kimisen S1 Directors interview
I wanted to share part of the interview from the bluray , i might post part 2 if there was something interesting.
Minato:
“Yes, exactly. Since the original novels are still ongoing, we didn’t want the anime to wrap up the story merely for the convenience of the adaptation. We also wanted it to properly feed back into the original work, and naturally, we hoped to make sequels as well. So from the beginning, we talked about wanting to create a solid, grounded series where viewers would want to see what happens next — building drama, storylines, and character dynamics while allowing them to feel the expansion of the world itself.
Author Kei Sazane attended every script meeting, so together with the writer, Kento Shimoyama, we all exchanged ideas and gradually shaped the project.”
“Did Sazane-sensei make any particular requests?”
Onuma:
“He gave us the keyword ‘hate-love’ (憎愛). He said that the relationship between Iska and Alice is not a tragic romance, but rather hate-love. Of course, by ‘hate’ he didn’t mean simple hatred, but the fact that, because of their positions, there are parts of each other that can never truly meet. Receiving that word made me realize that, at its core, their relationship is still based on love…”
…with that overlap of emotions at the center. Director Minato talked about wanting to create a weighty work that also incorporates global politics, but in other words, I felt that even if I leaned a bit more toward the characters’ inner emotions, Director Minato would act as a kind of “brake” (laughs). With that kind of mindset, I was able to face the process freely while also going through trial and error.
— Focusing on why they can’t understand each other: how did you approach portraying Iska and Alice’s relationship?
Onuma:
“Their relationship is, emotionally speaking, connected, but their positions don’t allow it. It’s in a kind of thin, fragile state, like there’s only a single layer between them. That kind of ‘neither close nor distant’ relationship is actually not my strongest area… honestly, when I watch it, I end up thinking, ‘Just confess already!’ (laughs).”
Onuma:
“I was aware of that myself, so I constantly reminded myself that I really had to properly express this relationship.
Minato : i didn’t see their relationship as romantic at all. Iska and Alice are not in love. Sure, you might be able to see feelings of liking each other, but it’s easy to understand love story…”
“ felt that it wasn’t something made properly . They viewed each other as trustworthy people who shared the same way of thinking, and felt that maybe could accomplish something together. Rather than romantic feelings, it was more of a bond as partners or mutual understanding on a deeper level. If you put it simply, this relationship might look like romance. But I think it’s fine to leave that interpretation to the audience. What we should be depicting is not things we like or dislike, but something much deeper that Mr. Sazane is trying to express. We kept that in mind for both the screenplay and the storyboards. Even if it ends up looking like romance, it was not something we consciously set out to create that way.”
Minato
“Yes, that’s right. After all, this work is about war. Within the pursuit of ideology and ideals on the battlefield, the story confronts questions like why people fail to understand each other, and why allies end up clashing. We made sure to properly capture those aspects that Mr. Sazane depicts.”
— When adapting that into the script and storyboards, what did you prioritize?
Mina:
“For Iska, first of all, we focused on his sharpness during battle. We portrayed the seriousness of someone burdened yet still pursuing something, and his age-appropriate, boyish side. For Alice as well, we differentiated between her dignified demeanor as a princess and the natural expressions she shows when she faces Iska. Another point was how, visually, it can resemble romance…”