TV anime Hotaru no Yomeiri, based on Tachibana Oreko’s manga of the same name, will begin airing on October 9, 2026. The story centers on Kirigaya Satoko, a young lady with little time left to live, and Gotou Shinpei, a mysterious assassin who tries to kill her. The two were never meant to meet, but one incident brings them suddenly closer, setting off an unpredictable romance within a harsh fate. It is billed as a false-marriage x love suspense series.
AnimeAnime interviewed Lynn, who plays Kirigaya Satoko, and Uchiyama Kouki, who plays Gotou Shinpei. They spoke about how they felt when they were cast, the appeal of their characters, the relationship between Satoko and Shinpei, and scenes that stayed with them.
Lynn and Uchiyama Kouki on Joining a 5-Million-Copy Hit
The manga has surpassed 5 million copies in circulation and has drawn support from a large readership. Both actors said the scale of that fanbase was on their minds.
Lynn: “There was definitely pressure. Many people enjoy the manga, and I think each reader has their own ideal Satoko and ideal Shinpei. Turning characters like that into one form through animation is quite challenging. I want to play a Satoko that as many people as possible can accept.”
Uchiyama: “It’s a work with so many fans, so I hoped the anime adaptation would not betray the expectations of original manga readers. It’s natural for there to be all kinds of reactions. I felt there was no choice but to do it—yaru shikanai.” He recalled the pressure with a laugh.
Tachibana Oreko’s Art: Delicate Lines and Telling Eyes
Asked about Tachibana Oreko’s style after reading the original manga, Lynn pointed to the delicate, beautiful linework and especially the way eyes are drawn. She described the eyes as having a certain allure and real power. Shinpei’s eyes often lack light, but when his emotions move, light enters them. For Lynn, that made it possible to see when his feelings shifted, and she was immediately drawn to that kind of depiction.
Uchiyama also found the artwork striking. While the manga depicts the murky, tangled emotions of people, the drawing style remains beautiful and delicate. Looking at Shinpei in particular, his expressions change constantly. He can look terrifying, smile warmly, or appear in a rounder design with large, round eyes. Uchiyama said that these dramatic shifts in character impression, along with the work’s many different sides, made it feel like a series with a wide range of expression.
Playing Satoko’s Resolve and Shinpei’s Many Faces
For Lynn, Satoko understands that her remaining time is short and has thought since childhood about what she can do for her family and her father. That gives her a strong resolve and a core of strength. Even if she is kidnapped or caught in a kill-or-be-killed situation, she has the strength and coolness to break through on her own. Lynn kept the underlying feeling—“return home, for my father”—unshaken in her performance.
Uchiyama saw Shinpei as a character who requires many different elements in his performance. The first thing that stands out is his madness and fearfulness; there are many scenes that make him seem terrifying, while a mysterious “I don’t know what he’s thinking” quality must remain. At the same time, Shinpei also shows cuteness, childishness, and a slightly pure side. Uchiyama aimed to make those varied aspects appealing in each scene, which he felt would bring him closer to the Shinpei depicted in the original manga.
Watching Each Other: Voice, Strength, and a Battle for Initiative
When asked about each other’s performances and memorable moments, Lynn said Shinpei has many sides—straightforward, mad, and cute. He is a highly unrealistic existence, but Uchiyama’s voice makes him feel as if “someone like this might really exist,” bringing the character closer to reality. She especially felt that when Shinpei directly throws words like “I like you” or “I’m by your side,” they enter her own heart smoothly. She also said their dialogue is very fun to perform.
Uchiyama said it is fascinating to watch the two characters’ relationship change little by little from their first meeting. Part of the appeal, he added, is a kind of “struggle for initiative” between Shinpei and Satoko. Lynn expresses Satoko’s inner strength through her voice. Satoko also has the refinement of a young lady from a good family, along with a somehow earthy strength, and Uchiyama felt Lynn conveyed both wonderfully. Recording together, he experienced that strength in every episode.
Interview and text by Yoneda Kaori; photography by Fujita Ayumi.
