Autographs! Interview with Ayane Sakura (Sakura Amamiya) and Misaki Wattada (Kulara) for the spring anime "New Sakura Wars the Animation".

The TV anime "New Sakura Taisen the Animation" will start airing on April 3, 2020. Prior to the broadcast, we interviewed Ms. Ayane Sakura, who plays Sakura Amamiya, and Ms. Misaki Watada, who plays Klara, a new character appearing in the TV anime.

New Sakura Taisen" is the latest in the enduring "Sakura Taisen" series, which has been developed in a variety of fields including video games, animation, and stage performances. More than 10 years have passed since the previous series, and a new story is depicted in the Imperial Capital, where the Imperial Capital, Tomari, and String Gekidan have disappeared due to an incident. New Sakura Taisen" is a drastic reboot, with new main characters and new character designs by manga artist Kubo Taito (whose best-known work is "BLEACH"). On the other hand, the worldview and storyline of the series will remain unchanged from the previous series, and the former Hanagumi members, including Sumire Kanzaki, will continue to appear.

On December 12, 2020, the PS4 game "New Sakura Wars" was released by Sega Games for the PlayStation 4, which is the core of the series.

In the TV anime storyline, Sakura replaces Captain Kamiyama, who is on secondment to the European Hagekidan, as the acting captain of the Imperial Hagekidan, Hana-gumi. Sakura, along with Hatsuho, Clarice, Azami, Anastasia, and other members of the Hanakagumi, are protecting the peace of the Imperial Capital. One day in Europe, Kamiyama and his friends protect a mysterious girl named Clara who has lost her memory, and the story begins to move. ......

We talked about the contents of the anime just before it airs, the relationship between Sakura and Kulara, as well as the music. Sakura and Watada talked to us about the music and the relationship between Sakura and Kulara, as well as the content of the anime just before it airs.

In addition, we are giving away autographs of Ms. Sakura and Ms. Watada to one lucky winner!
Don't miss the link to the application form at the end of the article!

Misaki Watada is an actor whose voice you will always want to listen to (Sakura)

─ Ms. Watada will be joining "New Sakura Wars" as Kulara from the TV anime. How do you feel about participating in a new work?

WATADA: There is a lot of pressure because I will be playing a new character from the TV anime. In the anime, it is depicted how Sakura and the other members of the Hanagumi (Amamiya) accept Kulara, and I am very nervous about how the fans will accept Kulara in real life as well.

─ When you auditioned, were the other cast members announced?

Watada: There was no announcement. I was given only the information about Kulara and Leila of the Moscow Hammer Group for the audition. So my first thought was "wow" that "Sakura Taisen" was coming back in a "new" form, but I didn't know at that point what kind of people the new Hanagumi would be. Actually, there were no detailed descriptions of Clara in the materials, so from the dialogue I read during the audition, I began to imagine what kind of character she would be, and my dreams began to grow.

─ How did you feel when you welcomed your new friend, Ms. Sakura?

Sakura: I am still a newcomer to the whole world of "Sakura Wars," so I am still a newcomer to ....... When I got involved with the "Sakura Wars" title, my first thought was how the original cast members (of the previous series) would feel. So I can somewhat understand the anxiety you felt. I personally performed with Mr. Watada about 3 or 4 years ago, and since that time he has been an actor that I have been very interested in.

WATADA Eh (whispering).

Sakura I simply love the quality of her voice, and I haven't heard her voice like this since Minase Inori. (Laughs.) I also really like the way her voice sounds, which you can't tell just by riding on the microphone. I thought it was a voice I wanted to listen to all the time, and I thought you would be able to play the role of a wonderful, lovable Clara.

Watada Wow ...... I am so grateful. I am always nervous when I play Kulara, and actually I am nervous even now before the announcement. So your words made me feel a little lighter.

Sakura: (At the time of the interview) the postrecording has already finished (laughs). (laughs) The postrecording for the "New Sakura Wars the Animation" anime was done at a very early stage, so we did the postrecording while watching the filming. It was a process similar to prescoring. That's why we, the actors, are looking forward to seeing the finished product.

─ How did the relationship between Sakura and the Hanagumi members and Kamiyama change between the game and the anime?

Sakura (Sakura) went through a lot in the game and faced her past, and I think she has become stronger both mentally and physically. Even so, there are still many parts of her that are still in her infancy, and her relationship with Kamiyama-san has a long way to go. The members of Hanagumi have strong personalities, and although we are all aiming in the same direction, we are moving in different ways. Sakura has become the acting captain since Mr. Kamiyama was sent to Europe, but there are still scenes where she has to deal with Hatsuho a bit, and Azami suddenly goes away. But she still has scenes where she is a little bit hard on Hatsuho and Azami suddenly goes away. I think Sakura has grown a little in the anime in the way she watches over everyone and tries her best to hold them all together.

──Do you have any episodes to tell us what kind of atmosphere you had during the post recording sessions?

Sakura: I didn't know that auditions were being held for Kulara and the Moshka Kagekidan until the recording session was about to start. But everyone in the Moscow group joined in the postrecording very naturally. Each of them has a strong character, and I got the sense that they were all carrying something. We didn't know what was going to happen next, so every time we recorded, we were surprised and thought, "So this is what happened! We were always surprised by what was going on in the recording.

Watada: Klara is an amnesiac, but I was very worried about whether I myself should know what would happen next and the contents of her memory, or whether I should play the role under the same conditions as Klara. In the end, after about two episodes, I ran to the director and asked him to tell me what happened next. During the postrecording, the members of the flower troupe really pulled me along, so in that sense, I participated in the postrecording with the same feelings as Kulara. Sakura-san said, "Kulara! Kulara! Sakura-san would call out "Clara!

Sakura: She called me so much (laughs).

Watada: I felt as if I was being called myself (laughs). The way Kulara talked and the way Sakura and the others called her gradually changed, and I felt I was getting used to it. I was looking forward to going to each postrecording session because many of the characters had their own stories to tell and the bonds between them grew stronger.

─ What kind of image did you have of Kulara?

WATADA: I started with the image of a mysterious girl, partly because of her amnesia. She is a compassionate girl who wants to do something for everyone around her and for Sakura, even if it means sacrificing herself, so I wanted to show that side of her as our bond deepened. I would be happy if you could see that change in her heart. Everyone around me put together their performances on the spot based on the information they learned about Kulara and her friends during each recording session, so I concentrated on keeping up with them.

The special music of "Sakura Wars" and the positive power of Mr. Kohei Tanaka

─ ─ What kind of image did you have of "Sakura Taisen" to begin with?

WATADA: I knew that the power of the music was very strong! That was the image I had. When I was a child, a girl I was close with was a big fan of the original "Sakura Taisen" and collected all kinds of goods. She used to sing "Gekitei Kagekidan" at karaoke! Teikoku Kagekidan (Gekitei)" at karaoke, which was my first encounter with "Sakura Wars. Whenever I went to karaoke with her, we always sang "Gekitei. So I had an image that the music was amazing.

─ Did you also do the dialogue during the interlude, which begins with the words "We will fight for justice"?

Watada: My friend was doing it, and I watched her while thinking that she looked like a voice actor. So after I was selected to appear in this work, I kept it a secret, wishing I could tell my friend about it (laughs).

───Can you tell us about your impression of "Sakura Taisen" before you came across it?

Sakura: Of course I knew the title "Sakura Taisen" and I knew the music, but I don't remember when and how I came to know it. Still, I could hum the chorus of "Gekitei" and I knew the characters of "Sakura Taisen". I think it must have been such an influential work that even I knew about it before I knew it. Even my mother, who is much more ignorant about games than I am, knew about it.

───That's how big of an influence "Proclamation! Imperial Air Grenade" as "Proclamation! Teikoku Kagekidan <New Chapter>"?

Sakura: I was under so much pressure that if I had the right to refuse, I would have done so!　When I was first asked to sing "Gekitei", I thought about the fact that I was a junior member who had never seen my face before, and what my seniors and fans who had nurtured "Sakura Taisen" would think of the song and "Sakura Taisen". But when I actually listened to the music, I felt that as long as we could do it right, it would be fine. I thought that as long as we could sing the song with love, the song and the work would be accepted. So, the vague fear changed to a different kind of pressure that we had to respond to the song with love.

─ You also participated in the ending theme "Sakura Yumemishi" of the anime. How did you feel when you sang this one?

Sakura: It has very beautiful words and a beautiful melody, but the melody has a sense of urgency, a sense of impending doom. （I felt that the contents of "Sakura Taisen," as Mr. Kohei (Tanaka) thinks of it, has many branches growing out of it. I think it is a very memorable ending theme.

─ ─ In the first 30 seconds of the song, Sakura is on stage singing the whole time.

Sakura That's right. Mr. Kohei's songs have a unique song arrangement. Once it was her turn, then other people came in, and in the second verse, another person became the main character. I felt as if I was acting on stage in the story of "Sakura Taisen.

Watada: I haven't had a chance to listen to the song yet, but I can't wait to hear it. I am really looking forward to it!

─ By the way, did you have any communication with Mr. Kohei Tanaka during the recording process?

Sakura: He talked to me so much that I wondered which of his stories I should tell you. What I thought while listening to what he had to say was that in his mind, everyone loves to sing. He talks like, "Everyone loves to sing, right? He talks like that.

When I first sensed this, I said to him, "I'm not very good at singing, I don't like it very much! (laughs). But his words didn't seem to get through, and he would always say, "Sakura-kun, if you train like this, you will be a better singer! He always gives me advice for professional singers, saying, "You can improve your singing if you train like this!

(Laughs). I thought she was a very positive person with a lot of power.

─ ─ Let's talk about something a little lighter. From your point of view, what are your favorite members of Hanagumi and what do you like about them?

WATADA: In total, everyone is too wonderful to choose!　I think there are many things like this girl to marry, this girl to date, this girl to go to the aquarium, and so on. ...... Yes, that's right! If I were a visitor to the stage, I would be swooning over Anastasia's beauty. If I were to say by story, I would say Sakura-san!　If I were to focus on looks, I would be like Clarice-san.

Sakura Oh, everyone is different.

Watada: Azami's costumes are cute, and I really like Hatsuho's words, actions, and strength, so I can't choose between them all.

─ ─ From your point of view, what do you think of Kamiyama-san as a man and as a human being?

Watada: When the anime started, the Hanagumi members were pretty harsh in their evaluation of Kamiyama-san (laughs).

(laughs) ─ I felt that Kamiyama-san is the type of person who has flagged various opponents.

Watada He is the type of person who makes his partner misunderstand him. He is the type of person who makes the other person misunderstand.

Sakura Yeah. ...... (voice filled with realization). I think he makes them misunderstand, completely.

WATADA I think that is unfair. He is an unusual person, isn't he?

Sakura You said it simply and sharply.

Watada I remember the scene in the game when Clarice was concentrating on the book and was absorbed in it, and she made a unique move when she chose the option "Oh, my hand is ...... on its own" (laughs). (laughs). He looked so cool when he was fighting the falling demons!

Sakura: (A game's) protagonist can act in various ways depending on the player's choices, so it's hard to make a blanket statement. But I think he has great qualities as a captain, but if it were my own life, I wouldn't want to get involved (laughs).

WATADA (laughs).

Sakura But in the anime, the scenes in which Kamiyama-san appears are often fighting, so I think we get to see a lot of his cool, decent, and serious side. I think Kamiyama-san in the anime is wonderful, but as for the game, it depends on your choice.

─ ─ Finally, do you have a message for your fans?

Sakura: I feel it is fate that "New Sakura Wars the Animation" will start airing in the spring of April (cherry blossom season), and I think it is very wonderful. And now we have a new addition to our team. I think you will enjoy the anime more if you play the game "New Sakura Wars" and wait for the broadcast.

Watada: If you look at the first members of the Hanagumi in the game, you will discover many things, such as "Oh, Clarice was like this at first. Sakura has such a cute expression." I think it's important to have that kind of information in advance. In the anime, Kulara and the other members of the Mosika Kagekidan will join the group, and there will be a CG battle between the Reiko fighters, cute expressions on everyone's faces, and many other things to see. There are many things to see, such as the cute expressions on everyone's faces!

(Reporting, writing, and photography by Kiri Nakazato)

Commemorating the broadcast of the TV anime "Shin Sakura Taisen the Animation! One lucky winner will receive a colorful paper autographed by Ayane Sakura and Misaki Wattada!

<Prize
A signed colorful paper autographed by Ayane Sakura and Misaki Wattada

<Entry requirements
Application period: April 3, 2020 (Fri.) - April 10, 2020 (Fri.) 23:59
Number of winners: 1 person
Prizes will be shipped by the end of June 2020.
How to apply: Use the dedicated application form below.

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