Interview with Shotaro Morikubo, who plays Yusuke Makishima in "Weak Pedal Re:GENERATION! He talks about how he feels about entrusting his work to the next generation of members.

An interview with Shotaro Morikubo, who plays Yusuke Makishima in the new part of "WIMUSU PEDAL Re:GENERATION" currently in theaters, is now available.

Following the first season in 2013 and the second season in 2014, the third season, "NEW GENERATION" is currently in production, Following the first season in 2013 and the second season in 2014, the third season, "NEW GENERATION," as the title suggests, is a heated drama about the "new generation team" of Sohoku High School's cycling club, including the main character, Sakamichi Onoda. Currently, "Weak Pedal Re:GENERATION," which is a newly cut version of the third season's story, is in theaters, and the fourth season will be broadcast on TV from 2018.
⇒Schedule of anime movie screenings
⇒2018 Winter Anime List

In "YAMUSUME PEDAL", Yusuke Makishima, played by Mr. Morikubo, was an ace climber of Sohoku team in the first and second seasons of the TV anime, and in the third season, he moved to England to watch over the juniors of Sohoku High School. In the new part of the film, Makishima rushes to England to cheer on the juniors competing in the Inter High School competition.

Mr. Morikubo, who plays Makishima, talked about his passion for the work, including his feelings about entrusting "Weak Pedal" to a new generation of cast members and how Makishima has changed since the first and second seasons.

Official Interview] (*Honorifics omitted)

--When the postrecording for the first season of "Weak-Mushi Pedal" started in 2013, did you have a lot of experience working on the series?

Morikubo: Was it that long ago (laughs)?　The first recording was for an OVA, not a TV anime, and that was also the first time I met Yamashita (Daiki), who played Sakamichi. He had a hole in the heel of his socks, so I was very impressed in that sense as well. 4 years ago, ...... it doesn't seem that long ago.

--I'm not sure why that is.

Morikubo: After I became a member of "Nu-Gene" and had my first scene, I was away from the recording studio, but when I met the members of "Nu-Gene" at the site of other productions, I would hear their stories. So I feel like I've always been a part of "WIMUSUGU PEDAL". So I feel like, "Oh, it's already been 4 years.

--I feel like I'm like Makishima in England who receives a letter from Sakamichi...

Morikubo Yes, that's right (laughs)... In July, there was a "Tour de Yowapeda" (a special event for the anime "Yowamushi Pedal") for "NuGene", wasn't there?　On the day of the event, Yamashita-kun said to me, "I'm going to an event now!　I'll do my best! I'll do my best! I usually don't receive such a message on purpose, so I wondered what was going on.　I wondered what was wrong, but I responded with something like, "Oh, good luck.

--Morikubo: Did you ask him why?

Morikubo: I asked him later when we went out for dinner, and he said, "It's the first Tour de Ouapeda with new members, and I was nervous and anxious about what kind of event it would be ....... I think that, like Sakamichi, he was a newcomer at the beginning and was pulled along by his seniors, but now that he is a new member of NuGene and Sakamichi is a second-year student, he has become more aware of what he is doing.

--I think he has become more aware of what he is doing now that he is a new member of Nu-Gene and Sakamichi is a sophomore. As you have been playing the role of Makishima, who leads Sakamichi, have your impressions of Makishima changed from the beginning of the first season to now?

Morikubo: Very much so. The Makishima of the beginning had a self-centered attitude and didn't care about the people around him, and even didn't inform Kinjo and the others that he was coming back from England this time (laughs). (Laughs) But, while he was just trying to reach the highest heights as a climber in Sohoku, Sakamichi joined the club and I felt he was the next in line as a climber, which gave him a different kind of motivation. As for myself playing Makishima, I think in retrospect that his encounter with Sakamichi was really significant for him.

--I think that Makishima's mental growth was a result of his encounter with Sakamichi, who was only interested in his own climbing.

Morikubo: From the motivation to pursue his own running, he found Sakamichi, and feelings he had never felt before were born. I believed in Sakamichi and his teammates as we fought together for victory on the big stage of the Inter-Highs. When he had to leave the club earlier to go to England, he clearly entrusted his next move to Sakamichi. I think Makishima changed step by step.

--He is a very normal college student, but he is also a very strong and strong person. That seems very normal college student-like. ......

Morikubo That's right. I'm not a player, so I don't have anything to carry on my back, and my relationship with the current team is as an alumnus. Of course, I will have expectations for the team, and depending on the race, I may get nervous, but even so, the three of us in the car must be having a lot of fun because we are not going to fight (laughs). I think Makishima will be happy to be with Kaneshiro and Tadokoro.

--How was the postrecording?

Morikubo: It was also linked to the main story. We were playing a scene that was not a race, but a trailer (C part) for the TV anime version.　（Kentaro (who plays Tadokoro) plays a very strong role. Not to be outdone, Yasumoto-kun and I also put on a strong performance, and the three of us stimulated each other. Just like in the movie, we left the racing to Yamashita-kun and the others, and we were having a great time like Makishima and the others at another place. Let's have fun! Let's get naughty!" If we got a nod, we would just do another take (laughs).

--(laughs). Please give a message to the fans who are going to see "Re:GENERATION" who had such a great time.

Morikubo: Makishima and the others and we have the same feeling that we are entrusting the members of New Generation. So, even though we are performing the new part in the film, we feel that we are close to the audience. So I am looking forward to "Re:GENERATION" with you all. Let's enjoy it together!

Release information
■"Weak Pedal Re:GENERATION
Release date: October 13, 2017 (Fri.) for a limited two-week special screening.
Theater information: #

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