Autumn Anime "Kizuna no Ariru" Second Season Broadcast Commemorative Cast Interview! No.4 Hikari Kodama (Chris) [PR].

As an anime project of the world's first virtual YouTuber "Kizuna Eye", the first season of the anime "Kizuna Ariru" has been broadcast since April 2023.

Following the first season, which can be called an introduction to the story of Miraku, a girl who follows Kizuna Ai's back and aspires to become a virtual artist, and her friends, the long-awaited second season will begin in October.

Akiba Research Institute continues to push this work, in which reality and virtuality cross over, to the hilt. We will be releasing daily interviews with the members of PathTLive, formed by the main character Miraku, as well as the cast of the virtual artists who will appear in the second season.

The fourth interview is with Hikari Kodama (Chris)!

───Please tell us how you feel now that the first season has been completed.

Kodama: I am relieved to have successfully completed the broadcast. Before the broadcast, I was really nervous because it was my first time dubbing and I didn't have an image of how my performance would move in the anime. But I was very happy that there were people who were watching the show in real time every week, and people who were following the show on streaming services, etc. Thank you very much!

─ ─ What was the most memorable scene or line from the first season?

Kodama: The most memorable line is "You are interested in Mirak," which was used in the PV and in the second episode when Chris first appeared in the show. That's right. I think that line gave everyone an idea of what kind of girl Chris is.

─ How is the reaction of the people around you and your fans?

Kodama: As I am usually a singer-songwriter, this is my first time working with a voice actor, so everyone was very surprised and happy when I told them about it! I had previously sung an insert song for an anime, and some people were happy to hear Hikari's voice again in an anime! I felt a chain of happiness.

─ Now that you know the personalities of the characters better, who would you like to say something to and what would you like to say to the other characters?

Kodama: I'd like to stay home with Marumaru and watch a movie or something (laughs). I'd like to hug him and say "Marumaru~" ....... And sometimes I want to use him as a pillow and say, "Will you stop using me as a pillow? （I'd like to be told, "Stop using me as a pillow!

─ ─ What kind of activities can we expect to see in the second season, which will finally start airing?

Kodama: In the second season, when all 15 members finally get together, there will be a scene where Chris, who has started to get to know everyone, shows some hostility toward a certain character and struggles with him. ...... I hope you can look forward to seeing what Chris is like at that time! (Laughs) I think another charm of "Kizuna no Ariru" is that you can enjoy various kinds of music throughout the production!

─ ─ Units other than PathTLive will also appear in the second season. Please tell us about the units you are currently interested in, along with the reasons why.

Kodama: BRT5 (Bart5) has attractive costumes with a sense of unity, so I am very much looking forward to seeing how they will perform! I am sure that they will show us a cool side that is different from that of PathTLive!

─ By the way, at the "Chao x Ribon Girls Comic Fest" held the other day, you gave PathTLive's first live performance in real life and performed a live reading!

Kodama: It was the first time for me to actually perform in front of an audience, and I was so happy to finally meet you! I was so happy to be able to perform in front of the audience for the first time. It was our first real event as PathTLive, and I sincerely hope that we will have a chance to meet again in a more matured form in the future.

─ ─ I imagine you must have gone through a lot of things in the lessons leading up to the event and backstage on the day of the event?

Kodama: It was the first time for us to do a real performance, so we all practiced dancing and singing together, curled up together and sang, and prepared in a friendly atmosphere! In the dressing room on the day of the performance, we wore costumes and complimented each other on how "cute and cuddly" we looked (laughs). They all looked great in their costumes, which were very character-driven, but also showed their individuality!

You are also active in the XR artist project "Alleles." What were some of your most memorable moments there and what would you like to do in the future?

Kodama: I have fond memories of the live game broadcast of "Mainichi Alleles" as Niska and Ai's Soroban Club (laughs). I was laughing with Yurin (Yuri Matsuoka) after watching the archives. I also had a blast on the train on the way home, and I have fond memories, including the time I missed two stations while laughing under my mask. ...... (laugh)

─ ─ What do you feel you have gained and matured through this work?

Kodama: It was the first time for me to dance in front of everyone, so it was a challenge for me. At first I thought, "I can't do this! I can't keep up! What am I going to do? I was crying and sputtering, but little by little I practiced on my own, and with everyone's support, I felt many moments when "I can't do it" turned into "I can do it," and I feel it was a proof of my growth.

─ By the way, if you were to actually enter the virtual world, what kind of avatar would you make?

Kodama: I have a petite build, so I would like to be a girl of about 6 feet tall with a great style. I would like to have long hair and an avatar that is the complete opposite of my current self, and would look good in both very girly and cool clothes, and enjoy changing every day.

─ ─ Finally, do you have a message for both those who enjoyed the first season and those who are interested in the show but have not watched it yet?

Kodama: Thank you very much for reading this far! Kizuna no Ariru" is a story about a group of people who are working hard to achieve their dreams. I hope you will join us in our activities as Alleles and PathTLive, and I hope you will be excited about the upcoming second season as well! I would be very happy if you could join us in our activities as Alleles and PathTLive!

I hope that we can connect with as many people as possible!

Information on the works
TV anime "Kizuna no Ariru" second season

＜Broadcast Information

TV Tokyo October 4, Wednesday midnight 24:00~.
TV Osaka October 4, Wednesday at 1:35 am -
TV Aichi October 4, Wednesday at 2:05 a.m.
Animax Saturday, October 14, 9:30 a.m.

<Cast

PathTLive
Miraku: Ayumi Hihara
Quon: Rina Kawaguchi
Chris: Hikari Kodama
Noel: Yuzuka Nukui
Liz: Arisaki Hanawa

BRT5
Nisca: Yuri Matsuoka
Jessie: Ran Fue
Ellie: Yuka Yoshiki
Sarah: Hina Natsume
Hal: Hinaki Yano

VICONIC
Jua: Nozomi Nagumo
Seah: Tsukino

3DM8
Hymena: Ruri Arai
Zoe: Nawa Furuhata
Sophia: Yuna Kitahara

Kizuna Ai: Kizuna Ai

Auris: Maazumi Tazawa
Ada:Kana Ueda

<Staff
Director : Kenichiro Komaya
Series composition：Deko Akao
Character Design : Shiori Asaka / Fumina Morita
Chief Animation Director : Shiori Asaka / Futatsuna Morita / Mizuki Takahashi
Prop Design: Kai-Qi Dan
Color Design: Mitsuko Sekimoto
Art Director: Masakazu Miyake
Art Director: Masakazu Miyake ・ Art Setup: Kazushige Kanehira / Yuri Sanami / Hitoyuki Ogi
CG Director: Ryo Sasaki
Director of Photography: Mayuko Koike
Editing: Junichi Masunaga
Sound Director: Hitoshi Akutagawa
Sound Effects: Yui Ando
Music: Tsuyoshi Sakabe
Animation Production: WIT STUDIO × Signal M.D.

Second Season Opening Theme
Perfect World! (Sung by PathTLive)

Second season ending theme
Jankenhoi! (Sung by #kzn)

<Distribution information
Bandai Channel, Hulu, TELASA, J:COM On Demand Megapack, milplus, Smart Pass Premium, dAnime Store, NETFLIX, U-NEXT, Anime Unlimited, Prime Video, DMM TV, FOD Premium, Flat Video, ABEMA, Nico Nico Live, Lemino, Animax on Demand

XR Artist Project "Alleles
What is XR Artist Project "Alleles"?

Dive into "i" Let's dive into it, into the me you want to be.
This is a project in which 15 members with different origins and personalities from the TV animation "Kizuna no Ariru" will dive into the virtual world and grow up.

(c)KA/Kizuna no Ariru PJ (c)Kizuna no Ariru Production Committee