Part 2 of "Shinkage no Kyojin" the Movie: Cast Talk between Hiroki Kaji and Hiroshi Kamiya! I sense something Levi-like in (Kamiya)."

A cast dialogue from the anime film "The Second Part of the Movie: Wings of Freedom," which will be released in theaters on June 27, is now available for viewing.

The TV series, which aired from April to September 2013, was directed by Tetsuro Araki, who also directed "DEATH NOTE," and Yasuko Kobayashi, who also directed "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure," was in charge of the series composition. Yasuko Kobayashi of "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure" was in charge of the series composition. Before the broadcast, many were concerned about the intense action scenes, but when they opened the door to the series, they found it to be a masterpiece that even fans of the original work were excited to see. Even now that the series has finished airing, it continues to be a topic of conversation and has become as popular as the original manga, which has sold a total of more than 40 million copies. The long-awaited "movie version," a live-action movie and an anime movie, are currently being made simultaneously, and the second TV anime season will start within 2016.

The film is a 5.1ch remastered compilation of episodes 14 to 25 of the TV series with new dubbing, and a dialogue with the cast has arrived. Hiroki Kaji (Eren Jaeger) and Hiroshi Kamiya (Levi) talk about the characters and the production process.


Part 1, which ends with humanity's first victory
The second part that begins with the price of victory


--What are the feelings of the cast members now that the second part of the film version is about to be released?
Kaji: For us, when we receive interviews like this or hear about the schedule for the stage greeting, we realize that the time is approaching when the film will finally be delivered to everyone. Speaking of what we actually did, I would say it was the recording of new cuts and newly edited parts.
Kamiya Levi didn't have any.
Kaji I see. One of the several additions I had to do was the climax scene. I remember that it was very difficult work.
--How was it difficult?
Kaji: In the climax of the second part, when the battle between the Eren Titan and the Female Titan begins in earnest, there is a monologue by Eren, and it was a scene where Eren's feelings were growing quite complicated, both inside and outside of himself. In the TV series, I was able to build up my feelings toward that scene on the same day, so it was easy to keep my mind on it, but this time, I only recorded that scene in isolation, so I had to bring my tension to a peak as soon as I started, which was very technical and difficult.
--You mentioned that there were no new recordings for Levi, but while waiting for the film to be completed, do you wonder which scenes were used?
Kamiya Of course, that's true. You would want to say, "We worked so hard on that scene!" I want to say, "I worked so hard on that scene! However, I think that all of the scenes were selected from all of the scenes in the composition of the film, so I am sure that everyone will be satisfied with them. I don't think there will be any "Too bad we didn't include this scene" or anything like that.
Kaji: The director himself made the TV series and re-edited the theater version, so I guess we just have to trust his sense and follow his lead.
Kamiya Before the film was completed, there were times when we had to be interviewed, and we were given handwritten copies of the new cut storyboards and the director's thoughts on them, so we know the director's thoughts, which leads to what I said earlier.
--Now, I would like you to tell us about the highlights of the second part.
Kaji In the second part, Eren belongs to an organization called the Scout Regiment, led by Levi, and the main focus is on the battles there.
Kamiya The first part ends with Eren leading humanity to its first victory, and the second part starts with a story like "The Price of Victory," so the story is well divided between the first and second parts, and I was reminded that "Shinkage no Kyojin" is a well-done work. In the second part, there are significantly more scenes in which Levi is active compared to the first part. In contrast to the first part where he was preparing to fight the Titans, in the second part he is ready for battle and finally goes outside the wall. It gives the impression that the world has suddenly expanded.
Kaji: Personally, all of the scenes, from the casual scenes with the members of the Levi Squad to the horrific end, have left a lasting impression on me. The other day, I was at Universal Studios Japan for an interview... At the "Shinkage no Kyojin the Real" attraction, the moment when the members of Levi's group were killed was displayed as a Chronoid. I think it is important to express and realize how vividly death can be expressed in the imagination, but seeing the characters' deaths represented by the elaborate Chronoids made me sadder and made me feel the fear of death even more strongly. I felt the fear of "death" very strongly. Once again, I think their existence will become even greater when I see the second part of the theater version.
Kamiya It is rather common in our work to be told, for example, "Two or three people have been killed here, so please give us a scream. But even people who are killed in an instant like that have their own lives, don't they? It was only after I started working on "Shinkoku no Kyojin" that I began to feel uncomfortable with the idea of expressing such people as symbols. This work focuses on each individual, and through the main character Eren, the strong emotions of people who are obsessed with the idea of life flow in naturally. I think this is a work that is a bit different.


It is only in the atmosphere of the studio
the characters come alive.


--What is your impression of Levi in the second part of the film?
Kaji: It's overwhelming (laughs). When I play the role of Eren in various public appearances, I feel Levi's intense popularity (laughs). (laughs) I feel that everyone loves Levi.
Kamiya That's strange (laughs).
Kaji Well, putting that aside, I think his strength and presence are overwhelming. It was the same when I was reading the original story and when I was acting, but the scene at the deliberation hall even terrified me. I know he has no malicious intent, but it gave me the impression that he is scary, and I think he is an existence that cannot be beaten no matter what he does.
--I think he is an existence that cannot be beaten no matter what you do.
Kamiya It's hard to say (laughs).
Kaji No, it was overwhelming (laughs). I personally had not seen Kamiya-san play a role like Levi before, but when I first heard that "the role of Levi is played by Kamiya-san," I strangely and easily accepted it. ...... I wonder why? Is it because I feel something Levi-like? (Laughs). (laughs) I don't know about that, but I felt from your performance a kind of "soft strength" that didn't push with momentum or power, and my impression of Kamiya himself is similar to that.
--I felt that you have a "soft strength" that doesn't push with vigor and power, and my impression of Kamiya-san himself is similar to that. I feel sorry to say that ...... (laughs).
Kaji: No, no, I'm talking about a different aspect (laughs). (laughs) But, I don't know if it's for me to say, but everyone has a part that is close to the character in some way, don't they?
Kamiya Well, I can understand Levi's nervousness. I'm that type of person myself. But if you ask me if I can empathize with Levi in other ways, it's quite difficult. The most important thing in playing Levi is the atmosphere of the studio. Everyone was in the studio, there were microphones, monitors, director Araki (Tetsuro) and sound director Mima (Masafumi Mima), and everyone brought their own ideas for the sound, which were then listened to by the director and adjusted by Mr. Mima. So recently, there have been times when the characters of "The Titans of Progress" have been transformed into other forms, and this is very difficult.
Kaji It's really tough (laughs).
Kamiya With animation, they make you work through the stages, so it's hard work, but I feel a sense of accomplishment. But if I am told to do it alone, "Well, go ahead," then what am I going to do? I'm like, "What am I going to do? I feel strongly that "The Progress of the Colossus" would not be possible if even one member of the staff were missing.
--Kamiya So it's not like you can simply say, "Do Eren's voice," or "Do Levi's voice," and then just do it?
Kamiya Maybe it is possible, but I think that in some essential way, it may not be possible.
Kaji It might be a work where I don't particularly think about such details as Eren's voice.
Kamiya I think it comes naturally to me when I am told to "translate the feelings of this scene into sound.
Kaji Ellen is the kind of person who has to be constantly angry at something to be able to do it (laughs). Even when I was asked to do a joyful voice, I didn't know how to say it.
Kamiya If this was a completed work, I would be able to digest the characters within myself and feel less discomfort, but we are still in the middle of it, so when people ask me to play Eren or Levi, I always wonder, "Where are you in this time line? I think, "Where are we in this timeline? Is it a peaceful world or the world where the Titans are now? I have no choice but to do it while making such situations vague, but neither Kaji nor I are that dexterous. That's the kind of person we are. We can't separate the two and think about them separately.
Kaji I can't separate the two...I think, "Well, that's just how Ellen is.
Kamiya Suddenly you can't. I understand that. I think it's very difficult.


How will the relationship between Eren and Levi change?
How will the relationship between Eren and Levi change? ......?


--Kamiya How do you see Eren's portrayal of Kaji from your point of view?
Kamiya No, he is terrifying. I don't know exactly who Kaji is, but I think he is truly terrifying. First of all, he brings a completely different kind of heat. He has a unique passion, and I think it is very difficult for a sound director to make it sound right. Watching the sound director Mima guide it in the right direction, I sometimes get the feeling that I am being forced to watch an advanced sport like F1. I don't think there are many people who can put something like that on the line, so I think Kaji's current status as a voice actor is, in a sense, a matter of course. In a sense, I think it is natural for you to be active as a voice actor. I think that people with ability should get busier and busier, and the quality of the work improves when such people are involved, but there is only one Yuki Kaji, so I am very concerned about that.
Kaji No, no, no, not at all. ......
Kamiya Through working on "Shinkage no Kyojin," I've been shown that "this is what a top runner must do.
Kaji ...... I'm starting to sweat funny (laughs). I know you are a person who doesn't tell lies on a regular basis,....... No, now that I have received your kind words, I will have to be more careful.
Kamiya Also, I'm an oozy son of a bitch (laughs).
Kaji You're also a shit! ...Well, I guess you're right (laughs).
Kamiya You get 100 compliments, but when you get 1 derogatory comment, that's all you care about. It's the same for me.
--I wonder if there will come a day when Eren will also receive compliments from Levi?
Kaji I have no idea what Levi really thinks, but I think Eren would naturally be happy if Levi praised him. He is his boss. On the other hand, I wonder if there's more to it than that. I wonder if something will happen to him. I think he might even think that something might happen (laughs). (Laughs.) For me, Kamiya-san is a senior colleague who I have become very close with and who has helped me in many ways, but... they are always in a place next to death, spending many days together, so it's a different kind of bond than ours.... ...I think there is definitely something like a bond. I know they don't praise Eren easily, but I think they consider him an important friend. I would like to think so (laughs).
--Kamiya How do you see Levi's feelings toward Eren?
Kamiya As I always say, he is a mysterious guy. I think that Levi's main goal is to "survive. Whether Eren is included in the scope of that "survival" I don't know. Right now, I have him by my side according to Erwin's order, but I don't think I would have him by my side if I didn't. This is because, after all, it is an uncertain factor. I am sure that he has the power of a Titan, perhaps an existence that is beyond his control, and that if anything should eventually happen to him, he would kill her with his own hands. However, as Kaji said, the longer they share the experience of living side by side with death, the more a sense of camaraderie grows within them, so while they are wary of each other, I think there is a sense of "affection" that develops.


Do you get tired as much as you enjoy it?
Stage greeting with a unique atmosphere


--The schedule for the stage greeting to commemorate the opening of the film has also been announced. Mr. Kaji, you will be traveling around the country with the "childhood friend trio" of Yui Ishikawa, who plays Mikasa, and Marina Inoue, who plays Armin.
Kaji: It's a familiar trio (laughs). I haven't had the chance to talk with Mikasa (Ishikawa) and Armin (Inoue) about the second part yet, so it will be very interesting for me to hear what everyone, including the director, is thinking about this second part at the stage greeting.
Kamiya I have rarely been in front of an audience for "Shinkage no Kyojin" since last year's MBS Anime Fest, so I want to make sure my legs don't shake (laughs).
Kaji The atmosphere of the audience is different from other stage greetings, or rather, ...... the air is heavy (laughs). Even the greeting before the screening was tense, and afterwards everyone was exhausted. But when we started talking, they nodded their heads and sympathized with what we said. It was a wonderful greeting for the first part of the film, as if they really loved and enjoyed the film.
--I could feel that they really loved and enjoyed this film.
Kamiya As I said during the interview, I am sure that the first and second parts of the film are very well made, so I hope that you will enjoy the more concentrated two hours of the film. I think that the people who should see this film the most are those who missed out on the TV series. If you want to know more about the original work or the TV series, I hope you will watch it, and even if you don't, I think it is an excellent introduction to "Shinkage no Kyojin," so I hope you will see it in the theater. Also, when I looked at the recording script, I noticed that the director's thoughts were really flowing in the final cut. I would like to share with you a few lines that clearly show this. After the movie is over, the audience goes home. Good luck to the audience as they return home with their own thoughts and impressions! --I hope you will take these thoughts home with you as you leave.
Kaji: As I have asked at every stage greeting for the first part of the film, many people raised their hands when asked if they were seeing the film for the first time. That made me happy. People who had heard of the title but had not had time to see the movie or did not know about the content because they had an image of it being scary were exposed to the work through this theater version. So I hope that those people will come to see the second part of the film as well. When I finished the first part, I wanted to see the second part as soon as possible. I am sure that you will feel the same way, and I am sure that when you see the second part, you will want to see the rest of the film as soon as possible. I myself can't wait to see the sequel, so I hope that you will continue to support "Shinkage no Kyojin" and at the same time, love the characters and the worldview even more than before.

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