Interview Now - 寺島惇太 (Junta Terashima), 内田雄馬 (Yuma Uchida) -（2/3）

2017.06.09

I think it is becoming a new genre of entertainment.

ab: What was your impression of the characters you played?

Uchida: Yu is a character that appears in "Pretty Rhythm: Rainbow Live" works. When I was watching this anime I always thought that he was so cute. After about two years, "KING OF PRISM by PrettyRhythm" came out, but I think he is still just a "kid". He is a cute, adolescent kid who struggles to express his feeling honestly, they just come out without his control...

There is a kind cuteness that comes with his clumsiness. But he is a gentle kid who is considerate and not so upfront about his feelings. I tried to reveal these kinds of cute qualities. That's what I had in mind during the recording.

Terashima： Shin is a pure, honest boy, not the type of person who is always full of himself. He is trusted by everyone surrounding him. In this film he has various characters backing him. He has the characteristics of a protagonist who leads from the front and has a natural disposition to shine. He gets caught up in various things, but ultimately accepts the situations he finds himself, turns that into a source of power. At first he can be a bit passive and feel like something is impossible, but little by little he comes out of his shell. The character has a complex background; I think he is a young hero who is very blessed.

ab: Was there anything in particular you had to keep in mind for your performance?

Terashima: He is a 15-year-old pure boy who has fresh reactions to what he experiences. I tried to almost overreact to each scenario the character encountered, and did my best not to speak in a deep voice (lol)!

I was tried to ensure that I could deliver a high-pitched tone, with a range that could also be quite piercing. When recording the role of Shin I had to take care of my voice and made sure not to drink alcohol.

Uchida： Yu is also like that, he is a junior high school student, an emotional kid, who is a little impulsive and does not react to things in a calm way. I tried hard to make sure that the voice was appropriate for the age. The times he rebels, he really rebels. I was conscious of areas in the performance where I could make it clear that this kid is just a kid.

ab： What would you like to convey to the viewers through "KING OF PRISM -PRIDE the HERO-"？

Terashima： There is dancing, singing and even a few elements of fantasy. It is an entertaining anime with many interesting components, including the depiction of the complex human relationship that exist between the characters. The previous movie "KING OF PRISM by PrettyRhythm" was also released in 4DX®. So, it's not just a standard film anymore, I think it is becoming a new genre of entertainment. My character also tells you this in the film, but if you find everyday life boring, remember there are actually many shining, sparkling things all around you, it's just that you haven't really noticed them yet. I think this is one of the massages in the film. If you watch "Kinpri," you'll find them yourself.

Uchida： Nonetheless, I think this is "entertainment." The audience can call out and join in with the film, there is room for the audience to be part of it. I think that one of the interesting things about this film is that it is completed by the participation of everybody watching. This is something that we offer to the fans, so let's enjoy "Kinpri" all together. But I'm not sure what the director would say (lol)!

ab： ab: The last film "KING OF PRISM by PrettyRhythm" was shown in Korea, but this release will be screened internationally, in locations such as Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and China. Have you had any responses or feedback from people overseas?

Terashima： I think it is really timely, just when I was about to go on a radio show, I tweeted about it. When I checked my feed later on I realized that someone who had retweeted and liked my tweet had an account that was all in Hangul. Also, I have also received fan letters from people who have seen "Kinpri" in Korea and know who I am. They even make the effort to write in Japanese! I have definitely felt a great response from overseas fans.

Uchida： I do not use social media, so I do not really experience that kind of thing first hand, but when we have appeared on radio shows, we get the chance to look at mails and letters fans from overseas have sent into the station, and recently that has been happening more and more frequently. I have heard that anime is really taking off overseas and I think "Kinpri" is part of that, which means there must be a lot of international fans. So I am really happy to see that it is having that kind of impact.