The stage of this game, which began airing in April 2019, is the same as the famous work "TOUCH/Baseball Hero" that has left a name in the history of animation, and it is MingQing Gakuen. The protagonist of the story is Tachibana torii and Saichiro, who became a non-blood brother because his parents remarried. It happened that their birthdays were also the same day, so everyone around them mistakenly thought they were twins. But in fact, they are not related by blood. The two grew up in such a complex family environment. The baseball talents and passion for baseball are beyond the average person. The two belong to the Baseball Club of Mingqing Gakuen Junior High School, and dream of one day, the throwing horse is the pitcher, and the walking carburō is the catcher, and the two will show their skills together. It is possible to become an ace and inherit the mantle of Tatsuya Uesugi, the protagonist of TOUCH. Although the pitcher is excellent, the baseball club of Mingqing Gakuen Junior High School uses him as a third baseman. Due to some complicated reasons within the community, the junior high school senior who was not as strong as the horse was pushed into the ace position. If he is an ordinary junior high school student, he will definitely be discouraged by complaining about "why is he so unlucky only" and is discouraged. Maybe the pitcher will have this mood, but he didn't break the can and broke it, and he insisted on training as a third baseman. Worthy of being a candidate ace, with a broad heart.
Now the horse is trying to be bold, but his strength is like a fake bag, so as long as he insists on playing baseball, his dream of shooting with Ichiro's partner will be realized sooner or later. Unable to stand on the pitcher board, he hopes to vent with the huge stage of "Koshien".
In this article, we interview Hiroki Kaji, the voice actor of Tachibana Toshima, and Yuma Uchida, the voice actor of Tachibana Sabhiro, in the new TV anime "MIX", on the impressions of Anda Chong's works and the characters in "MIX".
--MIX is a work that inherits the stage and worldview of previous years' famous "TOUCH/Baseball Heroes". What impressions do you have about the works of Anda Chong teacher in the original works of TOUCH and MIX?
Kaji: When I was a child, I watched the replay of "TOUCH", and this time I had the opportunity to participate in the animation dubbing of Anda Chong's original work, which made me really happy and emotional. And the pitching horse may be used as Mingqing's trump card, standing on the same pitcher board as the protagonist of "TOUCH", Uesugi Tatsuya. Thinking about this, I am now looking forward to the development of the story.
Uchida: I wasn't born when TOUCH was on TV that year, but TOCH is also a famous work in the history of animation, so of course I still know TOUCH. When I was confirmed to be involved in the dubbing of MIX, I read Mr. Anda Chong's work again. The manga is very easy to read. Obviously, there are not many lines, but there are many details that make people free to imagine, such as "This kind of thing must have happened to these characters", which is very interesting.
Kaji: The works of Teacher Anda Chong have a unique temperament. If you only look at the setting, the very cruel content will not be described very heavily. Although there are not many depictions of the characters, the mood is described in great detail. I really like the feeling. The animation "MIX" is also the same, such as no lines, only showing the picture, this unique way of leaving blanks, the animation performance respects the characteristics of Teacher Anda Chong, and such animation performances can be seen everywhere in the animation. Every time I record a dubbing, I can feel the pursuit of the animation crew.
——Toma and Goichiro are not biological brothers, about the relationship between the two people, at this point in time, how do the two look?
Kaji: Throwing horses and walking Ichiro are through complex family changes before they become brothers, and surprisingly, the two parties do not mind this complicated environment much, and the two get along like friends. I don't think boys, even in this situation, don't think too complicated. For the throwing horse, Goichiro is not an annoying guy, there is no need to fight with real character.
Uchida: Both of them are still more open-minded and have a bit of a mature feeling, but through their lines, they can feel their positive enthusiasm for baseball. So I feel like the two are essentially in sync.
KAJI: The two of you, there is a sense of mutual respect.
Uchida: In my experience, brothers and sisters, it's like sometimes one goes to the right and the other goes to the left. Saichiro had seen through the pitcher's talent early on, so he naturally thought, "Then I'll be a catcher." Walking Ichiro is a personality that will think left and right, and throwing horses is not too emotional, but a personality that focuses on throwing straight balls, and they are still very complementary in personality.
——When the two were students, did they devote themselves to club activities like the Tachibana brothers?
Kaji: I didn't play baseball, but when I was a school kid, I played basketball and soccer, and when I was in junior high school, I played tennis and played various sports. Not only was I a member of the club, but I was also the club manager and student president, and there was a time when I was very busy (laughs). After high school, I already had the idea of "wanting to be a voice actor", so I joined the acting club at that time. For me, although the club activities are very difficult, they are also very happy, and they are the impression of "memories of youth".
Uchida: Mr. Kaji's youth is diametrically opposed to my impression of adolescence (laughs). When I was a schoolboy, all I remember was playing games. When I was in junior high school, I was influenced by a movie and had "I want to play an instrument!" I joined the Wind Band Club. Initially I wanted to play the drums, but the teacher told me, "The shape of your lips is perfect for playing the trumpet," so I played the trumpet for three years.
Kaji: Teacher, I am very good at encouraging people... In other words, the root of the male horse Jun's ear is too soft, right? [Laughs]
Uchida: In high school, I also joined the wind band, and at first I thought, "I don't need to play the trumpet anymore", so I chose other instruments, but when the senior retired, no one played the trumpet, and as a result, I inherited the trumpet. Although a lot of things have happened, I am still very happy, and I have done a lot of music-related things in my youth, which is also a great help for my current work.
Kaji: It can be said that Yuma Uchida and Tuba are attracted to each other (laughs). Next time, you try to blow the trumpet at the concert, and the audience will be very happy, right?
Uchida: All I can say is... "That's a good idea!" [Laughs).