Re:Dive" cast interviews for the spring anime "Princess Connect! If the main characters were actually there, what would you rate ......M・A・O, Miki Ito, and Rika Tachibana?

Re:Dive", the long-awaited TV anime adaptation of the popular original game of the same name, which celebrated its second anniversary on February 15, 2020, has been highly anticipated even before its broadcast.

We interviewed the three main characters in the anime, M.A.O. (Pecorine), Miki Ito (Kokoro), and Rika Tachibana (Cal), and asked them about the appeal of the TV anime version, the original game, the music, and the main character.

Re:Dive" since its release. Re:Dive", but please note that there are some spoilers in the game.

What are the main points of interest for each character in the anime adaptation?

--What are your frank feelings when you heard that the game would be adapted into an animated TV series?

M・A・O I was very happy! The action scenes in the game are really cool, so I was excited to be able to see plenty of them in the TV anime. I was also looking forward to seeing how the characters' expressions would be portrayed.

Ito: (The game genre is) "Dramatic Anime RPG," so I had always hoped that it would be made into an anime. In games, I often record alone, but in anime, I can play with various characters, which made me very happy.

Tachibana: I was genuinely happy. I was really looking forward to seeing how the story would turn out in the anime. There were many animated parts in the game as well, but as a user, I was looking forward to seeing the whole story in motion.

Dramatic Anime RPG

This is a genre of the game "Pre-Cone R". In the game, animations are inserted throughout the main storyline and various story events, including the appearance scene and before boss battles. The quality of the animation is so high that there have been calls for an anime adaptation since the beginning.

--The animation part is one of the attractions of the game. What part of the game would you especially like to see in the TV anime adaptation of it?

Ito: The special move scene. In the game, there are cut-ins, changes in facial expressions and movements, etc., but I am really looking forward to seeing how they will be expressed in the storyline in the anime version.

M・A・O I would like to see the story before and after the illustrations in the game in the anime. I am curious to know how you came up with that angle.

Tachibana: I am also looking forward to seeing the town of Land Sol, the setting of the anime, from various angles. The atmosphere of Land Sol is cute, and even the smallest of things are filled with a sense of the world and make you giggle.

--I think the impression of the characters has changed as the story progresses. How do you each feel about the characters you play?

M・A・O Peko-chan (Pecorine) was like a knight who thought she had to protect the main character (Yuki). As the story progresses, she becomes more and more of a princess, and I was impressed by her shyness and embarrassment because she had not done so before, and I was able to understand her feelings more deeply.

--What do you think is cute about the way she looks, moves, etc.?

M・A・O I think the cutest thing is her happy face when she is eating a hearty meal. Her eyes light up when she has food in front of her, and she looks really happy!

Petit commentary: Pecorine and rice

She eats a lot of rice, which is also the origin of Pecorine's name. In fact, the royal equipment she wears has the effect of making her hungry instead of powerful, so she gets hungry after a battle.

--How do you like Kokkoro?

Ito: At first I thought she would be a mysterious character with no expression. He is the smallest and youngest character in "Bishokuden," but he is a strong character. But after playing the role for two years, I felt that my love for the Lord was growing stronger and stronger, not just because I was playing the role of a guide, but because I love the Lord and want to be by his side. He is just so kind and caring. That's why he sometimes gets teased, but I think that's also cute.

--I really felt that kind of love when I was playing the game.

Ito: That's right. She is shy, but she is cute when she is aggressive toward the master. She gets jealous when he talks with other girls and says, "Why? He says, "Why not? But in the end, he gives priority to what he wants to do, saying, "It can't be helped.

[Petit commentary: Gastronomy

The guild to which Pecorine, Kokkoro, Cal, and the main character belong. As the name suggests, its purpose is to "eat delicious food. The characters in this work belong to various guilds.

--Cal is another character who is very popular among users.

Tachibana: Cal has many easily recognizable iconic elements such as cat ears, tsundere, and a wizard, and his tone of voice is also a bit harsh. I think that is what makes the game so exciting to play. I hope to convey this to everyone who plays the game and watches the anime.

--What is your favorite part of the easy-to-understand icons?

Tachibana: I often go into "Bishoku-den," or "gourmet food hall. When she makes her tirades, her tail hairs stand on end and her facial expressions change dramatically, so I like the sense of desperation and the sense of flirtation. I also want people to see her smiling face when she is having fun with everyone in "Bishokuden". I think that Cal's sharp wit in the anime is more powerful than in the game.

Talking about memorable scenes from the first part of the game

--What points were you conscious of when playing each character? Also, were there any new things you were conscious of for the anime adaptation?

Ito: In the game, there were a lot of lines like "I can do this now," which is typical of a guide role, so I was conscious of explaining things in an easy-to-understand way. In the anime, I wanted to make Kokoro more expressive. Since we can directly communicate with the main character, I tried my best to show a sense of distance and the kindness that is typical of Kokkoro.

--Do you think the distance between the characters is closer than in the game?

Ito: It depends on the scene, but in the anime, the distance is quite close. I tried to make my love for the Lord bigger from the beginning, and I tried to make it come out even bigger in the anime.

--How about M.A.O. and Tachibana?

M・A・O I played Peko-chan with an awareness that she is a positive girl who always has a smile on her face. In the anime, her cheerful personality is portrayed in a more comical way. She has always been the type of girl who feels close to people and is not afraid of anything, but I feel that her brazenness has been enhanced in a good way (laughs).

Tachibana: Cal has various circumstances, and even though he is a member of a guild called "Bishokuden," I thought at the beginning of the game that we should not be too close to each other. In the anime, I went back to that point again and tried to be careful not to be too close to Pecocoro (Pecorine and Cococoro), such as by sitting a little farther away from them during postrecording.

--What was it like at the post recording studio for the anime?

Tachibana: It's not just us ladies, but the people who play the residents of Land Sol are incredibly strong and intense.

M・A・O Everyone ad-libs a lot, so there is a lot of laughter on set.

Ito: Also, we often play gacha on the set (laughs).

M.A.O. I ask Aya Suzaki, who plays Karin, to pull the gacha. and ask her to pull it for me (laughs).

Ito: I trust you will bring your wonderful friends.

Tachibana: When I was sitting right across from Ayape (Ms. Susaki), I gave it to her and asked her to pull the gacha, and (my target) came (laughs).

Petit commentary: Karin.

The sister of the Guild Management Association. She also manages the guild house at Gastronomy Hall. However, what users see more than that is during the gacha, when they are both happy and sad at the "letter of introduction" she brings. Hence, before pulling the gacha, some people pray to Karin or tap her to make a wish (note: that does not increase the probability).

-About the game's main story, I would like to ask you about the first part of the game, since the second part, which started the other day, is still in its infancy. There were many scenes that drew me in, especially in the second half, and the scene where Pecorine is rescued in Chapter 11 was quite impressive.

M.A.O. In the scene where she is rescued from being locked up in jail, Pecorine was finally able to say what she had been thinking. Instead of cheerfully saying, "Can I hug you?" as he has done in the past, he told her how he felt straight away. but instead of saying "Can I hug you?" cheerfully, as she has done in the past, she expressed her feelings straight away, which was really moving.

--Cal's complicated position and feelings became clearer and clearer. How did you feel about that when you played the role?

Tachibana: I was horrified when I read the scenario in the latter half of the first part. It was a storyline that made us think, "Is that really going to happen? We were also horrified by the storyline. We had to record almost nonstop, and it was difficult for us not to get too carried away. Personally, I thought the scenes in which she repays Peco and the others for all the trouble they had caused her in Chapters 8 and 9, and the scenes in which she feels the friendship and bond between them, were very precious.

--I thought it was very precious to see the scene in which she felt the friendship and bond between them.

Ito: In the scene where I go to save Cal-chan in her dream (Chapter 12), there is a long line in which Kokoro cries and says, "Without Cal-sama," after learning various things. I was on the verge of tears when I was acting the scene, and my voice was shaking as I felt how important "Bishokuden" was to Kokoro, so it left a deep impression on me.

--M.A.O.: Let's look forward to the on-air show to see if you will appear in the anime or not, but who is your favorite character in the game and who has been very helpful to you?

M.A.O. I am indebted to Muimi, Christina and Nneka. I think the "Seven Crowns" are the strongest (laughs)!

ITOH: It is the most powerful.

M.A.O. I was impressed by the 6-star Peko. She is really hard and heals herself (much better than 5 stars), and her Union Burst (UB, a so-called special move) now does more damage than 5 stars, so she can work hard as an attacker!

Tachibana: I'm very happy with Mako. Also, Zita helped me a lot. Personally, I couldn't get Cal's swimsuit version when it first came out, so I had to bite the bullet for ......1 years. When I heard about the reprint, I was gutted and finally picked her up last summer. I gave it 5 stars as soon as I could (laughs).

Ito: I have always said that I love Mimi. It was like love at first sight, and I have loved her from the beginning. (Mimi belongs to a guild) "Little Lyrical" is my favorite guild. I love her every time I open the game because I think she is so cute. However, it is Yui (New Year) who often helps me in battles (laughs). I can also send out Jun-san and others who protect me with peace of mind.

Petit commentary: Characters

Muyimi, Christina, Nneka

The "Seven Crowns" (Seven Crowns) are so-called "Fes Limited" characters (characters that appear in gachas only during Princess Festivals), and when they first appeared, they were so strong that they caused a commotion. Most recently, Christina has gained even more strength with the addition of exclusive equipment.

Makoto

One of the first characters to be implemented, Makoto has a very good physical debuff (lowering the opponent's physical defense). As an attacker, his reputation was not so high at the time of his release, partly because he did not stand out so much in terms of attack. However, as the usefulness of the debuff became clear, its evaluation skyrocketed. Now she has become an indispensable character for increasing damage in a physical party.

Zita

Zita is a character from "Granblue Fantasy. Her greatest weapon is a skill that restores the TP (points needed to release UB) of all allies by attaching special equipment. This allows the entire party to increase their UB turnover rate, which can improve damage efficiency and quickly interfere with the opponent's actions to advance the battle.

Cal (Summer)

A limited-time swimsuit version of Cal. In addition to having a very good magic debuff, her own attack performance is also high. This is a must-have character for magic parties (especially in single boss battles). Her post-battle victory pose is also very cute.

Mimi

Mimi is a very cute girl with a rabbit hat and an adorable expression. Mimi (Halloween), who appeared on Halloween 2019, is also quite strong.

● Yui (New Year)

A limited-time New Year's version of Yui, whose UB's physical magic nullification barrier and continuous HP recovery are powerful and can greatly increase a party's survivability. Even in content such as the Tower of Luna, her mere presence makes a significant difference to the stability of the party. It is also nice to be able to increase the magic attack power of allies.

What do you want to do in the future with Pre-Cone?

--When recording "Lost Princess," the theme song for the game and also the theme song for the anime, we heard that the composer, Mr. Kohei Tanaka, gave you advice directly in the booth. What exactly did he say to you?

Ito: He talked a lot about images. He was very open in directing us on how to create the image and feeling of the song, such as, "This phrase here is like singing with your hands wide open on the prairie.

M・A・O He gave me very specific directions about the scenes in key places, so it was easy for me to imagine and sing the song.

Tachibana: "You see this kind of big sky in this kind of world?" Yes! This is where the adventure begins! Yes! Like that (laughs).

M.A.O.: "Pan up from the meadow to the sky and spread out.

Tachibana: I think we were able to share the same image because you told us the "scene" in that way.

--In addition, you have released many other songs, such as event endings and solo songs. What song would you recommend that people should listen to?

M.A.O. I recommend "Absolute Secret" and "Aloofness Code!

Tachibana I like "White Wings of Glorie".

M.A.O. I also like "Saitsuyo desu, desu, desu?" is another favorite. It is a song that is easy to call out.

Ito I also really like "Kaze e no Oath" by Chika. Her beautiful voice is so soothing and purifying.

M・A・O Saren and Suzume's "Egao no My Home" is also cute. I can't stop talking about it (laughs).

Tachibana - "More! Futari no patty~night" is also cute!

M.A.O. "Little Adventure" is also cute, including the images!

Tachibana The "Bishokuden" album has also been released, so I hope you will listen to it.

Ito: Each of them has a solo song, but there is also a ballad sung by all three of us.

*Check the Nippon Columbia website for song information!

#1

--What are your goals for the future and what would you like to do?

Tachibana I want to do readings with various characters. On the radio show "Pre-Cone Channel Re:Dive," which the three of us do together, we do a short ...... drama at the beginning of the show when we have a guest. I really enjoy that, so I would like to be able to see the unique stories of the characters (in the readings).

Ito: I would like to do live performances, and it would be nice to do live recording at events. It would be fun to improvise and do something different.

M・A・O How about a theater version after that ...... TV anime?

Tachibana!!! Genius, I guess (laughs).

Ito That sounds great. I want to do a theater version!

M・A・O Even if it is not a theater version, I would like to show His Majesty's story (in the latter half of the main story) at the theater and have everyone shake their psylliums as a cheering screening.

Tachibana I have to bring a bath towel.

Ito: I'll cry.

--What if there was actually a man like the main character (Yuki)?

Tachibana No, you can't (laughs).

M. A. O What do you think (laughs)?

ITOH: Even though there are many things we don't understand because of his amnesia, he is quite a handful, or babyish. Do you think men like this tickle your maternal instincts?

M・A・O & Tachibana No (immediate answer).

ITOH (someone who tickles your maternal instinct) I don't think there is anyone here (laughs).

--(Laughs.) - If push comes to shove, they will help you, won't they?

TACHIBANA: He's more like a little brother, or maybe a little sister.

M.A.O. Ah! （If I thought of him as my little brother, I would take care of him. I would probably spoil him (laughs).

ITOH: You may have the qualities of a cockerel (laughs).

Tachibana I have a bad feeling about this. ...... (laughs).

-From a different perspective, M. A. O., you can be a good mother, can't you?

M ・ A・O Oh, thank you (laughs).

Ito & Tachibana (laughs).

(laughs) -- Do you have a message for our readers?

M・A・O Continuing from the game, our adventure has expanded into the TV anime. We hope you will continue to enjoy the world of Pre-Cone while eating delicious meals with everyone at Gastronomical Hall. Please do not hesitate to contact us!

Ito: We ourselves are looking forward to the broadcast. I think we will be able to notice many new charms of the characters, and I hope it will be a work that people who know "Pre-Cocone R" from the anime will also love. I would be very happy if you could look forward to seeing what the story will be like in the anime.

Tachibana: Cal is a strong-mouthed and punchy girl, but I played her while thinking that I didn't want her to be just a jerk. So I hope that those who watch the anime will be able to see the good and cute aspects of Cal. I think you will enjoy a slightly different aspect of Cal in the anime than in the main story of the game, so please look forward to it. I hope you will also look forward to the food scenes, as it is called "Gastronomical Hall.

(Interview and text by Kenichi Chiba)