where is the meaning in the scars I could not choose?
Go.
First things first... Let us save the world!
The anime with the heroes and flashy battle action scenes that will take your breath away!
Blood Blockade Battlefront!
Ah, that Klaus-san is just so cool no matter what he's doing!
Oh, hi there.
This is the voice of the Sonic Speed Monkey, Yuma Uchida!
Well, usually you only hear me saying this sort of thing but this time we're presenting a special program!
It's not just the action; I'll present all the wonderful facets of this series for you.
In huma language, of course.
It strengthened the feeling I had of wanting to protect him.
Ah, I see!
The power of hearing it voiced really added so much to it.
Hear two of our wonderful cast discuss! What are the charms of their characters?
We'll also present an exclusive interview with the performers of the ED song!
Right from episode 1 you get a feel for the whole world of the series.
Tonight we present for you all the the must-know charms of the Blood Blockade Battlefront anime!
The Blood Blockade Battlefront anime is...?
The setting for our story is the former New York City, Hellsalem's Lot.
Three years before, the sudden intersection of the human world and Alterworld blended them together.
Creating a city on the brink of two realms!
And operating in the shadows of this chaotic new world is the secret society Libra.
We'll show them what happens to people who cross Libra.
Allow me to demonstrate!
Wielding special powers, its members fight to protect the city from those who would disturb its balance.
-Electrigger, 1.25 Gigawatts! -Espada Del Cero Absoluto!
At the center of this story is Leonardo, who by chance becomes the newest member of Libra.
I need to see through it...
With these eyes of mine!
He holds an amazing power of his own - the Eyes of the Gods
which render him able to see things hidden from all other eyes but his.
But Leonardo's incredible eyes came at a terrible price.
The loss of his little sister's vision.
If you must take something, then then take it from me!
In order to restore his sister's sight, Leo begins his search for Libra.
Fighting beside his newfound comrades, he begins to learn and grow.
These guys do know...
that being bested by the facts isn't the same as giving up.
And then Leo meets White, a beautiful and mysterious girl.
But as the two begin to grow closer...
Go and get your friend's eyeballs for me.
I...
want to be friends with Leo.
But an evil being appears to target's Leo's eyes
and set the world on a path to destruction.
You bastards... STOP HURTING HIM!
In the end, will Leo and the members of Libra be able to save the world?
Everybody dies someday.
What fate awaits Leo...?
-Death!
-Oh, death!
The Unique Cast of Characters
Just what kind of organization the secret society Libra is remains unclear.
But it's filled with highly individual members!
Allow us to introduce a few of them.
The leader of Libra is Klaus Von Reinherz.
He uses his own blood as a weapon in his Brain Grid Style Blood Martial Arts.
Brain Grid Style Blood Martial Arts, Form #999: Ewigkeit Gefangnis!
Look past Klaus's scary face and you'll find a true gentleman.
However, he can get unexpectedly fired up when he's absorbed in a certain game!
Well done, Mr. Yamakawa!
Zapp Renfro.
Though like an older brother to Leo, he's loose with both money and women
and appears to be nothing more than an ill-mannered punk.
Goddammit.
Now now.
Homura-Maru!
However, there's nobody in Libra who fails to recognize his unmatched skill and instinct in battle.
Other members include Chain Sumeragi, whose graceful exterior belies her forceful personality.
A friend asked me for advice today about a pervert who's been harassing her.
Klaus's right-hand man, Steven A. Starphase.
Wielder of the Esmeralda Blood Freeze kicking skill that can freeze anything in its path.
Every one of them is multifaceted and anything but ordinary.
So what are the charms of these characters?
We asked these two:
-Good morning! -Good morning.
-Let's do this -Yeah, let's.
Rikiya Koyama, voice of Klaus.
In addition to his many anime roles, his voice can be heard in many
foreign movie dubs and the TV series 24 as the lead, Jack Bauer.
Daisuke Sakaguchi, voice of Leonardo.
Star of countless hit anime including Gintama and Victory Gundam.
Allow me to proceed!
What was it like to play their roles of Klaus and Leonardo?
What scenes or lines left an impression on you?
How about you?
Which ones for you?
I'd have to say the hardcore shogi game.
By "hardcore shogi" you mean prosfair, right?
Right.
Episode 3 is the tale of Klaus undertaking a challenge at the Alterworld board game of prosfair.
For the sake of justice and the balance of the world
Klaus puts his life on the line in a near-endless game against a bizarre opponent.
Even if I am burdened with a thousand setbacks,
that is no reason for me to debase
my own way of life!
A scene like that is a novel challenge for an actor.
That's right. You really have to set the scene.
It's just a board game, but played for that long--
It's this game where the viewers don't know the rules.
You can see that it's a little like chess, but that's about it.
And yet you were able to give it a real sense of urgency.
It's a game against an opponent who's lived a frighteningly long time, too!
-Very true. -Almost entirely for the sake of playing this game.
Episode 3 was great.
It was!
It was great in general.
It was, I agree.
My favorite episode is one you don't appear in at all, Rikiya-san...
One where I don't appear at all! Okay!
It's episode 6.
Episode 6!
-That's the one with Ikue Ootani's character Nej.
-Ah, Ikue-chan.
I like that episode a lot.
Episode 6 is the story of the friendship between Leo and Nej, a Beyondian with a big appetite.
I can hold it in!
I don't ever want to forget you!
So...
So let's eat burgers again sometime, okay?
Nej...
Leo's very big-brotherly.
He may be at the bottom of the hierarchy in Libra...
But he has a little sister, Michella.
It felt like if he'd had a little brother, this is how he would have treated him.
They get fired up over the same things and have a great time.
He's very kind to him.
Hearing the voice Ikue-san gave the character strengthened the feeling I had of wanting to protect him.
Ah, I see!
The power of hearing it voiced really added so much to it, I thought.
So we got to see both Leo's natural brotherly nature and how he'd be with a little brother too.
It was a new side of him.
So that added some new depth.
A new side to it that you hadn't considered before you did it.
It really drew me in.
So what do you think of this series, Rikiya-san?
Well, it's not over yet, but what do you think of it so far?
It introduced me to so many new things, and it's very memorable because of that.
The director is really something.
She's pouring everything she has into it and putting her life into her work,
and that motivates everyone else to give it their all so they can live up to the standard that's being set.
It might not be in the same sense as it was in the story, but we really do put our lives on the line for this series.
The sense of professionalism in everything we did to create it was so strong.
It's been really great.
It's unforgettable.
A series that I won't be able to forget no matter how many years pass.
I've been able to take part in so many different projects and they were all exciting in their own way
but the excitement from this series is in a class of its own.
It gives off its own kind of heat, you could say.
It got me fired up in a way unlike any other series has.
Even watching the recording of episode 3, I got so worked up I was going like this behind the scenes.
Really?
My hands were balled into fists and I could feel them sweating.
Out of impatience for your next scene, I bet. From boredom.
Not from boredom!
I got to feel the same excitement that a viewer would feel.
So it really was exciting to me, and I don't think I'm exaggerating in calling it a masterpiece.
We had a wonderful chat here today, so let me say thank you!
-Thank you!
Coming up after the commercial break, a special music video created just for this broadcast!
Big news!
We've got some amazing footage of the Libra members to share with you now.
Isn't that right, Guavera-san?
Indeed!
Please enjoy it along with the show's opening theme by the ultra-popular rock band Bump of Chicken!
Behind the door lies the twisted night of a twisted day
How did I get home last night? My own body's all I'm sure of
I'll be off again tomorrow, losing myself as always
in this familiar but alien scenery.
Once I thought I was done for, things started working out
It seems like death won't touch me, it's a bit embarrassing really
I couldn't forget my duty even if I wanted to
This pain serves as a constant reminder
I look up into your large, dark eyes
and you become my leading light
Surrounded by a world painted in the colors of my choosing,
where is the meaning in the scars I could not choose?
I'm the only hero in this story, here at the heart of the world
I have to stay on stage until the curtain falls
What should I do? I can't pretend to be hollow anymore
Hello world, here I am
It's a bit different from how it is in my memories
A feeling close to tears, always squeezing at my heart
It's something I've come to understand all too well
I had to, or else I wouldn't be able to see a thing
I've got to to live on and be a strong person
Pushing ahead even though my heart may falter
Through covered ears I still can hear a melody like a rainbow
Inside I sing along, unwavering
I can't hide from it, I'm a hero, with something I must protect
I'm only afraid because it's so precious to me
Behind the door lies a lie twisted into the truth
Pretending to pretend I'm empty, my own body's all I'm sure of
I'll be off again, continuing this ending
And from its midst I'll shout
Here I am, world!
Open your eyes now, you're a strong person
When I look into them I see the reason why I'm here
Surrounded by a world painted in the colors of my choosing,
do the scars inflicted by others hold any meaning?
I'm the only hero, and there's something I will protect
I'm only afraid because it's so precious to me
Through covered ears I still can hear a melody like a rainbow
Inside I sing along, unwavering
Cry out, hero, at the heart of the world
I have to stay on stage and see it through until the end
So there's no reason to play dead any more
Hello world, here I am
The Musical World of Blood Blockade Battlefront: Composer
You flat-eyed bastards!
The charm of Blood Blockade Battlefront isn't just in the heroes' battle action scenes.
-Kreuzschild Unzerbrechlich!
Zapp's the only one they brought in.
I think it's safe to say that Leo was abducted.
Just as much careful attention was paid to the series' music.
Taisei Iwasaki, who won a Japan Academy Award for his score to the film Moteki,
tells us about the world he tried to create in his music for Blood Blockade Battlefront.
The city of Hellsalem's Lot in which the story is set is the former New York City,
so I tried to capture its atmosphere in the music.
It's always a little chaotic, so much so that the everyday chaos becomes almost commonplace.
With a setting like that, I thought it would suit it well if the music had that same feeling.
Iwasaki paid close attention not only to the colorful characters,
but to the unique atmosphere of the city,
where humans and creatures from the Beyond mingle.
In order give the show fitting music, Iwasaki himself traveled to New York City
to experience the city for himself and to begin recording with his musician comrades.
Let's listen to a brief selection of his many compositions for the series!
"Catch Me If You Can" Vocal: Ai Ninomiya
"It's Magic" Vocal: Shira Z. Carmel
"On My Own" Vocal: Ai Ninomiya
I'd love for the viewers to experience the city through the music
as though they were residents of Hellsalem's Lot themselves.
I always try to create my music to be like that.
I'd like the viewer to feel like they've jumped straight into that world,
and if I succeeded in evoking that feeling, nothing would make me happier.
Um... we're very glad to be here!
After this commercial break, it's time to meet this high-energy band!
The Musical World of Blood Blockade Battlefront: The Theme Song
The ending theme, Sugar Song and Bitter Step, was written by a certain popular rock band.
Nice to meet you, we're Unison Square Garden.
Thank you so much for warmly enjoying Sugar Song and Bitter Step.
Their musical sense overflowing with liveliness and originality was a perfect fit for Blood Blockade Battlefront.
I think the melody of this song,
since our melodies tend to be quiet chaotic and change in little ways as the song progresses,
and then this anime is one that doesn't drag its feet explaining; it's a frantic jumble of different things,
in the best possible way,
and gives you the feeling that anything is possible, are quite a good match for each other.
Right from episode 1 you get a feel for the whole world of the series.
From the beginning of the first volume of the manga, you see Leo-kun
looking at the chaos of this weird city and yet he still remarks 'aah, it's peaceful' -
and to us, living in a really peaceful country like Japan, it really makes us think about strange this place is.
So the lyrics in the very first part of the song tie into that.
With this interpretation, they created a song with lyrics that perfectly evoke the world of the series.
I've gotten used to this cataclysmic competition
I sometimes mistake these insane days for peace
Jolted around by this crazy roller coaster
I wonder what it was I had to keep my sights set on
The song and its melody might sound very cheerful,
but that's not all there is to it.
There's sorrow too, and a sort of melancholy we tried to have in it as well.
We put a lot of care into making it meaningful and full of nuances,
so we hope you can enjoy it as a more three-dimensional song.
Our goal when we wrote it was to create something that was more than just a fun song.
And to go along with it, this ending animation was created!
Sometimes sweet, sometimes bitter, it makes your head spin
Let's keep partying, headed for south-southwest
We'll make this a night the whole world will remember
You can see in the animation that the characters aren't completely in sync with the rhythm of of the song;
they're a little slower and off the beat, right?
And the transitions between scenes aren't just nice clean, mechanical cuts in time with the music.
I think that's what makes it interesting.
The sublime combination of the theme song and animation is tied together by the characters' dancing!
I was expecting to see stiff movement,
almost mechanical, so when I saw the complete ending sequence
I was impressed with how loose it turned out to be,
and I thought that anime can really express a lot of human qualities that way.
In general it really made me think "wow, anime is capable of doing all these different things!"
It was really eye-opening.
So just looking it the way an ordinary viewer would, I really enjoyed it.
Did you enjoy our special presentation?
Be sure to keep an eye on the world of Blood Blockade Battlefront and the diverse cast and talented creators who made it so fun to watch!
The final episode on everyone's minds is in production even as we speak.
We hope you'll all look forward to it!
This was your narrator, Yuma Uchida, voice of Sonic!
And with that, bye-bye!
I've gotten used to this cataclysmic competition
I sometimes mistake these insane days for peace
Jolted around by this crazy roller coaster
I wonder what it was I had to keep my sights set on
Fundamental equalism became the norm for me
Down to my heart, nothing really matters
Love or hate, I've got to spell it out
Or else I'd be no better than a puppet
For the people who stroll the city at night,
sometimes happy, sometimes lonely,
the contrast dances around the score
and turns into rhythm and music
Marmalade sugar song
Peanuts and bitter step
Sometimes sweet, sometimes bitter, it makes your head spin
Let's keep partying, headed for south-southwest
We'll make this a night the whole world will remember
I feel great!
Reflect that smile around like a chain reaction
Marmalade sugar song
Peanuts and bitter step
Sometimes sweet, sometimes bitter, it makes your head spin
Let's keep partying, headed for south-southwest
We'll make this a night the whole world will remember
I feel great!
Reflect that smile around like a chain reaction
Come on! Jump outta the frying pan, into the fire, and back into the pan again!