#audio commentary

Act 4–Kagerou Days

Translation of the second audio commentary that comes with the DVD/Blu-ray of Mekakucity Actors. Raw version here. Please consider purchasing the original copies and feel free to message me about possible corrections. If there happens to be any issues with the link, please contact me on my main blog!

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Jin: Hello to everyone listening to the audio commentary of Mekakucity Actors Act 04 – Kagerou Days.

Kokko-chan:Pfft…

Jin: Eh, I’m the creator and screenplay writer, Jin.

Suzu: Yes, hello. I’m Togashi Misuzu, the voice of Hibiya.

Kokko-chan: *holding back laughter* Hello. I’m Koiwai Kotori, the voice of Hiyori.

[muffled laughs in the back]

Ishikawa:Yes, and I’m Ishikawa from Aniplex, the one who’s going to supervise this commentary. I’m in charge today in Suzuki’s stead. Pleasure to meet you.

Everyone: It’s a pleasure.

Suzu/Kokko-chan: *burst into laughter*

Jin/Ishikawa: *confused noises*

Kokko-chan: It’s not what you think! We’re not laughing because it’s a bunch of weirdoes gathering here today or anything like that!

Suzu:Totally not!

Kokko-chan:It’s just that Jin-san said he was going to use a cool voice!

Ishikawa: So he was trying to go for a different kind of mood.

Everyone:*laughs*

Kokko-chan: He started out speaking like that and…

Suzu: We couldn’t hold back.

Jin: Just to put it out there, t-this time, we’re at the fourth volume.

Suzu:Yes.

Jin: Even now, in the fourth volume, I’m the main focus.

Suzu: That’s right!

Jin: I was in all the previous three volumes.

Kokko-chan:Right.

Jin: But my way of greeting, “hello, everyone” at the beginning is sort of slow.

Suzu/Kokko-chan:*laugh*

Ishikawa: No, that’s not true.

Jin: And one of the subjects at hand was that it’s kind of dull, so this time…

Suzu: Ah, so because of that…

Jin: I thought I should greet with a better voice.

Suzu:“A better voice”…

Jin: Yeah, a better voice!

Kokko-chan:*laughs*

Jin: That’s why I restrained myself to using a nice voice tone.

Kokko-chan: “A nice voice tone”…

Jin:But then I was like, “What changed here?”

Ishikawa: The “hello” part was a bit more like…

Jin: Ah, like a dorama?

Ishikawa: It had more of a punch to it.

Kokko-chan: Made you sound like a gentleman.

Jin: So it had a gentlemanly feel to it.

Suzu:Aaah…

Ishikawa: Which was pretty good.

Suzu: It sounded pleasant.

Kokko-chan: “Sounded pleasant”! *laughs*

Suzu: Just managing to muster that out is tiring enough.

Jin: Thank you!

Suzu/Kokko-chan:*laugh*

Ishikawa:Nice.

Jin:I was proper.

Suzu: You were.

Jin: I was able to act proper.

Suzu: I’m looking forward to it. It’s begun. *laughs*

Jin: Thank you.

Kokko-chan: It has started.

Ishikawa: That’s right, this is the fourth episode, “Kagerou Days”.

Jin:Yes!

Suzu:Yes.

Ishikawa: The title “Kagerou Days” forms a connection with the novel’s title.

Jin:Yes!

Kokko-chan:Yes.

Ishikawa: This episode might be a key point or even a turning point because of that, so I’m hoping to ask you all sorts of things about it.

Suzu: Yes! It’ll be a pleasure.

Jin: We’ll be in your care!

Ishikawa: I’ll be in your care too.

Kokko-chan: Please take care of us…

Ishikawa:So, this episode is Togashi-san’s first appearance—

Jin: Second appearance!

Suzu:*laughs*

Jin: She was in the second episode.

Suzu: Ah, true.

Ishikawa: Is that so?

Jin: Episode 2: Kisaragi Attention.

Suzu: That’s true… I took part in it.

Kokko-chan:Does that make you a regular?

Suzu: One hell of a regular.

Jin: A regular at being chased!

Suzu:*laughs*

Jin: At being chased by a mob!

Kokko-chan:*laughs*

Suzu: So hit me up whenever you’re in trouble.

Jin: Please take care of us!

Jin/Kokko-chan:*laugh*

Ishikawa:Thank you very much. And we have the first appearance of Koiwai Kotori-san, who voices Hiyori.

Kokko-chan: Yes! Please take care of me.

Everyone: Please take care of us.

Jin: *giggles* Hum, Koiwai-san, you’re the only one that—

Kokko-chan:Yes?

Jin: This script that you’re holding – in each of the scripts that we’re all holding – you’re the only one who has your name written as “Koiwai-sama”. And your greeting line goes, “Hello, I’m the voice of Hiyori, Koiwai Kotori”. What’s the reason for that!?

Kokko-chan: *laughs* I guess I’m supposed to be Hiyori-like already from that point.

Suzu: Like, “Koiwai Kotori” without the “desu”.

Ishikawa:That’s so in-character.

Kokko-chan:*laughs*

Jin: Like, “Don’t make me say it”.

Suzu/Kokko-chan:*laugh*

Kokko-chan: I won’t say “desu”. *laughs*

Jin: *laughs* So, it’s begun.

Suzu: She’s Hiyori-sama. Hiyori-sama.

Jin: Feels just like Hiyori-sama.

Ishikawa:Yep.

Kokko-chan:Right?

Jin: Anyway, the opening theme is over, so we’ve entered the main part of this commentary.

Ishikawa: That’s right.

Suzu: Here it is! *laughs* It’s like we’ve run right through it.

Jin: Right. Today, we have called over the two of you.

Kokko-chan:Yes!

Suzu:Yes.

Jin: Well, this is an episode where you two are quite the focus, “Kagerou Days”.

Kokko-chan:Yeah.

Ishikawa:Right.

Suzu: Exactly. This scene, for example, is right after Hibiya bumped into Momo on episode 2.

Jin: Yeah, it’s starting from right after the scene where they bumped into each other.

Suzu:Yup.

Jin: From a point where the chronological order is a little bit different.

Suzu: Hum, when I saw this on air for the first time, I kinda thought that the atmosphere of summer in it is so amazing.

Jin: That’s right!

Kokko-chan:Hmmm!

Ishikawa: Ah, true.

Jin: The summer feel was intense, huh?

Suzu: It was incredible, wasn’t it? It has a pretty fancy mood.

Jin:Hm.

Suzu: But it does transmit that oozing heat.

Kokko-chan:Yup!

Ishikawa: That’s true. Like, it’s not about the level of humidity.

Suzu:Yeah.

Ishikawa: It’s more like something you see in a movie, like it has a punch to it.

Suzu:Exactly.

Ishikawa: It’s quite good.

Jin: About Hibiya-kun…

Suzu:Yes?

Jin: It’s just enough heat to humidify him.

Kokko-chan: “To humidify him”!

Everyone:*laughs*

Jin: M’boy Hibiya is always wet somewhere when he shows up.

Suzu:Hey!

Kokko-chan: “Always wet somewhere”…!

Suzu: What’s with that? *laughs*

Jin: M’boy Hibiya is always wet somewhere.

Suzu: But true, though. To think he was that kind of kid…

Jin: Yeah. Downtown with a girl at night.

Suzu: Ah, here it is. The daydream scene.

Jin: The daydream scene.

Kokko-chan:*laughs*

Suzu:“Flash”~!

Ishikawa: In this part, although it’s right from the get-go, Hibiya-kun has a pretty good voice.

Kokko-chan:*laughs*

Ishikawa: It’s a nice voice.

Suzu: True. It’s noice.

Jin: Ah, this part!

Kokko-chan:*laughs*

Suzu: It sure shows in his voice.

Jin: Here it comes, here it comes!

Suzu:Eh?

Jin: That one scene!

Suzu:*laughs*

Jin: “Perfect,” he says. And then…!

Suzu: And then…!

Jin: And then what he gets is…!

Suzu: Is that iiit?

Ishikawa: This sequence is just…

Kokko-chan:*laughs*

Suzu: Oh, so she doesn’t want it~?

Kokko-chan: She just told him so.

Jin: I have to say, thank you very much!

Ishikawa: “Thank you very much”?

Jin: Thank you very much, because that’s a treat.

Suzu: It’s a treat.

Jin: It’s a reward!

Suzu: A reward.

Kokko-chan:*laughs*

Jin: In our business, that’s a reward!

Kokko-chan: At first, when I’d just started acting as Hiyori…

Jin:Yes?

Kokko-chan: Perhaps as a result of me using too many insults, the director commented, “Maybe you’re being a bit too harsh”. *laughs*

Jin: *laughs* That did happen! That did happen.

Kokko-chan: Yeah. I was supposed to act pouty. He was like, “Let’s take that anger more to the pouty side.”

Suzu: Like a grade schooler.

Kokko-chan: Right. Like a child.

Jin: Back then, I couldn’t say this at all, but I liked the way you did it.

Suzu/Kokko-chan:*laugh*

Jin: Hum, in the early stages, rather than being like this, Hiyori was…

Kokko-chan:Pricklier.

Jin: Yeah, as if she were judging you.

Ishikawa: Yes, yes.

Suzu: She was colder.

Jin: Right, Hiyori was colder and more aloof, so in my head, I was like, “Thank you very much, thank you very much”.

Kokko-chan/Ishikawa:*laugh*

Ishikawa: As expected, it couldn’t be showed on surface level, but…

Jin: But there were other ways for Hiyori to press him down

Kokko-chan:*laughs*

Ishikawa:Right.

Suzu: They say it’s best not to take it to heart and turn into a masochist.

Jin: “A masochist”!

Everyone:*laughs*

Kokko-chan:That’s right! He was so happy with it!

Suzu: Yeah! Now he’s like, “Ah, is that so? Sorry!”

Jin: Hibiya-kun is in a state where he needs to wipe the drool off his mouth.

Suzu: Agh, I’m sorry, I’m sorry!

Kokko-chan:*laughs*

Suzu: And thank you very much!

Jin: Thank you very much!

Suzu: Hiyori, thank you very much!

Kokko-chan:*giggles*

Suzu: Sorry for reprimanding you.

Jin: That’s also the right way to do it, according to the original work.

Everyone:*laughs*

Ishikawa: True. That’s how Hibiya-kun is.

Suzu: There sure is a lot in this episode.

Jin: Yeah. It’s a Hibiya-kun and Hiyori episode.

Suzu: A Hiyori episode.

Ishikawa: I’d be grateful if you could tell us more about this.

Suzu: Whoa, it’s her bedroom. Whoa, whoa.

Jin: Whoa, whoa.

Suzu: Whoa, whoa.

Jin: It’s a pretty small room.

Ishikawa: Very small.

Jin: Hiyori-san is the type that leaves her room messy!

Kokko-chan:*laughs*

Suzu: The kind of girl who doesn’t do cleaning.

Jin: She doesn’t clean up.

Kokko-chan: She’s a queen, after all.

Jin: Like, “You’d better get moving so that I won’t have to bend down.”

Suzu: True, but Hiyori doesn’t have to move around much, does she?

Kokko-chan:Yeah.

Jin: Right. It’s not like she can’t, but she doesn’t do anything else on her own.

Suzu: *laughs* She doesn’t want to!

Jin: Hibiya-kun does everything.

Suzu:He does everything! So this one was Hibiya’s fault. He didn’t clean up properly.

Jin:Exactly.

Suzu: I’m sorry.

Kokko-chan: At the beginning, I just listened to the theme song first.

Jin: Yes, yes, yes.

Ishikawa:Yes.

Kokko-chan: When I was listening to it, hum, I kind of pictured Hiyori as a more well-mannered person.

Suzu: Ah, true.

Ishikawa: Ah, the impression she gives off is indeed like that. I totally get you.

Kokko-chan: That’s right. And when I heard about the audition and read the materials, I was like, “Oh! She’s quite the queen type!”

Everyone:*laughs*

Jin: From one extreme to the other!

Kokko-chan: *laughs* Yeah, it was a surprise.

Suzu: She’s beautiful. Right? So beautiful.

Ishikawa: She’s cute.

Suzu: So cute…

Kokko-chan: Ah, there he is.

Jin: In the original—ah, h-he’s here.

Ishikawa: Konoha’s first appearance in the anime.

Suzu: His first appearance.

Kokko-chan/Suzu:*laugh*

Jin: He’s so white, isn’t he?!

Suzu: He is!

Ishikawa: His aura is amazing, isn’t it?

Jin: So white!

Suzu:Overwhelmingly white.

Jin: An overwhelming whiteness!

Kokko-chan:*laughs*

Jin: “Who’re you?”

Suzu: And then he’s like, “Who’re you?”

Jin: It’s Konoha’s first appearance, and there’s this art style where they’re portrayed as tiny and far-away! This art style is thedeal!

Ishikawa:Indeed.

Suzu: As if to add up to the contrast…

Jin: So far! So far!

Kokko-chan:*laughs*

Jin: You can’t even see his whole body. So far…

Kokko-chan: In this episode, he’s always eating a lot and being meager.

Ishikawa: Ah, true.

Jin: Eating a lot and being in the background.

Kokko-chan: *giggles* Doing funny things.

Jin: Doing less significant stuff.

Suzu: He’s real fun. When we were recording, Miyano-san tapped the microphone and it echoed a “sheeeeen”, and then he was like, “Who’re you?”

Everyone:*laughs*

Jin: And then he just straight up left.

Suzu: He straight up left!

Everyone:*laughs*

Jin: Miyano-san was like, “Is it okay for my part to be over just like that?”

Everyone:*laughs*

Suzu: Made him uneasy, huh?!

Jin: It did!

Kokko-chan:*laughs*

Jin: “It was perfect! Thank you very much!”

Suzu:*laughs*

Jin: That’s what I told him.

Suzu: I like Konoha.

Kokko-chan:Yup!

Jin: Me too. A lot.

Kokko-chan:He’s great, isn’t he?

Ishikawa: He’s amazing. Amazing.

Suzu: I think he hits off well with Hiyori.

Kokko-chan: Ah, I think so too! To a girl, he’s kinda…

Suzu: Exactly! Kinda occult. I get you.

Kokko-chan: Maybe it’s something only we understand.

Ishikawa: There’s something about him that only girls understand.

Kokko-chan: He’s sort of mysterious, so to say. How can I put it? We get charmed by him.

Suzu:He strikes a chord.

Ishikawa: There are many mysteries surrounding him.

Kokko-chan: Yup, yup, yup.

Ishikawa:He’s not too greedy – well, of course isn’t.

Kokko-chan: Yep, yep, yep.

Ishikawa: But I have the impression that his modest side, in contrast, brings out Hiyori’s real thoughts.

Jin: Ah, yes, yes, yes.

Kokko-chan:Indeed.

Suzu: Well, he’s my rival, after all.

Kokko-chan:*laughs*

Jin:True.

Suzu: To Hibiya, it’s more like…

Kokko-chan: To Hibiya…?

Suzu: Like, “Aren’t I devoting myself to you?!”

Kokko-chan: He’s doing his best, and yet…!

Jin: He’s doing so much!

Everyone:*laughs*

Jin: As you’d expect, his ulterior motives show through.

Suzu: Yeah, yeah! He has second intentions. That’s no good.

Ishikawa: They’re in plain sight.

Jin: He’s too obvious, that Hibiya-kun…

Suzu: He’s a grade schooler but he’s a boy, after all.

Jin: He’s a boy.

Suzu:Hmm…

Jin: And from this point on—so dirty! That’s real messy!

Kokko-chan:*laughs*

Jin: It’s completely such a realistic mess of a house.

Ishikawa: This just now was totally the case of a rented DVD that he never returned.

Jin: It was right there.

Suzu: That’s bad. He has to return it.

Ishikawa: Really makes him look like a pervert.

Suzu: There it is. There’s Hibiya’s feminine charm.

Jin: Yeah, he’s told that it’s kind of gross how good he is at cooking.

Suzu: *laughs* “Gross”…

Ishikawa: Right? It’s such a shock.

Kokko-chan: A huge shock.

Suzu: I mean, he made so much food! *laughs*

Kokko-chan:*laughs*

Jin: That was pretty good wasn’t it?

Ishikawa: That mood switch!

Kokko-chan:*laughs*

Suzu:Hum…!

Jin: Just perfect.

Suzu: So easy to read.

Jin: Pretty easy.

Suzu: Ah, but I think Hibiya will turn into a rather fine man in the future.

Kokko-chan:Yep!

Jin: Ah, true.

Ishikawa: That’s right. I also think so. He’s very serious and kindhearted.

Kokko-chan: Yeah, makes me jealous.

Suzu: He’s short now, though.

Kokko-chan:*giggles*

Suzu:But I think he’ll grow up in the latter half of high school.

Jin: It’s gonna happen suddenly in the latter half.

Suzu: In his late teens, I think, yeah.

Jin: The latter half, huh. Probably halfway through high school, when he’s a second-year.

Suzu: That’s right.

Jin: The seats will be by order of height and he’ll be sitting in the first row until suddenly—!

Suzu: Yeah, he’ll suddenly grow up!

Ishikawa: He’ll gain 20cm during summer vacation and everyone will be like, “Huh?”

Jin: Like, “Huh???”

Suzu: What would Hiyori do?

Kokko-chan: Ah, but… I wonder what!

Suzu:“But”?

Kokko-chan: But, like…

Suzu: “But”, huh?!

Kokko-chan: No, I mean, I feel that Hiyori will also change when they grow up. So I wonder.

Suzu: I wonder how she’ll turn out. Which is iiiit??

Jin: I feel she’ll keep up just like that.

Kokko-chan: Ah, she’ll keep that up?! *laughs*

Ishikawa:Heeeh~?

Jin: She’ll get big just like that, I feel.

Kokko-chan: I see, I see. I want her to be like this forever.

Ishikawa: The so-called “devilish woman”.

Jin: The “devilish woman”.

Suzu: I see. So she’ll always be a queen.

Jin:Exactly.

Suzu: An eternally beautiful woman. I want her to always be like that.

Jin: Making her parents worry.

Kokko-chan:*laughs*

Ishikawa: That’s right…

Jin: Is that food? Maybe croquettes?

Ishikawa: Probably croquettes, yes.

Kokko-chan:Croquettes…

Suzu: He’s using the croquettes…

Jin: He’s making a trump card tower with them!

Suzu: It’s Konoha, after all.

Jin:Thank you very much. That’s just how he is.

Suzu:This is so much fun. Konoha keeps doing so many funny things in the background.

Kokko-chan:Yeah!

Ishikawa:Right.

Kokko-chan: He does a lot without saying anything…

Suzu: There he goes! Look!

Jin: Look, all at once!

Kokko-chan/Suzu:*laugh*

Jin: About that…

Suzu:Yes?

Jin: When that autograph session happened…

Kokko-chan: Hm, hm!

Jin: …there were people who said that this scene was really good. Two people liked the way he goes down on that pot at once!

Ishikawa:Eeeh…

Suzu: Two people?!

Kokko-chan:*laughs*

Jin: There are many fans of this scene.

Ishikawa:True.

Suzu:Really…?

Jin: There were two votes for this scene, where he goes down on that pot while Hiyori-san is nagging so much.

Suzu: It got two votes…

Ishikawa: That’s amazing. Now that the 12 episodes have aired, there were lots of famous scenes to choose from, but they chose this one.

Suzu: This oneee!

Kokko-chan: This one! I choose you!

Jin: This scene is the one they choose! Ah! There it is! The mayonnaise!

Kokko-chan:He’s putting mayonnaise on it!

Ishikawa: This one is a famous scene too.

Suzu:Mayonnaise rice, huh…

Jin: Ah, this is where it begins.

Suzu: That’s right…

Ishikawa: This is Hibiya-kun’s home, isn’t it? When he gets a call from Hiyori-chan…

Jin: Ah, there it is.

Suzu: She’s here, huh!

Jin: The hand-made doll.

Ishikawa: It’s such a cute little doll.

Kokko-chan: That’s the one. It appears on this scene.

Suzu: Is this just like in the original work? The Deco-Hiyo?

T/N: The nickname of the Hiyori doll is “Osha-Hiyo” in Japanese, which is an abbreviation of “Oshare Hiyori”. “Oshare” means “fashionable”/“trendy”/“decorative”, so I adapted it as Deco-Hiyo. I have no idea how the official English translation refers to it.

Jin: Ah, it’s a slightly different Deco-Hiyo.

Suzu:A different version of it?

Jin: That Deco-Hiyo in a little bigger.

Suzu: Ah, is that so? Aah, I see.

Kokko-chan: Really? Bigger? *giggles*

Jin: ‘Cause there’s a huge tape recorder inside it.

Suzu: That’s right, that’s right.

Kokko-chan: So that’s the difference…

Jin: *chuckles* She talks. It’s gross.

Suzu: Myyy… *laughs*

Jin: That’s, hum… just how much he loves her.

Kokko-chan:*laughs*

Suzu:Can’t take his side on this one. *laughs*

Jin: Right. Makes you feel how easy it is for him to love her, like, “I love you today too.”

Suzu: True. Hm…

Kokko-chan: As for the little one, he can take her out with him.

Ishikawa: Yeah, he can go outside with her.

Suzu: “Take her out with him”! *laughs*

Ishikawa:She was made for that.

Jin: He puts her in his chest pocket.

Kokko-chan:*laughs*

Jin: He can ride the bus with her in his pocket.

Ishikawa:Nice.

Suzu:*laughs*

Jin: Like a Pocket-Hiyo or something.

Suzu:Then, about that magazine, hum…

Jin:Yes?

Suzu: The one that had “Shizu-chan” drawn on the cover.

Jin: Yes, yes.

Suzu: There was a mini-Hiyori strapped to a bag in it.

Jin:Aaah!

Ishikawa:True.

Kokko-chan:Aaah.

Jin: There was one. A mini-Hiyori.

Suzu: Yeah, it was there.

Jin:There are probably lots of Hiyoris, from tiny ones to big ones, I think.

Kokko-chan: Is that so?!

Ishikawa: A complete collection.

Suzu: They’re a collection?

Jin: A full, complete collection.

Suzu: That so?

Kokko-chan:So that’s what it is?

Suzu: The way he goes up the stairs is so gross.

Everyone:*laughs*

Kokko-chan: Yes, it’s incredible.

Suzu: Can humans do this?!

Jin: This is the worst!

Ishikawa:It’s so scary.

Jin: This part is the worst! Sheesh!

Ishikawa: But it’s a good scene.

Jin: Unknown cut-in’s.

Suzu: Yes, I’m sure he’s listening to Hiyori’s voice here.

Ishikawa:Yeah.

Jin: He only records Hiyori’s voice.

Suzu:Hmmm…

Jin: Ah, this one!

Suzu: Ah, this!

Jin: Dogs! That’s so dangerous!

Ishikawa: There are dogs…

Jin: It’s like, “Huh?! Is that allowed?! They’re dogs!”

Everyone:*laughs*

Jin: They’re wild dogs.

Ishikawa:Yeah.

Suzu: Wild dogs.

Kokko-chan:*laughs*

Jin: It’s gonna start all over again.

Suzu: This is probably a throwback to episode 1.

Jin: *laughs* Yeah!

Suzu: Like, “Uh, those dogs… Hold on, hold on!”

Ishikawa:Right…

Jin: Is this… Wait, is this really okay?!

Suzu: He definitely knows them!

Jin: He’s probably met them.

Suzu: Somewhere, right?

Jin: He’s met these wild dogs…

Suzu: …at some point in his life, yeah. *laughs*

Jin: To tell the truth, this was a scene that happened in the novel way before the anime.

Ishikawa:Heeeh…

Jin: I didn’t delve much into it in the novel, though.

Ishikawa: I see.

Jin: But when it came to the anime, I was like, “Since we’re at it, I might as well just do it.”

Suzu: Ah, is that so?

Ishikawa: It sure leaves an impression, doesn’t it?

Suzu:Yep.

Ishikawa:The comedy is executed rather seamlessly.

Kokko-chan: Yup, yup.

Ishikawa: This is a really weird way of putting it, but Hibiya-kun was all the more…

Jin: …determined to try anything?

Kokko-chan: He sure puts in effort. *laughs*

Suzu: Just now, when Hiyori-chan was like, “Do your best”, I thought, “She’s such a little devil.”

Jin: She is.

Kokko-chan: *laughs* She’s nice to him sometimes, huh?

Jin: For some reason, while she’s saying that, she moves her neck to the side just a tiny bit.

Kokko-chan: Yeah! It’s cute…!

Ishikawa:That’s right, and she tucks a strand of her hair behind her ear.

Kokko-chan:Cuteee…!

Jin:This Hiyori-san is superb.

Ishikawa: She sure is.

Suzu:Thank you very much.

Jin: Thank you very much!

Kokko-chan: That’s probably the only episode where she acts nice. *laughs*

Jin:True.

Kokko-chan: Once in thirty minutes.

Jin: The one and only time!

Suzu: Which is enough.

Kokko-chan: More than enough.

Jin: This is where Hiyori-san’s kindness was most apparent.

Kokko-chan:*laughs*

Jin: No matter what anyone says, Hiyori-san is very much my type when it comes to personality.

Kokko-chan: Ah, is that so?

Suzu: Oh, oh, oh!

Jin: For women, that’s my type.

Kokko-chan: So you want to be led by the nose?

Jin: I also wanna be kicked.

Kokko-chan:*laughs*

Suzu:Hey!

Ishikawa: That’s totally…

Suzu:Hey!!

Ishikawa: It’s totally that.

Suzu: Like, “Onee-chan-san, you okay??”

Jin:Hibiya-san is… Wait, it’s not “Hibiya-san”!

Everyone:*laughs*

Jin: “Hibiya-san”?? Sounds too strong!

Suzu: “Hibiya-san”, he said!

Jin: Hum, so, in the beginning, when I was writing about Hibiya-kun in the novel…

Kokko-chan:Yes?

Jin: …he was so much like me!

Kokko-chan:Ah, like you?

Suzu: Ah! Like you?

Ishikawa: Like in how relatable he is?

Kokko-chan:Ooooh…!

Jin: He’s really relatable as a guy.

Suzu: Well, he’s also from the countryside.

Jin: He’s from the countryside, and I’m also originally from the countryside of Hokkaido.

Ishikawa:Yes.

Jin: So there’s realism to him. And countryside women are hella strong, so…

Suzu:Aah!

Jin: I used to live on a mountaintop town, so the women were super strong!

Kokko-chan:Aaaaah…

Jin: It was the “men must protect the ships and women must protect the harbor” kind of strong.

Kokko-chan: I see!

Jin: Many of my female classmates were like that too.

Kokko-chan:Eeeh?

Suzu: So you were naturally raised in that midst.

Jin: Yes, I grew up in that environment, so I guess I have an admiration for that.

Ishikawa:*laughs*

Suzu: It was a model for you, so to say.

Jin: I wonder if it was a model or something. Was there anyone like that in my life?

Kokko-chan:*laughs*

Ishikawa: Someone like Hiyori, right?

Jin: Was there anyone like her??

Suzu: Maybe there was.

Jin: Anyway, that one scene has finally come up.

Suzu: Here it is.

Jin: The scene inside Kagerou Daze! This is quite an impressive scene.

Kokko-chan:Yeah…

Ishikawa: Sure leaves a deep impression in your head.

Suzu:Yup!

Jin: Especially the way that this completely blue background is dotted by red…

Ishikawa: And in-between the red, we have these stop light and telephone poles…

Kokko-chan: It’s fantasy-like.

Suzu: Hum, it’s sickening.

Kokko-chan:Yeeep!

Suzu: Very much.

Kokko-chan: Gives off a strange feeling, doesn’t it?

Jin: It really makes you sick!

Kokko-chan:Yeah…

Suzu: It feels like… you might go crazy.

Jin:Indeed.

Suzu: If you were in a place like that.

Kokko-chan:Yeah.

Jin: This is so…

Suzu: This atmosphere…

Jin: For the sake of exposition and whatnot, the C part is always told from Hibiya-kun’s point of view, and that’s how things are clarified. This here is a separate world that we are seeing through Hibiya-kun’s eyes, which is slightly different from the real world. On top of creating this worldbuilding, I also explained it to SHAFT-san and told them that I wanted to leave the depiction of it to them. I didn’t tell them to do whatever they please, though. Rather, I wanted an indescribably unsettling worldview for it, but this… *laughs* this one is too unsettling!

Ishikawa: So this depiction was too—

Kokko-chan:Aaagh…!

Suzu: Aah, my heart hurts!

Jin: Aaah, that one hurt!

Suzu: Agh! Ouch, ouch!

Jin: I’m indebted to them!

Suzu: Ah, it hurts!

Kokko-chan:*laughs*

Ishikawa: If we were to put ourselves in Hibiya-kun’s shoes at this time…

Suzu:Man…!

Jin: That’d be outrageous.

Kokko-chan: The art portrays a sense of fun and calmness at first, and then…

Suzu: Yeah, that part is amazing…

Kokko-chan: But then, surely, they don’t get what starts happening to them all of a sudden.

Suzu:Yep…

Jin: When they wake up, it’s all just…

Suzu: For some reason, they don’t talk much, right?

Kokko-chan:Yup.

Jin: Yes, yes.

Suzu: That makes watching them even more disturbing and unsettling.

Jin: Even more, huh?

Kokko-chan:Yeah…

Suzu: Now the colors changed.

Kokko-chan: It’s red…

Suzu: The ground is red this time.

Kokko-chan:Yup, yup. When we were performing, we received advice from, Tsuruoka-san, the sound director. Since we had to do this part countless times repeatedly, the three of us thought about what it would be like in chronological order and imagined it ourselves. We tried our hands at performing it during our meetings with him.

Jin: Man, the color scheme is too eerie…

Kokko-chan:Yeeep.

Jin: It also gives off a sense of perspective.

Ishikawa:True…

Suzu: Yup, yup, yup.

Ishikawa: Speaking of which, this is the most common color combination for the designs of, for example, the novel’s covers and the CD jackets.

Jin: That’s right.

Ishikawa: It’s very prominent.

Jin: A combination of red, blue and white.

Suzu: It leaves an impression.

Kokko-chan: Yep, yep.

Jin: In the beginning, when I was uploading the videos to NicoNico Douga and commissioning them to Sidu-san, she put this red, blue and white combination into them without telling me first.

Suzu:Eeeh?

Kokko-chan:Oooh…

Suzu: Ah, is that so?

Kokko-chan:I see…

Ishikawa: When I watched this video, it gave me the impression that it brims with content.

Kokko-chan:Aaah…

Jin: To me, the impression it gives is that the scenes are portrayed with realism. And lastly, when Sidu-san was making the video, she did the coloring with these three hues as a signature. So, in fact, it turned into part of the worldbuilding from that stage onward, which pulled along the image I had.

Suzu:Aaah…

Ishikawa: I see.

Kokko-chan:Haaah…!

Suzu: So that’s it. Quite indescribable, huh?

Jin: Pretty indescribable, this—

Suzu:Aaaaaaah!

Jin:Aaagh…

Kokko-chan: Ahaha… Hiiiiiyoooooriiiiiiiiiii…!!

Suzu: The fact that we keep wondering what she’s telling him in every repetition is… a stab to the heart.

Kokko-chan:True.

Everyone:*laughs*

Suzu: One hell of a stab.

Kokko-chan: “One hell”…! *laughs*

Jin: “One hell of a stab”.

Suzu:Onehell of a stab!

Jin: Is it stabbing you thatdeep?

Everyone:*laughs*

Suzu: Stab, stab, stab!

Jin: Stab till you can’t take it anymore.

Suzu: Till we’re as red as that.

Jin:Yeah…

Suzu:Hmm, yeah…

Kokko-chan: The blue is fading away…

Jin: By the way, I’m also the one who made this BGM.

Suzu: Ah, really?! Hmm…!

Kokko-chan:Aaah…!

Suzu: I’m in charge of that part.

Kokko-chan:Yes, yes.

Ishikawa:Yes.

Jin: I made it into a track that would make people go, “Haaah…!” when they listen to it. I also used VOCALOIDs for that.

Suzu:Aaah!

Kokko-chan:Oooh!

Jin: I thought it’d be interesting if I did so.

Kokko-chan: Yup, yup, yup.

Jin: A cool chorus.

Kokko-chan: Yup, yup. It’s kinda mysterious.

Suzu: Right?! And a bit uncanny.

Kokko-chan:Yeah!

Ishikawa:Right.

Kokko-chan: All of this really shows.

Jin: At first, I thought of making it entirely with just the electric guitar.

Suzu:Hmm.

Kokko-chan:Aaah…!

Jin: Of challenging myself to make this with nothing but a guitar.

Kokko-chan:Haaaah…!

Jin: To tell the truth, I made “Kagerou Days” by only using the electric guitar and VOCALOID, just like that.

Ishikawa: Hm, hm.

Kokko-chan:Aaah…

Suzu: The song’s begun.

Kokko-chan:Oh!

Ishikawa:Ah, this is where the insert song comes in.

Suzu:Yes! That’s right.

Jin: Right. “Kagerou Days”.

Ishikawa:Yes.

Suzu:Yes!

Kokko-chan: It’s begun…

Jin: It was sung by Kanshou Vector, as in Taguchi Shouichi-san.

Suzu:Yes!

Kokko-chan:Yes.

Ishikawa: Jin-san, on top of making this insert song, did you commission Taguchi Shouichi-san to do this? Did the offer come from you?

Jin:Ah! To be honest, my image of this song is of “rock”.

Ishikawa: Yes, yes.

Jin: That’s how I made it.

Ishikawa:Yes.

Jin:But if a man were to sing it, it’d turn into a very tedious song.

Suzu:Aaah…

Kokko-chan:Oooh…

Ishikawa: Ah, true.

Jin: So I asked someone who could sing a spicy-hot kind of rock.

Ishikawa: I see.

Jin: In order for it not to be too masculine, so to say.

Ishikawa: Yes, yes, yes.

Jin:Hum…

Ishikawa: True. So your reasoning was that it was best to pull away from it.

Jin: Yeah. I didn’t want it to be too rough – and he isn’t a woman!

Suzu: That’s right.

Jin: The lyrics are from a guy’s viewpoint, so I had to a guy for it. So I heard Taguchi Shouichi-san’s singing voice.

Ishikawa: Yes, yes, yes.

Jin: That was ages ago.

Ishikawa:Yes.

Jin: Way before I made the offer to him.

Suzu: Is that so?

Jin: And when I asked him, “Would you sing ‘Kagerou Days’?”…

Ishikawa:Yes?

Jin: …it was just like I’d imagined it!

Kokko-chan:Aaah!

Suzu:Aaaaanh…

Jin: He doesn’t sound middle-aged!

Ishikawa: I see. Indeed.

Jin: Like, he’s a “man that doesn’t stink”.

Suzu: Hm, hm, hm.

Jin: That’s right.

Ishikawa: Rather, it’s kinda sexy. There’s some sort of sex appeal to it.

Jin:Right!

Suzu: Yep, yep, yep.

Ishikawa: He sure has a lot of that.

Suzu: And the fact that he’s popular also works in his favor.

Kokko-chan: I know, right?

Suzu:Yeah.

Kokko-chan: How should I put it? He really drives the story to heart.

Suzu: Yeah, yeah. That’s probably what does it.

Ishikawa: What an amazing shot.

Suzu: He was just waiting for it.

Kokko-chan:Hmm!

Jin: I picked a song that intrudes into it and amplifies it.

Suzu: Just wonderful.

Ishikawa:Right.

Jin: He sang it well.

Suzu: And while we were saying all of this…

Kokko-chan: It’s already gotten to the last moment, huh.

Jin: Yeah. The last one is this scene.

Ishikawa: An iconic scene at that.

Suzu: Hm. Quite iconic.

Jin: Ah, that was so cool.

Suzu:Aaaah!

Kokko-chan:Right?

Suzu:Thanks.

Jin: That’s pretty much the moment that Hibiya-kun, hum… became a man, I guess.

Ishikawa:Right.

Suzu:Yeah.

Kokko-chan: That’s right.

Suzu: Somehow, the way he gradually grows in that repeating cycle was really something. And so was performing it.

Ishikawa: Yes, yes.

Jin: Hm-hm. It’s kind of his growth as a boy.

Suzu:Yeah.

Ishikawa: Yes, yes, yes.

Jin: Like, “Someone has to save that girl!” – when boys think like this, that’s when they finally grow up.

Suzu: Right, that’s how they develop.

Ishikawa:It’s how they go up the steps to adulthood.

Jin: Amongst the characters, Hibiya was the only one who didn’t have much of a trauma.

Everyone:Hm.

Jin: All of the other characters had something.

Suzu:Yeah, all of them carried some sort of burden.

Jin: Hibiya was the only one that didn’t have anything in particular. And, well, this is where he comes across his “reason to be”.

Ishikawa: I see.

Suzu:Hmm…

Jin: That’s how important this episode is.

Ishikawa: Yeah, he went through a drastic change of pace.

Jin: It’s about several incidents that change a boy who was once doing fine and well.

Suzu:Yeah…

Jin: That’s what this episode is.

Suzu: Right, but this is also one more story that has ended.

Jin:Yeah.

Suzu:Amongst the ones we’ve had until episode four.

Kokko-chan:Right.

Jin: One more phase was completed.

Ishikawa: Yup. One more change.

Suzu: Yeah, I think we had yet another development in this episode. And from now on, the ending clip sure will hurt.

Kokko-chan:Ugh…!

Ishikawa:Right…

Jin: It’s gonna be rough, huh?

Kokko-chan:Yeah!

Suzu: Pretty rough.

Jin: Especially in this very episode.

Suzu: Hits home, doesn’t it? When I watched it air, it was almost numbing. As expected of Jin-san.

Jin: Thank you very much!

Kokko-chan:*laughs*

Ishikawa:Togashi-san. Togashi-san, you…

Jin: Aah, you say some smooth stuff.

Kokko-chan: Pretty smooth!

Suzu: You can’t hold back with this kind of stuff!

Kokko-chan:*laughs*

Suzu: I couldn’t!

Jin:No, hum, please keep saying more of that! It was amazing!

Ishikawa: That was noice. Really noice.

Jin: Thank you very much. Keep it coming.

Suzu/Kokko-chan:*laugh*

Jin: Keep slowly delivering it.

Kokko-chan:*laughs*

Jin: Well, this episode is now…

Suzu: Yeah, it’s over.

Ishikawa: Time for the C part.

Jin: The C part.

Ishikawa: It’s coming soon.

Suzu:Yes.

Ishikawa: And “Kagerou Daze Episode 4” will be over.

Jin: It’ll come to an end, yes.

Suzu: A blink of eye, huh?

Jin: Sad, isn’t it?

Suzu: It is…

Ishikawa: But this C part is longer than usual.

Suzu:Yes.

Jin:Yes!

Ishikawa: So we can talk for a bit more.

Suzu: All right.

Kokko-chan:Oh!

Jin: All right!

Jin: Hum, Hiyori-chan’s part has ended together with this episode.

Kokko-chan: That’s right…!

Suzu:Yeeeaaah!

Everyone:*laughs*

Suzu:Whyyyyy?

Jin: I’m sorry!

Kokko-chan:I never again show up!

Ishikawa:Yeah…

Jin: I’m so sorry!

Suzu: But her silhouette does appear at some point.

Kokko-chan: Yeah, her silhouette.

Jin: Right! We have her silhouette.

Kokko-chan: But as for her voice… *laughs*

Jin: Yes… due to circumstances related to the contents, Hiyori-san couldn’t show up.

Kokko-chan:No biggie.

Suzu: But after this ends, I believe that Hiyori-chan finds happiness!

Ishikawa: That’s right.

Suzu: With Hibiya-kun, for sure!

Ishikawa: In contrast, amongst all the episodes, this one left a really remarkable impression.

Jin:Yes…!

Suzu: Being able to leave such a deep impression is so amazing!

Jin:The female characters are strong as hell!

Suzu: Strong as hell!

Kokko-chan: Yesss! It sure was a fun role to play.

Suzu:Yes.

Ishikawa: Lastly, this isn’t goodbye yet, but…

Everyone:Yes?

Ishikawa: Let’s say something, starting from Koiwai-san.

Kokko-chan:All right! Taking part in such a wonderful series made me really happy. From now on, I hope everyone will keep enjoying it through not the DVD – was it Blu-ray?

Suzu:*chuckles*

Kokko-chan: We will be in your care.

Ishikawa: Thank you very much~! Togashi-san.

Suzu: Yes! Once again, I’m the voice of Hibiya, Togashi Misuzu. For the second time, I was able to talk about all sorts of things here, but from now on, too, I believe there will be lots of interesting discussions about all twelve episodes. Mekakucity Actors and Kagerou Daze are not over yet, so by all means, please support us! Thank you very much!

Ishikawa: Thank you very much. Then, lastly, Jin-san. A word, if you would.

Jin: Yes! Thank you very much for watching episode 4 as well. I think I will be participating in the next times as well, so please take care of me.

Ishikawa: Likewise! Well, thank you very much for episode 4!

Everyone: Thank you very much!