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Yashahime Translation: Animage November 2020 Issue

Please do not repost this translation without my consent! @officialinuyasha will be making a video version of this so stay tuned!

The Three Girls’ Incident Fill Journey

While carrying the expectations of “Inuyasha” fans, the story of the 3 girls begins to move. What sort of fate awaits the 3 girls with different personalities and grew up in different eras?

The original anime that succeeds the world of “Inuyasha”, “Hanyou no Yashahime”, has finally begun broadcast! (We are) sure there were a lot of people who were surprised after watching episode 1. Afterall, not only were the trio of protagonists on screen, but also the characters of “Inuyasha”, Inuyasha, Kagome, Miroku, Sango, and Sesshomaru, were freely moving around!

In episode 1, the story started with Towa being told the story of Inuyasha and Kagome (A priestess who came from ‘Tokyo’ 10 years ago and the half demon that exterminated demons with her) while she was captured at the Kanto region’s governor-general’s mansion of Ougigayatsu-Hiiragi. As Inuyasha and others live while exterminating demons, after ending the battle with the half demon, Naraku, it is said they fought a demon called Root Head… Familiar scenes are jammed together showing everyone’s traits such as the black Tessaiga unleashing Meidozangetsuha and Kagome’s “sit”. It truly was a festive curtain opening.

However, this was just the prologue of the Yashahime’s adventure since as Setsuna’s voice actress, Komatsu Mikako, put it “Episode 2 is the first episode “Hanyou no Yashahime”. A “new age of feudal fairytale” with the 3 girls has finally begun!

Moroha Inuyasha and Kagome’s quarter-demon daughter. She makes a living as a bounty hunter. She doesn’t have any memories of her parents, but she inherited “demonic powers” and “spiritual powers of a priestess”.

It really is the daughter of Inuyasha and Kagome! Moroha’s voice actress: Tadokoro Azusa

“Moroha is Inuyasha and Kagome’s daughter so from the time I auditioned for her, I wanted to incorporate elements from the two of them. I focused on things like how Inuyasha sits like a dog and his beast like manner when he speaks as well as Kagome’s strength as a woman and her suppleness. However, when I really thought about it, I thought the two of them had similar dispositions. It’s like they became similar as they journeyed together. Things like the kindness of when they end up saving people and how quickly the blood rushes to their heads when angered; (these) are traits they both have. That is why I thought Moroha might be like that too. I truly thought she was a child born from Inuyasha and Kagome from how emotional she is and how lightly she carries her body.”

Setsuna Towa’s younger twin sister. She is a member of the demon slayers and has a calm, collected personality. She was separated from Towa when she was young and does not remember anything from that time.

Staying calm while thinking of Sesshomaru Setsuna’s voice actress: Komatsu Mikako

“I was directed to “remember the way Narita Ken played Sesshomaru” when it came time to play Setsuna. During the audition, I did a version that had a cool aura at the forefront and a version that focused a little on being a realistic girl. At first I wasn’t sure which one to go with so I acted lightly but was told “More deeper, it’s okay to have a threatening quality in your voice.” Now I diligently act with complete collectedness while thinking of Sesshomaru. While I haven’t done any recording work with Narita-san yet, I worked with him a little over a year ago on a different work where we had a parent/child role so I can’t wait to show how happy I am to be his daughter again (laughs).”

Higurashi Towa Sesshomaru’s daughter and Setsuna’s older twin sister. She time traveled to the modern era when she was little. She excels at martial arts to the point that she can beat up gangs by herself.

She is good at fighting but she is still a regular girl Towa’s voice actress: Matsumoto Sara

“Since Towa spent 10 years under Papa Souta and does not remember her real parents, I think she’s more of a Modern girl than a Feudal girl. The first audition tape I submitted, I really focused on her being the daughter of Sesshomaru and had her sounding completely boyish. However afterwards I was told “Sounds too much like a boy.” Based on that, I think I got it just right with sounding like a 14-year-old middle school girl who’s good at fighting. Also just like Mikako-san, I have played a role as Narita-san’s daughter in a different work. As of now, I’m curious to see if there will be any parent/child interactions from here on.”

Cycling in Feudal Lands!?

The figures of Towa and Setsuna riding a bicycle while Moroha follows after them reminds one of the scene that unfolded in “Inuyasha”. In episode 1, Towa was presented with Kagome’s bicycle seat at Ougigayatsu-Hiiragi mansion. Does that mean a bicycle will be a key item in “Yashahime”?

Round Table Discussion with the Cast of the 3 Girls

The 3 of them who grew up influenced by “Inuyasha”

Everyone, (speaking) purely as “Inuyasha” fans. First, please tell us your favorite character or episode from “Inuyasha”

Matsumoto: Once we start talking about “Inuyasha”, forget the interview time, we’re going be talking past midnight! (laughs) For me, my favorites were Miroku and Naraku.

Tadokoro: Miroku! He’s precocious!

Komatsu: You liked Naraku?!

Matsumoto: First, I was overwhelmed by Miroku’s adult sexiness. I loved that fraudulent part of him. You know how whenever the air got tense within the Inuyasha group, Miroku would chime in with “Now then” and the air would soften. I felt that that was really cool. Back then, I ended up drawing Miroku’s wind tunnel on my hand and copying him (laughs).

Komatsu and Tadokoro: I did that too~! (in unison)

Matsumoto: On the other end, I felt charmed by how Naraku was too evil. I thought “There’s someone this evil!”.  I was shocked that even though he was originally human, as a result of getting all sorts of humans and demons involved, he became like that. I became completely enamored by the “true villain”.

Komatsu: If I were to speak in terms of Naraku’s faction, I loved Kagura.

Matsumoto and Tadokoro: Aah~ Kagura~!  (in unison)

Komatsu: Naraku is an existence that became a demon from the negative aspects of humans such as tenacity and envy. Yet from that, Kagura in a sense was born with a human like heart and I felt that that was attractive. Her life was always in Naraku’s hands. In reality, she wanted to join Inuyasha’s side but she couldn’t. Even so she wanted to be free like the wind and ironically at the end, she became the wind by Naraku’s hand. Then, in her last moments when she met Sesshomaru she said “I got to see you”….!

Matsumoto and Tadokoro: Yeah~!!

Komatsu: Kagura was the only character on the enemy’s side that I liked. On Inuyasha’s side, I’d have to say I liked the Inuyasha and Kagome pair. “Inuyasha” had a romance element to it; for me it was both a shounen and shoujo manga and it was a work that was truly like a textbook on life. I did things like ask my parents to make the Japanese style room in our house “my room” and bought folding fans because I said “I want to become a wind user too!”

Tadokoro: Mine is mainstream but I liked Sesshomaru.

Matsumoto and Komatsu: Aah~ Lord Sesshomaru~!!

Komatsu: Well our Papa is too cool.

Tadokoro: I can’t go against that charm. He doesn’t say much but despite it all, he does look out for the others. At first, he kept going after Inuyasha in order to take his sword but in the end, he ended up helping Inuyasha grow right? Something like that (laughs).

Matsumoto: He’s too tsundere!

Tadokoro: Exactly! Rin obviously but despite everything, he does consider Jaken important. My favorite episode was the one where Rin gets taken into the underworld.

Matsumoto and Komatsu: I feel you!

Tadokoro: To think that that Sesshomaru would say “There’s nothing that could ever be worth trading Rin’s life for”… I think that was the moment everyone fell for Sesshomaru (laughs). Also Kohaku. He went through something extremely painful and continued to suffer for a long time so that makes him do unnecessary things. He tends to value his life poorly and because of that, there are a lot of scenes where he’s saved by others. At first I thought “Please stop”, however in the anime because of Yajima Akiko’s voice, I really felt “It’s not that he’s getting in everyone’s way, he just takes action because he’s tormented”. Yajima-san’s acting of Kohaku is what made me want to be become a voice actor so I have a lot of feelings this character. When I saw him become an adult in “Hanyou no Yashahime”, I had this feeling of “Thank you for choosing to live”.

There is no end to the “Inuyasha“ talk. Then please tell us your impression of “Hanyou no Yashahime”. Did all of you audition for all 3 girls?

Tadokoro: I only did Moroha for the tape audition but afterwards I did all 3 girls in the studio audition. It’s just that there’s the fact that I just did Moroha for the tape so I was interested in her the most. My very first impression was that I was moved when I saw that the child born from Inuyasha and Kagome was this girl, and I was so happy to see their child. She really looks like them and she’s so lively that I thought she would actually come to life. I arbitrarily thought “I wonder if she’s living a happy life?”.

Matsumoto: I only auditioned for Towa. From her appearance, I thought she was cool but before anything else I was so shocked at the idea of “Sesshomaru’s daughter” that I was at a complete loss. I was like “S-Sesshomaru had a d-daughter…?!” (laughs)

All: (Laughs)

Matsumoto: I ended up thinking “How did he give birth when he’s a guy?”

Komatsu: With Sesshomaru, I can certainly see him doing something like cutting off his hair and breathing life into by blowing on it (laughs).

Matsumoto: I can see that smoking up and turning into a baby (laughs). While Towa has a twin sister named Setsuna, there was that setting of Towa spent time in the modern era. I felt there was a lot of ground for thought like “What happened between her and Setsuna?” or “Do they have different personalities?”.

Komatsu: In my case, when I received the notice for the audition, I only saw the title “Hanyou no Yashahime” and thought “This is going to be a title like “Inuyasha”” (laughs). When I read the explanation it really had “a work that succeeds the world of “Inuyasha”” written on it so I was really surprised. Not only that but it had the catch phrase “Sesshomaru has a daughter” so I was like “That Sesshomaru!?”. In any case, I was completely surprised. For the audition, I only did Setsuna but upon seeing the documents, her facial features and the white fluff (moko moko) around her neck, I thought she really is the daughter of Sesshomaru. In the audition manuscript, there were a few lines that showed that she didn’t seem to really remember her father but her closed off aura gave me the sense of ‘like father, like daughter’.

As you got into acting your roles, have there been any changes from your first impression?

Komatsu: Each of their backbones are slowly being dug up but among them, there a lot of scenes where you can tell that Towa has been heavily influenced by the modern era from having lived there so long.

Matsumoto: Yes. There’s a contrast like when they’re confronted by a demon; Towa will pull back where as Setsuna and Moroha will go on the offensive. Also when Towa hesitates to make the final blow, the two of them scold her.

Komatsu: For Setsuna and Moroha, exterminating demons is a job but for Towa, she exterminates demons with the idea of saving others. Hence, due to the difference in their way of thinking, they butt heads but as the 3 of them spend more time together, their sense of comradery will gradually deepen… I feel my impression is slowly changing as the story progresses like how Setsuna surprisingly participates in the joke scenes and how they move as a 3 person team.

Tadokoro: With Moroha’s change, I was first directed with “It’s okay to make it sillier”. Actually, while she does act on her emotions like a child and she can be a little stupid, in battle she’ll give out directions like “Do this” and I think she’s good at assisting. Based on appearances, Towa and Setsuna seem like they would be better at combat but the fact that Moroha has a sharp mind is something that surprised me.

Matsumoto: My impression of Towa hasn’t really changed but I’m curious to see how Towa will adapt to the Feudal Era and how the 3 of them will work as one. Even when Towa returns to the Feudal Era, it’s not like she forgets the modern era and she will show things to Setsuna, Moroha, and Takechiyo like “In the modern era, we have something like this”. Towa doesn’t seem to find it hard to go from the modern era to the Feudal Era and when recording began, I once again thought “It’s like this afterall”.

Komatsu: … I think the way Towa closes the gap between herself and others is similar to “that person”.

Matsumoto: You just made a big statement like it was nothing!

Komatsu: I thought the way Towa concerns herself with Setsuna and Setsuna responding with “Shut up! Leave me alone!” was a relationship similar to that of their parents… If you look at Towa, I think you can figure out who the mother is.

Tadokoro: Definitely get an idea. Then how about the possibility of Jaken? (laughs)

Matsumoto: The ‘Jaken is the mother’ theory huh! (laughs) What makes me get emotional is when even though Setsuna pushes Towa away and goes on ahead, she’ll stop, look back, and watch Towa complain behind her. She’s just like her father when she does that!

Komatsu: I feel! She’s totally concerned about her.

Tadokoro: To Moroha, despite what Towa and Setsuna say to eachother, they’re pretty lovey-dovey so she feels a little “left out”.

All: (laughs)

Matsumoto: The other day when we were recording a preview, Azusa-san said to me “Towa really doesn’t call for Moroha does she.” When I thought about it, it’s true that there’s a lot of “Setsuna and I did this” sort of talk (laughs).

Tadokoro: Moroha’s there too~! (laughs)

Matsumoto: To Towa, Setsuna is very precious. Even though Setsuna and Moroha are veterans when it comes to surviving in the Feudal Era, Towa still wants to be an older sister to Setsuna. That aspect is pretty amusing.

That is definitely something to keep an eye on in future broadcasts. Now then, please tell us your thoughts on episode 1 that was broadcasted.

Komatsu: The story of “Inuyasha” since then was drawn so I don’t suppose fans felt as if they had “come home”? I think it was a first episode that was like “First of all, welcome back and welcome to a new world of Inuyasha!”

Tadokoro: It really is moving isn’t it… I was also really excited for the broadcast.

Matsumoto: All the more since during the recording, the different casts recorded their scenes separately, so we never got to watch the “Inuyasha” cast acting directly.

Komatsu: Also there were nostalgic scenes that were just as they were in the original anime which is something that got me excited.

Matsumoto: There were. From episode 2 onwards, there will be lingering remnants of demons that appeared in “Inuyasha”. When past scenes come in, I myself become moved like “There was a scene like that!”

Komatsu: Episode 2 in a sense is the first episode of “Hanyou no Yashahime”. The first enemy demon that appears is a little similar to the first demon that appeared in “Inuyasha” so I think that’s a point that will make fans happy.

Tadokoro: Also in the TV anime, demons that appeared in scenes in the original work will also appear as “Hanyou no Yashahime” versions. That also makes me emotional.

Episode 2 onwards will be exciting for production key points that strike “Inuyasha” fans. Even in this edition’s illustration (P. 36-37), connecting with the bicycle Kagome was always rode in “Inuyasha”, we have a bicycle and the 3 girls.

Matsumoto: My heart is skipping seeing Setsuna wrap her hands around Towa’s waist.

Komatsu: She’s really looking (at her)! (laughs) Within the work, Setsuna hasn’t opened up to Towa yet but I wonder how much time has passed for the gap between them to close like this?

Tadokoro: Setsuna’s completely riding like a “girlfriend”! Moroha’s been taken off the bicycle (laughs)

Komatsu: We need to attach a side car to the bicycle for her (laughs)

Do you have any situations that you want to see illustrations of from here on?

Komatsu: I want to see everyone in a school uniform!

Matsumoto: Yes! Please put Moroha in Kagome’s sailor uniform.

Tadokoro: Yeah, I definitely want to see her wear that! Going along that line, I want to see Towa and Setsuna dressed like Lord Sesshomaru.

Matsumoto: Each one dressed like their parents, I like that. Not just a sailor uniform for Moroha but also in a priestess’s attire too.

Tadokoro: She has black hair so I’m sure it will look good on her.

Matsumoto: Moroha and Setsuna normally have their hair tied back so I want to see them with their hair down.

Komatsu: A situation where the 3 of them are in a hot spring. There were scenes like that in “Inuyasha” where there were monkeys in the hot spring. (laugh)

Matsumoto: Me personally, I want to see Setsuna and Moroha fully dressed in modern clothes. Something like all 3 of them going to an amusement park.

Komatsu: I want to see them taking tests for school!

Q. What do you think will happen when Towa and Setsuna reunite with Sesshomaru?

Komatsu: First, what will they call Sesshomaru? Will they call him “Father”? To begin with, I’ve been curious as to if Sesshomaru was the one who named them.

Tadokoro: That’s true. Who did name them?

Komatsu: “Towa = Eternity” and “Setsuna = Moment” … What sort of meaning do these complete opposite names have?

Matsumoto: I feel Setsuna’s is more fleeting. The wild ideas (translators note: head cannons to put it in western terms) won’t stop.

Tadokoro: Kagome’s was too but the names tend to have an uneasy nuance implied about them. For Moroha, the words “Double edged sword” and “Fragile” can have a close resemblance. There was a meaning to Kagome’s name so I tend to think there’s also a meaning in Towa, Setsuna, and Moroha. Also, Moroha’s red clothes is the robe of the fire rat Inuyasha wore that apparently, she remodeled herself so I’m really curious about that. Is it by chance… a memento? I don’t want that~!!

Q. Among the 3 of you, who resembles their character the most?

Komatsu: Probably Towa (Matsumoto)? Her aura is similar to Towa in a gutsy, cheerful sense. It doesn’t feel like an “act” when she’s acting.

Tadokoro: Me too, my first thought was Towa. I thought they looked similar in appearances.

Matsumoto: That makes me so happy….! There are times where I feel I’m similar to Towa but I think everyone has something similar (to their characters). I feel like Azusa-san is mischievous and sparkling like Moroha and Komatsu-san has Setsuna’s cool beauty.

Komatsu: No, I have zero coolness within me (laughs). I think the rock essence that Koroazu (referring to Tadokoro) has during a concert performance is close to Moroha!

Tadokoro: That’s true, I try to bring out a wild flavor (laughs).

Episode 1 Play Back: Inuyasha Since Then

Inuyasha and Kagome exterminated Root Head with there superb combination (?)… or so it was thought, but in actuality, it entangled itself with the roots of the Sacred Tree/Tree of Ages deep within the earth. The still living Root Head extends its roots to the fates of Towa, Setsuna, and Moroha. And the true identity of Munehisa, who told the tale, comes to light as the demon Yotsume (the 4 eyed owl). Just what is he is something to keep an eye on from here on.

Inuyasha Moroha’s half-demon father. After winning the battle against Naraku, he chose to live together with Kagome in the Feudal Era. He also drove back Root Head combining his power with Kagome’s but…

Sesshomaru A greater demon who is Towa and Setsuna’s father. While Inuyasha was fighting Root Head, he did not lend a hand but rather he quietly watched over Sango’s house where Rin was taking refuge.

[polar-stars]

Some Notes on what the grown-ups are up to...(Part 1 | SnKimiko Related)

So hey, I am not quite tired yet but too tired to draw so welp, I guess we’re doing this instead. 

Honestly, recently I’ve realized that I haven’t really explored the careers the canon characters pursue within in my Next Gen Fanfic. Which is mainly because I honestly haven’t thought that much about it but rather only ever held some rough ideas. There’s reasoning to that but that mainly has to do with myself but I don’t have to get into that in detail now. It’s a lot about the fact that I’m still a pretty young person with not the best understanding of how the world works yet...but I’m working on it!

So meep, I thought I could write down some actual notes for some info regarding what the canon characters are up to when “Shokugeki no Kimiko” takes place. I’m still a little unsure about them (so don’t be surprised if I eventually change things up later), so I’d gladly appreciate feedback honestly! 

Anyway, that lengthy intro aside...let’s get into it, I guess ; 7 ;

-

Megumi 

Megumi Aldini-Tadokoro, formerly just Tadokoro, lives in her hometown in Tohoku and took over the position as it’s head-chef after her mother retired. The news that a Totsuki graduate, and not just any graduate but a former Elite 10 member, took over the Ryokan certainly drove a lot of people to the place. 

Megumi’s wisdom regarding hospitality and her outstanding talents in the culinary field ultimately improved the tourism of the region immensely. The Ryokan is praised for the traditional Japanese atmosphere, exquisite food and, of course, the welcoming atmosphere and the warmth with which the guests are welcomed with. 

Given that her priorities are certainly the customers and building a relationship with them even if it is for only one day, Megumi always resigned off from opening another restaurant. She can’t be at all at the same time after all and in her mind it would make everything less personal. However it’s at a time where Megumi already earned a name for herself and instead of mocking her decision as “too limited” or “not enough vision”, she’s respected by the culinary world. 

Despite the fact though that the Ryokan is her prime focus, she does help out her husband Isami with new recipe ideas or other advice for the Trattoria-Aldini-Branch whenever he asks her. She does help out in the restaurants themselves as well, once or twice a year. Which is always made out to be a great deal. 

She often gets invited to various hotels throughout a year and occassionally, she’ll take the offer and arranges a special banquet for one night for the hotel’s guests to enjoy. It’s certainly always an event to behold and something that every hotel, she’s served so far, wears with pride. 

She’s mother to three children, two sons and one daughter. The oldest son, Hiroshi Aldini-Tadokoro, is a current higschool first year in Totsuki and a member of the 115th Generation. Her two twin-children Nino and Maja Aldini-Tadokoro still visit a primary school in the local area. They will be part of the future 119th Generation of Totsuki. 

Takumi

Takumi Aldini lives in Tuscany and is the head-chef of the original “Trattoria Aldini” where he grew up in. But it’s not just that...

With the help of his business-knowledgeable wife Ikumi and of course his loyal brother Isami, Takumi build a successful brand out of the Trattoria which expands all over the world, having restaurants in almost every noteworthy city. It’s, additionally, kept affordable. It’s not something that the normal middle-class man can eat in each and everyday but it certainly is something he can go to once in a while. 

Takumi is managing the restaurants within the West, so mainly Europe and America. (Isami is taking care of the restaurants in the East) 

At the same time, the original Trattoria keeps him busy as well given that as the first and original Trattoria it has a bit of a cult-status and is on every tourist’s To-Do list that comes into the area. Whenever Isami and his family come over to Tscany, things become even more lively as many foodies would kill for the opportunity to see the infamous Aldine-Family and especially the Mezzaluna-Siblings in action. 

Takumi has one daughter with Ikumi: Mika Aldini, a student of Totsuki’s 115th Generation. 

Alice

After her cousin Erina vanished alongside Soma, the Totsuki-Empire was eventually laid into the hands of the so-often-overlooked Alice Nakiri, making her the new headmistress of Totsuki once Senzaemon retired. 

There were a few doubtful voices regarding Alice’s Election as new head of this enormous branch, as so many had always pictured Erina in that position. But over time, these voice where shut down as Alice managed to fulfill her job pretty well. Some of her strategies or ideas might sound eccentric or unconditional at first, but there’s always logic and a certain wisdom to them. Also, Alice always had a great understanding of what she wants and how to get it which does make her a solid, cunning and to-beware negotiator.

She also does a lot for the intellectual part of Totsuki by expanding it’s library, funding research projects in fields other than strictly cooking, diversify the range of languages taught on Totsuki...etc. 

As her profession as Totsuki’s headmistress consumes her quite a bit, Alice was only able to open two restaurants: one in Tokyo, called “Snestorm” and one in Copenhagen, called “Yukidoke”. Both are reservation-only places where she serves her experimental and unique culinary ideas. Snestorm is more focused on Western ideas, so to speak, while Yukidoke is more Eastern-orientated. 

She has two twin-daughters with her husband Ryo: Lola Nakiri and Mona Nakiri, both members of the 115th Generation of Totsuki. She and her family definitely remain the apex of Japan’s culinary landscape. They host a yearly Summer-Ball which is one of the grandest, biggest and most anticipated events for any person worth their salt within the culinary industry.

Akira

With the reputation of having survived Totsuki and ending up amongst the 10 best students backing him up, Akira opens four highly-successful restaurants over the years between his graduation from Totsuki and the current timeline of “Shokugeki no Kimiko”. Currently, he’s outlining plans for a restaurant in the US.

His first is called “Sona” and is located in Tokyo and also known as Akira’s “main restaurant” so to speak. Over the years it has grown into a small palace and its one of pricey but also praised restaurants within the city. Quite a few rich ladies would die to have their wedding taking place there, as one certainly feels like some sort-off Mid-East royal stepping into the place. 

The second is called “Signum” and is located in Singapore. What’s special about this restaurant is that the menu changes drastically every year. The concept is basically that each year, Signum serves a different kind of cuisine. One year it’s Thai, the other it’s Indian, then it’s Turkish, then Malaysian and so on. Akira announces this year’s menu on each New Years Party hosted by the Hayamas in Sona.

The third is called “Solaris” and is located in Kairo. Akira got inspired to open it, because of his son’s enthusiasm regarding travels to Egypt. It serves mainly all different sorts of curry but also various specialities of Mid-Eastern cuisines. 

The fourth is called “Lilac Garden” and it’s the first one to not start with an “S” and this one is more dedicated to his daughter. It’s located in Herakleion on Kreta. It’s honestly a bit more of a café and has a truly beautiful pavilion that offers an enchanting look on the sea. What’s noteworthy is that the entire place is decorated with all sorts of flowers. 

Aside from being busy with restaurants, Akira does actually time to time support Alice’s more academic advances in Totsuki by teaching seminars. It’s a rare occurrence but whenever he does, a broad number of students come rushing. 

He also found himself a little hobby in a little side-business as perfumer. Originally, he only wanted to construct a perfume for his wife Hisako as a little surprise for an anniversary and ended up thinking: “Why not make some money out of this?” While the perfume for Hisako of course is a Hisako-Only-Creation that will never make it into the public hands, he did bring 3 other perfumes to the market that sell pretty well. 

Akira has two children with Hisako, a son and a daughter. The son, Akio Hayama, is part of the 114th Generation and a member of Totsuki’s current Elite 10. The daughter, Kaori Hayama, is part of the 115th Generation as well as it’s valedictorian. 

[dennou-translations]

Violet Evergarden Official Fanbook: Character Profiles

Please do not distribute my translations without permission and feel free to point out any corrections. If you can, consider supporting the creators by purchasing the official releases here.

Index >>

A few warnings before we proceed:

The data below is pertinent only to the anime, not the franchise as a whole. Much of what is written here does not match the novel. Please keep that in mind when finding any controversies or additional information. This also applies to the characters from the anime who are not in the books and vice-versa.

The profiles follow summaries of each episode. They’re the same ones from the official site, all of which I’ve already translated, so I’ve embedded links to their translations.

The order of introduction of each character corresponds to the order of appearances in each episode, hence the numeration and hence why they don’t follow the official main character line-up. The only exception to this is Gilbert, whose profile is introduced by episode 8.

Unlike the other characters, Violet has three profiles. That’s surely for the sake of showcasing her development.

A few characters have their names written wrong. The people in charge clearly took their translations from the Netflix subs, which everyone knows got many things wrong. I’ve taken the liberty to correct them. Specifically, it’s Dietfried written as “Diethard”, Abelfreya written as “Eberfreya”, and Ale written as “Yale”.

Episode 1

Violet Evergarden CV: Ishikawa Yui

An Auto-Memories Doll of the CH Postal Company. Unknown background. Estimated age is 14 years.

She became an Auto-Memories Doll in order to learn the meaning of the words “I love you”, which her superior from the battlefields back when she was a soldier, Gilbert, had told her. Until becoming an Auto-Memories Doll, as she used to live only for the sake of fighting, she was neither able to understand the feelings of other people nor her own. However, through interacting with her clients, she comes in contact with all sorts of emotions, such as the feeling of loving someone and the sadness of losing an important person, and grows up step by step.

Claudia Hodgins CV: Koyasu Takehito

The president of CH Postal Company. His family is a wealthy one, which also invested in damage relief expenses during the war. Formerly, he served as a lieutenant colonel in Leidenschaftlich’s army, and so is able to take on jobs by using connections from the time when he was a soldier even after having retired.

He met Gilbert during their days as students in the Military Academy and became close to him. As per a request by Gilbert to take care of Violet, he now watches over her in the CH Postal Company, which he himself founded after the war. Understanding that Violet still did not comprehend people’s emotions and admiring her will of wanting to become an Auto-Memories Doll, he warmly sees her growth through.

Cattleya Baudelaire CV: Endou Aya

A popular Doll who is the face of CH Postal Company. She specializes in love letters, and there is no end to the number of clients who commission her. Upon observing Cattleya notice the feeling of “love” from her client, Violet took interest in Auto-Memories Dolls.

Amongst the Dolls employed in CH Postal Service, she’s the one with the longest career on the job, and so she watches over Violet with her juniors as the latter begins her own. She is an old acquaintance of Hodgins’s, and so she tags along with him in a friendly relationship to give advice about Violet and about work.

Episode 2

Erica Brown CV: Chihara Minori

An Auto-Memories Doll who works at the CH Postal Company. She was inspired by the novels of the writer Molly, and thought that she also wanted to write texts that could resonate with people’s hearts, thus aspiring to become an Auto-Memories Doll. However, due to her introverted personality, she tended to struggle in her interactions with costumers, and inwardly embraced anxiety while wondering if she was actually not suited to be an Auto-Memories Doll.

When meeting Violet for the first time, she could not fathom why the latter wanted to become an Auto-Memories Doll, but upon being touched by her straightforward desire to understand what “I love you” meant, Erica reminisced to her own dreams.

Benedict Blue CV: Uchiyama Kouki

A delivery boy (postman) of the CH Postal Company. He mainly does deliveries by bike. He appears to have an obsession with dressing styles, and so does not wear the company’s uniform. He seems to be the rude type at first glance due to not being too friendly, but also has a kindhearted side that casually showed concern for Violet, who had just barely joined the CH Postal Company.

He never stops quarreling with Cattleya over trivial matters, but he is trusted as a comrade who had been supporting the company along with Hodgins ever since its foundation day.

Bridget CV: Aizawa Yurika

A female costumer who came to the CH Postal Company for a ghostwriting request. Her hand had been asked in marriage by a young man who had started an automotive business, and so she commissioned an Auto-Memories Doll to ghostwrite a letter of response.

Bridget was overcome with the desire to attract the affection of the one that had asked her in marriage and test his sincerity. However, Violet was unable to grasp Bridget’s true intentions while ghostwriting the letter, which had her enraged.

Nerine & Lilian CV: Saitou Aya || CV: Hikisaka Rie

Female staff members who work as receptionists at the CH Postal Company’s front desk. They deal with the costumers who visit the post office. Same as with Auto-Memories Dolls, the reception is one of the fields in which socially progressing women are active.

Episode 3

Luculia Marlborough CV: Tadokoro Azusa

A girl aspiring to become a Doll, who attends the Auto-Memories Doll Preparatory School. The trigger being that they were paired together to write letters during a school activity, she started getting along with Violet. As Violet receives a critique from the teacher Rhodanthe and becomes upset, Luculia brims with sympathy and tries to make her feel better by showing her the beautiful view of Leiden from a bell tower.

On the other hand, she was unable to convey to her older brother Spencer, who suffered from emotional after-effects of the war, that she was “happy he at least was alive”, and so was burdened with worries. However, her feelings were delivered to him through a letter that Violet wrote in her stead.

Spencer Marlborough CV: Kimura Subaru

Luculia’s older sibling. He fought as a soldier during war times, but the western battlefield he had been assigned to was invaded, and so he lost his parents, who had come to a western city for work. He convinced himself that this was his own responsibility and wound up with psychological problems. Even as the war ended, he would drink continuously regardless of whether it was during the day or at night, unable to lead a proper lifestyle.

Through the letter that Violet delivered, he realized the feelings of his only blood relative Luculia, and gradually recovers. Later on, he visited the CH Postal Company in order to send Luculia a letter.

Rhodanthe CV: Nozawa Yukari

An instructor of the Auto-Memories Doll Preparatory School. She upholds the goal of nurturing “optimal Dolls” and works hard on teaching. She taught in a way that rubs where it hurts even on Violet, who was brilliant in the subjects, by stating things such as, “What you ghostwrote cannot be called a ‘letter’”, and did not break her strict posture in order to raise optimal Dolls.

Once the course ended, she read Luculia’s letter and acknowledged Violet’s graduation, for she was the one who had ghostwritten said letter as per accepting Luculia’s request.

Episode 4

Iris Cannary CV: Tomatsu Haruka

A newbie Doll from the CH Postal Company. She admired working women and moved to the capital Leiden from her hometown Kazaly. She had just become employed after finishing going through the Auto-Memories Doll Preparatory School. She was still in the process of maturing her will towards work, but was not following it through on the inside, and so she ended up going round in circles sometimes.

When Violet joined the CH Postal Company, Iris did not welcome her into becoming an Auto-Memories Doll, but as they went together to Kazaly on a business trip, the distance between their hearts shortened through Violet ghostwriting letters to her parents.

Eamonn Snow CV: Inagaki Takuya

A male childhood friend of Iris’s, who lives in Kazaly. He received a love confession from Iris in the past, but was unable to view their relationship as anything other than childhood friendship and rejected her feelings.

Iris’s Mother CV: Soumi Youko

Iris’s mother, who lives in Kazaly. She was worried for her only daughter, who had moved to the capital city to work, she used a fake name, made a request to CH Postal Company and called Iris over. Despite showing support for Iris as a Doll, wishing for her daughter’s happiness, she made a plan to throw a birthday party for Iris, but her thoughts ended up crossing purposes with Iris’s feelings.

Iri’s Father CV: Matsumoto Yasunori

Iris’s father, who lives in Kazaly. Just as the mother, he was worried about Iris. He came to know about his daughter’s serious feelings regarding her job upon reading the letter ghostwritten by Violet, and saw off his daughter as she headed to Leiden once again.

Episode 5

Charlotte Abelfreya Drossel CV: Nakajima Megumi

Third princess of the Drossel Kingdom. She was raised by the court lady Alberta. Her upbringing is that of a great princess, but on the inside, she is but a 14-year-old crybaby girl in love. In preparation for a tradition of Drossel Kingdom, the ritual of “Public Love Letters”, she gave thorough thought to her marriage with Prince Damian of the Fluegel Kingdom.

Nevertheless, she was unable to see the prince’s true intentions in the beautiful texts written in his Public Love Letters, and so she became anxious. As per a suggestion of Violet, who had been invited for the sake of ghostwriting her Public Love Letters, she wrote the love letters with her own words and conveyed her feelings.

Alberta CV: Koyama Mami

A court lady of Drossel Kingdom. She had served the court since before Charlotte had been born and watched over the latter’s growth, raising her as if she were her own child. She knew Charlotte better than anyone else, enough to realize that Charlotte was not satisfied with the reply from Prince Damian, which had been written by an Auto-Memories Doll. On Charlotte’s wedding day, she endured her loneliness and sent the latter off with a bright face.

Damian Baldur Fluegel CV: Tsuda Kenjirou

First prince of the Fluegel Kingdom, a neighboring nation of the Drossel Kingdom. He has the right to inheriting the throne of Fluegel Kingdom, but has never pretended to be composed. Due to him coming to talk to Charlotte on her birthday as she was alone in a garden of white camellias, their engagement happened.

Afterward, he came to know about Charlotte’s passionate feelings for him through their love letters, and becomes determined to marry her. He proposed to Charlotte in the garden of white camellias where they had first met. After their wedding, he took zealous care of national affairs along with Charlotte.

Episode 6

Leon Stephanotis CV: Uemura Yuuto

A staff member of the codex department in the Shaher Astronomical Observatory. In his childhood, he watched his mother abandon him and leave home to search for his father, who belonged to the literature collecting department and had gone missing, thus becoming distrustful of women and of romantic love. He was also disgusted by Auto-Memories Dolls because of this, yet wound up falling in love with Violet at first sight upon meeting her. As he squeezed out some courage and invited her to an astronomical observation, he realized that a different special someone is reflected in Violet’s eyes, perceiving the end of his short-lived love.

With his meeting with Violet as the trigger, he decided to become a literary collector like his father.

Kile Zenich CV: Yokota Daisuke

A staff member of the codex department in the Shaher Astronomical Observatory, who lives in the same dorm room as Leon.

As the complete opposite of Leon, he was happy that Auto-Memories Dolls were coming to the workplace of the codex department, which was lacking in women. He was chosen to pair with Iberis from the Fujimi Post Office, and the two of them got along with each other as they proceeded working together, so he made active moves, such as inviting her to the observation of the Alley Comet.

He also displays a friendly side that is familiar with Leon, who was bullied by the people around him for not having parents, and worries about the latter’s relationship with Violet.

Le Verrier CV: Hoshino Mitsuaki

The section chief of the codex department in the headquarters of the Shaher Astronomical Observatory. He commands the staff that works in the codex deparment. He invited the Auto-Memories Dolls who visited the headquarters, explaining to them the contents of their job. His thoughtfulness towards his work is extremely high, enough for him to discuss about the rare documents and records about to be lost.

Iberis Konoue & Bluebell Junoa  CV: Doi Mari || CV: Yuzuki Shouko

Classmates who attended the same Auto-Memories Doll preparatory school as Violet. They finished the course before Violet did, and while Iberis was employed by the Fujimi Postal Office, Bluebell was employed by her hometown’s postal agency, the two of them working as Auto-Memories Dolls. They reunited with Violet through the job at Shaher’s headquarters.

Episode 7

Oscar Webster CV: Taki Satoshi

A worldwide famous and renowned dramatist. He lost his beloved daughter Olivia, leading his life surrendering himself to alcohol due to the shock.

In order to finish his new play, he made a request to the CH Postal Company, and upon meeting Violet, he saw that she had the same hair color as Olivia and was reminded of his deceased daughter, which wound up disturbing his heart. However, as Violet showed Oscar the miracle of walking onto the surface of a lake, which Olivia had told him that she wanted to show him when she was still alive, he was able to rid himself of the darkness that he had been carrying in his heart.

Olivia Webster CV: Senbongi Ayaka

Oscar’s only daughter, who has a lovely smile.

Even after losing her mother to illness, so as not to make her father worry, she would entretain him by smiling incessantly. She used to like her light blue parasol and waterfowls, and had promised Oscar to show him that she would jump over the lake in their backyard with said parasol someday. However, Olivia was also plagued with an incurable disease, and contrary to her father’s wishes, her life came to an end.

Episode 8

an orphan girl CV: Ishikawa Yui

An orphan girl found by the military in a northern battlefield. All information such as her place of birth, real name and the whereabouts of her parents are unknown. Her body age was of about 10 years, yet she could not speak properly, and was mostly unable to communicate with people.

She was taken in by Gilbert and joined the Continental War between North and South.

Gilbert Bougainvillea CV: Namikawa Daisuke

A major of Leidenschaftlich’s army. He was born to a famous household, a family that had remained in the military continuously from generation to generation, and had led life fervorously fulfilling his responsibilities as such.

During the Continental War between North and South, he received an orphan girl from his older brother Dietfried as a “weapon”. He gave the name “Violet” to the girl who had none, telling her that she should become a person fitting of said name.

He was fatally injured during the last battle at Intense, leaving to Violet the words “I love you” and going missing in action.

Episode 9

Violet Evergarden CV: Ishikawa Yui

Through working as an Auto-Memories Doll, Violet was touched by many sorts of emotions. And so, she came to realize that there are definitely emotions within her as well. She was able to understand feelings she had never noticed until then; for that part, her sadness towards the fact that Gilbert is gone deepens, and it was painful to accept her past, from which she could not erase the things she had done. Her past could not be erased, yet she realized that neither could her memories with the people she had met nor the ghostwritten letters from her new life as an Auto-Memories Doll, and decides to move on.

Roland CV: Kagami Riki

An elderly postman who works at the CH Postal Company. He is an old man whose plentiful beard causes an impression.

He would watch over the lifestyles of the young ones with a cheerful smile, to the point of eating fried noodles with Benedict out of consideration, as the latter was treated coldly by Nerine and Lilian, and delivering a letter to Violet, who had locked herself in her room.

Every letter contains the precious feelings of someone. The words that Violet told Ann, “there is no such thing as a letter that needn’t be delivered”, were said by Roland to Violet.

Episode 10

Ann Magnolia CV: Morohoshi Sumire

The daughter of Clara, Violet’s client. She lives with her mother in a large manor in the outskirts of their town. She believed Violet to be a real doll and treated her as such. She would ask the latter to tie her hair and read picture books, thus becaming emotionally attached to Violet, but those were signs that she had wanted her mother, who was bedridden due to a disease, to do all of it instead.

She felt that her mother did not have life expectancy, and so begged Violet not to steal the little time she had left to spend with her mother. She was gently soothed by Violet, who knew of the whole situation, and parted from her with a smile in the end.

Clara Magnolia CV: Kawasumi Ayako

She had lost her husband in the war and lived together with her small daughter Ann in the manor. She suffered from sickness, and realizing that she had not much time left, she wrote letters together with Violet for 50 years in the future addressed to Ann.

Upon finishing preparing the latters that would be delivered after her death, she spent her remaining time with Ann, departing to heaven along with the arrival of spring.

Ellis CV: Horikoshi Mami

A servant who works in the manor. As Clara suffered from the disease, she began to take care of Ann, and is responsible for all of the housework in the manor. She was aware of the contents of Clara’s commission, and during the times when Violet was typing out the letters, she was attentive of not letting Ann go to the two.

Episode 11

Aidan Field CV: Asanuma Shintarou

A young male Soldier from the southern part of Ctrigall. When being recruited as a soldier, he found an advertisement of the CH Postal Company and made a request for ghostwriting. However, he was drafted to the front lines of a civil war and shot by the Anti-Peace Faction, finding himself on the verge of death. At that time, he met Violet, who had accepted his ghostwriting request and come rushing to him. And so, as his consciousness faded, he entrusted to her his feelings addressed to his parents and beloved girlfriend, Maria.

In his last moments, he was able to convey the words “I love you” to Maria through his letter.

Maria CV: Sudou Yumi

A childhood friend of Aidan’s, who lives in his hometown. She was raised together with Aidan since babyhood, and he used to show affection for her as if she were his younger sister. Love had blossomed between them when Aidan was still in their hometown, and so she kept waiting for him to return safely, but her wish did not come true.

She received the last letter from Aidan delivered by Violet, and amidst her sadness, she expressed her gratitude.

Ale Koster CV: Sasaki Takuma

A boy soldier who was in the same troop as Aidan. As Aidan did not have anything to use his money on, he suggested Aidan to write letters to his homeland. He was the youngest of the troop and close to Aidan, but was met with an attack from the enemy, losing his life amidst despair.

Lindsey Nicks CV: Akagi Susumu

The master sergeant of the troop that Aiden belonged to. As a civil war broke in Ctrigall, he gathered the soldiers and headed to their base in Menace. However, he was shot by the Anti-Peace Faction led by Isidor and collapsed.

Episode 12

Elias Vandal CV: Sakuya Shunsuke

President of the Vandal Aerial Post Office, which he runs in Ctrigall, and certified pilot. He rides a two-seat monoplane. He has a lively personality, and taking a liking on Violet, who did not reflect on danger and attempted to go to the battlefield her client was in, he rode her to the Menace Base. Afterwards, he also lent his utmost strength to her and took her to Aidan’s hometown.

Toby Sewlyn CV: Kobayashi Chikahiro

An employee of the Vandal Aerial Post Office. He is puzzled by Violet’s request of wanting to go to Menace Base, which is at the forefront of the battlefield, but together with the president, Vandal, he helps fulfill said request. He refers to Vandal as “boss”.

Isidor CV: Mikami Satoshi

A member of the rebel faction’s force, which had raised the flag of resistance against peace. After the war, he had been imprisoned in a military camp of the Galdarik Empire, yet succeeded in escaping through the guidance of Brigadier-General Merkulov. He led the remaining soldiers and took part in an operation to destroy the Intercontinental Railway. When the strategy was taking place, his flank was shot by Dietfried on top of the train and he fell onto the railing.

Brigadier-General Merkulov CV: Hirota Kousei

A brigadier-general of Galdarik Empire’s army. He served as the captain of the troops that conquered Intense. Many of his fellow man were killed by Violet during her days as a girl soldier, and despises her as the cause of Galdarik Empire’s surrender.

The soldiers that had fought with their lives on the line for Galdarik Empire, which was defeated, were spoken ill of by the citizens, and indignant of their situation of mistreatment, he revolted as a member of the Anti-Peace Faction. He attempted to destroy the Intercontinental Railway, which was in part a symbol of peace, and take advantage of the commotion in order to have Intense back, but was once again hindered by Violet and disappeared into the darkness.

Episode 13

Dietfried Bougainvillea CV: Kiuchi Hidenobu

A colonel of Leidenschaftlich’s navy. He is the eldest son of the Bougainvillea family and Gilbert’s older brother. As the polar opposite of the serious Gilbert, he would let his hair grow long and his bad conduct would stand out.

Albeit his actions not showing it, he cherishes Gilbert. Unable to accept Gilbert’s disappearance, he one-sidedly decided that Violet was to blame for the fact that Gilbert could not be saved, burdening himself with thoughts that had no outlet.

However, through the incident with the Intercontinental Railway, he acknowledged Violet and allowed her to meet his mother, Mrs. Bougainvillea, in person.

Mrs. Bougainvillea CV: Takashima Gara

Gilbert and Dietfried’s mother. Her memory is becoming faint, and she currently lives quietly in the Leiden residence of the Bougainvillea family. She thinks very fondly of her two sons, and while her chest ached with Gilbert’s disappearance, she spoke kind words to Violet, who had been living her life burdened with the same pain.

[recentanimenews]

Bookshelf Briefs 4/30/18

Again!!, Vol. 2 | By Mitsurou Kubo | Kodansha Comics – Imamura sets about convincing the former members of the ouendan to rejoin the club. Although he has success with drummer Tatsuhiko Okuma (who has an extremenly ardent, unrequited crush on Usami), the other second years want nothing to do with it. Thankfully, he finally manages to convince a pair of third years to return by exposing the cheerleaders’ evil plot via a puppet show. (Yes, really.) Things are looking up, Usami is smiling, but… he’s still stuck in the past, and he’s a member of a club he never intended to personally join, and what’s more, he has knowledge that the school’s sports teams aren’t going to win anything. The volume ends with the suggestion that he might try to change that, but it seems like what he really needs to conquer is his own deep-seated belief that he’s a bad-luck charm. This is a fun series. – Michelle Smith

DAYS, Vol. 8 | By Tsuyoshi Yasuda | Kodansha Comics (digital only)- It’s the semi-finals of the Tokyo qualifiers for the All Japan Tournament, the final chance for Seiseki’s third years to play on the national stage. Unfortunately, with Oshiba and Kazama injured, and captain Mizuki forced to sit out because of penalties in previous games, Seiseki is missing its offensive powerhouses. Tsukamoto plays his first official game in some time, and it’s truly gratifying to see him gradually realize that he doesn’t suck anymore. He has a real affinity for regaining possession of stolen balls, and once he begins to have some confidence in his skill, soccer, which previously was just a way of hanging out with friends, starts to become fun in its own right. Seeing him seize the opportunity for a shot without hesitation is quite a big deal, even though he misses. Looking forward to volume nine! – Michelle Smith

Dead Dead Demon’s Dededede Destruction, Vol. 1 | By Inio Asano | Viz Media – While it may not be as immediately dark as some of Asano’s other manga, Dead Dead Demon’s Dededede Destruction still has an ominous and disconcerting atmosphere to it; already there is plenty of heartbreak along with the more lighthearted moments. Kadode Koyama is a young woman in high school who is having a difficult time finding the motivation to devote to her studies when the world itself is coming to an end. Three years ago, aliens appeared from outer space, the attack changing both everything and nothing about human life on Earth. While the story itself is intriguing, Asano’s artwork is a real highlight of the series. With dramatic angles and cinematic framing, Dead Dead Demon’s Dededede Destruction is always visually dynamic even when the manga focuses on the more mundane aspects of the characters’ lives. Well, as surprisingly mundane as things can be when living through an alien invasion. – Ash Brown

The Honor Student at Magic High School, Vol. 8 | By Tsutomu Sato and Yu Mori | Yen Press – For a series that’s supposed to be about Miyuki, the side manga really isn’t concentrating on her POV as much as you’d expect. Of course, given Miyuki’s incestuous love for her brother, perhaps that’s for the best. Instead, this volume is Honoka-and-Shizuru heavy, as we see Honoka’s triumphant win at Battle Board (as well as her triumphantly skintight wetsuit, which shows off her large chest to a ridiculous degree) and also see Shizuku’s battle with Miyuki in Ice Pillars Break, whose conclusion is fairly obvious but still emotional. It’s hard to strive to do your best when you hang around with people so far above you every day, let alone when they’re good friends. Excellent – Sean Gaffney

Imperfect Girl, Vol. 3 | By NISIOISIN and Mitsuru Hattori | Vertical Comics – Good news, the series stayed away from disquieting relationships, though there is a bath scene together. This series has been about a girl who has suffered abuse, and her traumatic mindset after the death of her parents. Said death is shown here, a bit unrealistic but evocative, as is somewhat expected of Nisioisin. Speaking of which, the revelation of the stories that the narrator wants to tell now is a nice fourth-wall break, as they’re all if Nisioisin’s other series, from Zaregoto onward. The conclusion is perhaps a bit too pat, but honestly at this point after all the exhausting tension of the three-book series, pat is good enough for me. Good stuff. – Sean Gaffney

Murcielago, Vol. 6 | By Yoshimurakana | Yen Press – To answer my question from last review, yup, this volume begins with a ridiculously over-the-top sex scene between Kuroko and the mother from last volume. As for the daughter, she’s attending a new school, which is an elevator school that also features Hinako and her friends, as well as a mad bomber, some unfortunate bullies, and a seemingly meek young woman whom Kuroko helps to stroll down the path of a twisted lesbian killer. For all that Kuroko is theoretically helping the police, there’s never any doubt that she’s also killing because she loves it, and gets away with it here. I emphasize again: I enjoy reading Murcielago, but it is a nasty series, and you need to accept that going in. Everyone here is awful. – Sean Gaffney

Pandora in the Crimson Shell: Ghost Urn, Vol. 10 | By Shirow Masamune and Rikudou Koushi | Seven Seas – Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in. The first half of this is standard Pandora, meaning somewhat dull and also filled with dumb comedy, though I did appreciate that Vlind’s two assistants seemingly look similar to Hyatt and Elgala. The second half, dealing with Mr. Keith Brooklyn, his wife, and their child, is a lot better, getting into the nature of “quality of life” and what it means to be truly happy, and utilizing Nene’s special superpowers for a good, loving reason. I know more than to expect this sort of thing to continue, but it was greatly appreciated as a break from the fanservice and global conspiracy. – Sean Gaffney

Spirit Circle, Vol. 3 | By Satoshi Mizukami | Seven Seas – Fuuta is getting better at reconciling his past lives with his present (and figuring out that his family and friends are also connected to him in the past), but he’s not getting along any better with Kouko, and she’s determined to destroy him for what he apparently did as Fortuna—which we still don’t know, and which Fortuna himself seems to be trying to actively stop him learning. As for the life we see this time around, it’s a tale of old samurai, and he and Kouko literally lose an arm and a leg each to each other. The author is very goo9d at showing the emotional impact of a scene, even if he’s not the best at facial expressions. (That hasn’t changed since Biscuit Hammer, really.) Addicting. – Sean Gaffney

Yowamushi Pedal, Vol. 8 | By Wataru Watanabe | Yen Press – Day two of the Inter-High continues. Although this volume features the triumphant return of Onoda and Tadokoro—which is great, and features Tadokoro crying manly tears of profound gratitude—most of the action has to do with the two teams currently battling it out for the lead: reigning champions Hakone Academy and Kyoto Fushimi, led by deceptive and ever-so-creepy Midousuji. We see how he converted the previously unified members of the Kyoto Fushimi team into his foot soldiers (and there are hints that a rebellion might come soon from within the ranks) and how he exploits the totally justified and sympathetic weakness of Hakone’s ace sprinter, Shinkai. Although readers surely want to see Shohoku take the victory, it’s neat that for this section at least, I find myself rooting for Hakone to smack Midousuji down decisively. Hopefully that will transpire in the next volume! – Michelle Smith

By: Michelle Smith

[ihaterossfromfriends]

Tagged by: @blueshibas (thank you honey, ily! 💕💕

Rules: list ten of your favorite characters from ten different fandoms and tag ten others to do the same.

I have a hard time choosing these things so I’m gonna include just good characters generally and f/os in no particular order! I’m also gonna cheat by using different characters from the same fandoms cause I don’t like many things ahsbdns

1. Jean-Pierre Polnareff (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. Of course my fuckign husband is on top of the list ; u ;)

2. Okuyasu Nijimura (Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure. He’s my beautiful large son!! I’d die for him!)

3. Ochako Uraraka (My Hero Academia. My adorable daughter she’s chubby and the best!)

4. Bee (Bee and Puppycat. She’s always gonna be super important to me bcs she’s the biggest inspiration to me in terms of character creation!)

5. Asahi Azumane - (Haikyuu!! Do I even need to say it? I love this poor nervous boy!)

6. Tadokoro Megumi - (Food Wars. She’s my daughter as well, I relate to her crippling lack of self confidence and her inability to recognize her own worth)

7. Yamato Rinko - (My Love Story. I love her so much she’s so cute and good at baking and I relate to her love of big guys!! :’D)

8. Eleven ‘Jane Hopper’ - (Stranger Things. She’s been through so much please let her be happy now)

9. Magnus Burnsides (The Adventure Zone. I just love this big funny boy!! Its so hard to choose a favorite out of the trio but I really love Maggie.)

10. Iida Tenya (My Hero Academia. I’m sorry ajsjdjakf I’m only in like three fandoms. I just love this boy! He grew on me so much in the second season?? He deserves so much happiness.)

I tag: @kaushibael , @millizines , @mochi--pon , @queensmare , @better-than-nothin-kay , @tarushipping , @trollbabbles , @thecrowmaiden aaaand I’m really bad at remembering things if there’s a friend I missed go on ahead and tag me so I can see! <3

[rlynsss]

About Me Meme

I got tagged by: @shellysaurus-rex​ (thank you Shelly <3)

Rules: Tag 20 followers you’d like to get to know better

Nickname: Lyn/Aly

Gender: Female

Zodiac sign: Pisces

Height: 5'2"/157 cm

Sexual orientation: Aromantic asexual

Hogwarts house: Ravenclaw

Favourite colour: All kinds of blues, mint green and purple

Favourite animal: Cats :3 I like birbs too

Time right now: 10:08 PM

Average hours of sleep: 5 hours 48 minutes (according to my Sleep Cycle app anyway ¯\_(ツ)_/¯)

Lucky number: 2

Cat or a dog person: Cat of course~

Favourite fictional character(s): (gonna copy paste this from the previous ones lololol)

Fon Master Ion, Luke fon Fabre & Guy Cecil (Tales of the Abyss), Alisha Diphda & Sorey (Tales of Zestiria), Yuri Lowell & Estelle (Tales of Vesperia), Megumi Tadokoro & Isshiki Satoshi (Shokugeki no Sōma)

Last thing Googled: Apple custard recipe

Blankets I sleep with: Mostly 1, sometimes 2

Favourite band: Daughter, BACK-ON, TSFH & Coldplay (lately I’ve been listening to a lot of Fall Out Boy too lol)

Dream trip: I’ve never travelled outside of the country before, so being able to go anywhere outside is already a dream trip tbh

Dream job: Illustrator/Character Designer, maybe?

Wearing right now: Red long-sleeved shirt and black shorts

Age of blog: Turning 6 years old in June lmao Following: 110

Followers: 199 (it goes up and down all the time bc I pretty much blocked all the porn bots that followed me) 

Posts: 25,180

When did my blog reach its peak: The moment I joined the Fatesona community ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°);;;;; my activity page pretty much spiked up since then lol

What made me decide to get Tumblr: Idk, it was pretty much on random impulse, I think? Like, I made it back in mid-2011 but I only started using it early 2012

What I post about: I mostly reblog stuff of my interests, which include fandom posts and some random shit along the way. I post art sometimes, but I’m trying to get back into practice atm, hence why I didn’t post any art lately =v=;;; and sometimes I post some personal shit and liveblogging stuff as well

Do I get asks regularly: Not really lol. I mostly get asks when I reblog some posts related to the ask meme kind of thing

Aesthetic: Space/galaxy/stars, flowers (especially cherry blossoms), pastel colours, casual fashion and vintage, I guess?

Tagging: I really can’t tag 20 people so I’m just tagging @oreowarrior @pollypowah @dryde @happywonderfuldays @fatedchosenone @ominousrain​ @kantan-kt and whoever want to do it! You can just say I tag you ^^ (also guys, as usual, you don’t have to do this if you don’t want to;;)

[ayuuria]

Yashahime Translation: NewType Magazine December 2020 Issue

Please do not repost this translation without my consent! This includes screenshots. If you wish to share this translation, simply link to this post.

For more information regarding the use of my translations, click here.

Going Forward Together

The Reason to Fight Despite It All

With reuniting with her elder sister… Setsuna grew up in a world where it was either kill or be killed. Komatsu, who plays her, says “Because of her meeting with Towa, a feeling of wanting to save the people in front of her might be sprouting.” Born with unique abilities as Sesshomaru’s daughter, her only path in this harsh era was to fight but something might change as the 3 (Towa, Setsuna, and Moroha) of them travel together.

Beyond That Gaze-

The Dream Butterfly and Rin The “Dream Butterfly” said to devour dreams. Setsuna is unable to sleep because of the Dream Butterfly and had her childhood memories stolen as well. On the other hand, Rin is sleeping within the transparent tree located at the heart of the Tree of Ages. The Dream Butterfly can be seen around her…

The Tree of Age’s Request Within the Tree of Ages, the 3 (girls) meet the spirit that has taken the form of Kikyou. According to the spirit, Kirinmaru and the “Dog General” (translator’s note: In official translations, they address him as the “Great Dog Demon”) have stood at the top of the demons and ruled over them since ancient times.  However, it seems that Kirinmaru, taking Sesshomaru’s relinquishment of his succession as the “Dog General” as a good opportunity, is trying to change the world into one that is destroyed. The spirit asks the “daughters of Sesshomaru” to exterminate Kirinmaru and Sesshomaru but…

The Rainbow Pearls The pearls that each of the 3 girls has that contains a mysterious power. Many demons attack the girls for the pearls. Towa has the silver pearl, Setsuna has the gold pearl, and Moroha has the red pearl.

Setsuna Separated from her elder sister, Towa, at 4 years old, her sleep and memories of her past are stolen by the “Dream Butterfly”. She reunites with Towa but does not accept her way of thinking.

Higurashi Towa Sesshomaru’s daughter. When she was 4 years old, she passed through the Tree of Age’s tunnel and arrived in the modern era. She goes to the feudal era to take back the sleep of her younger twin sister, Setsuna.

Moroha A demon slaying bounty hunter with the nickname “Demon Killer Moroha”. Highly adaptable, she utilizes handy goods from the modern era. She becomes Towa and Setsuna’s support. (translator’s note: 緩衝材 literally translates to “cushioning; packaging” which sounds weird to me in this context, so I decided to go with support instead)

Interview: The role of Setsuna – Komatsu Mikako

A characteristic world drawn with adventure and daily life.

Through the Tree of Ages, Setsuna and Moroha arrive in the modern era and there, they meet Towa. Towa, who realizes that Setsuna is her younger twin sister whom she was separated from, decides to return to the feudal era with the two of them. While passing through space-time, they receive a request from a spirit taking the form of Kikyou to “exterminate Kirinmaru” as the “daughters of the Sesshomaru”. Setsuna and Towa flatly refuse but… the connection with the world of “Inuyasha” becomes steadily obvious in “Hanyou no Yashahime”. We asked Komatsu Mikako, the role of Setsuna, who said “Being a big fan of “Inuyasha”, I want to return to everyone what “Inuyasha” gave to me” what the charm of “Hanyou no Yashahime” was.

— Please tell us what you (Komtasu-san) felt was the charm of “Hanyou no Yashahime”.

Komatsu: While “Inuyasha” had the ultimate goal of defeating Naraku while gathering the shards of the Shikon Jewel, I think a key point in “Hanyou no Yashahime” is that the sisters were each brought up differently. Towa who was raised in the modern era, Setsuna who had her sleep stolen, and Moroha too grew up not knowing much about her parents. It’s a story about them pursuing their backbone. While they do slay demons, the goal of their journey is to solve the mysteries. Also, from what I felt from the recordings up to this point, the way the adventure and friendship of the 3 (girls) is interwoven is an aspect different from “Inuyasha”. While there is a serious side, the friendship among the 3 of them is bright so you can feel a sense of daily life in between demon slaying. You feel a new world opening up.

— How do you grasp the character of Setsuna when you play her?

Komatsu: You can feel traces of Sesshomaru somewhere within Towa and Setsuna. Also, while Towa appears boyish and cool, she’s very friendly and honest. Setsuna is a pair with her and has an eye that doesn’t trust people easily (laughs). At her core, she’s the same as Towa in that she’s pure but she’s the polar opposite of Towa in that she doesn’t let others get close, doesn’t talk much, and doesn’t show weakness. Also, consequently due to her tragic upbringing, she doesn’t smile much which closely resembles Sesshomaru.

— What are you careful of when acting?

Komatsu: When talking with Towa, I almost get swept up in Towa’s excitement (laughs), but I think restraining (emotion) is Setsuna so I’m careful not to get swept away. However, I honestly express the emotions that come out when fighting or the excitement that unintentionally slips out. I get directions for making these allowances, so I express what I personally feel in that moment.

— Among those directions, are there any words that left an impression on you?

Komatsu: In terms of our view of the world, the 3 of us (Matsumoto Sara, the role of Towa, Tadokoro Azusa, the role of Moroha, and myself) love “Inuyasha” so we were told “We have faith in you.” In addition, for my personal directions, “Carry on Sesshomaru” is what I was told (laughs).

— That’s a heavy responsibility (laughs).

Komatsu: I placed importance on Narita Ken’s image so in the beginning I was told quite a bit to “Hold back more”. It’s not as though I’m tracing Narita Ken but when I act, I put in an essence of speaking with an intonation that is profoundly restrained.

— At the beginning, the impression of Setsuna was that she was cold, but as she travels with Towa and Moroha, she’s slowly starting to change.

Komatsu: You are right. While there is the change within Setsuna, the bond between the 3 of them is finally starting to deepen. I think this story has 3 focal points: what happened to Inuyasha and the others, Setsuna’s stolen dreams, and the adventure of the 3 (girls) going between the modern and the feudal eras. I myself imagine while acting that from here on, these 3 focal points will tie into one and the story will become more interesting. Everyone as well, please enjoy the world of “Hanyou no Yashahime”.

[ayuuria]

Yashahime Translation: Da Vinci Magazine December 2020 Edition

Please do not repost this translation without my consent! This includes screenshots. If you wish to share this translation, simply link to this post.

“Hanyou No Yashahime” Tripartite Cast Talk

Matsumoto Sara X Komatsu Mikako X Tadokoro Azusa

Inuyasha and Kagome’s daughter and Sesshomaru’s two daughters play an active role in “Hanyou No Yashahime”. As an original anime with no original work (translator’s note: As in not an adaptation of something like a manga or light novel), the subject is the next generation of “Inuyasha” done in the same style. Being “Inuyasha” fans themselves, we had the three lead voice actresses talk about the charm of the series.

The main character design was done by Takahashi Rumiko!

Towa

A 14-year-old middle school girl. 10 years ago, she time traveled from the Feudal Era to the Modern Era and became the adopted daughter of Kagome’s little brother, Souta. Upon reuniting with her younger twin sister, Setsuna, after she time travels to the Modern Era with Moroha, Towa decides to return to the Feudal Era. She is Sesshomaru’s daughter.

Setsuna

14 years old. Towa’s younger twin sister. A member of the demon slayers led by Kohaku. She has lost her memories of her childhood and is unable to fall asleep. She has the gold rainbow pearl in her left eye. While she does not believe Towa is her older twin sister, she travels with her as she tries to take back Setsuna’s memories and sleep.

The 3 of you reacted shocked with “What you mean daughters?!”

Moroha

Commonly known as “Monster Killer Moroha”. A 14-year-old bounty hunter. When she puts on rouge stored in a shell with the red rainbow pearl on it, she becomes “The Country Destroying Beniyasha” and goes on a rampage. While she is Inuyasha and Kagome’s daughter, she does not know her parents and has lived mostly on her own apparently.

Komatsu: When the work was announced, the world was shocked like “Sesshomaru has a daughter?!” and we were the same. When I opened the audition documents, it was written that the setting takes place over 10 years after the conclusion of the original work and that Setsuna, who I was auditioning for, is Sesshomaru’s daughter. I thought “What does this mean?” and reflexively grabbed the last volume of the manga.

Matsumoto: I was handed Takahashi Rumiko-sensei’s character design and a simple correlation diagram. In regards to Towa, who I auditioned for, it was also written that all that was known was that she is Sesshomaru’s daughter. I was given lines without knowing the context or anything so I wondered what to do. However, at the same time, I was so happy to the point that I was like “The “Inuyasha” world is coming back!”

Tadokoro: I completely freaked out (laughs). Also, my manager knew I was big fan of “Inuyasha” and calmly told me before I looked at the audition documents “Azusa, you absolutely can’t miss out on this. This a huge opportunity.”

Komatsu: A lot of pressure!

Tadokoro: Then when I looked at the documents, I saw that Moroha, who I was auditioning for, was the daughter of Inuyasha and Kagome. After getting excited like “They had a child~!”, I saw Towa and Setsuna and screamed “I will be upset if they’re not XX’s children!” (translator’s note: they’re referring to the mother)

Komatsu and Matsumoto: I know!

Tadokoro: As a fan, I worried endlessly but as a voice actress, I thought I couldn’t miss out on this. However, when I went to the studio audition, I was told “Keep the base but try to say these lines a little more like a middle-aged man”. I became flustered like “Even though she’s a 14-year-old girl?” … I felt like I didn’t respond properly and was really down going home.

Komatsu: Me too. Maybe it was because I was pulling too strongly from Sesshomaru’s image but I was told “Not only coolness but we would also like for you to show the cuteness of a 14-year-old” and I couldn’t make the switch the very well. I didn’t get the reaction that I got the part at all.

Matsumoto: I over considered the setting of (Towa) wearing a boy’s uniform and I was told “Don’t make her a boy”. After that no matter how many retries I did, the direction I took didn’t match up… I cried a lot when I got home like “I totally bombed it”. That moment, I realized that I had really wanted the part and was surprised. “Inuyasha” was a work that was more special to me than I thought.

Overcoming different boundaries, their feelings melt together

Komatsu: For me, “Inuyasha” was also a textbook on love. Especially the relationship between Inuyasha, Kagome, and Kikyou. It’s a little hard for kids to understand and I thought, “Why does Kikyou always get in the way?” and “Inuyasha too, make up your mind” but in a certain scene, Kagome asks Inuyasha “I… What exactly am I to you?”. In between the feelings of it can’t be helped that he overlaps her face with Kikyou’s and this has nothing to do with her, she properly checked what her existence meant to him. Seeing that, I realized. Not only in love but that’s important in life in general as well.

Tadokoro: It’s so cool isn’t it? She acknowledged all her feelings of jealousy and hate towards Kikyou and still saved her on top of that. She showed us her resolve to properly face her heart and Kikyou and accept them. It was so cool that I cried. Then when I became an adult, I came to understand Kikyou’s feelings and it hurt.

Matsumoto: Well she was also a victim… I think when you read “Inuyasha”, you become emotionally attached to each individual character because depictions that give you a sense that they’re “alive” are inlaid in all sorts of places. For example, the scene in volume 1 where Kagome offers food to Inuyasha whom she had just met. While Inuyasha makes his wariness known, he takes a bite of the radish in the next frame. I always laugh like “Even though you say it’s annoying, you’re still eating it!” but at the same time I feel that it’s really “like” him. From those ordinary depictions, over time we accept “something” without realizing it. That accumulation turns into a big emotion that overflows when you get to the important scenes.

Komatsu: At times when those complexly wrapped emotions sublimate, even sad endings become beautiful. For example, Kagura. Even though she was born from Naraku, she was guided to good through Inuyasha and the others who were supposed to be her enemy. Kagome and Kikyou’s relationship too but ally or enemy, good or evil, all sorts of borders are crossed and seeing drawings of humans and demons coming together I think is the charm of “Inuyasha”.

We haven’t been told the answers to the mysteries

Matsumoto: Continuing onward to “Hanyou no Yashahime”, the character I play, Towa, passed through space-time and got sent to the Modern Era at age 4. However, possibly because she was raised by Kagome’s little brother, Souta, even though she is Sesshomaru’s daughter, I feel like she’s also similar to Kagome.

Komatsu: While blood inheritance is important, the person who raised you has a big influence as well. Also, what environment you were raised in. Setsuna lost her childhood memories due to certain circumstances. So of course, she doesn’t remember her older twin sister, Towa, whom she got separated from at 4 years old. Due to that hole and being raised in an environment where you could be killed by anyone at any time, she gives off an air of not allowing others to get close to her. But just when you think that, there are times where you can feel that she’s actually kind and that makes it heartrending.

Matsumoto: Feeling she (Towa) needs to fill in the 10-year void with Setsuna who became like that, the highlight is seeing their relationship change as Towa closes the gap between them. Add Moroha in and there’s a lot of chattering.

Tadokoro: Moroha speaks in a vulgar manner (translator’s note: it actually translates to abusive language but abusive didn’t sound right to me) but in reality, I have a feeling that she truly enjoys traveling with the two of them. To her, those two are probably the first friends she has ever had. That form is so precious and I feel lonely when I wonder what sort of environment she grew up in. I wonder why she’s desperately earning money by slaying demons. We were only told who she was raised by but at this time, we have not been told things like happened to Inuyasha and Kagome.

Matsumoto: This includes who Towa and Setsuna’s mother is. This is something fans have been wondering the most but the answers will be revealed eventually and I have faith that this work will properly continue on what was drawn in “Inuyasha”.

Tadokoro: That’s why we would like everyone to watch over them until the very end and love the 3 Yashahimes as they survive with each of their individual strengths.

Komatsu: While there are a lot of cheerful episodes, there will be times when the inlaid depictions within those episodes will be collected in an instant which I think people will enjoy. For that, we will give it our all!

We Asked Takahashi-sensei!

Q: What did you especially focus on when doing the character design?

A: Series composition writer Sumisawa (Katsuyuki) requested me to draw the image of Towa as a white Sesshomaru and Setsuna as a black Sesshomaru. Upon reading the scenario, I designed them incorporating their father’s facial look. Moroha was the same, being Inuyasha and Kagome’s child. As such, I made it so that Inuyasha’s mischievousness came through.

[ayuuria]

Yashahime Translation: Mantan Web Interview 1/23/21

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For more information regarding the use of my translations, click here.

“Hanyō no Yashahime: Matsumoto Sara, Komatsu Mikako, and Tadokoro Azusa, the voice actresses for the “Three Princesses”, Fervently Talk About Their “True Love” for the Characters of “Inuyasha”

“Hanyō no Yashahime”, the TV anime that follows the activities of the daughters of Inuyasha and Sesshōmaru from Takahashi Rumiko-san’s popular manga, “Inuyasha” (Yomiuri TV, Nippon TV, Saturday evenings at 5:30, certain regions excluded). Sesshōmaru’s twin daughters, Towa and Setsuna, and Inuyasha and Higurashi Kagome’s daughter, Moroha; The ones who voice the “3 Princesses” are Matsumoto Sara-san, Komatsu Mikako-san, and Tadokoro Azusa-san. The three of them talk about their love for the Inuyasha world that charmed them during their childhood.

Falling In Love with Naraku and Sesshōmaru as a Child; For Komatsu Mikako ““Inuyasha” was the textbook on love”

[There’s a paragraph here explaining what Yashahime is about, which we already know so I skipped it]

— When the cast of “Hanyō no Yashahime” was announced, Komatsu-san’s comment of “The wind scar that cut through my 2nd year junior high sickness was without a doubt “Inuyasha”” (translator’s note: I’m not confident on this quote) was quite impressionable. Matsumoto-san and Tadokoro-san, you are also big “Inuyasha” fans. In what way were you into the work?

Matsumoto-san: “Inuyasha” was the first (work) where I truly fell in love with the characters. From my perspective back then, there were so many wonderful characters, but my favorites were Miroku-sama and Naraku. Naraku has many different forms, but I loved when he took on the form of a feudal lord named Hitomi Kagewaki with Morikawa Toshiyuki-san voicing him. My love for “Inuyasha” is stuck in a swamp, or rather a bottomless swamp (laughs). (translator’s note: Swamp is basically the JP term for Hell in terms of otaku language). Even now, the characters still pop into my head out of nowhere, so I think it’s a work that really left a deep mark on me.

Tadokoro-san:  From the setting, “Inuyasha” was my absolute favorite! Going between the modern and feudal eras and a world with demons. Then a half-demon boy named Inuyasha-san and a human named Kagome-san meet and fall in love…

Komatsu-san: It’s the best situation.

Tadokoro-san: With Takahashi Rumiko-sensei’s works, just hearing the setting makes me want to see them. The characters are thick (in terms of development), and not only do the protagonists and main characters have their own goals but so do the demons. I can’t take my eyes away. The characters are so heavily developed that I end up liking the villains too. I even have a “on the contrary, thank you” kind of feeling for the villain, Naraku-san. Like, thank you for stirring up the story in such a fun way (laughs).

— Tadokoro-san, who is your favorite character?

Tadokoro-san: I was in love with Sesshōmaru-sama. He was cold at first, but he slowly changes after meeting the human child, Rin. I already like him just for that, but he’s got a handsome face too. When watching the anime, his face looks so good that every time it came up, I was like “Pretty face!” (laughs). The anime has background music too so when Sesshōmaru-sama’s theme played, I did the triumphant yes pose.

— What is “Inuyasha” to you, Komatsu-san?

Komatsu-san: I read the manga right as I was going through puberty. So, while it is a shōnen manga, for me, it was a textbook on love. My heart would beat fast as I read, and the love triangle between Kagome, Inuyasha, and Kikyō always made me anxious. Inuyasha was going back and forth between Kikyō and her reincarnation, Kagome, but even in that situation, Kagome said “I like you. What about you?”. That clear, positive aura was appealing, and I thought “I’ll be like that too!”.

Tadokoro-san: (claps) How wonderful!

Komatsu-san: I was like “I’ll do what Kagome does.” “I’ve decided! I’ll tell the person I like that I like them!”

Tadokoro-san:  Ah! That’s a great take away!

Komatsu-san: I was so into the (“Inuyasha”) world that I believed that I could go into a well and travel through time. There was a well at the school I used to go to, and I would always peer into it. However, there was nothing there (laughs). It had an influence on me in my personal life.

Acting with “Kikyō”, Hidaka Noriko; Regarding the secret behind the births of the three princesses, the story will…

— We heard that at the recording for “Hanyō no Yashahime”, you acted with Hidaka Noriko-san who played the role of Kikyō in “Inuyasha”.

Komatsu-san: For the scene where the spirit of the Tree of Ages makes an appearance by borrowing the form of Kikyō in episode 4, we were able to perform with Hidaka-san in the booth. Hidaka-san read our comments when the cast was announced, and I was so happy that she was such a nice person. Back when I was reading the manga as a child, I was afraid of Kikyō. But now, I understand her feelings painfully well. When I spoke to Hidaka-san about how “It was hard on Kikyō.”, she said “That’s right. I’m happy that you feel that way.”. It felt as though the viewer and actor sides of me reconciled.

Matsumoto-san: The three of us recorded the scene with the spirit of the Tree of Ages together with Hidaka-san and I thought the way that the spirit incited the Yashahimes was really something.

Tadokoro-san: It was so cool.

— In episode 4, it shows the spirit, taking Kikyō’s form, making a certain request to Towa, Setsuna, and Moroha, and Towa and Setsuna decline it.

Matsumoto-san: Hidaka-san put her all into it when she came at us. We were in a position where we had to decline the request, so we really meant it when we said “No”. She made it into a living scene.

Tadokoro-san: The air changed just from Hidaka-san letting out her voice, so it made me tingle. When recording ended, she very gently said “I’m glad Kikyō isn’t hated”. I told her “I love Kikyō-san!”

— With “Hanyō no Yashahime” entering the second cour, there will be major developments in the story, including the secret behind the births of the three princesses. What are some highlights going forward?

Matsumoto-san: There will be new characters and a lot of things intertwined, so I think a lot of people will be investigating. So far, fragmentary scenes touching upon the secret of their births have been shown, so I think it would be fun to compare it with the upcoming story.

Tadokoro-san: The “Inuyasha” world is full of appealing characters, and it’s because they’re all endearing people that you are able to love their children. As a fan, you really wonder what sort of lives they had. Another thing is that all the upcoming people who could be considered villains are pretty. I liked Kirinmaru-sama in an instant (laughs).

Komatsu-san: Solving the mystery of “Why the girls haven’t met their parents” is a key point to the story of “Hanyō no Yashahime”, but there’s a lot of cheerful dialogue among the three princesses as a party which I think is an appeal of the work. The three of them investigate the secret behind their births while slaying demons. Within that, you can catch a glimpse of daily life in the Inuyasha world which I think is also appealing.

Matsumoto-san, Komatsu-san, Tadokoro-san, the cast, and staff have poured their “love for Inuyasha” into “Hanyō no Yashahime”. What sort of new truths will become clear is something to pay attention to going into the second cour.

[ayuuria]

Yashahime Translation: Animate Times Online Interview

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For more information regarding the use of my translations, click here.

Talking About Their “Love of the Work” For “Hanyō no Yashahime”! An Interview with Matsumoto Sara-san, Komatsu Mikako-san, and Tadokoro Azusa-san Who Voice the Half-Demon Princesses!

“Hanyō no Yashahime” has been broadcasting on Yomiuri TV and Nippon TV since October 3, 2020 (Saturday). With the pasts of the “Yashahimes”, the daughters of Sesshōmaru and Inuyasha who appeared in “Inuyasha”, having been revealed, mysteries have become clear but conversely deeper… The surprising yet complex development has received a big response.

With that, we were able to speak with Matsumoto Sara-san (role of Higurashi Towa), Komatsu Mikako-san (role of Setsuna), and Tadokoro Azusa-san (role of Moroha) who voice the heroines!

As something that inherits the world of “Inuyasha”, the three play the Yashahimes while placing importance on the dialogue atmosphere of the (recording) site. They discussed a lot about the recording situation and their love for the work.

A Major Analysis of the “Yashahimes’” Charm and Explanation of Each Character

— To start with, what sort of impression did you get when you first found out that a new story about the daughters of “Inuyasha” was going to be created?

Matsumoto Sara-san (written as Matsumoto going forward): 1. The shock was huge. When I heard that the characters I watched as a child had kids, I was like “I wonder how they were born!?” (laughs).

“Inuyasha” is a work with a fantasy element to it, so it was to the point that I had this weird idea that they wouldn’t be born like how humans are normally (laughs).

I was also excited to see what sort of different things the children of the next generation inherited.

Tadokoro Azusa-san (written as Tadokoro going forward): I was also really surprised. It was a work that I loved, so I knew it had been wrapped up beautifully.

That’s why I was surprised like “To think there would be a new sequel story!” but at the same time, I felt happy that the story would inherit from “Inuyasha”. I can understand Inuyasha and Kagome-san having a child but Sesshōmaru-san?! (laughs).

Before I started preparing for the audition, first I wondered “Who’s child is it with!?” (laughs). I received the character design so that I would be able audition and Moroha’s character design was deeply moving. What physical appearance she inherited from both of them (Inuyasha and Kagome) was as and beyond what I imagined.

Komatsu Mikako-san (written as Komatsu going forward): When I was first told about the audition, I saw just the title and thought “I got something that’s titled like “Inuyasha”” (laughs).

Then it turned out to be a work that legitimately inherited the world of Inuyasha. Not to mention it was the story about Inuyasha and Sesshōmaru’s daughters. I was surprised but Miroku’s (and Sango) children were depicted in the final episode, so I thought “It’s possible!”.

I could see a continuation after that. As someone who read the original work, I felt nostalgia and happiness that I could touch a work that I enjoyed as a child all over again.

I was really excited that the world of “Inuyasha” that we didn’t know was about to be born and we could get to touch the Inuyasha world again.

— Could you please tell us about the charms of Higurashi Towa, Setsuna, and Moroha that each of you play?

Matsumoto: Since Towa’s backstory alone was that she was raised in the modern era, unlike Moroha and Setsuna, I think she feels the closest to our “current” reality amongst the characters.

Since Towa’s thought process is based on what she’s seen in the modern era and influenced from being raised by Souta’s (Kagome’s little brother) family, there are scenes where she’s told “From a feudal era standpoint, you’re weak” or “No, you’re too soft” … I wondered “Will Towa be able to deny that in her own way?”, but she attempts to accept what they say like “Guu” (laughs). She’s kind at her core, so it felt as though she inherited that blood from her mother.

I think she’s a child that other people will say “She’s just like that person”.

Tadokoro: Moroha seems like a fool at first glance (laughs). She’s rather reckless to the point that even sound director Nagura Yasushi-san tells me “Please act more stupid”. Her facial expressions and emotions change constantly and it’s to the point that it’s hard for me to keep up (laughs). But that’s the part that I never get tired of watching.

She has a simple-minded side that acts before thinking, but she has a surprising side like how she’s managed to live on her own under fairly difficult circumstances, exceling in battle, working out a plan, and giving out orders. I think she’s a character that the more you get to know her, the more you like her.

Because she’s survived on her own, she has a noble, determined, adult-like aspect to her, but she also posses the innocence of a child so I think she’s a really cute.

Komatsu:  Setsuna is the opposite of Towa, who grew up in the modern era, in that she grew up in the feudal era. In terms of Sesshōmaru’s personality, she has his calmness and closely resembles his speaking mannerism, so you can feel she really inherited his blood.

But having grown up in a village and getting involved with the (demon) slayers on top of that, she can understand others (emotionally), so you could say that’s a direct difference from Sesshōmaru. I can feel a kindness towards humans or rather, a sense of humanity from her.

After meeting with Towa… While not having her childhood memories is a big part of it, Towa lived a soft way of life completely opposite to her (laughs) so she gets annoyed but because she acknowledges that Towa has an aspect to her that she (Setsuna) doesn’t have from that, it sways her in her own way.

There’s still the fact that she’s 14 years old so I think that she “properly displays the realistic swaying of the heart”. In contrast to staying composed in battle, I think she feels “So there’s that way of thinking too” from watching how Towa does things and her way of life. She won’t say it out loud though.

In scenes where “……” is written in the script, I think she’s reflecting on things first in her own way.

She does take part in the periodic comedic scenes (laughs). She surprisingly gets into the mood. She’s the type that can read the mood (laughs).

Tadokoro: You’re right! (laughs) She’s well rounded.

Komatsu: I’m thinking that being raised with people had an influence.

Placing Importance On the “Atmosphere” During Recording

— With times being what they are, we heard that recording is being done in small groups. Among them, it seems there are many times where the Yashahimes are the last to record, so how is recording like?

Matsumoto: Though we’re in this situation, acting is a living thing, so they’ve made it where we record with people we have interactions with as much as possible.

There are times where it’s only Azusa-san, the two of us (Towa and Setsuna), and then interacting with other casts members which is how we’ve been recording. The three of us interact a lot, so there are many times where we’re together.

Tadokoro:  Conversely if we don’t interact (in Moroha’s case), we don’t really get to see each other (laughs). There are many times where I record with the Takechiyo and Jyuubee-san team.

Komatsu: That’s right. There are many times where Moroha acts independently, so there’s a pattern of her getting left behind and we don’ get to meet. We’re like “Sorry Moroha” (laughs).

Tadokoro: …… It’s lonely (laughs).

Komatsu: (laughs) We’ve placed importance on scene changes while recording, but I’ve been able to firmly interact with the voice actors of guest characters that I may not have been able to meet with this kind of recording.

From that, I’ve heard voice acting seniors tell me “My daughter is enjoying the anime”. If we’ve been influenced by “Inuyasha”, then there are voice actors whose daughters are watching the anime, so there are times where we talk about our love for the work.

I think it’s a work that allows cast members to communicate with each other in such a short time.

— I could tell the three of you get along based on our current conversation, do you have many opportunities to talk to each other like for example, before recording?

Komatsu: We talk before and after recording.

Matsumoto: We do. Whenever we go to record, the script for the next episode is set out. When we arrive, first we sneakily read it and check with each other like “Did you read it?” (laughs).

Komatsu: While being perplexed (laughs). We all get along.

Tadokoro: After we’re done recording, there are times where the actors go visit the “Inuyasha” Collaboration Café. There’s a feeling that we’ve been accepted into the Inuyasha family for which we’re grateful.

– Are there not many times where you are motivated by each other’s acting?

Matsumoto: Hmm yes… The first documents I received was a character design done by Takahashi Rumiko-sensei and a simple correlation diagram. I was told “These three are who you’re going to be auditioning for” and I thought “When the Yashahimes get a voice and move, what sort of character will emerge?”.

But now that recording has started, hearing your (Komatsu and Tadokoro) voices and seeing your acting before my eyes, I’ve come to understand like “Aah, I see!”. However, at the beginning, I thought “in any case, I can’t cause trouble to the two of you”.

Komatsu and Tadokoro: No no no, not at all!

Matsumoto: No no no! (laughs) I thought “No, I’ve got to keep it together!”. I receive a lot from the two of you.

It’s just that, as mentioned earlier, there a lot of times where we’re moving independently from Moroha. But even if we don’t interact with each other, if we’re creating something serious, then Moroha’s scene will become more fun and vice versa. Even if they’re in different places, their emotions are still linked together is what it feels like a lot of the time.

There are lot of things for me to take in from going to the recording studio and starting the test (recording). “I’m receiving things (from Moroha and the others) like this so I have to work harder” is how I feel.

Tadokoro: That makes me happy. You see during the audition, I auditioned for the roles of the other two besides Moroha. But to be honest, I couldn’t picture the voice. When we actually recorded together, I thought (while smiling) “this is it” (laughs)

Komatsu: “This is it” (laughs)

Tadokoro: It’s not wrong to say that everyone fits their role perfectly… How do I say it? It felt as though I saw the answer like “Aah, it can only be this!”.

Towa spent her time in the modern era, but it was depicted as though she didn’t really fit in. However, she’s a character that really sways as she hasn’t gotten used to the feudal era either.

That’s why she makes remarks that are little off, but with Sara-san’s straight forward and honest acting, it makes me feel “Ah, Towa can say things because she has her own beliefs”.

Even though it’s a difficult role to play, the acting makes you want to be Towa’s ally and I really like it. Her personality is really mixed in.

Komatsu-san’s acting really has Sesshōmaru-san mixed in which makes me go “Wow!”. I think it’s really difficult to incorporate Narita-san’s (Ken) acting because she’s a girl. While bringing out that strength, there’s still the cuteness of a 14-year-old.

I also auditioned, so I truly felt how difficult it was. I think it’s Komatsu-san’s skill that brings out Setsuna’s broadness. She’s really cute when she shows affection (laughs).

Komatsu: I’m so happy, thank you very much! Just as Koroazu-chan (Tadokoro) said, I think each person’s character has their “personality” mixed in.

Towa has a sharp appearance and you get the impression that she’s boyish at first glance, but she’s very friendly. She could probably survive in any era. She probably likes people because she grew up with the Higurashi family.

She’s the same with demons in terms of killing of them, her thinking is “No, killing is wrong”. She’s good at fighting, but it’s as though she understands the weight of a life. That friendliness is something that Sara-san also has.

She has strong communication skills, flatly interacts with people at the (recording) studio no matter who it is, and she’s fun to talk to. It’s like she’s a drawer full of fun conversations, which I think is similar to Towa. If you look just at Towa’s lines, “What a bother” “What a pain” are straightforward but when you add that friendliness, it becomes softer.

I think Setsuna feels “It’s not bad” too (laughs).

Moroha’s acting of truly being Inuyasha and Kagome’s daughter is straightforward, so when I first heard her voice I thought “This truly is it! This is Moroha!”.

I think only Koroazu-chan… can bring out Inuyasha’s crudeness and Kagome’s strong core and suppleness. Koroazu-chan’s sort of playful silliness overlaps with Moroha and makes her cute.

If Inuyasha’s character was the only thing inherited, she would simply be a crude girl, but she adds Kagome’s strength and cuteness. Because Moroha has something about her that’s a little off, Setsuna lets it slide as she talks (laughs). This is Koroazu’s magic!

To Setsuna, the two of them are “people she can love”, so even though she couldn’t straight out accept things in the beginning, she’s slowly coming to accept the three of them…. Well, they are relatives after all (laughs).

— Earlier, Matsumoto-san said she didn’t want to cause the two of you trouble, but did you feel that kind of strong pressure?

Matsumoto: Yes. It might be to the point that I’m pulling my cheek like “You’re just being soft!” but I don’t have much experience (in animation) ……

Komatsu and Tadokoro: No no no, not at all……!

Tadokoro: On the contrary, I’m the one who feels that “I need to keep up with the two of them”. I always go home feeling depressed (laughs).

Matsumoto and Komatsu: No no no (laughs).

— This has turned into a chorus of no’s (laughs)

Matsumoto: My heart really pounds. Every time, just before I go to record, I mumble to myself (in a somber voice) “Yeah… I’ll do my best today… yeah” (bitter smile).

When I actually interact with their (Komatsu and Tadokoro) acting, I feel uplifted like “Aah, right! That’s right!”. There are a lot scenes in the story too where I’m told “Get a hold of yourself!”, so it reverberates.

— Matsumoto-san, as both the character and yourself. During such scenes, is there anything that you are careful or mindful of?

Matsumoto: If I had to pick, I would say I’m conscious of not becoming too tense. Rather than creating the story from 1 to 10, getting pulled by the others, or conversely pulling the others too hard, I want to create the scene with the two of them. I’ve been careful of this even before episode 1.

Komatsu: At the beginning of the story, a lot of the times, Towa speaks first. In other words, with the first lines, Towa brings out the story’s energy.

I, on the other hand, have found that helpful. Like “Alright, Towa’s going to drag me around today too!” or “You can do it Towa!” (laughs).

Matsumoto: (laughs)

Komatsu: Towa and Setsuna are like “stillness and motion”. Towa’s an energetic child, so she puts her all into everything she does. She brings that energy at the beginning, so that pulls me along. Part of the (recording) site’s atmosphere.

Tadokoro: That’s true. When recording starts and I hear Towa’s voice, it feels like “Yashahime has begun!”

Matsumoto: That makes me happy, thank you so much! You’re always treating me kindly. It’s truly a state of “What can I offer?” (laughs).

Tadokoro: I’m glad that were able to do “And…!” (translator’s note: Like “On the count of three” or “1, 2, 3…”) together from the first episode. The atmosphere of the (recording) site is harmonious like "Let’s do this together!”. I’m a timid person so that’s saved me.

— I’m sure each of you feels an atmosphere that can only be felt at the (recording) site, but is there a sort of “Inuyasha”-ism in the air as well?

Komatsu: The “Inuyasha” team already has something put together as the “Inuyasha” team, but I think that team feeling is something that’s carried on via the production team and cast formation.

Because it’s a work that we know and love from the start, there’s something like “a common interpretation” so the bonds are strong.

Especially Sara-chan, who thoroughly reads the script. She’ll clearly ask questions and doubts like “Would it be alright if we acted this part like this?” ####--.

Matsumoto: (as though panicking) What!? You saw……!?

Komatsu: Fu fu (laughs). The sound director and director Satō Teruo-san properly answer those questions and doubts. I think there are cases where asking those kinds of questions at a (recording) site to get clear answers can be hard and answering can be hard, but this (recording) site has room for discussion. Not only will they accept, but based on that, you can take a stance of “Let’s do that no matter what” which I really like.

— What a wonderful team.

Komatsu: Yes. It’s just as I said before, we all simply get along.

Matsumoto: I can really feel that. I can feel something like a “team spirit” from being able to communicate with everyone.

Tadokoro: But I feel like the two of you are creating that atmosphere. It’s like the seniors are also comfortable (laughs).

I’m the type that doesn’t talk much due to being nervous, but because people who voice the guest characters explain the work and come talk to me, I always feel a gentle atmosphere flowing.

Thanks to that, I’m able to talk to my seniors. I’ve come to call Koyama-san (Tsuyoshi), who voices Jyuubee, “Big Brother!” and Fairouz Ai-chan, who voices Takechiyo, immediately comes to talk to me. There are a lot of scenes where the three of us (Fairouz Ai-chan, Koyama-san, and myself) talk to each other, so creating that laid back atmosphere at the (recording) site really saved me.

The Explanations During Battle Really Hit Hard with the Feel of Inuyasha

— We would like for you to please tell us what scenes you played that left an impression on you and what scenes you found difficult.

Matsumoto: Episode 14. It’s the episode where you learn why Towa and Setsuna got caught in the forest fire when they were young…… Regardless of the fact that the enemy appeared, I felt sorry for him.

Komatsu: Ah yeah~ It was so passionate wasn’t it!

Matsumoto: Yes! There’s the scene where Homura, who burned the forest, took his own life and it tugged at my heart during recording.

When Towa became unable to move at sight unfolding in front of her, the feeling of Setsuna calling her back like “Get a hold of yourself!” is so heartrending, fleeting, and beautiful that I can’t forget it even now.

However, there is an intolerable truth that makes me furious……

There’s a scene where… just when we thought we found the culprit in that episode, someone was actually pulling the strings from behind and father was near that person. We also don’t know anything, so we were honestly like “Father what are you doing!”.

Everyone: (laughs)

Tadokoro: What made me think this was just like “Inuyasha” was that even when they’re surprised, in a critical situation, attacking with their moves…  or any scenes like that, they thoroughly explain things (laughs).

Matsumoto: That might be especially true for Moroha!

Komatsu: Moroha really does a lot of explaining (laughs).

Tadokoro: It’s like “This is what the seniors did!”. For example, when the enemy explains their attack (laughs).

Although, even without an explanation, you still have to project the force of the battle scene or sense of surprise. It’s hard on a technical level but when I think that “This is what our seniors did”, I get fired up. Like Miroku-sama talked a lot (laughs).

Komatsu: Yeah yeah, he gave clear explanations (laugh). For me… the episode I looked forward to like “As long as you’re a half-demon, there’s definitely going to be this episode!” was when Towa’s hair color changed in “Night of the New Moon, Black-Haired Towa” (episode 12). Also, the episode with Miroku and Setsuna.

Setsuna kind of forgot but she remembered like “Oh yeah, there was something like that”. Unable to withstand the seething blood she inherited from Sesshōmaru, the fact that it was actually Miroku who placed the seal surprised me. I thought there would definitely be episodes with the new moon and demon transformations like in “Inuyasha”, so I was looking forward to it.

The relationship between Miroku-sama and his son, Hisui, was good too. I fell for him all over again like “Look at you Dad! You’re not a father who just isolates himself in the mountains doing (spiritual) training!”.

The Existences of Inuyasha and Sesshōmaru Will Become Addictive

— We are going to change the subject a little bit, but was there a character that influenced you personally? Tadokoro-san, you professed that seeing Yajima Akiko-san’s performance as Kohaku in “Inuyasha” is what made you pursue voice acting.

Tadokoro: Yes. That’s why I would say Kohaku was the character who influenced me. Until then, I never paid attention to the person behind the voice.

However, coming in contact with the work “Inuyasha” left a deep impression on me of the amazingness of acting. Especially Yajima-san’s voice…… for example with daily conversation, it exuded the sort of life he had lived to reach where he was now. That was the moment I became aware of the work of voice acting, so I think Kohaku influenced me the most.

Komatsu: In terms of a character that influenced me, I would say Kagome. She was closest to my age when I was watching “Inuyasha” at the time and a heroine… I followed the story from Kagome’s point of view, and I thought “I want become a girl like Kagome!”.

She was a little strong-willed but optimistic, and she always faced people properly. Kagome has special powers but even when you took that out, Kagome herself is a very strong girl. I grew up thinking I wanted to become that kind of strong girl.

In terms of other girls, I would say Sango and Kikyō. I feel as though I was quite influenced by the girls.

Matsumoto: For me, the character named Riku in “Yashahime” is mysterious and I’m really curious about him as I act. There’s the fact that what he truly is still hasn’t been revealed yet… In “Inuyasha”, it was clear which characters were depicted as good or evil, so on one hand, I personally discovered that if you look at it from the opposing perspective “This is just another form of justice”.

However, you don’t know if Riku is a friend or foe. He’s a character that your eyes end up following. I think viewers are also going to get strung along.

— We asked a variety of questions today but lastly, could you once again tell us the appeal of “Hanyō no Yashahime”?

Matsumoto: It was the same in “Inuyasha”, but the depiction of going between the feudal and modern eras was carried over into “Hanyō no Yashahime”.

The work’s time setting is the same as “Inuyasha” so people who watched “Inuyasha” can enjoy it, and I think it’s easy for people who haven’t seen it to understand. There’s a variety of ways that people of all generations can enjoy.

I think there’s the appeal that you can casually enjoy the work, but at the same time, there’s a lot of things entwined at different places. I think there’s a lot of people doing investigations. I think it would be fun unravel things in your own way and then compare to the story afterwards.

You can fantasize who will get with who in “Yashahime” (laughs), it would be great if you can enjoy it in many different ways. It’s such an appealing work that I want to say, “Everything is appealing!” (laughs).

Tadokoro: I totally get the fun in investigating. They don’t really tell us much about the story ahead, so we just hype on our own with our imaginations. Because the world of “Inuyasha” was that appealing and filled with loveable characters, as fans, we’re curious to see what sort of lives their children will have.

Watching as an average viewer, everyone’s beautiful aspects, including the characters that make you go “are they villains?”, are appealing (laughs). Like I instantly liked Kirinmaru. His appeal is so great that you end up looking ahead so to say. You can’t overlook things because there’s a lot of mysteries, and that aspect of things getting complicated is a charm that I think is carried over from “Inuyasha”.

Komatsu: What “Inuyasha” didn’t have was “the girls are the protagonists”. Furthermore, though they are girls, the three are half demons that are not girly at all. There are no humans among the protagonists (laughs). If you think hard on that, that’s a fun aspect.

From the perspective of the generation that watched “Inuyasha”, in a sense, an Inuyasha world without Inuyasha and the others feels strange. Their daughters are the protagonists and the answer behind the question of why they can’t meet their parents is a key point of the story.

Meanwhile, there’s a lot of cheerful dialogue among the three girls, so I think that enjoyment is one of the highlights. In a way, you could say it’s “a daily life of slaying demons”. If we were in this world slaying demons, it would be something like this.

Like “I slayed demons today too, but I didn’t leave anything to show for it! I don’t have money~! I can’t get a meal~!” (laughs)

There’s a joy that you can see the silver lining of “In order to live in that world!”. We’re part of the generation that wanted to travel to that era by jumping into the well in Inuyasha, so we’re grateful that we’re able to enter that world.

Also, every important point that smells of Inuyasha and Sesshōmaru will become addictive.

Tadokoro: The way they appear is good.

Komatsu: Yeah! Only their feet appear! (laughs)

Tadokoro: Just when I think “I want a little something of Inuyasha”, it shows up in a nice way.

Komatsu: Yes yes yes! And then periodically they show clear flashbacks of the past which I think existing “Inuyasha” fans find irresistible.

— We look forward to the developments ahead. Thank you very much!

[ayuuria]

Yashahime Translation: VV Magazine December 2020 Issue

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Interview with Matsumoto Sara

On VVM (VV Magazine) is voice actress, Matsumoto Sara, who plays the role of Higurashi Towa in the anime that started on October 3 on Yomiuri TV/Nippon TV channel, “Hanyō no Yashahime” (Every Saturday evening at 5:30pm~ *Some areas excluded)! What is the charm of this current work that depicts the efforts of the three daughters (Towa = voice: Matsumoto, Setsuna = voice: Komatsu Mikako, Moroha = voice: Tadokoro Azusa) of Sesshōmaru and Inuyasha, who appeared in Takahashi Rumiko sensei’s famous work “Inuyasha”? What do you keep in mind as you play a character who crosses over time and rampages left and right with the modern and feudal eras as her stage? What was your state of mind the moment you got specifically selected to play the role of Towa? We will be going behind-the-scenes of the new “Inuyasha world”!

Matsumoto: My name is Matsumoto Sara. Please treat me well today!

Ikeuchi: I am Ikeuchi Shinji of the Village Vanguard (abbreviated VV going forward) P strategic division. Please treat me well today.

VVM: This page is a specialty corner of this small magazine where we try to interview the person that the lucky staff members selected from the approximately 350 stores that VV maintains across the country, have said that they want to meet… This time, we specially had Ikeuchi-san from VV headquarters come as he is a big fan of not only the “Inuyasha” series of course, but Takahashi Rumiko-sensei as well.

Ikeuchi: I was part of the generation that read the “Inuyasha” manga in real time. Furthermore, I’m basically a big big big fan of Takahashi Rumiko-sensei so I took advantage of this opportunity and came today (laughs).

Matsumoto: I’m deeply honored!

Ikeuchi: No no, I am truly honored as well! Of course, I enjoy watching “Hanyō no Yashahime”, so just being able to meet a voice actor who takes part in a work that I love makes me happy.

Matsumoto: Thank you very much!

Ikeuchi: With that, regarding “Hanyō no Yashahime”. First, could you tell us what was going through your mind when it was decided that you would be cast in a work that continues the world of a big hit history work that makes someone from a generation like mine fired up?

Matsumoto: First I thought “No way!”. I was shaking. I had asked my manager over the phone in a corner of the train station building near the recording studio and I jumped for joy there (laughs).

Ikeuchi: It seems you auditioned, so you find out the results over the phone I see.

Matsumoto: I contact my manager via phone, email, and other different means, but so far good news tends to come over the phone (laughs). I knew that news had arrived regarding “Hanyō no Yashahime” and I was just in the middle of recording. I was always looking at an accent dictionary on my smartphone when recording. Then the screen suddenly flashed, and my manager’s name popped up.

Ikeuchi: You wanted to call back as soon as possible!

Matsumoto: That’s right. However, I really held myself back until after the recording was over. At this point, many days had passed since the audition so I thought “Could it be…”  and when I called back at the station building near the studio, they said “You got the part!”

Ikeuchi: That’s going to be a memorable station building.

Matsumoto: Yes! (laughs)

VVM: Though you explained it on your blog, it seems you were not allowed to tell anyone that you passed until the day of the announcement?

Matsumoto: The only person I told was my older sister who I live with. I recorded a voice sample for the “Hanyō no Yashahime” audition during the self-quarantine period but it seems my sister overheard it. She said, “You seem to be saying Sesshōmaru this and Sesshōmaru that next door” (laughs). It seems she figured it out somewhat.

Ikeuchi: She probably thought “Maybe it’s an audition related to “Inuyasha”” (laughs)

Matsumoto: That’s how she found out. Hence, I told her “I passed that thing”. Then my sister rejoiced too.

VVM: The information was released on August 7th. This was the first lead role in your career so I’m sure your family was overjoyed.

Matsumoto: Everyone told me “Congrats! ~” “Do you best~”. I have a relative who’s an avid fan of Rumiko-sensei, so they lamented “Why didn’t you tell me~!” (laughs). When that person told me previously “It looks like they’re going to do a new “Inuyasha” story”, I had already auditioned but I couldn’t even tell them that. I really had to suppress the urge to tell them.

Ikeuchi: I’m also a big fan, so I totally understand how they felt (laughs).

VVM: Was there already social distancing at the audition?

Matsumoto: Yes. Normally you meet a lot of people at the audition site (studio), but I auditioned alone. That’s why I don’t know what type and how many people auditioned.

VVM: Thus, you passed with flying colors and apparently during the first recording, sound director, Nagura Yasushi, advised you that “You don’t need to make her so boyish” or something like that?

Matsumoto: Nagura-san gives me all sorts of advice, but he really places importance on Towa being a girl.

VVM: Was there a reason you were leaning more towards boyishness?

Matsumoto: When I submitted the voice sample, I only had the character design and setting document, so I didn’t know the character’s personality or details.

Ikeuchi: Do you fill in the missing information yourself?!

Matsumoto: Yes. I thought over a lot of things like the meaning of a girl in boyish pants… Or that it’s written Sesshōmaru’s daughter, but her surname is Higurashi… the result was a pretty strong toned voice sample. I was told “You passed” with that so I went into the recording with that and I was advised “You don’t need to make her boyish”.

Ikeuchi: What was the intent?

Matsumoto: She’s simply a 14-year-old middle school girl who grew up in the modern era so she’s not really conscious of things like her strength in fights or the blood relation to her parents. It’s possible that by going to the feudal era and getting involved with Setsuna and Moroha, she becomes conscious of that side of herself. That’s why I think they wanted me to be aware that at the beginning, Towa is just a normal girl.

Ikeuchi: I see. Now that you mention it, at the beginning, Towa was the only one who didn’t have any experience in battle. Even in episode 3, she didn’t land the finishing blow.

Matsumoto: She gets into fights but she’s never experienced defeating demons so when I think about things like “I wonder if by chance the part of her that’s Sesshōmaru’s daughter will awaken?”, “How is she going to change?”, or “I wonder if she’s going to become cool?”, I get excited. But there’s a part of me that’s a little unsure if I’ll be able to express that well (laughs).

VVM: Two months have passed since broadcasting began; what sort of girl do you think Towa is now?

Matsumoto: She looks cool as there are visuals that make her look like a boy, but I think she has a surprisingly absentminded side to her (laughs).

Ikeuchi: Although I can feel Towa’s kindness and strong heart from your voice, do you have any difficulty balancing that aspect?

Matsumoto: While I leave the character balancing to the directors, even if I think about my acting at home, I won’t know until I sync up with Komatsu Mikako, who plays Setsuna, and Tadokoro Azusa, who plays Moroha, so that’s where it gets difficult.

Ikeuchi: Like what sort of acting will the other person do?

Matsumoto: That’s right. There are times where the act I’ve prepared takes a 180-degree turn, so I put 120% into my real time acting for each situation.

Ikeuchi: Starting from Towa, Setsuna, and Moroha, each of the three different characters have voices that really suit them.

Matsumoto: The tone of voice for all three of them isn’t very high, so there’s an aspect where I feel they’re all similar. Especially when it comes to serious lines. However, when listening to it, this might be strange to say, but the “shade” of the voice is different like the mellowness, so while the voices overlap, I think there’s differentiation between the characters. (translator’s note: I’m not positive about this sentence).

Ikeuchi: Towa and Setsuna are twins, so I think that the part where they’re a little “similar” makes them realistic.

Matsumoto: Thank you. After episode 3, there are more scenes where Towa and Setsuna poke comments at Moroha, so sometimes sound director Nagura (Yasushi) tells us our voices sound the same. Apparently, there are times where they sound like one person, so I consulted with Setsuna’s voice actress, Komatsu Mikako, and changed my tone.

Ikeuchi: What sort of conversations do you have with Komatsu-san and Tadokoro-san?

Matsumoto: We talk about acting of course, but the three of us love “Inuyasha” and we were able to take part in “Hanyō no Yashahime”, so we fan talk like “I wonder if that demon from that time was…?” or “This was in “Inuyasha” too right?” (laughs).

Ikeuchi: What about personally? (translator’s note: Like in private life)

Matsumoto: The three of us made a group chat in LINE and we communicate there. For example, after I watched episode 1 prior to airing, I messaged them like “Did you see episode 1? It was amazing!!”. Then Komatsu-san responded “Ooo, I’ll watch I’ll watch!”. Tadokoro-san responded with “It would be a waste so I’m going to watch it on air!”.

Ikeuchi: To fans, that’s an incredibly extravagant group chat!

Matsumoto: It’s only been two months since episode 1 but the three of us are already close and we always hype on recording day.

Ikeuchi: Are the three of you in the recording booth together?

Matsumoto: The staff made distancing considerations so that the three of us could record together. There are a lot of scenes with the three of them, so as of now the three of us mostly record together.

VVM: Has Takahashi Rumiko-sensei ever come to watch the recording or said anything to you before?

Matsumoto: When recording first started, it was during a situation where meetings were being done remotely, so I didn’t have opportunities to meet not only Rumiko-sensei of course, but the other cast members as well. However, the other day when I went to the limited time “Inuyasha” Café that opened in Shibuya PARCO with director Satō Teruo and the other “Hanyō no Yashahime” cast members, Rumiko-sensei was there! I greeted her with “I am Matsumoto Sara, the role of Higurashi Towa!”

Ikeuchi: I’m genuinely envious of you! Since she doesn’t make very many appearances on TV and such, her existence is so far away that you wonder if she really exists…

Matsumoto: It was deeply emotional. Pardon me for saying this but I was also moved like “She’s really here…”. She was like a god to me when I was a child.

VVM: Did you have any sort of conversation with her?

Matsumoto: I heard that the cast and staff of the “Inuyasha” anime went on trips together every year since the broadcasting. I was moved that they still communicate with each other even now after 20 years since the broadcast. When I think about how I get to participate in a part of this work that sensei cherishes so much, my body tenses up.

Ikeuchi: Actually, to celebrate the broadcasting of “Hanyō no Yashahime”, VV is also releasing “Hanyō no Yashahime” merchandise in which the actual animator drew the illustration… (shows a rough sketch drawn in pencil)

Matsumoto: What?! That’s amazing!! The side profile (face) feels fresh.

Ikeuchi: This will be used as the cover for VVM and such.

Matsumoto: I’m so happy that you would publish it in such a magazine!

Ikeuchi: Not at all, the pleasure is ours!

Matsumoto: (while looking at the picture) It really is the world of “Hanyō no Yashahime”! I look forward to the colored VVM cover!

VVM: We would like to have you trace your memories back a little here, but we would like to ask you what made you become a voice actress and what kind of girl were you when you were Towa’s age (14)?

Matsumoto: When I was 14 years old huh… I was in an all-girls middle school for three years, so I never really interacted with boys the same grade as me. Hence, I grew up in a world of only girls. It was a classroom permeating with the characteristic emotions of girls going through adolescence (laughs) and I think I learned all sorts of things like how to interact with people. Until then, part of my personality was that I was somewhat too conscious of things and I casually learned to “let go”. (translator’s note: it literally said “抜く” in quotes which directly translates to “to remove or pull out”. It can also translate to fap… honestly this can go in any direction so interpret this as you will lmao)

Ikeuchi: In addition, during adolescence did you ever go to VV?

Matsumoto: I’m from Chiba prefecture and I always went to the nearby VV. I bought presents at VV when it was someone’s birthday.

Ikeuchi: Thank you very much!

Matsumoto: After becoming an adult, I went to buy a towel with a meat pattern on it. I bought a lot and went about giving them to people who’ve taken care of me (laughs).

Ikeuchi: The meat towel! It’s been popular ever since it went on sale (*unfortunately it is sold out at this time)

VVM: Around when did you start aiming to become a voice actress?

Matsumoto: In my elementary school graduation anthology, I wrote that “I want to become a voice actor”!

Both: Whaat, Wow!

Ikeuchi: So since elementary school?

Matsumoto: I was good at drawing when I was in elementary, so apparently my parents and relatives thought I would go towards the design route. That’s when my friend told me about the work of voice acting. They said they wanted to be a voice actor. Influenced by that, I said “I’ll become one too!” (laughs).

Ikeuchi: Have to thank your friend for that then.

Matsumoto: Yes. For me, I wanted to become a manga artist since I was good at drawing, but thanks my friend, I learned that there was a world where you act with your voice.

VVM: What did you want to be during middle school?

Matsumoto: Around the end of middle school, I suddenly thought “I want to do acting!”. I looked at the notices for acting schools that are usually on the back of magazines and I thought “I don’t really get it, but I have a feeling I can do this!” (laughs). Then I spoke with my parents.

Ikeuchi: What did your parents say?

Matsumoto: My parents made a living with music to begin with, so they understood. They were basically like “If that’s what you want to do, then why not give it a try?”. So they let me go to (acting) school and as I learned about acting and singing, I vaguely began to think “I want to work in this field in the future”.

Ikeuchi: From there, why did you choose voice acting?

Matsumoto: By the time I was a high schooler, I had done several auditions but for some reason my (acting school) teacher brought a lot of voice work. Then I suddenly remembered how in elementary school I made a big deal about “I want to be a voice actor!”. I thought of voice acting as one way of acting.

Ikeuchi: How did you ultimately decide what path to take?

Matsumoto: The moment I decided my path. Until then, I had thought about going to a 4-year university that was known for theatre, but my mother told me “Going to university doesn’t mean you’ll be able to do acting all the time?”. I realized that that wasn’t quite right. I want to think about acting all the time!

VVM: Indeed, a university would mean that you would have general study plus theatre study.

Matsumoto: It’s a no brainer but the only thing in my head was “Acting!” “Voice Actor!” so my thought process was genuinely “I want to do acting = a university with a theatre department!”. Ultimately, I went to the vocational school I graduated from.

VVM: Tokyo Announce Gakuin correct?

Matsumoto: Yes. By that time, I had decided “I’ll definitely become a voice actor!”. My parents also pushed me saying “If you’re going to go to that kind of a vocational school, you better become a pro!” (laughs).

Ikeuchi: That’s how your dream came true.

Matsumoto: Yes. I’m truly happy.

Ikeuchi: Your friend who told you about voice actors, your parents, your (acting school) teacher… through all those different encounters, you were guided down the path of a voice actor.

Matsumoto: I’m grateful of the fact that I have a job doing something I enjoy, but this time I got a big role in a work that’s connected to “Inuyasha” which I have loved for a long time. I’m truly thankful to the people I met.

VVM: Before you became a voice actress, which works of anime did you like and influenced you aside from “Inuyasha”?

Matsumoto: When I was little, I enjoyed “Card Captor Sakura” that was being broadcasted on NHK. There was also the one-hour time slot of “Inuyasha”, of course, and “Detective Conan” (Nippon TV). Then there was the one-hour time slot of “Hikaru no Go” and “Prince of Tennis” (TV Tokyo). “Chibi Maruko-chan” and “Sazae-san”. I loved “One Piece” and “Kochi Kame (Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari Kōen-mae Hashutsujo)” (Fuji TV) so I watched them all the time. Not only do I remember the details of the works I watched back then but I still like them as well. Ever since I started making my own money, I’ve been repurchasing the original mangas.

VVM: On your blog, you recently wrote that you went to see “Princess Mononoke” at the theater, so do you like Ghibli works?

Matsumoto: I love Ghibli works and while I had a lot of VHS movies back home, “Princess Mononoke” was rescreened in June of this year so I went to watch it. I came to understand parts that I didn’t get as a child and once again thought it was an amazing work.

VVM: It was first shown in 1997. The content is a little difficult for a child to understand isn’t it?

Matsumoto: Now that I think about, this a little off tangent but at the time, my mother went to watch the movie and showed me the pamphlet. On the cover was the scene where the heroine, San, was sucking out blood from Moro’s wound.

VVM: It’s a well-known scene on posters and such.

Matsumoto: I thought the blood around San’s mouth was dirt. I remember thinking “We have to hurry and wipe the dirt off that girl’s mouth!” and scrubbing it.

Ikeuchi: (laughs) What happened to the dirt?

Matsumoto: I scrubbed too hard and tore a hole in it (laughs). I’m sorry, this was really off tangent!

VVM: (laughs) It would be great if you could make an appearance in a Ghibli work.

Matsumoto: Ever since I decided to become a voice actor, I always had the thought of “I want to be in Ghibli movie!” in my heart, so I definitely want to make that come true!

Ikeuchi: Speaking of movie theater, getting a little ahead but I want to see a movie edition of “Hanyō no Yashahime” just like “Inuyasha”!

Matsumoto: Absolutely! I also want to see Towa, Setsuna, and Moroha, in action on the big screen!! If we could see the parents and children fighting together at the movie theater… Aah~ just thinking about it makes the corner of my eyes heat up. Ever since I got the role of Towa, I’ve been hoping myself “Please let this happen!” (laughs).

Ikeuchi: We fans wish for that too!

VVM: Recently, you declared on your blog “I’ve become able to keep my word!” so please make this a reality!

Matsumoto: (laughs) Okay, we will do our best!

VVM: Alright then, lastly please tell us your goals for 2021!

Matsumoto: Let’s see, I don’t know if this will be possible until the world becomes more stable, but I would love to interact with “Hanyō no Yashahime” fans around the world. “Inuyasha” is popular worldwide so I get supportive messages in all sorts of languages on my twitter. Among them are people who comment using translation tools so I would like to meet everyone directly… even if meeting directly isn’t possible, I would like to talk to everyone in some way. This is what I think of “Hanyō no Yashahime”. I like this character. Anything is fine so I would love to hear them.

VVM: What about in your personal life?

Matsumoto: I want to move. I live with my older sister but because the state of the world has changed this past year and me becoming busy with “Hanyō no Yashahime”, we’ve had a few problems arise… The biggest problem is our bath times overlap. I say that but I do get along with my sister, so maybe living in the same apartment complex but in different units like the Asagaya Sisters (laughs). I’d like to talk with her and find the best possible solution!

Ikeuchi: Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule today!

Matsumoto: Thank you as well! I look forward to seeing both the “Hanyō no Yashahime” cover issue and article. Please support “Hanyō no Yashahime” next year as well!

[polar-stars]

Hisako x Ikumi, Alice x Megumi, Uraraka x Tsuyu for the ship meme? Thanks

Sure ^ w ^

Original Meme

Hisako x Ikumi

How did they they meet?

Trough Erina. 

Who developed romantic feelings first?

Ikumi, I guess. 

And she was really anxious about it first, because she whole-heartly believed that she could not hold any candle to Erina. 

Who is their biggest “shipper?”

Erina and Megumi probably. Megumi is after all quite close to Ikumi and is defiantly happy to see her all happy and in a good relationship. Same goes to Erina, but with Hisako in her case ofc. 

Alice cherishes their relationship quite a lot as well tough.

When did they have their first kiss and under what circumstances?

Hm, I can imagine that it happens somewhere in the second year. Ikumi just managed to snatch a good internship or something and of course immediately rushes to her girlfriend, who of course is happy for her as well and just so proud…that Hisako actually ends up giving her a kiss on the lips. 

As they at some point break the kiss they just stare at each other, trying to figure out what to say after their very first kiss. 

They just end up to kiss again.

Who confessed their feelings first?

After encouragement from both Erina and Alice, Hisako did. 

What was their first official date?

They went to a v good café with the best of sweets (for Ikumi) and the best of tea (for Hisako). After that they took a walk trough the park, where they shyly hold hands and talk about many different things. 

How do they feel about double dates/group dates?

They’re fine with them. 

What do they do in their down time?

They truly love going shopping together or just cal my sitting next to each other, Hisako reading Medicinal stuff while Ikumi reads the Fluffiest Stuff of Fluff to ever Fluff (she basically reads very schmaltzy romance novels, but Hisako finds that so cute actually)

What was the first meeting of parents as an official couple like?

(I am going to skip this one…because I have…no idea qwq)

What was their first fight over and how did they get past it?

(let’s skip this one too alright? qwq)

Which one is more easily made jealous?

My guess is Ikumi. 

What is their favourite thing to get to eat?

The desserts they made together probably.

Who’s the cuddly one? What their favourite cuddling position?

They’re both so cuddly! They just love to wrap the arms around each other and hug tightly.

Are they hand holders?

Yep! Hisako most of the time initiates it and Ikumi surely let’s her. 

How long do they wait before sleeping together for the first time? What’s the circumstances?

(Nfsw)

Surprisingly it doesn’t takes them very long. Ikumi confronts Hisako if she actually, well already thought of sleeping together and all that. They then have a long talk and later that night it actually happens. 

Who tops?

Ikumi most of the time, but Hisako is defiantly able to do so too. 

(nsfw over)

What’s the worst first they’ve ever gotten into?

(woah is this another one to skip?)

Who does the shopping and the cooking?

They do both together. 

However of course it’s Hisako who cooks when Ikumi is sick. 

Which one is more organized and prone to tidiness?

Hisako.

Who proposes?

Hisako. 

Do they have joined Bachelor/Bacheloette parties or separate?

A joined one, planned by Alice. 

Who is the best man/maid of honour? Any other groomsmen or bridesmaids?

Hisako’s bridesmaids are Alice and Erina, while Ikumi’s are Megumi, Ryoko and Yuki.

Big Ceremony or Small?

The Golden Middle Way.

Do they have a honeymoon? If so, where?  

I could imagine Greece or Croatia in summer, where they can enjoy the beautiful beach, the fresh sea water, the luxury of the hotel and the warm weather.

Do they have children? How many?

I could imagine them adopting some and being the coolest moms around the block.

Alice x Megumi

How did they they meet?

In Totsuki, trough Soma. 

Who developed romantic feelings first?

Alice probably. She was immediately in love with this girl’s personality. Like…how kind can one person be? A literal angel was standing in front of her! 

Who is their biggest “shipper?”

Soma and Ryo maybe?

Soma being happy for Megumi and Ryo being happy for Alice. 

Like I can just imagine the two leaving the room at the same time to give the two girls some space. 

When did they have their first kiss and under what circumstances?

Alice was drunk. (Rice juice and all)

And well, she started to cling to Megumi and mutter over and over how kind, beautiful, astonishing and etc. Megumi is. Megum blushed and laughed nervously at this.

At some point Alice did kiss her (and passed out afterwards). Which made Megumi even more red. 

Who confessed their feelings first?

As Alice heard from Ryo and Hayama about her drunk kiss, she got so ashamed. 

First she didn’t wanted to talk to Megumi, who of course searched for a conversation. At some point she did give in and faced the confrontation.

Megumi entered the room and Alice immediately was like. “I am so sorry!” However to her surprise Megumi actually confesses her love to Alice afterwards. 

What was their first official date?

They made a ship tour together.

How do they feel about double dates/group dates?

They’re fine with it. 

What do they do in their down time?

I have the feel they really like to visit galleries and museums together, but also to just take strolls around Totsuki. 

What was the first meeting of parents as an official couple like?

It didn’t took Alice long to win Megumi’s parents over with her charm and social skills. She also made it clear how much she loves their daughter and was gladly welcomed into the family.

Same goes for Megumi, who was immediately adored by Leonora. Soe was a little more skeptical first, but hell….who could resist Megumi Tadokoro?

What was their first fight over and how did they get past it?

(Skip)

Which one is more easily made jealous?

Alice defiantly. 

What is their favourite thing to get to eat?

Megumi actually starts to try out more and more Danish recipes when dating Alice, at finds great fun in it. Alice loves it.

Who’s the cuddly one? What their favourite cuddling position?

Both cuddlers! They snuggle at every chance they get. 

Are they hand holders?

Yes. Alice loves taking Megumi soft little hand and Megumi loves when she does so. It makes her feel safe. 

How long do they wait before sleeping together for the first time? What’s the circumstances?

(nsfw)

Takes them a bit.

Alice feels the urge more and more but wants to give Megumi her time. However she does start to appreciate Megumi every chance she gets, touches her a little more and is just so close, that at some point Megumi gives her the “ok” to end the suffering. Alice does asks 3 times if she’s “really okay?” with it and Megumi nods every time. So it happens. 

Who tops?

A L I C E

(nsfw over)

What’s the worst first they’ve ever gotten into?

Their kiss maybe? But at the same time..not

Who does the shopping and the cooking?

Megumi does most of the shopping and most of the cooking as well. 

Which one is more organized and prone to tidiness?

Megumi

Who proposes?

Alice

Do they have joined Bachelor/Bacheloette parties or separate?

A joined one

Who is the best man/maid of honour? Any other groomsmen or bridesmaids?

Alice’s bridesmaids are Erina and Hisako, while Ryo is best man.

Megumi’s bridesmaids are Ikumi, Ryoko and Yuki, while Soma is best man.

Big Ceremony or Small?

Golden Middle Way.

Do they have a honeymoon? If so, where?  

To Iceland! It reminds them both a little of home but is still something new to discover. 

Do they have children? How many?

I could imagine them adopting a little girl, who grows into a well-behaved but still very strong and independent woman. 

Uraraka x Tsuyu

How did they they meet?

UA.

Who developed romantic feelings first?

Tsuyu probably. 

Who is their biggest “shipper?”

Izuku and Tenya. Anything that makes Ochako happy makes them happy.

When did they have their first kiss and under what circumstances?

Their first kiss happens after some very hard test from UA’s side or an actual battle. The two are just so relieved to make it trough the test/make it out alive, that they immediately kiss each other passionately afterwards.

Who confessed their feelings first?

Ochako.

What was their first official date?

Taking a tour to the city, investigating new places and learning more about each other as well. 

How do they feel about double dates/group dates?

They love them.

What do they do in their down time?

Go swimming. Go shopping. Simply watch movies on the coach. 

What was the first meeting of parents as an official couple like?

(Lets skip that one, because I am not as far with the manga that I met their parents yet)

What was their first fight over and how did they get past it?

(Let’s also skip this.)

Which one is more easily made jealous?

Ochako. 

What is their favourite thing to get to eat?

Light and mild stuff, but also refreshing things. Like lemons. 

Who’s the cuddly one? What their favourite cuddling position?

They cuddle 24/7! Mostly Tsuyu rests on Ochako’s chest, while Ochako pets her head. 

Are they hand holders?

Defiantly. 

How long do they wait before sleeping together for the first time? What’s the circumstances?

(Skip.)

Who tops?

Ochako.

What’s the worst first they’ve ever gotten into?

(Skip.)

Who does the shopping and the cooking?

Ochako does the shopping and Tsuyu the cooking. 

Which one is more organized and prone to tidiness?

Both like it tidy and they have wonderful fun of bringing everything into order together. 

Who proposes?

Tsuyu

Do they have joined Bachelor/Bacheloette parties or separate?

Joined

Who is the best man/maid of honour? Any other groomsmen or bridesmaids?

Best Man for Ochako is Izuku and Maid of Honor is (I forgot her name…but you know that Snake Girl! HOW CAN I BE SO DISAPPOINTING?!)

Big Ceremony or Small?

Small.

Do they have a honeymoon? If so, where?  

Hm, I could imagine somewhere in America or Canada.

Do they have children? How many?

Yes, they adopt a little boy and raise him very good and with a lot of love qwq

[recentanimenews]

Bookshelf Briefs 12/26/18

Abara | By Tsutomu Nihei | Viz Media – Although it’s up for debate how directly or tangentially related Abara actually is to Knights of Sidonia, in my mind the manga is unquestionably a precursor to Nihei’s later work. Even if they take different forms, the two series at the very least share elements of the same dystopic vision, a grim future in which humanity’s survival is not guaranteed in the face of the existence of creatures known as Gauna. Collected in a single, deluxe hardcover volume (along with another of Nihei’s earlier stories, “Digimortal”), Abara feels like the beginning of something grand even while being a complete work unto itself. Rather than prioritizing a narrative telling a coherent story, more than anything else the plot serves as a vehicle to showcase Nihei’s artwork and the astonishing, nightmarish atmosphere it creates. And that is just fine—the illustrations in Abara are stunning, managing to be simultaneously  beautiful and grotesque. – Ash Brown

Again!!, Vol. 6 | By Mitsurou Kubo | Kodansha Comics – In the original timeline, the fate of the ouendan was sealed when Usami was responsible for a disaster at a baseball practice game. This time, Imamura is working very hard to make sure that doesn’t happen. True, he still blames himself for the team’s eventual loss, since he wounded the pitcher’s fragile ego, but some things have clearly changed as a result of his actions. Namely, Usami is able to get the crowd on their side, rallying their spirits with her cheers when all seemed lost, and earning some praise from the school principal for her leadership. Sometimes this series is frustrating in that characters have to work harder for the kind of sports manga successes that make me sniff, but man, there are a few brief, glorious moments in this volume that are all the sweeter for having been hard-won. – Michelle Smith

Giant Spider & Me, Vol. 3 | By Kikori Morino | Seven Seas – There’s a bit of seriousness at the start of the third Giant Spider manga, as we find out why our kidnapper is so upset about the spider—his daughter was clawed by a cute baby bear, and died from an infection from the wounds. The rest of the volume, though, is relatively sedate, and even the big finale, in which Asa appears to be either ill or grumpy but is merely molting is pretty low-key. And yes, it’s a big finale as this is the final volume, even though the author says they know Nagi and Asa have lots more adventures. This is the sort of series that doesn’t really need a dramatic climax, but Nagi has changed thanks to her giant spider friend—she’s now surrounded by other friends as well. This was sweet. – Sean Gaffney

Girls’ Last Tour, Vol. 5 | By Tsukumizu| Ywn Press – Each volume of this gets darker than the last, while still maintaining its mood of “two girls wander around a city in their tank.” Chito almost dies a couple of times, and sprains her ankle at one point, leading to Yuu attempting to do leader-like things, which does lead to some laughs. And there’s a fascinating sequence when they look at modern art in a deserted museum. They’re still going up, though, and are helped in this (after breaking into a building using more high explosives) by an AI unit that begs for them to turn it off. We also get a flashback to how their journey began, showing that they were kids staying with adults at one point, and that things are terrible all over. One more volume to go. Will it end in death? – Sean Gaffney

Haganai: I Don’t Have Many Friends, Vol. 16 | By Yomi Hirasaka and Itachi | Seven Seas – The big surprise in this volume is that the student council president happens to be Yozora’s older sister. We’ve seen for a while that family issues are a large part of what makes Yozora the way she is, and it’s no surprise that she’s in a relatively foul mood this volume, where the Neighbors Club and the Student Council go on a vacation together. Before that, though, we do get Yozora returning to the Neighbors Club, and a virtual reality game that I will just gloss over as I found it the weakest part of the book. And for fans of Kodaka and Sena, there’s the final scene, even though it’s just a dream that… Rika has? Why is Rika dreaming of things like that? A good, fun volume, though even more perverse than usual. – Sean Gaffney

Hakumei & Mikochi: Tiny Little Life in the Woods, Vol. 3 | By Takuto Kashiki | Yen Press – Adorable and relaxing take a back seat to ADVENTURE in this volume, as Conju is kidnapped while in a “rough section” of town, requiring a rescue that involves a lost liquor, hang-gliding, and lots of faux badasses who really aren’t all that. It’s a heck of a lot of fun, and really shows off our heroes at their best. They also do well taking Hakumei’s boss out for a day on the town, showing him that life is not just work 24/7. And there’s a chapter involving sweets and some badgers that is quite funny. I’m really enjoying this series, though it has to be said—Hakumei and Mikochi are a married couple, they’re just not aware of it yet. (Nor do I expect that to change.) – Sean Gaffney

Hatsu*Haru, Vol. 4 | By Shizuki Fujisawa | Yen Press – How much you enjoy this volume may depend on how much you can take “I am oblivious to even a direct confession” on the part of Riko, which makes Kai once again spend half the book holed up in his room wondering where everything went wrong. Even when he returns to school and tries to take up his playboy ways once more, things go wrong—right now Riko needs a good friend more than a boyfriend, and if Kai’s not there, well, maybe Takaya will do. (Honestly, Takaya seems to be like he has his own issues, which I suspect may get revealed in a future volume.) Will Riko ever get Kai’s feelings? Does she like him back? Is she even ready to move on? And what of Ayumi, the intrepid newshound? Hatsu*Haru is a well-written soap. – Sean Gaffney

Horimiya, Vol. 12 | By Hero and Daisuke Hagiwara | Yen Press – I imagine there may be some people who have dropped Horimiya by now, and I get it—Hori is sort of a terrible person, groping her friends and joking about getting “technical” consent, and still being upset that Miyamura isn’t hitting her like she really wants him to. She’s a bit of a teenage mess, really. Fortunately, the cast around her have their shit together, so I don’t think things will get that bad. Honestly, seeing Hori groping Sakura reminded me that Sakura is one of the group now—in fact, one chapter has other students surmise that she may have a harem of hot guys. I still love reading Horimiya, even as it’s gone from “romance I’d happily recommend” to “problematic fave.” – Sean Gaffney

Slumbering Beauty, Vol. 2 | By Yumi Unita | Seven Seas – For the most part this was an OK, not great final volume of this series. The majority of it deals with Nerimu’s master trying to recruit Yoneko for the job permanently, and Nerimu trying to point out that this would involve essentially dying. That said, there was a fantastic moment near the end, as Yoneko is shown that her neglectful parents started off with good intentions and are not merely terrible people. And Yoneko says that this is true, and acknowledges it… but also reminds readers (and Nerimu) that the majority of her time growing up has been spent unhappy, and seeing that her parents have good sides as well is not going to change that. Still, at least she decides to live on for now. Like other Unita series, this was weird but worth reading. – Sean Gaffney

Yowamushi Pedal, Vol. 10 | By Wataru Watanabe | Yen Press – The third and final day of the Inter-High begins and since Midousuji got a somewhat sympathetic backstory that might be the start of a redemption arc of sorts it’s time to introduce another odious foe, this time in the form of Eikichi Machimiya, a schemer from Hiroshima who’s got a huge grudge against Hakone due to how things played out the previous year. This is a pretty fun volume, since Machimiya organizes a huge peloton that gobbles up stray riders, Jaws-like, and Sohoku must contend with leaving Onoda—who worked so hard on previous days for the team—behind to be devoured. Tadokoro even cries. Of course, plucky Onoda can’t be counted out yet, but neither can Hiroshima! Looking forward to the next installment, as always. – Michelle Smith

By: Ash Brown