Solo Camping for Two Episode 2 Story & Preview Stills Revealed, and Official Interview with Daiki Hamano & Mizuki Niizaki

The story and preview stills for Episode 2 of the anime Solo Camping for Two (JP: ふたりソロキャンプ, Futari Solo Camp) have been released. The episode will air on Friday, July 18 at 12:30 a.m. (JST), followed by international distribution on various platforms. Additionally, an official interview with the lead voice actors—Daiki Hamano, who plays Gen Kinokura, and Mizuki Niizaki, who plays Shizuku Kusano—has arrived. They talk about their audition memories, the voice recording process, and how the anime brings camping realism to life through visuals and sound.

Episode 2 Story

Due to Shizuku’s insistent proposal to follow Gen until she can camp solo with confidence, the two agree to go on a “solo camping trip together” just once. Shizuku reveres Gen as a mentor and begins learning the appeal of solo camping. Though she takes his advice—“Do everything yourself”—to heart and attempts to pitch a tent on her own, it doesn't go well. Seeing her struggle, Gen steps in to teach her the basics of tent setup.

Interview

■Official Interview with Daiki Hamano (Gen Kinokura) × Mizuki Niizaki (Shizuku Kusano)

—What were your impressions after reading the original manga?

Hamano:
Everyone on the team said this too, but the level of detail and the sheer amount of information give it such a realistic feel—it makes you feel like you're actually camping. The odd yet compelling dynamic between Gen and Shizuku, and how their relationship and backgrounds unfold over time, really bring out the humanity in them. It’s a multi-layered, deeply interesting work.

—The gear shown in the series is also based on real products, adding to that realism.

Hamano:
Exactly. That connection to reality makes it easy to get immersed. When I visited Sasebo on a private trip, I stopped by the store run by the parents of Yudai Debata, the original creator. I heard from his father that Debata-sensei had been camping since he was a child. That background is why he can depict the story with such authenticity.

Niizaki:
When I first saw the title “Solo Camping for Two,” I was like—wait, how can it be solo if there are two people? But after reading the manga, it made sense. I think this anime could be the perfect gateway for people who are interested in solo camping but find it intimidating. On top of that, the evolving bond between Gen and Shizuku adds even more charm. I personally loved those parts beyond just the camping content.

—Do you have any memorable experiences from the audition?

Hamano:
Anime with such a small cast are rare these days. That puts more narrative weight on each character, so I was really mindful of how to approach the role. I couldn’t be too dark, but being overly cheerful wouldn’t work either. I remember being given very careful direction during the audition. Since Gen is 34 and close to my own age, I didn’t feel the need to put up much of a façade when acting.

Niizaki:
My first round was a tape audition, and I just focused on making the eating scenes sound really delicious. There were a lot of “Yummm~!” lines, and I thought, okay, it’s all about making it sound tasty. I recorded it with a lot of joy. I felt I nailed it, but I never imagined I’d get called into the studio. It ended up being my first in-person audition ever. I was really nervous and unsure of everything, but I decided to just act sincerely—like Shizuku would. When I got the call saying I got the part, I couldn’t believe it.

—What was your approach to developing your characters starting from Episode 1?

Hamano:
People in their early 30s tend to start developing strong preferences in hobbies and work. I love soccer and have non-negotiable preferences, so I could easily understand Gen's attachment to camping, which he learned from his father. I projected those personal quirks onto Gen. Since the show starts with Gen’s monologue, I worked closely with the sound and series directors to create the tone that would pull viewers into the story. I wanted to convey that sense of excitement.

—You also captured his slightly intimidating vibe well.

Hamano:
If you're trying to enjoy solitude, you don’t want distractions, right? (laughs) Gen seems a bit grumpy, but that’s just his shy nature—it’s actually kind of endearing. His old-school speech also makes him sound a bit like a grumpy old man (laughs). But that dynamic works only because of his relationship with Shizuku. After all, their first encounter was a disaster (laughs).

—He gets slapped right off the bat. What did you think of Hamano-san’s portrayal of Gen?

Niizaki:
It was exactly how I’d imagined Gen sounding when reading at home. On set, he was Gen.

Hamano:
Oh?

Niizaki:
Not in a scary way! He’s super kind off-mic, but as soon as the recording started, he transformed into Gen. At first, Shizuku speaks pretty assertively, but Gen’s deadpan delivery made it easy for me to bounce off of him. When I presented food as Shizuku with a proud “Ta-da!”, his reactions were always so good. It made me genuinely happy.

—He seems like the kind of guy you can go all out on without worry.

Niizaki:
I wanted to defeat him! Outsmart him! Make him say “delicious!” every time!

Hamano:
You didn’t have much experience with recording, right?

Niizaki:
Not at all. I didn’t even know how the sessions worked. So honestly, everyone felt like a mentor, just like Gen (laughs).

Hamano:
Watching how Shizuku's character developed during Episode 1 was really fun. We both did a lot of retakes, but you never gave up. That kind of determination really overlaps with Shizuku herself.

Niizaki:
Thank you so much!

—How did you approach playing Shizuku Kusano, a 20-year-old camping beginner?

Niizaki:
I felt that she’s someone who’s very honest with her feelings. Unlike Gen, her background isn’t as fleshed out, so I saw her as someone who lives very much in the present. I wanted to make her a sensitive character who takes in everything around her with a pure heart and responds sincerely. I was nervous, so there were times I couldn’t express things the way I wanted, but with advice and lots of retakes, I managed to complete the recording for Episode 1 in a way I was satisfied with. That was a big relief.

—Did your portrayal of Shizuku change from how you originally envisioned her?

Niizaki:
It changed a lot as I listened to the other cast members perform. There were many times I ended up crumpling the notes I wrote before recording, right after our initial rehearsal.

—It takes courage to let go of what you brought in.

Niizaki:
That came from a “I won’t lose!” attitude. Since Shizuku gives her all in the story, I wanted to do the same.

—Did you find any similarities between yourself and Shizuku?

Niizaki:
I think we both act on impulse. In Episode 1, she just shows up at the campsite thinking she can borrow a tent, and even tries to spend the night without one. When I decided to become a voice actor, I really should have done more research and prepared thoroughly—but I just went for it because I wanted to. Also, like her, I love eating and I get really expressive when enjoying good food.

—Hamano-san, what did you think of Niizaki-san’s portrayal of Shizuku?

Hamano:
Shizuku is absolutely wild in Episode 1. She’s pushy, hard to communicate with, and even as an adult—and as someone playing Gen—I found myself wondering, “What’s with this girl?” But somehow she doesn’t come across as annoying. Like Niizaki-san said, it’s because she’s being totally genuine. She’s pushy and assertive, but there’s a strong will behind it all that makes you want to help her. That kind of human charm is what makes Shizuku shine, and I think a lot of that comes from Niizaki-san’s own personality.

—How did you feel after watching Episode 1?

Hamano:
The animation quality was incredible. From the camp scenery to the fire effects to the sound design—it was all so well thought out. The original manga is packed with sensory details that even evoke scent, so I was curious how the anime would capture that. But once I saw it, I could tell the production team put a lot of care into it. We, as voice actors, felt we needed to match that level of quality.

—You could even feel the atmosphere.

Hamano:
Exactly! In a way, atmosphere is everything in this show. And Episode 1 really conveyed that through a synergy of elements.

Niizaki:
I got to observe the dubbing session, and I could really feel their attention to detail in the sound effects and background music. Even the sound of the campfire was adjusted depending on the time progression in a scene. During the recording sessions, there were real location photos from the scouting trips posted for reference. They were so faithfully recreated in the final art that it really felt like we were at an actual campsite.

Hamano:
Total professionals at work.

Niizaki:
I’ve never been camping before, so I had to imagine what a campsite sounded and felt like. But watching the finished video made me go, “Ah, so this is what it’s like!” One detail that impressed me was the train sounds—Gen takes a train to the campsite, and even those sounds were reproduced with such realism. The level of care is astounding.

Hamano:
Since it’s based on a real campsite, they couldn’t afford to fake anything.

—Were there any particularly memorable scenes?

Hamano:
Every episode, Shizuku cooks a meal and presents it like a signature move—“Take that!” It’s really cool. The staff also paid special attention to those scenes. They even told Niizaki-san, “People have to think the food looks delicious when they see this!”

Niizaki:
They told me, “This title revolves around the food!” (laughs)

—In Episode 1, it was beer can chicken.

Niizaki:
I had the most retakes during the food name lines.

Hamano:
The beer can chicken really had impact. She brought a whole chicken, after all—that’s wild! I hope people look forward to the food scenes and how Shizuku introduces them each time.

Niizaki:
You got hungry, didn’t you?

Hamano:
Totally. We’d record in the morning, and the cooking scenes would always come right around lunchtime. Everyone’s stomachs were growling.

Niizaki:
I tried not to make any sounds, but watching those scenes—it’s impossible not to get hungry! (laughs)

—The anime also has a strong “how-to” element for camping.

Hamano:
I learned something new every time. It covers unspoken camping rules, gear, how to make a fire, and other preparations in such detail. I wouldn't say it teaches everything, but it’s an excellent introduction. You really gain a lot of knowledge through this series.

Niizaki:
I started from almost zero knowledge, so I always had the same questions Shizuku did. And Gen always answers them immediately. He explains his camping skills, knowledge, and etiquette in a way that’s really easy to understand, which makes the anime so enjoyable.

Hamano:
It’s the kind of anime that makes you want to go camping. So I’ve decided—I’m going camping this year.