"A bit of an unexpected answer": What if voice actor Shūichirō Umeda could return to middle school? [TV Anime "Kill Blue" Interview]

Jūzō Ōgami, a legendary hitman who completes any request, is stung by a mysterious bee, causing his body to revert to that of a 13-year-old middle schooler while keeping his memories as a 39-year-old intact. While Jūzō is shocked, the next order from his boss is an undercover mission: to infiltrate a middle school.

The TV anime "Kill Blue," which has been airing on the TV Tokyo network since Saturday, April 11th at 11:00 PM, is an adaptation of the manga of the same name that was serialized in "Weekly Shonen Jump." The original creator is Tadatoshi Fujimaki, known for works such as "Kuroko's Basketball."

This is an action-comedy series where the protagonist, Jūzō Ōgami, gets a second chance at his youth starting from middle school. He navigates school life with classmates and upperclassmen while fending off various assassins.

While protecting Noren Mitsuoka, who is targeted by hitmen for a certain reason, Jūzō finds himself genuinely enjoying his studies during his school life. Supporting Jūzō in both his professional and private life is Kotatsu Nekota, his partner from the assassination organization "Z.O.O.," who looks up to Jūzō as his "Aniki" (big brother/boss).

Shūichirō Umeda, who voices Kotatsu, commented on the official website: "Kotatsu is Aniki's (Jūzō's) reliable partner, the 'mom' of the group who cooks for him, and a typical Gen Z youth."

Kotatsu’s character shines through his constant support of Jūzō via an intercom and camera-equipped glasses during combat missions, as well as his handling of all the household chores to support Jūzō's unfamiliar daily life in middle school.

In an interview with Umeda, he stated, "I felt that (Kotatsu) was a crucial character for supporting Aniki’s life as a middle schooler, even outside of combat." Kotatsu is definitely a character to watch, especially in his role as the "straight man" (tsukkomi) reacting to the eccentric situations and Jūzō’s unpredictable behavior.

One of the highlights of "Kill Blue" is how Jūzō, while attending school on an undercover mission, begins to realize the importance of the mundane daily moments found in studies and club activities. During the interview, we asked Umeda if he had any new realizations or rediscoveries regarding the merits of student life through this project.

Umeda replied, "While Aniki probably shouldn't get too involved with people since he’s on an undercover mission, his perspective changes as he interacts with various classmates. He starts to find studying fun and even finds a mentor (to teach him). I think it shows that if you aren't afraid to reach out and talk to people, you can discover surprisingly interesting sides to them."