Discussing Pass the Monster Meat, Milady! across mediums with Chika Mizube and Kanna Nakamura

Like many new anime these days, Pass the Monster Meat, Milady! got its start as a self-published novel on the website Shōsetsuka ni Narō. It was first posted in 2019 by its creator, Hoshi Kanata, and since then has been published as print light novels and adapted as a manga for Palcy, one of pixiv’s manga magazines. The story tells of the romance between Melphiera Marchalrayd, a young noble lady shunned for her fascination with eating monsters, and Duke Aristide of Galbraith, who takes an interest in Melphiera despite his fearsome reputation.

At Otakon, we had a chance to sit down with Mizube Chika, the artist of the manga version, and Nakamura Kanna, who plays Melphiera in the anime adaptation. There, we talked about shoujo manga, creating adaptations, and just how much everyone loves Sawashiro Miyuki.

To preserve the flow of the conversation, the Japanese text of the article has been interspersed with the English translation (provided by Chiaki).

AF: So my first question is for Mizube. So, you’ve mostly worked on adaptations of stories written by other people. Do you ever hope to create your own story?

Mizube: そうですね、いえ、難しいので。

Translation： Well, no, it’s hard.

[Laughter]

Mizube: やっぱり、No.

Translation: So yeah, no.

AF: So, this question is for both … What do you think sets Melphiera apart as a protagonist, Aristide as a love interest, and the two of them as a couple?

Nakamura: メルフィの特徴から－意思がしっかりしていることとか？あと魔物の肉に対しては探求心は誰にも負けないこと？

そして侯爵と‐まあでも、侯爵も、ね、探求心と言う熱量にはメルフィと同じぐらいあるので、それこそバディーとして二人は凄くいい関係性だなあと思いますし、私的には凄く好きな見た目です。

Translation: Speaking on Melphie- I like her sense of determination, and the fact no one can beat her curiosity for monster meat.

And with the duke- Well the duke too, right? He also has a strong sense of curiosity as Melphie does, so I think they make a really good pair because of that. I just think they look pretty good. 

Mizube: 有難うございます。

Translation: Thank you.

Mizube: メルフィエラはちょっと暗い過去を持っている子なんですけど、基本的には元気で明るくて－なにをしても可愛いいって言ったらなんですけども、可愛いっていうのを凄く大切に描かせて頂いているんですけど。それを全面的に、バックアップではないんですけど、支えてくれて愛してくれる存在っていうのを意識して侯爵を描かせていただいています。

Translation: Melphiera has a bit of a dark past, but she generally carries herself as a cheerful person and – I shouldn’t say she’s cute no matter what, but I really keep in mind how cute she is when drawing her. And I’m also meanwhile drawing the duke thinking about how he supports her and loves her for this.

AF: This question is for Nakamura-san. Your roles for 2025, so far, are almost all entirely shojo light novel protagonists. Is there anything that draws you to that space that you like about those roles, or is that just how things ended up?

Nakamura: 私は小さい時から少女漫画をたくさん読んでて―実家には千冊以上あります－で映画も、ムービーも大好きで、殆ど男女が向き合っているラブロマンスを殆ど見ていました。なので、そういう恋愛物の作品を呼ばれるっていうのはそこから来ているのかなっていうのを思っていて。ほんとうにそういう機会に恵まれてるのはたまたまであって、みんなオーディションを受けてご縁があったっていう形ですね。

Translation： I read a lot of shoujo manga when I was little — I have more than a thousand volumes back home —  and I also love films and movies. Anything about a romance between a man and woman, I would watch. So, I do wonder if I get called up to try for these romance stories from these roots, but it’s really just the luck of the draw for me to be able to have these opportunities, and I formally got involved because I auditioned and got every one of those roles.

AF: So, Mizube-Sensei, what do you believe defines shoujo light novels and manga?

Mizube: 女性に欠かせない恋愛の教科書みたいな？

Translation: An essential romance textbook for women?

Nakamura: 女性にとっては？

Translation: For women?

Mizube: 女性にとってはー　欠かせないっていうか、なんか凄く少女マンガでキュンキュンした事態が絶対なんか誰にでもあるやろうなっていうのが思うので、大人になってもその気持ちで読む人がきっと沢山いるから、そういう支えというか、みたいな作品じゃないかなと思います。

Translation: For women- rather than essential, how should I put this? I think everyone has had that situation where they got the feels reading shoujo manga, and I think people still get them reading as adults too, so it’s to deliver that. I think they’re works that do that.

AF: For Nakamura-san. You’ve mentioned that you were inspired to go into voice acting by Sawashiro Miyuki — she’s one of my favorites too — have you ever had a chance to work with her? 

Nakamura: Yes!

Everyone: Woah.

Nakamura: 今年の冬ぐらいにありましたね。でも、ホントに一瞬だけで、残念なことに掛け合いはしなかったんですけれども、本人が喋られているのを見て、ホントに自分が仕事であることを忘れて、「本物の沢城みゆきさんだ！」ってただただ感動してました。

Translation: There was an opportunity earlier this year in the winter. But it was really just for a moment, and I unfortunately didn’t do any dialogue with her. But I had the opportunity to see her work, and I forgot all about how I was there to work and just stood by thinking, ‘It’s really Sawashiro Miyuki!’

Mizube: 私も沢城さんの大ファンです。

Translation: I’m also a big Sawashiro fan.

Nakamura: みんな大好き！

Translation: Everyone loves her!

AF: I must ask, what is she like? Just a fan question.

Nakamura: その時アフレコブースでは椅子がけっこう満席だったんですね。で、私は殆ど喋ってなかったので、「あ、お譲りします、どうぞ」って言ったら、「あ、ありがとうね」って凄く親切に感謝してくださって、おしの柔らかくてお上品な方で、素敵。

Translation: So that recording booth was pretty packed that day. And I didn’t have a lot of lines, so I said, ‘Oh, please take my seat,’ to her. And she said, ‘Oh, why thank you,’ with sincere gratitude. She is such a kind and classy person. She’s great.

AF: For Mizube-sensei, can you describe what it’s like collaborating with the novel’s author and what is your process for the adaptation?

MIzube: そうですね、基本的には原作のストーリー、メインのストーリーを大きく外れることは無く、原作の星（彼方）先生の書かれている作品をほぼそのままーでもマンガの読者に合わせて、凄く読みやすく出来る限りさせていただきたいと思っているので、その辺は工夫して描かせていただいているんですけど。基本的に星先生が物凄く良い方なので、すべて「OK」って感じで。

Translation: I don’t really stray from the main story or the original work, so I’m really mostly just adapting what Hoshi (Kanata) Sensei writes in the original work. But for the sake of manga readers, I do adapt it to be drawn in a way it’s easier for comic readers to read it. Hoshi Sensei is just generally a really nice person, so she really lets me do what I want.