Summer Anime "Rampo Kitan" Receives Voice Actor Comments!　Takahiro Sakurai as Aketchi: "It's creepy and weird, but I can't help watching it.

Voice actor comments from the TV anime "Rampo Kitan Game of Laplace," which will start in July, have been announced.

Rampo Kitan Game of Laplace" is an original anime work to be broadcast on Fuji Television's late-night anime slot "Noitamina". The story is set 50 years after the death of Edogawa Rampo, a master of the Japanese mystery novel world, and is based on his works and set in the present day. The story centers on a genius high school detective named Akechi, who is allowed to leave school by the Imperial Household Agency for helping solve an unusual crime case. Directed by Seiji Kishi of "Danganronpa," series composition and script by Makoto Uezu of "Danganronpa," and produced by Larke.

Voice actor comments have now arrived. Takahiro Sakurai plays Akechi, a genius high school detective who is allowed to stay away from school by the Imperial Household Agency for cooperating in solving unusual crime cases; Riyo Takahashi plays Kobayashi, who meets Akechi when he visits the school to investigate the murder of a dismembered teacher and begins cooperating in the investigation as his assistant; and Riyo Takahashi plays Haya, a common sense person who is pushed around by the two. Yamashita Taiki, who plays the role of Hashiba, a sergeant of a zaibatsu and a man of common sense who is pushed around by the two, talks about his impressions of the characters and his enthusiasm for the film.

Takahiro Sakurai as Akechi
-Please tell us your first impression of the work.
I was surprised by the bold visual expressions. I think it takes a lot of guts to actually tackle that part. The works of Edogawa Rampo, on which the film is based, have their own punch, and some of the stories have a strong poison that may not be to everyone's liking. It is a world that those who are not good at it cannot understand, but "Rampo Kitan" is arranged in a modern way and has a unique comical quality that makes it interesting. I am looking forward to seeing which titles you will choose and how you will depict them in the future.
-What is the appeal of Rampo's works?
What is ugly can turn out to be beautiful. I think they are two sides of the same coin, and that is the ambiguity of human perception. Edogawa Rampo is a great writer who is able to make his works into novels, and he is a man who is able to make them fascinating through the written word. I like "Panorama Island Strange Story" and "The Demon of a Lonely Island," and I wonder if the people who write such works had a hard time in their lives (laughs). (Laughs.) The human imagination is free, and it can go as far as it likes, but when it comes time to put it into action, morality and ethics are triggered, aren't they? I think it is the world of Edogawa Rampo that has laid that bare. I believe that Edogawa Rampo's works have a bewitching power to give voice to feelings that we normally shy away from and to relieve us of resentment and stress.
-How did you feel when you were chosen for the role?
To be honest, I was happy when I got the part, but I knew that the selection process would be tough for such an ambitious work and that the creators would have a clear image of the role, so I thought it would be tough unless I really got into the role. I was very happy that I was chosen.
-What is your impression of the character?
I have only recorded one episode, so there are many things I don't know about him, but I think he is a bit pessimistic, or perhaps he has a tendency to despair of this world, and he has a stance of not trusting people. I felt that these negative elements were the reverse side of his outstanding ability. I have not been given all the information about the film yet, but it seems that there is something in common between Aketo and Kobayashi, and I think that their relationship will be one of the key points in the future.
-What did you find interesting about the role of Aketo and Kobayashi?
He is a man who speaks at his own pace and without hesitation, but there are a few moments when he raises his voice, and that bothered me. I thought that these lines might give us a hint of Akeci's inner life or human nature.
-Please give a message to those who are looking forward to your work.
As a genre, "Rampo Kitan" falls into the mystery, suspense, and horror categories, and although it is creepy and unpleasant, you can't help but watch it. I would like to play the role of a character who has a mystery hidden within him or her, and I would like to pay close attention to such details. I hope many people will see the show. Please wait with curiosity.

Riyo Takahashi as Kobayashi
-Please tell us your first impression of the work.
When the audition was decided, I read a lot of Edogawa Rampo's works. When I saw the scenario, I felt that it was a new work that faithfully incorporated Edogawa Rampo's worldview and would be enjoyed by those who knew his works as well as those who did not.
-Are there any works by Edogawa Rampo that come to mind?
Since I am in charge of Kobayashi, I read "Shonen tanteidan (Detective Boys)" and "Kaijin Nijumenso (The Phantom with Twenty Faces). Among the other works I read, I really like the story "The Red Room". I wonder if Edogawa Rampo lived his life with these thoughts in his head. I wondered if Edogawa Rampo lived with these thoughts in his head, and it is also the work that made me very interested in the author himself.
-How did you feel when you were chosen for the role?
I was very happy! When I auditioned, my first impression of the illustration made me think, "Maybe it's not my voice? I was worried that it might not be my voice, but I tried to enjoy playing the role as I felt it, and I was surprised that they decided to give me the part. The sound director said to me, "Let's keep the character of Kobayashi as it is," and while I absorbed it and thought, "Oh, so this is the feeling of Kobayashi," I am still searching to fully grasp the character.
-What is the most difficult part of playing Kobayashi?
Everyone throws a lot of conversation at me, but Kobayashi thinks about it in his own head before uttering a word. She does not just take the words and play catch with them, but rather takes a pause and responds with words at her own pace.
-What kind of direction did you receive from the staff?
In the scene when I first meet Aketi, I thought she was going to challenge me, but she told me to say it in a more fresh way and with a smile. I thought that Kobayashi would respond with a smile and a fresh tone, when he would normally challenge Aketo, and Aketo would think, "Oh, this guy. I learned that it is precisely because of this unusual approach that Mr. Akechi is attracted to me! (Laughs)
-Please give a message to those who are looking forward to your work.
In the first episode, I played the role with "interest in people" in mind. I hope that you will pay special attention to Kobayashi's "interest in people" in all the episodes. I would like to play the role with that as the core of my character. I myself had never read Edogawa Rampo's works before, but now I am completely captivated by his worldview. Please join us and let's see where this work will take us!

Daiki Yamashita as Hashiba
-Please tell us your first impression of the work.
When I auditioned for the role, there were many scenes featuring the comedy part of Hasiba, so I was honestly surprised when we suddenly started with the dismembered corpse of the teacher (laugh). (Laughs.) The mysterious atmosphere is conveyed throughout the entire production.
-How did you feel when you were chosen for the role?
I have often played the roles of neutral boys or mischievous boys, who are more like "the boy," but I was surprised to be asked to play the role of Hashiba-kun. I had never played this kind of role before, so I finished recording the first episode with a fresh feeling.
-Please tell us about your impression of the character.
He is the president of the student council and a member of the class council, but he still has a middle school boyishness about him. I really like Kobayashi-kun, and I wondered how many times I would say "Kobayashi" today (laughs). I wonder how many times I will say "Kobayashi" in total in the future (laughs).
-What kind of direction did you receive from the staff?
During the first test, I tried too hard to play the role of a class councilor and student body president, and was told to "be more of a slacker. I am conscious of the fact that I am forcing myself to speak taller and taller even to the police officers. I think Hashiba-kun will grow as the story progresses, and I hope that everyone will find him cute and lovable, and that I will be conscious of the fact that he is a bit unreliable in my performance.
-Please give a message to those who are looking forward to your work.
There are still many aspects of the world of "Rampo Kitan" that I myself don't understand, but I think that the mystery will probably become more and more comfortable. I hope you will immerse yourself in the mystery and let's solve the mystery together! Also, will Hashiba-kun's hard work pay off? (laugh) Kobayashi-kun is a boy who is not very interested in the people around him, so I hope you will warmly watch the end of their friendship.