Available exclusively on dTV!　An interview with Jun Fukuyama and Daihiro Mizushima from "Assassination Classroom: The Second Period Extracurricular Class Arc," a must-see for Takebayashi fans!

Assassination Classroom" is currently airing its second TV anime season.Thevideo distribution service "dTV" is exclusively distributing " Assassination Classroom: The Second Season Extracurricular Lessons," which is a video adaptation of the original episodes not shown in the TV anime series. The interview with Jun Fukuyama, who plays Kakusei, and Daihiro Mizushima, who plays Takebayashi, the central character in the episode, is now available for viewing.

───What are your honest impressions of this work being made into a film?

Fukuyama: During the first season of the "Assassination Classroom" anime, there were some episodes that had to be cut due to time constraints, and since there were many interesting stories in them, we in the cast and staff wished that we could broadcast them all. It must have been very difficult for the production team just to add two more episodes, but we were honestly happy to hear that the main Takebayashi episode would be distributed on dTV and to be able to bring the activities of the students in Class E to everyone.

Mizushima: When the second season started, I was talking with Uezu-san, the scriptwriter, about how the Takebayashi episodes would be good. However, considering the overall balance of the second season, the "Takebayashi episode" did not fit in the broadcast, and when I was told, "Sorry, it's gone," I was shocked, even though I knew it was inevitable. At that time, I was very happy to hear that the Takebayashi episodes would be distributed on dTV. I think I probably talked more in this episode than in all the scenes that have appeared in the TV anime so far (laughs).

(laughs) ─ What was your impression when you read the script for the episode in which Takebayashi is the main character?

Mizushima: It was almost exactly the same as the original story, so I was happy to see the important parts for Takebayashi being portrayed as they were.

Fukuyama: It is important to delve into the lives of people like Takebayashi, and what everyone in Class E goes through and what it leads to is often depicted in sub-episodes like this. Takebayashi's return to Class E strengthens the unity of the group and leads to the scene that comes afterwards that they have to overcome, so it is not only an interesting episode, but also a surprisingly misogynistic part. So we are happy to be able to distribute it in this way, and even those who like the original work will be satisfied with the result. Also, the second TV season was just in the middle of getting serious, so it was great to be able to do a fun episode at this time. There are relatively few episodes in which Sensei plays around, so this was the first time in a long time that I played around (laughs).

─ ─ Are there any scenes from the episodes so far that stand out in your mind?

Fukuyama: I'll say this now, but there was a scene in episode 3 of the first season in which Takebayashi was supposed to speak, but we cut that line and eliminated Ohchu's part (laughs). (Laughs) In episode 9, when Ritsu arrives after the school trip, it is supposed to be the first time Takebayashi speaks, but in fact the line existed in the script before this. But after discussions with the director and everyone in Group E, we decided that it would be better if Takebayashi did not speak at this point (laughs).

Mizushima: The role of Takebayashi had been decided and the TV broadcast had begun, but we waited and waited and waited, and I was worried that it would end like this, but then this happened (laughs). (Laughs.) So when I participated in the recording for the first time, the way everyone accepted me was strange. They were smiling at me. Now I finally feel better about it (laughs).

Fukuyama: There was a scene in the middle where a student from Class E shouted out, "That's your first line! Takebayashi had not uttered a single word until then in order to make the most of the comment to him, "That's your first line! If it had not been for Ouetsu, someone would have called out to him, but because it was Ouetsu, everyone kept their mouths shut. So the scene was that elaborate (laughs).

Mizushima Let's just say they loved me (laughs).

Fukuyama There are many other memorable episodes, but above all, I enjoy the fact that the director accepts what I do on my own. I basically follow the script, but in the scene in episode 9 where I sneak into Ritsu's house in the middle of the night to remodel him, I whispered, "Good morning," and did some ad-libbing like a surprise when I woke up from sleep. In the first season, we didn't know the main purpose or the identity of the teacher, so there were many scenes where the students communicated with each other in order to get closer to the students.

Mizushima I have fond memories of the times when the boys united after Itona became a classmate in the second period. It was interesting to see how the boys, who were so lecherous towards the girls, somehow looked so cool. The director said to me, "Forget about your character today. Please speak in your most reluctant position. Also, I was actually particular about the detailed direction. The students with the dirty minds had shadows on them, and the shadows did not change shape even when they moved, so I directed them as if even the shadows were part of the characters. Since there was a free atmosphere on the set, I thought about how I could unleash myself, and when I defended the character, I was told to do the opposite (laughs).