inside Eriko Nakamura. Once I started thinking about that, I still had to do some retakes, of course, and received orders like, "Let us see a different Fuurouta." It was scary, and I felt lost. But because of that, I also feel like I'm slowly being able to find that Fuurouta. It's a strange feeling.
--The web radio show for Concrete Revolutio is also being broadcast and is well-received. What is it like when recording?
Not only was this my first time pairing up with Sumire, it was actually even the first time we spoke face to face. But as a a fellow fan of the personality "Sumire Uesaka," it was so, SO much fun!
I feel like Sumire and I are kindred spirits in terms of creating anime and radio programs together.
--Do you have a message for fans who are enjoying the anime and radio show?
Concrete Revolutio: Superhuman Phantasmagoria has amazing visuals, and amazing music. Just watching it conveys how interesting of an animation it is, and I find it very entertaining, too. While we continue to put our best efforts into acting, please look forward to how the anime evolves from here.
Also, the Web Radio show for Concrete Revolutio acts as a thread that connects the various timeline points in the anime. I would be so happy if the radio program makes everyone look forward to the anime even more.
Thank you very much!
New Comments from Tokuyoshi Kawashima (voice of Hyouma Yoshimura) have arrived!! (November 27, 2015)
--What was your first impression of the character you play, Hyouma Yoshimura?
From the script and the character design, which depicted him as tall, good-looking, and smart, my very first impression was that he'd definitely be a cool character. After that, I imagined him to be like a big brother to Jirou and Kikko. I had this image of him as being a sort of mentor to guide young, still-inexperienced people, but in reality, he was completely different. Since the Superhuman Bureau members all have their own unique abilities they put to good use in their activities, something seemed off about Hyouma showing a lot of the qualities of a leader. So when he has to give commands during missions, I had to think about to what degree I would show that nuance in my acting throughout, based on how the mission in question was playing out on screen.
As an example, when my character called Jirou "boy," I said it in a rather gentle tone, but was surprised when I was ordered to say it in a more unpleasant way. There's a scene where the Superhuman Department is sitting around eating mandarin oranges. Hyouma, who's present in the circle, seems to be a kind of big brother figure watching over them, but as he makes jokes, he also casually says some rather nasty things.
--What would you like people to notice about Hyouma?
The fact that people call him Jaguar, though even I don't really know the reason (laughs). As an actor, it tickles my ears, but there are numerous reasons why he might be called that. I think people should look forward to seeing how everything is entwined with the story; from his ability to stop time that leaves even him unable to move, to the way he refers to himself as a physicist.
--What is it like after recording?
We can see the directors meeting with each other through the glass afterwards, but all 20 or so of us in the studio just stay silent (laughs). Even when the meeting drags on, we don't want to talk too much nonsense. I think everyone's probably anxious. Wondering what's being pointed out, and stuff. But I think everyone definitely wants something from their roles to be pointed out at least once, since it provides hints on how to do our work. That's especially true with Concrete Revolutio: Superhuman Phantasmagoria, since it jumps between the past and the future with all these relationships that have changed. Everyone's really desperate for those hints.
--This original work is set around the 40th year or so of the Showa era, and it seems the intonation and even the pronunciation of words reflects that.
My number one concern was making sure to read Japan as "Nippon," rather than "Nihon" as we typically would today. Kaito Ishikawa would often mess up and say "Nihon," and then everyone would have to correct him (laughs). I always remembered that Mr. Mima [not-sophie note: Masafumi Mima, sound director] would tell us "it's easy to memorize it as 'chachacha.'" I think you can appreciate the work even more if you understand the nuance behind some of these differences.
--Do you have a message for fans of the anime?
Each episode has a variety of superhumans appearing one after the other, and with no original source material, you can't read ahead to find out what'll happen. So I think this is a show that will be very enjoyable to watch each episode to find out what will happen and how the various plot elements will come together in the end.
New Comments from Aki Toyosaki (voice of Emi Kino) have arrived!! (December 11, 2015)
--Tell us about your very first impression of the character you play, Emi Kino.
At the audition, I thought she was, unlike the heroine, Kikko, a cool semi-big sister type character, as well as a rather mysterious woman.
I haven't had many mysterious woman type roles, so there were challenges for me. But once we started recording the main story, I found she was quite a bit more cheerful than I originally thought. With things like how she teases Kikko and is affectionate with Jirou, I found that she actually has a lot of cute, feminine parts to her, too. Even though there was that difference for me, I still think she's a captivating character.
I think she has the feeling of a cute big sister type who dresses her age, so I was originally going to play her as she appeared. But there are also fight scenes where she borrows the power of ancient youkai, and for those times, I'd like to be able to mix in the bottomless strength of the many creatures of the youkai world, that feeling of terrifying things being everywhere. But I also want to make sure I do it without going too far in that direction.
--Emi's relationship with Jirou is also interesting.
When seeing things like Jirou going berserk, and the thought that "it has to be this person," I think their connection is deeper than just a partnership with romantic feelings. I personally think Emi would probably call them "lovers."
Jirou himself doesn't really fawn over her, but since Emi has always been Magotake Hitoyoshi's right-hand woman and has been in and out of the house, Jirou might see her as a good person he doesn't have to be careful around.
--What kinds of instructions did you receive while recording?
During the audition, there were lines where I had to give orders as a youkai princess, and it was quite a bit more youkai-like than now. I acted so it sounded a little scary.
I was trying to put in a strong element of mystery and being far removed from humans into the role, but then I was instructed to "try doing it in a bit more of a normal way." Now that we've started recording the real thing, I'm still trying to reach for something that's more like an ordinary woman (laughs).
Also, Emi is the kind of person who doesn't show her emotions much in her facial expressions, and she's also a professional who's capable of hiding them completely. But for someone who doesn't express human emotions, fluently speaking the lines without showing any expression makes those lines just kind of drift away. So for each line, I try to put in pinches of important emotions I want to convey, and to put a little more into the words I feel pulled towards. But if I put in too much, it won't end up matching with Emi's style of expression. I have to always be careful and maintain that balance.
--Do you have a message for fans of the anime?
Each week has a dizzying amount of things happening, and there continues to be a number of really fun episodes with various superhumans fighting. But I think the very best part of this work is waiting to see what will happen next in both the future and past storylines, and waiting for the moments where all of the work's keywords like "superhuman" and "justice" come together. So I hope you'll all look forward to those moments, too.
Of course, other than that, there are things like cute girls and cool mecha that show up. It's a work that's packed with appeal. Even while acting, I'd find myself thinking things like, "Maybe this person was actually like this?" or "Was that other time like this?" while focusing on Emi. It will make me really happy if you would all do the same while watching every week.
I was always planning to do this anyway, but I thought since it would be less insightful on the creation and inspiration of the story, I'd do it a billion years later and focus on Aikawa's prequel novel instead. But the prequel novel is hard for my unfluent eyes! I don't know these kanji! I am unimpressed with the speed of my progress trying to read it but don't want to become discouraged, so for now I'll just do that tiny bit by tiny bit on my days off from work and do stuff like this and other easier things alongside it and on work days. I like to feel like I'm accomplishing things. I need that dopamine. I'm a druggie, gimme my instant gratification and I'll eventually learn enough kanji and git gud at grammar so the novel will become instant gratification in its own right.
... Anyway. Today is Cast Comments Day. I added the parenthetical "voice of whoever" to the titles for your convenience. Enjoy!
Special Interview with Kaito Ishikawa (voice of Jirou Hitoyoshi) (July 3, 2015)
--Talk about how you felt when it was decided that you would play the role of Jirou Hitoyoshi.
I received quite a bit of the original story materials for the audition, and from the moment I looked through them, I thought, "I want to do this at any cost!" and I really wanted to be involved in the project, no matter what form that involvement took. To be honest, during the audition, there were aspects of the character's standpoint and surrounding circumstances that my interpretation didn't quite project. I also asked a question in a weird way, and on top of all that, I was so nervous I was stammering a lot... When I went home, I talked with my manager and said "this might not work out," with my shoulders slumped. But even with all that, somehow, we got the unbelievable result that I had been chosen, and the two of us were overjoyed. I remember talking about how I was going to pour my soul into playing the role of Jirou.
--Now that recording has begun, please tell us about anything that has brought out your enthusiasm about this role.
Since this anime wasn't based on an existing work, I feel like the Jirou I imagined in my head has some small differences from the Jirou the scenario writer and director have in their minds. We want to create an image of Jirou that we can all share, so the all the staff has been working to reconcile those differences and have a unified, consistent view that "Jirou Hitoyoshi is this kind of person." I'm sure that by doing that, we'll all be able to have a much deeper understanding of Jirou as a character.
--Do you have a message for people who are looking forward to the premiere?
Concrete Revolutio is an original work, so you can't read ahead to see how everything develops. That's the same for me, too, so I'm exciting waiting to see what happens.
What sort of way will I act as the protagonist named Jirou? How will the story go from here? While we look forward to seeing the direction the anime goes in together, I'll do my absolute best, and I really hope you'll all cheer me on!
New Comments from Sumire Uesaka (voice of Kikko Hoshino) have arrived!! (September 18, 2015)
[not-sophie note: The video message on the site was privated on the youtube channel it was hosted on, so I can't translate anything extra she might have said in it. Heck, I don't even have a way to confirm IF there was any non-redundant comments in it. All you get is what was put into writing on the official site itself because of the mysterious change to private the video. Also, later on, Uesaka starts talking about things like the Showa and Heisei eras. Japan gives names to specific time periods (based on the "rule" of each Emperor). The Showa era spans the reign of Emperor Hirohito (1926-1989) and after his death, we got the Heisei era with with Emperor Akihito's reign (1989-2019).]
Concrete Revolutio: Superhuman Phantasmagoria will begin broadcasting soon. We have comments from the voice talent for Kikko Hoshino, Sumire Uesaka, who has just finished recording for Episode 2.
--What's your impression of the character you voice, Kikko Hoshino?
My impression is that she seems very cute, and has an ardent sense of justice. She seems like a very honest character.
Because Kikko is a witch girl, the scenes where she uses magic and the transformation sequence are super cute, and I got really excited when acting out her voice.
Kikko hides the fact that she's a witch girl, and tries her best to fit in with society. For example, there's a scene where she's working a part-time job as a waitress, but she shows a lot more enthusiasm than you need to for a normal job. She answers so cheerfully, and I think she must be unconsciously bringing out her heart for these interactions. Since she's really afraid of people finding out she's a witch girl, I keep in mind that unique situation during my acting.
--What kinds of instructions did you receive while recording?
I was often told, "when there aren't any visuals, that's your chance to emphasize the dialogue and do your acting free from having to match or be pulled along by the visuals."
Kikko is still a middle schooler, and has feelings that are fickle and change easily, so one facet of her is that she has that sort of impulsiveness that's characteristic of going through puberty. Another facet is how she frets over the subtle sense of distance she has with Jirou, and she's always very aware of his childhood friend, Emi. I feel like I was given a lot of direction to put more emphasis on these aspects.
--What would you like people to notice about Kikko?
The Superhuman Bureau that Kikko comes to join has a lot of adults who have sweet sides nad bitter sides, but I think having the slightly clumsy Kikko join them will let us see the good in their personalities more prominently.
Also, her stockings are cute. And it's not just Kikko, either. The wester-style clothes of the characters are all really cute. Some day I want to coordinate my outfit to be similar to Kikko's.
--Do you have a message for people who are looking forward to the premiere?
Concrete Revolutio: Superhuman Phantasmagoria is, above all, a work centered on the keyword "superhumans." But it's also a work filled to the brim with the dreams of adults who lived in an era alongside superheroes, so this work will of course be enjoyable for those who were alive during the Showa era, which this anime's own "Shinka" era is based off of. But I also think that for younger people like myself, who were born in the Heisei era and don't know the Showa era at all, will be able to enjoy it as something that feels fresh.
The story itself also has a lot of depth to it, so I really hope you can enjoy its boldness to the fullest!
New Comments from Kaito Ishikawa (voice of Jirou Hitoyoshi) have arrived!! (September 18, 2015)
[not-sophie note: As with Sumire Uesaka's video message, Kaito Ishikawa's video message from this page seems to have been privated, so I can't translate any potentially not-redundant comments that may or may not have been in the video message. All you get is what was put into writing on the page and it's not my fault so don't blame me.]
Concrete Revolutio: Superhuman Phantasmagoria will begin broadcasting soon. We have comments from the voice talent for Jirou Hitoyoshi, Kaito Ishikawa, who has just finished recording for Episode 2.
--What's your impression of the character you voice, Jirou Hitoyoshi?
In the beginning, the impression I got was that he was an extremely cool character. But as I acted out his lines, I realized he has a strong will and passionate heart inside of him, too.
He's not the cold-hearted type of cool, he's the stylish kind of cool.
--What aspects do you feel are part of Jirou's appeal?
To tell you the truth, there's a lot I don't understand yet about Jirou. I can't picture his private life at all...
He hides his thoughts, so it's hard to see the things that make him who he is. But in a way, those mysterious parts could be what makes him so fascinating.
--What kinds of instructions did you receive while recording?
There wasn't anything specific... Actually, before we started recording, I had the chance to have lunch with everyone, and even though I was given an explanation of the work at the time, I was never given any directions relating to the voice acting like, "please play this character in this way" or anything.
I plan to focus on thinking things through thoroughly following each episode, so I'll get to know Jirou and this anime better.
--Do you have a message for people who are looking forward to the premiere?
This is a work that us voice actors, along with the staff, are creating by pouring our souls into it.
I feel like this is becoming a work that's truly enjoyable if you think about each character's individual lines and what type of message they're sending while you watch. That said, it's not like it's a really difficult work; I think it's easy to get invested in the story, so I'll be extremely happy if you love Concrete Revolutio: Superhuman Phantasmagoria.
New Comments from Eriko Nakamura (voice of Fuurouta) have arrived!! (October 18, 2015)
--What's your impression of the character you voice, Fuurouta?
I think Fuurouta is the exact symbol of a child with his ability to casually express the most pure feelings. When I first went to the audition, the reference materials said that Fuurouta is a person who became a ghost, but because he's a ghost, he doesn't grow older. He's always going to be a child, and that's a dilemma that also makes him hold some bitter feelings. Even though I thought, "what would that mean?" I went ahead and hurled myself into reading the lines, and that's when feelings like, "oh, I'm really frustrated right now" and "this is so fun" surged out spontaneously. Children express human emotions honestly. I realized that I needed to play Fuurouta by acting reflexively on what was happening in front of me, without calculating it.
--What kinds of instructions did you receive while recording?
After forcing my way through the audition, I realized that, as an actress, forcing my way through would be no good. After that, up until it was time to record for Episode 1, I constructed in my own way what sort of child Fuurouta was. But that was the exact Fuurouta who came out during the audition, who thought things like, "I don't understand but it's fun," or "I don't understand so it's frustrating," and "I don't understand but I feel like I want to" that I felt was just like Fuurouta. Fuurouta's childishness was by no means all there was to him, though. Unaware of that fact, I was faced with the recording of Episode 1. I tried over and over again, but my lines wouldn't come out right. It was super depressing.
I was told things like, "Ms. Nakamura should keep going as Ms. Nakamura" and "be more like a child," but since I myself can't be a ghost or a child, I didn't understand what it really meant to keep going as Eriko Nakamura. When Director Mizushima saw me that way, he created a chance to talk. That's when I was able to understand what it meant to keep going as myself. "You don't have to act out Fuurouta, because Fuurouta is already inside you. We saw that during your audition. So just bring that out, and you'll be fine," Director Mizushima told me.
It wasn't that they wanted Eriko Nakamura, they wanted me to bring out the Fuurouta that's inside Eriko Nakamura. Once I started thinking about that, I still had to do some retakes, of course, and received orders like, "Let us see a different Fuurouta." It was scary, and I felt lost. But because of that, I also feel like I'm slowly being able to find that Fuurouta. It's a strange feeling.
--The web radio show for Concrete Revolutio is also being broadcast and is well-received. What is it like when recording?
Not only was this my first time pairing up with Sumire, it was actually even the first time we spoke face to face. But as a a fellow fan of the personality "Sumire Uesaka," it was so, SO much fun!
I feel like Sumire and I are kindred spirits in terms of creating anime and radio programs together.
--Do you have a message for fans who are enjoying the anime and radio show?
Concrete Revolutio: Superhuman Phantasmagoria has amazing visuals, and amazing music. Just watching it conveys how interesting of an animation it is, and I find it very entertaining, too. While we continue to put our best efforts into acting, please look forward to how the anime evolves from here.
Also, the Web Radio show for Concrete Revolutio acts as a thread that connects the various timeline points in the anime. I would be so happy if the radio program makes everyone look forward to the anime even more.
Thank you very much!
New Comments from Tokuyoshi Kawashima (voice of Hyouma Yoshimura) have arrived!! (November 27, 2015)
--What was your first impression of the character you play, Hyouma Yoshimura?
From the script and the character design, which depicted him as tall, good-looking, and smart, my very first impression was that he'd definitely be a cool character. After that, I imagined him to be like a big brother to Jirou and Kikko. I had this image of him as being a sort of mentor to guide young, still-inexperienced people, but in reality, he was completely different. Since the Superhuman Bureau members all have their own unique abilities they put to good use in their activities, something seemed off about Hyouma showing a lot of the qualities of a leader. So when he has to give commands during missions, I had to think about to what degree I would show that nuance in my acting throughout, based on how the mission in question was playing out on screen.
As an example, when my character called Jirou "boy," I said it in a rather gentle tone, but was surprised when I was ordered to say it in a more unpleasant way. There's a scene where the Superhuman Department is sitting around eating mandarin oranges. Hyouma, who's present in the circle, seems to be a kind of big brother figure watching over them, but as he makes jokes, he also casually says some rather nasty things.
--What would you like people to notice about Hyouma?
The fact that people call him Jaguar, though even I don't really know the reason (laughs). As an actor, it tickles my ears, but there are numerous reasons why he might be called that. I think people should look forward to seeing how everything is entwined with the story; from his ability to stop time that leaves even him unable to move, to the way he refers to himself as a physicist.
--What is it like after recording?
We can see the directors meeting with each other through the glass afterwards, but all 20 or so of us in the studio just stay silent (laughs). Even when the meeting drags on, we don't want to talk too much nonsense. I think everyone's probably anxious. Wondering what's being pointed out, and stuff. But I think everyone definitely wants something from their roles to be pointed out at least once, since it provides hints on how to do our work. That's especially true with Concrete Revolutio: Superhuman Phantasmagoria, since it jumps between the past and the future with all these relationships that have changed. Everyone's really desperate for those hints.
--This original work is set around the 40th year or so of the Showa era, and it seems the intonation and even the pronunciation of words reflects that.
My number one concern was making sure to read Japan as "Nippon," rather than "Nihon" as we typically would today. Kaito Ishikawa would often mess up and say "Nihon," and then everyone would have to correct him (laughs). I always remembered that Mr. Mima [not-sophie note: Masafumi Mima, sound director] would tell us "it's easy to memorize it as 'chachacha.'" I think you can appreciate the work even more if you understand the nuance behind some of these differences.
--Do you have a message for fans of the anime?
Each episode has a variety of superhumans appearing one after the other, and with no original source material, you can't read ahead to find out what'll happen. So I think this is a show that will be very enjoyable to watch each episode to find out what will happen and how the various plot elements will come together in the end.
New Comments from Aki Toyosaki (voice of Emi Kino) have arrived!! (December 11, 2015)
--Tell us about your very first impression of the character you play, Emi Kino.
At the audition, I thought she was, unlike the heroine, Kikko, a cool semi-big sister type character, as well as a rather mysterious woman.
I haven't had many mysterious woman type roles, so there were challenges for me. But once we started recording the main story, I found she was quite a bit more cheerful than I originally thought. With things like how she teases Kikko and is affectionate with Jirou, I found that she actually has a lot of cute, feminine parts to her, too. Even though there was that difference for me, I still think she's a captivating character.
I think she has the feeling of a cute big sister type who dresses her age, so I was originally going to play her as she appeared. But there are also fight scenes where she borrows the power of ancient youkai, and for those times, I'd like to be able to mix in the bottomless strength of the many creatures of the youkai world, that feeling of terrifying things being everywhere. But I also want to make sure I do it without going too far in that direction.
--Emi's relationship with Jirou is also interesting.
When seeing things like Jirou going berserk, and the thought that "it has to be this person," I think their connection is deeper than just a partnership with romantic feelings. I personally think Emi would probably call them "lovers."
Jirou himself doesn't really fawn over her, but since Emi has always been Magotake Hitoyoshi's right-hand woman and has been in and out of the house, Jirou might see her as a good person he doesn't have to be careful around.
--What kinds of instructions did you receive while recording?
During the audition, there were lines where I had to give orders as a youkai princess, and it was quite a bit more youkai-like than now. I acted so it sounded a little scary.
I was trying to put in a strong element of mystery and being far removed from humans into the role, but then I was instructed to "try doing it in a bit more of a normal way." Now that we've started recording the real thing, I'm still trying to reach for something that's more like an ordinary woman (laughs).
Also, Emi is the kind of person who doesn't show her emotions much in her facial expressions, and she's also a professional who's capable of hiding them completely. But for someone who doesn't express human emotions, fluently speaking the lines without showing any expression makes those lines just kind of drift away. So for each line, I try to put in pinches of important emotions I want to convey, and to put a little more into the words I feel pulled towards. But if I put in too much, it won't end up matching with Emi's style of expression. I have to always be careful and maintain that balance.
--Do you have a message for fans of the anime?
Each week has a dizzying amount of things happening, and there continues to be a number of really fun episodes with various superhumans fighting. But I think the very best part of this work is waiting to see what will happen next in both the future and past storylines, and waiting for the moments where all of the work's keywords like "superhuman" and "justice" come together. So I hope you'll all look forward to those moments, too.
Of course, other than that, there are things like cute girls and cool mecha that show up. It's a work that's packed with appeal. Even while acting, I'd find myself thinking things like, "Maybe this person was actually like this?" or "Was that other time like this?" while focusing on Emi. It will make me really happy if you would all do the same while watching every week.
