Yuichi Nakamura Reflects on the Scene That Caught Tatsuya Off Guard: "The Irregular at Magic High School THE MOVIE - Yotsuba Succession Arc -" Interview

The movie "The Irregular at Magic High School THE MOVIE - Yotsuba Succession Arc" is set to be released on May 8. This film is the latest installment in "The Irregular at Magic High School" series, which first aired its TV anime season in 2014. It adapts the "Yotsuba Succession Arc" from the 16th volume of the original light novel series. True to its catchphrase, "The truth of the 'strongest' is revealed at last," the story is a profound narrative that uncovers the secrets surrounding the siblings, Tatsuya and Miyuki.

In this article, we interviewed Yuichi Nakamura, who has played the protagonist Tatsuya Shiba throughout "The Irregular at Magic High School" series. We spoke with him about this film, which serves as a major turning point in a long-running series spanning over a decade.

Nakamura began with a disclaimer, noting the difficulty of discussing the full scope of the story before its release: "Especially with this story, many of the core impressions come only after reaching the (pivotal) spoilers." He then shared a message for the fans: "I hope you will watch it first, then imagine how each person's position and the characters' future ways of being will change, and look forward to the day when the stories beyond this point can also be depicted (as anime)."

Focusing on the Tatsuya portrayed by Nakamura, we summarize the highlights of this work. Tatsuya, along with Miyuki—who received an invitation to the New Year's gathering known as "Keishunkai" held at the Yotsuba main residence—finds himself plunged into a whirlpool of conspiracies surrounding the next head of the Yotsuba family. When asked about Tatsuya’s role in the "Yotsuba Succession Arc," Nakamura replied, "Tatsuya isn't the one driving the story forward, so he is quite passive. However, there aren't many characters in the group who can fight, so I do get to perform in combat scenes (to protect Miyuki)."

The "Mahouka" series has long been known for its powerful combat scenes featuring Tatsuya and other magicians, and this film will surely be no exception. Furthermore, as partially revealed in "The Irregular at Magic High School: Reminiscence Arc," Tatsuya is characterized by his composed personality and lack of emotional fluctuations. In this film, elements that could be called the very foundation of the "Mahouka" series, such as the secrets of the Yotsuba family, come to light, leading to many profound dialogue-driven scenes.

We asked if there were any recording elements unique to this film when performing these tense conversation scenes. Nakamura remarked, "Since (Tatsuya) is not an emotional character, I thought that even if he experienced a shock, he wouldn't show his reaction or how he took it on his face that much. However, I received directions to 'show a strong sense of surprise' for the sake of the production's impact."

Delving deeper, he added, "On the other hand, there were times I was told to 'accept it naturally.' There were directorial adjustments that were distinct from the actual intensity of Tatsuya's own feelings."

An anime is, of course, created not only through the actors' performances but also through the combination of visuals—created by animation and cinematography—and music. We should pay close attention not only to Nakamura's acting but also to how the visuals express Tatsuya's reaction to learning the secrets of the siblings and the Yotsuba family.