Koichi Kamiki, Tomori Kusunoki, Karin Nanami, and Ruriko Aoki] "Don't Turn Away and Watch the Conclusion," a discussion commemorating the start of the second season of the fall 2022 anime "Muv-Luv Alternative!

The second season of the TV anime "Muv-Luv Alternative" began broadcasting in October2022.

Muv-Luv" is an adventure game series planned and produced by the game brand "ARGE" and released in 2003, which has sold over 800,000 copies. Muv-Luv Alternative" was released in 2006, and together they form a grand storyline that has been developed into many shared world titles and media mixes.

Muv-Luv Alternative" depicts the second chapter of the epic story of the battle between humans and BETA, an extraterrestrial species of humanoid weapons called "tactical walking machines" (commonly known as "tactical machines"). The second season will inevitably depict even more intense battles than the first.

For this interview, we talked to Koichi Kamiki (Takeshi Shiragin), Tomori Kusunoki (Junatsu Kan), Karin Nahami (Meiya Miken), and Ruriko Aoki (Yuho Kagetsu), who play the characters who hold the key to the story.

--Please tell us about some of the memorable scenes and episodes that you remember from the first season.

Kamiki: As this was my first time playing the lead role, there were many things that were new to me, and I was constantly groping my way through the story. What was particularly impressive in the story was when we returned to the "original world" of the parallel world in episode 6. I think I was able to express Takeshi's joy very well.

Nanami: I was conflicted throughout the first season. ...... I was afraid that I would not imitate the previous cast members and that I would betray the fans of the work if I showed too much of myself. ...... It was very difficult to find the right balance.

But I think it was the same for the other cast members, and I think that by facing the same difficulties, we were able to develop a sense of unity.

Aoki: Those of you who started from the TV anime must have been surprised to hear that Takeshi had been transported from such a peaceful world, and as Yubin, I was also recording with the sole intention of expressing the gap between the two worlds.

Kusunoki: I joined the postrecording from the middle of the story. When I listened to the cast's performances in the first postrecording, I found that they really matched each other. I was under a lot of pressure, wondering if I could play Junatsu (......), but I was happy when Mr. Kamiki and Ms. Nanami said to me, "It's Junatsu! I was happy to hear that from Mr. Kamiki and Ms. Nanami. After that, I was able to play the role with a good sense of tension.

Koichi Kamiki

--How did you feel about the recording for the second season? What was your impression when you read the script, and what was your impression of the second half of the story?

Kusunoki: There was about a year blank from the postrecording of the first season, but I didn't feel that it was particularly difficult because I had already built up the material from the first season. In fact, it was easier for me to work on the story because of my experience.

Nanami: I played the original game before recording the first season, and it was a trial-and-error process to find how to express the impression I got from the game in the anime version. The animation has a fixed length and movement, so the expression changes in various ways. ...... But after the first season, I felt confident that "this is the anime version of Meiyoru," so I was able to go into the recording sessions for the second season with confidence.

Aoki As Nanami said, there are some parts that inevitably become uncomfortable when acting faithfully to the original work, and I think I was able to play those parts well enough to separate them.

Kamiki: I felt that I was able to return to the world of "Muv-Luv" naturally because of the re-run of the first season. I think I am able to enter it in a different way from the first season!

Aoki: It is true that in the first season, there were a few places where your nervousness was directly reflected in your performance, but I think that has disappeared now.

Kusunoki: I also get the impression that Mr. Kamiki, especially in the second season, seems to possess Take-chan. I feel that he is in sync with the character.

Nanami: "Muv-Luv Alternative" is a story of Takeshi's and Koichi Kamiki's growth.

Kamiki I am so happy! Thank you very much!

Tomori Kusunoki

─ Could you tell us about the episodes during the post recording?

Nanami: Meiyoru in the original world had quite a lot of lines, but the director gave me the direction to "make it easier to understand her feelings that she loves Takeshi. That made me remember that the first part of "Muv-Luv" is a love simulation game (laughs). (Laughs) From that point on, I played the role while keeping in mind the cuteness that Meiyoru possesses.

Kusunoki: I remember that in the first season, I was told to "use even more passion," so I played with more firepower while respecting Hiroko Taguchi (my predecessor). Considering the overall length, the way of acting changed between the original work and the anime, and I felt that some parts unique to the anime would be necessary in the future.

Aoki: There are many scenes in which Yuho reprimands Takeshi, but I want the audience to understand that he is angry with Takeshi from different worlds and with different feelings. I am thinking about how to approach this.

Kamiki: In the second season, there will be more things for Takeshi to face, so I think I have to be even more determined in my performance, but Nanami was very cheerful during the recording sessions. It's hard not to be pulled away. ...... "In a good way", you mean (laughs)?

Nanami: As we were working together as radio personalities for this work, when Kamiki-kun said or did something that bothered me, I couldn't help but mention it (laugh). As a result, it became fun. ......(laugh)

Ms. Karin Nanami

--Do you have any direction from Director Yukio Nishimoto?

Kamiki: I often see the director talking in the background while the sound director is talking (laughs).

Kusunoki: Before the recording of the first season started, he would tell the cast members not to think too much about it because he was aware of their anxiety. But to tell the truth, I have not received many retakes or directions so far. ...... I am looking forward to seeing what kind of advice he will give me in the second season.

Nanami: When I went to greet them after recording, they were very straightforward and told me, "It was good! and they are very straightforward. They are all equally concerned regardless of staff or cast members. I am very grateful for that.

Aoki: If my performance went in the wrong direction, they would correct it, but basically, they leave most of the work to me, which I appreciate.

--Aoki: This work is a story of parallel worlds. If you were to wake up in another world, what kind of life would you like to lead?

Aoki: I would like to live in a world where I am praised no matter what I do. Just for drinking water, people would say, "Wow! just for drinking a glass of water (laughs). In today's society, too much is demanded of us. ......

Nanami: Actually, I wanted to be a veterinarian as much as I wanted to be a voice actor. So I would like to be the world's first "double worker who goes back and forth between parallel worlds" and combine the two professions!

Kusunoki: I would like to be a man. There are many things in everyday life that I think are different, so I would like to experience them, even if only for a short time.

Kamiki: In these days when it is difficult to travel outside of Japan, I would like to go abroad without hesitation in a "parallel world where I can go abroad freely. Of all these places, the place I would most like to go is Dubai!

Ruriko Aoki

--Please give a message to the fans who are looking forward to your work.

Aoki: As in the first season, the story will continue to develop in a heavy-handed manner. It may seem a bit gloomy, but I hope that you will not be overawed by the story.

Nanami: The catchphrase for this work is "Ai and Yuki's fairy tale. I am sure that there will be some painful developments, but I would be happy if you could think of it as a "fairy tale" when you see them (laugh).

Kusunoki: Junatsu will be more deeply involved in the story, and from the second season, the story will be even larger in scale. Please do not turn your eyes away from reality and see how the story ends.

Kamiki: I am sure that fans of the original story will remember scenes like this, and those who started with the anime will be very interested to see what they think of the new story. Please watch the anime version and feel the unique charm of the anime version!