Apricot Suzuki has been working actively with the goal of becoming an actor since elementary school, and Yu Aoi became an actor at the age of fourteen or fifteen and started filming. These two young and talented girls are still on their own paths, and they will never forget that there was a film that brought a huge twist in their destinies. That is "Flowers and Alice" brought by Shunji Iwai in 2004.

More than a decade has passed since then, and now they are once again standing in that unforgettable world. Although this film is more than a decade old, it has never faded through the test of time, still shining with youthful light, and is a masterpiece of cinema that depicts the story of adolescence. Many viewers only got to know Yu Aoi and Apricot Suzuki through this work, and they are deeply engraved in their hearts. The Aoi Yu and Suzuki Angola that everyone sees now have surpassed the characters themselves, as if "the flower is Suzuki Yu herself", and "Alice is also Yu Aoi herself".

Today, more than ten years later, a theatrical version of the animation "The Murder of Flowers and Alice", which tells the story of the encounter between flowers and Alice, was born. In the past ten years, Anko Suzuki and Yu Aoi still care about each other, occasionally encouraging each other to move forward on their respective paths. They have grown from young girls to mature actresses. After growing up, the two returned to the big screen as "Flower" and "Alice" again, and appeared as voice actors in "Flower and Alice Murder". Let's hear what they think about this return.

- "Flowers and Alice" was released more than 10 years ago in 2004, when you were both in your teens. Looking back now, what do you think the preservation of this work means to you? Is it a work that gave you a twist?

Aoi: At the time, I had just made my debut as an actor, so I wasn't sure if I would actually follow this path in the future. Walking down the street, someone will come up to talk to you, and you can't even think about it. In retrospect, the period of "Flowers and Alice" was the last period when I was not seen and stored as a "Aoi Yu", but only as a human being. It was the last days of Acura's teenage years for me. Because of this, I was able to go shopping in Harajuku and other places with Apricot at a leisurely pace. Looking back now, Apricot was already famous at that time, but I didn't expect her to dare to walk down the street so boldly (laughs).

Suzuki: I remember, I remember (laughs).

Aoi: I cherish that time very much. Of course, as an actor, it was a huge turning point for me. And the time when I made this movie is also an indispensable treasure in my life.

Suzuki: That work also gave me a lot of twists. One of the biggest ones, to be honest, introduced me to Yu Aoi (laughs). Later, I was of great help to me. Yu Aoi is a very important person in my heart, and I am still inspired and influenced by her to this day. Because "Flowers and Alice" brought me such an encounter, it was special to me. I'm still grateful for this play.

――You all have such an affection for "Flowers and Alice", and when you heard that Director Iwai was going to make a prequel movie, and it was still an anime, what was your first feeling at that time?

Suzuki: It was a surprise, but it wasn't a surprise. I had a premonition that "Flowers and Alice" would meet again at another time. On the other hand, maybe it's because I've been looking forward to doing it again.

Aoi: I'm just very happy anyway. I was so happy that I didn't know until I walked into the studio that I was worried about whether I could make a teenage voice (laughs) because I was too happy.

――You are back to the roles of Flower and Alice, but this time you will only use your voice, and you will have to play Flower and Alice, a 14-year-old girlhood who is younger than before. Are there any concerns about this?

Aoi: The first thing I realized when I first started speaking out was that my voice had become thicker (laughs). When you are in your teens, your pitch should be a little higher, and you will feel uneasy at first.

Suzuki: However, after watching several episodes, I still think that you are the same Alice from more than ten years ago.

Aoi: Great. This is the last chance, and I really want to perform Alice again. The rest can only trust Iwai's ability (laughs). However, I've also watched several places where you dubbed, and you're still the same "flower" that hasn't changed. I always feel that it is incredible to be able to meet the flowers of that time again. Then the joy swelled outward.

Suzuki: Me too. How should that joy be expressed? It can only be said that it is difficult to describe! The anxiety of being reunited with Hana is even stronger than the anxiety of worrying about whether I will be able to make the voice of a junior high school student. However, when I knocked on the door I remembered, I found that the flowers were still behind the door. That's one of the things that makes me very happy. I used to think that the character was just passing through my body, but it wasn't. This experience made me feel that the characters will always stay in my body, and I feel very happy.

――How do you feel about seeing your previous work?

Suzuki: Recently, I've finally been able to be objective about my previous work. If it had been more than 10 years ago, I would have been no longer me, but like my sister. I'll be honest and admit, "I worked so hard at the time." "For example, when "Blue Bird" is rerun, people around me say to me, "I watched it", and I don't feel very shy like before, but I feel very frank and happy. Of course, I am still a little embarrassed to see myself when I was a child, but I feel more that I am "lucky to be able to participate in a work that can be replayed after so many years". So now when I come across a replay of a work, I can only be grateful.

Aoi: Unlike Apricot, I still can't objectively face the works I have starred in. All I see is my immature side, so if I want to escape from the past, I can only look forward (wry smile). However, the works are already out anyway, and I still hope that they will be seen by as many people as possible.