At Anime Frontier 2024, we had the opportunity to sit down with the talented team behind the hit anime series “That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime”. Joining us were Asuna Tomari (Voice Actor for Gobta), Hideki Yamasaki (Chief Animation Director), Kouhei Eguchi (Animation Producer for Season 3 and the Scarlet Bond movie), and Shinichro Narita (Producer).
A Martial Arts Connection
We began by asking Asuna Tomari about her background in Taido and how it influenced her portrayal of Gobta.
Jeremy: Given your background in Taido, have you incorporated any of your real-world martial arts techniques or philosophies into your portrayal of Gobta, as he’s a martial artist? If so, could you elaborate on a specific example?
Asuna Tomari: Yes, that’s right… As an actor, I often draw from my own experiences to inform my roles. When it comes to Gobta, I feel a strong connection with him, particularly in his ability to evade attacks. Interestingly, I’ve also developed a similar skillset in my own martial arts training, where I’ve learned to effectively evade and counter. This similarity makes my portrayal of Gobta feel very natural.
Discovering the World of Tensura
Jeremy: So, when you first got the role, did you know much about the story and/or the character Gobta?
Asuna Tomari: To be honest, I wasn’t originally familiar with Tensura. However, when I was cast, I found out that the staff at my agency were all fans. They were really excited when I got the part. So, I thought, ‘If it’s a work that’s this well-liked, it must be wonderful,’ and I started to get really enthusiastic about it.
Jeremy: So when you started recording, what was your feeling for the character?
Asuna Tomari: When I started recording, I wasn’t sure how I should approach the character at first, but everyone in the cast was really interesting. As I worked with them, I quickly figured out how Gobta should fit in and interact with the others. I was looking forward to the recording sessions, and once we started, I was thrilled to be working with such a great team. Through this experience, I gained a deeper understanding of the charm of Tensura and how Gobta lives within that world (as well as with the other characters in this ensemble cast). Everything about the whole process was enjoyable.
Animation Challenges and Collaborations
Jeremy: Given the unique monster designs and magic effects in “Tensura”, what were the biggest animation challenges you faced in bringing the series to life?
Hideki Yamasaki: The monster and magic circle designs were handled by a different team. I was only in charge of designing the dragons, which was a new challenge for me since I’d never drawn one before. To tackle this, I started from scratch, studying the skeletal structure, muscle composition, and other aspects, which was difficult. I also referenced some materials, which helped inspire my design for the dragons.
Jeremy: How did you collaborate with the other staff members to ensure a cohesive visual style throughout the series?
Hideki Yamasaki: When drawing, I focus on becoming one with the characters, rather than just capturing their movements. I think about how I would express their emotions and actions if I were in their shoes. When drawing a joyful scene, I tap into my own happy feelings, and when depicting anger or hatred, I amplify those emotions within myself.
A Favorite Scene
Jeremy: What is your favorite scene that you or your team animated in the series, and why?
Hideki Yamasaki: The design of Yomigaeri and Kurenai, which I worked on myself, was actually created a long time ago for the second series, but they hardly appeared on screen. So, when they finally got their moment to shine in episode 55, I was really happy. I was also in charge of creating the storyboard for that scene.
Balancing Fan Expectations and Creative Vision
Jeremy: How do you balance the expectations of fans with the creative vision of the production team?
Kouhei Eguchi: When it comes to fan expectations, we have a good sense of the more straightforward ones. For example, fans tend to have clear expectations when it comes to major plot points or new character introductions.
However, when it comes to the finer details of a scene, individual preferences vary greatly. In such cases, we prioritize the staff’s creative vision. Since our staff are also fans of the series, we trust them to take ownership of the scenes that resonate with them.
They have their own ideas about what they want to depict, and we support them in bringing those ideas to life without compromising their vision. We want to ensure that they can fully express what they want to depict. Only then can the audience truly consider their thoughts on the scene.
Of course, we also take into account the opinions of the original publisher, Kodansha and the writers. However, before considering those opinions, we first ask the staff to express their ideas and what they want to depict straightforwardly, without holding back. Then, we work to strike a balance.
Building a Rich World
Jeremy: What were the key considerations in building the world of “Tensura”, and how did you balance the lighthearted moments with the serious themes?
Kouhei Eguchi: As for the balance between lighthearted and serious moments in the visuals, I largely left it to Director Nakayama to handle the overall structure and pacing. However, what I’m mindful of, and what I keep an eye on overall, is making sure it doesn’t become too heavy-handed. That’s something I’m conscious of in terms of visual storytelling.
For instance, even in lighthearted scenes, we aim for a simple and refreshing tone. We want to avoid making the viewer feel overly uncomfortable or weighed down while watching. Ideally, we want the audience to feel like they can watch the show casually, even while eating dinner.
On the other hand, when it comes to intense scenes, we’re mindful not to overdo it with explicit or violent content. We avoid excessive bloodshed or graphic violence, as that’s as that’s not the tone we’re aiming for.
A Personal Connection to the Series
Jeremy: If you could experience one scenario from the world of Tensura firsthand, what would it be and why?
Asuna Tomari: I think there’s a scene where Shuna and others are holding Rimuru-sama in his slime form, and I think it would be great to touch a slime too. I really want to experience holding Rimuru-sama like that.
Hideki Yamasaki: I think there was a banquet scene, and since I love food and drinks, I’d love to join in on the fun and mingle with everyone in that kind of setting. It would want to eat sashimi, sushi and drink beer together.
Kouhei Eguchi: It’s not that I’m thinking of a specific scene or anything, but… I’ve always been a bit envious of Rimuru’s ability, Raphael, which lets him have an assistant by his side all the time. I wish I had an assistant like that too!
Shinichiro Narita: There’s a character named Rigurudo. He’s been supporting Rimuru since way back. His role is to assist Rimuru in various things and help him with what he wants to do. In the third season, there was a scene where Rigurudo was working incredibly hard, sweating while doing all sorts of paperwork. When I saw that, I really resonated with it.
Conclusion
Our conversation with the team behind “That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime” offered a fascinating glimpse into the creative process behind this beloved anime adventure. The team’s passion and dedication to their craft are evident in every aspect of the show. As fans, we’re grateful for the opportunity to experience the magic of “Tensura” and look forward to seeing what the future holds.
