Maybe "a character I've never played before" is Miro? Interview with Mikako Komatsu, who plays Miro in the epic anime "revisions" that will kick off 2019!

The original anime "revisions" will begin airing on Fuji Television's new anime slot "+Ultra" on January 9, 2019 (Wednesday). Mikako Komatsu plays Milo, a woman living in a future ruined by a pandemic. Milo, who belongs to a mysterious organization called "Irv," seems to be a character that opened a new door for Ms. Komatsu as a voice actress.

I played the role with an awareness of the kind of agent you might see in a Western movie.

--How did you feel when you were chosen to play the role of Miro?

Mikako Komatsu (Komatsu): This film was a "tape audition," in which each of us dubbed our performance onto a tape, which was then judged.

At the time of the audition, I did not have a clear understanding of the character of Miro, but I had a rough image of him as a person from the future, a member of an organization called Irv, and in a battle for the survival of the human race. Rather than being emotionless, I was more conscious of the fact that he hated the Revisions and put his life on the line to complete his mission, and when I played the role, I was able to pass the test.

I was surprised because I thought that the character I had played until now was closer to Ru. I had worked with director Goro Taniguchi on a film called "Pure Maria," in which I played the role of a boy. So there was a lot of pressure on me to play the role in a way that would change the character from that time.

--What was your impression of the world of the film?

Komatsu: The story is about people who have been jumped more than 300 years into the future and are in a panic because of an attack by people from the future called Revisions.

--What were you careful about in playing Milo?

Komatsu: Works with mysterious organizations like Irv remind me of "foreign dramas" in my mind. Because of that, I played the role with the image of a spy-like character that appears in those dramas.

I tend to play mature characters of this age in anime, but since I was the only older sister of Daisuke Dojima, the main character, and the other "five good friends," I was even more conscious of my role as an adult than usual.

--Did your acting style change as the episodes went by?

Komatsu: The impression of Miro in the past, which was depicted in the first episode, is completely different from the impression of Miro in the future, and I had a hard time deciding how to play Miro. I think the reason for the change in the way Miro treats Daisuke and the others will also be depicted in the future.

She always has the philosophy that "the mission comes first," and she seems to regard Daisuke and the others as "people she met to carry out her mission," rather than as something to be concerned about. There is a scene in which an episode about Milo's parents is discussed, and whether or not Irv is a good organization or not, we may come to understand why Milo, who has always lived his life thinking only about the organization, is fighting.

--There is a puppet weapon called "String Puppet" in this work, and Daisuke and his friends ride it and fight, but does Miro also participate in the battle?

Komatsu: There are battle scenes from the beginning of the story, but she basically rides a motorcycle and shoots a gun while giving Daisuke and the others instructions. She often helps Daisuke and the others. The "String Puppets" that Gai, Ruu, Mari-Mari, and Keisaku ride have different fighting abilities depending on their skills, so I would like you to pay attention to that as well.

--Is there any character you are interested in?

Komatsu: Daisuke is a unique character in this work, isn't he? He is so dangerous that you wonder if it is safe to have him as the main character. I would say that Daisuke is so dangerous that I was worried about whether he would be okay as the main character. (Laughs.) Normally, Daisuke would be portrayed as "living a righteous life with the words of Milo, a man he met in the past, in his heart," but it was interesting that he grew up in a slightly twisted direction.

His counterpart would be Guy. I think he has the qualities of a leader and can act when something is wrong, so he can gain people's trust. But even he has a human side to him, and it is interesting to see the unexpected side of each of the characters.

He acts as a "balancer" among his friends (laughs).

--In this work, Daisuke and the other "five good friends" are the core of the story.

Komatsu: I had good friends when I was still young and living in Mie Prefecture, but I never had the typical "secretly in love" episodes (laughs). But I still remain close with friends I met in junior high and high school and who moved to Tokyo.

--Who do you think is in the position closest to you among the five of you?

Komatsu: That would be Keisaku. When I am in a circle of people, I naturally tend to play the role of keeping a good balance so that everyone can enjoy themselves smoothly. Is he a "balancer" like Milo (laughs)?

--(laughs) - Is that the same role you play in online games with a large number of players?

Komatsu Yes, it is. Although she cannot inflict heavy damage, she may be the type who supports the enemy with "debuffs," attacks that inflict abnormal conditions, etc. on the enemy.

--I understand that you have already finished recording all the episodes.

Komatsu: Before the recording of the main story, we had a meeting with the director and others, and we were able to go through the recording with the video in the beginning, so I was able to get a good feel for the recording. I am still looking forward to seeing the finished product. I also wanted to enjoy the future development from a "fan's point of view," so I read the script one episode at a time right before the recording session after knowing a rough outline of the story.

When I had my fortune read before, I was told that I would meet a character I had never played before, and I think it might be Milo. I hope that everyone will look forward to the work and pay attention to Miro as well.

--Lastly, what would you do if you were transported to the future?

Komatsu: If I were transported to the world of "revisions," I would hide in a place where I would be hard to find, eat the food that is left behind, and live quietly. I don't want to be killed by something unknown (laughs).

(Interview, text, and photographs by Atsushi Saeki)