Additionally, a corner titled "Can I Ask About Your Favorite Scene?" was held to introduce the recommended scenes from Season 3, Episodes 1 and 2. In this segment, the cast members introduced their respective favorite scenes based on illustrations they drew themselves.
The first to be introduced was Ishihara's favorite scene. Ishihara showed confidence, saying, "I drew this incredibly faithfully," but what was projected on the screen was an illustration resembling a four-legged creature with heart-shaped eyes. Huge laughter erupted from the venue at this visual that went completely beyond anyone's expectations.
_Ishihara looked back, noting that the lines in that scene were also shocking, revealing that she thought, "Wow, we're actually allowed to say this." Although the specific scene was kept secret since it was before the screening, Takao gave it a stamp of approval, saying, "You'll understand immediately!"
Next, Takao's favorite scene was projected on the screen. What Takao drew was a cute illustration of a rabbit. Takao explained, "A rabbit appears in a pretty good scene," but Kato seemed unable to catch on right away. Even so, Takao commented that once people actually watched the main episode, they would definitely go, "Ah, this is what she meant."
Finally, the illustration unveiled as Kato's favorite scene turned out to depict the exact same scene as Ishihara's, causing laughter to break out in the venue once again. Kato expressed his surprise, saying, "I purposely chose a scene that didn't involve me, but I can't believe we overlapped!" while smiling at the coincidence of choosing the same scene as Ishihara.
<Where Were the Cast Members' Favorite Scenes?>
Afterward, the advance screening of TV anime Season 3, Episode 1 "My Cousin Girlfriend" and Episode 2 "Chiyo-chan's Family Guidance" took place at the venue.
Once the screening ended, Kato, Takao, and Ishihara took the stage once again. A talk unfolded once more toward the fans who had just watched Season 3, Episodes 1 and 2 ahead of the broadcast.
When asked for his impressions by Aoki after the screening, Kato commented, "Watching (Episodes 1 and 2) back-to-back made me feel a bit unwell." Connecting back to his opening greeting where he asked, "Everyone, do you have your motion sickness medicine?" he touched upon the sheer volume of information and momentum this work possesses, drawing laughter by saying, "You should limit 'The 100 Girlfriends' to 30 minutes a day."
Furthermore, Kato called out to the attendees, "I bet some of you were hit pretty hard by it too, right?" to which the venue responded strongly. Takao also described it as "feeling like I just ate a massive parfait," looking back on the dense screening experience typical of "The 100 Girlfriends."
Next, the topic moved to Episode 1. Kato shared his frank impression, saying, "They were really pushing the envelope." He also mentioned that the director produced it with a great deal of playfulness, suggesting that the momentum typical of "The 100 Girlfriends" was in full throttle right from the start of Season 3.
Following that, they moved on to revealing the answers for the "Can I Ask About Your Favorite Scene?" segment held before the screening. They reintroduced which exact scenes from Episodes 1 and 2 the illustrations drawn by the cast members actually represented.
The scene Ishihara had drawn turned out to be the one featuring Hahari and Iku. The scene was highly memorable for its tempo, which felt just like a certain rhythm game, drawing a massive reaction from the venue that had just finished watching it.
Regarding this scene, it was shared that Rie Takahashi and Sumire Uesaka, who played the roles, approached the recording extremely seriously, even wearing headsets during the session to conduct meticulous alignment for their audio timing. For Ishihara, this episode marked her very first time participating in the voice recording for this series, and she looked back on how overwhelmed she was, thinking, "So this is what this anime is like."
Next, Takao's drawing had been introduced as a cute rabbit illustration, but its true identity hinted at Meme's bold appearance in Episode 2. Takao touched upon Meme's daring look and the story development, sharing that she felt, "This is great, it's so typical of 'The 100 Girlfriends'."
Finally, Kato's illustration was showcased. The scene Kato chose was the same scene as Ishihara's. When the illustration was projected on the screen once again, the finish emphasized the facial expressions even more than the actual anime footage, causing both the speakers and the audience to stare intently while laughing.
Faced with that atmosphere, Kato looked flustered, saying, "...Can we move on already?" The illustration, which had drawn huge laughs even before the screening, succeeded in rallying the venue once again during the answer reveal.
Furthermore, the topic turned to Kato, who has expressed his love for the series in various ways, such as matching his nail color to the "girlfriend colors." At this screening event, Kato revealed that he was wearing gray and black nails, keeping Chiyo's and Meme's colors in mind. Moreover, it was disclosed that he was meticulous about ensuring that the colors of the two could be properly seen when making a finger heart. These nails, detailed down to the finest aspects, served as a moment where Kato's love for the work—facing the heroines as the voice of Rentaro—could be deeply felt.
<Sharing Episodes from the Recording Studio and Highlights of Season 3>
And just when it seemed the event was heading toward the ending... as a final surprise, Chiyo's heroine visual was unveiled exclusively at the venue. When the illustration was projected on the screen, a massive round of applause was sent from the venue, and the cast members also cried out, "So cute!" with Kato and Aoki falling to the floor because it was simply too adorable.
When asked by Aoki for her impressions of the illustration, Ishihara commented, "She shows this kind of smile? It's the best!" The illustration offered a glimpse of a new facial expression from Chiyo, who had been introduced as a reliable class representative, making it a moment that raised expectations for Season 3 once again.
Lastly, closing greetings were given to the attendees in the order of Ishihara, Takao, and Kato.
Ishihara expressed her joy at being able to participate in "The 100 Girlfriends" as Chiyo Iin, while introducing Chiyo as a "serious girl full of charm." She spoke of the series' appeal, mentioning that not just Chiyo, but the upcoming story features plenty of scenes that will make you clutch your stomach laughing.
Takao commented that they had been recording with plenty of affection while expending a massive amount of energy for each episode. She mentioned that in Season 3, in addition to the unique charms of the new heroines, fans can also see a new cute side of Meme, calling out, "Let's share our love for 'The 100 Girlfriends' together while looking forward to the broadcast!"
Kato looked back, stating that while Seasons 1 and 2 each had their own difficulties, Season 3 brought hardships that surpassed them. On the other hand, he sent a message asking fans to look forward to the upcoming story, stating that the content is packed with the dedication of Director Sato and the staff on how to further leverage the charm of the original manga while adding the unique merits of animation.
The event concluded with the "Kyun-Zime" (a one-clap closure performed with a heart-throb face), which has become a tradition at "The 100 Girlfriends" events, bringing the cast and fans together as one as the curtains closed.
(C)中村力斗・野澤ゆき子／集英社・君のことが大大大大大好きな製作委員会
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