The monumental wine manga “Drops of God'' is written by Nao Aki and illustrated by Shu Okimoto.
The official report of the “animation decision production presentation” held on November 20th (Thursday) has arrived!
Starring Kazuya Kamenashi, director Kenji Itoso, and Naoki Yoshida (MC) were present at this event. He talked about his current state of mind and episodes during dubbing.
“Shizuku of God” anime production announcement official report
When asked about the process behind making it into an anime, director Itoso said, “It feels like it was a little late to make it into an anime,'' but he added, “Maybe I needed to sleep,'' and grinned, “The time has finally come.''
Animation using the latest technology and wine, which has been loved as an artistic drink since ancient times. Director Itoso revealed how he felt when he heard about the project, saying that he thought it was “good'' to combine cutting-edge and oldest art.“I was approached in 2023.Although I wasn't sure if I could do it, I was told that I wanted to create a story that was realistic, given my experience in both live-action and animation.''He proudly said, “I also went to France, visited wineries, and am creating a story that captures the local atmosphere.''
Director Itoso said there were “two reasons'' for casting the role of the main character, Shizuku Kamisaki. “For one thing, it's very unique because it's not often that someone who plays a role in live-action is also played in anime, so as someone who studied in live-action, I already had an image of Kamenashi-san.I have an image of Kamenashi-san who plays a wide range of roles, from bright roles to roles with shadows these days, so I suggested it at a meeting,'' he says, revealing that it was Director Itoso's suggestion. Director Itoso says with a wry smile that the moment he made the proposal, “It became a scene.''
Director Itoso explained that the reason for this was that Kamenashi was busy and could not secure a schedule, and that the cast gathered every week to record the film, which made it difficult to coordinate the schedule, and there was a question of whether Kamenashi would accept such conditions in the first place. Even so, I suggested it over and over again, and the staff got on board, and the casting staff gave me their support. Kamenashi also said, “I want to do it!'' and said with great joy.
Kamenashi said, “I didn't expect to be asked to talk.At first, I just thought “Kami no Shizuku'' was going to be made into an anime (lol),'' and said that he had high expectations as a fan. “I played a role in a drama 16 years ago, and I was just trying to figure out what angle and what was expected of me.'' Kamenashi said about his impressions of the offer as a voice actor.“It's an anime with a long number of episodes that will take place over half a year.It was a lot of things I was doing for the first time, and there were parts of it that I wasn't sure I could do, so I thought about it for a long time.''
As a result, the deciding factor for accepting the role was “because I felt a connection.''He explained in detail how he came to accept the role, saying, “I feel lucky to be able to play the role in the drama and be asked to do the anime.I wanted to go to a place where I could properly face the work, including the physical skills, so we had a discussion.''
Kamenashi said, “When adapting it into an anime, I felt that I had to capture it in a way that was closer to the original work (than when I made the drama).'' Regarding Shizuku, who will be playing the role in the anime following the drama, she says with a smile, “I felt nostalgic at the core of it.I played this line and this scene while thinking that it's been a while since I last played it.''
However, he says that there are differences in the way he performs the same role in dramas and anime. “In dramas, you have your own pace and breath, but in anime, you have to fit within a set frame.'' He said that he was acting in a low-tempered manner, and then the next moment he had to perform a series of high-tempered performances, which made him feel confused.
On the first day of dubbing, Kamenashi recalled with a wry smile, “I was really nervous. I didn't even know where to stand…'', but he said, “I'm the same as Shizuku in the original work. I'm doing this with the help of a pure and attractive character,'' and said that he took on the challenge feeling like he was linking with Shizuku.
Kamenashi also expressed his gratitude to the production team, saying, “The director, staff, and cast told me, “You should prepare like this,'' and “This is what I'm preparing for.'' I'm moving forward with (recording) with the support of the team.'' Kamenashi also expressed his gratitude to the production team.
After watching the released teaser PV, Kamenashi was delighted and said, “It's beautiful.'' Kamenashi was captivated by the finished video, comparing it to the image from the time of dubbing, saying, “There were times when I added voices to images that were just as good as mine (rough sketches)…'' He said, “I can understand why the original story was dormant until this moment (the original was not made into an anime),'' and he said, “The beauty and reality of the work came through.''
Director Itoso said, “We kept editing until the last minute,'' and revealed that during the dubbing, Kamenashi asked him many times what kind of anime it would be. “I wanted people to see it as soon as possible,'' Director Itoso said, “I also received a message from Aki-sensei that he was impressed with the majestic feel of the anime,'' smiling at the approval from the original author. Kamenashi continued, “I got a message too!'' and reported that he received a message saying “I'm so excited! It's so great!''
Kamenashi also revealed that he was so nervous that he sent Aki messages on the first day of the recording session, both before and after the recording session. During the recording of the first episode, Aki and others were also able to observe the dubbing remotely, and Kamenashi said that when he saw the recording, he felt, “I thought it was a truly comprehensive piece of art.''
It seems that when playing Shizuku, she raises her voice a little higher, but “After about two weeks (of recording), I went back to being Kamenashi (lol),'' Kamenashi said, making me laugh. He also said that he sometimes adjusted the tone while listening to Shizuku's voice that had already been recorded. Through such accumulation, he said, “I'm happy to see it take shape,'' and although he didn't know the criteria for deciding “OK!'', he exuded a sense of fulfillment as he felt that the drops were steadily taking shape.
What I keep in mind when creating animation. Regarding what is important to him, Director Itoso explains, “Wine is something that can be enjoyed through smell and taste.In anime, you don't have a sense of smell or taste, so I thought about how to compensate for it with sight and hearing,'' and then emphatically states, “I'm particular about the color of the wine.''
Director Itoso then smiled and said, “We're very particular about the colors, the bottle, and the etiquette to make it look like the real thing,'' and said with a smile that he was very particular about the production process.“I'm looking forward to it!'' Kamenashi also smiled and said that he was looking forward to seeing the finished video.
Regarding the character of Shizuku, Kamenashi commented, “He is a really pure and well-bred child.Biju has a cool and cool personality, but at his core, I think he is an innocent young man.''
She went on to analyze, “Although it was triggered by my father's death, it was also a journey in which I realized the existence of my father, whom I had always disobeyed.I feel how people sparkle and open up when they face something seriously.''
Regarding the episode currently being recorded, he explained, “I'm recording it while feeling the strength of having started down this path with true determination,'' and touched on the appeal of the worldview, saying, “Through wine, I'm truly going on various journeys.The manga's worldview and sense of scale, where various worlds appear, is amazing.''
I've talked about this many times since the beginning, but this work uses a style in which the cast gathers together every week to record together. Kamenashi was told by the MC that if someone made a mistake during recording, the recording could be stopped, but Kamenashi said, “I thought it was natural for us to do it together. I did it without realizing how high the hurdles were.''
However, Kamenashi stressed that there was a sense of tension during the actual performance, and said, “I'm just watching and imitating. I can't make the sound of flipping the script. If I don't turn the script in time, it's no good. I wonder if I should fold it or not (lol).Everyone has different ways of putting in checkmarks and ad-libbing, but I feel like I'm gradually developing my own style.''
At first, there was a special rule that allowed Shizuku to use one microphone, but Kamenashi proudly said, “It's been about half a year, so I've gradually been able to get into the microphone next to her.'' She happily reports, “I feel like I'm gradually joining the group!''
After this, the footage from the recording of the first episode was shown, and Kamenashi was excited, saying with a wry smile, “This is just the first day! It's not good for the first day,'' but also criticizing his past self, saying things like “His face is off the microphone!'' Director Itoso says, “It may sound pompous to say this, but I've seen him change,'' with his eyes narrowed on Kamenashi's changes and growth.
After repeating the dubbing, Kamenashi said, “It's better not to try to make (the play) work with voices more than you think.'' Kamenashi said, “It's a matter of feeling, so it's difficult…'' but he also carefully mentioned the differences between live-action and voice acting.
Director Itoso said that he felt at home during the dubbing, “I've participated in many anime productions in the past, but this is the first time I've been able to talk to the cast like this.''
Kamenashi said, “The front room is like a school (lol). I gradually got used to the reactions of people with great voices.'' Kamenashi also said that communication with the cast was going well. “At first, I thought, “That's the voice I heard on TV!'' and I felt like I had arrived at something amazing.'' He also honestly revealed that he gradually got used to it.
Director Itoso prefaced the show by saying, “I'm going to tell you a story about Kamenashi-san that only we know about!'' and confessed, “First of all, every time I ask Shizuku to act angry, you can hear Kamenashi-san click her tongue (lol).The booth gets excited saying, “KAT-TUN is here!''
It seems that this was also the moment when Kamenashi brought out KAT-TUN. Director Itoso said, “Sometimes in scenes where Shizuku interacts with female characters, it's too sexy. Sometimes I ask them to tone it down.'' Kamenashi explained the reason, saying, “At the time of recording, there were a lot of live rehearsals, so (KAT-TUN) came out.'' Director Itoso prefaced the episode by saying, “This is an episode for reporters,'' and there was also a scene where he talked about the backstory when Kamenashi was in KAT-TUN mode.
At the presentation, comments were received from Takuya Sato, who plays Issei Tomine, who challenges Shizuku to a wine showdown as her rival, and Maaya Uchida, who plays Miyabi Murasakinohara, a sommelier apprentice who supports Shizuku who has little knowledge of wine. Sato also requested that he tell us his favorite character.
Kamenashi replied, “Mr. Honma from the wine department. There are many scenes with a comedic touch, so it's really fun to do. There are also scenes where I'm asked to include improvisation as long as it's moving. I like how energetic it is.''
The cast will be announced in the future. Director Itoso, who loves all the characters, expressed his extraordinary love for wine, saying, “If I had to choose one, it would be wine.The temperature, the timing of opening it, and even the history can completely change the taste.I don't think there are many liquids like this, so I think it's a character.I create the movie while thinking about what it tastes like and what it smells like!''He expressed his extraordinary love for wine.
After receiving a comment from the original author, Akinao, Kamenashi said with a big smile, “I'm really happy.'' Japan-France-US co-produced drama “Drops of God” Kamenashi also revealed that when he had dinner with Tomohisa Yamashita, who stars in “GOD'', they naturally talked about “Shizuku of God.'' “We both feel a connection. Feeling the connection that the work has brought us, we enjoyed luxurious wine together…'' Kamenashi also revealed that he and Aki, the author of the original work, had suggested that the three of them drink together.
In addition, Kamenashi asked, “YamaP is also filmed in France. I shoot dramas in Japan, and I work at a booth for anime, so please take me to France!'', which drew laughter from the reporters.
Director Itoso points out the popularity of the work in France, saying, “There's no French person who doesn't know about “Drops of God.'' Kamenashi seems to have felt it in Japan as well, saying, “Even when I acted in a drama, I received respect from the people at the restaurant.They said to me, “What should I do with the wine?''I learned a lot at the restaurant as well.I'm remembering that time, and I want to do my best until the end.''He once again expressed his determination to fulfill the role of Shizuku in the anime.
In his final remarks, Director Itoso said, “There are only characters who put their lives in wine.The world revolves around wine.It's a human drama centered around wine, but the people who work hard at it seem both unique and interesting.While it's a great drama, it's also a bit of a comedy.I hope people watch it while laughing and feeling moved while having a glass of wine.''
Kamenashi said, “I would like to be able to travel through various scenery along with the world view of the original work, anime, and drama. I hope that it will be a work that will be loved by people all over the world.'' He also asked the reporters to contribute to the charm of the work, saying, “I hope we can deliver it in a way that allows you to see the scenery and feel the scent!'' He received a big round of applause.
Since this day was the opening day for Beaujolais Nouveau, Kamenashi decided to open the bottle of wine to be used during the photo session.
The wine prepared was “Beaujolais Nouveau Cuvée Vieille Vignes,'' which was arranged by Mr. Honma of Motox, who is the wine supervisor for this work. Mr. Honma is also the model for Chosuke Honma, who also appears in the original work, and is the person Kamenashi mentioned as his favorite character during the talk.
Finally, Director Itoso raised his glass and said, “I would like to wish the staff, cast, and everyone who came today the health, and the successful completion and success of the anime “Shizuku of God''… “Santé!'' He and Kamenashi smiled and toasted, bringing the event to a close.
Event overview
■Date and time: November 20th (Thursday) 15:30-16:15
■Venue: Pony Canyon (3rd floor, Izumi Garden ANNEX, 1-5-17 Roppongi, Minato-ku)
■Speakers: Kazuya Kamenashi Director Kenji Itoso MC: Naoki Yoshida
“Shizuku of God” work information
Synopsis
The two people who take on this grand challenge are Shizuku Kamisaki, Toyotaka's son who has been educated in the wine industry but disobeyed his father and has never tasted wine, and Kazusei Tomine, a charismatic young wine critic who was adopted by Toyotaka.
What is wine, what is parent and child, what is life?
A complex and mellow battle over the phantom wine “Drops of God” begins now.
cast
Kazuo Tomine: Takuya Sato
Miyabi Murasakinohara: Maaya Uchida
Toyotaka Kamisaki: Ginga Banjo
(C) Nao Aki, Shu Okimoto, Kodansha/TV anime “Shizuku of God” Production Committee
