Voice actors Fairouz Ai and Koki Uchiyama attended the premiere screening of WOWOW's original anime Bye Bye, Earth held in Tokyo on the 22nd. They participated in a talk session along with the original author Tow Ubukata and director Yasutaka Nishikata.

Voice actors Fairouz Ai and Kouki Uchiyama attended the premiere screening of WOWOW's original anime Bye Bye, Earth held in Tokyo on the 22nd. They participated in a talk session along with the original author Tow Ubukata and director Yasuhito Nishikata.

'Bye Bye, Earth' is based on one of Ubukata's earliest works, 'Bye Bye, Earth I: Risei no Shojo' (Kadokawa Bunko), and depicts the grand adventures and battles of the protagonist, Belle Lablac, as she searches for her roots. At the event, the first three episodes were previewed ahead of the official broadcast starting at 11:30 PM on July 12th.

After the preview screening, Fairouz expressed her joy, saying, "I'm incredibly happy to see your fresh faces captivated by this fascinating and mysterious world. It feels like I'm sharing the fresh excitement I felt during the recording sessions."

The screening took place at a theater in Tokyo, and Uchiyama commented, "The action scenes unique to anime are abundant from the first to the third episode, and combined with the musical expression, it's a perfect work to watch in a theater setting. I think it turned out to be a wonderful screening."

Ubukata, who introduced this work to the world in 2000, remarked, "What I wanted to write most in this work is 'the definition of a hero.' It's the idea that a hero is an entity equivalent to the world, and as the hero acts, the world changes simultaneously." He continued, "Rather than the traditional 'hero image,' I wanted to depict a story where an entity marginalized by the world—what we might now call a minority—ultimately reconciles with the world itself."

The story of 'Bye Bye, Earth' follows Bell, born as a "Noppera-bo" (a featureless being) in a world where people take on the forms of various animals like cats, frogs, and mice. Bell embarks on a journey to find others like herself.

Fairouz, reflecting on her personal experiences, shared, "I've also struggled and suffered as a minority, so I have a deep connection to Belle." Director Nishikata added, "The unique world setting is a reason it hasn't been animated until now. However, in an era where diversity is more widely recognized, I feel the world has caught up with this work, making it valuable to animate it now."

Uchiyama highlighted the charm of the diverse characters, saying, "New characters keep appearing. You'll wonder about their species, their traits, and their relationships with Belle, making you eager to see the next episode. These characters help viewers immerse themselves in the depicted world, enjoying it as if they're part of it."

Regarding his character, Adonis Kuestion, one of the four great swordsmen of the Sword Nation Shubertland, Uchiyama explained with a smile, "He's a swordsman, but he doesn't have his own sword. Explaining why he doesn't have a sword would be a spoiler." He teased, "There are many things I can't reveal yet, but from episode four onward, his secrets and family circumstances will be unveiled, as well as what happens when he meets Belle."

Source : ORICON NEWS