ODDTAXI has been one of the biggest surprises of Spring 2021's anime season. What looks like a simple furry anime turned out to be one of the most engaging original anime in recent years. Not only is ODDTAXI a great crime thriller with a tightly-woven narrative, it also features some deep studies of incredibly grounded and relatable characters.
The series is also notable for the naturalistic way the voice actors are directed to speak, which is atypical for an anime series, especially one where the characters look like anthropomorphic animals. CBR had the opportunity to ask ODDTAXI stars Riho Iida and Ryohei Kimura about their experience working on this unique anime. They shared their favorite anecdotes, their thoughts about their characters and more.
CBR: What has been your favorite experience working on this series? Do you have any memorable anecdotes from recording?
Ryohei Kimura: I happened to be at the studio on a day they were recording but I didn't have any lines, so I got to be part of the crowd.
Riho Iida: Shirakawa-san has a moment in which she explodes on Odokawa-san inside his taxi. Personally, I enjoyed her conversations with him. They were fun.
How do you relate to the character you play? What interests you about your character?
Kimura: I may not be at his level, but I do my best to take care of my friends.
Goriki is an intelligent and magnanimous man who cares deeply for his friends. He feels very human in both good and bad ways, which I actually find charming.
Iida: I think we feel like pretty different people. I'm not very mysterious and talk about everything, but Shirakawa-san is also a considerate person. It's a little odd to describe oneself as considerate, but I do end up looking after younger colleagues maybe a bit too much. I've even gone so far with it that I've ended up hurting myself. I wouldn't call that co-dependence necessarily, but in that way, we might be similar. I think we both have older sister vibes.
What are your hopes for the future of your character?
Kimura: I'm sure he'll carefully consider his options and attempt to live wisely, but considering who he knows, ultimately he'll probably be swayed by them.
Iida: You mean concerning Shirakawa's future after the events of the anime, right? She has Dr. Goriki, who she can trust. I hope she apologizes to him. She's truly blessed. I hope she doesn't expect too much. She made a mistake, but since she has her nursing license, I hope she works hard as a nurse. I see her as a typical woman, so -- oh, but I hope she improves her capoeira to the point that she can call it a skill instead of just a hobby and participates in some tournaments.
Speaking of capoeira, that capoeira scene was fun, Iida-san. Do you have any experience with capoeira?
Iida: I personally had heard the term capoeira, but I didn't know what it was or what sounds people made while doing it or when it was used. I found videos online of people doing capoeira and listened to them in very quiet places to hear the noises people made. It was interesting. I wasn't expecting to do any capoeira.
You were also asked to appear in the music video for the opening song. How did you get involved? What can you tell us about this experience?
Iida: I received an offer for this as well. I filmed it on the day of a screening event in Ginza. There were lots of people there, so I felt a little embarrassed. But it's a very stylish MV, and I love the OP theme, so I was very glad to have the opportunity to appear in it. If you're ever in Ginza, try following the same path I did.
Kimura-san, do you enjoy mysteries like ODDTAXI? Do you have a favorite genre?
Kimura: I like everything, but mystery and horror are my go-tos.
Finally, what do you believe is the charm of ODDTAXI? And what is your favorite scene or lines of dialogue from the series so far?
Kimura: It's a high-quality suspenseful drama hidden behind unconventional character designs and casting choices. There's a lot of clever comedy mixed in, too.
Since it's not only an original story, but also one with strong mystery elements, each week I was excited to read the script.
Iida: There are a lot [of good dialogues]. The script uses a lot of verbal substitutions in its examples and metaphors. In particular remember a conversation about the size of something, and a character says it's as big as an American vitamin capsule. It's excellent, and I love it. The most obvious example from the earlier episodes is the "S-S-Springsteen" conversation -- I'm having trouble saying it right now. Scenes like those are the first time viewers will notice there's something different about this series that captures their interest. I can't choose just one scene; there are so many fun details to discover. I have so many favorites. It's like reading a novel. It's a wordy script.
ODDTAXI is now streaming on Crunchyroll.
