Tag: Maeno Tomoaki

[Interview] GIRLS CONTINUE Vol.1 – Uchitama?! ~Uchi no Tama Shirimasenka?~

(Article was anime visuals/screenshots only, so I won’t be scanning it.)

Released: 2020/2/25

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

Mentioned:
Kurosawa Tomoyo (Koma in Uchitama?! ~Uchi no Tama Shirimasenka?~)
Hanazawa Kana (Momo in Uchitama?! ~Uchi no Tama Shirimasenka?~)
Uchida Yuma (Beh in Uchitama?! ~Uchi no Tama Shirimasenka?~)
Shirai Yusuke (Tora in Uchitama?! ~Uchi no Tama Shirimasenka?~)
Hatano Wataru (Gon in Uchitama?! ~Uchi no Tama Shirimasenka?~)
Ono Kensho (Pochi in Uchitama?! ~Uchi no Tama Shirimasenka?~)
Maeno Tomoaki (Bull in Uchitama?! ~Uchi no Tama Shirimasenka?~)
Yashiro Taku (Waka in Uchitama?! ~Uchi no Tama Shirimasenka?~)
Nanami Hiroki (Kai in Uchitama?! ~Uchi no Tama Shirimasenka?~)

Q: After voicing Okamoto Tama thus far, what do you feel is this anime’s appeal?

When we were recording Episode 1, we were told, “The theme of this anime is ‘bringing healing and relaxation.'” When I was taking the audition, I also had the impression that it was going to be a relaxing show about the daily lives of the cute characters from Tama & Friends. And of course, it does have that straightforward kind of healing, but it’s more than just that. It also healing in the form of extremely wild scenarios that make you laugh in a way different from regular comedy. It has a wide range of appeals that don’t fit in the peaceful slice-of-life genre.

Q: What did you take into consideration when voicing Tama?

I feel that a crucial aspect is how I depict him living by his cat-like instincts. What makes him catlike and cute is his lack of consistency, like how he suddenly leaps towards anything that catches his interest. I acted while considering what he would be feeling and thinking.

Q: Like how in Episode 1, he goes to a stranger’s house and eats their food.

Episode 1 really made me feel, “He’s in human form, but he’s still a cat.” As you mentioned, he’ll trespass on someone’s property and eat their food, or hear a sound and ditch Pochi. Those aspects are what make him catlike, and you can really feel that he’s whimsical (in a good way). Since he’s a cat, I naturally have to bring out traits that I don’t possess, so it was fun to voice him.

Actually, the recording sessions themselves were a lot of fun. Everyone was really friendly, and it truly felt like “Third Street” there. Kurosawa-san was just like Koma with everyone doting on her, and Hanazawa-san was like an older sister watching over us. Yuma-kun and Shirai-kun were having fun too. Our camaraderie was there from the very first episode.

Q: You’ve worked with many of these voice actors before. Did you talk to them about the project beforehand?

If I ran into them at other recording sessions, then we’d of course acknowledge it. Hatano-san is my senpai from the same agency so he’d often talk to me about how it was going to be a struggle speaking Kansai dialect for his character. But, I think everyone talked more after the recordings began. We talked a lot about how Uchitama?! wasn’t what we were expecting *laughs* but also that that was what made it really interesting. As the recording progressed, we’d talk about the past episodes we enjoyed.

Q: I’m sure the viewers also thought it betrayed their expectations in a good way.

Oftentimes when we read an anime script and think “This is clearly comedy,” the voice director will actually ask us not to make it too comical. But for Uchitama?!, we were told at Episode 1 that it was okay to make it funny, and I think we were all just like, “Oh, okay.” After that, in Episode 2 when Kuro and Gon were talking about breasts while Beh was playing tag with an otherworldly creature in the background, we realized, “Oh, it’s this kind of show,” and everyone had a lot more fun with it. *laughs*

Q: Indeed, Episode 2’s “Peace” section was shocking.

Even the recording session became kind of incomprehensible *laughs*. First off, the amount of laughter during the test run wasn’t something we normally see. Even though it’s just a test run, people generally try not to make any noise besides the dialogue. But here, we’d burst out laughing.

Q: What kinds of things did you laugh at?

They explained to us that Kuro and Gon’s conversation would be the main focus of the recording, and Beh’s whole part would be recorded separately, so he should step back from the mic. Despite that, Yuma-kun stood proudly in front of the mic and started the test run with a super loud voice. We had no idea what was going on and burst out laughing. That carefreeness of his does resemble Beh. *laughs*

Q: It sounds like there were many instances of the cast challenging themselves to express their characteristics during the test runs.

The sound director, Koizumi Kisuke-san seemed to be enjoying it. Sound directors each have their own direction styles, and Kisuke-san is the type who first asks to show him how we want to do it. It’s a lot of responsibility on us, but it gives us the opportunity to experiment. So, during Episode 1 it really felt like we were the ones creating it together. It was great. After the test run, Kisuke-san came into our booth and asks, “Hey uh, how much of that was serious?”

Q: Hahahaha.

We’d gone overboard with the ad-libbing, to the point where he couldn’t tell how much of it we were actually planning to do in the real thing. Were we serious about it, or were we just experimenting with different approaches because it was the test run? No one knew anymore *laughs*. That added to the humour of the show, and the recording sessions were a lot of fun.

Q: It sounds like you were raising hands to volunteer to do the next ad lib.

The mood at the recording sessions was absolutely great, and I’m sure it’s reflected in the anime’s mood too. I wish we could show you what it was like somehow. Maybe they could release a blooper reel as a bonus CD, or we could do a dramalogue at an event.

Especially in Episode 1, that scene when Tama trespasses into someone’s yard and eats their food and goes “Yummy!”–in the real recording I said it cutely, but during the test run it was completely in the realm of “There’s something wrong with this guy” *laughs*. The rest of the cast actually liked it, but I surmised that it probably wasn’t going to fly, and said it cutely instead *laughs*. ((Soma demonstrated what it sounded like during the January stream.))

Uchitama?! is full of serious-minded voice actors, so even though they play around during the test run, they usually perform their role properly for the real recording. That means there are a lot of takes that no one else has heard besides us. Personally, I wish we could show you that recording atmosphere in some way.

Q: It sounds like there were a lot of ad libs. What kinds of things did you add for Tama?

Actually, Tama doesn’t have room for ad-libbing. If I play around too much with Tama’s acting, it gets jumbled up with the other characters and the central axis moves out of place. So for Tama, instead of inserting ad libs, I make a point out of him “not thinking of himself as cute” and often shift my acting in that direction. I’ll say things in an unexpectedly non-cute way, or follow the script but in a tone that probably isn’t what the script intended. I want to create a gap where “his uncuteness is cute.”

So, I use a lot of strange voices too. Not to the point of being a joke, but still within the range of being funny. I try to add elements that aren’t purely one-sided to cuteness, but I don’t do anything super crazy. In that sense, I’m jealous of Beh who has so much freedom to play around with. *laughs*

Q: Even though you can’t play around too much with Tama, were there any scenes when you experienced Uchitama?!’s unique style through him?

The most memorable one was from the drama CD we recorded after doing Episode 1. It’s going to be included with Volume 1 of the Blu-ray/DVD release, and the contents are just way out there.

For example, there’s a scene about coughing up hairballs. On that day, I happened to run into the sound director when I stopped by the convenience store. I asked, “For today’s hairball scene, you want it in a sort of stylized, cute way, right?” and he said “Yeah, that’s right!” But, during the rehearsal I messed around with it anyway, voice actor’s nature and all. I made a crazy sound like “Kaaa! Puh!” *laughs* No one said anything, but during the real recording when I did a clean, cute version instead, the staff said “Why didn’t you do it the messy way you did before?” *laughs* I thought to myself, “Weren’t you guys the ones who said to make it cute and uplifting?!” *laughs*

In the end, I had to redo it the way I did during the test run, and I had a premonition that perhaps Uchitama?! wasn’t what I thought it was going to be. Sure enough, my suspicions were confirmed in Episode 2.

Q: I’m excited to hear what it ended up sounding like.

I think the anime will have aired up to Episode 7 by the time that volume is released, and if you’ve watched that far, you’ll probably be able to accept it by then. But just know that I had to record that after only knowing Episode 1. I did it nervously, confused as to why it was okay *laughs*. Please listen to it.

Q: When people buy the volume, is there anything you’d like them to pay attention to when they watch the accompanying episodes again?

Uchitama?! has a lot of scenes where multiple conversations are going on at once. Beh’s often in the background, and if you look carefully, sometimes he’s doing something crazy, and sometimes he’s not doing anything at all. Personally, I’d like you to pay attention to him. I feel a sort of horror aesthetic from him, and that’s because Yuma-kun is superb. When Beh’s staring at something, he’ll suddenly bring out a voice that makes me wonder where on Earth he got it from. Maybe Yuma-kun is also secretly connected to an alternate dimension like Beh’s bandage is…

Q: Hahahaha. Moving on, can you tell us about Tama’s character song “Hidamari wo Sagashite” that you sung for the ED?

When I sung it, I wanted it to be an upbeat, relaxing song that conveys Tama’s simple-minded cuteness. But this song was actually really hard! The range of notes was so wide. The verse was really low, but the chorus was really high. Plus, the key was originally even higher, but I said I couldn’t reach that key in Tama’s voice, so they lowered it for me. Consequently, the verse became too low, and I couldn’t make it sound like Tama. This anime is great on the music side, but I think they demanded a lot from us. *laughs*

Q: Were there any other difficult songs?

The final episode has a song that we all sang together, and it was difficult to align the key because there were both male and female vocals. Also, considering the cast, it’d be impossible for the characters’ voices to all match the key perfectly.

For example, if the character’s voice was very low and the song went to a very high note, it’d be difficult to sing that part with emotion. In that sense, I think we all struggled to sing that song together. Please look forward to hearing it.

Q: It sounds like you faced several trials. What do you think you gained from participating in this series?

This time, both Ono Kensho-san and I are using voices much higher pitched than our natural voices. I’m the type that produces high tones by tightening my vocal cords, but Kensho-san’s the reverse, producing Pochi’s high pitched voice by relaxing his throat and using a technique resembling falsetto. I learned that his way of doing it sounded softer and really cute. When you tighten your vocal cords for high tones, it produces a sharp, strong sound, but if you relax them, it sounds cuter. So, I stole Kensho-san’s voice acting skill for myself.

Also, Bull has a lot of scenes that said “ad-lib the rest,” and Maeno-san’s the type who can perfectly output what he’s got. Not only that, but his ad-libbing even fits perfectly in the cut. There are many people in the cast who are extremely skilled in their approaches to their roles, so I’m constantly learning new things.

Q: It sounds like a great place to work. Still, learning about these different ways of producing high pitched voices makes me realize how amazing the professionals are.

When you speak in a low tone, there’s a high overtone included at the same time, and you can skim that upper layer and make it ring out stronger. That was Kensho-san’s approach, and seeing it was enlightening. But in the end, I thought the contrast between Tama’s sharp voice and Pochi’s soft voice was very fitting for their relationship.

Also, there were a lot of scenes with Tama and Pochi talking to each other, and the timing of Kensho-san’s “Huh?” lines were so in sync with me that sometimes I lost track of who was talking. So, we usually didn’t have to go through several retakes. It’s not like we pre-planned it or anything either, so I could really feel the synergy between Tama and Pochi, which was great. By letting my voice out based on intuition rather than logical thinking, sometimes our timings would happen to match up, and I felt that was very much like Tama and Pochi themselves.

Q: I’m looking forward to seeing more great dialogues in the next episodes. Lastly, please give a message for everyone looking forward to the rest of Uchitama?!.

Uchitama?! will continue in this way… but, I expect more and more guest characters to visit. One of the great things about this series is that even though they can already come up with plenty of entertaining stories with the Third Street crew alone, we get to see even more expressions when the guest characters come in. So, please look forward to the guest collaborations in each episode. And before that, please make sure to watch Episode 8! *laughs* I think you’ll find that Uchitama?! has the potential to be even more. Also, the style of the series means that it can continue for a second and third season, so please watch until the very last episode. I’m sure we’ll be able to meet the Third Street residents again if you buy the home video releases, so please give us your support!

Soma’s Favourite #1
From Episode 2: “Peace”
Story: One day, Kuro and Gon are lying on the river bank and reflecting on Third Street’s peacefulness. Meanwhile, Beh is chasing a butterfly, and the bandage on his cheek peels off…

Soma’s Comment: The scenarios in Episode 1 had a “wait and see” feeling to them; there were a few parts that were a bit tricky, but the content was relaxing. However, Episode 2 is where Uchitama?!’s true direction starts to become apparent. Beh’s multidimensional game of tag is one of my favourite scenes!		“My Name is Bull”
Story: Bull has just moved to Third Street, and he’s practicing his introduction so that the other animals will respect and fear him. Kuramochi-kun takes him out on a walk, and they go to Third Street’s animal oasis: Cafe Tulip. There, he has a fateful encounter.

Soma’s Comment: It was a very fitting scene for an insert song. Even though it was a comedic scene, it gave me a strange, almost heart-rending feeling. As a viewer, I wanted to feel sorry for poor Bull, but at the same time I wanted to laugh at the ridiculousness of the scene. The mixed emotions it created left an impression on me.
Soma’s Favorite #2
From Episode 3: “The Weakest Guy on Third Street”
Story: One day, Kuro and Gon spot Pochi being glum in the park. When they ask what’s wrong, he says that he’s depressed because he couldn’t show off in their tournament to see who the strongest animal on Third Street was. Gon tells Pochi about the legendary delinquent wolf.

Soma’s Comment: Wasn’t the Pochi episode adorable~? Kensho-san’s always saying that “cuteness can be created,” but when I asked how, he said “Determination! I have to believe that I am cute!” *laughs* In this episode, there’s a scene where Pochi makes a very un-cute noise, and Kensho-san said he learned it by finding a “weird dog and cat noise compilation” on a video site. The result was superb, and I could really sense his professionalism.
Soma’s Favorite #3
From Episode 6: “Battle of Dogs and Cats”
Story: The Third Street Crazy Cats are an intimidating force that keep the peace on Third Street. But one day, Bull falls to major injuries, and explains that their territory is being targeted by the Seventh Street Young Kings, led by Waka the husky.

Soma’s Comment: First, I wondered why they suddenly broke out into rap *laughs*. For Tama, I just prioritized rapping cutely. There was a guide provided, but I think everyone changed the flow themselves, so each character’s rap showed originality.

Yashiro Taku-san (who voiced Waka) was really funny. His voice was thicker and stronger than what I was imagining while reading the script. I thought he was going to use a lighter voice, so the unexpected aggressiveness turned it into a serious rap battle for me, no laughing allowed.

Shirai-san wanted to rap too, but was sadly rejected. Yuma-kun threw a product name into his ad-libbing and it was absolutely hilarious, but wasn’t allowed. This episode’s recording was a lot of fun too. *laughs*
Soma’s Favorite #4
From Episode 7: “Cat Cafe Violet”
Story: Momo sighs, looking at the empty seats in Cafe Tulip. When she finds out that the reason why customers aren’t coming anymore is because of a cat cafe that opened in the neighbouring town, she springs out the door to investigate. The other Third Street animals chase after her, and Nora guides them to the cat cafe, where they find…

Soma’s Comment: Kai is so handsome! Nanami Hiroki-san’s voice was a great match for this beautiful, androgynous character, and I could feel the compassion radiating from his acting. All of us were wondering how he could express that kind of coolness. Nora’s unintentional attitude was cute too.

[Stream] Uchitama?! 3rd Street Correspondence: January Edition

Broadcast: 2020/1/29 @ 9pm JST
Original URL: https://live.nicovideo.jp/watch/lv323443554 (no longer available)
Original Name: うちタマ?! 3丁目通信 １月号
Guests: Saito Soma (MC), Hatano Wataru (MC), Umehara Yuuichirou, Maeno Tomoaki

Choice Quotes

(Cast is talking about Episode 2)
Hatano: So like, before the real recording, we do a test run, and most voice actors will use that time to perform their dialogues for the director to hear, right? That’s the point of the test run, right?
Everyone: Yeah (already starting to laugh)
Hatano: So normally the people ad libbing in the background will stand back from the mic and keep the volume down, right? They’ll be louder in the real recording, but during the test run they don’t want to get in the way. But like… Beh (Uchida Yuma) was SO into it.
Ume-chan: He was such a nuisance that we couldn’t hear our own conversation…
Hatano: He kept going “Wait~! Wait~!” and we couldn’t hear anything else
Soma: But it’s hard to stay smiling like that the whole time, and even though he was suffering, he still wouldn’t stop
Maeno: His heart is so strong
Hatano: He has that actor’s determination, going all-out during the test run… well, it was annoying though
Soma: LOL
Ume-chan: But then during the real recording, Beh was recorded separately, so during our conversation it felt like something was missing
Hatano: Yeah! It felt wrong because I got used to that background noise…

(Still talking about Episode 2)
Soma: When we recorded Episode 1, their initial description was that it was a healing anime, so I kept that in mind. Then I got the script for Episode 2, looked at it, and went “Huh? ‘Healing’ is a really broad term…”

(Talking about the chaotic test runs)
Soma: In Episode 1, it starts with Tama and Pochi going on a walk, and Tama gets distracted, goes into someone’s yard, eats their food, and goes “YUMMM!” (said in a really weird way)
Everyone: *bursts out laughing*
Ume-chan: That’s what it sounded like during the test run
Soma: Yeah and that was kind of… They were like “What do you think this is?”
Hatano: We all knew the director well, but even that director went to Soma right after the test run like “What’re you going to do for the real recording…?” He wasn’t sure if you were serious LOL
Soma: As the episodes progressed, the test runs got to the point where he’d check first to see how serious we were
Maeno: Like “you’re not actually going to do this, right?”
Hatano: He was concerned LOL

(Corner where they practice taking photos with “pets” (Uchitama plushies) following themes drawn at random)

Soma: *unfolds paper* WHY IS THIS SO LONG?! “Theme: a 2-shot with the owner that has cuteness appeal. While you’re at it, making eye contact with the camera will make it great for social media. Since you live together, put your faces together and make it a nice scene full of love. It can be either a selfie or a normal photo.”

(Testing the camera. Unintentional theme: “Beauty and the Beast”)
(Soma’s photo. “When you live together, your faces become similar”)

Ume-chan: *pulls from the box* “Theme: Playing with his owner. Photos of owners and pets playing without looking at the camera are popular online too. It’s just a stuffed animal today, but please play with it somehow.”
Everyone: LOL
Ume-chan: Does this mean someone has to take the picture for me?
Soma: Or you could be the director
Hatano: You can have someone model for you
Soma: You could also have someone be your pet
Hatano: Wow… Saito-sensei is really something
Soma: Oh but it says to use a stuffed animal
Hatano: We’re actors though, so we can become stuffed animals

(Cameraman Soma)
(Ume-chan’s photo with “pet” Maeno)

Maeno: *pulls from box* “Theme: Cuteness appeal on top of the owner’s lap. A playing or sleeping scene will have explosive cuteness. Take a photo of the pet on your lap from your own point of view. It’ll be even better if it has a daily life feel to it.”

Ume-chan: It doesn’t say “stuffed animal”…
(Hmm…)
Maeno: Well then… I have three pets, you know?
Everyone: *nervous laughter*
Maeno: Oh hey, there’s exactly three of you! What a miracle!

(Maeno’s three adorable pets, Yuu-chan, Wata-chan, and So-chan)

Premium Corner: Do you know our Tama? (Hatano, Ume-chan, and Maeno have to guess how Soma would answer the questions)

Soma: Let’s start with a beginner level question, that anyone who knows Soma would know

Q: What comes to mind when you think of a place that’s easy to get lost in?

Soma: You see, our Soma gets lost pretty easily

Soma: *writes his answer* When you think of Soma, it’s gotta be here
Ume-chan: Huh? There’s a place like that?
Soma: I’m pretty confident in this one… *laughs*
Ume-chan: Confident? What does that mean??
Soma: I think you’ll probably get it right

Hatano: Wave Pool
Ume-chan: Shinjuku Station (East Exit)
Maeno: Tokyo Station Exit

Hatano: My thought process was completely different
Soma: What a clean 2-vs-1… Umehara-san and Maeno-san picked stations, and yeah it’s easy to get lost there. They’re pretty much correct
Hatano: Mine’s correct too, right?! A wave pool
Everyone: What…
Hatano: When you look at the videos, sometimes you can only see people’s heads above the water! You can get lost there
Soma: Uh, anyway… allow me to present the correct answer:

“Bookstore”

Everyone: What?! How???
Soma: I like going to the bookstore, and everything catches my eye, and I end up wandering deeper inside
Maeno: This is beginner level?!
Hatano: In a way, my thought process was the closest!!!

Q: When thinking of house pets, there’s cats, dogs, and _____. What’s the third animal that comes to mind? (A pet that Soma would own)

Maeno: Do you like animals?
Soma: I’m not good with them… ah yeah, I might pick something unconventional
Soma: *writes answer* Wait, am I allowed to write this?
Everyone: Huh? Is that what’s going on? Because it’s a premium stream?
Ume-chan: I was kind of avoiding that kind of thing though
Maeno: I’m avoiding it too, please don’t misunderstand my answer
Soma: Wait, I’m not avoiding anything though… ok then I’ll write something that does avoid that
Hatano: Seriously??
Soma: Oh, but the answer is essentially the same thing
Everyone: Wha…

Hatano: Axolotl
Ume-chan: String (slang for gigolo)
Maeno: Pig

Soma: What……
*staff laughing in background*
Soma: All of you are weird
Everyone: No we’re not!
Hatano: LOL pig
Maeno: Pigs are clean animals! So I thought it’d suit him… Don’t interpret it as something weird!!!
Soma: Okay yeah, pigs are pretty cute
Hatano: So you meant an actual pig LOL

Hatano: Okay so what about the middle one…
Ume-chan: I figured he’d have a string
Hatano: You mean like a regular old string?
Ume-chan: Yeah, of course, definitely
Soma: I don’t think you can run from this anymore Umehara-san
Hatano: What’re his friends going to think when he introduces a string as his pet?!

Maeno: Okay so Hatano-san…
Hatano: I put axolotl
Soma: I get it though, they ARE cute

“R__mba”

Hatano: Oh, THAT’S what you meant…
Soma: I think Umehara-san was actually the closest LOL but Maeno-san was right in terms of keeping things clean, and the axolotl has a cute form too, so you were all right

Q: Describe Uchitama?! in a single kanji.

Everyone: This is a tough one…

Soma: Hmm… well, it’s probably this, but I don’t know if I can write that kanji…
Everyone: The kanji?!
Hatano: Can you not pick a difficult kanji 🙁
Soma: Okay well, let’s make it acceptable to write the kanji in hiragana

Soma: *writes his answer* Is this kanji right…? *shows it to staff to ask if it’s right*

Hatano: Fun
Ume-chan: Healing
Maeno: Love

Maeno: It’s a series packed with love, and we put so much love into it, so I thought Soma-kun would definitely write “love”
Soma: Thank you

Ume-chan: Is this kanji right?
Hatano: I’m impressed you were able to write that!
Soma: Indeed, Uchitama is a healing show

Hatano: The recording sessions were so fun, after all. We never stopped laughing

Soma: Well… first, let’s look at my answer:

“Happiness”

Soma: Soooo, everyone was right! We all pretty much thought the same thing 🙂

[Interview] Seiyuu Nagagatari Koebito Featuring TV Anime “Kuutei Dragons”

(There are many lovely pictures of Soma in this book, but I will not be taking it apart to scan. It is still well-stocked in stores that ship internationally (e.g. Amazon))

Released: 2020/1/29
Info: https://bookclub.kodansha.co.jp/product?item=0000334599

Features:
Maeno Tomoaki (Mika in Kuutei Dragons)
Amamiya Sora (Takita in Kuutei Dragons)
Saito Soma (Giraud in Kuutei Dragons)
Hanazawa Kana (Vanabelle in Kuutei Dragons)

Mentioned:
Seki Tomokazu (Croco in Kuutei Dragons)
Sakurai Takahiro (Niko in Kuutei Dragons)
Inoue Kazuhiko (Yoshi in Kuutei Dragons)
Uemura Yuto (Soraya in Kuutei Dragons)
Toriumi Kohsuke (Berko in Kuutei Dragons)
Akasaki Chinatsu (Mayne in Kuutei Dragons)
Takeuchi Shunsuke (Oken in Kuutei Dragons)

※Only Soma’s section and Soma-related parts from other sections are translated in this post.

Q: How did you find out about Kuutei Dragons?

I’ve always been an avid reader, and when I go to the bookstore, I look at the covers and spines of stacked books, check the promotional signs written by the store staff, and buy books and manga based on their covers. That was how I discovered Kuutei.

Kuwabara-sensei’s art is very appealing and exhibits a unique aura. The concept of people traveling through the sky in an airship while hunting dragons really tickled my fancy, and I thought it was amazing that it combined the multiple aspects of dragon-hunting adventure, human drama, and cooking. There were a lot of great characters, but as I was reading it, I subconsciously thought, “If I was to be involved with this work as an actor, I think I’d want to be Giraud.” So, when I heard about the audition, I eagerly asked to participate, thankful for the opportunity.

Q: When you read manga, do you often think about which character you’d play?

No, I usually just enjoy the story as a normal reader. When I really love the work’s story and setting, I might wonder about “what if I could be involved,” and Kuutei was one of those cases. I thought “I’d want to be Giraud” because he seemed like the character my voice would fit best. However, when I auditioned for Giraud, I honestly didn’t get much of a reaction. I wondered if my mental image of Giraud and my voice weren’t actually a good match for the character… So, I was happy when I got the role, because it meant that my interpretation of Giraud wasn’t completely off the mark. After that, the team at the recording studio would go on to become the crew of Quin Zaza, so there was nothing left but to entrust myself to them.

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

He’s one of the youngest members of the Quin Zaza crew; young enough that you could still call him a boy. Deep in a corner of his heart, he still secretly believes in the fairy tale his dragon-hunter father told him when he was little. He’s extremely serious, which leads to him being inflexible about some things *laughs*. I feel that the reason he’s so serious is because he has a strong belief that he has to do things right. I also think that he’s a “feeler who believes he’s a thinker.” He can think logically, but he’s still a child, so he can’t hide his true emotions. When the other crew members tease him, he automatically blushes or lashes out. It made me smile, knowing that it’s only natural for boys his age. I was given the opportunity to voice him as he slowly learns and grows on his travels with the Quin Zaza, and I hope I was able to express that well.

Q: I heard that the voices for this series were pre-recorded.

Yes. It’s been quite a while since I last did pre-recording, so at first, it was hard to grasp the right pacing for saying my lines. Sometimes there are scenes where my lines are supposed to cut into someone else’s, but for pre-recording, the lines have to be recorded separately, so they’d tell me to wait a bit before saying mine. That unique tempo goes against my instinctive rhythm, so I couldn’t get a good feel for it.

But when I watched the veteran voice actors like Seki Tomokazu-san, Sakurai Takahiro-san, and Inoue Kazuhiko-san do their approaches to pre-recording, I understood that my perspective had become too narrow. I realized that when there’s no video footage, it means that the actors can let their imagination run free with regards to the characters’ positions, surroundings, and all the little details. Seki-san’s acting was a particularly huge inspiration. It felt so real that I could picture the animation in my mind.

Q: What was it like voicing Giraud in that environment?

Giraud has that student council president mentality to him, like “Why won’t people follow the rules?” and “The disorderly people are at fault.” But that said, I didn’t want him to seem too logical. He has a lot of lines at the beginning that show his strong sense of justice, but I was afraid that they would all be interpreted as scolding, so I made sure that the emotions conveyed through his lines wouldn’t be completely one-sided towards anger.

The staff also wanted me to act in an over-the-top way so I went for the “loud puppy” image, but I was concerned that that would cause a disconnect with everyone else’s acting. I couldn’t feel like I was truly in sync with Giraud. I was fumbling around for the first few episodes, and after the recording I’d go home thinking “I couldn’t do that one well today.” I’d meet Uemura Yuto-kun (voice of Soraya) at another recording studio and I’d go “I’m having a hard time with the pre-recording,” to which he’d say “I see, but you know, it wouldn’t be as interesting if it was easy.” So, the recording wasn’t all fun and games for me, but because of that I learned a lot.

Q: When did you grasp how you wanted to act out Giraud?

The episode about his precious dream story, and the episode about his fleeting emotions. After those two episodes, I felt that I’d gotten close to his feelings. Both of them gracefully depicted moments when he took one step closer from boyhood to adulthood, and I enjoyed those scenes very much in the original work as well. I was glad that the anime went into painstaking detail with them. As I was acting, I felt like a parent watching over his child, thinking “He’s one step closer to becoming an adult.”

Q: Do you see any of Giraud’s personality traits in yourself?

Actually, when I look at Giraud, I’m reminded of my past self. When I was a kid, I was also the inflexible type that thought I had to do things right and take everything seriously *laughs*. But even though he reminds me of my past self, voicing him was still extremely difficult. When I’m looking at a character I’m acting, I usually don’t think about whether they resemble me or not in the first place. But if you ask whether him resembling my past self makes him easier to act, the answer is “not necessarily”… It was a strange experience.

Q: Giraud always says what he believes is right and won’t back down from a fight. What do you do when your opinion clashes with someone else’s, Saito-san?

Ideally, I’d want to find common ground and solve the issue right there and then if possible. I dislike having to go on with the uneasy feeling of “this is what I really thought, even though I didn’t say it.” I want to express my thoughts without getting emotional and talk things out properly.

However, when it comes to creative work, there are some things that I absolutely won’t relent on, and in those cases I really won’t back down. I’m sure Giraud is like that too *laughs*. In those situations, what’s important is how you say it. It’s not just about what you want to say, but also about how the other person will interpret your words. So, it’s important to think about how to express your thoughts with the correct nuance.

Q: When it comes to getting work done, Giraud is the logical thinker while Mika is the instinctive feeler. How do you approach your work?

I’ve always wanted to approach my roles logically, and that fundamental mindset hasn’t changed. However, around two years ago, I realized that one way by itself isn’t enough. You need both logic and feeling. So now, my ideal approach is to examine the character logically beforehand while doing my preparations, and then trust in my senses at the recording studio. For example, especially since this series was pre-recorded, I didn’t let myself be bound by logically thinking “Giraud would obviously act this way.” I wanted to let the ideas come naturally during the recording and react to them.

When it comes to intuition, I love the story of Ramanujan, an Indian mathematician. Even though he didn’t have any formal training in advanced math, he was able to discover all sorts of theorems through intuition alone, saying that a goddess told him them in his sleep. His caretakers said, “If his talent had been discovered earlier and he was trained from a young age, then he likely would’ve become an even greater mathematician and make even more important discoveries. But on the other hand, he would lose what makes him ‘Ramanujan’ and follow the European teaching style. The cons may outweigh the benefits.” In this world, there really are things with no logical explanation that you can instinctively feel and understand, and I think it’s okay to trust those senses. However, feelings alone lack persuasiveness, so I think you have to start with a logical base and try to jump into your senses from there.

Q: In Kuutei Dragons, Giraud believes in the story about the shining dragon. Do you think you have that kind of romantic side to you?

If that means enjoying dreams and fantasies, then I’m a total romantic! I love manga like Kuutei, as well as novels, anime, movies, and the occult, and that’s because I love imaginary worlds. For example, I often fantasize about things like shifting to a parallel world, or getting on an elevator and when the door opens, I find myself in a completely unknown city *laughs*. I also compose music and write lyrics, and it takes imagination to come up with song ideas, so I think I usually tend to embrace fantasy. Life is better when you’re a dreamer!

Q: Giraud is extremely proud of his job as a dragon hunter. What do you treasure about your job as a voice actor?

It’s cliche, but I treasure people. In my first year of high school, there was a period of time when I didn’t want to go to school, so I’d shut myself in at home. Anime and movies saved my soul back then, and I aspired to become a voice actor. But when I did get voice acting work, there was a moment when I became full of myself… and it was the people who scolded me and taught by example who brought me back to the proper attitude. Through my work, I also realized many things by studying the people around me. It’s because of the staff and my supporters that I’m able to feel like I’m truly creating things, so I want to treasure everyone that’s involved with me. But to be honest, I’d rather not say these things out loud… I’d prefer to quietly keep it as an internal belief *laughs*.

Another thing I treasure is health, although it’s also a cliche answer. It’s hard to put out my best at all times, but it’s important to always be able to perform “normally.” I felt this particularly strongly in 2019. “Normal” means the level of performance I can do reliably, and in order to raise that baseline, I have to maintain my health by training and eating well. Mental health is important too. Also, remembering to be humble. Some people say you shouldn’t be too humble, but if I find myself thinking “I might be too humble,” then I know that’s just the right level of modesty for me. I strive to be humble without being subservient.

In the end, I think everything is about balance, whether it be human relationships, health, or mental attitude. When I look back at my interviews from 2019, I see that I used the word “balance” in quite a few different places, so it might be something that I subconsciously see as a requirement. Wouldn’t it be more romantic to think that there’s a reason behind coincidences like that? *laughs*

Q: You have a point *laughs*. Giraud meets a girl named Katya in a certain town who moves his heart. How would you want to interact with someone important to you?

Hmm… Rather than what I want to do for them, I think it’s more about what they want. If they want a listener then I’m all ears, and if they want advice then I’ll provide that. So, I think I’d want to be able to have proper discussions with them first. Then, rather than granting their wishes, I think I’d want to become someone they feel the most comfortable with, that they can relax around. I’d want to give them peace and comfort by being with them.

Q: On the Quin Zaza, the crew members combine their strength to fight dragons. When do you feel the importance of friendship?

For most anime, my own acting isn’t enough by itself. When I’m acting with others, many things come up that are outside the range of my expectations. When that happens, I have to respond based on reflexes and intuition, and on very rare occasions, we get into an exciting back-and-forth that makes me think “Something amazing is happening right now!”

I think the most interesting thing about this job is the moments when your interactions with others create something that exceeds your expectations. I used to say a lot that “It’s hard to go from 95% to 96% on your own, but if you borrow 10% from someone else, you can exceed 100%.” It’s also fun to aim for perfection on your own, but as I continued working as a voice actor, at some point I realized that engaging in dialogue with others is extremely challenging, profound, and fascinating. It made me crave more *laughs*.

Also, if we’re talking about friends, I sometimes go out to eat with colleagues or my old school friends, but even if something’s bothering me, I generally won’t ask for any specific advice. Simply spending a few hours together and afterwards thinking “I don’t remember anything we talked about today, but that was fun!” is something very precious and happy to me. I’m thankful to have friends that I can spend “mindless fun” times with.

Q: Teamwork is required for your job. What do you keep in mind to promote good teamwork?

Having casual conversations. For some works, you achieve better tension in the dialogues by putting yourself in a serious mood and not mingling much with the others, but for something like Kuutei which is about a large group traveling together, the recording studio’s general atmosphere is reflected in our voices and spur-of-the-moment ad lib responses. So, during breaks, I think it’s important to socialize (to a reasonable extent). It doesn’t have to be meaningful conversations; silly chatter about random things is important too. I’m not one to talk much at work, but for Kuutei, I often talked to Toriumi Kohsuke-san (voice of Berko).

Q: What was the atmosphere like at the Kuutei recording sessions?

I was one of the younger people there, and the cast spanned a wide range of generations, all the way up to the veterans. That said, everyone was the calm and quiet type, so it was always a very nice atmosphere. There wasn’t any one particular moodmaker, and everyone went at their own pace, having conversations here and there when time allowed.

Also, since it was a pre-recording, there were way more ad libs than usual, and it was a lot of fun for me. Most of the ad libs were for chitchat scenes between the crew members that didn’t have much to do with the main story, but still, we didn’t discuss them in advance, so it was all on-the-spot coordination. The crew members must get a lot of entertainment out of teasing Giraud, because all of these skilled voice actors really enjoyed poking fun at him, and I got to react to them in various ways. I had a lot of fun every episode.

The staff enjoyed our ad libs too and used a lot of them when creating the animation, so the completed work feels truly alive. The main dialogue is great of course, but please keep an ear out for the chatter in the background as well. You’ll find some really amusing things! The ad libs that stood out to me the most were Akasaki Chinatsu-san (voice of Mayne) and my kouhai Takeuchi Shunsuke-kun (voice of Oken). Takeuchi-kun’s were particularly bold, and the director praised him too.

Q: Where did you receive inspiration from Maeno-san (voice of Mika), Amamiya-san (voice of Takita), and Hanazawa-san (voice of Vanabelle)?

I’ve worked with Maeno-san a lot in the past, but this time I felt reminded that he’s a true professional. Even though it was a pre-recording, just by hearing his voice, I could perfectly understand where his character was and what he was doing. Mika isn’t the captain of the ship, but he’s a central figure. Similarly, Maeno-san’s attitude and presentation led us along, making it easy for us to work. Maeno-san’s Mika is cool, but he’s also got that rugged goal of catching dragons so that he can eat them, and times when he’s playing dumb. I liked those aspects a lot, and I felt excited hearing his voice. His “That meat looks good” remarks had quite an aggressive impact on me. Mika and Giraud have a lot of scenes together, and Maeno-san was skilled at throwing interesting and unique ideas at me. And no matter what I threw at him, he was able to take it and leverage it. That inspired me a lot too.

I co-starred with Ten-chan in her first leading role, Akame ga Kill!, and we continued to talk after that, but she has a very stoic personality. I felt that Takita was a display of her professionalism and determination. What was memorable about Ten-chan this time was her acting at the end of the story, when Takita finds herself in serious trouble. It was an extreme situation with Takita all by herself, and I keenly felt Ten-chan’s tremendous skill as an actor. It was the scene that impacted me the most in the entire series. That was just about when I was feeling the struggle of pre-recordings, so I thought her acting was truly amazing. I didn’t think I could pull off something like that myself. I don’t think she’s the type to tell others about her planning process, so someday I’d like to ask her in detail about how she approached that scene.

I’ve been meeting Hanazawa-san at recording sessions often lately, and we belong to the same music label too. She really gives off the impression of a calm, gentle older sister. Her acting is very natural while also having a strong presence. Vanabelle is a dignified character, and I thought it was amazing how Hanazawa-san could portray a dignified voice without bringing her voice extremely low or speaking stiffly. Hanazawa-san herself has a soft aura, but at the same time, she’s very consistent and logical, and I think her strong-willedness was projected onto Vanabelle. I love cool, dignified female characters like Vanabelle, so I was happy to have a lot of scenes with her.

Q: Another major theme in the series is “cooking.” Do you like to cook?

Yes. I don’t cook for myself every day, but I do cook when I have time. In particular, I like to make snacks to go with light drinks, and sometimes on my days off, I’ll take the time to make stew. Oh right, there’s something I’ve been meaning to try making… It’s an Indonesian dish called rendang, and it was called the most delicious dish in the world. It’s similar to Japanese sukiyaki, and apparently it’s only eaten on special occasions in Indonesia. It’s made by slow-cooking beef in coconut milk and spices, and it doesn’t look too difficult, so I want to try making it when I have time!

Q: Do you regularly look at recipes?

I love reading cookbooks. It’s fun to be able to absorb useful knowledge, like what you can make with certain ingredients or how to make things more quickly.

Q: What’s your best dish?

My mother often made this one dish that I like, so I got her to teach me how to make it. You place cooked chicken in a large tray, add white sauce and onion, put tomatoes on the sides, sprinkle cheese on top, and then bake it in the oven. It’s really simple, but it tastes and looks good, so our whole family loves it. We call it “the chicken and tomato thing” *laughs*.

As for my own dishes, I mostly make snack-type dishes. Also, fried chicken! I love fried chicken, and I found one recipe in a cookbook that was a huge success! It’s like black magic; once I start eating it, I just can’t stop. Right now I’m practicing self-restraint because I have a concert coming up, but I’m looking forward to making it again afterwards.

Q: What is “food” to you?

Something that gives you energy. I love both making and eating delicious food. I wasn’t that interested in food when I lived with my parents, but after moving to Tokyo, I realized how fortunate I’d been to have meals made for me every day. I used to be a picky eater, but as I grew older, I rapidly overcame my dislikes. Perhaps I came to love cooking and eating because I find more things delicious now.

Q: Is there anything you still won’t eat, no matter what?

Natto, I guess. I tried eating it a few years ago, but I just couldn’t. I’ve never liked slimy foods like egg whites, junsai, nameko mushrooms… but I’ve become fine with those ones lately, so I think I’ll be able to eat natto too if it’s disguised well enough!

Q: Which of the foods in Kuutei Dragons would you like to try?

All of the meat dishes look good, but the dragon cutlet appeals to me the most. In the real world, between beef, pork, and chicken, I like beef the most, but I’m the most familiar with chicken. The best curry is chicken curry, and chicken can be used for both Western and Japanese style dishes.

Q: The cooking scenes were fun too!

I heard from the staff that it was very difficult to make the CGI food look delicious. They said things like, “No matter how many times we made the cutlet, it didn’t look fried,” and “The cross-sections didn’t look appetizing.” The cooking scenes are an essential part of this series, so please pay attention to them!

The Quin Zaza crew enjoys many feasts, but there were also a lot of gluttons among the Kuutei staff, so they’d all eat together while scouting out foods. Eating delicious food and wanting to depict its deliciousness in CGI was a motivation booster for them. Everyone worked really hard to create those scenes, so I have a lot of fun watching the completed version too.

Q: I’m even more excited now! Lastly, please tell us about the scene you put the most emotion into.

It’d have to be the two episodes I brought up earlier. In the original manga, Giraud had an incredibly wonderful expression when he sighted the shining dragon, and I was moved at how well the anime recreated it. But, it was extremely difficult to express his feelings through breathing alone. I’d like you to watch that scene while recalling his feelings and what led to that expression on his face.

The other scene is the moment when Giraud tries to invite Katja to Quin Zaza. You see, Takita is a girl, but she’s pretty tough *laughs*, so the duty of Kuutei’s “boy meets girl” story falls onto the sensitive Giraud. That scene’s lines were recorded as a dialogue, and as I was acting, I felt Giraud’s painful feelings pressing into my heart. I think the scene came out wonderfully. I’m sure it’ll strike home for fans of adolescent stories, so please look forward to seeing it.

Mentions from other sections:

Maeno: Soma-kun is young but has a strong presence. He has his own style of acting and a firmly established stance on how he approaches his roles, and there are times when I feel jealous of that talent. Soma-kun’s acting has a quality unique to him, and despite his young age, I think he’s become an irreplaceable presence in the voice acting industry. He’s my kouhai, but it feels like we’re on even ground when we’re both in front of the mics.

Just like how Mika feels reassured with Takita, Vanabelle, and Giraud around, I truly feel like I can rely on Amamiya-san, Kana-chan, and Soma-kun. It’s extremely reassuring knowing that they’ll make up for what I lack. I’m grateful that the cast was one I could trust from the bottom of my heart, so that I could focus entirely on my role.

Amamiya: I’ve co-starred with Saito-san in other series before, and our characters frequently interacted in this one as well. I was impressed by his perfect expression of Giraud’s sensitive “Shut up” lines! Even though it’s the words “shut up,” Giraud doesn’t say them loudly, plus he’s right. Meanwhile, from Takita’s perspective, it’d be more like a “Geez, leave me alone already!” *laughs*

I could feel Giraud’s strengths and weaknesses through his voice, and during the episodes where his character development gets the spotlight, all of the emotions in his heart came out in the form of short lines. He wasn’t straight-forward, but I could feel the emotions gradually overflowing from him.

Bonus: Off-shot from Soma’s fashion stylist

[Interview] spoon.2Di vol.56 – Uchitama?! ~Uchi no Tama Shirimasenka?~

(This magazine is absolutely glorious but I won’t be scanning it unless I get a second copy, since I don’t want to take apart my display copy)

Released: 2019/11/30

*Soma was on the back cover of this magazine and had a 10-page feature. There was also a pin-up poster.

Q: Voice recording is currently in progress for the TV broadcast beginning in January. What’s your impression of the story?

When I asked the staff about Uchitama?!’s concept, they said, “We want it to be an anime for people in need of everyday healing and relaxation after a long day at work.” And after doing the recording, I found that it really is that kind of anime. It has more comedy than I was expecting, and the characters’ fun, energetic daily lives make you smile and chuckle. I act my part with the desire to make it that kind of healing anime.

Q: What’s the appeal of Okamoto Tama, the character you voice?

This anime is about animals that have been anthropomorphized, and Tama is in his human form in Episode 1 already, but he’s still a cat on the inside. He acts based on instinct and reflexes. Of course, he doesn’t think of himself as cute, but his free-spiritedness looks cute from an outsider’s perspective. His nature results in him getting lost a lot, but that helplessness is also part of his cuteness.

Q: You voice both the human and animal forms. What do you take into consideration when voicing them?

When we think of cats, we imagine them saying “meow,” but they don’t actually meow cutely like that. I did research videos beforehand, but when it comes to animated works, I don’t consider “realism” that important, and instead believe that having “a sense of reality” is what matters. If you put too much of the real world in, you lose room for imagination. Tama’s a character who immediately expresses what he’s feeling, so I try not to think too much, and strive to directly output what I feel.

Q: What kind of direction or post-recording feedback did the director give you?

There wasn’t really any… *laughs*. A positive interpretation of that would be, since Uchitama?!’s cast was decided by audition, the Tama I proposed was probably close to what they’d envisioned. Also, this project itself was very ambitious, and I felt that the creative team didn’t want to lock Tama into a specific voicing style either. So, the characters and the anime will be developed as the recordings progress, with the director’s ideas as well as our ideas as the cast. I think this is the most exciting part of creating something new, so I’m really looking forward to the upcoming recording sessions.

Q: Do you have anything in common with Tama?

I usually don’t look for common points between myself and the characters I voice, not just for this anime but for others as well. Of course, I do think about it when I have to, but for example, in Tama’s case, a lot of his actions won’t make sense as a human. It’s only natural, because he’s a cat. Since these actions are normal for him, I have to think about how his mind works when I act. So, I don’t really feel that I have anything in common with him. Oh, but Tama’s full of curiosity, so he’s often shown shifting his attention to anything that catches his interest, and we might be a bit similar in that sense. There are times when I find something interesting and instantly become obsessed.

Q: Do you ever get lost like Tama does?

I don’t really get lost. Smartphones are truly amazing *laughs*. But for some reason, I often make electronics go haywire. In fact, earlier when I was on the way here, it kept showing me as still in Tokyo Station. I guess the me inside Google Maps often gets lost. *laughs*

Q: Which characters besides Tama are you interested in?

They’re all very charming, but I’m sure the other cast members would all say Bull. He’s a peculiar one, and I think he broadens Uchitama?!’s potential. By Episode 1, he’s already making you think, “So Uchitama?! has this kind of vibe too.” His voice actor, Maeno Tomoaki-san also seems to have a lot of fun voicing him, and he’s allowed to ad-lib freely as long as it fits the character. So, please keep an eye out for Bull.

There’s also the adorable Beh, voiced by Uchida Yuma-kun. I had my own impression of the character when I read the script, but he took it in a very different direction–in a good way. I’m always wondering, “Where does Yuma-kun pull that acting from?” and I’m thinking that his brain might be connected to an alternate dimension… That’s how uniquely cute his acting is.

So, I’m interested in Bull and Beh. That said, all of the other characters are weirdos too, really. *laughs*

Q: What’s your impression of Tama’s good friends, Pochi and Tora?

Ono Kensho-san’s high-pitched voice for Pochi is very cute. Character-wise, Pochi’s got a tough life… He’s prone to getting dragged into things *laughs*. Tama’s a free spirit, so Pochi gets pulled into his antics, and that relationship between them is one of the central pillars of Uchitama?!. I’m looking forward to working with Kensho-san more.

Shirai Yusuke-san’s Tora is a very energetic character, but he’s careless at times. I didn’t get to have these kinds of lively dialogues with Shirai-san in the other works we’ve shared, so it was refreshing. Also, since Shirai-san and I both like the colour green, we exchange news every time we meet. *laughs*

Q: Finally, a message for the readers, please!

Whether you’ve always been a fan of Tama & Friends or Uchitama?! will be your first time meeting them, I’m sure that it’ll bring you healing and smiles. There’s still some time before it starts airing, so please look forward to it until then. Thank you for supporting Uchitama?!.

Bonus off-shots from Twitter/Instagram (Insta ones have multiple pages):

(2 images)
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[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: