Original Source in Japanese

The Chinese animation “Re:STARS” will be released in theaters this summer as a Japanese dubbed version of “Re:STARS ~Two Kiraboshi Connecting to the Future~”.

This work is based on the work distributed on the manga distribution application of the Chinese video distribution site “iQIYI”, and the original has been viewed more than 5.2 billion times. It will be animated in China in 2019, and the Chinese audio version will be broadcast on BS Nippon Television in Japan in 2023. This time, the Japanese dubbed version will be the theatrical version, starring Sutopuri’s dog and voice actor Suzuko Mimori. will be made public.

In recent years, more and more 2D content from China and other Asian countries, especially games, has become a hot topic in Japan. We asked Mr. Atsuo Nakayama, an entertainment sociologist and content business scientist, about the prospects for the development of Chinese animation in Japan and the positioning of works such as “Re:STARS” in this trend.

[Interview and text: Hodaka Sugimoto Photography: Kuranosuke Yoshino]

Imagination of Japanese animation spreading throughout Asia

――Both the original and the animation of “Re:STARS” are made in China. In recent years, Chinese 2D content has grown significantly, and Chinese games such as Genshin Impact have gained many fans in Japan. Professor Nakayama, what are your thoughts on this trend?

Nakayama : I think the key word here is “Generation Z.” This generation doesn’t have a negative image or a positive image of China or South Korea, and they are very neutral and have come to accept things that are genuinely interesting. In games, Chinese games have been penetrating since around “Wilderness Action” (2017), and now “Genshin” (2020) and “Goddess of Victory: NIKKE” (2022) released by Tencent from South Korea are big hits. I’m here. TikTok is also used by the younger generation as a matter of course.

I think this movement is similar to the relationship between America and Japan in the 1970s. At that time, many Americans had a sense of resistance to Japan, but the younger generation accepted Japanese Sony and Panasonic products without feeling uncomfortable, saying that good things are good. I believe that this is what is happening in Japan and other Asian countries.

――Although “Re:STARS” is a Chinese anime, it was produced using a Japanese animation style. The gender reversal of twins and the androgynous charm that accompanies it are common in Japanese manga and anime.

Nakayama : That’s right. Hisashi Eguchi’s “Stop! ! Hibari-kun! ” is a pioneering work depicting “Otokonoko”, and this type of work appeared in the 1980s. In “Re:STARS”, you can feel the smell of anime from the era when Japan was active, or rather, you can feel the Japanese culture.

――The idea of ​​switching between men and women feels like something out of Ranma 1/2. This is also from the 80’s.

Nakayama : This work has a touch of slapstick comedy, but I think bright works like this tend to focus on the positive driving era like Japan’s 80s.

In terms of animation, this work has a nostalgic feeling that is similar to that of Japanese animation from the 80’s and 90’s, such as manga-like exaggerations and exaggerated expressions. However, along with the nostalgia, I feel that there is also a new aspect to the theme.

–What is new?

Nakayama : You could say it’s a unisex story, and it depicts something like a “male daughter”. It’s interesting to see a film like this coming out of China, where gay stories are officially banned.

The other day, I went to Thailand for BL research, and there are more imported Chinese BL novels such as “Mado Soushi” than Japanese BL manga. There are many such stories unofficially created in China, where BL regulations are supposed to be strict, and they are developed by relying on the ASEAN market rather than the domestic market. I think it’s very interesting that this story, which sells a “male daughter” image, is reimported into the Japanese market, which was at the forefront of Asia for such unisex stories. .

――There is a current situation where such imagination born from Japan is widely accepted in Asia.

Nakayama : That’s right. Genshin Impact and NIKKE, which I mentioned earlier, were also made by people who were exposed to Japanese works and grew up with them. I believe that these people are now the hub of creation in Asia. I believe that the creators of “Re:STARS” probably grew up immersed in the Japanese animation works of the 1980s and 1990s.

Originally, 3DCG is overwhelmingly stronger in the Chinese animation market, and hand-drawn animation is classified as a niche market. Including the regulatory aspect, I think it’s as difficult as threading a needle to bring this kind of work to fruition.

――On the other hand, are there any aspects of China that you can’t find in Japan?

Nakayama : I can feel it everywhere. The scenes where the main character is being chased by girls and the comical expressions make me feel Chinese. I feel that the sense of laughter is different from Japan. Laughter is most dependent on context, so in that sense, this work is both nostalgic and unexpected.

Luxurious line-up of localization

――What do you think about the localization of this game?

Nakayama : I think it’s a very gorgeous line-up for the size of the work. I was surprised that in addition to the first-class voice actors such as Suzuko Mimori, Yui Horie, Sumire Uesaka, and Nobuhiko Okamoto, Rinu from Sutopuri was appointed. Mr. Sutopuri has not collaborated with many companies, so I think the attention to this work has suddenly increased due to the assignment of a big name.

――Rinu-san’s androgynous charm matches the work.

Nakayama : Yes. This work is also an idol work, so I’m addicted to it in that sense. Now, among idols targeting Generation Z, Sutopuri has become one of the strongest, so I think it’s an inevitable casting.

――It was announced that the theme song for the movie “Re:STARS ~Two Kiraboshi to Connect to the Future~” will be handled by Sutopuri. What is your impression of the music?

Nakayama : The whole song is just like Sutopuri-san. It’s a so-called idol song, and I think it matches the content of this work.

It’s a song that summarizes the content of the story of the twin protagonists experiencing a change and starting their own lives again. I think it’s an important factor in terms of localizing for Japan.

Theatrical version “Re: STARS ~Two Kiraboshi to connect to the future~” key visual

――Finally, as these works are being introduced in Japan, there is also a generation that takes Asian content neutrally. As this trend continues to grow, how will Asian 2D culture develop in the future?

Nakayama : I heard that from July onwards, there will be a nationally popular work in China called “Fu Ren Zai -Kamisama no Nichijou-“. I can’t. Even if such a work comes out later, I think that the flow of creating such a work is very important because there is a lot of accumulation leading up to it.

The Japanese anime market is already larger overseas than in Japan. The home video game console market is about 80% overseas and 20% domestic, so I think the Japanese anime market has the potential to grow just like games.

In the midst of this, I think that this movement, which is trying to create a boom by bringing Chinese content called “Re:STARS” to Japan, is radical. I am interested in whether they are trying to create a culture that connects the two countries.