7 people and 7 sound quality, re-main interview with the original Nishida Seishi
The July 2021 Japanese anime RE-MAIN is an original TV anime with a water polo theme. In this article, we interview Seishi Nishida, who is also the original author, general supervisor, script coordinator (series composition), screenwriter (script), and sound director (sound supervisor), about the hardships of several positions and the selection of vocal angles.
——In this game, you served as the original, general supervisor, script coordinator (series composition) / screenwriter (script) and sound director (sound supervisor), which is really very difficult, right?
Nishida: Yes. Very hard (laughs). However, as far as the work of the screenwriter and the script coordinator is concerned, there is no case of "because it is this work, it is different from usual". However, if I only talk about screenwriting work, although I have imagined the text content that will become a video later, I will not limit it, but will give priority to writing the script with a focus on fun, and some content that is difficult to become a video will be adjusted by the supervisors and performers themselves. But in the work I directed, this kind of adjustment will eventually become myself (laughs). In the script stage, it should be said that it is prudent, the text content of the script will be clearer than the actual video impression, such as this kind of dress, to play this kind of music, etc., I wrote the script with this feeling.
- Indeed, this has to be done carefully.
Nishida: Even if I were to throw my hands in charge, I would throw it back on myself (laughs). Having said that, there is no fun in writing a script with limitations, so first of all, in the script stage with the idea of "do something that can be done", write it all out, and then enter the painting stage, and then take the way you present the scene in your mind to study, such as "Then what to do about this".
—— As a sound supervisor, what should I pay attention to?
Nishida: The most important thing is to pick up the atmosphere of the performers. The performance pays attention to the vivid sound. This is the same in live-action films, I have a clear direction in my mind, such as "I hope this way of speaking can be used here"... However, I also want to make use of the performances that the performers think of themselves, so I will make a fusion of the performers' ideas and my ideas, and pay attention to what kind of things will be born on the production site. Also, the rhythm of the recording. I pay attention to the rhythm to be good, so that the mood and heat of the performers will not cool down, and the performers will not wait too long.
——The sound selection of the main characters, based on what?
Nishida: First of all, I want 7 people with 7 sound qualities. I looked for people whose natural voices didn't overlap and matched their roles to audition. After I actually listened to the acting skills in the studio, it was these 7 people who made me think, "Match the role, and the acting span is so big.". There is also the feeling of their works by watching their annotations on the script, their interaction when answering questions, etc. Of course, I don't just look at those parts. The members I selected were people who wanted to be genuinely involved in a quarterly animation production.
——Please tell us about your impressions of Yusho Uemura, the voice actor, and Mr. Kimura, the voice actor of Jean.
Nishida: Mr. Uemura has a sense of being frank and straightforward... The skill, so I can also leave an impressive impression, but basically it is still a feeling of natural nature, which is a good expression of the sense of stupid youth. The sound at the audition and the sound of the official recording changed almost the same. In the audition I asked "Please do this a little bit more", and when I heard him fine-tuning, the sound he made instantly felt like, "Ah, yes.".
- What about Mr. Kimura?
Nishida: Jean is the sunniest atmosphere maker on the team, he can spit and rotate. This kind of role, even if the performer is asked to "want this way of speaking", if the performer himself does not have that temperament, it will still be out of place. In this case, Mr. Kimura started from the audition, and after I explained that I wanted to use this temperament and laugh like this," he replied, "Ah, that's it," and completely found the feeling. I look forward to his own temperament and fun to attach to Jean and enable him to voice. In fact, he also brought the atmosphere of the production site, not only the performance, he also created the sunshine and the inherent goodness of human nature.
--At the beginning of the anime, the situation of summoning the members of the club is carefully depicted.
Nishida: I thought, "Why did you start playing water polo in high school?" This part is very important. For example, my father played water polo; when I was a child, I experienced water polo in swimming class and found it interesting; I had been exposed to it before, and it was possible to join a club, but why did I start playing this niche sport in high school... I think this needs a clear opportunity, so I'll portray it in more detail.
——Jiang Jiri has encountered setbacks in the baseball club, and this is also this opportunity.
Nishida: Yes. For example, Ejiri's line "If it is a niche sport, I feel that I can show my skills", I attach great importance to everyone's ideas. From the beginning to the middle of the story, the audience and friends can slowly understand the inner thoughts of each character.
Jean's line "I don't want to, I practiced alone..." also made people feel Jean's strong feelings.
Nishida: It's very painful to practice alone all the time when you don't have a member. As the emotional line of episode 2, the biggest performance is the part of Jean. Considering Jean's idea, it was really a blessing to be able to gather members.
——In the middle of the story, the Hokuriku story of Rokuhana Gakuen is very good!
Nishida: Thank you so much for the compliment (laughs).
In particular, Toyama's line "Give them an insight into who is weaker than these guys" is too good.
Nishida: In that place, the expressions and lines don't match (laughs). In the OP, the rendering of the final boss is deliberately taken, and the debut scene also shows a mysterious sense of strong hostility, but in the locker room scene, it can be understood that he is actually weak (laughs).
- There are also battles in the lower levels.
Nishida: Probably because it is a niche movement, in general, the strength and weakness of each region have been determined. For example, some heroes will say, "It will be us who win the championship every time!" Because the weak team will absolutely lose to them, the weak team will calculate that "if we can't win this school, we won't be able to win this year.". At the bottom, there is a battle that "some battles must not be lost" (laughs).
—— Compared to the weak Shannan High School and Rokuhan Gakuen, the anime portrays Akebono Gakukan as a powerful school. Akebonokan also has some former teammates.
Nishida: A lot of the stories of My former teammates were not included in the 12 episodes, so I wanted to write more. Not only the relationship between Minato and his former teammates, but if you want to write about the relationship between the three of them, you can write a lot. In the sound radio drama, there is also the story of the appearance of the three Akebono gakukan and the trainer, and when the voice actor Mr. Uchida Yuma was recorded, they also said that "Minato is really here" and "At this time, is It possible to spit on it?"
If there is no accident, You should also attend the AkebonoKan.
Nishida: On that topic, it's a comedy of "a game of punishment that doesn't say honorifics to coach Bizen," so there's no serious feeling at all (laughs). If you were there, you might tease him, "You go!" He then said, "Here I come!" Everyone imagined and talked very excitedly. In this way, the relationship with former teammates can also give birth to a lot of interesting things.
Speaking of the backup coach, in episode 5 he also gave hints and guidance. There is no such coach at Shannan High School.
Nishida: Even if it is a weak school as a stage sport, with coaches and tactics, you can follow these and win all the way. However, this time I wanted stories of 7 students, so if the teacher was there, the topic was a bit off the beaten track. Beginning in Episode 6, there will be a consultant teacher who also serves as a basketball club, and he has no experience with water polo. We deliberately set up a person who has nothing to do with water polo in order to connect the audience's perspective.
-- Please talk about the future points.
Nishida: Solve Eitaro's problem, and then the team will form a rope and move towards the goal. You can see everyone's hidden feelings and character backgrounds, and the plot will have big moves, so the audience can look forward to it.
—— What are the recommended points to see in the relationship between the characters?
Nishida: The hard thing to say is the intersection between Hyugasaki and Nethama, and Minato, the three of them. The network to see Baiqi, Baiqi to see the past, each passing by the thoughts, is the recommended point to watch. The relationship between the three of them is also very happy to write, and I would like to dig deeper. There is also the relationship between the 7 people of Shannan. I hope that the audience and friends can confirm in the animation how it will change in the future!