Interview with rookie voice actor Maya Yoshioka

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 the "Rookie Voice Actor Guide", we will introduce Maya Yoshioka, who has appeared in works such as "Ordinary High School Girls Want to Be Local Idols" (Yuiji in March) and "Girls and Chariots" (Taeko Kondo).

Q: Right now, you're starring in the work "Ordinary High School Girls Want to Be Local Idols" and dubbing Yui Mitsuki.

Yoshioka: Yes! My character is a girl who is known as "Yui-senpai" and moves around in the costume of Rukawa City's mascot 'Fish Heart'. This is also the role with the most lines in my previous works, so I played it very carefully. I also learned a lot during the dubbing process. ”

Q: The character songbook sung by Izumi will also be released on August 27th.

Yoshioka: For the first time, I experienced a lot of things. For example, the character song is one of them, and it is also the first time to dance. At AnimeJapan in March of this year, I was able to walk around in a puppet costume in Fishheart-kun. And the quality of that puppet costume is also very high. It seems that it was designed by people who specialize in making zuò mascots in some entertainment programs. I wore this to surprise me, and the host said, "Actually, the person in here is Miss Yoshioka!" "But it's very hot inside, and 10 minutes inside is basically the limit (laughs).

Q: Speaking of Ms. Yoshioka's previous voiced roles, Taeko Kondo from "The Girl and the Chariot" is also impressive!

Yoshioka: Thank you very much! In "The Girl and the Chariot", there are many female high school students who ride the chariot to compete in the "battle lane", and this is also a part of their learning. As for Kondo Taeko, she wore the uniform of the volleyball club and rode in the chariot in order to recruit members of the club.

Q: What was your impression of the vehicle before you appeared in this work?

Yoshioka: To be honest, I don't know much about this. I also started the dubbing with the question, "What the hell is a chariot?" The word パンツァー in the title of the work is actually the German word for chariot. In English, it's "tank", so I couldn't even figure out what the title meant at first. I have some fearful impressions of chariots, but in the story of the work, no one will be injured because of this, and everyone can fight safely. Nowadays, I also think that chariots are very cute things.

Our duck team rode in a Japanese tank called the "Eighty-Nine Style". And we also call this tank "89Q". Now both fans and producers have begun to call it "89Q". Some time ago, a game called World of Tanks collaborated with Girls and Chariots, and in that collaboration, the subtitle of the event was named "89Q". Looking at the back of "89Q", it is unstoppable. Because its ass is cocked. And the name of the "duck team" actually reflects the characteristics of the tank.

Wrapped under the chariot is something called a "track", and the sound of the chariot is also cute when it is running! Every time "89Q" appeared, we would shout, "89Q is so cute!" "It's also a phenomenon among all voice actors. It looks like we're fully struck by it (laughs).

"89Q" doesn't actually speak, but it always feels like a living character. And in the process of standing on the chariot for various battles and duels, our love for it is also constantly strengthened.

Q: Did you brag to other voice actors who were part of another team, saying, "My chariot is the best"?

Yoshioka: Oh, that's not all too usual! But the combat effectiveness of 89Q is actually very weak. But even so, it's still cute (laughs). Of course...... I don't mean "useless children look cute" (laughs). Some fans have said to me, "There are only a few works that can make voice actors feel so happy." "I think it would be great if we could connect with everyone and have fun together.

Q: In the duck team, it seems that the voice actors are very united!

Yoshioka: That's right. We all went to dinner together. Since it is a volleyball club, there are many plots where everyone ignites their own sports soul and shouts loudly together. "Hey~yay!" "Hey, hey, hey~!" The slogans and so on seemed to be very united, but I don't know why, but the voices didn't come together during the recording (laughs). I don't know if it's too much of a harmonious relationship, or if everyone's personality is too strong (laughs). So when the voice was dubbed, everyone laughed out together (laughs). In the TV animation,The volleyball club itself doesn't have an upgraded table xiàn.,But 89Q in OVA is very active!

Q: OVA was released on July 25th. The voice actors have reunited after a long absence, so what is the atmosphere like in the dubbing scene?

Yoshioka: "Girls and Chariots" is a series that started about three years ago, so when everyone reunited to voice the OVA, it felt like a class reunion. We had a snack together and talked a lot of things, which made me feel like "This is "The Girl and the Chariot", and I was very happy about it.

Q: Ms. Yoshioka also played the role of Anjobi in this work. So let's introduce this character again!

Yoshioka: Anjobi is affiliated with Ankio High School, a rival school of Oarai Girls' Gakuen (Taeko Kondo's alma mater). It feels like she'll take out two rubber straps with communication from her backpack at any moment...... In terms of personality, she is a girl with a spiral curly double ponytail, a very strong look, or a bit of arrogant temperament. Although the school's template is Italian, her personality is very straightforward and generous, always saying: "We are all friends!" Therefore, he is also a genius who is called "commander" by the players. Many girls in "The Girl and the Chariot" have a very soft tone, but she is an outlier and speaks very hard. It looks cute on the outside.,But it has a side that doesn't match the appearance.、Women don't let the eyebrows.。

Q: Anchobi also has an eye-catching appearance in the OVA.

Yoshioka: Yes! In the TV anime, her role is too few, but in the OVA, she appears as the protagonist! At the stage thank-you party, I also wore an Anjobi costume to meet everyone. And I'm afraid I'm the first voice actor to take on the stage with a whip (laughs), right? In the OVA, a team of Saori-san Hayami and Daichi-sama and I had a great time during the performance, and our love for Angelo High School became even deeper. Anchobi is a very interesting character, and it is also a very important existence in my heart.

Q: Looking back now, what do you think is the appeal of "The Girl and the Chariot"?

Yoshioka: Aside from chariots and friendship, I think the sacred town of Oarai in Ibaraki Prefecture is also very attractive. The vehicles set up here are of the highest quality in terms of style and sound, giving you an immersive feel. And when the chariot in the anime is running in the exact same scene as reality, it also makes me feel the realism of the world of "The Girl and the Chariot". That alone is a lot of fun.

In addition, the people here in Oarai also love "The Girl and the Chariot" very much. The number of fans of the shrine tour is also very large, and the "ANKOU Festival" held in the area every year attracts a large number of tourists. I was also offered a job as a narrator for a private visit.

Within the town, both the locals and us voice actors were celebrating together. Everyone played in a positive way, and because of the love of the local people, they had a double chemistry with each other, making "The Girl and the Chariot" a huge hit that everyone never expected.

Q: Now let's ask Ms. Yoshioka about herself. How do you spend your time on vacation?

Yoshioka: Moving the furniture in the room or something, anyway, it's just about interior decoration. The reason for this came from a recent sofa purchase. Since the sofa I bought was relatively small, I wanted to lean it against the cabinet facing the TV...... I'm so happy right now, anyway!

Q: That's where you sit on that couch and watch the anime?

Yoshioka: Yes (laughs). That's great! I also have a black cat, and playing on the couch with this child is also a wonderful experience. The cat's name is Noah, and it's very cute. It seems that the name means black cat in French. I didn't know this at first, but by accident. For me, the encounter with Noah was really like fate. I used to love cats and wanted to get one one one day, but I couldn't make it happen because I was always moving. It was at this time that I picked up Noah, who was about a week old. It looks like a jade with hair (laughs). It was said that it was so small at the time, and it would have died if it hadn't been taken care of by my mother. If it hadn't been sent to the hospital in time, it would have gone blind. But in the process of helping it find its loved ones, that love swelled up.

Q: So what kind of vacation do you like most when you are on vacation?

Yoshioka: I also play games. I love versus games, and with the new Monster Hunter coming out in October, I couldn't help but get excited, thinking, "If this continues, I'm going to continue to lose sleep from excitement, right?" "But I had a terrible game. I always get killed by enemies when I switch operations (laughs). Also, recently I sang the character song "Ordinary High School Girls Want to Be Local Idols", so I've started listening to more songs for the purpose of studying.

Q: What kind of music do you like?

Yoshioka: My favorite song by the same office, Miss Eiri Kitamura! Miss Kitamura took very gentle care of me when I first joined the firm, and gave me the nickname "Ma Meow". Since I also wrote the name Ma Meow on my Twitter profile, everyone has been calling me that way at various exclusive events recently. In November this year, I will be participating in an event organized by the office with Ms. Kitamura. I can sing some songs, but it's still a bit ...... to sing in front of public After all, I've only recently made a name for myself at an exclusive event, so I'm very uneasy. Anyway, I feel like I'm used to spending time on stage with everyone as a fan (laughs).

Q: At the end of the interview, tell us what kind of voice actor you plan to become in the future.

Yoshioka: The voice actor profession is to give the characters their voices, and then type their names at the end of the work. But I'm getting used to things like taking pictures of myself and participating in more events like I am now. There are many people who are shy and nervous, and I'm no exception (laughs).

However, there are now some fans who are delighted by my deposit. These people became the backbone of my heart. In the beginning, when I received letters from fans, I was afraid to say, "People like me can ......," but now I express my joy and gratitude to everyone. The same is true for acting, and if I can make everyone happy, then I want to try it out as well! I want to be able to be a person who can cope with any situation (laughs). I don't give myself a limit, but I believe in more possibilities, and even if it's a very cruel thing (laughs), I will challenge it and keep learning. I want to be a voice actor who takes on new challenges at any time and faces a qiē positively!