"The Girl in the Sea" Ruka Ishikawa x Yuzu Aoki The summer that was there as Koume and Isobe [Actor's Interview Vol.15]

A scene of necessity

Q: The typhoon scene was also wonderful, and I think it was one of the most famous scenes in the film. It's a scene that really hits home in the original, so I really felt the spirit of everyone, including the director. It must have been quite difficult to shoot.

Aoki: I wore a mountain parka and it was completely waterproof. My lower body was soaked though.

Ishikawa: Completely waterproof⁉︎ Seriously?

Aoki: It repels water so much that it actually makes it rain more. Although it was an artificial typhoon created using blowers, the force of the wind and rain was so strong that I thought it was a real typhoon, so it was an impressive day for the entire shoot. In such a typhoon, Koume was wearing a school festival T-shirt.

Ishikawa: It wasn't waterproof at all...

“The Girl in the Sea” © Inio Asano/Ota Publishing, 2021 “The Girl in the Sea” Production Committee

Q: In this work, the sexual depictions are also faithful to the original work. Lately, it seems like sexual depictions are being avoided for rating and compliance reasons, but this work takes on that challenge. How did the two of you perceive this and how did you face the challenge?

Ishikawa: Sexual depictions are certainly offensive, and viewers can be sensitive to them, and in some cases, they can be interpreted in a negative way. That's why the responsibility for that scene is heavier than for other scenes. I talked with the director for a long time and dealt with him very sensitively.

But on the other hand, I draw it because it's necessary, and I think that was inevitable in this manga and movie. So I would be happy if people could watch it as a normal scene without focusing too much on it just because it depicts sex. I think it's part of the movie, and I hope it comes across that way.

Aoki: As Koume and Isobe interact, their feelings and relationship change. The depiction was meant to express that, so I don't think there was an option to avoid it. Of course, if I made a mistake, there was a possibility that the interpretation would be different from what I had intended, so I proceeded with more care. I'm glad that the scene came about after many discussions between the director, Ruka-chan, and the entire staff.

Similar impressions between the original and the movie