Ad-lib Secrets Unveiled by Yoshitsugu Matsuoka & Nobunaga Shimazaki in The Special Program of 'DanMachi V'! What Was the Recording Session That Had the Sound Director Wryly Smiling?

A special program titled "Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? Season5: Goddess of Fertility Arc - The Special Program Commemorating the Climax of The Great Faction Battle" was exclusively broadcast for free on ABEMA on February 8th.

The program featured cast members including Yoshitsugu Matsuoka (as Bell Cranel), Inori Minase (as Hestia), Saori Hayami (as Ryuu Lion), Ryokan Koyanagi (as Ottar), and Nobunaga Shimazaki (as Hedin Selland). Hosted by Ryudo Nakakura, the cast reflected on the story of the fifth season, discussing their selected scenes and highlighting points to watch out for as the "Climax of The Great Faction Battle" approaches with Episode 12.

■Behind-the-Scenes Stories!? Reflecting on Season 5 with the "DanMachi" Cast!

This program was held just before the latest episode of "Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? V: Goddess of Fertility Arc" (hereafter "DanMachi V") was broadcast. In "DanMachi V," as Freya's feelings for Bell run wild and she attempts to claim him by force, The Great Faction Battle (war game) unfolds between Freya and the allied factions of the Hestia Familia. In preparation for The upcoming Great Faction Battle broadcast, the program looked back at the story so far, with each cast member selecting scenes they wanted to reflect on and engaging in a discussion.

Highlighted scenes included "Episode 1: Bell and Lyu converse under the night sky," showcasing the evolving relationship between Ryuu and Bell post-escape from the depths in Season 4, and "Episode 9: Hestia's Divine Authority Unleashed (Dios Aedes Vesta)," where Hestia finally unleashes her divine power. The cast shared behind-the-scenes stories and their thoughts on these scenes.

Yoshitsugu Matsuoka selected "Episode 7: Bell calls Freya 'Miss Syr?'" and "Episode 9: Hedin seeks help from Bell," touching on Freya's dilemma and discussing his struggles in portraying Bell, who remains unmoved despite Freya altering people's memories to bring him into the Freya Familia.

Nobunaga Shimazaki selected "Episode 2: Hedin modifies Bell," revealing that ad-libs were flying during the recording, with Matsuoka and Shimazaki talking about it. Shimazaki noted, "No matter what I did, Matsuoka would respond, so I had that trust," to which Matsuoka added, "I really got to do whatever I wanted," and humorously mentioned, "After we finished, Mr. Jin (the sound director) looked a bit bitter."

Ryokan Koyanagi selected "Episode 4: The flashback scene of Hedin observing Bell and Syr reunited, meeting Freya and Hedin" and "Episode 8: Ais remembers the days of training with Bell despite her memory being altered by Freya." Koyanagi explained, "These two scenes show the difference in the form and strength of bonds between the Freya Familia and Bell's faction," garnering agreement from the rest of the cast.

When asked about the highlights of the upcoming climax of The Great Faction Battle, which will center around the battle with Ottar, Koyanagi hesitantly said, "I can't really talk about it yet... (laughs)," but confidently added, "Considering the amount of training the Freya Familia has undergone, they won't be easily defeated, right?" This prompted weak responses from Bell's faction cast, such as "They're strong..." and "Ottar is on a different level," leaving viewers eager to see how the faction war will conclude.

Finally, Yoshitsugu Matsuoka addressed viewers with a message about the upcoming broadcasts: "We have created a work with visually stunning scenes and performances that we are confident will satisfy everyone, so we hope you'll enjoy the thrilling battles and story," closing the program with confidence in the production.

Additionally, during the program, it was announced that a special program titled "DanMachi V Completion Commemorative Special Program" would be broadcast on ABEMA to commemorate the airing of Episodes 14 and 15. Further details will be announced later.

■Special Program Overview: "DanMachi V: Goddess of Fertility Arc - The Special Program Commemorating the Climax of The Great Faction Battle"

Broadcast Date and Time: February 8th (Saturday), 9:15 PM to 10:00 PM
Cast: Yoshitsugu Matsuoka (as Bell Cranel), Inori Minase (as Hestia), Saori Hayami (as Ryuu Lion), Ryokan Koyanagi (as Ottar), Nobunaga Shimazaki (as Hedin Selland) / Ryudo Nakakura (MC)

(C)大森藤ノ・SBクリエイティブ/ダンまち5製作委員会

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