2022 Winter Anime] Anime Version May Surprise You from the Beginning! Interview with Haruka Tomatsu, who plays M4A1 in the long-awaited TV anime "Dolls Frontline

The TV anime "Dolls Frontline" (abbreviated "Dolflo") will start on January 7, 2022.

In the devastated world after the Third World War that engulfed the entire world, the technology of machine life forms created by the war and the resulting labor shortage has developed, and tactical dolls are now employed by all military organizations.

Later, when the AI of the military corporation "Iron-Blooded Industrial Company" rose up against mankind, the tactical dolls of the private military company "Griffin" took a stand to investigate and stop them.

We asked Haruka Tomatsu, who plays M4A1, the leader of the "AR Platoon" consisting of the finest tactical dolls belonging to "Griffin" and able to direct other dolls in operational actions even in the absence of a human commander, about the appeal of this work.

The appeal of M4A1 is the gap between intensity and delicacy

Q: How did you feel when you found out that the work was going to be made into an anime?

Tomatsu: I have known the character for a long time, and although there was a mini-anime, I had the feeling that it was something else. I was also very happy to have the opportunity to make this work known to people who thought it would be interesting.

Q: You must be very happy to see that the game has been adapted into an anime.

Tomatsu: That's right. There are many fascinating games out there, but I think it's great that the "Dolflo" game has lasted so long, and I've met people in the same industry who have been playing it, so I think it's really thanks to the many people who have played it.

Q: Are there many military fans?

Tomatsu: I think there are many!　Even people close to me like battle games and savage games, and there have been times when people have said, "A game came out, so I gave it a try, and it was Tomacchan. Also, maybe the names of the characters are appealing.

I think the names of the characters might be appealing. It is difficult to read them unless you are a military fan, isn't it? Should it be read in numbers or in English, etc.?

Tomatsu: Indeed!　It could be "fifteen" or "one hundred and sixty. It was through this work that I also became familiar with military terminology.

Q: I was wondering if the anime version would be easy to understand and enjoy even for military beginners.

Tomatsu: The recording itself was done about a year ago, so I was impressed to see how it turned out! I was very impressed. When there is a battle, the characters are busy with their movements, so during the recording, I was busy landing here, turning around there, and avoiding the battle. So when I saw the finished video, I was impressed!　I was able to discover new things about the animation and the sound of guns flying around.

Q: It must be difficult to record the battle scenes because the images are not completely finished.

Tomatsu: During recording, I had to consider the sense of distance, but with communication, on the contrary, I didn't think about distance. I had to imagine what kind of situation he was talking under. It was difficult because there were ways of talking and communicating that were unique to tactical dolls.

Q: Apart from the military aspect, I think the characters are attractive and cute.

Tomatsu: To give a rough idea of the character of M4A1, I think he is a modest type, but he has leadership skills. But in terms of the command I take, I have a strong sense of responsibility, so I can't help but wonder, "Is this the right thing to do?" I can't help but think, "Is this the right thing to do? After all, in a battle, sacrifices are made and someone gets hurt. So, if I were to say that the M4A1 is the type of person who has leadership skills, is strong, and says, "Follow me," that would not be the case! But he also has a sensitive side.

However, when he decides to fight, he has great momentum!　When his battle switch is turned on, he is very strong. He is an excellent tactical puppet and is highly respected by those around him, but when his friends are hurt or injured, he never forgives his enemies! When his friends are injured or killed, he is in a sense cold-hearted and cruel to his enemies, and I feel the difference between the two in the anime version. In a sense, they are cold-hearted and cruel. I feel this difference more now that I have animated the story.

I definitely felt the gap between the subtlety of the leader's command and the intensity of the individual.

Tomatsu: As the story progresses, you hear "Shut up! or "Shut up!" or "I'm not going to hurt you!" There are moments when he snaps out of it, and in the ...... anime, he has become a child who clearly has many different sides to him.

She has a tough position to play.

Tomatsu: There are some things that change with the arrival of Jeanciane (CV. Mikako Komatsu), but the position of M4 is a very responsible one. Even though they are dolls, they get hurt or broken, and of course I can fix them, but she has a lot of emotion about that .......

So I'm sure I'm on the wrong side of the board (laughs). (Laughs.) I have to organize the subordinates, and I also have to take orders from my superiors. They are the ones who work on site, so I have to keep a sense of urgency because a mistake in choice at the site can lead directly to them being beaten up. I think it is a very difficult position to be in.

Q: Aren't you in a similar position now, Mr. Tomatsu?　You have juniors and you can talk with seniors at a close distance.

Tomatsu: I wonder if that is true (laughs). I'm the type of person who enjoys myself immensely, and I don't even have the "ri" in leadership. ...... I'm not good at it because I'm basically goofy and playful with the junior staff (laughs). So, I am dependable! My dream is to be told that I am reliable. I've never been told that. ......

I feel secure.

Tomatsu: Do I?　Not at all!　You are totally different from M4 with leadership (laughs).

Q: On the contrary, do you have anything in common?

Tomatsu: I am also the type of person who has a clear sense of joy, anger, sadness, and humor. On the battlefield, there is no time to catch your breath, so the next attack comes just as you are feeling down, and you often change your mind quickly, so I thought there were similarities.

Q: Is there anything that you were told to do in your play, or anything that was important to you?

Tomatsu: In the play, I was told to never run out of breath even in a running play, and everyone was conscious of that.

Everyone has their own position because they are tactical dolls and how they should be, but everyone has a different way of thinking, and this leads to one of the overall themes of "Dolls Frontline" as the story progresses.

In other words, you can physically repair the wounds, back up your memories, reset and come back and say, "I fixed it," but there's a part of you that doesn't know if you can build the same relationship as when you were fighting together before. Some kids are okay with that, and some are kind of not.

Q: So the latter is the M4A1?

Tomatsu: Yes, M4s are more human-like and want to cherish the life of the doll at that moment. It would be interesting to see the difference in their way of thinking and their personalities.

Q: Are there any other characters you would like people to pay attention to or like?

Tomatsu: They all have cute looks and personalities, but they are not just a group of girls who get along and fight. The cute looking girls get blown up (laughs). They are dolls, so they don't bleed or anything like that. ......

But in terms of allies, I like M4 SOPMOD II (M4 SOPMOD II: CV. Tamura Yukari). I think she is very soothing. When it comes to battles, there are many scenes where everyone fights seriously, but SOPMOD II fights cheerfully, and after the battle, she praises her achievements and giggles afterwards.

If you were to play a game of Savage, would you be a strong or weak fighter? Would he be weak?

Q: As you said, the battle was hard.

Tomatsu: It was hard!　I don't think there is any episode without battles, so I think that is one of the highlights of the show. And while the battles are physical, they are also brain battles, or rather, they have a good strategy. In some cases, they can be outsmarted, and in other cases, they can be ...... outsmarted, so it's not only the actual action scenes, but also the trap fights, which I think are a lot of fun.

I think it will be fun to see what happens if you take your eyes off the screen for even a second. I think it's going to be like, "What just happened?

Tomatsu: So I want the audience to concentrate on the action!

In the game, the player is the commander, but in the anime, Jeanciane is the commander, so until I met her, M4 was somehow in charge of the group, but with the arrival of Jeanciane, who was able to organize the group, M4's attitude and thinking changed. I thought it was nice to have a commander (laughs).

Q: I imagine there are difficulties in having a large number of people who can command.

Tomatsu: That is quite realistic. M4s are gentle, but there are times when they cannot give in depending on how they think about the battle. They are the ones in the field, so how about that? There are some places where they bite like that.

But I could see how mature Jean-Chiane was in her thinking. She accepts that this is the situation at the site and summarizes it by saying, "Yes, that's right, but...! I was impressed by the dignity with which he was able to put it all together. He is still young, isn't he?

I don't want to do it if my order is absolute, but it would be nice if he said so.

Tomatsu: The way you communicate is also very important. I am glad that Jeanciane and I were able to record together. There was a lot of communication.

We often communicated with each other, but there is a different sense of tension between the tactical dolls on site and Janciane's side, and I was able to feel that through the communication. At that time, M4 was often in a state of rage, but a single word from Janciane could make him calm down.

Q: Were there any enemies that caught your attention?

Tomatsu: Shizuka Ito played the role of the executioner, and I couldn't forget that battle!　When I checked the script, she was relentless! I was like, "He's relentless!

It was a scene I will never forget because I saw the scary side of the M4, the side that keeps shooting even though the victory is already decided. I was happy to be able to record it with Shizuka-san.

Q: Taking a break from your work for a moment, Tomatsu-san, have you ever played Savage?

Tomatsu: I have never done so!　So I am thinking of making it a goal for 2022 (laughs). I heard from Mikako (Mikako Komatsu) that there are places where you can do it indoors, so I would like to go there.

I think that if I suddenly go to a serious one in the mountains, people would say, "Don't lick my sabbage. So I would like to start from a place where beginners are welcome. Mikakoshi doesn't know much about it, but he has done it before, so I thought I would have to go and do it on the job (laughs).

Q: There are many voice actors who like it.

Tomatsu: Surprisingly, there are some. There are a lot of people who like Savage and escape games. However, I don't know if they are at the "Dolflo" site.

Q: Do you think you are strong?

Tomatsu: Surprisingly, I think I am weak. When I shoot, I get emotional, or I think it might hurt, so I don't think I can shoot. While I'm wondering if it will hurt, I end up getting shot myself (laughs).

I am certainly not suited for this kind of work (laughs). Lastly, do you have a message for the fans of your work?

Tomatsu: I'm looking forward to the broadcast now that I finally have the chance to show everyone the animation. I think there are many people who know "Dolflo" and have affection for all the characters, not just the main ones. The anime is getting more and more characters as the story progresses, and in that sense, I never get tired of watching it every week!　They are appearing! I think there is a lot of fun in watching the anime.

And if you have never seen it before, you will be surprised at the beginning. "What's going on? I think. But as the story progresses, you will get to know more and more about it, so I think it will be a lot of fun if you can watch it while being close to the feelings of the various children. I hope that you will enjoy watching it until the end, because it is fun to see the different ways of thinking that only a tactical doll can have!