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Mekakucity Actors Audio Commentary #7

Act 7 – Konoha no Sekai Jijou

Translation of the seventh audio commentary that comes with the DVD/Blu-ray of Mekakucity Actors. Raw version here. Please consider purchasing the original copies and feel free to message me about possible corrections. If there happens to be any issues with the link, please contact me on my main blog!

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Asumin: Hello to everyone listening to the audio commentary of “Mekakucity Actors Act 07 – Konoha no Sekai Jijou”! I’m the voice of Enomoto Takane. This time, I’ll be the host. My name is Asumi Kana. And...!

Suzuki: Eh, I’m the producer. Suzuki Kenta from Aniplex.

Ishikawa: Yes, and I’ll be the supervisor today. I’m Ishikawa from Aniplex. On this day, we hope to deliver Act 07, “Konoha no Sekai Jijou”. It’ll be a pleasure.

Asumin: I’ll be in your care~!

Suzuki: We’ll be in your care.

Asumin: What a rare combo.

Ishikawa: Sure is.

Suzuki: Yeah, right. It’s more than just “rare”. *laughs*

Ishikawa: No, no, no...

Asumin: *laughs*

Ishikawa: We’ve had this kind of episode before.

Suzuki: That’s right.

Asumin: Oh!

Ishikawa: Last time, for the sixth episode, we had Fujiwara Keiji-san together with us here.

Asumin: Ah! Eh? Keiji-kun?

Ishikawa: Ah, exactly, “Keiji-kun”.

Asumin: Eh~?

Ishikawa: Someone like me can’t call him “Keiji-kun”, though.

Asumin: *laughs*

Ishikawa: So, continuing from where we had stopped, we are once again doing it as a trio, this time with Asumi-san.

Asumin: Yes!

Suzuki: Yes.

Ishikawa: Last time, in Act 06, Fujiwara-san talked a little about you, Asumi-san.

Asumin: Yes.

Suzuki: Hmm.

Asumin: Hum, that’s right. We host your radio show and all.

Ishikawa: Thank you very much for it!

Suzuki: We owe you two a lot.

Asumin: So do we.

Ishikawa: You connect episodes six and seven very nicely.

Asumin: Yes!

Suzuki: Hm, indeed.

Ishikawa: Honestly!

Suzuki: Such a good progression.

Ishikawa: Exactly. A rather beautiful one.

Suzuki: If we’re to link the first and second halves of this series, as expected, it has to be from episode six.

Asumin: Yes!

Ishikawa: That’s right.

Suzuki: Kenjirou included.

Asumin: Right.

Suzuki: It’s a very crucial episode indeed.

Ishikawa: A bit of a flashback arc, so to say.

Asumin: Yup, yup.

Suzuki: Hmm.

Ishikawa: Let’s see... last time, Asumi-san participated in the first episode, Act 01.

Asumin: Yes! That’s right.

Ishikawa: You were here as the voice of Ene.

Asumin: Yeah, I went from Ene to Takane.

Ishikawa: Right.

Asumin: For this time, that is.

Ishikawa: Yep.

Asumin: In the first time, the worldbuilding was pretty different. Actually, rather than the worldbuilding...

Suzuki: Hmmm...

Ishikawa: Well, you were digital before.

Asumin: Yeah! *laughs*

Suzuki: Exactly.

Asumin: There were changes in these episodes.

Ishikawa: That’s right...

Asumin: Well, this is actually her original self.

Ishikawa: True! Hum, it’s like, her process of turning into Ene.

Asumin: Yep!

Suzuki: Hmm.

Ishikawa: That’s explained in episodes six and seven.

Suzuki: It’s all revealed;

Asumin: Yes... Eh, the fact that my character is above the one voiced by Nakahara Mai-san kinda makes me a little bit... excited. *laughs*

Suzuki: Aaaah...

Ishikawa: Right. But she’s somewhat of a senior.

Asumin: Yesss~!

Suzuki: Ah, in the Mekakushi-dan.

Asumin: Amongst them, she is.

Ishikawa: Yes.

Asumin: True...

Ishikawa: It’s surprising... hmm, “surprising” might not be the best way to put it, but...

Asumin: Emotionally speaking, well...

Ishikawa: No, no! Hum...

Suzuki/Asumin: *laugh*

Ishikawa: She has a surprisingly philosophical point of view.

Suzuki: Ayano is in a “big sister” kind of position.

Asumin: Yeah!

Suzuki: So she kinda seems like that. Older than she looks, I mean.

Ishikawa: Yup, yup, yup.

Suzuki: So there’s also that.

Asumin: Well, Ayano was doing her best in her own way being a big sister.

Suzuki: Yeeep. Indeed.

Asumin: It was cute of her.

Ishikawa: True. By the way, hum... when you came here last time, the recordings were not yet over.

Asumin: Yes! Aaah, were they? I see!

Suzuki: Aaah...

Ishikawa: If I’m not mistaken, I believe that’s when you participated in the commentary.

Asumin: Yes.

Ishikawa: It was just a week before the last episode aired, I guess.

Suzuki: Ooh...

Asumin: Ah!

Ishikawa: That’s about the time we did the first recording for these. But, well, it’s been a while since the recordings ended.

Asumin: Yes!

Ishikawa: Asking how it was would be too loose a question, but...

Asumin: Hmmm~! As expected, it felt rushed! *laughs*

Suzuki: Yup, yup, yup.

Ishikawa: Right...

Asumin: But in the last episode, when everyone, like... gathered up, finally all together, and faced the enemy, it was thrilling.

Ishikawa: It sure was. Hum, in the previous episode, Fujiwara-san also talked about this.

Asumin: I see!

Ishikawa: That the recordings of “Mekakucity Actors” are a bit unique.

Asumin: Yep!

Ishikawa: And depending on the episode, the people who participate in it change.

Asumin: Ah, true.

Ishikawa: The groups are scattered.

Asumin: Yup.

Ishikawa: We also asked him a bit about how the recordings felt like.

Asumin: Yes?

Ishikawa: As expected, Fujiwara-san was like, “The people who are there change all the time, so it was refreshing.”

Asumin: *laughs* Aah!

Suzuki: That’s right.

Ishikawa: His words.

Asumin: During the final parts, at long last, I met Togashi-san, Hibiya-kun’s voice, for the first time. We greeted each other like, “Nice to meet you~”. *giggles*

Suzuki: Aaah. Is that so?

Asumin: We didn’t see each other at all before then. Miraculously.

Suzuki: Indeed, there are characters who don’t ever meet.

Asumin: Exactly.

Ishikawa: That’s right.

Asumin: Yeah, yeah. Which is why I was happy that they gathered up.

Suzuki: Right.

Ishikawa: Hmm! They’ve been there since forever, but it feels like they aren’t present.

Asumin: Yep!

Suzuki: Hm, hm.

Ishikawa: It is what it is.

Asumin: The one that was there the longest was Ayano, I guess.

Ishikawa: Ah, perhaps.

Suzuki: She’s there for most episodes.

Asumin: Yep, yep!

Ishikawa: Well, if I’m not wrong, she’s the one who narrates the C parts.

Asumin: Yeah.

Ishikawa: Nakahara-san tells the story of the “picture book”.

Suzuki: Indeed.

Asumin: That’s right.

Ishikawa: So she had many appearances, in a way. But in contrast, Nakahara-san actually didn’t have many dialogues.

Asumin: Yes.

Ishikawa: Or exchanges with other characters.

Asumin: Aaah! True. It’s in this part that she finally...

Suzuki: Yup.

Ishikawa: Yes, that’s right.

Asumin: Well, this series was crafted in peculiar ways.

Suzuki: Exactly.

Ishikawa: It’s a multi-protagonist story.

Suzuki: Yeah. It’s a story based off songs, after all.

Asumin: Right! Each of them is a main character.

Ishikawa: Yes, yes, yes.

Suzuki: It’s not an omnibus where each episode corresponds to one song.

Asumin: Yep!

Suzuki: But if you piece them all together, you have a linear story of twelve episodes.

Asumin: Yes.

Ishikawa: As expected, this was mentioned ever since the phases where we were holding meetings for the screenplay.

Suzuki: That’s right. Most likely, in Jin-san’s head, Kagerou Project itself is a story composed of each and every song involved.

Ishikawa: Precisely.

Suzuki: And as one would expect, that’s the foundation of it.

Ishikawa: Yes, yes, yes.

Suzuki: The novels were probably where he dug deeper into that.

Asumin: Hm, hm.

Ishikawa: Right.

Suzuki: And the manga was where he made it easier to understand by transforming it into art. So when the time to ask, “Then what form shall it take in the anime?” came around, this is how he structured it.

Ishikawa: Hm, hm, hm.

Asumin: Yep.

Suzuki: Therefore, he might have had this planned from the very beginning.

Ishikawa: That’s right. As you watch it, you have little discoveries, like “this one episode connects with that other episode”.

Asumin: Yep, yep!

Suzuki: Indeed.

Ishikawa: It does happen.

Asumin: Really makes me want to watch all the episodes over again.

Ishikawa: Yeah, yeah.

Suzuki: True.

Asumin: Right?

Ishikawa: Indeed, as you say. In contraposition, the people who are listening to this are the ones who bought either the blu-rays or the DVDs

Suzuki: Yeah.

Ishikawa: So maybe they would also want to watch everything over again.

Suzuki: Indeed.

Ishikawa: If they do that, they’ll discover all sorts of things.

Suzuki: Right.

Asumin: True. Each of the mediums is different. Same for the manga and the novels.

Ishikawa: Yes, yes, yes. Let’s see... I don’t know whether this term is right or not, but they’re like “routes”.

Asumin: Hmmm!

Suzuki: Yep, yep, yep.

Asumin: The anime is the anime.

Ishikawa: Yeah. There’s this kind of magic to it. So we hope that the people who have only watched the anime will read the novels and comics.

Asumin: Right!

Suzuki: Right.

Asumin: They’ll be able to see the many differences.

Ishikawa: And of course, that they acquire and listen to the original songs and Jin-san’s albums, so that they may be even more deeply involved with this work.

Suzuki: Indeed.

Ishikawa: And so, Takane collapses.

Asumin: Hmm!

Ishikawa: Before that, Kenjirou stands up.

Suzuki: Yeah...

Asumin: Right~? The world was so peaceful till just a moment ago, and yet...

Ishikawa: The worldview inverted.

Asumin: It’s such a plot twist.

Ishikawa: And I think this is the key point for Takane to become Ene.

Asumin: Yeeep!

Suzuki: Hmm.

Asumin: Right. This is where Ene is born.

Ishikawa: That’s right.

Asumin: Ah, but character-wise, even after becoming “Ene”, Takane’s spirit stays intact.

Suzuki: Yup.

Ishikawa: Yes, yes, yes, yes.

Asumin: It doesn’t change.

Ishikawa: Exactly.

Asumin: It’s just her attitude that changed a bit. *giggles*

Suzuki: *laughs*

Ishikawa: Oh, yeah. Asumi-san, when you’re performing Takane and Ene – well, they’re the same character but with different personalities, so to say.

Asumin: That’s right.

Ishikawa: So was there any difficulty or any point that you had to be careful of when performing them?

Asumin: Hmm... How should I put it? When it comes to thought process, I thought I should remain as Takane.

Ishikawa: Yes, yes, yes, yes.

Asumin: And when Takane is suddenly at maximum tension, she’s Ene, I believe.

Suzuki: Hmmm.

Ishikawa: I see.

Asumin: And what else? Well, let’s see... As expected, I think her voice ought to sound like a mascot character. *laughs*

Suzuki: Aaah...

Ishikawa: *laughs*

Asumin: That’s what she’s like.

Ishikawa: Gotta be charismatic Ene, right?

Asumin: That’s right. That’s what I kept in mind.

Ishikawa: But indeed, Ene-chan is kinda... within this series, she’s an extremely catchy character.

Asumin: *laughs*

Ishikawa: Her tone is advertisement-like.

Asumin: *laughs harder*

Ishikawa: I don’t know if that’s how I should put it, but...

Suzuki: Hmmm...

Asumin: She’s loud, after all! *laughs*

Ishikawa: No, no, no! Not at all.

Suzuki: *laughs*

Asumin: It’s easy for everyone to spot her.

Ishikawa: She’s lovely. Very lovely.

Asumin: They made her movements really cute, which made me happy.

Ishikawa: Ah, this way of portraying her is excellent.

Suzuki: Right? Pretty good.

Asumin: Yeah~!

Ishikawa: And I think this was mentioned in the first commentary, but the monitor in Shintarou’s room is gigantic.

Asumin: *laughs* It is! Amazingly so.

Suzuki: Yup, yup, yup.

Ishikawa: But we were told that, thanks to this, Ene is able to move around with a sense of liveliness to her.

Asumin: Yeah.

Ishikawa: So, as expected... how can I put it? Be it inside a phone or a computer, being able to display her in this way or another in the anime enables us to explore the nature of “Ene” as a character even further.

Asumin: Right~? It feels like you can only do that in the anime.

Suzuki: Indeed.

Ishikawa: True. She’s a very catchy character.

Asumin: Yep, she is.

Ishikawa: And thanks to Ene being a catchy character, she’s in charge of many things, such as the narration of the anime’s CMs.

Asumin: Ah, yes! I did a lot of stuff.

Ishikawa: And also the concert at Shibuya Public Hall held on August 14th and 15th.

Asumin: Yes!

Suzuki: Hmmm.

Asumin: Right, right.

Ishikawa: Well, it was an event called “Make a Mekakucity”, where Jin-san was the focus – I mean, Jin-san and Mekakushi-dan.

Asumin: Yes!

Suzuki: Yup.

Ishikawa: And Ene-chan had a big part in it.

Suzuki: A big part!

Asumin: Yeaaah! I was surprised, like, “So that’s how it turned out”! Ah, I went to watch it, by the way.

Ishikawa: Thank you very much.

Asumin: No, no, no! Hum, how can I put it? I couldn’t see the whole thing.

Suzuki: Yes.

Ishikawa: That’s right.

Asumin: So I had to *laughs* ask lots of questions in order to do the narration. Therefore, I was looking forward to how it’d be pieced together for the event.

Ishikawa: Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.

Asumin: Ene... was singing and dancing, huh?

Ishikawa: She was.

Suzuki: Exactly.

Asumin: *laughs* Yeah!

Suzuki: She got to do whatever she wanted.

Ishikawa: Whatever she wanted!

Asumin: On top of that, the concert was supposed to look like the Mekakushi-dan set it up.

Suzuki: Yup.

Ishikawa: “Produced by”...

Suzuki/Ishikawa: ...“Mekakushi-dan”.

Asumin: Right?! *laughs* It was super fun. Never have I ever gotten to watch an event of an anime that I take part in as a main character from a completely impartial perspective like this one.

Suzuki: But of course!

Asumin: Yeah!

Ishikawa: You’d usually be on-stage rather than among the audience.

Suzuki: Indeed, indeed.

Asumin: Being there not as a participant was very new and fun to me.

Suzuki: Aaah, I see.

Ishikawa: Figures.

Asumin: I was able to see a series that I’m part of from the guest seats, like, “Ah! So this is how everyone enjoys anime events!”

Suzuki: Hearing you say that makes me happy.

Ishikawa: Attending an event must be such a rare opportunity.

Asumin: Yes, yes! It was incredible. The guests seemed to be having so much fun. And, as expected, there was a lot of young people!

Suzuki: Yeah, really.

Asumin: *laughs*

Ishikawa: That’s right.

Asumin: Must have been middle school students.

Suzuki: Feels fresh, doesn’t it?

Asumin: Yep, yep! It felt fresh and... what else? The music!

Suzuki: Hmmm.

Asumin: Like, this was a chance for me to listen to the songs once again after all of the anime ended.

Ishikawa: Yes.

Asumin: It made me so very happy.

Ishikawa: I see. Well, I myself was allowed to see a lot of things at the concert’s venue.

Asumin: Yes.

Ishikawa: When I saw the reactions of the guests, as expected, it seemed like something a little different from the usual anime events.

Asumin: Yep!

Suzuki: Indeed.

Ishikawa: Even so, I was most certainly able to feel the enthusiasm of “Mekakucity Actors” very keenly there.

Suzuki: Yup, yup, yup.

Asumin: Trueee...

Ishikawa: Even though there are so many songs, each of them has a different point to enjoy.

Asumin: Yep!

Suzuki: Indeed.

Ishikawa: So I think it was a very valuable event.

Asumin: It was fun.

Ishikawa: For the producers, I guess there was a lot to do other than just making the live concert happen.

Suzuki: Yes, yes, yes.

Ishikawa: So looking at it from the producers’ position, I believe this was a remarkable occasion.

Suzuki: “Remarkable occasion”... But this series—well, it might not just be this one series. We produce all sorts of events, not only for this title, and Asumi-san participates in some of them.

Asumin: Yes, yes.

Ishikawa: I see.

Suzuki: But people are already into the series in the first place. Through it, they fall in love with the characters, and then eventually fall in love with the voice actors playing them. That’s how the flow goes.

Asumin: Yeah.

Suzuki: So when there comes the time to hold an event, we always have the actors and cast participate.

Ishikawa: Yes, yes, that’s right.

Suzuki: And while there are people who like the actors themselves, there are also those who project the characters onto the actors. I think that’s also one way to enjoy yourself.

Asumin: Yup.

Suzuki: But this series wanted to lean more towards the characters themselves.

Ishikawa: Yes, yes.

Asumin: Yeah.

Suzuki: How can I put it? This might be a bit weird to say, but it truly feels like they’re in the real world.

Ishikawa: Yes, yes.

Suzuki: Like the Mekakushi-dan exists and they made this concert.

Ishikawa: True, the guests themselves can feel it in their own skin, so to say.

Suzuki: Exactly. It’s like Jin-san and the Mekakushi-dan are standing there, side by side.

Ishikawa: Yes, yes, yes.

Suzuki: And that’s kind of like a virtual reality.

Asumin: Yes.

Ishikawa: Right.

Suzuki: Like, “Wouldn’t it be fun if we could enact something like that?”

Ishikawa: Yup, yup.

Suzuki: That’s what Jin-san wondered at the beginning, when we were asking ourselves what to do for that event.

Asumin: Haaah...

Suzuki: This is the idea that Jin-san came up with.

Ishikawa: Yes, yes.

Asumin: Eeeh~?

Suzuki: I was thinking about that sort of thing too, so I thought it was extremely interesting.

Asumin: Yep!

Suzuki: Hum, normal, we’d have Asumi-san participate in the event.

Ishikawa: Yes.

Asumin: Oooh...

Suzuki: Like, I think it’s totally possible that there’d be a part where she’d go, “I’m Asumi Kana, the voice of Ene!”

Ishikawa: It wouldn’t necessarily be a talk corner but you’d come up.

Asumin: If it’s something like that, we already have it in the usual scheme of things, right?

Suzuki: That’s right.

Ishikawa: Yes. We have the major and the normal stuff.

Suzuki: Yep, yep.

Asumin: But I do want to have more like these! *laughs*

Suzuki: Ah, really? Eeeh~!

Ishikawa: I see.

Asumin: Events that feature titles and their characters.

Suzuki: I think that’s quite a... difficult thing to do.

Asumin: Aaah...

Suzuki: It’s hard to make an event like that.

Ishikawa: Right.

Suzuki: This time, we had music involved.

Asumin: Yes!

Ishikawa: Exactly.

Suzuki: So we were able to do it through making music the focus and inserting all sorts of aspects of the anime into it.

Ishikawa: Yeah.

Asumin: Yup, yup.

Suzuki: But there are series that aren’t like this.

Ishikawa: Right.

Asumin: That’s right...

Suzuki: So, as expected, I believe it’s definitely better to have the cast participate in those cases.

Ishikawa: Yeah.

Asumin: Hm-hm!

Suzuki: This time was a challenge, so to say.

Ishikawa: That’s right.

Suzuki: Thus, it turned out like this, but...

Ishikawa: So Jin was giving ideas already in the earliest meetings?

Suzuki: Precisely! It began from the basis that the Mekakushi-dan would be making the event, and from there, we’d go into the really minute details.

Ishikawa: I see.

Suzuki: Before reaching the peak, there were actually lots of setups.

Ishikawa: There were, yes.

Asumin: Yes! *giggles*

Suzuki: It’s as if the characters themselves were making preparations behind the scenes.

Ishikawa: Yes, that’s right.

Suzuki: And in the midst of that, since it’s the Mekakushi-dan, they make a few mistakes, as one would expect, so there’s sounds Mary dropping stuff, like, “BAM!”

Ishikawa: Yes, yes, yes. There were.

Asumin: *giggles*

Suzuki: Things like that.

Ishikawa: And there were big animals too.

Asumin: *laughs*

Suzuki: Ah, something like that! Yeah, yeah, yeah. Seto-kun brings them over.

Ishikawa: Seto-kun...

Asumin: Yes!

Suzuki: These kinds of little jokes came from Jin-san.

Ishikawa: Yes, yes, yes.

Asumin: Yeeeaaah...

Suzuki: And as expected, for Jin-san, participating in the event mostly as one of the players must have been...

Asumin: He was so cool!

Suzuki: Yuuup, he was, wasn’t he?

Ishikawa: He sure was.

Asumin: It was my first time seeing it!

Ishikawa: His performance?

Asumin: Yes!

Suzuki: I see. I believe he hasn’t done that many live concerts.

Ishikawa: Yes, yes, yes.

Asumin: Aaah...!

Suzuki: So it’s also because of that.

Asumin: It was awesome. The people in the seats were calling to him in the same way they’d call to an idol, like, “Jin-saaan!” *laughs*

Suzuki: That’s right.

Ishikawa: “Jin-saaan!”

Asumin: Yeah! They also said, “Jin-san, you’re so cute!”

Suzuki/Asumin: *laugh*

Asumin: Many were saying he was cool, too, of course!

Suzuki: *laughs*

Asumin: But yeah, I thought, “They sure love him...”

Suzuki: Amazing. It was wonderful, wasn’t it?

Asumin: Maaan...

Suzuki: Those days. Everyone who went on-stage, too.

Ishikawa: That’s right. Those two days were incredible.

Asumin: They were! I ended up crying during Ayano’s song.

Suzuki: Oooh...

Ishikawa: The one sung by Okui-san?

Asumin: Yeeeah!

Suzuki: Okui Aki-san, right?

Ishikawa: Yes.

Asumin: I’m weak to that song. *laughs*

Ishikawa: “Ayano no Koufuku Riron” was amazing, wasn’t it?

Asumin: Right?!

Ishikawa: It enveloped the venue in a warm atmosphere.

Suzuki: Indeed.

Asumin: But there were other cast members attending, so all the while, we were thinking things like, “I don’t wanna get busted!” *laughs*

Suzuki/Ishikawa: *laugh*

Asumin: “I don’t wanna ruin this!”

Suzuki: Is that so?

Asumin: But, wow, it was such a fascinating event.

Ishikawa: That’s right. And watching it was amazing.

Asumin: Yeah...

Ishikawa: And you had to read a narration as Ene from before the show started.

Suzuki: Yup.

Asumin: Yes! Exactly.

Suzuki: Ene quite literally had a big role in this one.

Asumin: Yes.

Suzuki: She was something like an MC.

Ishikawa: Right.

Asumin: Yeah.

Suzuki: In a way, everyone had commonplace roles. But Ene had to talk a lot.

Asumin: Yes, I sure did.

Ishikawa: Ene-chan also sang a song at the event.

Suzuki: *laughs*

Asumin: She was super cute back there!

Ishikawa: She was.

Asumin: Right~?

Ishikawa: Dancing so flashily, too.

Asumin: But really, we could only make this kind of stage happen because it’s the Mekakushi-dan.

Suzuki: True.

Ishikawa: That’s right.

Suzuki: By all means, I want to try and do this again if there’s ever another chance.

Asumin: Yep, yep!

Ishikawa: Indeed.

Suzuki: One more time, but in a different way.

Ishikawa: Well, the anime has finished broadcasting.

Suzuki: Yup.

Ishikawa: Then we had this two-day live concert.

Asumin: Yep!

Ishikawa: And there have been several events for Mekakucity Actors.

Asumin: Yes, yes.

Ishikawa: And Asumi-san had many opportunities to participate in them as Ene.

Asumin: Yes!

Ishikawa: Amidst all of that, was there any memorable occasion for you while working with “Mekakucity Actors”? Well, I do think the last event left a deep impression on you, since it’s the most recent one of these.

Asumin: That’s right~!

Ishikawa: But is there anything else? There were all sorts of events, such as the one in Sapporo.

Suzuki: Huuum... I see. The one held at Sapporo Station, right?

Ishikawa: Yes, the one at Sapporo Station.

Asumin: Aaah, that’s right! Ene was there!

Ishikawa: She was a government officer at the building for a day.

Asumin: She was!

Suzuki: She was taking care of the building.

Asumin: Yes, I did that. And, oh, yeah! I also went to Taiwan.

Suzuki: Right, Asumi-san went to Taiwan.

Ishikawa: Thank you so much for that!

Asumin: The Mekakushi-dan traveled there.

Suzuki: Unbelievable. “Mekakucity Actors” is extremely famous even in Taiwan!

Asumin: That’s right!

Ishikawa: True!

Asumin: The first thing that shocked me is that everyone is really paying attention to this series!

Ishikawa: *laughs* Yes, yes.

Suzuki: Yeah, and you too, Asumi-san, are very popular there.

Ishikawa: Ah!

Suzuki: Yeah.

Ishikawa: Thank you so much.

Asumin: Man, I didn’t think they’d gather around me!

Suzuki: That sure was impressive.

Asumin: I was thinking I’d be glad if at least ten or so people came up to me, and yet...! *laughs*

Suzuki: And yet, as expected...! *laughs*

Ishikawa: As expected, everyone came up to you.

Asumin: Yeah, yeah! At first, I was surprised. I was asking the guests, “You know me??” *laughs*

Ishikawa: Eeeeh??

Suzuki: I bet you would.

Ishikawa: Indeed, indeed.

Suzuki: But on that day, there was a mini-event where people could have an autograph from Asumi-san if they bought any merchandize.

Ishikawa: Heeeh~?

Suzuki: Also, there was a talk show and live dubbing.

Ishikawa: That’s amazing!

Asumin: It sure was.

Suzuki: There was a limit of 125 goods, and apparently, they were gone in 5 minutes.

Ishikawa: Eeeh?!

Asumin: Yeeeaaah...

Suzuki: It seems a lot of people couldn’t buy anything.

Asumin: That’s right. To think this series is loved beyond the seas...

Ishikawa: Yeah!

Suzuki: Makes you so happy, huh?

Ishikawa: That’s right.

Asumin: I didn’t know it personally, so when I went abroad...

Ishikawa: Right, you have to go there yourself.

Asumin: Exactly!

Suzuki: Yup, yup, yup.

Asumin: When I saw it right before my eyes, it was such an enormous thing.

Ishikawa: Taiwan is pretty good, isn’t it?

Asumin: Yep, yep, yep!

Suzuki: It’s the same as the Japanese fans, really.

Ishikawa: Yes, yes, yes.

Asumin: Yeah!

Susuki: It really is, isn’t it?

Asumin: Their feelings of loving anime and loving fictional characters are truly the same as ours.

Suzuki: Seriously.

Ishikawa: It feels like looking at a mirror, doesn’t it?

Asumin: Yeaaah!

Suzuki: For real, for real.

Asumin: It’s so amazing that people from so many countries have one thing in common that they like, isn’t it?

Suzuki: It is.

Ishikawa: Sure is.

Asumin: This could lead to world peace! *laughs*

Suzuki: It really could.

Ishikawa: Indeed.

Asumin: Boy, I was really happy. Everyone was so good at Japanese.

Suzuki: Ah, they certainly were.

Ishikawa: That’s right.

Suzuki: Lots of people came up to talk to Asumi-san.

Ishikawa: They sure wanted to have a chat with her.

Asumin: They talked to me in Japanese!

Ishikawa: Eeeh~?

Asumin: That’s right. So many of them said they studied Japanese because they like anime and video games.

Suzuki: Yup.

Ishikawa: That’s something to be grateful for. They love even the casts that take part in the series.

Asumin: Yeah...

Suzuki: There were also people who aspired to become voice actors in Japan, right?

Asumin: Right, right! There were! They told me they liked anime so much that they wanted to be seiyuu! *laughs*

Suzuki: Whoa...

Ishikawa: Amazing...!

Asumin: That was so powerful...

Ishikawa: Just breaking the language barrier is already so hard, and yet, they want to become... professionals in that area. I have no idea if that’s the right word for this.

Asumin: It is. And the passion of those people was really so...

Ishikawa: Isn’t it pretty difficult to do the correct intonations, for example?

Asumin: Yep!

Suzuki: I mean, talking and dubbing are two different things. You have to go beyond.

Ishikawa: There’s all sorts of difficulties to it.

Suzuki: And yet, there are people aiming for that.

Asumin: Riiight~? But y’know, when I felt their passion, I thought they could totally make it!

Suzuki: Yeah, for real.

Ishikawa: Seriously.

Suzuki: They’re really passionate.

Asumin: It truly made me happy.

Ishikawa: It’s wonderful how much people love this series.

Asumin: Yeees...

Ishikawa: It’s all because it’s “Mekakucity Actors”.

Suzuki: Really.

Asumin: That’s what makes me happiest. Isn’t that right~?

Ishikawa: Yeah. And while we were talking about that, we’ve arrived to the ending theme of episode 7.

Asumin: Yes!! *laughs*

Ishikawa: Now that we’re at the ending, episode 7’s commentary was the most... how should I put it?

Asumin: Yes?

Ishikawa: Should I say it was the most down-to-earth one until now?

Suzuki: Yup, yup, yup.

Ishikawa: The others were serious as well, but this was the one where we dug the deepest into all sorts of topics.

Suzuki: Ah, really?

Asumin: Aaah...!

Suzuki: Ah, I’m glad!

Asumin: Ah, out of all the audio commentaries?!

Suzuki: It’s all because Asumi-san came over!

Asumin: Eeeeeh?? Seriously?! *laughs*

Ishikawa: I think the last commentary was pretty fun too, but...

Asumin/Suzuki: *laugh*

Asumin: “Fun”?!

Suzuki: Keiji-san was here.

Asumin: I’m super curious now!

Suzuki: He had a big part in that.

Asumin/Suzuki: *laugh*

Asumin: No, but I’m honestly happy that I was able to co-star at something with Keiji-kun!

Suzuki/Ishikawa: *laugh*

Suzuki: Yeah, and he talked about that!

Asumin: Save from when we’re doing our radio show.

Ishikawa: It seems he was nervous about being called “Keiji-kun” during the recordings.

Asumin: *laughs* Is that so?

Suzuki: Yeah, and he was jealous.

Ishikawa: He was jealous.

Asumin: I see~!

Ishikawa: He talked about all of that.

Asumin: Heeeh~! But man, there’s a lot of Takane’s growth being depicted here.

Ishikawa: Yeah, in this episode.

Asumin: Her weaknesses and whatnot.

Ishikawa: It’s the story of her realizing her feelings and what happens after that.

Asumin: That’s right.

Suzuki: Yeah.

Ishikawa: From here on, the plot goes back to the present and keeps on gathering strength.

Suzuki: Precisely.

Ishikawa: The next one is episode 8, as in “Act 08”, right?

Asumin: Yes.

Suzuki: Hm.

Ishikawa: We hope everyone will look forward to it.

Suzuki: Yuuup.

Asumin/Ishikawa: Yes.

Ishikawa: That being said, here’s the C part, or the picture book part.

Asumin: Yes!

Ishikawa: We gradually learn who the “monster” of this narration is.

Suzuki: Yup, yup, yup.

Ishikawa: This is a point where the story is well-outlined.

Suzuki: Hmm.

Ishikawa: So it’s going to set itself in motion once again, and while we’re like, “I wonder what’s gonna happen in episode 8”, did you like episode 7, Asumi-san?

Asumin: Yes! It really... Hum, we might have not talked much about the plot itself— *laughs*

Suzuki: *laughs*

Ishikawa: No, no! No problem, no problem!

Asumin: But the fact that everyone accepts it is everything. Really, many of the stories in “Mekakushi” are kind of frustrating, aren’t they?

Suzuki: Hmmm...

Ishikawa: That’s right...

Asumin: When everyone gathers up, something is born.

Ishikawa: Yeah. The previous live concert, too, was something they all did together.

Suzuki: Indeed.

Asumin: Yep!

Ishikawa: They joined hands and made it happen.

Asumin: This story will develop further, so by all means, keep enjoying it. We will be in your care.