Yūsuke Kobayashi: "It Was the Line That Felt Most Alive"—'Re:ZERO' Cast Reveals Behind-the-Scenes Secrets of Famous Scenes and Voice Recording Anecdotes

To commemorate the premiere of "Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- 4th Season: Counterattack Arc," ABEMA hosted a "Full Series Marathon with Cast Commentary" from August 8 to August 11.

"Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-" tells the story of Subaru Natsuki, a protagonist summoned to another world who uses his ability "Return by Death"—rewinding time whenever he dies—to defy a cruel fate and protect those he holds dear.

In this "Full Series Marathon with Cast Commentary," a total of 10 episodes were streamed with visual commentary by relevant cast members: the top 3 episodes from each season (9 in total) chosen in the "Re:ZERO -Starting Scene Life in Another World-" 10th-anniversary popular vote, plus Episode 77, the final episode of "4th Season: Loss Arc."

An all-star cast including Yūsuke Kobayashi (voice of Subaru Natsuki), Rie Takahashi (voice of Emilia), Satomi Arai (voice of Beatrice), Kōhei Amasaki (voice of Otto Suwen), Inori Minase (voice of Rem), and Minami Takahashi (voice of Theresia van Astrea) shared plenty of behind-the-scenes insights and voice recording secrets for iconic scenes.

1st Season #1 : Episode 18 "From Zero"! Inori Minase Looks Back on the Recording 10 Years Ago: "We Synchronized So Much It Felt Like Rem Herself Was Speaking"

First, Yusuke Kobayashi (Subaru Natsuki) and Inori Minase (Rem) looked back on Episode 18, "From Zero," which took the #1 spot in the 1st season popularity poll.

This iconic episode depicts a completely exhausted Subaru proposing to run away with Rem, only to be inspired to stand up once more by Rem's unrelenting faith in him. Minase recalled the recording session at the time, stating, "I did it thinking I'd never be able to pull it off again," and "I remember synchronizing so intensely that it felt like Rem herself was speaking." She revealed that despite the lengthy dialogue, her own acting naturally overlapped with the character's emotions.

Kobayashi also shared that rather than just matching his voice to the fine movements on screen, he prioritized the spontaneous emotions born in the moment. He noted that even after nearly 10 years, it was a performance he remained proud of: "Usually, when I watch my past performances, I think 'I wish I had done this differently,' but I don't really feel that way about this one."

Furthermore, a stream of behind-the-scenes stories came out, including how the final scene where Subaru pulls Rem close was actually his audition line, as well as the deeper meaning embedded in the title "From Zero." In the end, Minase expressed her timeless feelings for "From Zero," saying, "It was an episode that showed how something doesn't fade even after 10 years," while Kobayashi added, "It's an episode that is like a treasure to us cast members as well."