A new interview about MARRIAGETOXIN has been released on Weekly Shōnen Jump’s official website. The conversation features series creator Joumyaku and anime director Motonobu Hori, who discuss the upcoming anime adaptation.
MARRIAGETOXIN s a popular battle-action manga that mixes romance, comedy, and dangerous missions. The story follows an unusual partnership between a hitman and a marriage swindler. The manga is currently serialized on the Shōnen Jump+ platform.
During the interview, Joumyaku and Motonobu Hori shared their excitement about bringing the series to television. They talked about the creative process behind the anime and the passion the team is putting into the adaptation.
The TV anime will premiere on April 7. Produced by BONES, the studio behind hits like My Hero Academia and GACHIAKUTA.
The full interview is now available in English on the official MARRIAGETOXIN homepage.
Main Visual:
A matchmaking battle action where a hitman partners with a marriage swindler to find the perfectmarriage. How did this storyline come about?
Joumyaku: When my father passed away, I was told that I would take over the household as the eldest son. My father was a government employee so I never thought about “the household” in that way, so I remember it being a very impactful moment. The fact that my grandmother was a strong “boss-like” person in our family also contributed to the idea for the story.
As for the characters, for example with Gero (Hikaru), I imagined different elements and combined them together, like “I can relate to him being uncomfortable around women”, and “what if he was a hitman?”
When Yoda (Mizuki)-Sensei, who handled the artwork, asked me about my image of Kinosaki (Mei), I remember mentioning my favorite idol at the time as an example. I often implement things that I’m into at that moment or things that catch my eye in real time.
Like, if I see a pinwheel during a walk, I might think that it would be cute as a hair pin, or something like that. I am directly affected by things I see on TV and around town, and I ask Yoda-Sensei to incorporate it into the artwork, so she definitely helps me out a lot (lol).
What was your impression when you read the original work?
Hori: I thought it was very chaotic (lol). When we meet with the anime staff, we always say “the contents are pretty chaotic…” as the opening line of each meeting, so it’s like a catchphrase for this title.
As we worked on the anime adaptation, I did my own analysis of what makes it so chaotic. What parts were written by Joumyaku-Sensei, and which parts were enhanced by Yoda-Sensei’s visuals. I don’t know the correct answer, but it was fun to imagine, and as a result, I reached the conclusion that this work is fun because “nobody stepped on the brakes.”
For example, there’s a scene where Naruko (Genya) sits in a massage chair in a tree, and it’s obviously impossible. But they don’t try to apply logic to it, they just illustrate something absurd as absurd. The momentum of the story just allows you to enjoy it as it is. As far as I can tell, nobody seems to have stepped on the brakes, but is that correct?
Joumyaku: I’ve never been asked “what do you mean by that?” from Yoda-Sensei (lol). Even when I write something that I think is completely unhinged, it comes back to me in an even more explosive way.
Hori: I would imagine she would have so many questions…, but that’s why you make such an amazing pair (lol). You step on the accelerator as you’re writing, and the artwork steps on the gas even more.
Joumyaku: That’s the result, yes (lol).
Is there a particularly memorable scene for you in the anime?
Joumyaku: The scene where the car gets cut in half, that’s also seen in the first PV. I was wondering how it would be depicted in the anime, so I was ecstatic that “it actually got cut in half!” when I first saw it (lol).
Hori: In the manga, if you describe it as “being cut by a chemical liquid,” the graphics make it understandable that “it’s being cut.” But in the anime, each movement needs to be drawn frame by frame, so we had to think about how the area being cut would melt. I explained that it’s “like a laser but it’s liquid” to the staff, and had them draw it in that way.
Joumyaku: A liquid laser. I see, that’s super intriguing (lol).
Hori: I hope people see the sense of reality we included into building out this world.
Are there situations where the anime inspires the original work and an idea expands from there?
Joumyaku: There are lots of situations where ideas expand, and I’ve also gained ideas as well. For example, in the flashback to Arashiyama (Kimie)’s past, Director Hori suggested that I write out the fake Ryoma Sakamoto’s name as “RYOMA” in alphabet letters. I won’t mention any specifics, but I’m sure there are many places that people will notice that the original was affected by the anime.
Hori: That makes me so happy! When we talked about the way certain characters speak, the voice actors made suggestions, like incorporating the specific word endings into the way they laugh for example, and they have been enthusiastically expanding their performances. Even when the scenarios seem crazy, it brought about something really fun at the studio.
Joumyaku: When I observed the recording, there was something that amazed me with the interaction between the director and voice actors. In the scene with the human chairs, one actor asked if the “…GH!” sound was out of pain or out of the weight of being sat on, and the director immediately answered “weight!” I was impressed by how fast he answered and how deeply everyone interpreted the materials, and seeing how everyone already understood the upcoming developments, it also made me feel relieved.
Hori: Adjusting the tone of voice is important because it affects the following scenes. In this title, even the characters who only appear for 1 or 2 frames are interesting, so I hope everyone pays attention to every corner of the anime.
CAST:
Hikaru Gero: Haruki Ishiya
Mei Kinosaki: Shion Wakayama
Kyoko Himekawa: Anna Nagase
Shizuku Ushio: Mariya Ise
Shiori Ureshino: Asaki Yuikawa
Genya Naruko: Soma Saito
Kimie Arashiyama: Hinano Shirahama
Piichi Nakagawa: Simba Tsuchiya
Akari Gero: Haruka Shiraishi
Toshiki Hanamaki: Isamu Yusen
STAFF:
Director: Motonobu Hori
Series Composition & Script: Kimiko Ueno
Character Design & Chief Animation Director: Kohei Tokuoka
Sub Character Design: Yurika Sako
Costume Design: Kotono
Prop Design: Ayumi Nagaki, Ryo Hirata
Art Design: Toshiki Amata
Art: Bihou
Color Design: Hiroko Umezaki
Photography Director: Go Kanbayashi
3DCG: SANZIGEN Inc.
CG Animation Director: Taiki Nagashima
Editing: Kumiko Sakamoto
Sound Director: Haru Yamada
Sound Effects: Tomokazu Mii
Music: Taisei Iwasaki, yuma yamaguchi
Production Supervision: Bones
Animation Production: Bones Film
Production: MARRIAGETOXIN Project
SERIES INTRODUCTION:
Hikaru Gero, the elite assassin and heir to the Poison Masters Clan, will be voiced by Haruki Ishiya. Mei Kinosaki, the skilled marriage swindler who aids Hikaru in his unexpected mission, will be voiced by Shion Wakayama.
For centuries, the Poison Masters have perfected the art of assassination. Among them, the Gero family stands as one of the five most powerful families of Masters, wielding unmatched skill and influence. Hikaru Gero, heir to this infamous bloodline, has lived his life deep in the shadows of the underworld, far removed from love or marriage. However, to ensure the Poison Master bloodline does not die out, the head of the Gero family declares that Hikaru’s sister will be forced to bear an heir. Soon after, Hikaru crosses paths with Mei Kinosaki, a brilliant marriage swindler who also happens to be his current assassination target.
Determined to protect his sister and solve the succession problem himself, Hikaru makes an unexpected request on the spot—asking Mei to help him get married.
“…That’s the first time anyone’s ever proposed like that.”
And so, with the cunning marriage swindler Mei as his advisor, the elite assassin Hikaru sets out on the toughest mission for love. His goal? The ultimate marriage.
The most unlikely duo—an assassin and a marriage swindler—take on the world’s toughest mission for love!
Source: Press Release
©Joumyaku・Mizuki Yoda/SHUEISHA, MARRIAGETOXIN Project
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