When Crunchyroll announced the anime adaptation Demons of the Shadow Realm was coming to the broadcaster, it was a must watch. How could it not be? He saw Fullmetal Alchemist manga by Hiromu Arakawa team up once again with the animation studio Bones Film (Gachiakuta) to bring his newest saga to life. In professional wrestling terms, it’s basically the animation industry’s equivalent of Mega Powers spinning the block. of the show with its first season in the history books and its now-airing second season more than lived up to the high expectations of fans.
Turns out everyone’s GOATS are Arakawa and the Bones Movie still an animation dream team with our new sibling heroes Yuru and Asa, along with the Elric Brothers setting the anime landscape in the early days (twice!).
io9 spoke with Kensho Ono and Yume Miyamoto The Japanese voice actors for Yuru and Asa talk about the show’s shocking premiere episodes, how they recreated the estranged siblings’ tumultuous relationship, and the production studio and the pressure to live up to their shared heritage as the stars of the mangaka’s latest anime.
Isaiah Colbert, io9: The first episode offers a big surprise when it’s revealed that the story isn’t a historical period piece, but actually set in modern times. Were you as shocked as viewers when you first heard about it?
Kensho Ono: I think I had the same reaction as many fans did when they first saw this reveal. Due to the nature of my work, of course I read the manga before acting in the anime. But I imagine readers felt that some anime fans would. I also think that before the anime came out, we were doing a little promotional tour and a lot of media outlets were asking the same question, “What anime is this?” And I couldn’t say too much about it because I knew it would be a huge spoiler. I remember it was hard to talk about this anime without talking about it directly.
Yume Miyamoto: Still, the combination of manga and different eras, I think, was a big shock to me. When it was adapted into anime, I thought the sound design effects were really interesting because you think about these people cutting wheat with their scythes. At the same time, we hear the sounds of guns and planes. So the fact that these two sound designs could be together in one anime was not as surprising as I thought. But it was very different from what you expected.
io9: Yuru and Asa’s relationship is central to the emotional core of the anime and its couple themes. When performing their scenes together, what aspects of the sibling dynamic did you focus on to bring out the warmth, tension, and unspoken history between them?
Miyamoto: (Laughs) I feel like it was watching and listening to Kensho playing Yuru, trying to get that rhythm and those vibrations down, and then using that in my own performance to imitate certain areas that I think can kind of bridge the gap between that bond and that pairing.
Ono: When you think about how Yuru grew up in this village and only had one family… there’s this kind of support system of family and blood ties. But after coming in contact with the real Asa, it all came out and I don’t think he can really accept her as his sister. As we follow the character from episode one to episode twelve, I think we see that kind of development. I know Asa is also blood related to Yuru and he accepts it more quickly. He then proceeds to close the distance with Yuru. I think that kind of bridging helps.
However, Yuru suddenly finds it difficult to accept that she has a different sister. Asa’s constant approach is a little embarrassing for Yuru, I think. But at the same time, it shows us a different side of the character. Because he’s usually very quiet and reserved, but just around Asa, you can see his age and how much of a teenager he is.
io9: Which of the demons we’ve met in the anime so far stands out as your personal favorite and why?
Ono: Of the many demons that exist, Tenaga-Ashinaga (long arm and long leg) now it occurs to me because they are really, essentially evil demons. And until then, I didn’t think pure evil could exist. The two actors playing them have great power and energy in their performances. It comes across through the characters. For me, resistance is very fitting for my character.
Miyamoto: I play Asa, of course Yin and Yang come to mind I think it was the first time (the anime) taught us and the audience that demons have hearts too. They are not just tools that should be used all the time. When we fought together, I think we were able to show that to the audience for the first time. That was my attitude to Yin and Yang.
io9: Demons of the Shadow Realm Bones and Hiromu Arakawa marks a great convergence of creative forces behind the scenes. How does it feel to be a part of a project that has generated so much excitement and is poised to be another hit? Does that add a sense of pressure or excitement to you as the hosts of the show?
Ono: When we record the first episode on the booth – and this happens in many projects – besides the director, many adults come to watch the shooting of the first episode. They all say hello to each other, we’re going to start this production and it’s going to be great, and so on. However, regarding Demons of the Shadow RealmI saw more adults greeting each other – exchanging business cards – than I’ve seen in any other project.
I think that speaks to the level and caliber of people involved in the project. And for me, it was more about the fact that I had to work on a project written by Arakawa-sensei than the pressure.
Miyamoto: Everything you said about the first day and greetings is true. However, for recording sessions of this nature, people of the same age and tone of voice usually go through the same auditions. So there’s this guessing game of, “Well, they probably got the part because they started going a little MIA in this part.”
Before the cast was officially announced, and more than any audition or product I’ve worked on, many of my peers asked me, “Hey, what’s it like on set? What’s it like working with them?” So I think that’s something that speaks to the weight or caliber of what this project represents.
For me, what I say to them – having been in the recording sessions, I can say, “The performances of many of these veterans and very talented actors are super high.” There’s a lot to be excited about, and I tell them it’s going to be a really cool project.
io9: Looking back on the first season, is there a favorite quirk or funny scene with your character that still sticks with you as a memorable or enjoyable recording session?
Ono: For me, it’s the scene where Asa puts his hand on my back. I think it was the first time for my character that she had a little sister. Given the circumstances of Yuru and Yuru, it’s hard to know what’s real and what’s not. So he questions everything. But for the first time, there is some relationship – something she can believe in. I think it was a very important moment for Yuru and it made an impression on me.
Miyamoto: For me, this is episode seven where my hero dies once to gain greater power so he can help my brother. I think that was a big turning point for my character, almost never looking back, seeing a moment that was always looking forward. And we really see Asa’s determination.
Anytime I lose a character and want to refocus, I’ll watch episode seven to remind myself of Asa’s current determination. He can face other situations and situations with the same determination.
Demons of the Shadow Realm Streaming on Crunchyroll and Netflix.
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