Tag: Komada Wataru

[Serialization] Monthly TV Guide 2021/3 Edition – Saito Soma no “Tsukurikata”. 01

(no scans because it’s still a recent release)

Released: 2021/1/22

Features:
Saito Soma
Nakao Ryusei

Mentioned:
Komada Wataru
Ueda Reina
Takahashi Rie

Saito Soma’s new serialization where he discusses “How It’s Made” with anime industry professionals. The first guest is Nakao Ryusei, who was Saito’s teacher at voice actor training school. Nakao was born in 1951 and debuted at the age of 5 on a radio drama. He discovered the industry in an era where “voice acting was an actor’s part-time job.” He became known for roles such as Baikinman in Anpanman and Frieza in Dragon Ball Z, and in 1985, he got involved in training the next generation at the previous iteration of 81 Produce’s training school. When Saito enrolled there, Nakao considered him “already skilled” from the very beginning. Here, they discuss what a training school teacher does and what the place means to voice actors.

Saito Soma and his respected former teacher discuss “Voice Actor Training School” (Part 1)

Saito: I went to training school more than ten years ago. There are a lot of things that I don’t remember very well, but I do still remember what happened there. For example, going to a summer festival with all of my classmates, like Komada (Wataru)-kun, Ueda (Reina)-san, and Takahashi Rie-chan. I think there were a lot of unique people in our year.

Nakao: It was a fun class with a lot of motivated people.

Saito: I feel like we also caused a lot of trouble *laughs*. I think there were a lot of really ambitious people. After class, we would always discuss what we learned that day in front of the train station.

Nakao: Wow!

Saito: I really enjoyed the debates we had. It was truly a time of adolescence, struggling and frustration included.

Nakao: 81 Produce’s training school curriculum used to be three years. You went there for one year, right? In the first semester you studied voice fundamentals and readings, the second semester was animation voicing, and the third semester was dubbing Western films. But now, animation voicing is done in the first semester.

Saito: Right off the bat?!

Nakao: Anime dialogue is caricaturized to begin with. Before you can study realistic dialogue and acting, you have to do caricaturized acting. There are also classes for fundamentals, speaking, and narration, but it’s still rather tough.

Saito: That’s demanding.

Nakao: The “Words” class that I teach is taught by two teachers in two time blocks. One teaches fundamentals while the other is for practical application like anime dubbing. We take turns teaching the blocks.

Saito: So, Ryusei-san taught me both fundamentals and practical application. We did the “Uirou-uri” (a type of kabuki prologue used for practicing articulation and enunciation) too, right? What I remember most from the lessons is “Wasshoi” which used the lyrics from Kitahara Hakushuu’s Omatsuri.

Nakao: We still do that now.

Saito: The line “Wasshoi, wasshoi. It’s a festival, it’s a festival!” would be repeated, and the following lines would be different things like “A hanagasa on our backs~” or “A portable shrine; it’s a portable shrine~”. We would all stand in a circle and recite the verses from memory. The person speaking goes in the middle of the circle, and when they’re done, they pick a random person to go next. So, you don’t know which part you’ll be reciting until the time comes…

Nakao: You pass the baton while keeping the rhythm.

Saito: We keep going until we make it to the end without making mistakes or breaking the rhythm. It was extremely nerve-racking voice training.

Nakao: The day’s lesson wouldn’t begin until they did it perfectly. It’s a type of theatre game (practice for developing acting ability). Even though you memorized the song, you might blank out when the time comes to say your part.

Saito: Exactly.

Nakao: It’s even more stressful for the last person. If they make a mistake, everyone has to start over from the beginning.

Saito: The pressure builds as the song progresses.

Nakao: It also acts as mental training. At an audition, “I really do have it memorized” doesn’t fly. You have to do it right then and there. We also teach the students to look at people’s eyes when choosing the next person, because you’ll be able to tell if they remember the next line or not.

Saito: You can sense if they’re sending the “I can do this one” signal.

Nakao: Then you can also tell if they’ve memorized the entire song or if they only know one part. However, that’s not always going to work either, so what do you do? We have them work on a solution together.

Saito: You have to think about multiple things at the same time. It’s like that when voice acting too.

Nakao: The workplace is no different.

Saito: If you told me to do “Wasshoi” right now, I think I’d say “Please give me a break.” *laughs*

Nakao: Then, the final part of training school is the presentation.

Saito: Each class presents a work that’ll be the culmination of what they learned that year.

Nakao: We want everyone to come together to create a single work. Even though they aren’t “eating out of the same pot,” we want them to have that foundation. It’s also on them to find a place to practice.

Saito: For our independent practice, everyone pooled money and looked for a place we could rent. Also, each class had their specialties—for example, if they had someone who was good at making arrangements, they would get a training place booked in a flash.

Nakao: The duties naturally get distributed.

Saito: The world of acting involves working together to create something, which comes with both enjoyment and difficulties. We learned about that at training school too.

Nakao: We teachers are like driving school teachers. We can drive with one hand spinning the steering wheel, but we have to teach the students fundamental driving techniques like holding onto the wheel firmly with both hands.

Saito: What I appreciated the most at training school was that on top of teaching us the basic mentalities and techniques, they also made us think for ourselves. Instead of saying, “Do it like this,” they asked questions like, “How did that feel?” or “How do you want to do this?” I’m the kind of person that likes to think. Conversely, that means I tend to be satisfied with small successes. Also, at first I had a strong desire to not make mistakes, but Ryusei-san told me, “This place exists for you to make mistakes.” He never once scolded us unfairly either.

Nakao: I did scold people.

Saito: Aren’t scolding and admonishing completely different? I consider what you did “admonishing.” When you admonished us, we really did deserve it.

Nakao: I never admonished you alone, right? But I did admonish the class as a whole.

Saito: There was a time when we got too used to your kindness.

Nakao: It wasn’t my kindness—since we always studied from the same materials, you got used to the course content. When people become competent to a degree, they let their guard down. That’s when I scolded them and said, “Don’t get used to it!”

Saito: Ryusei-san is usually really nice, but when he says, “Tighten up this part and try again with firm emotion,” it’s sharp and motivates you.

Nakao: Saying it sharply makes them perform sharply, right? And then I scold them again, saying “Why didn’t you do it before I had to tell you to?!” I just don’t like it when they can do it but they don’t. If they can’t do it, then that’s a different story. But being capable yet choosing not to do it is bad. I get a little angry when that happens.

Saito: The sound pressure went “bang!” that time. I thought, “So this is what it means to have a voice resonate through your body!” That was when I experienced a real professional’s vocal force directly instead of through a mic.

Nakao: I’m always practicing for that purpose *laughs*. If you wait until you’re told to do it, it’s too late. When you become a professional, you have to do it properly from the start.

Saito: When we first started training school, our mindset was “first, be taught.” From there, we switched gears to assembling our own performances and acclimating our bodies to those ideas. Come to think of it, I expected the “Uirou-uri” story to come up today, so I reviewed it and was astounded. I thought I’d analyzed the content and its meaning back then, but when I read it now, it’s like seeing it through a higher resolution lens. I thought I understood it back then, but my perspective was too narrow.

Nakao: “Uirou-uri” has a lot of components. Accents, nasal sounds, devoicing…

Saito: Back then, I was really focused on memorizing it properly. “Uirou-uri” is about using any means possible to sell the audience on an amazing medicine. When I reviewed it, I kept thinking about how I’d want to present it. But if I did it right now, I think it’d sound extremely shady. *laughs*

Nakao: That’s brilliant. *laughs*

Saito: Since being taught by you, I’ve come to like more things. Back then, I was in my third year of university. That year, I decided that I would dedicate my whole life to walking the path of voice acting.

Nakao: Really?

Saito: I didn’t think my personality was suited for being a voice actor because I didn’t think I could take a step forward with sensitiveness or explosiveness. That was all I thought about every day. One day, I was eating in the school cafeteria, and I suddenly thought, “Wait—if my personality isn’t suited for it, does that mean that if I keep doing voice acting work for my whole life, I’ll be able to change myself over the course of my lifetime?” I called my parents right then and there and told them, “I’m not going to go job hunting.”

Nakao: So that’s when you decided.

Saito: Both of my parents are enthusiastic teachers. They said, “It’s your own life. We’re happy that you discovered what you want to do.”

Nakao: That’s kind of them.

Saito: They also said, “But since it’s your life, be responsible for it yourself.”

Nakao: I’m definitely never meeting your parents! They’d probably say, “Was it you who tricked our son?!” *laughs*

Saito: No way *laughs*. I talk to my parents about what you taught me.

Nakao: They sound like good parents. When you were taking my classes, you were always worrying.

Saito: A lot.

Nakao: And now you’re shining. You were a bit dark when you were worrying.

Saito: *laughs* Yeah.

Nakao: At the time, I thought, “He’s the type to overthink, huh?” It was a worrying time period for you.

Saito: Back then, I was intentionally narrowing my field of vision. All I thought was, “I need to show good results here so that it’ll lead to the next step!” I think that that in itself was a necessary time for me.

Nakao: What we teach at training school isn’t that grandiose, right? The first thing we talk about is always your mentality and the “wait” attitude.

Saito: Right. At training school, rather than how to be an actor, I learned a lot more about the fundamental mentality that I should have as a person who’ll be entering society.

Nakao: Our job is to wait. We have to wait until work comes. How do you spend your time waiting? “Lessons are important, but how are you going to live your life until our next class?” Since the classes continue for a year, I want the students to wait effectively. After they become professionals, this will stick with them for the rest of their lives.

Saito: Even now when I meet people from that class, we often talk about the “wait” attitude.

Nakao: Everyone’s working as hard as they can, right? Because they’re pros. But what do you do when you don’t have work? This becomes the most important thing. Waiting effectively, concentrating effectively, and putting forth your best effort. Also, don’t slack off during lessons!

Saito: I think that 2020 in particular was a time for the whole world, not just actors, to think about “waiting.”

Nakao: Everyone, yes.

Saito: I try to keep the wait attitude, but sometimes I give in and I’m just waiting, or I become too passive. We voice actors only exist because of creative works and characters, but that said, we should also be able to actively create and express something. I thought a lot about how it’s important to “wait actively.” I can’t practice in a really loud voice at home, after all. *laughs*

Nakao: I’ve been working for many years too, and this is the first time I’ve had so much time to myself. At times like this, your mentality is the most important thing. We’ve been living rather brazenly, but the young people who are starting out in their career have weaknesses in their mentality. How will they fortify those and wait until their next opportunity? It might be a good idea to think about that.

(Continued in Part 2 in Monthly TV Guide 2021/4)

Bonus

“Hello, Saito Soma here! I have an interview published in Monthly TV Guide New Year XXL Edition, releasing today on December 16! There, it was announced that in the March edition releasing January 24, 2021*, I’m going to be starting a serialization in Monthly TV Guide~! I’m going to be having discussions with various professionals from the anime industry. More information will be announced later, so look forward to it!”
(*He says 1/24 in the video, but the actual release date was 1/22.)
“Hello, Saito Soma here! My serialization will be starting in Monthly TV Guide March Edition which releases on January 22. I’ll be having discussions with various professionals. For the first installment, I was given the opportunity to talk with my respected former teacher from my training school days, Nakao Ryusei-san! I really respect Ryusei-san as both an actor and a person, so I’m truly thankful for this! Please check it out!”

[Interview] MyNavi News – Hypnosis Mic -Division Rap Battle- Rhyme Anima Cast Discussion

Published: 2020/11/27
Original URL: https://news.mynavi.jp/article/20201127-1533653/

Features:
Ishiya Haruki (Yamada Jiro in Hypnosis Mic)
Komada Wataru (Iruma Jyuto in Hypnosis Mic)
Saito Soma (Yumeno Gentaro in Hypnosis Mic)
Kijima Ryuichi (Izanami Hifumi in Hypnosis Mic)

Mentioned:
Kimura Subaru (Yamada Ichiro in Hypnosis Mic)
Amasaki Kohei (Yamada Saburo in Hypnosis Mic)
Asanuma Shintaro (Aohitsugi Samatoki in Hypnosis Mic)
Kamio Shinichiro (Busujima Mason Rio in Hypnosis Mic)
Shirai Yusuke (Amemura Ramuda in Hypnosis Mic)
Nozuyama Yukihiro (Arisugawa Dice in Hypnosis Mic)
Hayami Show (Jinguji Jakurai in Hypnosis Mic)
Ito Kent (Kannonzaka Doppo in Hypnosis Mic)

—What were your impressions after watching Hypnosis Mic -Division Rap Battle- Rhyme Anima?

Ishiya: “They’re moving!” Having the characters animated meant that we could see their height differences, and seeing the city and the people living there expanded the world view. When I saw Ikebukuro Division in the anime, I thought, “This is the neighbourhood where the three brothers grew up.”

—What part of it made you think that?

Ishiya: The public order *laughs*. In Episode 2, Samezuka hears a cellphone ringing and says, “Whose is that?! Why isn’t your phone in silent mode?!” That line shows his goodness. Normally you would’ve expected him to say, “Whose is that?! Show yourself! I’ll beat you to death!”

Kijima: Seeing the other people in the neighbourhood makes it feel lived-in—it makes you feel closer to the world that the characters live in. In Shibuya Division, there’s another host, Uwabami, that talks a lot.

—I’m curious about how Uwabami and Hifumi would’ve interacted at work.

Kijima: The hosts probably fought amongst themselves too. I’d like to see a rap between hosts, although it seems like it’d be hard to make each of them unique.

Komada: Before the Hypmic mobile game came out, there weren’t many official illustrations. In the letters I received from fans, I could tell that the scarcity of official art gave them a lot of room for imagination. So when the anime adaptation happened, I thought, “Finally!”

Like Haru-kun (Ishiya) said, compared to the height numbers on the characters’ profiles, it’s easier to tell their height differences when they’re moving around on screen. Whether they’re glaring at each other eye-to-eye or one of them is looking down on the other is an important aspect. I think that the fans who have been supporting the franchise this whole time will discover a lot of things in the anime, some expected and some not.

—Did you make any discoveries, Komada-san?

Komada: From the numbers, I knew that Samatoki was a bit taller than Jyuto, but seeing them actually talking to each other, I thought, “So it really is like this.” I wasn’t satisfied with that feeling of being slightly looked down on, though. *laughs*

Saito: When I first watched Episode 1, I was impressed at how the rap battles showed coolness in various ways. They tried different presentations for each division and song, so I thought it’d be fun to rewatch the anime from different angles.

—The flashiness of the rap battles was well received.

Saito: Hypmic excels with the uniqueness of its setting and characters, so I think the Hypmic-ness permeates through the whole anime. Every episode has a lot of hooks that make me go, “Wait, can you hold on a sec?” and want to rewind 15 seconds. I think it’s a good match for the current era.

The character names that the cast shouted out were…

—Tell us your memorable scenes from the eight episodes that have aired so far.

Ishiya: At the beginning of Episode 1, when Jiro and Saburo come in. Ama-chan (Amasaki Kohei who plays Yamada Saburo) and I were talking about how happy we were that we got to say the first lines out of the 12 characters.

—Amasaki-san also said that he was happy about that.

Ishiya: Then in Episode 2, the scene where Ichiro is running to Jiro and Saburo. It was really badass and protagonist-like how he jumped over the wall behind them. There was a delinquent-ness to it too, like even though he was an ally, he had the coolness of an enemy.

Komada: Honestly, up until that scene I was thinking, “Ichiro, stop rapping and run faster,” but I forgave him when he arrived. He was cool.

Kijima: Something that was cool in Shinjuku Division was Jakurai-sensei’s narration at the beginning of Episode 3. “This is Shinjuku Division, where neon lights shine all night…” Hayami-san’s voice really gives it a lot of depth. The scene where Doppo screams and runs out of the apartment was awesome too. Who would’ve thought that a single roll of toilet paper could make someone scream like that?

Saito: That chain of events was funny.

Kijima: Also, it’s not a scene, but Episode 3 had ridiculously hard-to-say names. Mimimi and Uwabami… *laughs*

Ishiya: Mimimi is rough!

Saito: Honestly, I was glad I didn’t have to say it. *laughs*

Komada: That name is a voice actor killer. I’m sure that even though it wasn’t us saying it, we still shouted, “Mimimi! I can’t say that!” I was impressed that Kijima-san said it magnificently.

Kijima: Fortunately it was a good day for me, hahahaha! *laughs* It would’ve been fine if it was just “Mimimi.” But having words before or after it, like “Mimimi-san,” was a struggle. Another memorable scene as Hifumi was Episode 7 when he yells at Kazuha.

—That was the episode where Doppo makes a new friend named Rurikawa Kazuha, but it turns out that he’s using Matenro to get away with theft.

Kijima: “Doppo was truly happy to have made a friend! How dare you play with his emotions?!” I agreed completely with that line. But I remembered earlier on when Doppo and Kazuha were getting closer and Hifumi butted in, and thought, “It’s because you do those things that Doppo can’t make any friends.” *laughs* Well, he’s still a good guy. Doppo and Hifumi have built that relationship over many years.

Komada: As for Yokohama Division, the scene in Episode 4 after they solved the case was reminiscent of old anime, and I loved that. Rio apologizes to the other two for the trouble his former comrades caused, and Samatoki tells him not to because “It was our problem.” Jyuto also says it was a good warm-up for the division battle. It was a cliche way of brushing it off, but I really liked that old-fashioned exchange. I thought it was cute.

Also, Jyuto’s line in Episode 8. They corner his police coworkers who have been making trouble, and I loved his, “I’d expect no less from my respected seniors.” It made me go, “Jyuto-saaan!”

—Jyuto’s cruelness towards wrongdoers is very different from the way he treats Samatoki and Rio.

Komada: When he clashes with Samatoki, it’s as direct equals, so his coarse speech is simply reactionary. Against other villains, he generally looks down on them and wants to take the initiative. He talks in formal language as a way of pinning them down from above. Against Samatoki, he doesn’t try to hold on to the upper hand.

Saito: Also, I really like Rex… *laughs* I liked the scene in Episode 5 when the photographers were giving a food report on squid jerky, and the Shibuya Division members were like, “These people are dangerous…”

Ishiya: Why were those three eating squid jerky in Shibuya? And in the middle of a livehouse?

Komada: I wondered if squid jerky was soul food in the real Shibuya and looked it up.

Saito: I like scenes that feel like they’re doing their own thing, like in Episode 8 when Gentaro picks up the weighted dice, shoves them at Dice’s mouth, and tells him to bite them. First of all, Dice has incredible jaw strength, and second of all, why did Gentaro make him do that? *laughs*

—It was certainly an unusual idea.

Saito: Shibuya Division’s episodes are always comedic. Even the ghost story that Gentaro tells in Episode 5—when you listen to it calmly, you go, “Wait, huh?” because the part where you’re supposed to be scared is complicated.

Kijima: It was actually scary! *laughs*

Saito: At the recording, I think it was Shirai-kun? who asked, “What does this mean?” and I had to explain why it was scary *laughs*. But Ramuda and Dice were scared. The way the story was improvised on the fly without caring about consistency is very fitting for Shibuya Division, because they enjoy aimless conversations and idle talk.

—Moving from drama tracks to anime, was there anything you experimented with at the recordings?

Kijima: For Hifumi, whether his jacket is on or off is an important point. At the anime recordings I only had the script and black-and-white line art to work with, so there were many times when I didn’t know. I was constantly confirming with the staff. And there was a time when I was “wearing the jacket” during the test run, but in the real recording, I got carried away with the flow and forgot to put it on, so we had to redo that part.

—That’s something that could only happen at an anime recording. As for the characters, I’m assuming you used what you’d built up from the CDs?

Saito: Yes, we kept what we’d fostered so far. But in Gentaro’s case, I think his eccentricity was toned down a bit from the drama tracks. For Episode 1, I was told, “Don’t go as overboard as in the drama tracks; rein it in.”

—In the drama tracks, Gentaro throws people off by doing things like suddenly changing his personal pronoun to “maro.” In the anime, it seems more like he’s calmly watching over the rambunctious Ramuda and Dice.

Saito: I think he’s become the balancer between them. Even before, he could’ve been interpreted as a sensible person who was pretending to be eccentric. In the anime, we have the cute Ramuda, the teaseable Dice, and then Gentaro who’s one step behind them. I think it emphasizes them as the “cute, upbeat division.”

Ishiya: In that sense, Jiro’s also changed from the drama tracks. I wanted to have a bigger gap between the voice he talks to his big bro with and the voice he talks to Saburo and his friends with. In the anime, I was able to switch between them perfectly.

—What was the reasoning behind that?

Ishiya: In the anime, you can see Jiro’s physical build, right? Since he’s 180cm tall, I don’t think he would normally have the voice that he talks to his big bro with, which is the one in the drama tracks. That voice comes out because his mental growth hasn’t caught up with his physical growth, and it shows that he still has room to grow. In the anime you can see his body, so I wanted the viewers to feel that dissonance and room for growth.

The voice he talks to Ichiro with is quite forced for me. I wanted to make the gap bigger, so I did my best to tune my throat to be able to reach that vocal register.

Komada: For Jyuto, what I was conscious of in the anime was preventing the rap from sounding out of place.

—Out of place?

Komada: Jyuto is generally calm and collected during the story parts, but when he’s rapping, he has powerful high-tone attacks. Yokohama Division’s songs are interesting because we have the super low-tone Rio, the unrelenting mid-tone Samatoki, and the eardrum-provoking high-tone Jyuto. So, I can’t lower his voice. But I think that people seeing Jyuto for the first time will notice the big gap between his story voice and his rap voice and go, “Is this Jyuto-san rapping?”

—True, if you start with his calm personality then the aggressiveness of his rapping voice might seem too energetic.

Komada: That’s why I decided to use a wider key range for the anime. I didn’t want Jyuto’s voice to feel off during the rap parts, so I made sure to familiarize viewers with his higher range during the story parts too.

Heavy-hitting raps that surpass the words’ meaning

—I see, because a lot of people are experiencing Hypnosis Mic for the first time through the anime. New rap songs were produced for the opening, ending, and every episode. Did any of them leave a particular impression on you?

Saito: First off, I thought, “The opening theme is such a difficulty spike!” *laughs*

Kijima: Even for you, Soma-kun?!

Saito: It’s fast, right? It’s fast, but if you get caught up in the speed, it’s hard to express coolness. The chorus is belted out too, so there was the question of how much of each character’s personality could be presented.

Komada: The opening’s relay is by far the fastest we’ve had. It was probably a speed record for every character. We didn’t even get 10 seconds.

Saito: It’s a really cool opening theme. We’re fortunate to have a lot of people supporting this series, and instead of taking advantage of that to take it easy, it really feels like we have the guts to keep trying new things, and I thought that was cool.

Ishiya: Also, the ending theme was sung individually by each division, and Jyuto’s voice really pierces through Yokohama Division’s version, like, “ore-tachi no kizuna” “KIZUNA!!!” *laughs*

Komada: The mixing engineer adjusted it so that everyone was the same volume, but my voice is still too piercing, right?

Ishiya: Yeah, it has a clanging feel to it. “KIZUNA!!!” was in the Twitter trends too.

—How were the raps in each episode’s battle scene?

Komada: I want to hear about Episode 6’s rap from Haru-kun.

Ishiya: That was cool, right?! Colabintaro-san (Kimura Subaru) said that he wanted to win against the Electro DynaMonks so badly that he crammed more rhymes in than ever before. It was a really satisfying song for me and Ama-chan too.

Ikebukuro Division’s had refreshing fast songs, but this one was hardcore from the start with the guitar intro. We wanted to sing a heavy song like “DEATH RESPECT” too, so that wish of ours was granted.

—Do you have any stories to share from the recording?

Ishiya: My part was recorded second, and first was Ama-chan. When I listened to his part, his rap was unexpectedly forceful. Since it was so cool, it motivated me for my part too. Ama-chan is always scarier than I expect. He’s a mad dog too. *laughs*

Komada: For Yokohama Division, Samatoki’s lyrics in Episode 4 were pretty striking. “They can air such blatantly offensive lyrics on TV?!” *laughs* Being able to say this is one of the good things about hip hop.

—It was so direct that the words couldn’t be shown.

Komada: Then in Episode 8 there was Jyuto’s “I have on my side yakuza and ex-military, thanks for doing all the hard work for me” which had a great sound and was extremely fitting for Jyuto. They’re angry lyrics that conjure the image of him narrowing his eyes and looking down on his opponents. In that song, Jyuto and Rio name themselves, but Samatoki’s MC name is called by the other two. It shows the relationship between them.

Kijima: I like Shinjuku Division’s rap in Episode 7. It’s cool, right? Even the prototype song was so powerful that I wish you could’ve heard it. I think it’s a song that shows visually and audibly the scenery of Shinjuku and the people living and suffering there.

“Like mixin’ too many colors of paint together, this situation should be makin’ me high, but all I feel is low”—I don’t know why, but it hits me right in the heart. I don’t have the words to explain it clearly, though. Anyway, I really love the Episode 7 song.

—Hifumi’s rapping gave off a different impression than usual.

Kijima: Maybe he expresses his feelings differently since there’s a clear target for his anger? Since the rap comes at the emotional climax of the story, it felt similar to dialogue. There’s a part that wasn’t used in the anime too, so I hope you’ll listen to the full version. The scenery descriptions become more vivid in the latter half, so the emotions come off stronger too.

—As was announced a while back, all of the new rap songs will be released together.

Saito: I received the music files for the songs I was part of, but I’m looking forward to listening to them all together. We want the album too.

—Which Shibuya Division song left an impression on you?

Saito: I really love Episode 5’s song. Gentaro has a strong supporting role as a sort of storyteller, while Ramuda is scared of ghosts and Dice is just hilarious. The three of them go off in different directions, but come together in unison for the chorus. The song is 80s-like with a good beat. It’s a style of music that Shibuya Division hasn’t done before.

—Episode 8’s “JACKPOT!” was also a new, aggressive style.

Saito: At the start, Gentaro’s “I simply despise lies!!!” is really angry. At first, I said it normally and got the OK. But then I said, “Just for the heck of it, can I try saying it really angrily?” and recorded that. Everyone laughed and the staff said, “Okay, we’ll use the one that works best.” I thought it’d be the first one, so I was surprised that they chose the angry one.

—The outrageousness of the lie does suit Gentaro.

Saito: As I said earlier, Gentaro seems calmer in the anime, but then his humorous nature shows up at every turn. I was glad that they used that take.

Shinjuku are “professionals,” Yokohama are “artisans”

—Do you have any stories to tell from the recordings?

Kijima: Episode 1’s recording was before COVID hit, so we were all able to record together, but everyone naturally sat with their divisions.

Ishiya: The three food reporters sat together too.

Komada: When one person sat down, the other teams would leave two spots open around that person when sitting down. It made more sense than sitting apart though, because the dialogues were on a division-by-division basis.

Kijima: Shibuya was the only one that was scattered.

Saito: To be precise, only Shirai-san was in a different place.

Ishiya: Yeah, he really is a free spirit.

Kijima: He’s following Ramuda’s character, I guess. *laughs*

Saito: In a way. Nozu (Nozuyama Yukihiro who plays Arisugawa Dice) came pretty close by, but Shirai-kun would greet us from a completely different place, and stay there by himself until right before the recording started.

Komada: But once everyone else was sitting with their divisions, the only space left was with Shibuya, so he ended up going there. It was funny.

Ishiya: At the start of Episode 1, the four members of The Dirty Dawg were sitting in the front. Looking at them made me think, “Yeah, they’re strong.”

Komada: Just having Hayami-san in the middle tightened up the atmosphere.

Ishiya: Also, the dorayaki we were given as refreshments was good.

Saito: I think the cast of Hypmic gets along quite well. We’ve performed a lot of concerts together, so I feel a strong bond between us.

Kijima: We can’t have get-togethers anymore because of the COVID situation, and it was unfortunate that the recordings became split up by division.

Saito: Shibuya was often recorded after Shinjuku, and since they finished their recordings with room to spare, it really felt like they were “professionals.” They did their work efficiently, said their thanks, and left.

Kijima: Hayami-san arrives the earliest, so we can’t let it run late.

Saito: Is there a general order you always arrive in? For Shibuya it’s always Nozu first, then me, and Shirai-kun is always last. Because he does things at his own pace. *laughs*

Kijima: For Shinjuku, Hayami-san usually arrives first, so I try to go as early as I can. Ito-kun really takes his time. *laughs*

Komada: For Yokohama, there’s a high chance of it being Kamio-san, then me, then Asanuma-san.

Ishiya: For Ikebukuro, Subaru-san or I would be first, and Ama-chan was last. If Subaru-san wasn’t there early, he wouldn’t show up until the last minute. If Shinjuku are professionals, then Yokohama seemed like artisans. It felt like they put a lot of care into each and every line.

Komada: Yokohama often changes their tone of voice depending on who they’re talking to. Samatoki’s coarse voice has a lot of originality, so it took time to fine-tune it. We also had a lot of discussions about ad libs.

Ishiya: For Ikebukuro, Subaru-san had to record a lot of things (like CMs and episode previews), so we’d talk to the other division members while waiting for him to finish.

Komada: For the English episode names in the previews, Ama-chan and Nozuyama-kun happened to be before and after me, and they asked me for help with pronunciation. Since they have to fit their characters’ personalities, we discussed how to accent the words.

Ishiya: Jiro couldn’t speak English to begin with, so I didn’t ask for help *laughs*. When I first took English in middle school, I didn’t know how to read anything either and I pronounced “who” as “hoh.” I remembered that when I recorded my preview.

—In Episode 9, the Division Rap Battle in Chuo-ku will finally begin. Please give us a message for all of the fans who are looking forward to it.

Ishiya: The battle season has been reproduced in anime form. The interactions with other divisions show more of the characters’ natures, like Jiro getting riled up by Jyuto, and Rio’s childishness when he’s mad at Saburo. It deepens the world.

It’s a sprint until the finish line, so I hope it gives the feeling of running to not get left behind *laughs*. I hope you’ll empathize with the teams and characters while cheering them on. Also, I want a sequel! Please show us your support!

Komada: For those who think it’s hard to get into Hypmic because it’s been going on for a long time, I hope you’ll watch this anime. Episode 1 is constructed in a relatively easy-to-watch way, and even if you only watch the anime, you’ll know what Hypmic is. Even if you only watch the rap parts, or even if you start from Episode 9, I think that’s fine. Look forward to seeing Chuo-ku’s involvement from here on.

Kijima: Since the matchups are the same as the drama tracks, I think there are already a lot of exciting, touching moments etched into our minds. How will those grand fights be depicted in the anime? Let’s get excited over them again together. I think Hypnosis Mic is a series where we can all get heated up together, pumping our hands in the air in front of the TV screen. The cast is heading into the fray now, so please keep up with us!

Saito: The major difference from Episode 9 onwards is that the divisions are clashing with each other. The battles will get more exciting, so please look forward to them. Each division gets their time in the spotlight, so please watch closely. Shibuya had a lot of happy and humorous scenes up until now, but you’ll be able to see a more serious side of them in the upcoming episodes. Please look forward to seeing that gap.

[Interview] Animate Times – Omikuji Yon Kyoudai Cast Interview

Published: 2020/5/22
Original URL: https://www.animatetimes.com/news/details.php?id=1587624437

Features:
Hatano Wataru (Shuu in Omikuji Yon Kyoudai)
Saito Soma (Ayame in Omikuji Yon Kyoudai)
Nishiyama Koutaro (Aoba in Omikuji Yon Kyoudai)
Takeuchi Shunsuke (Shiki in Omikuji Yon Kyoudai)
Komada Wataru (Ogata Kouichi in Omikuji Yon Kyoudai: Fuyu no Tantei wa Roast Beef ga Osuki)

Mentioned:
Genda Tessyo

※This interview was to commemorate the series’ first-ever BD/DVD release, their Fuyu no Tantei wa Roast Beef ga Osuki event.

Omikuji Yon Kyoudai gained new potential with their first-ever guest member☆

Q: First, please tell us your impressions of the Omikuji Yon Kyoudai: Fuyu no Tantei wa Roast Beef ga Osuki reading theatre that was held last winter.

Hatano: Rather than a normal reading theatre, this one felt like a new form of entertainment. It was on a large-scale stage, so we had to run around a lot.

Kawajiri Keita-san’s script had me laughing just from reading it, and it took each of the actors’ characteristics into play. It was a reading theatre where I really had no idea what would come forth.

Omikuji Yon Kyoudai was originally only the four of us, but by inviting Komada-kun as our first guest, I feel like the series has taken a new step forward.

Takeuchi: This was the second reading theatre we did, the first being Haru wa Omusubi!. I wondered how it’d turn out, but we had Wataru-san as a guest and the script took on a different flavour, so it felt like a new wave of dialogues was born. It showed that Omikuji Yon Kyoudai had room for such new developments.

I wanted to act both the comedic and the heartwarming parts with everything I had, to figure out how to make it the most entertaining, for the sake of the next installment as well.

Saito: I really got tired from laughing so much *laughs*. As they said, I really felt like I’ve grown through these good brothers, good series, and good characters.

Our guest, Koma-chan was a key character in this reading theatre, and if you were to ask me to name an alternative actor for him, no one else comes to mind at all.

We created this stage with this amazing cast, and it was a wonderful event that gave me high hopes for the future of the four brothers… but, it was seriously exhausting. *laughs*

Ayame’s parts were long. I’d keep flipping and flipping the pages, but it’d still be on Ayame.

Komada: Don’t be like that. If we removed any more lines, it wouldn’t be interesting anymore.

Saito: I want to take this opportunity to state that I had the fewest ad libs. *laughs*

Hatano: Who had the most?

Saito: *immediately answers* It was you, Hatano-san.

All: *laughs*

Saito: You were doing that rigid dancing while the lights dimmed, and the evening session had a lot of ad libs, right?

Nishiyama: His movements were visually way more active than everyone else’s. *laughs*

Hatano: Before it began, Kawajiri-san said “The stage transition there is a bit long, so feel free to play around.” So I really did it, only to see that no one else was moving!

All: *laughs*

Hatano: It was so embarrassing!

Saito: It was so funny *laughs*

Q: What were your impressions, Nishiyama-san?

Nishiyama: Both sessions were held on the same day, but it felt like the day and evening sessions were quite different in tone. This was because after the day session, during the break we discussed changes we wanted to make based on the audience’s reactions. I think it was a day of utmost concentration for all of us.

Komada: Like Koutaro-kun said, the audience reactions between the day and evening sessions would make you think they were different shows. All of the cast members made things more entertaining, and it was a lot of fun.

I was participating as the series’ first guest, so I was really excited about that already. During rehearsal, I absorbed as much as I could of the four characters they’d been developing all this time, and went into the performance wanting to simply enjoy the atmosphere.

The gap formed from the powered-up characters is hilarious!

Q: In the after-talk, you talked about how this event was the culmination of what came before it. Regarding what you have in common with the characters you play, has anything changed since your first impression of them?

Saito: I don’t think I have anything (in common). *laughs*

Nishiyama: My first impression of Aoba was that he was the most cheerful and energetic of the four brothers. I also thought he’d be shy around people outside their family, but it turned out that he was unreserved towards Ogata-san in this reading theatre. I realized that he can treat everyone in the same cheerful way.

Komada: Just like you, right? You’re a milder version. *laughs*

Takeuchi: We make new discoveries each time we act as them, so I think every character has gaps like that.

Saito: I think they got deeper with this performance, like their facial expressions that are contrary to their lines. Like how Shuu-nii never fails to find the camera when he poses. The camerawork was excellent too.

Hatano: Shuu had a lot of lines that were directed towards the audience, so I guess it seemed that way. *laughs*

Takeuchi: From this video footage, I think you’ll understand what it means when we say “reading theatre isn’t only about reading.” 81 Produce should use this as teaching material in their training school!

All: *laughs*

Saito: Shiki also sang a lot more than usual.

Takeuchi: He was supposed to just be a karaoke enthusiast at first…

Hatano: It was like the technique of a wandering minstrel. Takeuchi-kun can sing about any theme.

Q: He had singing scenes with a variety of titles, right? I wondered if Shiki’s songs had lyrics and composition behind them.

Takeuchi: This is embarrassing to talk about. *laughs*

Saito: You should say it!

Takeuchi: It’s… Shiki’s mental state *nervous*. I’d prefer to leave it to people’s imagination, so I’m still not going to comment.

Saito: The fortunes are a matter of chance, after all. We don’t know what we’ll get until we pull them. On the other hand, that helped us grow.

Takeuchi: Indeed *laughs*. All of the characters have been powering up.

Saito: *immediately* Ayame was the same as always, though.

Hatano: He’s definitely powering up!

Saito: It felt like the script gave him the “entertainer” position. I didn’t expect there to be a red light overlaid on my face on the live camera… It shocked me again when I saw it in the footage *laughs*. Everyone broke character when it happened.

Hatano: That was something only you could do. *laughs*

Q: In the after-talk, Hatano-san said something along the lines of, “Did Shuu always like girls this much?”

Hatano: In the very first recording, I emphasized the character’s personality strongly, but was directed to keep him as an elegant young man, so that he wouldn’t come across as a philanderer. I’ve been maintaining that since then, but this time, the script made it seem like his pent-up thoughts exploded. So, I boldly went all-in.

But no matter what we saw of him here, that was only one side of his character. He has various sides to him, like how he cares for his brothers. It’s just that this performance made it clear that he loves girls more than he loves food. *laughs*

Saito: There was the part about green peppers too.

Hatano: “Girl pepper” was Aoba’s line.

Nishiyama: It was completely as written in the script.

Q: I see! I thought it was an ad lib. I’d like to compare with the script to see how much of it was ad-libbed.

Hatano: The part where I suddenly got excited about urban legends was completely my own ad lib. *laughs*

Komada: We naturally poked fun at it during the commentary, but Hatano-san was intent on expressing his love for urban legends. He went a long time without looking at the script.

Nishiyama: It was entertaining because it was purely ad-libbed.

Q: For the series’ first guest, Komada-san, what was your first impression of your character, and do you have anything in common with him?

Komada: My role was split into Kouichi and Kouji, who are complete opposites. Kouichi is calm and open-hearted, the type you’d expect to live in the western-style house that the story took place in. Meanwhile, Kouji is oppressive. Even though it was a dual role, it wasn’t particularly difficult to work with emotion-wise. Although, speaking in a mild tone followed by a sudden loud outburst was such a contrast that I’d have to hold back my laughter each time. I think it would’ve made the audience chuckle too, but personally… my attitude wasn’t as rough as Kouji nor as mild as Kouichi, so I was like a third person that was an average of the two.

All: *laughs*

Nishiyama: A third person that grew up watching Kouichi and Kouji, right?

Komada: Having both power and gentleness… That makes it sound like a good thing. Well, let’s leave it at that. *laughs*

Since it’s a video, the silent scenes are noteworthy too!

Q: You talked about the good camerawork as well. Unlike recordings for anime and whatnot where you stand in front of the mic, this reading theatre was like a stage play with visuals and props. What were your personal highlights, or things that can only be enjoyed because of the visuals?

Nishiyama: Everyone was aware that they could be seen at any moment, so I think it’d be interesting to observe our facial expressions. It was really neat how the footage switched between all of the different cameras showing us.

Komada: Since it’s a reading theatre, we naturally acted out the core lines faithfully, and mixed in some small, fun deviations in the non-important parts. Since there was a live camera, it was a unique reading theatre with many scenes that would make the viewers laugh unexpectedly. I think being able to enjoy that is the best thing about this BD/DVD release.

Saito: We were acting without being able to see what kind of footage was being shown to the audience, so when I watched the footage for this disc release, it made me want to draw attention to the silent parts, too. Since this reading theatre had movement involved, we were able to create “entertainment between the lines,” so the parts without dialogue actually seemed funnier. Komada-san in particular made great facial expressions this time… They really were wonderful. *laughs*

Takeuchi: Komada-san’s face was always there during the close-ups.

Hatano: Koutaro’s close-ups were also nice… and funny. *laughs*

Nishiyama: It didn’t feel like there were that many during the first half (which I commentated)…

Komada: No, there was definitely at least one *laughs*. It wasn’t just the two of us, though.

Nishiyama: Yeah, everyone was great! Koma-chan was good at finding the camera. He looked straight at it, as if he knew it was going to be released on disc. A lot of the things I didn’t know at the time because of the wide stage became clear thanks to this release.

Hatano: Everyone was competing with ad libs, so even the parts I did know greatly exceeded my expectations. The cameramen captured great moments, like when we weren’t speaking and turned to the side to hold back our laughter. Even though it’s in video form, it feels like you’re watching it live.

Hatano-san, the senpai who breaks through the sense of security with ad libs, and Takeuchi-san, totally the cute, spoiled youngest sibling♪

Q: By the way, was there anything you noticed about each other due to being senpais and kouhais at the same agency?

Saito: We were all friends to begin with, but when we’re on stage, it’s not about senpais/kouhais or being from the same agency—we’re all equal as “actors.” I always genuinely think, “Wow, they’re really good.”

For example, Hatano-san has an unwavering sense of stability, and even when the rest of us go off-track with ad libs, he’ll always bring us back to the main story. Or so we thought, but then he took the initiative to force ad libs in, making the rest of us go “Oh, fine!” “We’ll do it too, then.”

Takeuchi: It was like we were given the green light. *laughs*

Komada: Among all the chatter, in the end Hatano-san was enjoying himself the most. He also added things without telling us, making us laugh too. *laughs*

Nishiyama: He came out of nowhere. Despite that, Hatano-san’s presence kept the scene together. If he weren’t there, we’d get even more off-track, so I think he showed us the “logic” of acting.

Saito: On the other hand, Shun-chan laughed too much *laughs*. If you look closely, he’s hiding his laughter behind his hair.

Takeuchi: I really want people to watch the footage *laughs*. I couldn’t hold back my laughter, so I was trying to minimize risk and ended up looking down at my script the whole time.

Saito: That makes you like the youngest sibling; it’s cute.

Hatano: Right, when we see Takeuchi-kun during recordings, he seems like this cool, mighty character with a deep voice, but in this series he has the innocence of the youngest child. Seeing him suddenly smile brightly makes my chest tighten.

Nishiyama: In a way, it’s like his age is showing, and it feels like everyone’s doting on him.

Komada: Rather than the cool aura he gives off during work—please write “in a super low voice” here and make it bold—it constantly felt like he was approaching me like “(in a super low voice) Komada-saaan!” and I thought something like that was only possible because of this particular work.

All of us are from the same agency, we see each other regularly at various jobs, and we’ve known each other for a long time too, so we can relax around each other.

We also spent time making suggestions (including ad libs), and on the day of the show, rather than “It’s time for the real show!”, it felt more like “We finally get to do this.” I think Takeuchi showed that kind of cuteness.

What did the cast think was great about Saito-san, Komada-san, and Nishiyama-san?

Takeuchi: But when it comes to cuteness, it has to be Ayame…

Saito: …*peers at Takeuchi-san* Do you really think so? Look into my eyes and say that without hiding behind your bangs. *laughs*

Takeuchi: *laughs* Ayame really was amazing this time! Even during the picture drama recordings, Ayame’s always opening new doors. In response to that, Soma-san always “opens the doors for real,” not halfway.

Saito: Ayame was originally more normal, and had the impression of the second son that balances everyone out. Why did he end up like this? *laughs*

All: *laughs*

Takeuchi: But since you open the door all the way, it became convincing. The script was amazing too.

Saito: Yeah, I was generally acting according to the script.

Komada: Soma and I debuted around the same time and I know him well, so when I see the way he interposes lines during funny scenes and presents himself to the camera, I think “Well done.” *laughs*

Nishiyama: Soma made me laugh just from the picture. I think he also has the power to move us back on track when the conversation gets derailed.

Hatano: Honestly, starting from the rehearsal I thought each and every one of them was amazing. When I got the script, I initially imagined the stage and how it’d go, but when we actually did it, it greatly exceeded my expectations. And our guest, Komada-kun was excellent too.

Takeuchi: He has a sharp mind and a sense of humour.

Saito: During the evening session, Kouji evaluated the brothers’ costumes and adjusted them one-by-one, and that was all Koma-chan’s ad-libbing. The four of us did our own ad lib comments, and it was amazing how nothing missed its mark. It would’ve been impossible without considerable determination beforehand. I thought, “This guy’s amazing!”

Komada: I suggested it after the day session. Since the four of them were posing, I figured the audience would want to see more of it, and I did too. Plus, it’s hard to put on the costume on stage without a mirror, so I thought I could straighten out their costumes while everyone else was enjoying their poses. Even though I suggested it, I didn’t actually think about what I was going to say, so I gave my honest impressions on the spot. *laughs*

Nishiyama: You did it so well; it was hilarious. *laughs*

Komada: That was my highlight of the day. The “Well done, Komada!” scene.

Hatano: It was incredible! Koutaro was crazy, too. I wondered what was going on with his mental state.

Takeuchi: My personal highlight was Nishiyama-san’s bow during the curtain call. Normally you have your hands at your sides when you bow, but Nishiyama-san alone had them in front, like he was reaching down.

All: *laughs*

Hatano: It turned into a diving posture. *laughs*

Takeuchi: It looks like the start of a match, so we’ll need the judges to take a look at it.

Hatano: With instant replay.

Saito: In slow-motion.

Komada: I think he did it on purpose. *laughs*

Nishiyama: I wasn’t! It’d be insane to do that on purpose by myself. *laughs*

Takeuchi: Nishiyama Koutaro-san really is different. He’s a genius. I don’t think I’m the only one who thought that, so please chime in. *laughs*

Komada: His bow was just one example of how it feels like he claims things for himself.

Saito: I think it happened because he wanted to make people smile. The video footage tells it all, so please pay attention to Nishiyama-san.

Nishiyama: *laughs* I don’t mind at all if you watch me!

The setting for the next show…?

Q: This is something you’ll have to check in the footage. So, the next reading theatre is planned for autumn. Are there any situations you’d like to try, or things you want to challenge?

Hatano: Autumn has a lot of possibilities, huh?

Takeuchi: It’s said that autumn is the best season for reading, too. When you think of autumn, you think of the arts, and when you think of the arts, you think of singing…

Saito: Can we make mascots again like we did for the first show? Then again, a monster was created back then.

Nishiyama: What about the food? We’ve had onigiri and roast beef, so for a taste of autumn, how about fruit?

Komada: That’s good, and baked sweet potatoes. We’ll have a veteran from 81 Produce sing the baked sweet potato song, like Genda (Tessyo)-san, and it’ll be like “You can’t pass by the food cart without stopping!”

Q: That sounds like it’d become an amazing reading theatre. *laughs*

Nishiyama: The original concept we heard for this series was that it was seeking to be bright and fun. Omikuji Yon Kyoudai is something that’s comforting no matter when you watch it, so I want to continue having fun with it.

Hatano: Indeed.

Takeuchi: Oh, how about another set of four brothers?

Saito: Themed after cards, like diamond, spade, et cetera?

Hatano: They come from America, and the oldest son is Genda Tessyo-san.

Saito: That sounds interesting. “YOU guys call yourself the fortune BROTHERS, but you don’t pull fortunes very often, huh? HAHA”

All: *laughs*

Back to the original intent, and look forward to Omikuji Yon Kyoudai’s future developments!

Q: I’m excited to see how much of this gets implemented *laughs*. Lastly, please give a message for the fans looking forward to the BD/DVD.

Komada: Since it’s the first disc release, the selling point is that if you wanted to see it again or couldn’t come on that day: “Don’t worry. Everything is shown.” *laughs*

The making-of also shows a little bit of our planning before the show, so you can get a candid view of how it was put together.

Omikuji Yon Kyoudai is bound to keep doing new things, so I really hope I’ll have the opportunity to participate again.

Please enjoy the BD/DVD from various perspectives!

Nishiyama: This is the first time our reading theatre is being released on BD/DVD, so those who came to the event will be able to see it more thoroughly, and those who couldn’t make it can expand on their enjoyment of the picture dramas.

This time, we had Koma-chan as a powerful helper, and I think we were able to put on a bright, fun show. I hope we can act with Koma-chan again, so please watch the BD/DVD a lot and show your support.

Takeuchi: Please enjoy the audio commentary on the BD/DVD too.

Also, Omikuji Yon Kyoudai began with the voiced fortunes on the website, so I’ll be happy if this reading theatre encourages everyone to pull their daily fortunes again.

“Don’t forget your initial intent.” I want to continue trying to create those opportunities.

Saito: Indeed. I’d forgotten because this time we were making roast beef and having a Christmas party. *laughs*

This series has gone on for about four years, and it’s uncommon to have the chance to voice a single series or character for so long. I hope we can continue doing this forever at a relaxed pace.

This time we had Komada-kun too, and despite all that was said, the four of us were able to let loose (in an extremely good way) and have fun while putting all our effort into the show.

Thankfully, the next show is already confirmed, although there are still things we don’t know, like what it’ll be about and what Omikuji Yon Kyoudai’s next developments will be.

It’s probably going to be an autumn full of laughs, huh…?

All: *laughs*

Hatano: It might be ultra serious for all we know. *laughs*

Saito: That’s possible. You don’t know what fortune you’ll get until you draw it, so I hope we get a “very lucky” story.

Please continue to support Omikuji Yon Kyoudai!

Hatano: Omikuji Yon Kyoudai began as voice content that was enjoyed through the website. When we had our first reading theatre, Omikuji Yon Kyoudai: Haru wa Omusubi!, I thought “This might be the first and last time,” but thanks to each and every one of the audience’s support, we were able to perform again, which I’m thankful for.

This series teaches me how it’s important to do your very best every time. There’s entertainment that can only be created during those instants, and I hope we can continue to work together creating that.

Please look forward to the BD/DVD and the next reading theatre!

※This interview was conducted before the COVID-19 state of emergency was declared.

[Interview] Betsucomi 2020/3 Edition – Queen’s Quality – Saito Soma & Komada Wataru

Released: 2020/2/13

Features:
Saito Soma (Horikita Kyuutarou in the Queen’s Quality drama CD)
Komada Wataru (Shikata Ataru in the Queen’s Quality drama CD)

Saito Soma

Q: What did you think of voicing Horikita Kyuutarou?

Kyuutarou is a clumsy and honest character, and while he acts his age, he’s also shouldering a lot, so he’s determined. The character is very fleshed out in the original work, so I got to use a lot of variety in my voice to make it fun to listen to the drama alongside reading the manga. Also, the conflict between his feelings for Fumi-chan and his resolution really struck me as a reader, so I hope I was able to convey that faithfully.

Q: A message for the readers, please!

I first started reading this manga after receiving the offer, but I went past the level of “checking out what I’d be working on” and really enjoyed it from the perspective of a reader. It has orthodox elements, but the author’s originality comes through, especially in the characters. It’s a very charming work, and I hope you’ll listen to the CD alongside the manga. And if fate wills it, I hope I can be involved with this series in other ways in the future, so please continue to support Queen’s Quality!

Komada Wataru

Q: What did you think of voicing Shikata Ataru?

Ataru-kun seems like the type that’s aloof from the world, but at the same time, he has that “I won’t interfere” aura while also getting pushed around by Kyuu-chan–it’s great! I had fun voicing him! There were a lot of tsukkomi scenes overall this time, but since there was his unexpected fear of bugs, I had to put everything into his panicking there. If I didn’t break through my inner limits then it wouldn’t be entertaining enough, so I had to do some trial and error.

Q: A message for the readers, please!

I’m honoured to have the opportunity to voice Ataru, and I did so with all my heart, hoping that hearing his voice would help the readers better visualize him and immerse themselves into the story. His post-tsukkomi etiquette comes across more easily in audio form, so I hope you enjoy listening to it as well as reading the original work. The whole cast put all of our heart into this, so I’d love it if you listened to it multiple times.

Recommended Scenes

Soma: Perhaps Track 3 of the Vol.2 CD (included with the special edition of the manga vol.11)? I really like how the author’s manga characters aren’t too stereotypical, as well as how the spreads and panel layouts are set up to surprise you! Considering Kyuutarou knows the secret he’s hiding, you expect him to say something like “It’d be better if I weren’t here,” but then you flip the page and he says “I absolutely can’t say that.” I love these kinds of scenes that betray your expectations in a good way.

Of course, the serious discussions and Kyuutarou’s confession scene were gripping too, but I thought Fumi-chan’s normal way of thinking–or rather, her way of feeling?–were also great. She isn’t forced to play the tragic heroine, and instead does her best to resolve the problems ahead of her with energy and a smile. It really makes me want to not just watch her by her side. Actually, it motivates me to want to take action too! I also really enjoyed Fumi-chan’s comedic scenes in the manga, and I’d like to hear more of them voiced as well.

Wataru: It’d have to be the scene from the fan book. It starts off with a super serious atmosphere, but it falls apart in the latter half and in the end, Ataru starts lecturing about the ultimate etiquette even though he seems like he’d be the sloppiest one of them all. I personally found it really funny, and I’m glad I got to voice him… What a good guy! I recommend the fan book to everyone.

Bonus Question: What do you do when you feel uneasy?

Soma: Without a doubt, sleep! I’m the type that doesn’t want to see people when I’m tired, and I’m not one to voice complaints either, so the best is when I can spend time alone in silence. I’m an extremely heavy sleeper! 6 hours really isn’t enough at all. But sleep is also physically refreshing for your brain, right?! I wish I could sleep as long as possible without having to set an alarm for the next day *laughs*

Are you the type to spend your days off sleeping?

I do end up sleeping a lot on them. It definitely feels like a waste, because I have a lot of other things I want to do, but even if I think that before I go to sleep, when I first wake up in the morning I’m not going to go “Okay, it’s action time!” right away. So, it’d be nice if I could try sleeping as long as I want. Just how long can I sleep for? That’s how I’d like to clear up my messy feelings.

Wataru: I go outside! It depends on the weather, but if it’s sunny, then I go out! I like to exercise, so I’ll move around and work up a sweat! I go to the gym regularly, but I also love playing sports like badminton or basketball in a gymnasium, running around and shouting in a loud voice with everyone.

Are you a total extrovert?

Yep, I can’t hide it! I can’t go out when it’s raining, so on days like that I’ll take a long bath instead. I’ll fill the bathtub to the point where it’ll overflow when I get in *laughs* but I enjoy it when it overflows! I also have fun filling it to the brim, putting my face to the water, and letting out a loud voice. If you’re like me (your voice is too loud), shouting at home makes people turn to look… so I recommend shouting into the bath water instead! No matter how loud you are, no one outside will hear! Although, if I’m feeling uneasy, then I’d rather it be sunny! *laughs*