Kaguya-sama" new work is 95 minutes that makes you want to cheer! Interview with Aoi Koga, Yoshimi Ohara, and Mimyu Tomita, Part 1 of "Kaguya-sama ga Kessanai - First Kiss Never Ends!

Kaguya-sama ga Sesshirasai - First Kiss Never Ends -", an anime that will be shown in special screenings from December 17, 2022 (Saturday) prior to the TV broadcast.

Based on the popular romantic comedy manga "Kaguya-sama ga Keshirakasai - Geniuses' Love Brain Battle" (original story: Akasa Akasaka / hereinafter "Kaguya-sama"), which recently reached its final episode in "Weekly Young Jump". The story is set at Shuchiin Academy, an elite school, where a love brain battle unfolds between the student council president, Gyoko Shiragin, and the vice council president, Kaguya Shinomiya. The third season of the TV anime "Kaguya-sama ga Tetsuzarasai -First Kiss Never Ends-," which aired from April 2022.

Prior to its screening, Akiba Research Institute spoke with the female members of the student council, Aoi Koga (who plays Kaguya Shinomiya), Yoshimi Ohara (who plays Senka Fujiwara), and Miyu Tomita (who plays Miko Iino), about the highlights of the work, their co-stars, and much more.

What are the highlights of the third season after the ultra-romantic?

--The third season was truly romantic, just as the title suggests. Please tell us about your impressions of it first.

Koga I am very happy that I was able to see the final scene in the anime. I was also deeply moved because I had a lot of thoughts and feelings when I was working on it. I was filled with feelings of "Kaguya, I'm really glad you worked hard" and "I'm glad you were able to meet everyone. The story of Kaguya and the chairman has progressed a bit, and the first-year students (Masaru Ishigami and Miko Iino) have also made some progress. I am really glad that we all made it this far.

Obara: As an actor, I was genuinely happy to have made it this far, and in terms of the role, I directly felt that Kaguya and the chairman had finally come this far. In addition, Mr. Akasaka, the author of the original work, once told me that he would be happy if this part could be seen as an anime. At the time when he told us about it, we had no idea that we would be able to create the scene in the clock tower, so it was a moment when his dream came true, as well as ours. We received many comments from fans of the original that they could finally see that scene, so I felt that it was the moment when "everyone's dream" came true.

Tomita: I am also happy that everyone was able to see the film and that it has made it this far. All of the characters have grown in their own way as students since the beginning, and I think the final episode of the third season marked a milestone in their development. That's why I still can't erase the last episode I recorded on my TV at home. In my life as a voice actor, that ultra-romantic final episode is a story I will never forget.

As for Miko, she worked very hard in the third season as a member of the festival committee, going around the school asking for help to build a campfire. I was very happy to see the results of Miko's efforts in the final episode.

--The third season of "Kaguya-sama ga Sotoshirasai - First Kiss Never Ends" is the follow-up to the third season of "Kaguya-sama ga Sotoshirasai - First Kiss Never Ends. What are the highlights from each character's point of view, and what do you yourself pay attention to?

Koga: From Kaguya's point of view, after the third season, she was thinking, "Well, what am I going to do from here? I have to face the chairman!" I have to face the chairman! This new work depicts that determination very well, so I would like you to pay attention to Kaguya's thoughts and feelings when you watch it. Kaguya's ideal, the way she wants to be exposed and confronted, and the Chairman's idea of how the two of them should be - how do their thoughts fit together? Kaguya is also very conflicted, but there is a lot to be touched by the Chairman's feelings as well. If you have an important person in your life or someone you want to confront, I think that if you watch the movie while thinking about that person, it will make you feel even more deeply.

Also, you can see various expressions that Kaguya has never shown before. I hope that you will see these aspects of Kaguya as well.

Obara: Since I am involved in this work as Fujiwara, I am most interested in Kaguya. I was almost always with Aoi Koga during postrecording, so I couldn't help but follow her. Sometimes I see the same expressions on Kaguya's face and in the video, or see a slight link between her movements and the scenes in which she struggles with her own conflicts, which are filled with the charm that only her acting can bring out. How will Kaguya, who has not fully matured yet, change her mind and how will she be changed by the chairman? I would like people to see that. Also, Kaguya-chan is cute!

Tomita How cute!

Obara I say this because I know her well, but "Kaguya-chan" looks just like Aoi Koga (laughs).

Koga That's not true! She's not! (laughs)

Obara I thought it was very soothing. You can really see Kaguya's various expressions this time, so I think that's the best part of the show.

Koga (whispering) Mama.

Obara They really look alike. Kaguya and Aoi Koga (laughs).

--How about you, Mr. Tomita?

Tomita: I watched the first 30 minutes of the completed video, and I said to myself, "Ao-san is amazing ....... I really thought that Ao-san (Aoi Koga) is a wonderful actress, and the way she plays different parts is a highlight of her performance. Besides, what will Kaguya and Shiragane do in the future after the third season of "Ultra Romantic"? I hope that everyone will watch the show and be pushed around in a good way.

I feel that I was able to see the Chairman and Kaguya from the perspective of a performer who took a step back a bit this time. I felt that I was able to look at Mr. Furukawa (Shin Furukawa, who plays Gyoko Shiragin) and Ms. Ao (Ms. Koga) objectively from the perspective of the two who had been running through the second and third seasons.

I feel like I want to support them as they grow up.

--I think the interesting thing about "Kaguya-sama" is that they don't become lovers after such a romantic ending in the third season. How did the three of you feel about Kaguya and the chairman this time? Were they frustrated?

Obara If they got together, the story would end, so I thought, "They won't get together! Good! The story continues" (laughs).

Tomita That's true (laughs).

Koga (laughs).

Obara But this time, when we were recording, I felt that Kaguya was frustrated. As I was watching her, I thought, "No, you should be honest," but I guess the person in the most pain is probably Kaguya herself, and she must have a lot of feelings that can't be put into one word. When I see her, I feel affection for her. The chairman of the board of directors is also somewhat difficult to be honest in a different way, and the exquisite balance between the two gradually became more and more endearing. At the beginning, I thought they would easily get together, but now I feel as if I want them to grow up (warm eyes).

Koga Indeed. The first episode of the first season was the most "brain battle," and from the latter half, it became obvious that they were fighting each other. I'm amazed that they got to that point.

Obara When they held hands, there was a huge applause.

Koga Wow! They're holding hands! They were like, "Wow!

Obara When did you hold hands? Which way did you start? I was like, "Which way did you start?

Tomita Mm-hmm.

Koga It was amazing, wasn't it? If they had been that ultra-romantic, it would have been easy, but I think it was just like those two to rethink things. But I'm glad to see their new work thanks to their reconsideration. ...... I think they have matured a lot by saying "Let's face it," so I feel frustrated, but I also want to support them.

Tomita The frustration between the two of them has been there since the second season at the gymnasium.

Koga That's right! When I close my eyes (excitedly).

Tomita For me, I was like, "Oh no, hurry up and do it! But from Miko's point of view, I had to say "you piece of shit," so I had to reset my feelings, and there was a part of me that was put on an emotional roller coaster. This is the "Kaguya-sama" we hear so much about! I felt like I was on a roller coaster.

But, as Ao-san said, from the third period to this time, I could objectively say, "Hang in there, hang in there! Go for it! I want everyone to make various faces in the dark space of a movie theater (where people can't see you). I hope everyone will make various faces in the dark space of the cinema (where people cannot see you). I think you will go home with your faces all messed up in two hours.

Obara Yes, yes.

From left: Mimyu Tomita, Aoi Koga, Yoshimi Obara

In the second part, we asked the ladies to talk a lot about Chairman Shiragin - or rather, Shin Furukawa! Stay tuned!

(Reporting, writing, and photography by Kenichi Chiba)