"The Depth of Miyuki Shiba": Saori Hayami Discusses the Highlights of "The Irregular at Magic High School THE MOVIE - Yotsuba Succession Arc -"

Hayami explained, "There are scenes where the emotions and thoughts swirling inside Miyuki collide independently. Essentially, she can behave properly as the Miyuki Shiba who stands beside Onii-sama. However, the 'inner' Miyuki—who is a bit childish, selfish, and uses provocative or sarcastic language to shake the other person—comes to the surface. I think viewers will be able to see the true depth of Miyuki Shiba as a person in that scene."

We delved deeper into the specific recording methods used. Hayami, who recorded one version of Miyuki first and then performed the other while listening to her own acting, reflected, "Since it's a scene where two completely different Miyukis exist, I was obviously listening to my own voice, but while playing one Miyuki, it felt as though the other Miyuki was a different person speaking to me. There was a high emotional range, a sense of fluctuation, and a palpable tension."

While this film features many heavy dialogue-driven scenes regarding the secrets of the siblings and the Yotsuba family, Hayami noted that scenes involving a self-confrontational dialogue like this have rarely occurred in the history of the "Mahouka" series. "For Miyuki, I think her complex feelings, her position, and her lineage have always occupied a corner of her heart. By focusing on those aspects, I feel this work has a completely different atmosphere than what we've seen before," she remarked.

The relationship between Miyuki and Tatsuya and how it changes is undoubtedly a crucial point of the drama in this film. During the interview, there were also comments regarding the scenes between the two characters. "There is a scene where she conveys certain feelings to Onii-sama with great resolve, and during the recording, I could feel the weight of everything we've built up until now. The visual presentation, such as the close-ups of hands and facial expressions, is truly wonderful...!" she hinted.

"The way the two find their resolution—a sort of reveal—is the most interesting part, and I think some people might be quite surprised," she said, summarizing this film, which serves as a major milestone for the "Mahouka" series.

How will the relationship between Miyuki and Tatsuya, her "Onii-sama," conclude? We hope you look forward to the release while reflecting on the timeline of the "Mahouka" series.

Interview and Text by kato
(C)2024 佐島 勤/KADOKAWA/魔法科高校四葉継承編製作委員会