Kemurikusa conversation interview

We asked the people who played the main cast questions about Kemurikusa's charm points or points that draw the most attention. Since we talked to all the four of them at once, the atmosphere was full of tension and humour, almost like in the show itself. It's a very long interview, conveying the fun air of the recording room.

- Please tell your impressions from the time you heard you were accepted as seiyuu for Kemurikusa?
- Komatsu Mikako-san (from here on, Komatsu) [Rin]: I had the audition in the summer of 2018. By this point there was almost no information about the characters, so I remember thinking: "what should I do..." Due to this lack of information, audition felt very perculiar. Once after I read a line, I was told "okay, forget this for a bit, and read it in a stupid tone this time"
- In a stupid tone?
(TN: 「バカな感じ」)
- Komatsu: I read while being distressed like, "What's a stupid tone!?". That time I thought, "There's no hope for Rin-chan, but there must be another character with an impression of being stupid. Do they think I can maybe play her?"
- But in the end, you got to play Rin-chan.
- Komatsu: Yes. Despite the audition being full of uneasiness, me not knowing if I do things right, and the lack of initial reaction. During the audition I played a lot of different variants of Rin-chan, and when the next day I was told that I'm accepted, I remember bracing myself and thinking: "I don't know which Rin-chan I'm accepted to play! Now it becomes a real fight."
- Then, Sumi-san?
- Sumi Tomomi Jena-san (from here on, Sumi) [Rina]: For me, "Kemurikusa" was the first TV anime to play a role in. Since I got my job when I was 19 years old (TN: as an idol), I always wanted to become a seiyuu. With "Kemurikusa" my dream came true, and when I learned that I was accepted, I was very happy. About the show itself, the first impression is that its world feels dark. Rina-chan, who I play, has something eerie in the middle of her cuteness. A difficult character.
- Did the audition go smoothly?
- Sumi: Since it was my first audition, I don't really know. In the studio, overall I performed to highlight the cuteness. Then I was told by the sound director "Okay, now please become an old man"
- Komatsu was told to become an idiot, and you were told to become an old man?
- Yes. Since that audition was my first experience, I thought, "It's the work of a seiyuu to do as they are told", and without feeling worried I portrayed an old man. And since I hadn't any lines to use, I used what came to my head, "an old man warning a smartphone zombie"
- Everyone: (laughs)
- Sumi: Before the microphone, I was like, "Ojouchan! Ojouchan!!" - old man.
- That's a unique audition. Then, Kiyoto-san, please.
- Kiyoto Arisa-san (from now on, Kiyoto) [Ritsu]: In the materials I received before the audition, there were just three lines about the character.
- Just three lines?
- Kiyoto: Yes.
- Komatsu: Me, too! Every character got three lines.
- Nojima Kenji-san (from now on, Nojima) [Wakaba]: For Wakaba, his picture says nothing about what character he is!
- Everyone: (laughs)
- Kiyoto: It was that sort of audition. The age wasn't written, too, just the information like "about the middle school age". Because of this, combining pieces and searching for the answer felt like fighting. Well, once the audition started, I just played Ritsu, speaking, screaming and so on. There were no tasks like "become an idiot" or "become an old man", it was quite a normal audition.
- Komatsu: Eeeeee- it was this calm?
- Kiyoto: Yes. Felt like it was proceeding smoothly. It's different depending on the character, I guess? Then when I learned I was chosen for the role, I was really happy, to be linked to it by fate, I guess. When I heard the notification that I passed, I almost cried because I was able to match the image of the character in the heads of director-san and the others.
- The last, Nojima-san, please.
- Nojima: Exactly two days before the audition I did a hard work for the sound director-san, and completely lost my voice. On the day of the audition, I was in a state where I coulnd't make current Wakaba's voice. Due to this condition, I went to the audition in a rather dark mood. Though I thought, since it's the same sound director I lost my voice with, he will surely understand my condition?
- Every cloud has a silver lining.
- Nojima: But on the day of the audition, when I went to the studio, he didn't remember it at all. "What happened to you, Nojima-kun?"
- Everyone: (laughs)
- Nojima: That time, I tried to put the blame on others. Even though it was me who lost the voice, I tried to blame others for the problems with my body. Though I couldn't produce a perfect voice, I performed very hard at the audition. I played to show Wakaba's purity and curiosity for everything. However, as expected, I was told by the sound director: "please make a bit higher voice".
- A voice you can't make, so it's no use.
- Nojima: I replied in a bit of a strong tone, "My throat is in bad condition, so I can't, you see." I got nervous from trying on the limit of my capabilities. After the audition ended and my head cooled a little, I apologised to the sound director, "I'm sorry for my strong words earlier". Then he answered "Ah? The words were strong?" as if he didn't mind at all.
- So they weren't that strong?
- Nojima: On the contrary, I got a recommendation from sound director-san to the director Tatsuki, in this way: "Today's Nojima-kun couldn't make the voice, but he can make Wakaba's voice. His acting was wonderful, too, I think it's right on the spot". When I learned that, I cried from the depth of my heart. I let out my irritation on the sound director who praised me. What have I done... I remorsed.
- He recommended you precisely because he knew about your abilities.
- Nojima: However, no matter how much recommendations I got from the sound director, the reality was that I couldn't produce the voice at the audition. Even though I prayed "I want to get accepted", I thought there's no way I'd get the role. I pledged to myself that if I were to get accepted, I will devote my whole heart to it and fight to do my absolute best.  After everything ended, when I was getting ready to leave the studio, director Tatsuki stopped me and asked me a question.
- What did he ask?
- Nojima: "Do you want to play this role?" Since for me at that time Wakaba's role was of someone thrown into the world without knowing anything, I replied, "If I by any chance would get it, I want to weave the feeling of looking out towards the new world into it". After some time passed and I learned that I was accepted, I remembered the audition pledges of returning the favour to the sound director and of the fight I told director Tatsuki about. So, these became Wakaba-kun you all see in the show.



- What are the points you were careful about when you prepared for your roles?
- Komatsu: Rin-chan is the character who's the strongest among her sister, and she laments the events of the past. So, her character is firm. Despite this, she's kind to her sisters and harsh to Wakaba, a girl with many facets. I was told by the direction, "we want cuteness that won't at all make her lose strength". So my point of attention was that she has a not grown up, careless part.
- Sumi: For the Rinas that I played, it's the mischievousness of a youngest child, liveliness and innocence. Then, sometimes she has a sharp tongue. But since it comes from her innocent personality, even with the sharp tongue she's still cute. When I performed, I was always careful about her liveliness. That's because I'm not as energetic as Rina-chan...
- Not energetic?
- Sumi: Yes. I was instructed by the sound director to be more energetic, so I was always paying attention to it. For example, when Rina-chan said "Nani--!", I said it while raising my arms and striking an energetic pose. So I performed as bold as I could.
- Since there are multiple Rinas, how did the recording go?
- Sumi: "Rina-chans", right. When there were lines from different Rinas, we just recorded them in a flow. I needed to say every line paying attention to each Rina's mind correspondingly. So even though I'm still inexperienced, I performed while being conscious of their individual emotions.
- Nojima: For a first role, Rina-chans are a character with many hurdles, I think. Playing them is difficult.
- Komatsu: Yeah. Usually you would record every character separately, right? It's that difficult [to play them continuously].
- These are words of praise from the veterans.
- Sumi: Thank you very much! (looks happy)
- Then, for the Kiyoto-san's Ritsu, what were the points of attention?
- Kiyoto: I'm prone to unconsciously raising the age [of the character] while performing, so I paid attention to not do that. Although Ritsu is in the older sister's position, she's a character who had no other way but to be an older sister. That's what I was told by the sound director-san. When the three sisters are travelling, Rin-chan is the one who's forward-looking, and Rina-chans are lively and mischievous. When you think about it, Ritsu is a girl who goes along with a lot of things, but still expresses many emotions. So I played to preserve as much as possible of the emotions I felt when reading the script.
- Though she ends her words in a cute way, her position is of older sister, right.
- Kiyoto: Yes. She's an older sister in spirit, but their age is probably not that different. When I played her, there were difficult parts, but there were interesting things as well.
I think the fact that she uses a cute "nya~" despite being an older sister doesn't only make her Ritsu, but also gives her a human-like side. While she has the core of what makes her a character, she also has an aspect of a human. I always paid attention to include that human-like feeling. So every episode's recording, I was secretly fighting. And when I saw the show airing, I saw the results of my efforts. I've grown together with "Kemurikusa".
- Nojima-san, what were your points of attention for your role?
- Nojima: Wakaba is a character who always has hope, he's aware of his surroundings and broad-minded. Since he appeared not knowing anything about the world, he's in the same position as the viewers. So it was right for me to indulge in curiosity and not care about the previous parts of the story. With this mindset I played his part.
- Isn't it difficult to pretend not to know the story when playing, despite knowing it?
- Nojima: That's not it. Even if we were the cast, or rather, the staff, we didn't know anything about how the story went. Right?
- Komatsu: Yeah. We didn't know anything about what happened before, and when we asked the director he dodged the questions. Of course he explained the circumstances of the scenes that we were recording in detail, but he didn't answer any questions.
- Nojima: But I think it's alright. Even if we knew all the information, it wouldn't give us the conclusion on a platter. We can only understand a few important things. And we are playing the roles being given those important things.
- That's how it was.
- Nojima: On a glance, "Kemurikusa" is enshrouded by fog and isn't reached by the light, a world of despair. However, during the recording I was able to see the beautiful parts clearly. For example, when Rina-chan is acting cheerfully, things around her suddenly become bright, too. A little light is shining very brightly precisely because the surroundings are dark. "Kemurikusa" is a work that makes you realise that a little happiness is, in fact, a very big happiness. It's because the world is full of mist, that contours are clearly visible. I think it's a very interestingly made anime.



- Where do you feel the biggest charm of Kemurikusa lies?
- Komatsu: One thing that's appealing is that information is not all spoken out, but is contained in the picture, here and there. This work is not saying "solve the puzzle of this world right away!", but rather enciting a pure feeling, "I wonder what is this?". Then, as you solve the questions, the world becomes clealer bit by bit. It's interesting for a viewer to solve mysteries that attract them. I feel just as Nojima-san said a while ago, it's fine for us not to know. The girls are travelling through the world without knowing anything. So even if we knew what happened before in the story, we wouldn't be able to use this information when performing. Of course I, personally, am very interested, so I want to know!
- Everyone: (laughs)
- Komatsu: Even though there are no detailed explanations in Kemurikusa, somehow you begin to understand. The way the pieces you need to solve the puzzle are scattered is perfect. When we all discussed what the bugs actually are, it was fun, wasn't it?
- These bugs are really something!
- Komatsu: And another thing, in that world there are landscapes that we have already seen. Landscapes that we have already seen, but that now lie in ruin for some reason. Despite the world being this hopeless, it's somehow pleasant to watch. Though it's a tale that brings you despair with thoughts like "how should they live in the future?", the story also gives birth to hope bit by bit, that I feel is the attractiveness of this work.
- Then for Sumi-san, what's this story's attractiveness?
- Sumi: "Kemurikusa" has a dark atmosphere, and also a lot of riddles. Surrounded by that, there are three sisters close to each others who're having a fun adventure together. I love stories about girls who join hands and do their best together. They are still such children, but they are in the place they don't know and fight the bugs they don't understand. This gap is the charm.
Then, I love little glimpses into sisters' daily life. Things like Rin being affected by poison, Ritsu tending to Midori-chan, Rinas eating things, girls' daily life. Just watching it I get a feeling of calmness. However, watching sisters getting along is fun, but you also can discuss little details and search for deeper meaning. You can enjoy this work in many different ways.
- Kiyoto-san, for you, Kemurikusa's charm is?
- Kiyoto: As Mikakoshi (Komatsu-san) said, solving mysteries is the biggest part of it. Watching sisters' life after they were born, without being told the pre-story, is interesting. Having the world becoming clearer bit by bit from [their] conversations, having it accumulating over the episodes and conveying it to the viewers is really fun. Then, as Jena-chan (Sumi-san) said, although the darkness of "Kemurikusa"'s world stands out, what's painted on it is the girls' daily life. Despite it being such a world, in reality there are a lot of parts of it that link to our circumstances. In the ruined world, girls' hopes lie in "things they like". I think it's very much the same for our daily lives. It became a good chance for me to think about, what is it that I like? Then Rin's replying line, "It's us who are humans", made me think a lot. If you were to explain what a "human" is... a concept? "Kemurikusa" is a work that gave me a chance to think about a lot of things.
- Then, Nojima-san, please.
- Nojima: Well, I can't watch the work I perform in as a viewer. I just think about stuff related to my role, and when watching it airing I also end up checking if I did everything correctly. I think I become separated from the work and start enjoying it as just some work if I watch it repeatedly for a number of times. So I can only say something vague, but if usual anime is like milk chocolate, then Kemurikusa would be 80% cacao dark chocolate, I think.
- An interesting example. What does it mean?
- Nojima: When you start eating it, you think "what's this?", but as you eat it you start noticing the deep flavour and the effects on your body.
- Komatsu: I see!
- Nojima: It's this sort of an anime, I think. There probably are people who refuse it from the start. However, once you start watching it you become unable to stop. A work with mysterious charms, isn't it?



- In which ways you resemble the characters you play, and in which ways you don't?
- Komatsu: Clumsiness.
- Nojima: Since you are clumsy yourself?
- Komatsu: Yes (laughs). Rin is clumsy in her own way, I think. Also, I can't be upfront about my feelings towards other people.
- Kiyoto: But you're sociable.
- Komatsu: Not at all. I just understand that part of myself so I hide it when interacting with people. I'm especially clumsy towards the close people like parents... However, I think the cuteness of Rin-san being clumsy is appealing. For example, when she's affected by poison and tries to hide it in strange ways, it's cute.
- Then, in which ways you aren't like Rin?
- Komatsu: Reflexes. Then, Rin-chan has a very strong sense of responsibility... so it's like I'm not responsible at all!
- Everyone: (laughs)
- Komatsu: Of course I'm not unresponsible, but I end up making ways for myself to avoid it. I must have an exit plan. That's a part where I'm soft on myself. But Rin-chan isn't soft on herself at all. I can't become that stoic.
- Sumi-san, what are the parts where you are alike and aren't alike?
- Sumi: Rina-chan is a girl who likes to eat very much. Like, she says "that building looks tasty" and quickly comes to eat it. She's honest about things she likes. That's quite like myself, I think.
- You are also honest about things you like?
- Sumi: Recently... or rather, for some time now I've been addicted to Dandan noodles.
- Komatsu: We started talking about similarities, but before we knew it it turned into a food discussion!
- Everyone: (laughs)
- Sumi: Since the last year's summer, once or twice per week I stuff myself with it in the cafe along the way (laughs).
- Then, in what ways you aren't alike?
- Sumi: The point of dissimilarity is that she's active. I'm the unenthusiastic type who doesn't go like "Let's go!" but rather "I'm going...". Not the type to lead. And I'm not as lively as Rina-chan. I would like to become energetic and lead everyone, like her.
- Kiyoto-san, in which ways do you resemble Ritsu?
- Kiyoto: I'm imprecise like her. For example, she sucked some bolts with the water, or shaked the railcar. In this way. I can properly do parts I care about, but when I can get away with it I'm sketchy. Then, I'm like her in that she goes along with her sisters. I have a sister a few years younger than me, and we talk through LINE every day.
- Komatsu: Eh, that's good. I have an older and a younger brother. I made a family group in LINE, but I'm the only one who doesn't write anything.
- Nojima: Even when I send my brothers "where are you now?", I get reply on the next day.
- Everyone: (laughs)
- Then Kiyoto-san, in which ways you aren't like Ritsu?
- Kiyoto: It became clear in the episode 2, that Ritsu is forward-looking. I'm not like that. In these hopeless circumstances Rin said to keep in one place and stay away from dangers, but contrary to that, Ritsu argued to move and look for new water. I'm not really forward-looking. A fairly careful type.
- Would test the bridge but won't cross it?
- Kiyoto: Like that (laughs). Even if I cross in the end, I would test it many times over, way more than necessary.
- Nojima-san, how do you resemble Wakaba?
- Nojima: I'm optimistic, I think? Like, no use to think about what was before, and even if some problem occures, saying "well, it's fine", that sort of disposition. Wakaba has this sort of optimism, too. Since he dived into the red fog saying "hot, hot, it's hot", like that. But in that scene there's also a part of Wakaba that doesn't resemble me. Although he's optimistic like me, I wouldn't have the courage to go into the red fog. Wakaba is a person who can make an instant decision, that's manly and cool. That cool part I think I should learn from him.



- In the first four episodes, what scenes can you recommend?
- Komatsu: I'm interested about the scene right before Wakaba's appearance.
- Kiyoto: The scene with the water tank?
- Komatsu: Yes! I wondered what Wakaba is in the first place. When I first watched that scene, I wondered if there's any hidden message in it... Then another scene is Rin being affected by poison, I think it's cute.
- Kiyoto: She hid behind the pole!
- Komatsu: It was cute! I thought, "so there are also scenes like that~". I like the scenes with poison, they are cute.
- Sumi: The scene I'd tell about is the scene with Rinako right before her death. If you only watch episode 1 you can see it as unimportant, but when you watch up to the fourth episode, you realise that they have parted with their sisters in a similar way for a number of times already. And you also understand just how precious the water is in their world.
- Kiyoto-san's recommended scenes?
- Kiyoto: The talk in which Rin decides to proceed in a forward-looking way left an impression on me.
- Komatsu: The talk about leaving the island?
- Kyioto: Yes! Rin was completely immersed in protecting her sisters and prolonging their life, but after Wakaba's appearance she began looking towards the future, I was happy to see it. Without this determination none of the further development would have happent. I think it's a scene of the crossroads, showing the importance of the beginning.
- Then, Nojima-san, please.
- Nojima: I think the scene in which Wakaba went into the red fog to save Rinayo was cool and wonderful, but there are other interesting scenes. Like when Rin and Ritsu are having an important talk, Wakaba is always outside, being played with by Rinas. I like these scenes.
- Komatsu: And we can explicitly see them.
- Nojima: Yes, like when he's being poked by a stick?
- Komatsu: Like "Uooooo!", being noisy!
- That part was an ad lib?
- Nojima: An ad lib. I thought I should do it more lightly, but it ended up fairly soundful. After that he was played with a number of times, it was amusing.



- For the last part, please say a message to the fans who bought the Blu-ray.
- Komatsu: Those of you who bought this Blu-ray will probably watch the whole story. But we're still working towards the last episode and pouring soul into the characters during the recordings. We don't know how the story ends. I think, all of you who watched this Blu-ray became interested in the "Kemurikusa"'s world. We are also like this, swayed by that world. So if you will continue travelling with Rin, Ritsu, Rina and Wakaba, I'll be happy.
- Sumi: To all who know whow "Kemurikusa" ended. That ending is really the fitting ending, right? I want you to watch the BD many times and discover the hidden mysteries. Please enjoy the further episodes!
- Kiyoto: First of all, for the buyers of the BD, thank you very much. When the last episode airs, everyone will welcome it with relief. However, this BD is a ticket to a new travel of investigation. Precisely because you saw how it ended, you can watch the first volume again and find something. Please immerse yourself in the Kemurikusa world and, let alone once, rewatch it two or three times.
- Nojima: There are people who watched it till the end on air, but there probably also are people who first watch it on BD. "Kemurikusa" is a work that you can inquire into in various ways and that would lead you to the answers in various ways. There are answers for those who watch it, but I think that the real answer is for the question "what did you feel?". If you let us know what you felt we'd be happy. Did you like "Kemurikusa"?

The end.