1. There was once a great battle.
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2. Renowned warriors continued to fight
for their own beliefs and ambitions.
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3. However, no one won the battle
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4. and the 21 swords
that held the fate of the world
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5. were scattered in the Far East.
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6. This story begins
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7. when a man obtains a particular sword.
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8. BLADE
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9. TSURUGI
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10. KIZAMI
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11. MONME
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12. TOUKI
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13. PRINCESS SAYA
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14. TOKYO BLADE
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15. STAGE PLAY
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16. Princess Saya.
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17. Touki.
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18. This story is fiction.
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19. PLAYING TOUKI
AQUA HOSHINO (16)
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20. PLAYING PRINCESS SAYA
AKANE KUROKAWA (17)
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21. 2.5D STAGE PLAY TOKYO BLADE,
FIRST DAY OF REHEARSAL
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22. Okay, let's take a ten-minute break.
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23. PLAYING TSURUGI
KANA ARIMA (17)
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24. PLAYING KIZAMI
MELT NARUSHIMA (16)
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25. PLAYING MONME
SAKUYA KAMOSHIDA (22)
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26. Kurokawa, you got a sec?
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27. Yes.
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28. Another season has passed
since the new B Komachi's first concert.
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29. It's been four months.
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30. Since then, we've had a few small concerts
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31. and have been posting videos constantly
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32. gaining more fans along the way.
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33. As for Aqua,
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34. he says he doesn't want to be an actor,
but he's been getting more acting jobs.
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35. To be honest,
I don't know what he's thinking.
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36. Oh, yeah.
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37. He has a cute girlfriend now.
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38. They started dating through a TV show
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39. and they'll be performing with Senpai
in a stage play.
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40. But according to him,
their relationship is strictly business.
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41. He's a scum. An enemy to all women.
That's what I think.
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42. HOSHINO FAMILY
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43. I'm doing well.
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44. Until the day I get to stand
on the Dome stage of your dreams,
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45. I'll keep working hard as an idol.
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46. IDOL GROUP, B KOMACHI
RUBY HOSHINO (16)
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47. Watch me, Mama.
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48. Tokyo Blade is a popular manga,
which has sold over 50 million copies.
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49. It's a classic battle story,
where different teams in Japan
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50. deepen their friendship and love
along the way.
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51. Arima belongs to the Shinjuku Cluster
with other main characters.
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52. The Shibuya Cluster, where Akane and I
belong, stands in their way.
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53. The scenario for this stage play
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54. is centered on the Shibuya Conflict Arc,
where these two teams fight each other.
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55. I only have scenes with Arima at the end.
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56. Are you disappointed you only have
a few scenes with Kana?
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57. You guys seem close.
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58. You came to the cast meeting together.
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59. It's the opposite.
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60. When it comes to acting,
she gets so passionate that it scares me.
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61. I'm glad we only have a few scenes
together. She can't complain that much.
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62. Right…
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63. But isn't it fun to talk about acting?
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64. I can go on all day long.
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65. You've got to be kidding.
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66. That only applies to those
who have a passion for acting.
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67. And you don't?
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68. Nope.
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69. Those who do theater
are those who basically love acting
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70. and are sincere about it.
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71. I'm different.
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72. Acting is a way
to get close to the truth about Ai.
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73. Representative of Theater Lalalai,
Toshiro Kindaichi.
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74. The man who may have
influenced Ai in some way.
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75. A way to get close to him.
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76. - The break is almost over.
- Yeah.
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77. Hang on.
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78. Let's go.
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79. I heard that Shinjuku, a lawless region,
has been unified by a certain man.
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80. His name is Blade.
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81. I see. That sounds interesting.
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82. I'll go take a look at the guy.
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83. Please don't pick a fight
without giving it any thought.
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84. May I accompany you?
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85. We don't have
any bad actors this time, huh?
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86. My Allied Sword is called Iwadachi.
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87. It's natural that Arima,
who's been acting for a long time,
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88. and everyone in Lalalai can act.
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89. I wasn't sure about Melt
when I saw him in Sweet Today,
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90. but he's not bad.
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91. Aqua said this is his first stage play,
but he's observant and flawless.
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92. Kaburagi always picks the best ones
when he's referring them to others.
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93. The rivalry between Arima and Akane,
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94. the old and new prodigies
of the same generation, is exciting too.
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95. The immersive type,
who absorbs herself into her role,
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96. and the adaptive type,
who responds to others' performance.
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97. They're completely opposite.
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98. In my opinion,
Akane is one step ahead of her.
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99. I hope Arima won't lose.
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100. Don't be so sure.
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101. This sword is too good
for a country samurai like you.
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102. We have Himekawa after all.
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103. Arima, is it?
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104. Don't hold back.
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105. PLAYING BLADE, TOKYO BLADE'S PROTAGONIST
TAIKI HIMEKAWA (19)
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106. You want to fight me?
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107. It doesn't seem like we can talk it out.
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108. The winner becomes the sword's partner.
How's that?
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109. Indeed, that's simple enough!
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110. Don't complain when you die!
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111. Right back at you!
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112. Is that all you've got?
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113. You're no match for me.
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114. Stop yapping!
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115. What's wrong? You wanna give up?
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116. Don't get cocky!
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117. This is it!
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118. What's so funny?
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119. You're strong, huh?
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120. G-Get away from me!
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121. Kana Arima,
you wanna grab something to eat?
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122. Sounds good.
I have so many questions to ask you.
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123. Come with us, Melt.
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124. Huh? Me?
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125. Of course.
We have a lot of scenes together.
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126. Kana.
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127. Until recently,
she always put others first.
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128. She wasn't the type of actor
to hog the spotlight.
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129. She wasn't the type
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130. who could act selfishly
to steal everyone's attention.
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131. Is it confidence? Resolution?
Did she gain something by being an idol?
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132. Lalalai has also been stagnant recently.
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133. I accepted the 2.5D stage play
and having actors from outside
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134. because I thought
we needed some kind of motivation.
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135. They're all competitive, you see.
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136. There's no way they feel nothing
after seeing something like that.
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137. They'll be desperate
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138. to come up with a way to compete with it.
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139. If they're true actors.
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140. 2.5D STAGE PLAY TOKYO BLADE,
THIRD DAY OF REHEARSAL
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141. For stage plays, we usually have
about a month of rehearsals.
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142. We start at midday
and rehearse for six to seven hours.
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143. Many of us are busy,
so not everyone can come.
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144. Leading actors in particular are unable
to join the rehearsal due to other jobs.
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145. So we often hire stand-ins
to replace them during the rehearsals.
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146. But theater people love to act after all,
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147. so they'll come even if they can
only participate at night.
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148. Arima, you got a sec?
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149. What is it?
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150. How do you read this?
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151. "Sakimori."
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152. I see.
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153. What? I thought it was "boujin."
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154. You're so smart, Arima.
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155. That's normal.
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156. Why are there so many theater actors
who can't read kanji?
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157. Maybe you should read more books.
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158. I don't like books. Words are too tiny.
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159. I like pictures better.
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160. I get that. I only read manga.
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161. Being a theater freak is…
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162. By the third day, groups have
started to form at the rehearsal hall.
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163. I'll bring some books, so read them.
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164. The leading cast group.
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165. Fine.
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166. Lalalai group
and the supporting role group.
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167. And…
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168. My boyfriend seems isolated.
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169. Is he not good at mingling with others?
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170. I mean,
he is giving off a very negative vibe.
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171. I can relate though.
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172. Are you looking at Kana?
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173. Yeah.
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174. "Yeah?"
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175. You know, I am your…
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176. Arima has a habit of adjusting
her acting level to others on set.
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177. She's lost her jobs in the past
by flaunting her acting skills.
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178. So, maybe it's her tactic
to survive in this industry.
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179. Until recently,
she was surrounded by mediocre actors
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180. and giving mediocre performances.
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181. But this time,
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182. she has Taiki Himekawa, the star actor
of Theater Lalalai, by her side.
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183. If she's going to perform at his level…
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184. Akane, you want to beat Arima. Right?
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185. At this rate, you'll lose. Big time.
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186. Hmph!
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187. Hmph!
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188. If you're mad, just say so.
What are you? A child?
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189. Should you be worrying about me?
At this rate, you're—
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190. I'm not trying to win to begin with.
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191. I know I can't beat someone with talent.
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192. B STUDIO
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193. Kill every single one
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194. in the Shinjuku Cluster.
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195. Kurokawa, give it a stronger tone.
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196. Match your emotions with the others.
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197. Understood.
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198. Stronger. A stronger tone.
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199. Like this?
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200. Kill every single one
in the Shinjuku Cluster!
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201. Okay. Let's go with that.
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202. Next, Shinjuku scene. Arima, you first.
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203. Okay.
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204. So that's what he wanted.
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205. Um, how do we get to Shibuya again?
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206. You've never been there?
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207. O-Of course I have! Many times!
Don't mock me!
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208. Are you sure? You know
she speaks with an accent sometimes.
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209. I did? When?
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210. Since the day we first met.
You didn't know?
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211. I had a bit of a bad start with this play.
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212. The reason is this script.
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213. Princess Saya, the character I'm playing,
doesn't appear much in the original manga.
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214. In the beginning,
she appeared as Touki's love interest.
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215. But the fans started to ship him
with his enemy, Tsurugi.
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216. And she ended up losing the scenes
as Touki's companion.
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217. She's what you call a losing heroine.
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218. In the latest chapter
of the original manga,
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219. sadly, her character as Touki's fiancée
is pretty much forgotten.
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220. Guys like girls who are expressive
and cheerful like Tsurugi, right?
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221. I guess so. The manga seems to have
turned the story in that direction too.
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222. If I stay silent,
girls like her will take everything away.
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223. The fact that Princess Saya
doesn't appear much
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224. means I have little material
for character analysis.
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225. I have to fill in the missing pieces
with my imagination
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226. and complete the character myself.
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227. But my interpretation of the character
seems to be quite different
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228. to that of the script.
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229. Or more like, she's completely different
from the original.
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230. She's turned into a stock character!
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231. Originally, she's shy and gentle.
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232. A girl who feels conflicted
about killing people.
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233. But she's turned into a battle lover
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234. in order to shorten
the play's running time.
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235. It's like she's a massacre-loving nutcase.
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236. I know that some changes have to be made
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237. when you adapt manga to a stage play.
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238. But these changes are made for
the playwright's convenience.
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239. I feel bad for Princess Saya.
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240. After all she went through in the manga,
she's treated badly here too.
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241. I like you.
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242. But I guess it can't be helped.
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243. The original author approved this script.
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244. I have to work with this.
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245. 2.5D STAGE PLAY TOKYO BLADE,
FIFTH DAY OF REHEARSAL
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246. Hi, I'm here.
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247. Hey, GOA. How's it going?
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248. The schedule for
my other script is falling apart.
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249. They wanted the revised copy
by this morning. It's so tough.
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250. I'm so sleepy.
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251. Mr. GOA, the playwright, is here.
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252. Yeah.
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253. The original author is coming in too.
I guess that's why he came.
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254. Hey, what do you think of this script?
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255. Huh?
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256. It's a bit different from the original.
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257. Right.
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258. But I think it follows the original story
for most parts.
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259. It's 90 times better
than the last drama script I acted in.
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260. Yeah, Sweet Today was a total flop.
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261. If something's bothering you,
why don't you just ask him?
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262. I can't. We're supposed to get
acting advice from the director.
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263. Getting too much advice
will confuse the actors, right?
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264. Mr. Kindaichi doesn't even allow actors
to give feedback to each other.
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265. I see.
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266. Do you have time to see Smash Heaven?
I think I can still get you a ticket.
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267. - Yeah.
- Excuse me.
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268. Kurokawa seems to have a question
about the script.
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269. It'd be great if we could get
Mr. Kindaichi's opinion as well.
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270. Hey, Aqua!
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271. It won't be confusing this way, right?
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272. Yeah, but…
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273. Hm? What is it?
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274. Out with it, Kurokawa.
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275. It's about Princess Saya.
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276. How should I put it…
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277. I can't really grasp her character
from the script.
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278. Like, why she is the way she is.
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279. Ah, yes. She's much more aggressive
than in the original manga.
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280. That's right!
She's more conflicted in the manga.
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281. Well, yeah.
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282. I had a hard time with that part too.
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283. But if we try to show her conflict
in a medium like stage play,
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284. though it's doable,
it'll take too much time.
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285. In manga, you can depict how someone feels
in just one panel.
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286. But in order to show that
to an audience far from the stage,
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287. we need a considerable amount of time.
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288. I'm writing a two-hour play
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289. with many characters
conveying their various emotions.
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290. In order to do that,
I need to make everything simple.
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291. If not, all the scenes won't come together
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292. and it won't make sense to the audience.
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293. We wouldn't need playwrights
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294. if we just used everything
from the original.
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295. My job is to find and select
the exciting parts for the play.
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296. I'm a fan of the original manga too,
so I don't want to change it up too much.
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297. I guess taking on that unpleasant role
is part of my job too.
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298. That said, you're the one
who's playing the character.
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299. So, if it's bothering you, I'll change it.
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300. Don't spoil her.
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301. I've read the first few volumes
of the original manga.
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302. And it's best not to include
Princess Saya's feelings.
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303. Making her into an active character
simplified the conflict structure.
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304. So it's easier for the audience to see
what we're focusing on.
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305. This decision is not wrong
as a playwright.
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306. That's why I accepted it.
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307. In this play, your role is not about
showing how complex your character is,
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308. but to show the antagonism
between the characters in a simple way.
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309. There you go. Are you satisfied?
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310. Yes.
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311. CONFLICT STRUCTURE
SHOW THE ANTAGONISM IN A SIMPLE WAY!
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312. In a simple way, huh?
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313. Hi, everyone!
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314. We have a special guest today!
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315. Uh, um. Hello.
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316. She's the author of Tokyo Blade,
Ms. Abiko.
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317. I'm Kichijoji. I'm here to accompany her.
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318. Ms. Kichijoji, it's been a while!
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319. Ms. Arima, we haven't met since
Sweet Today's after-party!
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320. It's nice to see you again too, Aqua.
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321. Thank you.
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322. Sensei, long time no see.
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323. Oh, yeah.
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324. I knew it,
but she's pretty cold towards me.
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325. Well, you were terrible in Sweet Today.
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326. As an original author,
of course she'd despise you.
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327. Well, yeah.
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328. Sensei, nice to meet you.
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329. Hey, greet her properly.
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330. Locking eyes with good-looking people
makes me panic.
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331. I understand that, but still.
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332. Please make yourselves comfortable.
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333. Thank you very much.
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334. What do you think, Sensei?
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335. They're all very good actors.
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336. I think the play will be great.
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337. Well, of course.
Lalalai only has first-class actors.
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338. I bet everyone has been
practicing really hard.
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339. Sensei, you should say "rehearse"
instead of "practice" for a play.
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340. Oh, really? I'm sorry.
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341. I don't know anything about it.
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342. They're amazing.
I could never do what they do.
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343. But that's why I should, right?
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344. I should say this myself, shouldn't I?
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345. The script.
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346. Can it still be changed?
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347. Of course. But, which part?
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348. "Which part?" Well…
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349. All of it.
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