In addition to having an excellent performance in animation dubbing, the voice actors also frequently appear in some foreign film and television works. Among them, Fujiwara Keiji is famous for starring in "Iron Man" and "Sherlock Holmes", and recently took the opportunity of starring in the show "Blowing the Kingdom" to accept an interview with the media.

Q: First of all, considering that Mr. Fujiwara has previously voiced the role of Robert Downey Jr. in "Iron Man" and "Sherlock Holmes", do you also realize this?

Fujiwara: Robert Downey Jr., should I say frivolous? Anyway, I always feel like I'm not taking things seriously (laughs). For this reason, I also deliberately want to express a sense of irony and cynicism when I perform. A long time ago, when he was younger, I was already voicing his characters. And now I don't think he's the same as before. Nowadays, there are more opportunities to voice him, and I find that one of his great charms is that he can perform delicately in his expressions, so I have put a lot of effort into catering to this style.

Q: Robert Downey Jr. has always been considered a very sexy actor and is very popular among women.

Fujiwara: Is that so!? (laughs)

Q: So did Mr. Fujiwara pay attention to showing Xiàn sexy when he dubbed?

Fujiwara: I'm not the one (laughs). I didn't pay much attention to that. From the perspective of the charm of the actor, the appearance is naturally a part, and the way he speaks is also one of the highlights, so he will make women feel sexy. Let's not talk about whether it's sexy or not, I just want to show his charm as much as possible. But it doesn't matter if the person who voices him is sexy or not, so I didn't particularly care about it (laughs). Actually, I'm about the same age as Robert Downey Jr., and I'm about the same height. In addition, they all have beards (laughs).

Q: (laughs) Today we asked you to re-dub a lot of characters because of the show, so how did the recording feel?

Fujiwara: I'm a little confused because they are all different works, but Robert Downey Jr.'s role is basically played in recent years, so it's relatively easy to play. As for the clown in "Batman: The Dark Knight", there should still be some changes, I have to try not to open my mouth as much as possible, and the facial expressions are also very strange when recording. In addition, I can smack my tongue. Fortunately, it wasn't the dubbing of those parts when I recorded today, but I still felt a little embarrassed to face the camera shooting. I think my expression is weird...... But I'm thinking "that's how it feels" and expressing it at the same time.

Q: At the time of today's recording, there was a moment when you switched from Robert Downey Jr. to Heath Ledger, did that also make you feel difficult?

Fujiwara: That's pretty good. Surprisingly, I felt more calm. It's just that some of my tongues are knotted (laughs).

■For some characters who are overcommitted, it may be difficult to get out of the character image

Q: It should be said that the harvest of dubbing foreign film and television dramas is different from the harvest of dubbing domestic works. Can you tell us more about that?

Fujiwara: When I dubbed a foreign film, I already had a work like zài, so I was thinking about recreating the acting skills of the actors as much as possible. Because it's a live-action version, there are subtle changes in facial expressions, and this change must also be well integrated into the Japanese lines. When dubbing animation, you can often bring in the unique aspects of your acting skills, but foreign works must show the actors' acting skills in their original form. This aspect is different from the dubbing of domestic animation.,Anyway, it's all interesting.。

Q: I think actors also choose different acting skills according to their works, is this also difficult?

Fujiwara: I don't have any preconceived notions about actors. I am afraid that they also consciously did not be bound by their past works when they performed. In that sense, whether the actor is famous or not, I don't particularly care. Of course, if Robert Downey Jr. has voiced him several times, then even if the role changes, I can't go against his style or the way he performs in the dubbing, and I have to perform in his name at all times. However, with the different works, the actors should also be pursuing change, so they can't be too obsessed with the actors themselves. I've voiced Heath Leigh in the past, and it was a completely different time than the later Joker. I didn't even think about Heath Ledger when I was acting (laughs). For this to happen, a shift is needed. If you think, "This actor should be this style, right?" "Then it would be a big mistake. This kind of thinking can sometimes affect the voice acting work as well.

Q: When dubbing a foreign movie, do you watch the original several times before recording?

Fujiwara: That's it...... Sometimes I look at it carefully, but sometimes it's just a moment...... Well, I usually watch it 2 or 3 times. If there's something that's hard to understand, I'll keep repeating it. Sometimes it's just about the actors' expressions, sometimes it's just about the voices.

Q: It's not easy to do homework at home.

Fujiwara: Yes. I remember watching Batman: The Dark Knight many times. In some places where the tongue is prone to knotting, I will mark the "tongue" in the line book. And the most distressing thing is the difference in language. In English, sometimes the tongue sticks out in front of the tongue to smack the tongue, but in Japanese, you have to put the tongue inside, so it is difficult to make a sound, and it is more difficult to do so. It's also hard to create a character.

Q: In recent years, there has been a lot of attention paid to dubbing foreign works, so what do you think is the charm and attraction of dubbing foreign works?

Fujiwara: When watching a movie with a lot of fast-paced action scenes, it's better to have a Japanese voice actor to voice it. In this way, you can not care much about the auditory details and enjoy the visual impact with all your heart. When working as a voice actor, it is often easy for us practitioners to think about "what role this voice is suitable for", but ordinary people don't care about these details, as long as they fully enjoy the movie.

Q: If you were to tell Americans that Tony Stark of "Iron Man" and the Joker of "Batman: The Dark Knight" are voiced by the same person, then you would be surprised. So are there any skills when playing the role of the protagonist and the evil side?

Fujiwara: I don't think there's any skill in that. After all, there are also very handsome villains. It may not be a skill, but the villain will show a nasty feeling. Does it make the audience feel like "hurry up and get rid of this bastard!" It may be the key to the success or failure of this role. I think that's one of the great charms of bad guys. It is precisely because of the excellent bad guy that the protagonist can be revealed. Heck, it would be nice if I tried to show this effect as much as possible. I myself like villains more than perfect protagonists. Because the villain can give me more room to play. Of course, the kind of protagonist who looks more wasteful is also my dish. If it's a perfect hero, then it's a little uninteresting because it's too direct. So I didn't particularly care about switching between the positive and negative roles.

Q: Didn't your mood change during the performance?

Fujiwara: Yes. I only think about how to bring out the character in a charismatic way.

Q: There are some lines and jokes in foreign movies that Japanese people will never say, so is there any difficulty in speaking in this regard?

Fujiwara: Sometimes I do resist. After all, you have to say something that you don't usually use. It's just that when I'm recording, I get into the world of the movie, so I think that these lines are all the truths that need to be in that world. Both "Batman: The Dark Knight" and "Iron Man" are very different from the real world, and when you think that the world is like this, then some of the more difficult lines can be said smoothly.

Q: Have you ever been overly committed to a role? For example, the Joker of Batman: The Dark Knight and the like.

Fujiwara: I may have wanted to make a clear distinction between the virtual and the real, but after the dubbing, sometimes I still have the characteristics of the characters in the way I speak (laughs). It's like those who are fathers watching Mr. Takakura's movies

After that, I'll walk out of the movie theater with my head held high (laughs).

Q: Is it difficult to switch between characters from different works at the same time?

Fujiwara: I feel like I'm a person who switches roles very easily. Unlike actors, voice actors don't need to show their faces, so it may be easier to get out of the role.

■What does not reflect oneself is dubbing for foreign works, and it is animation dubbing that shows one's self-identityQ: Now that there are more and more young people aiming for voice actors, what advice can you provide from the perspective of dubbing foreign works?

Fujiwara: I would like you to think about what kind of acting you want to show when you dub a foreign work. I tell my students, "Pay attention to the rhythm of their pronunciation and their expressions!" For example, the character's expression becomes negative for a moment, and the lines he says at this time need to be carefully observed. Dubbing work is varied, but dubbing for foreign works still requires a lot of observation.

Q: It's completely different from anime?

Fujiwara: I can't say it's completely different, but the anime is actually separate from this, and considering that some voice actors focus on one of them, it's definitely different. Some people may find it more difficult to dub foreign works, but others think that animation is more difficult.

Q: Is it because you were an actor in the world?

Fujiwara: Maybe it's something to do with it. I think now that I'm a voice actor, it's better to do more. Since you don't have to show your face, it's interesting to be able to make a variety of changes, and you don't have to stick to one type of work. There are some technical differences. It's impossible for the anime to experience the original sound, and some people don't know how to express it because they listen to the original soundtrack.

Q: This time you showed us the dubbing effects of "Iron Man" and "Batman: The Dark Knight", what do you think is worth paying attention to in these two works?

Fujiwara: Actually, there's nothing to focus on. After all, it's good that the movie itself is interesting. Convey what you want to the audience, that's what the movie is all about. I just need to do one of the gears. In fact, these works are very exciting, and the characters are also very distinct. If you can see the wonderful things about Robert Downey Jr. and Heath Ledger, then I'll be happy, as long as I can reproduce their excellent acting skills and feel like they are there. I think that if the audience is not satisfied with them, then the person who acts as the voice of the Japanese voice will be held responsible.

Q: In other words, you need to have a voice that blends in with that worldview, so that the audience can be drawn to the plot and enjoy the movie without any sense of disobedience.

Fujiwara: There are often grandmothers in the countryside who watch the Japanese version of a foreign movie and say, "This foreigner speaks Japanese so well" (laughs). I think that's the best effect. From the perspective of dubbing foreign works, the best way to express yourself is not to express yourself in the voice.

Q: Is this what Mr. Fujiwara is doing from an expert perspective?

Fujiwara: yes. I'm often asked, "What's the difference between animation and foreign movie dubbing?" I always answer this question, in the movie, the voice actor should try to restore the character as much as possible. Our acting skills must not be detrimental to the cast, we need to make the film itself attractive. Animation, on the other hand, can reflect individuality, which means that we belong to the people who participate in the process of making zuò, so it is good to reflect the charm of the character in our own way. On the other hand, the film is already a finished product, so let's not think too much about the power of the Japanese language or how to make the work better. I guess that's my reserve.

Q: Haven't you ever thought that you wish the Japanese would think of yourself when they talk about Downey Jr.?

Fujiwara: Of course everyone could think so. There is no doubt that if I could continue to voice him, I would be happy to accept it. However, each voice actor has a different way of showing their charm, so you can't deny the voices of other people.

Q: It is true that there are cases where different voice actors voice the same character, so in this case, do you not think about the version dubbed by others, but show the charm of the actor with a fresh mindset?

Fujiwara: Yes, I basically don't care about other people's voiceovers. I do occasionally visit it, but I don't pay much attention to it. I'm afraid that even if other voice actors come to voice Tony of "Iron Man", as long as he is a professional, then there will be no big difference in style. The difference lies in how to show the charm of the actors, coupled with the different sound quality, which will also allow the audience to interpret different charms. Acting is not something that can be imitated, and I will naturally express my own way of understanding, so I don't have to care about how others dub it. Even if this character has been voiced by someone else in the past, I won't use it as a reference. I'm afraid that even if I go to see his performance, it won't change when I actually come by myself.

Q: Would you like to conclude with a few words for the fans?

Fujiwara: I'm honestly a little embarrassed when I see the subtitles like "Voice Actor: Keiji Fujiwara", but considering that there are some people who want to watch a work because of their participation in dubbing, and there are also people who are fans of Japanese dubbing. Whatever your motivation for watching the work, these are all interesting movies, so I hope you will definitely pay attention to them. But it's embarrassing to say that (laughs).