At present, the original TV anime "White Box" produced by P.A.WORKS is attracting a lot of attention. This work focuses on Musashino Animation's newcomer Zuò Aoi Miyamori, and depicts the reality of the animation industry. In addition, the characters in the work give the audience a feeling of coming out of reality, so in addition to anime fans, some people in the industry have also developed a strong interest in this work.

Recently, some Japanese media interviewed several of the main creative voice actors in this work. It seems that in order to match the plot, these voice actors are also newcomers in the industry. They are Kimura Juri of Miyamori Aoi, Haruka Kamura of Ema Yasuhara, and Haruka Sensuge of Shizuka Sakaki. This time, they will talk about the charm of the work and the bits and pieces behind the scenes of dubbing.

■Although the voice acting is intense, a very good relationship is formed between the five people

Q: First of all, would you like to tell us about your impressions after getting this role?

Kimura: Before I auditioned for the role of Miss Aoi Miyamori, I actually only participated in the anime voice acting once. So I don't have any experience as a voice actor in anime. In my heart, there was also a time when I was annoyed by my acting skills, thinking, "Maybe I'm not suitable to be a voice actor, wouldn't it be better to give up?" ”

At that time, my agent came to me and said, "Do you want to sit at a coffee shop near Miss Kimura's house?" "The dubbing work has not been fruitful, so I was mentally prepared when I set off. And after meeting, the other party asked very seriously: "Do your parents support your work?" ”…… Hearing this, I felt that I was really going to die, who knew that the agent said: "Are you sure you want to star in "White Box"!" When I heard this, the solemn atmosphere I had had before vanished as if I was joking (laughs).

Q: It looks like the agent is trying to surprise you (laughs).

Kimura: Exactly. When that agent first joined the company, I was the first person in charge. So I'm very happy. We were on the way at night, two people crying and hugging each other...... If others saw that kind of scene, they would probably be shocked.

Q: How did you feel when Ms. Kamura decided to dub Ema?

Yoshimura: I put a lot of effort into the audition, so I'm very happy.

Q: What kind of work did you put in?

Yoshimura: I formed my own impression of this character, but when I performed it, I tried a different way of expressing it. I know this is a very well-behaved girl, but I don't think this is what she would be like if she was with her friends, right? So I thought, "I'm afraid it's not appropriate to be so depressed with my friends," so I tried to be more cheerful.

However, just like this, the audition may not be able to make people feel good. So when I learned that I had succeeded, I was really happy. And it's a work about the animation industry, so I think it's going to be interesting.

Q: Ms. Chisuge has been active as a singer before, so this is the first time she has experienced a voice actor.

Chisuge: I hadn't auditioned for voice actors before "White Box", and my first exposure to anime was singing. While singing the theme song of the anime, I followed the work of the voice actor on the side, and I felt very longing. When I learned about the project for "White Box", I was very surprised: I wanted to make such an interesting animation. So I thought it would be a lot of fun.

I auditioned for three roles. And among them, Shizuka has the closest sense of intimacy. This may also have something to do with personal circumstances, and the character and psychological dynamics seen from the lines are also relatively close to me. After confirming that Shizuka had the role, I was very happy. At the same time, I feel that it is a little unreal, and the whole person is floating. It's like a dream.

Yoshimura: That's right. I don't think it's real either.

Kimura: Actually, I decided on the role as early as November 2013, but it was a long time before the anime started. It always got me thinking: are you really going to start dubbing? Or is it just a dream?

Yoshimura: The dubbing work was first performed in the work "EXODUS! , so I doubt that my character will simply become EXODUS! (laughs).

Kimura: But from EXODUS! In fact, it may be a good thing. If you dub "White Box" as soon as you come up, then it will be too nerve-wracking. I couldn't sleep the night before the dubbing, but I found out that the dubbing work was "EXODUS! After that, I felt a little relieved.

Q: All three of you are in EXODUS! >> When we were recording, we met for the first time?

Kimura: Yes. And it was the first time the three of us had gone to dinner together.

Chisuge: The three of us don't know each other very well, and when we meet, it's like coming to a new class for the new semester. So they probed each other for a long time. We have basically adopted a "please advise" attitude.

Kimura: But after drinking together that day, we felt like we were companions.

Kamura: The two of them are so cheerful, I was shocked! And when we proposed to eat, we didn't choose a coffee shop, but Xiao Qian suddenly shouted: "Aren't you going to eat shabu-shabu?" ”

Kimura: You remember it so clearly (laughs).

Q: What a rustic choice! (laughs)

Jiacun: Actually, if you don't have a very good relationship with each other, it's not very suitable. So I think they opened up in the first place. Zhuli-chan is also very active.

Kimura: I like shops like Isomaru Suisan and Izakaya! I want everyone to drink crab soup together!

Yoshimura: Really, I'm very happy about their cheerfulness.

Q: In other words, you had a very good relationship before you dubbed the first episode of "White Box". So what about actually dubbing the first episode?

Kimura: I'm still nervous. And once I started dubbing, not only me, but also the people around me were nervous, and some people said that I was shaking all over. But let's be very simply happy. The script is very good, and I'm excited to be able to perform with other voice actors.

Chisuga; After all, in such an atmosphere, everyone's tension is the same. However, although I was nervous, my seniors were really very reliable people, so I was relieved. The problem of lack of experience cannot be concealed no matter how much you hide it, so when you need to rely on your predecessors, you have to rely on it and collide with your own role at the same time.

Our five main voice actors are all newcomers, and the work tells the story of five newcomers who joined the animation industry, and thanks to that, the atmosphere has become very good.

Q: After listening to what you just said, I feel that the atmosphere between the three of you is also like the animation club of Shangshan High School, which is very connected.

Kimura: When I was dubbing the "Seven Blessings of God and Buddha Confusion" by the Ueyama High School Animation Club, I thought it was not easy for Kochi to voice various characters in the initial plot.

Chisuge: I played a lot of roles (laughs).

Q: While others have also used the form of stick reading dubbing, does this kind of deliberate expression of the layman's atmosphere seem difficult?

Kimura: That's right. Although I didn't do a particularly good job, Hitomi-chan Owada, who dubbed Midori, was saying "What~!" "I was very impressed by the way it reads, and it's cute.

Chisuge: I'm addicted to listening to this sound. No matter how many times you listen to it, you won't get tired of it.

Kamura: In "The Seven Blessings of God and Buddha", there is a place where everyone shouts "Ah~!" together! Because of the poor timing, I shouted "yes" a little slower than everyone else, so I begged, "Please let me do it again." However, this paragraph was directly used in the broadcast of the animation. In other words, the production zuò party deliberately made "ya~! The voice is not harmonious (laughs).

Sensuge:

And, there are 7 characters shouting "Ah~!" "I voiced 3 of them......

Kimura: Almost all of them are Kochi.

Chisuga: Because there are several characters, I feel like I'm out of place by shouting and shouting, and at that time, it was me and Haruka who were slow to beat.

Q: And this paragraph is also deliberately used in the animation.

Yoshimura: I was surprised that it was used in the dubbing in this way, and that director Mizushima and the people involved in the production felt that this was possible.

Q: Xiaokui will eat doughnuts to reward herself, so as to motivate her enthusiasm for work, so how do you reward yourself?

Kamura: It's just all the voice actors going to dinner.

Q: How many people usually attend a dinner?

Yoshimura: Almost everyone, right?

Kimura: There are a lot of people each time, 10 people.

Chisuga; Even if you feel like a failure on the day of the dubbing, you can get a good idea at the dinner and make new discoveries. After the dubbing of Guò, I was able to have a positive mindset and think, "I'm going to do my best next week!" ”

Kimura: We can have a meal and have a good chat, and this is a very precious occasion for us. I value this opportunity very much.

■The situation on the scene of the animation zuò is beyond imagination

Q: Now I have a question for Miss Kamura. Ema is a very honest child, and he always has troubles about his skills, but he also moves forward in the process. Since the first episode, she has come to where she is now. Did you feel different about the role during the performance?

Kamura: If you say that in the first episode, Ema is a very honest girl who can be protective after watching it, but she is very strong inside, but she also has some tendons, and in a sense she is more stubborn. Even though she encountered opposition from her family, she still wanted to become an animator, and even because of such a strong mood, she was able to write letters to her family every day for half a year.

Although she was a girl who wanted to be protected at first, Ema became stronger every time she broke through one trouble after another, and I was very happy about it. Every time I get my word book, I look forward to it, thinking: What will become of Ema again?

Q: Did Ms. Kimura change her opinion on the role after trying to voice acting?

Kimura: I quickly decided that I was going to voice Miss Miyamori when I auditioned, so I always had her image in my heart. At the end of the first episode, I didn't show any acting skills at all, and I just relied on my intuition to express it.

Around the 2nd and 3rd episodes, I thought she was a "very capable child", but after that, she gradually showed the characteristics that a newcomer should have, and seeing Miss Miyamori like this, I also felt that she was more humane.

Because this is originally a good girl, so dealing with people is also her strength, when she is with her peers, it is a certain style, and at work it is another style, of course, there will be different changes when getting along with her sister...... What will be the fate of Miss Miyamori? This is also a question that is very close to my heart.

Q: What do you think?

Chisuge: At first, when I looked at Shizuka's visuals, standing position, and costumes, I thought it was a very girly character, but when I got the script book, I found that her dialogue was very sharp. When I want to say it, I will say it bluntly and quickly, and I have the aura of a big sister. And he is also very strict with himself.

She never thinks "Oh, that's pretty much it", and she rarely compromises when it comes to dealing with people. So it may be said that this is not a "stern" to describe it, but a very serious child. Although it seems to others that she is always troubled and depressed, this is Shizuka's normal pattern, and unless she breaks through the difficulties, she will move forward bravely. This is Shizuka's style.

Kimura: I'm very strong inside.

Kamura: It's very similar to Xiaoqian.

Chisuge: Hey!? Is that so?

Kamura: Because Xiaoqian used to be the student council president, in my imagination, the former Xiaoqian was Shizuka.

Kimura: These two people are so similar!

Q: "White Box" is a work that portrays the animation industry, so did you do some research on the knowledge of making zuò beforehand?

Kimura: It was just around the time that we were filming the first DVD and Blu-ray bonus video, so we went to Toyama, and the staff of P.A.WORKS also went. At that time, I talked a lot with the animators and learned a lot of knowledge. Sure enough, it's not easy to make an animation group, it's beyond my imagination.

Previously, I had a vague idea of the animation process, just what the stages were going to be, what to do during the show, and so on, and that's it.

Yoshimura: I was given the opportunity to learn about the changes in the performance depending on the number of original paintings, and how much time each one would take. There are various programs for animation production, but it is not easy to look at it. Ema has a strong obsession with her work, and I learned about animation through Guò, and I also experienced her thoughts.

Q: Miss Chisuge is a voice actor herself, and this time she is playing a girl who wants to become a voice actor, so what difficulties did you find when dubbing Shizuka?

Chisuge: I try not to think about this issue with any theory as much as possible. But the incredible thing is that the dividing line between myself and Shizuka is very clear, and it is precisely because I am clearly aware of this dividing line that I feel that I can sketch the image of Shizuka's character in my mind.

I sang first and then became a voice actor, so I participated in this role with a mentality of "paying attention to all voice actors from the outside", so when I played Shizuka, I also felt like I was paying attention from the outside, even though I was close at hand.

Q: You blended Shizuka's mood with your own voice acting, but at the same time maintained an objective attitude?

Chisuge: Shizuka encountered all kinds of troubles when facing challenges. Because this kind of trouble also happened to me, it also played a role in cheering myself up when I performed.

In episode 4, Shizuka auditioned, but failed because she was too nervous. I had this experience myself, and I remembered it with my body, so I was able to express it without hesitation when dubbing.

■It's quiet, but it's shining. This song complements the night perfectly

Q: The three of you sang the ending song "AnimeticLoveLetter" together, so could you please tell us a little bit about it?

Kimura: This is a work written and composed by Haruko Momoi, and listening to this song makes people look forward to anime even more, and we almost express our love for anime in the form of a love song. Although the song is shining, it has a quiet atmosphere at the same time, so when I first heard the sound source, I also had a feeling of surprise in my heart.

Yoshimura: I never thought that Haruko Momoi would compose the music for the work, and I never thought that we could sing it, so I'm very grateful for that. No matter which lyric is very good, I want to cherish every word, every word. It's a very cute tune.

Chisuge: At the end of the day, we play the main role in the anime, so our love for anime is even stronger in the song than the three of us. It's very positive in the good sense of the word, but it's not full of energy, and although it's fun, not every beat is very profound. It should be said that this song could not be more "wonderful" to be described by the word "wonderful". And it contains a real heartbeat.

Q: Were the three of you together when you were recording?

Kimura: Everyone recorded separately, and I was the first one. The second is Xiao Qian, and the last is Xiao Yao.

Yoshimura: I was surprised that I was listening to the two of them singing and recording them, and then I used a version that I thought was a failure. (laughs)

Kimura: That's probably in the last part, and if you buy a CD and listen to it, you'll find out right away. However, this voice is super cute!

Q: At the end of the interview, would you like to give a few words to the readers?

Yoshimura: Needless to say, the process of creating an animated zuò is very interesting, and both women and men can relate to the characters in the work. I hope you can find a character you like and watch it until the end. Each episode shifts the perspective to a different character, sometimes feeling very depressing from one person's point of view, but more stable from someone else's point of view. The sincere plot in each episode is worth looking forward to. We performers also put our souls into the work, and the dedication of the staff is not a joke! Please see it by all means!

Chisuge: There are a lot of characters in the work, but each one of them spends their 24 hours in their own way, and this work is very attractive because of their attitudes. Whether it's something that goes well or something that hits a bottleneck, it will appear in the work, and I think that from the perspective of the plot, it can make the audience feel "Okay, come on tomorrow" after watching it. A lot of effort has been put into the details of the work, and no matter how many times you rewatch it, you will find something new, so I hope you will see it several times, and then I will be very happy.

Kimura: Whether it's the script, the drawing, or the acting, this anime is very delicate in every way. If you have been paying attention to "White Box", you will definitely feel that you are also a member of Musashino Animation. Please come and watch the work with the feeling of making zuò animation at Musashino Animation, then I will be very satisfied!

Q: Thank you all three for your time today!