From Comic Natalie (Nov 10, 2018)

Interview by Taichi Kasutani

Photos by Tatsuya Irie

Zoku Owarimonogatari, the latest entry in the Monogatari anime series based on the novels by NISIOISIN, began its limited theatrical run on November 10, 2018. After Bakemonogatari first aired on TV in 2009, its sequels have been distributed via special programs, mobile apps, and movie theaters. Even so, the announcement that Zoku Owarimonogatari would receive theatrical event screenings came as a surprise to fans.

Comic Natalie has prepared an exclusive three-part feature to commemorate its premiere. This first part is an interview with Hiroshi Kamiya, who has voiced Koyomi Araragi for the entirety of the series’ nine-year run. He shared with us the joys of having more sequels produced, told us how startled he was by NISIOISIN’s talent, and reflected on memorable events from the past nine years.

“I was startled by NISIOISIN-sensei’s talent.”

The previous entry, Owarimonogatari, ended with protagonist Koyomi Araragi graduating from high school. In light of this development, how did it feel to play him again?

Frankly speaking, I was grateful. While there are a ton of shows that don’t know whether or not they’ll get sequels, when it comes to the Monogatari series, I feel like there will continue to be anime adaptations as long as NISIOISIN-sensei keeps writing more novels. Instead of worrying that “We might not get another sequel,” I get to think “How will the next part be animated?” or “Nisio-sensei wrote another one!” as I’m working on this series. It’s not an easy job, but I’m lucky to have it.

People were saying that Owarimonogatari would mark the end of the Monogatari Series anime project. How did you feel about that?

The Zoku Owarimonogatari novel was on sale by the time we were recording for Owarimonogatari, so I was already thinking about how much I wanted it to be animated. Thus, I focused on getting Owarimonogatari done right—I knew we couldn’t make a convincing argument for a sequel to be produced unless we did that first.

And now, the sequel to Owarimonogatari—Zoku Owarimonogatari—is out. The novels employed a gimmick of reversing the text for some scenes set in the mirror world. I wonder how that’ll be expressed in animated form.

I haven’t seen the final product yet, but in regards to the chapter numbers from the novel being displayed onscreen—a stylistic choice carried over from Nisemonogatari—they’ll be reversed starting with a certain scene. You’ll see many visuals of that nature inside the mirror world.

Speaking of expressing things in animated form, the novel contains a scene in which Koyomi puts on a girls’ uniform. Even though it describes his outfit, I couldn’t fully picture it in my mind… I’m eager to see how it’ll be depicted in the anime.

You know, while there are times when it’s better to leave things to the readers’ imagination, I think there are other times when what’s written is naturally expressed better as an animated visual. Such was the case with that girls’ uniform scene, which turned out better than I’d imagined.

What part of it was better than you’d imagined?

In the opening scene, I say the line “I’m Koyomi Araragi. What you see is what you get,” which gets repeated during a crucial scene in the finale when he’s wearing a girls’ uniform. Even though the fact that he’s cross-dressing is clearly written down, it’s hard to relate that information using words alone. When accompanied by a visual aid, the contradiction of hearing “What you see is what you get” while he’s in the uniform worn by Naoetsu High School’s female students is much clearer to see.

That scene is even more eye-opening in the anime, isn’t it.

No matter how much you think about it, that phrase just doesn’t sound right; there’s a huge gap between how he looks and what he says. I noticed how amusing that was the first time I recorded it. Then, when I saw how well it synergized with the animation and realized that Nisio-sensei had written the dialogue, I was startled by his talent. Back in Nekomonogatari Black, there was a scene in which Meme Oshino asked Koyomi, “Is that sympathizing with her?” To which he replied, “I wouldn’t sympathize. I’m just hot for a cat-eared high school girl in lingerie.” That scene was the polar opposite of this one. Illuminated by the moonlight, Koyomi had an extremely sharp look in his eyes as he slung a sleek sword over his shoulder. From a visual standpoint, his coolness was at 100 percent—but the words coming out of his mouth were kind of lame.

“My first encounter with Tooe Gaen was exciting.”

This is set to be a fan-favorite entry, as it features the return of many characters from the series’ history, such as Black Hanekawa and Adult Mayoi. Of all the characters who make an appearance, with whom did you have the most memorable interaction?

Although it came out of nowhere, my first encounter with Tooe Gaen was an exciting affair. She did appear in Hanamonogatari, but she’s been gone for most of the series, so Koyomi never got a chance to meet her. I’ve always felt that he could have some very meaningful conversations with her.

Did that interaction leave a deep impression on you because she was a new character?

I guess so. And also because she’s voiced by (Michiko) Neya-san. Since I’m a big fan of hers, I was delighted to work with her again after so long.

Much of the series thus far has been about Koyomi’s efforts to help the heroines of each arc. But after Owarimonogatari, I felt like Koyomi had finally grown into someone willing to act on his own behalf. Did you have to change how you played him?

In Owarimonogatari, Koyomi saved his alter ego, Ogi Oshino, and fought for his own sake for the first time. But ultimately, he was trying to help Ogi-chan, so I suppose his core value of self-sacrifice hasn’t changed. Though Koyomi has certainly learned to be more self-serving in Zoku Owarimonogatari, he becomes even more concerned about the mirror world’s Sodachi Oikura and is driven by the thought, “I can’t bear to see her like this.” Hence, I played Koyomi Araragi while keeping in mind that he’s still the same old Koyomi Araragi.

What was the mood at the recording studio like after a yearlong break?

We greeting each other with “Long time no see” upon arriving at the studio. But as a group of people with a strong sense of duty toward our roles, we spent more time staring at scripts and reciting lines than we did chatting amongst ourselves. We barely even asked questions about each other’s performances, since all the answers were available in the novel and everyone had read it beforehand. Aside from Neya-san, who had to get reacquainted with her role after her extended hiatus, everyone in the cast kept their eyes glued to their scripts the whole time. It was a stoic sight to behold.

Is that the atmosphere that’s been established over the course of nine years?

While I don’t think that the Monogatari series itself is all that special, I do think that the atmosphere in the studio is. Because this is such a peculiar series, the atmosphere in the studio was likewise kind of peculiar at first. Whenever new cast members arrived, we’d be somewhat anxious about whether they’d fit in. Luckily, our anxiety was unfounded. No matter who showed up, they’d grow accustomed to the atmosphere as soon as they stepped into the studio.

“I guarantee it’ll satisfy everyone who’s been following the series this whole time.”

Since Zoku Owarimonogatari is covering the entire novel in one go, is it a fairly dense adaptation?

Yeah, it’s comprised of six TV anime episodes stringed together. It has a runtime of around 150 minutes, which is quite long for an adaptation of a single novel. [laughs] I suppose that just means Director Shinbo and his team determined that they needed 150 minutes to fully adapt Zoku Owarimonogatari. It would’ve been easier to split it into two 90-minute parts, but that wouldn’t be fair to the fans, so this truly is the optimal length. In my opinion, what makes Zoku Owarimonogatari so special is that it feels like a fan-made movie that’s been under production since the show’s inception. I guarantee that these 150 minutes will satisfy everyone who’s been following the Monogatari series this whole time.

This is the second time—after the Kizumonogatari trilogy—that Monogatari is being shown in theaters. I’d like to hear your thoughts about these screenings.

I’m extremely grateful for these theatrical screenings. Theaters may not be as mainstream nowadays as PCs or smartphones, which conveniently let you watch anytime anywhere, but they provide a focused environment in which you can concentrate on the movie. That’s why I’d want to watch Zoku Owarimonogatari in theaters even if I have to drag myself there—the finished product is well worth a trip to the cinema.

You want people to enjoy not only the film, but the viewing experience as well, right?

Exactly. Even before Kizumonogatari premiered in theaters, all four episodes of Nekomonogatari Black were shown back-to-back at a private showing in theaters prior to airing on TV. Although it was made for TV screens, when it was shown from start to finish with the OP and ED removed, it became a high-quality feature film that could stand the test of time. Similarly, Zoku Owarimonogatari is a six-episode TV show that’s been modified into a movie suitable for the big screen. Come to think of it, this means that every TV show in the series probably could have held its own against other movies if it had premiered in theaters. That would’ve made me very happy.

“There’s a ‘Koyomi Araragi circuit’ embedded in my brain.”

The Monogatari anime series will be celebrating its 10th anniversary next year. Has anything changed about the way you play Koyomi Araragi?

Personally, I don’t believe that my acting method has changed. Every time I’m asked to voice Koyomi Araragi at work, I just want to please everyone and make them think “That’s Koyomi!” when they hear me perform in front of the mic. In the early stages of the series, I thought my job was done as soon as I heard “OK, that’s a wrap.” But after playing him for nine years, his character has been ingrained into everyone’s minds, and a “Koyomi Araragi circuit” has been embedded in my brain.

A “Koyomi Araragi circuit”?

In other words, I can easily reproduce Koyomi Araragi’s voice in my head. And because everyone has his voice memorized, they’re able to recognize that my acting is the real deal. That’s definitely something that has changed since the beginning of the series.

I see, what’s changed is the audience.

I believe so. However, the fans can probably picture Nisio-sensei’s version of Koyomi better than they can picture mine in their heads. I understand it’s my duty to everyone who has a “Koyomi Araragi circuit” in their brains to ensure that my voice remains the definitive one for his character.

Which story arc or event from the past nine years has had the biggest impact on you?

In terms of story arcs, it’d have to be the ones in Nisemonogatari, which went beyond showing Koyomi’s relationship with the various heroines by exploring the inner workings of his family—namely, his sisters. Nisio-sensei included many scenes in which Koyomi confronted his younger sisters, Karen and Tsukihi, instead of the other girls. What he said to his sisters and to each heroine might look the same on paper, but the emotions behind them were completely different. Even if he said the exact same words to every heroine, they’d carry a totally different meaning for each person. That emotional complexity of his is what makes this series exceptional.

How about something unrelated to the plot?

Hmm, let’s see… No matter what anyone says, I love Nekomonogatari Black. Despite being a TV show, it was the first entry to be broadcast in its entirety during the last two hours of New Year’s Eve, from 10 p.m. to midnight. (TN: Tsukimonogatari debuted the same way two years later, on December 31, 2014.) Though the Monogatari series started off as a typical TV anime, the fact that it hijacked two hours of New Year’s Eve made it into a series that challenged me in a way no other series could.

Wasn’t Koyomimonogatari also released in a new way, through a mobile app?

I think Koyomimonogatari was only distributed that way to preserve the optimal length each episode came out to when adapting the novel. Overcoming those types of unique challenges made Zoku Owarimonogatari‘s theatrical event screenings possible in the present day. While every entry has surely left its mark on me, the most impactful one is still Nekomonogatari Black, which set this series apart from every other anime.

Hiroshi Kamiya

Born on January 28 in Chiba Prefecture. Active in wide range of roles as a voice actor, narrator, and music artist. After winning Best Supporting Actor at the 2nd Seiyu Awards, he went on to receive the prizes for Best Lead Actor and Best Personality at the 3rd Seiyu Awards in 2009, becoming the first person in the ceremony’s history to win three major awards. In 2010, he won Best Voice Actor at both the Tokyo International Anime Fair and the 9th Tokyo Anime Awards for his role as Koyomi Araragi in Bakemonogatari.

His other notable roles include: Takashi Natsume (Natsume’s Book of Friends), Levi (Attack on Titan), Saiki Kusuo (The Disastrous Life of Saiki K), and Ryohei Haizaki (Inazuma Eleven: Ares no Tenbin).