Every year, a large number of newcomers emerge in the Japanese voice actor industry, and for this reason, the Japanese media specially produced a program called "New Voice Actor Illustrated Guide". The show interviews and reports on some of the most promising rookie voice actors, to understand the behind-the-scenes stories of their entry into the industry, and their prospects for the future. In the latest issue of "New Voice Actor Guide", we will introduce those who have appeared in "WakeUp, Girls! Nanami Yamashita starred in works such as "Everyday Ability" (Himeki Chitoshi) and other works (Nanami Yamashita) that will be broadcast in October.

Q: Ms. Yamashita always had the impression of a ponytail during the "WUG" period, but today's hairstyle looks very mature.

Yamashita: When I was working on WUG, I often had to match the image of the voice character, Nanami Kukai, so today's photo interview...... I said to the makeup artist, "I'd like to try a hairstyle I've never tried before" (laughs). Recently, when our 7 WUG members got together, everyone also said that we could be a little more free in our hairstyles. It's also fun to have a casual hairstyle when you get together, and you often get together with characters voiced by other people (laughs).

Q: What kind of hairstyle do you usually have?

Yamashita: I prefer curly hair to straight hair. Therefore, when I travel by myself, most of them wear curly hair down. Also, I've recently started to learn how to tie my curly hair into a new hairstyle! I practiced while watching videos from animation sites, curling my hair to one side. It's a little hard to get to the back of my head, but I want to work on my femininity (laughs).

Q: Why do you want to improve women's power?

Yamashita: Recently, I've been getting in touch with some great seniors more and more because of my work. So I felt that I would definitely not be able to do what I was now, and that I had to improve my femininity and make myself shine more (laughs).

Q: Once again, would you like to introduce the role she played in her debut work "WUG"? What kind of girl is Nanami-chan Hisumi?

Yamashita: Nanami-chan is a character who is unwavering in her dreams and goals. In order to fulfill her wishes, no matter how difficult things may be, she will work hard and endure pain. It's a girl with a strong heart. However, she doesn't like to let others see her weaknesses, so she also has a less frank side...... Maybe she thinks she can do anything on her own, and then she is more harsh on others.

Q: How did you feel at the end of the dubbing of this work?

Yamashita: Since we were still training at WUG after the recording, we thought it was a long time to do dubbing, but when the recording was over, we realized that it was only a matter of moments. Also, I feel like I've changed my mind about Nanami-chan as well. At first I didn't think she was very similar to me, but then I thought we were really similar. Nana Mi-chan is showing her weaknesses to everyone little by little. The opportunities for me to discuss work and roles with other members are also increasing rapidly. I really feel that I have grown with the character.

Q: What is your favorite plot in this work?

Yamashita: Nana Mi-chan asked Lanli, "Why are you working so hard?" The plot. When I saw this scene, I thought: Ah, Nanami-chan has also grown a little. Before, she was very stubborn and said: "Isn't it a matter of course to work hard!" "She felt it was a terrible thing to expose her weaknesses. Therefore, through the plot of guò, I feel that I see the "power" of Nana Mi-chan.

Q: It's been almost two years since I auditioned for "WUG" in the second half of 2012. So what do you think has changed?

Yamashita: Actually, director Hiroshi Yamamoto once said to me, "You've been reborn" (laughs). But I didn't notice it. Ah, but I have abs (laughs)! In addition, the whole body tensed up (laughs). I think I've definitely changed in every way.

Q: Of the 7 members, who do you have the most opportunities to talk to?

Yamashita: Airi Nagano, Kaya Okuno. In particular, Shanye and I were together during voice training, so there were a lot of opportunities to meet.

Q: You auditioned for WUG because you were interested in singing and dancing. So in the beginning, did you feel different from other people?

Yamashita: I don't know much about animation. The others were originally girls who loved animation, so I felt like I was falling behind them at the beginning. This complicated feeling has always been in my heart. But knowing my troubles, Mikai Tanaka said, "It's nothing! Wouldn't it be nice to start understanding later? And then I was like, "Ah...... It's wonderful," and the person relaxed (laughs). After that, no matter what troubles you have, I will tell you about it!

Q: Did the other members recommend any anime to you?

Yamashita: It's a well-known work like "Unheard of Names" that is easy to watch and addictive. After that, I was very active in watching anime, and I had a lot of fun sharing my thoughts with people. Now I can enjoy animation so much, thanks to everyone's help! And the number of favorite voice actors is also increasing!

Q: What kind of voice actors do you like?

Yamashita: Miss Rie Naimiya! When I first started training, I came from my hometown, so I stayed in a hotel with everyone. We would gather in the evening, listen to the voices of various voice actors, and discuss, "This voice actor is fun!" "As a result, I didn't get enough sleep the next day (laughs).

Q: Have you ever come across an anime that you really like?

Yamashita: I like "Dragon and Tiger" very much, and I cried so much after watching it! In particular, the picture of Taiga-chan hiding in her room and crying alone on Christmas Eve is really amazing. My whole mind was devoted to my work. Since Nana Mi-chan is a tsundere setting, Miss Naimiya, who has played many tsundere roles, has a lot to learn from me. In that respect, she is also something I really look up to!

Q: If only I had a chance to meet her!

Yamashita: I really want to see her!! But if I did, I'm afraid I wouldn't know what to say other than my normal greetings (laughs).

Q: You've been training for a long time, so you've had some difficult experiences, right?

Yamashita: Actually, we had our first overnight stay before "WUG" started. At the time, Airi and I were in the same room, and the two of us cried together, "That's enough, let's quit WUG~" As I continued to take classes, I felt very uneasy, wondering if I was making progress or if I would be able to make my debut as a real voice actor. And it's a newcomer, and he doesn't care about the situation around him. Now that I think about it, it was a great experience, and it was at that time that I let out my frustration in one breath, and now I can continue to stay in WUG.

Q: Recently, there was a short anime called "WakeUp, GirlsZOO!" that can be seen as Season 1.5! 》。 And the animal shape of the dish in the film is very exciting!

Yamashita: The animals are so cute! Although Nanami-chan is a purple wolf, the rubbing place makes people feel cute. Personally, I also like it very much!

Q: Does Ms. Yamashita have any expectations for Nanami-chan's story in the future?

Yamashita: In the first season, she put aside her dream of joining the Mitsuka Opera Company and announced to everyone that she would devote herself to WUG. But I don't think she can give up the idea of going to Hikari Mozuka. How will NANAMI face this inseparable dream in the future? I'm curious about that.

Q: You're about to appear in "Everyday Battles", which will be airing in October! So what kind of character is Himeki Chito-chan?

Yamashita: She doesn't show her feelings very easily, and she's a girl who doesn't have a mouth. However, he has the ability to create the world, as long as everything imaginable can be created. She can also warp, which is a powerful ability. PERSONALLY, THAT SQUIRREL PUPPET CALLED "RISEN" THAT SHE ALWAYS CARRIES WITH HER SHOULD BE SOMETHING TO KEEP AN EYE ON......

Q: How did you feel when you recorded?

Yamashita: Everyone else was well-known seniors, and they were so nervous at first that they couldn't even record...... Miss Risa Taneda sat right next to me and spoke to me really gently! I'm basically used to it now, and I didn't expect such a big change in just one week. Also, Mr. Nobuhiko Okamoto talked to us about the phenomenon of the mind. That's scary!

Q: It's a great dubbing scene! So it was from this scene that a romantic comedy animation was produced.

Yamashita: We're always busy! I used a lot of interesting plots during the rehearsal, and even though I knew I couldn't make a sound, I couldn't help laughing (laughs)! Others are probably like this, and when it comes time to make the official recording, they have to desperately suppress their laughter (laughs).

Q: The acting skills of the seniors are still very good, right?

Yamashita: That's amazing. Although I just read the lines to the line book, I thought the content was even more interesting after listening to the voice actor's expression! Mr. Okamoto, who plays the voice of the protagonist, is really amazing, with a kind of "middle two diseases are all open? The momentum of the show (laughs). When I looked at it, I felt that it wasn't the voice actor standing there, but the character himself (laughs).

Q: So what is it worth paying attention to for fans?

Yamashita: Chidong is a girl who talks and cooes, but when faced with something, her feelings can explode all at once! I also wrote in my line book that "it's rare, Chidon has bloomed her feelings". I hope everyone can pay attention to her candid face that flashes away!

Q: Speaking of which, Ms. Yamashita came to Tokyo from Tokushima Prefecture. So are you used to living alone now? Was there a hard time?

Yamashita: I don't live in my house anymore. Because of my work, I always live in Sendai and Shikoku, so I don't stay at home much (laughs). The harder thing is to do housework. If you don't do it yourself, no one will be able to do it for you (laughs). And if you go to live in a foreign place, won't there be more changes of clothes all of a sudden? I had to wash them all myself, and then I thought I had to work the next day...... So I tried to get up in the morning and started doing laundry.

Q: Do you have any housework that you like to do, and what housework you are afraid to do?

Yamashita: What about this...... Washing clothes is actually just a button away, and the smell of the laundry is really my favorite type, so it's fun to do laundry. Now I'm using a citrus-scented fabric softener. As for the housework that I am not good at, it is washing dishes. When I was washing the dishes, the dishes fell on the floor and broke. Originally, I liked the cutlery very much, and it was very devastating...... After that, I hated washing things very much. Oops, I was knocked out so quickly (laughs).

Q: What kind of tableware is it?

Yamashita: Snow-white tableware! For the tableware, I used white, and the room was decorated in purple, white and pink.

Q: Purple is the main color of Nanami-chan, right?

Yamashita: I was influenced by Nanami (laughs). Now the bath towels and carpets are purple. I've also mentioned in my blog before that the blanket on my bed is painted with wooden horses and Pegasi, like fairy tales. And this blanket is lilac.

Q: What do you do during the holidays?

Yamashita: The room must be cleaned...... Seriously, I have to work every day, and when I get home, I'm tired and don't have time to clean. So if you don't make up your mind and clean up during the holidays, the house will be a mess. And I can't find anything in the room...... For example, the remote control of the TV will appear in a different location every time, so it is difficult to find it (laughs).

Q: What are your interests?

Yamashita: I love things that have a scent! Recently, I have been using a flat product called "pocket aroma", and when you squeeze out the aromatic liquid, it will have a very nice smell and spread. This scent has a very good relaxing effect, so I like to put it next to my pillow at night when I sleep. In particular, the orange and citrus aromas are fantastic. Also, I love the toiletries from LUSH! It's great to come home and take a shower after a long day at work (laughs).

Q: Is ...... "Pingyo" a dialect?

Yamashita: Ah! Don't you say that here in Tokyo? Well, it's probably a dialect (laughs).

Q: Is there anything else you like?

Yamashita: Recently, I've been obsessed with talking to Siri on the iPhone (laughs). When you wake up in the morning, you will say "Good morning!" When you go to bed at night, say "Good night!" "Although it can feel disgusting (laughs). We would challenge tongue twisters together, and when I asked, "Say it~", Siri would start to say, "A long, long time ago, ...... somewhere" (laughs) before I said to Siri, "I like you!" Then Siri replied, "I respect you a lot" (shy). But I don't have the function of using the alarm clock or APP of the smartphone (laughs).

Q: What if there was a machine at home......

Yamashita: I want to be a machine! Ever since I watched "Ji Qì Ren Chi Noqiu" before, I have been full of interest in Ji Qì people! I also have a very small toy machine qì person. The nearest machine qì people will run away, it feels so powerful! I'm afraid it's because I'm so lonely (laughs). I love to talk, and I talk to myself at home...... Recently, I've transferred this kind of self-talk to Siri-chan (laughs).

Q: Have you had any fun lately?

Yamashita: My birthday on July 19th turned 19! I got a birthday present from a WUG member! I was still in rehearsals for the tour, and then I was suddenly called out by the dance teacher. And it's just me. At that time, I suddenly lost my confidence and thought, "Is it okay to tour?" People like me can't do it......" very disappointed. Then the teacher was pointing out to me the bad habit of dancing: "Wouldn't it be better to do this?" "Yes! I know! "Suddenly, everyone rushed over! Then they held hands with each other and formed a circle and sang birthday songs as they spun around me! Is...... You guys...... I immediately burst into tears (laughs).

Q: What gifts did you get?

Yamashita: Everyone knew that I liked "LUSH", so they gave me this brand of bath gel and gave me bath towels and other things because I like bathing. There's also Attack on Titan merch that I really like!

Q: What kind of surroundings are you?

Yamashita: Armin's mouse pad! I love Armin. When I first heard Armin's voice, I didn't think it was a female voice. I was shocked when I heard that it was played by Miss Marina Inoue! But looking at it, Armin's position was taken away by Captain Levi, I'm afraid he will be lonely...... (laughs)

Q: So, tell us about your future goals as a voice actor!

Yamashita: I'm nervous and prone to overexertion. If there are people like me, I'm happy if I can relax a little bit after listening to my voice. That's my goal as a voice actor! There are some things I want to challenge after that. If only the voice of a village girl like me could float from the train (laughs). This is the idea that came to me when I took the Rinkai Line before! Although if I'm here to broadcast it, it might look more like dubbing an anime (laughs).

Q: Finally, would you like to give a few words to the readers who read this article?

Yamashita: I rarely give one-on-one interviews. I'm not very good at talking at events like talk shows, so I think about my own things while I'm being interviewed. I feel like I've said a lot in the interview, and it would be nice if the readers who read this story could get to know me and come up with ideas. Thank you!

Q: Thank you for your time today!