Original Interview Source: https://ddnavi.com/interview/495152/a/

People will change, but they can’t change that quickly.

– Once again, please let us know the birth of “Yagate Kimi ni Naru,” also known as “YagaKimi.”

Nakatani Nio-san (Shortened as Nakatani): I originally drew doujinshi manga; however, I had drawn a lot about the relationships between girls at that time. I wasn’t that conscious of yuri to that extent, but I heard it being called “a yuri manga” a lot around me. With that, I thought of drawing an original manga where “No matter how you look at it, it’s yuri.” Around that time, a person in charge in “Dengeki Daiou” appeared and asked, “Would you serialize a yuri manga?” So I went along with project.

– Speaking of “YagaKimi,” The relationship between Yuu, who doesn’t understand the feeling of “Love,” and Touko, who can’t accept another person’s “Love,” has a great appeal. How was this unconventional relationship born?

Nakatani: I wanted to draw a story with a clear start and goal. There’s a problem that should be resolved. I wanted to draw a story where both of them overcome and grow from it. For that reason as well, I thought that I needed to establish the issue, a problem that persists throughout the whole story. That being said, even if we call it a yuri manga, I didn’t want it to become an obstacle simply because it was between girls. Regardless of what’s present in reality, I didn’t want the difficulties of the love between girls in the first place. I didn’t want to put it into the center of their story. Therefore, that’s how the setting was established for those two where it comes back to a problem of the individual.

– For Nakatani-san, what kind of person is Yuu and Touko?

Nakatani: Touko was created first, Yuu was born as her partner. I like troublesome girls. For me, I wanted to draw a girl that would be unmanageable, so I made Touko the heroine. For me, Yuu has the image of a hero who would help that unmanageable girl. That being said, I think of the characters as if they were born as individual people. It is at most a discussion of “At first it was like that.”

– So it’s a matter of those two moving towards to resolving the problem as a goal. While you draw those delicate feelings, I feel like you thought through the story with reasoning as you talk about the story.

Nakatani: Yes. However, there are times where I would have the characters take action in accordance to the story, “I can’t let them say this line,” “I can’t let them do this much yet.” I draw while keeping in mind the balance between what I want to to do with it as a story, and what the characters would do in the present situation. As I lay down the rails, occasionally with a detour, I put thought into it as I reason out on “How should I go about to bring it here?…..” Something like that.

– The Student Council play starts from the 5th volume, there’s a change of heart in Yuu & Touko that’s happening. I can feel everything that has accumulated up to now.

Nakatani: Since the Student Council play was a large objective in the middle act, there was a “I’ve finally reached this point” feeling. Even though I thought about wanting Touko to change, there was a feeling of “It can’t happen yet,” or “Not yet.” Little by little it kept piling up, and I finally decided “Since its gotten this far, I can go with it.” Though I wanted to draw to relay the feeling in this story that, “People change,” but also that “People don’t change that quickly.” If it changes so suddenly, we would lose the confidence in the work as a whole, so I kept in mind that balance as I drew. That’s why, the feeling of “I’m finally here,” was very strong.

– Did you draw while dwelling on Touko’s feelings?

Nakatani: Following Touko’s thought process was difficult for me as well. Though she’s a person who moves by emotions, she also has a stubborn side too. Rather than “dwelling” on it, “If it was this moment, how would Touko think?” and so I went on and fumbled around as a I drew.

– Not just Touko, Yu also has a change of heart. How was her change?

There was a feeling of “I was finally able to let her say it” in the end of the 5th volume for Yuu’s line on the rooftop. There was also a similar scene in the 2nd volume, but if we compared it to that time, Yuu has also changed. In the 2nd volume, she said that “As you are – it would be fine to be your true self without your facade,” and was rejected by Touko. On the other hand, in the 5th volume, when trying to persuade her, she says “Even if you want to be like your older sister, it’s fine. Even being your true self, is also fine. All of it together makes up you.” While it’s only my personal opinion, I do not like the “true self” way of thinking. I do not want to deny the effort placed, and the desire to approach their ideal. That’s why, I felt a sense of accomplishment of “I’ve reached this point,” as Yuu ended up saying the line that accepts both the Touko that wants to become her sister and Touko as herself.

– Which brings us the 6th volume, a shocking development is waiting at the final act.

Nakatani: I’ve packed my spirit into chapter 34. I feel that it was the moment everyone was waiting for, and also afraid of. Though Yuu had covered her face when she confessed, “I love you,” I’m happy there was a reaction to it.

– What was your intention?

Nakatani: I wanted to give out the feeling, “This is not the end.” Looking at the face, meeting one’s eyes, and to say “I love you,” would make it feel like what needed to be said has been conveyed. It still hasn’t been done yet, in order to make an atmosphere that she wasn’t able to convey it, I had her cover her face.

– Up until now, when Yuu is told “I love you” by Touko, she would brush it off with a composed expression. By covering her face, it looks like it expresses her overflowing feelings.

Nakatani: Even though she knows that she “has to suppress it,” it overflowed. Up until now, Yuu’s feelings had always been accumulating by simply not letting it show on her face. Though her friend from middle school said, “Yuu is tolerant of others” ( Translation Note: In literal sense, it’s saying Yuu has a large container), there was always the feeling of “Love” that had been accumulating ( in that container) inside her. However, as one would expect, her capacity is at its limit, thus overflowing…… It’s that kind of image. With that, I drew a cup overflowing with water for the 6th comic volume’s extra cut too. Altogether with such minor details, the reader would read between the lines, so I would get the feeling to “properly draw the fine details.” I’m truly grateful.

– Could you tell me what you can about the future developments here on out?

Nakatani: In the 7th volume, the field trip will start. That means, that person may begin to take action…..? I drew with the thoughts of wanting Yuu and Touko to be happy, so right now may be the painful part, I would be happy if you would continue to follow.

– As a whole, how far have we come up to?

About 80% perhaps. Working towards a goal I’d decided on, I draw with the intention of drawing only what’s necessary. It feels like we’re finally going into around the final chapter, I would like you to please watch over it.

I think it’s rare for an anime to reflect the original author’s intention to this extent

– Next, I’ll be asking about the anime that’s in the middle of broadcasting. Nakatani-san, you’ve participated in screenplay meetings, dubbing, and such; how much influence did you have on the development of the anime?

Nakatani: I’ve attended all the screenplay meetings, and so far I’ve showed up to all the dubbings. I’ve supervised the character design, even with the storyboard, “For this scene, this character is like this, please have them with this expression” and even interjected on fine details. I verify all the visuals for the setting, or the accessories in the setting, and I check it with the thought of “Is it alright if I interrupt at this moment?”

– You’re very involved.

Within what’s allowed, I’m grateful. For instance, the scene of the School Council play, the script for the play before it was changed was all written by me. There was also the beginning section of the Student Council play from 7 years ago, the message exchange on LINE, or other fine details that I was allowed to create.

– And that’s why, it was able to present the world the way it is in the original work.

Though I do not know about other places, but I think it’s rare for an anime to reflect the original author’s intention to this extent. I would tell them in detail, “This scene was drawn with this intention,” “This character is like this,” so that there shouldn’t be a difference in interpretation between the original work and the anime. The anime staff was also very careful with it.

-What did you talk about with Director Katou Makoto?

Nakatani: There was no need for me to ask, he treasures the original work. He doesn’t put in excessive service like, “I like it this way, let’s do that,” he would stoically say to do what needs to be done for the work , it made me believe “I can leave it to him!” Hanada Jukki, who’s in charge of the series composition and script also handles the original work with care. I was surprised when the extras or the cover’s 4koma were included. I’m a Hanada fan to begin with, so I was able to entrust it to him with a peace of mind. It was hard to find a way to end it since the original work isn’t done yet; there was a thought about an original development that may come about, but that wouldn’t sit well with the fans of the original work; as a result, it will be following the original work. On top of that, the anime will have a new element included in it.

– By becoming an anime that reflects Nakatani-san’s intention, wouldn’t there be scenes that would surprise you, like “So this part turned out like that?”

It’s a minor part, but in the 1st episode, there’s the part where Yuu & Touko first meet, “The Student Council room is this way,” and the guiding scene. Touko would point to the Student Council room with a, “Nn,” and Yuu would have a “!” reaction. In the manga, it was an exchange that couldn’t have any lines, but it became a cute scene due to the voices and movements. There’s more, many scenes came to life that is unique to the anime by having movements. When it’s my manga, “So this part was done like that,” though I do get the urge to want to improve parts, I would like to let others draw the key animation, and let the voices be given as well….. And with that, it’s fun to watch as I think honestly, “This is super cute” (laughs).

– How was the acting at first for Yuu, who is voiced by Takada Yuuki -san and Touko, who is voiced by Kotobuki Minako-san?

Nakatani: No matter which character it was, I think the voice was a perfect fit like, “Ah, it’s this person.” Even if it’s during the dubbing, we would correct it if the interpretation is different, but there were many times where “It was different from what I had in mind, but it’s better this way.” There were many discoveries like, “So this girl, had this kind of side to her;” I was also having fun too. Takada-san who voiced Yuu said “I had to create the roles I’ve acted up till now, since they were different from me. However Yuu, is a role that lets me be natural. It’s an adventure I’ve yet to experience.” The first time she was given the chance to do so was through “YagaKimi,” so it was honor that it was Yuu.

– Presently, 3 episodes have been broadcasted so far, was there any scene that left a different impression with voices?

Nakatani: There were various of them. The Student Council election speech’s impression completely changes when the long lines are spoken. By adding the voice, I felt the gap between the usual cool Touko stands out even more with the scene where we first see Touko’s weakness also.

– Please let tell us the highlights of the 4th episode and onward.

Nakatani: Up to the 3rd episode, Yuu & Touko’s relationship is established for the moment. Because Yuu doesn’t think of Touko as someone special, it’s clear that Touko loves Yuu for that reason. Even though Yuu can’t think of anyone else as special, she is accepted by Touko. It’s a win-win relationship between them. However, I would like you to pay attention to on whether this relationship can continue as it is. Since in the 3rd episode, there is an unsettling monologue, if you could watch over them nervously on whether the two can stay as they are or not. While that’s that, there are plenty of delicious yuri scenes. All of the cast have truly acted the lines with a nice feeling to it (laughs). I myself am very much enjoying it, so please enjoy it along with me.