Introduction

The anime adaptation of Takopi's Original Sin is set to premiere at midnight on the 28th, with all six episodes streaming weekly every Saturday across various platforms. Ahead of its release, voice actresses Reina Ueda—who plays Shizuka, the girl Takopi encounters—and Konomi Kohara—who voices Marina, Shizuka's classmate—sat down for an interview to share their impressions and thoughts on the emotional depth of the series.

The anime is based on the short manga series of the same name, which was serialized on the manga app Shōnen Jump+ from December 2021 to March 2022. In the story, Takopi, an alien from the Planet Happy, arrives on Earth to spread happiness and meets a human girl named Shizuka. After she saves him from danger, Takopi becomes determined to bring back her smile using mysterious "Happy gadgets." However, Shizuka harbors painful secrets—both at home and at school.

A Shocking Encounter Beyond Cuteness

Q: What were your first impressions when you read the original manga? What aspects did you find compelling?

Reina Ueda:
At first, I only knew that it featured a cute creature called Takopi. But when I was preparing for the audition, my manager told me, “Please read the original manga when you’re feeling emotionally well,” and “It might get tough, so take breaks and read it with caution.” That made me think, “Maybe it’s not just about something cute.”

And sure enough, once I began reading it, even though I thought I was prepared, it really made me feel like, “Maybe I need to take a break.” It was that shocking. I felt like I had encountered something truly extraordinary. But because the content is so emotionally heavy and painful, I gradually began to feel that I needed to see how the children—including Takopi—would go on living. From then on, I was hooked and read straight through to the end without stopping.

There are also striking features, like how the characters’ facial expressions can appear different from the left and right sides. Through their dialogue and actions, you can feel light even in the shadows. The story connects hope and despair in very gray areas, and it gives the impression that salvation is scattered very close to the characters. I found that particularly compelling.

Konomi Kohara:
I also read the original manga when I was auditioning. At first glance, seeing how cute Takopi is, I thought it would be a heartwarming story. But then I saw the promotional video with voiceovers released for the upper volume, and after watching it, I thought, “This is definitely not heartwarming. Where did all the cuteness go...?” That’s when I realized I needed to properly understand the original story.

Reading the manga gave me a huge shock. Personally, I’ve never really been in a work with this kind of theme before, and I hadn’t encountered characters like this either. I had tried for similar roles in the past, but I never got them. So part of me thought, “I probably won’t make it.” But I also felt that if I did get the role, it would definitely be a challenging experience—not just in playing the character, but in how I would face the role itself.

Like Ueda-san just mentioned, the story does take a toll mentally, so I went in with a strong sense of resolve. I had both feelings: “I hope I get it” and “If I get it, what should I do?” It’s rare to come across a work that makes you think that deeply. So I auditioned with the mindset that “if it’s meant to be, it’s fate.” That was my honest first impression—this story is packed with that much emotional power.

Confronting the Difficult Roles of Shizuka and Marina

Q: Ueda-san, the character you play—Shizuka—is rarely portrayed with such raw realism in anime, isn’t she?

Ueda:
Yes, I think so. There’s a kind of fear that comes with that rawness. She’s a character that stands in stark contrast to Takopi’s bright, comedic, and charming nature as an alien from the Planet Happy. It’s not just Shizuka, but the raw realism of the human characters in general is depicted so vividly.

With Shizuka in particular, I got the sense that loneliness is deeply ingrained in her. I imagine she’s experienced many painful things—innocent remarks, unconscious actions, indifference, and selfish words without thought. Each of those wounds her. But at the same time, she can’t protect herself, and no one else protects her either.

That’s why, while she might categorize people as being convenient or inconvenient to her, there’s no one she can truly trust from the bottom of her heart. She reacts excessively to opposing views, is quick to judge whether someone is a friend or foe, and has certain mental patterns that feel very real.

As Takopi and others get involved in her life, various dramas unfold—whether she changes or doesn’t, it’s all very complex. Even thinking about it realistically, she’s an incredibly difficult character to portray.

Q: And how about you, Kohara-san? Marina is also a complex character.

Kohara:
It amazed me how a story this deep could be contained in just two volumes of manga. Marina is a character whose impression changes from the beginning to the end. That makes me think that depending on her environment, she might’ve turned out completely differently.

The same goes for Shizuka. If both of them had grown up in more fortunate and stable, warm environments, I think there could’ve been a future where they were friends and held hands together. It’s shocking to realize how much someone’s environment can shape who they become—that’s where I felt the rawness of the story.

When I found out I got the role, I honestly didn’t know how to approach this character. I wondered how I should confront her and how I should portray her.

As the recording date approached, I started thinking that maybe Marina didn’t have anyone she could truly rely on. In the story, it seems like she really wanted to be close to her parents. And since I would be stepping into her world and acting as her emotional core, I began to think, “I’m the only one who can stand by her.”

It may be a bit of a stretch of the imagination, but I tried to put myself inside Marina and become her axis. That’s how I prepared. Even though some very shocking events happen in the story, I knew I had to continue empathizing with her throughout. That’s the mindset I carried into the role.

Source : ORICON NEWS