Category: Interviews

[Interview] Animate Times – Kimi dake ni Motetainda. – Saito Soma & Uchiyama Koki & Tomizono Rikiya & Umehara Yuuichirou

Original Article: https://www.animatetimes.com/news/details.php?id=1573263330
Published: 2019/11/9

Features:
Saito Soma (Furuta Tokio in Kimi dake ni Motetainda.)
Uchiyama Koki (Ashida Shigekazu in Kimi dake ni Motetainda.)
Tomizono Rikiya (Tojima Koutarou in Kimi dake ni Motetainda.)
Umehara Yuuichirou (Gotouda Shun in Kimi dake ni Motetainda.)

Mentioned:
Matsuoka Yoshitsugu (Sahashi Aki in Kimi dake ni Motetainda.)

Q: What were your impressions of the setting and script?

Soma: When I first heard about it, I thought it was going to be a traditional adolescence story, as seen in theatres. But when I read the script, I found that it was quite ambitious. First off, the “Motemen Koshien” concept was unique, and the story wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows. It depicts the bittersweetness and naivete of the teenage years from various angles.

Ucchi: My first impression was that it must have a nonsensical setting because of the Motemen Koshien. The introductory phase also went by quick, so I wondered if it was going to become a fantastical story. But as the story progressed, they did things like training for the contest and worrying about their social status at school, and the problems they faced were more realistic than at the start. It was a pretty big gap.

“Motemen Koshien” sounds like a weird name, but there are events in real life that assign value to people’s appearances too, so if you substitute one of those in, the story might not actually be that far off.

Rikiya: When I first heard “Motemen Koshien” I thought the name had a lot of impact. But as I read the script, I saw that the contest had various different parts to it, that wouldn’t be so strange to see in reality. In fact, a real-life version would probably go viral, so I got excited reading the script.

Ume-chan: Not all of the information had been released at the time of the audition, so I went in imagining it’d be a bittersweet adolescence story. After getting the actual script and going through the recording, how do I put this… it was the opposite? Well, it wasn’t the opposite, but… *laughs*

All: *laughs*

Ume-chan: Rather than a bittersweet adolescence story, it was more like, you see these guys talking and it makes you laugh at how stupid boys can be. There’s also a confession scene at the end, and I think the film can be enjoyed by various types of people.

Q: What was the audience’s actual reaction when you went to the theatre screening?

Ucchi: From the stage, it looked like most of them were female fans. So, I’m interested in what guys or people from different age groups would think of it.

Soma: It’s still new, and I think the experience will vary depending on the person, so we’ll be seeing more different opinions. I’m excited to see how everyone interprets it.

Q: Now, please introduce your characters and what you thought while voicing them.

Soma: Tokio-kun is seen as a chuunibyou by his classmates, but he’s actually a boy who feels uncomfortable interacting with people. I think his personal “ideal self” is too fleshed out, so he can’t approach it in reality. He has a vast imagination, but he also has the emotional swings of a teenager.

Ucchi: I voiced Asimo, who’s very energetic and in high spirits from the moment he wakes up. He also has a bit of an idiotic side, but he’s a good person, and I got the impression of a youthful guy.

Rikiya: Koutarou is a boy who isn’t popular because he’s too cute, but on the inside he wants to be cooler and manlier. He aspires to be like Shun-san, but Shun-san tells him that it’s okay to be cute, and there’s a scene where he accepts his cuteness and becomes more popular.

Ume-chan: Gotouda Shun is Horiko’s butler, and he keeps himself in check, not showing his emotions as outwardly as the other characters. I think that butler-like restraint is everyone’s first impression of him, but he’s actually the same age as the other four, so he has his own worries that he’s been keeping bottled up.

Q: At the screening address, you talked about whether you resembled your characters.

Soma: Umehara-san was a perfect match.

Ume-chan: Really?

Soma: Your voice was.

Ucchi/Rikiya: Huh? *laughs*

Soma: When I read the script, he was really convincing. I thought, “If Gotouda said this to me I’d probably go through the training too.”

Ucchi: Oh, I see! He really forced them into it at the start. *laughs*

Soma: Yeah, it was kidnapping!

Ucchi: They got thrown into vans that appeared out of nowhere, then taken away and told to enter the Motemen Koshien. *laughs*

Q: They got dragged into it.

Soma: And in Aki and Koutarou’s case, it doesn’t seem like they understood what they were getting into.

Rikiya: Yeah. *laughs*

Ucchi: They were completely brainwashed. *laughs*

Soma: They defected to the enemy side.

Ucchi: Yeah, it was surprising. And it’s the voice that gives him that persuasive power~

Soma: That voice has a magical power~

Soma: I think that everyone focused more on how the characters would react to the information they’re given, rather than whether the characters resembled us or not.

Q: What kinds of things did you pay attention to while acting?

Soma: For Tokio-kun, I started him off in a more cowardly way, but was asked not to use that approach. As I said earlier, he has an ideal that he aspires to be, and he’s pretty stubborn about it. That stubbornness is what prevents him from breaking out of his shell. So instead of expressing cowardliness, I was asked to express that stubbornness of “This is how I want to be.” I hoped that meeting everyone would loosen him up.

Q: At the screening, Uchiyama-san also talked about the direction he received regarding Asimo. What kind of direction was it?

Ucchi: In the plan I had, Asimo was generally energetic all the time, but there’d be times when he was calmer and spoke quietly. But I was told “That’s not right.”

All: *laughs*

Ucchi: He’s always loud and annoying, even if he’s talking to someone right next to him. Basically, he has no sense of distance. Usually, you have to differentiate between people who are close or far away or else they’ll correct you, so I had to deliberately do things that would normally get corrected. I couldn’t get used to it though. *laughs*

All: *laughs*

Ucchi: I thought of him as a character that operates under different rules than normal people.

Q: He doesn’t seem like the type of character you usually voice, right?

Ucchi: That might be true. First of all, I didn’t audition for Asimo to begin with.

Soma: Really?! It must’ve been Tokio or Aki, right?

Ucchi: At any rate, I recall sending in lines for a different character, but was asked to voice Asimo instead.

All: *laughs*

Ucchi: If that means there’s someone out there who wanted to gamble on my unknown potential, then I’m thankful for that.

Soma: It sounds like a challenge.

Ucchi: As for whether it was a hit or a miss, please watch the film and see for yourself. *laughs*

Q: Can you tell us any behind-the-scenes stories from the recording, or what it was like?

Ucchi: There were a lot of people.

Soma/Ume-chan: Yeah~

Ucchi: Since it was a school setting, there are a lot of other student characters, and I vividly remember the studio being full of people.

Soma: About what Uchiyama-san was saying earlier, since he got that direction for Asimo, he gradually shifted into high gear until they were like “All right, that’s it! That part’s all set.” And then he was all ready to keep going as that Asimo… but we were instead told “All right, time for lunch break!” *laughs*

Ucchi: That timing.

Ume-chan: It was right when he’d solidified the role.

Soma: What a shock~

Ucchi: I was grateful that they’d prepared a proper lunch for us, though.

Soma: We usually don’t get those kinds of lunch boxes! *spoken for Rikiya to hear*

Rikiya: Oh, I see.

Ucchi: I was really happy that they’d shown that consideration for us.

Q: Was everything recorded in a single day?

Ucchi: The lines were, yes.

Ume-chan: It took a long time.

Soma: It really took the whole day.

Ucchi: It felt like we were there from morning ’til night.

Q: I heard that this was Tomizono-san’s first recording. Did anything leave an impression on you? Was it your first time standing in front of a mic?

Rikiya: I had lessons to learn how to do it, but this was my first time doing it for a job. Unlike the lessons, there were a lot of people around, so I was really nervous speaking into the mic by myself in front of everyone.

Soma: Tomizono-kun said it was his first time, but his mic work was really good.

Ucchi: Oh, yeah! He got the group technique right.

Soma: That was amazing. At my first recording, I couldn’t get to the mic.

Ucchi: I failed a bunch of times too.

Soma: And I got yelled at.

Ume-chan: Ah~

Soma: They were like, “Get in there even if you have to push someone out of the way!” and I thought, “No way, I can’t do that~!”

Rikiya: It’s because everyone made it easy for me to get in. And Matsuoka-san would gesture to me like “Over here!”

Ucchi: By the way, did you know that there’s a rule where you use the same mics during the recording that you did during the test run?

Rikiya: Ah, yes. I learned that.

Soma: So diligent~

Ucchi: I messed it up all the time, so don’t worry. *laughs*

All: Ahahahahaha *laughs*

Soma: We were a bit lazy about it. *laughs*

Ucchi: But, I think it’s amazing that you’re already able to record in a group like that.

Rikiya: It’s because of the lessons…

Soma: It’s impressive that you were able to execute what you learned at your very first recording.

Ucchi: You must’ve worked hard.

Soma: *peeks at Ume-chan beside him* Huh? Are you alive?

Ume-chan: I’m alive!

All: *laughs*

Ume-chan: I was just thinking about how nostalgic the first recording is. *laughs*

Q: What was the most memorable scene or line to you, Umehara-san?

Ume-chan: The part where everyone’s feelings for Horiko start becoming clear. Gotouda has his circumstances and can’t be honest, and the scene where he has to harshly reject Horiko was memorable for me. When I read the script, it felt like this was one of the most exciting scenes, so I put my all into it.

Q: Gotouda certainly became the key. What were everyone else’s memorable scenes?

Soma: “Donguri Korokoro.”

Ucchi: Ah~ you sang it.

Soma: We recorded several variations of it, although I’m already planning on explaining everything at the second stage talk.

Ucchi: What do you mean? *laughs*

Soma: Tokio-kun says he doesn’t like singing, but the extent of his ability was subject to experimentation from me and the staff. We recorded different versions, ranging from surprisingly decent to completely tone deaf. I think the one they used was the most orthodox take, but I think I did the tone deaf one really well.

Ucchi: I see. *laughs*

Soma: I really think I did the bad one well. I wanted to hear that version too.

Q: I’m sure the fans would want to hear it too.

Soma: Yeah. I also never thought the day would come when everyone would hear me singing that kindergarten song in a movie.

Q: No one would expect to do that. *laughs*

Soma: It felt like being praised for being a good kid and going to kindergarten. *laughs*

Q: *laughs* What about Uchiyama-san and Tomizono-san?

Ucchi: Memorable scenes, huh? Hmm…

Soma: Isn’t it that one?

Ucchi: ?

Soma: “Can y’all be quiet for a second~?!” Even though people are cheering for Asimo-kun, he goes “Shut up!”

Ucchi: That rough treatment, huh?

Soma: It’s like, is it okay to say that?

Ucchi: And then it’s gotta be his shocking talent of leaking milk from his eyes.

Soma: Are there really people who can do that?

Ume-chan: Probably?

Ucchi: That’s Asimo’s selling point. I want to praise the fact that he sealed it away for the contest. That’s real growth right there.

Soma: He put a limiter on himself. *laughs*

Ucchi: What’s important is that he purposefully didn’t show off what he was good at.

Rikiya: For me, I think it’d be the stalker.

Ucchi: Oh yeah, there was that.

Soma: That was bad…

Rikiya: The one who hides in the classroom locker, and when Koutarou gets up from his seat she bursts out and says “I love you!” It was a confession, but it scared me.

Q: That situation was nothing but scary.

Rikiya: Yeah, it’s not something that you really come across.

Q: Speaking of confessions, are there any confession situations or lines that would move your heart? They don’t necessarily have to be confessions of love.

All: Confessions…

Q: It could be something like a confession of gratitude or praise.

Soma: A confession that’d move my heart, huh~?

Ucchi: You know, I don’t like it when my heart races.

All: Huh?

Ucchi: Like when someone texts me “There’s something I want to talk about” first; I hate that.

Soma: Oh~ I think I know what you mean.

Ucchi: It makes me think, “Just say it then!”

Soma: I get you. “Are you busy?” I hate that kind of thing.

Ucchi: Yeah, and “There’s something I want to ask.” Then ask it! It feels like I’m being trapped in my head, and it makes me think “Is it that? Did they find out about that bad thing I did? *laughs*” Just say it without that preface~

Soma: I totally understand. You don’t want them to leave it for the next day.

Ucchi: Exactly. So in that sense, I think I might hate confessions. If someone tells me “I have something to confess tomorrow” I’d be like “Just tell me now.”

Soma: It’d be better to hear it outright.

Ucchi: Yeah. Just write it directly in the message.

Soma: Yeah~

Ucchi: Maybe I have a fear of confessions. They really stress me out. *laughs*

Soma: I know exactly what you mean.

Q: Are you the same way, Saito-san?

Soma: I’m the type that doesn’t want to carry my worries over to the next day. If it’s just a matter of making mental preparations then that’s fine, but I dislike vague situations where I don’t know if it’s going to be a good thing or a bad thing.

As for romantic confessions, when I was in high school, I had a pretty similar mindset to Tokio-kun. I’d fantasize about joining the literature club and having a mysterious senpai ask me, “You’re reading this book too?” So, I also wished I could experience a super cliche situation just once. You know, like on the rooftop, after school, with the sunset!

Ucchi: Ahh, that’s nice~

Q: It’s something everyone aspires for at least once.

Soma: I became a voice actor so that I could do that.

All: *laughs*

Soma: As a voice actor, I can become a high school student as many times as I want *laughs*. Well, I would like to experience a situation that’s too cliche to be likely to happen in real life.

Q: Ahh~. What about you, Tomizono-san?

Rikiya: It’s not a confession, but I find situations like the one at the end of the film where the friends are watching fireworks together to be emotional. I want to experience that.

Q: And share your feelings?

Rikiya: Yeah~ I want to watch fireworks with guy friends in one of those local little-well-known places.

Q: That really is adolescence. What about Umehara-san?

Ume-chan: Hmm… I want to be confessed to.

(Everyone laughs at how he says that with a serious face)

Soma: This is going to be difficult to continue from. *laughs*

Ume-chan: I’m digging my own grave *laughs*. But when I was a student, I was the type to confess myself.

All: Oh~

Ucchi: You would rather love than be loved, huh? *laughs*

Soma: This conversation is tough. *laughs*

Ume-chan: So well, now that I’m at this age, I think it’d be nice to be confessed to.

Q: If someone were to confess to you now, how would you like it to go?

Ume-chan: Hmm, I wonder. Hmm…

Soma: Well, you want to be confessed to directly, right? Like “Umehara-san, I love you!”

Ume-chan: Ahh, I don’t want that.

Soma: What?

Ucchi: Huh?

Ume-chan: I wouldn’t like that.

Soma: What are they supposed to do?!

Ume-chan: I’d be a bit put off if they came at me forcefully…

Ucchi: Then what?

Soma: This guy’s kind of conceited.

Ucchi: What can they do to make Umehara-kun fall?

Ume-chan: I won’t fall~

All: *burst out laughing*

Ucchi: You won’t?! *laughs*

Soma: Well, this conversation’s fallen flat. *laughs*

Ume-chan: I just meant that I’d like to experience being confessed to *laughs*. I usually don’t get to feel that kind of excitement.

Q: Thanks for the entertaining discussion! *laughs* Finally, please give a message for the fans.

Ume-chan: Since it’s an adolescence story, you should first enjoy watching the boys work towards their common goal. You’ve probably experienced the excitement resulting from love consultations among friends, so I hope you’ll recall those bittersweet memories of youth. And of course, I think people who are currently in that springtime of life will enjoy the film too.

Rikiya: This film is only 54 minutes long, so you can watch it whenever you want that heart-racing feeling. I also recommend it to anyone who wants to recall what love was like, regardless of gender.

Ucchi: I think Kimimote was created in an easy-to-watch way. Also, the main cast is made up of different types of characters, so if you’ve already watched the film once, I recommend going to the theatre again to watch it from a different character’s perspective.

Soma: I think this film likely depicts adolescence from a different perspective than what the viewers had in mind beforehand. People will experience it in varying ways, but at the very start of the recording, the director said that “This is a story about clumsy boys forming a team and working together towards a common goal.” I interpret it as their one summer of youth, so I hope you’ll enjoy Kimimote’s youthfulness in your own way.

[Interview] MovieWalker – Saito Soma, Uchiyama Koki & Co. Discuss the Highlights of “Kimimote”

Original Article: https://movie.walkerplus.com/news/article/210904/
Published: 2019/11/3

Features:
Saito Soma (Furuta Tokio in Kimi dake ni Motetainda.)
Uchiyama Koki (Ashida Shigekazu in Kimi dake ni Motetainda.)
Tomizono Rikiya (Tojima Koutarou in Kimi dake ni Motetainda.)
Matsuoka Yoshitsugu (Sahashi Aki in Kimi dake ni Motetainda.)
Umehara Yuuichirou (Gotouda Shun in Kimi dake ni Motetainda.)

Q: Please tell us about the characters you voiced. They’re described as being “unfortunate” ikemen…?

Soma: I voiced Tokio, who’s not good at dealing with people. The people at school think that he’s a chuunibyou.

Ucchi: I voiced Asimo, an energetic, hot-blooded boy. He has a childish side to him, and it’s a character type I usually don’t voice.

Rikiya: I voiced Koutarou, a boy who struggles because his extreme cuteness prevents him from being popular.

Tsugu: I voiced Aki, who looks flashy but isn’t interested in girls, and tends to distance himself from others.

Ume-chan: I voiced Shun, who is a butler and has a more mature aura than the other four. However, he’s still inexperienced in some things, and this shows in the latter half of the story.

Q: All five of you were together for the recording. Did anything stand out?

Ume-chan: It was tough because we had to record it in a single day, but I remember the refreshments being luxurious. *laughs*

Soma: They were! Ucchi-san had a pretty hard time, right?

Ucchi: Yeah, I had a high-spirited role, so it drained all my energy…

Q: Uchiyama-san often voices quiet, cool characters, right? Did it feel like you used more power than usual?

Ucchi: It took some trial and error to get Asimo’s aura right, but I wouldn’t say that voicing quiet characters is easier. I did the best I could as usual.

Rikiya: This was my first time recording for an anime, and I was really nervous. But, I gradually calmed down as we ate lunch and talked about random things. I pored over the script and built up the role, but at the recording I was told to use a more normal voice, and that was a struggle.

Ume-chan: Matsuoka-kun was helping Tomizono-kun out.

Tsugu: Everyone’s nervous at first, and sometimes it doesn’t go well. It’s the same for the rest of us *laughs*. But when you’re standing in front of the mic, the senpai and kouhai hierarchy doesn’t matter. For the sake of creating something good, I wanted to set that aside and help Tomizono-kun when he was struggling. We worked on his scenes together.

Q: Which character do you think would be the most popular?

Tsugu: Isn’t it obviously the heroine, Horinomiya Sakiko? *laughs*

All: *laughs*

Tsugu: But among us five, I think it’d be Asimo. He’s fun to be around, and I think every school has that “kind of stupid but keeps everyone in good spirits” guy. The type that isn’t hiding anything.

Ucchi: I’ll return that and say Matsuoka-san’s Aki-kun. I like his whimsical, enigmatic aura. It makes you wonder what kind of person he is.

Soma: I want to root for Aki-kun too. Gotouda might be the most popular, but while Aki-kun is harder to approach, he doesn’t have any “unfortunate” qualities *laughs*. And perhaps because of Yoshitsugu-san’s acting, he seems suited to be the reliable one that keeps everything together.

Ume-chan: Maybe Koutarou? Isn’t that kind of Harajuku-style, androgynous guy popular these days?

Tsugu: He’s the cute type.

Ume-chan: Then again, if I were a girl, I’d want Koutarou to be more manly too. *laughs*

Rikiya: I like how perfect Gotouda is. Tokio is good too, though. He’s the protagonist after all!

Ucchi: Is that the reason?!

Ume-chan: He wins based on title alone. *laughs*

Soma: But, in this film it feels like all five of them are the protagonist.

Q: Aki wins with two votes. Matsuoka-san, how do you feel?

Tsugu: But the popular one is Aki, not me *laughs*. Wouldn’t anyone be fine if they voiced him?

Ucchi: No, you’re the only one capable of voicing that Aki.

Tsugu: In that case… I’m honoured! *laughs*

Q: What are the highlights you want people to notice in this film?

Rikiya: The visuals are very pretty. My character Koutarou is the cute type, so there are many scenes where he looks upward, and he’s really sparkly during those scenes *laughs*. Please notice that!

Ume-chan: My character Gotouda is the calm and composed butler of the Horinomiya family, but age-wise, he’s a high schooler just like the other four. You can sense his inexperience as the story progresses, so I hope you’ll pay attention to those inner workings of his heart.

Tsugu: It’s an adolescent story about five people struggling as they move forward. I hope everyone will see for themselves how the relationships between them change. The characters’ emotions also go through ups and downs, and I hope you’ll enjoy watching that.

Ucchi: At first, they aren’t that serious about winning the popularity contest, but through that contest, they run into the problem of “What does it mean to be popular?” They slowly form bonds with each other and tackle the theme of popularity. There’s also a scene where Asimo sings, and they actually composed a proper, complete song for it even though only the first part gets sung.

Soma: My top pick is the scene where Asimo funnels milk from his nose to his eyes! I really like it because you can feel Ucchi-san’s meticulousness as an actor, so please check for it *laughs*. The popularity contest is the major theme, but there are also slice-of-life scenes of high schoolers just having fun, so please enjoy those too.

Tsugu: The characters’ emotions rise up during the climax, so please enjoy it with them in the theatre!

[Interview] Livedoor News – From Subculture Boy to Actor: What Colour is Saito Soma’s World?

Original Article: https://news.livedoor.com/article/detail/17211623/
Published: 2019/10/15

Features:
Saito Soma (Tama in Uchitama?! ~Uchi no Tama Shirimasenka?~)

Mentioned:
Ono Kensho (Pochi in Uchitama?! ~Uchi no Tama Shirimasenka?~)
Kaji Yuki (Nora in Uchitama?! ~Uchi no Tama Shirimasenka?~)
Uchida Yuma (Beh in Uchitama?! ~Uchi no Tama Shirimasenka?~)
Maeno Tomoaki (Bull in Uchitama?! ~Uchi no Tama Shirimasenka?~)
Shirai Yusuke (Tora in Uchitama?! ~Uchi no Tama Shirimasenka?~)
Hatano Wataru (Gon in Uchitama?! ~Uchi no Tama Shirimasenka?~)
Nakajima Yoshiki
Nakao Ryusei

Saito Soma is a popular voice actor, known for roles such as Kujou Tenn from IDOLiSH7, Tsurumaru Kuninaga from Touken Ranbu, and Yumeno Gentarou from Hypnosis Mic.

He’s demonstrated his many talents over the years, beginning a music career in 2017 and releasing his first essay collection in 2018.

Coming upon his 10th year as a voice actor, he says, “There’s the ‘Saito Soma’ in quotation marks, and then there’s the normal Saito Soma. By linking the two well, I’ll be able to express myself in even more ways. I think I’ll make that my personal theme for the future.”

The image others want to see from him versus his natural self. Perhaps it’s because of that gap that he has such a wide range of expression. While reflecting on how the voice acting industry has changed him, we ask him where he is now.

“It’s cute seeing a cat’s instinctive actions performed in human form!”

The Tama & Friends ~Uchi no Tama Shirimasenka?~ franchise began with character goods in 1983, and became loved through all sorts of media forms, ranging from manga and school exercises to picture books and anime.

The new anime Uchitama?! ~Uchi no Tama Shirimasenka?~ casts popular voice actors to familiar characters like Tama, Pochi, and Tora. We interviewed Saito Soma, who will be voicing the protagonist, Okamoto Tama.

Q: How did you feel when you got the role?

Various works these days are based off of anthropomorphization, but I was surprised that the beloved franchise Tama & Friends would become one of them. I had no idea what the anime setting would be like, so I was genuinely excited to find out.

Q: It seems that Episode 1’s recording has concluded. (This interview was conducted in August.) Did you voice your role as a cat or as a human?

It was completely as a cat. In their world, only their outer appearance is the humanized form.

I think the most unique trait of this anime adaptation is that it makes use of both the humanized forms and the actual animal forms. For Tama, the humans see him as a cat, but when he’s talking to Pochi or his other friends, they see each other in the human forms.

So, it’s important for me to keep in mind that he doesn’t follow the logical thought patterns of humans. He lives through his natural instincts as a cat.

For example, when a cat hears something, its natural reaction is to go towards the source of the sound, and that’s depicted as-is, to make it more realistic. I think that depicting those cat actions with a human form is a fun experiment.

Q: So, what did you keep in mind when voicing Tama?

Instead of acting more cutely than necessary, I think it’s closer to a cat’s natural appeal to express that cuteness in ways other than my voice.

For example, in Episode 1, Tama gets lost with Pochi (CV: Ono Kensho), but despite being lost, he still goes “I’m hungry~” and eats the food at someone else’s house without asking *laughs*

Tama doesn’t try to act cute; it’s a result of his natural actions. Hopefully, the viewers will think, “Oh, you were hungry so it’s not your fault. There there.”

Q: What about becoming more cat-like?

We voice the parts when they’re in their animal forms too, but real cats don’t actually say “meow,” right? So, I prepared in advance by watching videos.

However, when it comes to animation, I’ve never thought that it was important to be true to real life. What’s more important is having “a sense” of realism.

I strive to not adopt too many real world elements, so that my own imagination won’t be inhibited.

“When I voiced the child form, Shirai Yusuke said ‘That was good, I guess?'”

Q: What was the recording session like?

It was extremely peaceful. Many of us had co-starred often before, so the atmosphere felt comfortable right from the get-go.

The cat that Kaji (Yuki)-san voices, Nora, is an intelligent and cool character, and Kaji-san went all-in on voicing him that way… but his acting was so perfect that everyone would tease him for it *laughs* Kaji-san responded to our teasing in a hilarious way, and sometimes he’d tease me and (Uchida) Yuma-kun (voice of Beh) too *laughs*

Q: Who was teasing Kaji-san–

*interjects* It was Maeno (Tomoaki)-san (voice of Bull) *laughs*

Q: And who was teasing you?

I guess it’d be Shirai (Yusuke)-kun (voice of Tora). When I voiced Tama’s child form, he said, “That was good, I guess?” *laughs*

Aside from him, there were other people like Yuma-kun, Kaji-san, and Hatano (Wataru)-san (voice of Gon) who would also crack jokes at every opportunity, and I think this harmonious recording setting will bring about good results.

Q: You have the lead role, but what was your position during recording?

While the title is Uchitama?!, it’s definitely not a Tama-centric show. It depicts the lives of the Third Street inhabitants from various angles, and the cast includes many veteran senpais, so I didn’t have to get overly fired up.

If I have to say, I guess when we’re recording separate character lines, the first to speak is often Tama. I experiment with how cute and entertaining I can go, and pass the baton to the next person.

Q: I know it’s only been one episode, but what was the input from the director?

As of now, nothing at all *laughs* The audition for this show was done by sending in voice samples, so I guess what I submitted was close to what the staff wanted.

Tama shows what he’s feeling right away, so instead of overthinking it, I felt that it’d be better to feel what he’s feeling and output it directly.

It’s an ambitious project, and I think the best part of putting it together will be seeing how far beyond people’s expectations we can take it (in a good way). The creation team is still making sure to keep Tama’s character flexible.

I think it’s great when we, as actors, incorporate our presentation ideas, developing the characters and the work as a whole with each recording session.

“The type that withdraws from excessive human interaction”

Q: Now then, if you were a cat, what kind of cat do you think you’d be?

A Somali cat… Actually, there’s a guy named Nakajima Yoshiki at my agency (81 Produce), and he told me to say Somali *laughs* “Your names are similar, so it’d be good, right?” Apparently, Somalis have a clear voice, like a ringing bell.

Q: How would you like to be raised?

I’m the type that tends to pull back from excessive human interference, so I’d prefer to only be pampered very occasionally. A moderate amount of being left alone and a moderate amount of pampering… I wouldn’t want to be taken care of like that. I have my own life, so… *laughs*

People are people, cats are cats. I believe that each has their own territory.

Q: I see. By the way, regarding your answer to the cat question, how did you and Nakajima Yoshiki-san end up talking about Somalis?

I go drinking with Yoshiki often these days. I don’t know much about cats, but he’s a cat lover, so he answered instantly. I looked up pictures and saw that they have very pretty faces, but it’s embarrassing to say that with a proud face *laughs*

Q: Do people say you’re like a cat?

Not much. Sometimes someone will say “I don’t know what you’re thinking; you’re like a cat,” but there are also people who say the opposite, that I’m like a dog. So, I guess I’m not particularly cat-like.

Q: Do you think you have the characteristics of a “cat-type boy”?

Stuff like “whimsical” might describe me, but I don’t think someone who would say “I’m a cat-type boy” would actually be a cat-type boy… right? *laughs*

Q: Are there any books that come to mind when you think of cats? What are your recommendations, being the bookworm that you are?

I like sci-fi, and cats often appear in sci-fi works. I don’t know if it’s because a cat’s perspective of the world is sci-fi-esque, but sci-fi authors from all sorts of times and places put cats in their novels.

There are three books I’d like to recommend. The first is Kurt Vonnegut’s Cat’s Cradle. The story has nothing to do with cats, but the title relates to the game of “cat’s cradle.” It’s the first book that comes to mind when I hear the word “cat.”

The second is Robert A. Heinlein’s The Door into Summer. This one is a classic sci-fi masterpiece, and a cat appears in the story. If I recall correctly, the new translation that came out recently had the cat on the front cover too.

The third one is Akiyama Mizuhito’s Neko no Chikyuugi. It’s a light novel, but I love Akiyama-sensei’s literary style. I encourage sci-fi lovers and cat lovers to read it.

“10 years is the starting line. I want to mature more.”

Q: Next year marks your 10th year as a voice actor. Congratulations!

Thank you.

Q: You’re currently 28. When you debuted, did you have a goal to continue until you were 30?

I didn’t have a concrete goal like that, but my senpais often told me, “Keep going for 10 years. When you’ve gone for 10 years, you’ve reached the starting line.” Those words really stuck with me, and I’m nothing short of grateful for the turns of fate that allowed me to come this far.

Although I didn’t feel this way when I first debuted, right now I want to hurry up and turn 30. In life, there’s a period when youth and freshness are a strength, but ideally you should build your accomplishments and mature more. To that extent, I want to do expressions with a depth that can only be attained through years of experience… for example, by challenging a role I’ve never done before.

Q: What kind of role would that be?

Something like an older character, or an extremely powerful villain. There are a lot of things where I think, “I haven’t acted this type of character before since it wasn’t asked of me, but I’m sure I’d like it,” so I hope I run into a work that’ll allow me to output that. But in the end, our work is a collaborative effort with the creators and staff. I always value the bonds that connect us.

Q: Is there anything else you’d like to challenge in your music or writing?

For music, I released my first full album (quantum stranger) in December last year. It… wasn’t quite “Season 1”, but I feel that it wrapped up cleanly. Next, I want to present music that I didn’t try in Season 1.

For example, so far I’ve been intentionally writing orthodox songs with a verse, bridge, and chorus, but I’ve always liked songs that don’t follow that pattern. An understanding of that template will allow me to break free from it, and hopefully people will accept what I have to offer. My goal is music that’s irregular but seeps into your ears and body.

Q: How about on the writing front?

I’ve thankfully been given a lot of writing work, but I’ve always wanted to write a traveler’s journal, and I want to try it if my schedule will allow for it. I even want to spend several days exploring Europe.

I also want to write fiction, but first, I want to try expressing what I see and experience with my own eyes, as an extension of the essays I’m currently writing. Year after year, I feel that traveling has become more and more important in my life, and I want to create various works based on that.

“You can’t put conditions on emotions. I want to remove the excess filters on my heart.”

Q: Have your experiences in music and writing provided feedback for your acting work?

They use different circuits, so it doesn’t quite feel like feedback.

I purposefully use music and writing to express myself differently from the voice actor Saito Soma, so I think that if I were to link the two sides, I would end up limiting my creations to an extremely narrow world. The results will be better if I don’t try to do that.

You can’t put conditions on emotions… It’s important to stop thinking things like “It’d be better to feel this way” or “I should think this way.”

There’ll be moments when I think that while acting, but for myself, composing music and writing is work where I remove those so-called excess filters on my heart. So, to me, voice acting work and creative work are two equally important wheels that I can’t function without.

Q: What about the reverse, then? Do you receive feedback from your voice acting work?

A lot. That’s also because, before I set my sights on becoming a voice actor, I already liked composing music and writing.

Working as a voice actor for so long has definitely changed my way of thinking and feeling for the better, and those changes are greatly reflected in my music and writing.

My teenage self wouldn’t have been able to write the songs I’ve released so far.

Q: I read your essay book, Kenkou de Bunkateki na Saitei Gendo no Seikatsu, but after hearing what you said, now I want to read your future essays, five or ten years from now.

Thank you. I intentionally wrote the essays in that book to be read easily and smoothly–both in literary style and content–but in the end, I think they were only read because of the existence of the “Saito Soma” in quotation marks.

On the other hand, there are so many things that the “Saito Soma” in quotation marks will never be able to express to the world, and I think that’s because I’m holding myself back… Wait, but that doesn’t mean I’m talking about anything unethical *laughs*

I feel that if I can better link the “Saito Soma” in quotation marks with the normal Saito Soma, I’ll be able to express myself in even more ways. I think I’ll make that my personal theme for the future.

“Now is the time for grounding, not pursuing ascension.”

Q: About a year ago, you spoke about the word “ascension” in interviews and whatnot, which left quite the impression.

I’ve always liked the occult and spiritual things, and “ascension” is a spiritual word referring to the soul rising to the next level.

Q: You said that “encountering this word suddenly changed [your] way of thinking; it was like [you’d] been released from [your] chains, and living became a lot easier and more enjoyable.” You also said that “when the next ascension comes, [you] want to grab onto it and accept it.” Have there been any recent developments?

Life sure is complicated. Right now, I don’t feel as “chained down” as I did during that past interview. Back then, I did feel as though life had become easier, freer. But everything has different sides to it, and now I see that there was a good side and a bad side to that state.

I think it’s probably not realistic for things to always be getting better. You take one step forward, then fall several steps back. It’s a back-and-forth cycle.

If there’ll be another moment when my heart feels set free, then that’ll happen when it happens. Right now, I’m not going to forcefully focus on pursuing ascension, because grounding (living with your feet on the ground) is important too.

Q: Did leaving that “ascended” state affect your work?

Over the years, I’ve been granted more and more opportunities to do expressive work outside of acting, such as my music and writing activities. Because of that, my thoughts are moving more and more rapidly, and there are certainly some things that I can’t create without being in an “ascended” state. For example, lyrics and melodies.

On the other hand, I’m certain that there are also expressions that also come from a “grounded” state.

Q: Not being “ascended” doesn’t mean that you’ve taken steps back, though.

Indeed, it’s not a straight path. Being able to experience things in more varied ways is important as both a voice actor and a person, so I’ve accepted that now is the time for that.

Q: Lastly, is there anything your senpais have said to you or taught you about acting that you still take to heart today?

When I was in training, I was taught by Nakao Ryusei-san, a veteran at our agency, for a year. Ryusei-san taught me detailed techniques and whatnot, but he also taught me the mental attitude to have as a person and an actor. Among that was the “wait” attitude.

For example, when you receive a script, how should you spend the days left before the recording? There’s no right answer or anything. Obviously you have to read the script and prepare, but continuing to think about it constantly is a valid approach, as is doing something completely unrelated, because sometimes hints will come to you on their own. But, you also have the option to take it easy or have sneaky thoughts.

The same goes for the recording session. How do you interpret the time when it’s not your turn? Is it simply a time when you have no lines, or should you watch your senpais’ acting and try to absorb anything you can? That one change of attitude can make that time worthwhile. It’s what he called the valuable “wait attitude.”

When you get used to work and life itself, there are times when you’ll unintentionally forget to be nervous. When that’s about to happen, I remember what Ryusei-san said and focus my mind.

Q: It’s called “wait,” but it’s actually telling you to be proactive.

Yes. I’m a bit of a contrarian, so I interpreted it in the reverse: “This isn’t standby time; it’s free time that I can use to improve myself.”

Do you lament the current situation, or do you use it to change for the better? I think it all depends on your “wait attitude,” so when painful times come, I want to value those experiences.

Bonus off-shot from Soma’s fashion stylist:

[Interview] Otomedia 2017/2 Edition – Hand Shakers

Released: 2017/1/10

“It’s a wonderful boy-meets-girl story”

Q: Please tell us what you were particularly attentive to when voicing Tazuna.

Tazuna-kun looks like a cute boy on the outside, but on the inside he loves tinkering with machines, and once he’s gotten absorbed in it he loses sight of his surroundings. I think that boyishness of his is appealing. In order to demonstrate that as much as possible, I strive to voice him in a lively and relaxed manner.

Q: Do you have any interesting stories from the recording sessions?

The recording sessions were rather difficult. Everyone’s acting was so funny that it was hard to keep Tazuna-kun from getting strung along by them *laughs*. Even if I thought something was hilarious as Saito Soma, as Tazuna-kun I had to take it seriously. Also, during the battle scenes, there are emotional exchanges that only happen when you’re clashing with each other, and I think that was fully depicted for each team.

Q: Who’s your personal favourite character, and why?

Hmm, I’m not sure *laughs*. Hayate-kun, Masaru-kun, Hibiki-san, well, basically all of the male characters are incredibly unique, and it’s hard to narrow it down to just one. I think it’d have to be Makihara-sensei, though. Why does he love shumai…? There are also a lot of charming female characters, but I’d like you to appreciate the way Riri handles her tarot cards.

Q: The theme for this issue of the magazine is Valentine’s Day. Which character in this series do you think would enjoy Valentine’s Day the most?

That’s a tough one… Since Kodama-san’s an idol, she’d probably be the busiest because of work, but maybe she enjoys it privately…? Thinking along those lines, Makihara-sensei probably gets more chocolate from his students than you’d expect. And he probably eats them with shumai *laughs*. Hayate-kun seems like the type to smile and go “Huh?! Is this okay?! I don’t deserve this!” if someone gives him chocolate.

Q: What’s your favourite chocolate food, Saito-san?

I usually don’t eat much chocolate, but if everyone’s going to a cafe between jobs or something, I typically order cheesecake or chocolate cake. It’s very rare, though… *laughs*. Also, it’s not really a thing, but chocolate tastes good with whiskey.

Q: Thank you. Lastly, please give a message for the readers regarding Tazuna’s future activities.

A lone boy meets a mysterious girl, and they grow through the battles they encounter. That’s the kind of wonderful boy-meets-girl story this is. Please enjoy the gorgeous backgrounds, stunning battle scenes, stylish music, and extremely animated characters! Thank you for supporting Hand Shakers!

[Interview] Animate Times – Hand Shakers

Original Article: https://www.animatetimes.com/news/details.php?id=1482383611
Published: 2016/12/23

Features:
Saito Soma (Takatsuki Tazuna in Hand Shakers)

Mentioned:
Morohoshi Sumire (Akutagawa Koyori in Hand Shakers)

※This interview was conducted after the Advance Screening event but not published until after the rest of the road show.

Prioritizing life-sized boyishness

Q: First, can you tell us about the character you voiced, Takatsuki Tazuna?

Soma: Tazuna-kun looks like a cute kid on the outside, but on the inside he has a manly side to his personality. He doesn’t just cutely go with the flow; he has a strong conviction and a good protagonist aura. But in addition to that, he likes tinkering with machinery and gets lost in his own world when he touches a machine, which is cute. He might be similar to boys who like plastic models… that’s what enthusiastic boys are like *laughs*. When I was a kid, I was obsessed with making dirt balls, so voicing him feels nostalgic. *laughs*

Q: Is there anything you have to be careful about when voicing him?

Soma: He doesn’t try to show off too much. As a character, he has a cool side, but he’s not trying to be cool when he does those things; he’s simply tackling the events he faces in the way that’s natural for him. In order to bring out the life-sized boy named Takatsuki Tazuna, I prioritize his own nature and take care not to insert my own “hero” image.

Q: What’s your impression of Tazuna’s partner, Koyori?

Soma: Tazuna-kun has a younger sister. You’ll find out when you watch Episode 1 in January, but something happened with that sister in the past. It’s hinted that Koyori-chan resembles that sister, so Tazuna-kun thinks of her as someone special, not just an ordinary partner. They also have that unique circumstance where they have to keep holding hands. I think that the relationship between Tazuna-kun and Koyori-chan will become the essence of this series, so I hope you’ll pay attention to how things progress for them!

Q: If you were a teenager and fell into the same situation where you have to keep holding a girl’s hand, what would you do?

Soma: Let’s see… There’s a scene where Tazuna-kun and Koyori-chan go into the bath together, and I’m impressed he was able to go in *laughs*. It would’ve been absolutely impossible for me as a teenager *laughs*. I also don’t think I’d be able to keep holding hands like that in front of my younger sisters *laughs*. It would’ve been too embarrassing… But Tazuna-kun’s lucky that it’s Koyori-chan and not Makihara-sensei or someone *laughs*. When I think about what would happen if he had to keep holding hands with Makihara-sensei…

Q: That’s a scary thought… Now then, Episodes 1 to 4 have already been shown at the special pre-screenings. What are the highlights of Tazuna and Koyori’s interactions in the first four episodes?

Soma: Koyori-chan is a tough role to play… She can’t speak. But her voice actor, Morohoshi Sumire-san, makes incredible use of varied breathing to act her out. When Koyori-chan’s bond with Tazuna-kun grows, she experiences changes, and Morohoshi-san’s breathing changes as well. Morohoshi-san is amazing for being able to depict her that cutely with only breathing! Episode 4 is a great example, so please watch it. *laughs*

Q: What was the most memorable scene for you in Episode 1?

Soma: For the Episode 1 recording, the visuals were mostly complete, and they were really striking. The background art of Osaka where the series takes place and the individual movements of the gears during the battle scene made me impressed by how high quality the visuals were from the very beginning. Aside from the battle scene, I was also amazed by the stylish BGM. Also, this is a fine detail, but the background characters also had their own lines, and you can hear what they’re talking about if you listen closely. I think it’s fun, so please try it. You can feel how thorough all of the staff are in fleshing out this world.

Q: Nowadays, it’s rare for the animation to be complete at the time of recording. Does that make it easier to act?

Soma: Detailed visuals give you more information to work with in addition to what’s in the script, so in that sense, it’s easier.

Q: As mentioned earlier, this series takes place in Osaka. How has your experience in Osaka been?

Soma: I’ve been to Osaka before, but this is my second time coming here for an event. I haven’t been able to do much sightseeing, so I’d like to try doing the typical stuff. Going to restaurants with delicious skewers, eating snacks like takoyaki, and so on. I spotted Kani Douraku (a seafood restaurant chain) while I was commuting, but I didn’t get off at that stop, so *laughs*. Hand Shakers is going to start airing soon, so I hope I’ll have an opportunity to take my time exploring Osaka!

Q: Lastly, please give a message for the fans who are looking forward to the series.

Soma: A few PVs have been released and the characters have been revealed, so I think everyone has high expectations now. It’s an original work with an extremely intricate, unpredictable plot, so I hope you’ll look forward to it. I also hope you’ll be excited to see what adventures and developments await Tazuna-kun and Koyori-chan in their boy-meets-girl story. The beautiful visuals, intense battle scenes, and stylish music will surely make it a joy to watch every week, so please look forward to it! Thank you!

[Interview] Seiyuu Men vol.5 – Saito Soma – Hand Shakers

Released: 2016/12/16

Features:
Saito Soma (Takatsuki Tazuna in Hand Shakers)

Mentioned:
Morohoshi Sumire (Akutagawa Koyori in Hand Shakers)
Sugita Tomokazu (Hibiki in Hand Shakers)
Ishikawa Kaito (Hayate in Hand Shakers)

A series that reaches the heart

Q: First, please tell us your impression of the work.

When I first took the audition, there wasn’t any character art or supporting material provided, and the script they had us read was relatively short. It was an unusual audition where they asked us to directly translate the image we got from reading the text to our acting. My approach was to do it the way I felt was interesting.

However, at the time of the audition, I didn’t know that the show was going to be about partners, or that the story would involve joining hands with Koyori to fight. And in actuality, it felt like many aspects of the work would change as the big picture became clearer and I discussed it with the other voice actors. So, when I was informed that I’d received the role after the audition, I was both happy and excited to see who the rest of the cast was.

Q: What kind of character do you think Tazuna is?

Tazuna likes tinkering with machines, and gets absorbed in it to the point where he forgets his surroundings. When I was in elementary school, I’d also get absorbed in arts and crafts, and break time would be over before I knew it… That happened a lot, so I hoped to be able to transfer that devotion to my role.

Q: What do you pay attention to when costarring with Morohoshi Sumire-san, who voices Tazuna’s partner Koyori?

I can’t say too much yet, but Koyori is a girl with a lot on her shoulders. She also doesn’t have the appearance of a normal girl her age, and she has a mysterious aura. On that note, Tazuna is a normal boy, in a good way *laughs*. For example, he has a pure side and gets nervous around girls.

When I’m recording with Morohoshi-san, she’s extremely skilled at building the atmosphere between the two characters. This time, there was a part where Tazuna and Koyori react to something at the same time, and I was amazed at how perfectly it went. I’m always noticing Morohoshi-san’s detailed skillfulness.

But, since my character Tazuna is the one leading Koyori along, I pay the most attention to how he perceives Koyori.

Q: What was challenging during the recording?

First, for the Episode 1 recording, the visuals were already complete, and I was stunned by the unique presentation. Especially for the long, uninterrupted cuts in the battle scene, we weren’t sure how much we should leave to the animation and where we should insert our own breaths… We discussed those kinds of things in fine detail with the staff.

This series also has unique elocution. I was constantly contemplating how to digest the essence of what the director put in the script and reflect it onto my role in a way that felt natural. Of course, Hand Shakers has its own style, so I wanted to preserve the expressions that would be hooks for the viewers, while using a natural enunciation for the parts I wanted to be heard smoothly. When lines have distinct elocution, slight changes in tone or pronunciation can change the nuance greatly, so that was a challenge.

Q: It sounds like it’d be difficult to get the balance right. What kinds of things did the sound director say?

For Episode 1’s recording, I received direction regarding the work and the character’s nature. That said, during the audition and the test run, I took a natural approach to Tazuna’s voice, and was told by the directors that they wanted to make this series a boy-meets-girl story. He certainly does have a cute appearance, so I switched to a more young-sounding voice. However, I wanted to portray him as a young man with a surprisingly strong conviction, rather than a cute and timid boy.

Q: What were the recording sessions like?

Tazuna isn’t the type of character that I can freely play around with, which isn’t a bad thing, but the other cast members ad-lib like crazy *laughs*. Sugita Tomokazu-san and Ishikawa Kaito-kun went particularly off the rails, and just listening to them almost made me laugh out loud. It felt like the actors were further developing the characters through ad libs, and it was truly interesting to think about how I would’ve transformed the characters if it were me in their place.

Q: In this series, each duo has their own characteristics. Were there any moments during the recording where you felt unique characteristics from the pairings?

The pair that Tazuna and Koyori fight first had me wondering, “What are these two normally like?” *laughs* Please look forward to seeing it when the show airs.

I also thought it was interesting how even though each pair’s members are involved with each other in both the real world and the fighting world, they don’t really declare themselves friends or lovers. That means that when they say they “like” each other, there’s different ways of interpreting that, and I think that makes it fun for the viewers to figure out.

Also, direction-wise, there’s a scene where a character is throwing a tantrum, then suddenly in the next cut they’re pulling a tarot card with a super serious face *laughs*. I think a lot of viewers enjoy that kind of scene, so it’ll be a success if they’re charmed by the show’s eccentricities.

Q: In that sense, it tests the voice cast’s capability.

Some of us are leveraging that distinctive direction in our acting, while others are blending their acting into the work. As a result, the recording sessions are a show of the actors’ natures. Each voice actor has their own approach to their role, and it’s been educational.

Q: The characters in the show are fighting to make their wish come true. Do you have a wish you want to be granted right now?

The Hand Shakers use their emotions to fight, but for us, I think what we need in order to keep fighting is good health *laughs*. In order to put on our best performance at recordings, it’s important to manage our health, and lately I’ve been doing various things to reexamine my physical condition. But at any rate, my body is stiff. So, if I had to make a wish… I’d want to be able to touch my toes.

Q: *laughs* Maintaining your health is difficult because you have to pay attention to all sorts of little things.

I find myself researching things like… how healthy intestines secrete more serotonin *laughs*. But what matters is putting it into practice daily, rather than theoretical knowledge. For now, I’m trying my best on my own instead of relying on God. *laughs*

Q: What do you place importance on when acting in this series?

It’s not easy, but I think it’d be “living honestly.” It’s something I value both as Tazuna and as Saito Soma. Also, my trust and gratitude towards my co-actors and the staff. Working together with the director and the rest of the staff to create the series, and fighting together with my co-actors on the recording battleground without showing off. When acting, there are times when things will get heated, but it’s always important to strike a balance between instinct and reason, because going 100% in either direction isn’t going to work.

Q: What would you like people to notice in the series?

The highlight would have to be the stunning visuals, not just in the battle scenes but also in the recreated Osaka scenery. It’s all gorgeous, and I think people watching the show for the first time will sense its allure from there. The unfolding story and the characters have strong personality as well. It might not appeal to everyone, though. That said, for those it does strike a chord with, I think it’ll reach their heart, so please see Tazuna and Koyori-chan’s story through to the end with your own eyes.

[Interview] Animate Times – Qualidea Code – Saito Soma x Uchida Yuma

Published: 2016/9/10

Features:
Saito Soma (Ichiya Suzaku in Qualidea Code)
Uchida Yuma (Chigusa Kasumi in Qualidea Code)

Mentioned:
Noto Mamiko (Yuunami Airi in Qualidea Code)

“In the end, the only one who has normal conversations with Suzaku is Kasumi *laughs*”

Q: Please introduce your characters.

Soma: Suzaku Ichiya is the current head of Tokyo. He’s the strongest person in Tokyo, but he’s also prideful, arrogant, and unconsciously takes on an aggressive attitude. He’s not aware of it himself, though *laughs*. The word “cool” is often used in his character descriptions, but I’d say he’s more of a hot-blooded guy. He gives the impression of having a fierce passion. Also, he generally only talks to his second-in-command Canaria as well as Chiba City’s Chigusa Kasumi. *laughs*

Q: Indeed!

Soma: The three authors told me directly, “Suzaku generally only talks to these two.” Canaria’s a bit of an oddball herself, so in the end, the only one who has normal conversations with him is Kasumi. *laughs*

Q: His chuuni lines stand out, huh?

Soma: He’s the typical chuunibyou. He even thinks it’s cool to give his abilities a second name. *laughs*

Q: That showed right from the start, in Episode 1. Did you receive any specific instructions?

Soma: No, it was pretty much as I thought. Suzaku has a rebellious side, but on the inside, he’s true to his impulses. In future plot developments, he has the widest range of emotions out of all of the characters, so I’m following his emotions rather closely. Since it’s only Episode 1, you’d expect to need more time to develop each character, but Suzaku will take a while…

Yuma: (The author) Sagara-san said “With a smile!” *laughs*

Soma: I really can’t get a read on him *laughs*. He said “That was the best Suzaku I imagined!” and I didn’t know what that was supposed to mean. *laughs*

Q: Were you aware of how he ended up with that personality?

Soma: The novel was a separate thing, so I wasn’t keen on referencing all of it, but when I read the first volume, Suzaku was quite different from how he was in the anime’s first episode. The novels take place before the anime, and back then he was really direct. His unawareness was the same, but he’d say things like “I love this world” out loud, and he wasn’t comfortable with chuunibyou naming. Then, at the end of Volume 2 which came out recently, you find out what happened to him to cause that change. But at the time of Episode 1’s recording, I honestly didn’t do any advance planning.

Q: What about Uchida-san’s character?

Yuma: Chigusa Kasumi is an older brother, but he has poor communication *laughs*. He only talks to his younger sister (Chigusa Asuha) and sometimes Suzaku, and he ignores pretty much everyone else. But, he has the most common sense out of all of them. Most of the city leaders are the pushy type, but he provides the normal perspective, albeit not out loud.

Soma: He has normal values, like how he’s repulsed by chuunibyou.

Yuma: Yeah *laughs*. He’ll say out loud, “That’s weird!” Their world is crumbling and is quite different from our modern society, but his views are the most similar to ours. Also, he generally doesn’t communicate, or rather, he’s given up on trying. It means that the others can’t tell what he’s thinking, but I think he’s actually quite considerate of them.

Q: Did you struggle with anything on the acting side?

Yuma: It was full of struggles *laughs*. First off, right off the bat, the author Watari-sensei told me “Don’t trust the script” *laughs*. He meant “be natural,” but the characters’ had such strong personalities that it was hard to get the right sense of distance. Even if Suzaku had a loud outburst, Kasumi would mutter “No, I…” under his breath.

Soma: It was a simple matter of volume.

Yuma: Yeah! Our volumes were completely different *laughs*. Even in Episode 1, when Kasumi talks after Suzaku, the “natural” way results in a contrast that makes you go “Huh?! Did he say something?” The character is poor at communication to begin with, so it was difficult to grasp the distance between him and the others. He also thinks it’s uncool to show his emotions, so it was difficult to balance talking to the others without showing emotion. Even now, I’m still pondering how much emotion to show and how much to react.

Q: Are you a worrier, Uchida-san?

Yuma: I try not to, but once I get caught in the trap, I can’t get out *strained laugh*. And that did happen this time *laughs*. But as of late, I get the feeling that I’ve gotten closer to the right balance for Kasumi.

“Personally, I want Free Gravity!”

Q: What do you think of each other’s special ability (World)?

Yuma: Ability…

Soma: Ah, Vampire Bat? (The alternate name Suzaku gave to Kasumi’s World)

Yuma: Stop that! *laughs*

Soma: In Episode 2, Suzaku wants to give everyone’s abilities names like that, but Kasumi retorts saying “Don’t tell me you give everyone one of those,” and I thought, “This world has retorts in it!” *laughs* It was pretty crazy of Suzaku to respond with, “Yeah, problem?” though.

Yuma: Yeah, he didn’t even hesitate. *laughs*

Soma: This is completely unrelated, but you know the manga Chihayafuru? It has a character named Suou Hisashi who has incredibly perceptive hearing, but since he hears people’s voices so well, he’s really soft-spoken. I thought Kasumi had the same issue.

Yuma: Oh! *laughs*

Soma: Being able to identify an object and its location through sound reverberations is definitely a support ability though.

Yuma: Totally. In practice he does take shots, but he doesn’t have any combat ability.

Soma: Indeed.

Yuma: That’s his limitation, but he’s aware of that, so he doesn’t fight on the front lines. Since he’s so aware of himself, he doesn’t push himself past his limits.

Q: But, having such good hearing is a powerful weapon in its own way.

Yuma: Being able to hear only tells you “The enemy’s coming!” and nothing else, so he can’t do anything! Although, in Episode 1, he was running fast enough to keep up with the flying Suzaku, right?

Soma: Yeah! That scene was really funny *laughs*. Suzaku was bringing Canaria and two other students in the air with him, but Kasumi was running on the ground by himself *laughs*.

Yuma: Yeah yeah! I thought,”You’re surprisingly fit!” *laughs*

Soma: He was the only one being left behind. *laughs*

Yuma: Since he’s part of the Chiba force. He still manages to help out though, so I think he was given the bare minimum ability. Personally, I want Free Gravity (Suzaku’s World, the ability to control gravity).

Soma: Same.

Yuma: He can fly in the sky.

Soma: I’ve used Free Gravity in my dreams three times since we began recording for this show.

Yuma: *laughs* You did, huh?

Soma: In the world of Qualidea, the ability to fly in the sky is incredibly important, and in the novel they often talk about how there are people who have two Worlds, who are called Duals. If one of them is the ability to fly, then they’re basically a super elite. But, Suzaku doesn’t have the ability to fly. It’s just that he can use his ability to move through the sky. That really has the allure of a light novel or manga protagonist—using knowledge and wit to strengthen your own abilities.

Yuma: Yeah.

Soma: So when I watched Episode 1, I thought he was really acting like a protagonist.

Yuma: Yeah, he was! At first when we were recording, everyone was like, “What’s with this guy?” But when the anime was completed, they were like “Oh, he really is a protagonist!” *laughs* It was moving, right?

Soma: Animation and sound really are important. *laughs*

Yuma: They are. When you’re only looking at his personality, it’s… yeah.

Soma: Yeah, it really did make you wonder what he was supposed to be. And at the drinking party after Episode 1, Sagara-san said, “Well, your good impression of Suzaku is only going to deteriorate from here,” and I was like, “What?! He can get worse?!”

“It doesn’t make them uncomfortable. That’s how male friendships change.”

Q: I’m sure he’ll improve… probably…!

Yuma: Is there a moment when he does? But, by the time this interview is published…

Soma: People will already know that Qualidea Code isn’t a battle anime, right?

Yuma: It’s not just about fighting.

Soma: Episodes 1 and 2 are meant to mislead. Around Episode 3, you start to think that something’s not right, and that it doesn’t seem like it’ll revolve around battles.

Yuma: In Episode 1, they fought.

Soma: And Episode 2 was the swimsuit episode!

Yuma: And then in Episode 3, our heroine Canaria coughs up blood. *laughs*

Soma: And then there was Suzaku’s arrogant way of asking for a favour *laughs*. “You, save Canaria!”

Yuma: It made you go, “What?” *laughs*

Q: It was mainly Suzaku’s fault in the first place. *laughs*

Soma: Yeah! Everyone else came too out of the kindness of their hearts, but it was about 80% Suzaku’s fault.

Yuma: It’s because he went by himself!

Soma: I thought the “You, save Canaria!” in the script was a misprint. I figured it was probably supposed to be “Please save Canaria!”, but it was exactly as written *laughs*. What a strong personality.

Q: But in Episode 4, Canaria…

Yuma: Yeah. *laughs*

Soma: And then Suzaku transforms into his second form… *laughs*

Yuma: *laughs* He’s there every episode, but something’s wrong with him!

Soma: He becomes a powerless man.

Yuma: Even though he was always berating people for being useless.

Q: Is there anything we should look out for in your future dialogues?

Yuma: Their love deepens!

Soma: Without a doubt! We can’t say why *laughs* but Suzaku ends up only talking to Kasumi.

Yuma: We can’t say why, though. *laughs*

Soma: Well, to be frank, I barely have any lines *laughs*. I honestly feel kind of bad about it; it’s like I scream for a bit in the A-part and then go home.

Yuma: Even though you’re first in the credits. *laughs*

Soma: But, Suzaku’s conversations with Kasumi really are the cause of a lot of his mood swings. At the end…

Yuma: They develop a good distance between them. It’s like, they both have aspects that tick off the other, but it doesn’t make them uncomfortable. That’s how male friendships change.

Soma: It’s all about the riverbed.

Yuma: A fist fight at the riverbed. *laughs*

Soma: But, they don’t really show it on the outside. Suzaku continues to say things like “Shut up, trash” until the very end, and I thought it was a nice balance.

Q: So the relationship between them is what we should look out for?

Soma: Yes, I think their relationship is the most important part! *laughs*

Yuma: It’s the crux of Qualidea Code! But it’s unexpected when there are three factions and so many other pairs. *laughs*

Q: Kasumi seems to be interested in Suzaku from the start, but was that out of irritation?

Yuma: He’s given up on interacting with everyone else, but for some reason, Suzaku alone will still pick fights with him. But, he doesn’t actually mind it that much. He might even be a bit happy about it. When Suzaku comes to him, he doesn’t mind it, but it just makes him a little gloomy.

Soma: He can’t reciprocate honestly. *laughs*

Yuma: Yeah *laughs*. He’s too embarrassed to.

“Out of the six main characters, I’d go with Asuha. She’s cute.”

Q: I’m looking forward to how Suzaku and Kasumi turn out now *laughs*. Which of the female characters do you two like?

Yuma: Suzaku?

Soma: What?

Yuma: Oh, you said female characters.

Soma: Umm, out of the six main characters, I’d go with Asuha. She’s cute.

Yuma: My little sister is cute, right?

Soma: Actually, I’m not attracted to the little sister trope at all, because I have younger sisters too.

Yuma: What do you like about Asuha, then?

Soma: I think I’d get along well with her. The others are, you know… a pain to deal with, right?

Yuma: Honestly, yeah. *laughs*

Soma: #1 and #2 in brute strength, and a scary girl. *laughs*

Yuma: “Smile, smile!”

Soma: The Chiba team is fairly down to earth.

Yuma: Yeah, you can understand them just from talking to them.

Soma: Asuha blushes a bit in Episode 2, right? That was nice *laughs*. What about you?

Yuma: I like Asuha a lot as a person, but personally, I think I’d go with Hime.

Soma: How come?

Yuma: It seems like it’d be easy to win her over. *laughs*

Soma: …O-Oh, right. I thought something similar about Asuha, but I picked my words more carefully! *laughs*

Yuma: *laughs*

Soma: That’s your style, right Yuma-kun? It does seem like it’d be easy to have Hime in the palm of your hand. Just give her treats.

Yuma: Yeah, it’d be easy to bait her. She cheers up when you give her what she likes, and whenever you have a problem, she’ll do something about it for you.

Soma: “Don’t worry!”

Yuma: “I’ll defeat any baddie that comes. Bam!” And then you go “Good girl, Maihime!”

Soma: Outside of the main six, I’d pick Mother Yuunami.

Yuma: Mama! Yeah.

Soma: She’s like a mother and an older sister at the same time.

Yuma: Yuunami-san has a good personality, and she’s also cute. And then in the later half… well, I really can’t say it here.

Soma: We can’t say it, but it only works because it’s Noto Mamiko-san, right?

Yuma: It really has to be her!

Q: Lastly, tell us what we should look forward to in the rest of the series!

Yuma: The relationships change greatly after Canaria’s disappearance. Suzaku loses the most important person to him, and their city loses their second-in-command, which is a big deal. The environment changes as a result, and the stable balance they had in place gradually becomes lopsided. It’s hard to explain, but please pay attention to what they discover after the balance falls apart.

Soma: The story makes major progress in Episodes 3 and 4, but the world that we thought was fixed in place in Episodes 1 and 2 is changing. It’s like the template is betraying us.

The story will continue to defy expectations in a good way, and I hope the viewers will enjoy seeing Qualidea Code’s world change away from what you thought it was.

And personally, I hope you’ll wonder when Suzaku Ichiya will be able to speak normally again! Please remember him and his fragile mental state. Also, there are three ED themes, although we don’t know how they’ll be used either.

Yuma: Yeah!

Soma: It’s a question of timing. Maybe the next episode… We want to build hype, but…

Yuma: Episode 4 will probably have a special ED, right?

Soma: So, please look forward to the new OP/EDs too.

Yuma: There really are various three-way collabs here! (Referencing how the project is written by three authors, and the OPs/EDs are sung by three artists)

Soma: Indeed. The story gets more interesting from here on, so please look forward to that.

[Interview] Seiyuu Men vol.3 – Saito Soma – Qualidea Code & Book-Related Questions

Released: 2016/7/22

Mentioned: Anzai Chika, Uchida Yuma, Hirata Hiroaki, Noto Mamiko

※After the Qualidea Code interview is a Q&A about some of the books that Soma enjoys.

The Earth is suddenly attacked by unidentified enemies called the “Unknown,” which push humanity towards the brink of collapse. Three strongholds are built in Tokyo, Kanagawa, and Chiba, and the boys and girls assigned there use their innate special powers to fight the Unknown. Saito Soma plays the role of Suzaku Ichiya, a young man who fights on the front lines as the leader of Tokyo. This interview was conducted when he’d just finished recording for the series.

Q: First, what were your impressions after reading the novel?

I read all of the novels that have been published, and I thought it was a really interesting concept—having leading authors show their individual flairs in a shared world, and even animating it. When I read the novel that my character Suzaku is the protagonist of, Sonna Sekai wa Kowashite Shimae (by Sagara Sou), his character was a bit different from what I’d felt at the audition. But strangely enough, now that I’m actually voicing him, there are aspects that feel the same as my original impression.

Q: Sonna Sekai wa Kowashite Shimae is a prequel to the anime, so Suzaku’s character certainly does feel a bit different.

You can imagine that something might’ve happened between the prequel and the first episode of the anime. In the novel, the mysterious girl Canaria talks with her friends Tsugumi and Suzaku. That Suzaku is a straightforward and honest man who can genuinely say that he “loves humankind,” and I sensed his original focus there. At the same time, his words are harsh, so he tends to be seen as unpleasant or high-handed. But, he faces the Unknown with sincere feelings. Normally you can’t grasp everything about a character just from the anime script, but the novel provided a lot of material for understanding him better, so it was important for voicing him.

Q: Suzaku’s relationship with Canaria and his rivalry with Chiba’s second-in-command Kasumi are interesting too.

Suzaku’s honesty means he doesn’t choose his words carefully, but he isn’t actually trying to rile up others. However, Kasumi is the sole exception—Suzaku does intentionally try to rile him up *laughs*.

Also, during the audition, there was the problem of what his stance should be towards Canaria. At first, I thought he would be quite harsh, but at the next recording after reading the novel, Sagara-sensei said to me that he was glad Suzaku became friendlier. The change was something that happened naturally after reading the original work.

Q: This series takes place in a dystopia, but what do you find appealing about the setting?

There’s a cold sleep shelter, and only the children woke up from it, gaining special powers called “Worlds” and being tasked with protecting Earth from the “Unknown”… That explanation might be hard to understand *laughs*. But, I think it’s also a story about a world on the brink of destruction, where adults and children build pseudo familial relationships. I’m quite a big fan of dystopia sci-fi, and I can feel the “solidarity between the ones still remaining” in this work. But, whether that solidarity is “happiness” is a different question.

Q: It’s also interesting how the world’s mystery is revealed bit by bit.

It makes me wonder if it’ll go the route where, once the full story is revealed, your perspective of the world will change completely. In that sense, nowadays it’s normal for anime to have a lot of dialogue and explanations, but this one is interesting in how it leaves room for imagination as it narrows down its setting. So, I think that even people who aren’t fond of sci-fi will find it worthwhile to follow the story one episode at a time.

Q: Did the director or sound director say anything to you regarding your role?

Rather than anything specific, it was more like we took it one episode at a time. The sound director, Ebina Yasunori-san, is someone I worked with when I was still a newbie. During the audition, he told me that when I was expressing Suzaku’s arrogance, all of my intonations were becoming monotonous. He taught me to make the character more alive, and I think that was a major influence for me this time.

Also, when I talked to the authors of the original novels, they said that Suzaku was the easiest to understand, so I got the impression that I shouldn’t try to make him too elaborate.

Something else I found difficult was that the three pairs, Tokyo, Chiba, and Kanagawa, spoke in very unique and characteristic registers. We haven’t been able to thoroughly discuss it with the director yet, but it feels like he’s guiding us along a very precise balance.

Q: What is the recording atmosphere like?

The six main cast members are close in age, so it feels like we’re experiencing the characters’ high school atmosphere in reality. Plus, we still don’t know what the next plot developments will be, so it feels like we’re going through the same thing as Suzaku and the others—suddenly being thrown into a world where we have to fight.

As for the recording itself, the six of us sit in a row, and the Chiba pair (Anzai Chika and Uchida Yuma) are really funny, so everyone’s always laughing and having fun thanks to them. Of course, there are also senpais like Hirata-san and Noto-san, so it feels similar to the story’s world. I’m supported by my friends and senpais, and all of the staff assess our voices very earnestly. We spend a long time carefully crafting each episode, so it feels like everyone is synchronizing better with each one.

Q: The dialogue pacing also strikes a delicate balance between comedic and serious elements. How did you act out those?

It really is fun when you’re talking seriously in one scene and then laughing in the next. But for Suzaku, he uses a relatively serious tone no matter the scene. Personally, I think it’s because he speaks so seriously that he contrasts the other characters, so the rest falls upon the recipient of his words, the visuals, and the viewers’ interpretation. I hope you’ll find it entertaining.

Q: Is there anything you do to preserve the condition of your voice and throat?

Suzaku is a character that does things briskly, so I strive to speak bluntly. But, when you’re too blunt, it turns into something else, so I keep in mind to balance it with speaking clearly. So, I bought a facial massager to loosen the stiffness in my jaw and tongue *laughs*. I also try not to catch colds.

Q: By the way, do you have anything in common with Suzaku?

I wonder… Suzaku is a rather single-minded character, right? His favourite saying is, “I can handle it myself” *laughs*. I think he’s a man who won’t be satisfied unless he does everything himself, and stubbornly insists on doing something about the current situation. From another angle, it means that he’s bad at relying on others. I’m closer to that type myself, so perhaps we’re similar.

Also, Suzaku has a chuunibyou side that he’s oblivious to. He gives people’s abilities alternate names… I’m definitely not like that, but I can kind of sense something similar between us there *laughs*.

That said, I want to prioritize what kind of person Suzaku Ichiya is over whether or not I resemble him. I want to voice him for who he is, without letting our similarities take the lead.

Q: In that case, what do you think is important in voicing him for who he is?

Not reading ahead in the story. It’s not exclusive to this series, but in this case, Suzaku has been placed in a certain situation, and he makes his own predictions and takes his own actions. I want to maintain the feeling of being directly connected to him, and value the fact that “Suzaku Ichiya is there.”

Also, it’s interesting how each of the characters have different stances in their conversations. I make sure to remember to have a clear distinction between “how Saito Soma would want to respond to that line” and “how Suzaku would actually respond to that line.” During conversation scenes, if I conform too much to the other person speaking, then it won’t sound like Suzaku’s talking anymore. So, I take care to maintain that sense of balance.

Q: What is your current goal as a voice actor?

I think the most important thing is attitude—expressing my lines properly, without pridefulness. It’s always easy to say you’ll do something, but putting it into practice correctly is difficult. So, I always keep my attitude in mind, as a caution to myself. In addition to humility, I also think that impulsiveness is important for acting. Instead of just protecting myself, I also need to break free from that protection. Maybe that’s why “balance” was the theme of today’s interview *laughs*.

I absorb various things from anime, books, films, and stage plays, and I want to leverage those when I’m addressing people or listening to them speak. Those are where my foundations lie, and I’d say my goal is to build on those, pursuing different forms of expression through reading performances and whatnot. To leap at things I don’t know, while also taking careful steps. I hope that my words will reach the ears of many.

Book-Related Questions for Saito Soma

Q: What’s your favourite quote?

* “If all be true that I do think,
There are five reasons why men drink.
Good wine, a friend, or being dry,
Or lest we should be by-and-by,
Or any other reason why.” (From Scotch to Sentou by Tamura Ryuichi)

In one of his books, the poet Tamura Ryuichi introduced this quote from scholar Henry Aldrich, who was a dean of Christ Church at the University of Oxford. I completely agree! *laughs* I also used to be a reckless drinker, but recently I’ve been trying to drink more maturely, and this quote is always present in the side of my head. I love how it combines humour and moderation. It’s also encouraging, when something bad happens and I want to relax a little and overcome it with humour. Although, in the case of Tamura-san the first-class drunkard, I think he uses this as an excuse to drink. *laughs*

*English translation was taken from Wikiquote.

Q: Which books would you like to read for an audience?

  • Dazai Osamu’s works
  • Raymond Carver’s works
  • Tamura Ryuichi’s works
  • Kyuusekai by Fukuma Kenji

Since I was born in Japan and was accepted into this line of work, I really do want to try Dazai Osamu. A major title like No Longer Human would be nice, but Dazai also has many works that are humorous or lyrical. He has a masterful writing style with an incredible sense of rhythm. His works are almost a century old now, and yet people today can still latch onto the rhythm when they read them out loud, which isn’t something that can be said of most compositions from that long ago.

I’d also like to try a translated work, especially from an author like Raymond Carver, or something that’s been translated to modern Japanese by the translator Kishimoto Sachiko. I get the feeling that we rarely get the chance to recite translated works, so it sounds like it’d be interesting.

Next is poetry. There’s the orthodox Tamura Ryuichi-san, and Fukuma Kenji-san’s Kyuusekai also left a deep impression on me. In reading performances, we can express ourselves with more than just our voices—for example, acting theatrically to the beat. So, I think it’s important to consider what you’re reading and how you’re doing it.

Q: Which books would you recommend for men?

  • A Lover’s Discourse by Roland Barthes
  • Naze Anata wa “Aishitekurenai Hito” wo Suki ni Naru no ka by Nimura Hitoshi

A Lover’s Discourse was written by Barthes, a modern theorist. I think there are many people who believe that philosophy is boring, but this book is simply a collection of love stories, so I think it’ll hit home for young men who are struggling with love.

Next is Nimura Hitoshi-san’s Naze Anata wa “Aishitekurenai Hito” wo Suki ni Naru no ka (“Why do you fall in love with someone who won’t love you?”), which really struck me on a personal level *laughs*. It’s written in a rough style and talks about how you should confront yourself. My teenage years were gloomy *laughs*, and I want someone in the same situation to read this book and tell me what they think, because I believe that it saved me, just a bit.

Q: Which books would you recommend for women?

  • Suki Suki Daisuki Chou Aishiteru. by Maijo Otaro

It’s not so much a “recommendation,” but something I’d like to hear their opinions on. I’m a fan of Maijo-sensei and have been reading his works ever since his debut work. The writing style in his novels has speed and incredible readability. It feels intoxicating to read, too. This book is a sci-fi romance and begins with, “Love is a prayer. I will pray.” I’d like to hear a woman’s opinion on the rest of the opening. *laughs*

Q: Which books influenced your life?

  • Encyclopædia Britannica
  • Jigokudou Reikai Tsuushin by Kouzuki Hinowa
  • Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut

When I was little, we had my grandmother’s copy of Encyclopædia Britannica at home, and I’d always be reading it during my free time. My mother would also read it to me, and she was really good at it. But, my parents would fall asleep quickly, so I guess I’d end up reading it by myself. For me, that was my formative reading experience.

In elementary school, the series I read the most was Jigokudou Reikai Tsuushin. It was like an occult version of Zukkoke Sanningumi (a series of children’s books) *laughs*. The three main characters were elementary schoolers named Tecchan, Ryouchin, and Shiina, and I loved Shiina-kun so much that I even wanted to make my surname Shiina *laughs*.

After that, I read a ton of things that combined sci-fi, youth, and summer elements. Qualidea Code fits that perfectly, huh? *laughs* If I were to name one of them, it’d be Vonnegut’s Cat’s Cradle. I’ve reread it many times, and I want to have a life that I too can call “Nice, Nice, Very Nice.”