I told her that I wanted to wear a uniform. Nao Higashiyama's 2nd single "Imakoko / Tsuki ga Kirei" is filled with adolescent crush.

Nao Higashiyama, who plays the role of Ryoko Sonoda in the TV anime "Tsuki ga Kirei" and is also active in the field of singing, performing the opening and ending songs as well as an insert song, released a coupling single of the OP "Imakoko" and ED "Tsuki ga Kirei" on May 24, 2017. In addition, on July 5, "TV anime 'Tsuki ga Kirei' Sound Collection," which includes the insert songs that have been used in memorable scenes, will also be released. We had a chance to talk a lot about "Tsuki ga Kirei" and the appeal of its songs.

We enjoyed hearing your comments after watching the episode (laugh).

──Can you tell us how you got involved with "Tsuki ga Kirei"?

Higashiyama: First of all, I auditioned for the role. It was last June, and I was cast in another role, but I ended up getting the role of Ms. Sonoda.

─ ─ From the junior high school students Kotaro and Akane's point of view, they are adults, but Ms. Sonoda is a young and pretty woman, isn't she?

Higashiyama: A junior high school teacher and a homeroom teacher for the third and final grade gives the impression of an adult's job, but Ryoko-sensei is a woman who has just graduated from a music college and is still confused about her role as a teacher. Perhaps because of this, I think I was given an interesting role as she is causing romantic upheaval in an unforeseen direction.

─ ─ How do you feel about the story and characters in "Tsuki ga Kirei"?

Higashiyama: The film is set in the atmospheric townscape of Kawagoe, which is called "Koedo," and it carefully depicts people's daily lives and the gradual movement of emotions. In the words of director Seiji Kishi (Seiji Kishi), "I challenged myself to depict in anime an ordinary everyday drama that did not need to be made into an anime.

─ I heard that "Tsuki ga Kirei" was prescreened before the voice recording.

Higashiyama: Yes. Moreover, there was a preliminary reading of the script, just like in a TV drama. The cast gathered at an earlier stage than the recording began, and everyone got together in a circle with the director and sound director to read the script together. Thanks to this process, we were able to firmly develop the inner lives of the characters, and I think this led to the delicate mood that pervades the entire work.

─ You have already finished recording all the episodes, didn't you feel that the recording process from the first episode to the final episode went by very quickly?

Higashiyama: That may be so. But I ended up being able to be involved with "Tsuki ga Kirei" longer than the other cast members because I was able to be involved with this work as a singer. I haven't finished the recording of the song yet, and I still feel that "Tsuki ga Kirei" is still going on.

─ ─ In addition to the opening and ending songs, you also sang all of the insert songs that appear at key points in the film. Was it decided from the beginning that you would be involved in the singing?

Higashiyama: First, I was asked to sing the opening song, then the ending song, then the insert songs, and so on.

─ I think the music contributed a great deal to the film.

Higashiyama The relationship between the movie "Kimi no na wa. and RADWIMPS, I worked to make the work and the song become one. I am very happy to be able to be closely involved in this wonderful work.

─ ─ Since you were also involved as an actor and knew the contents of all the episodes, you must have been able to sing every song with a deep understanding of the world of the work, right?

Higashiyama: Yes, that's right. The opening song "Imakoko" expresses Kotaro-kun's feelings and the ending song "Tsuki ga Kirei" expresses Akane-chan's feelings, and I sang them as Nao Higashiyama's expression. For the insert songs, I tried to sing plainly without adding too many facial expressions, since there were times when lines were added on top of the song. For the insert songs, I felt that my singing was part of the instrumentation.

──How do you feel about the reaction of the fans now that the show has started airing?

Higashiyama: I thought it would be a quaint, quiet work that could be watched quietly, but I got a lot of comments like, "It's so creepy! I know how you feel," or "Why doesn't Kotaro go here? It was interesting to see how many of the viewers were enjoying watching the show while giving their own comments. Before and after the broadcast, my impression of "Tsuki ga Kirei" changed dramatically. I grew up in an all-girls' school, so I didn't know what it was like to be a man. Kotaro's jadeau boxing using a string of electric lights and the reactions of the male audience at the screening event were amazing. I feel as if the fans have taught me things about the film that I had not yet noticed.

─ ─ It reminds me of my own junior high school days, and it really gets my juices flowing (laughs).

Higashiyama: I think it's because all the characters are alive and well. It is also interesting that after the ending, there is a "C" part where the characters are explored in depth. I think it's fun to revisit the first episode after you have a deeper understanding of each character. You will be able to understand why this person was in this scene.