Nagatsuka Takuma
Katsugeki Touken Ranbu (Konnosuke), THE Idolm@ster SideM (Fuyumi Jun), KING OF PRISM by PrettyRhythm (Saionji Leo)
What drove you to be a seiyuu (Anime/Character/Seiyuu etc.)
My middle school’s cultural festival.
My first performance was during the school festival in middle school. At that time, I realized how interesting it was to become someone other than myself, so I decided to pursue acting.
A movie/book/manga you recommend
Shaman King
It taught me that true strength isn’t just about physical strength.
Because of my admiration for the main character Yoh-kun, I’ve been told that I laugh weirdly, even now.
A thing you’re hooked on lately (your hobbies, etc.)
Science
I’ve been recording a certain science show and watching it every week.
Science has been progressing so much, and it’s fun to see the world of the future become reality. There’s some fun to knowing the origins of a world you don’t know about.
Describe yourself in one phrase.
Dandelion seed
Rather than the type of person who wants to do specific things, I’ve been living a flighty life, letting the wind sweep me into different worlds.
Favorite phrase?
We are all different, and that’s wonderful.
We all live our lives thinking we’re living the right way, but there’s no two people who think exactly the same. But I think it’s important that we see this as a positive thing.
A seiyuu who shocked you
Kaida Yuuko
She was so cool standing on stage in a musical that it surprised me. Of course, I also like her voice acting.
Something that makes you glad you’re a seiyuu?
I can experience a lot of things.
Acting, of course, as well as recording for songs, performing live and joining variety shows. Shooting gravures. Interacting with fans. In any case, it’s interesting that I can get involved in so many experiences.
Anime character you fell in love with?
Tsuruya, from The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
I’m attracted to bright, vivacious girls.
What kind of seiyuu do you want to be in the future?
A kind of seiyuu that will make people say, “it can’t be anyone other than Nagatsuka”
There are many voice actors out here, so I think I want to become the kind of one who’d make people say that “it can’t be anyone else” but me.
Nogami Sho
THE Idolm@ster SideM (Iseya Shiki), TSUKIPRO THE ANIMATION (Kuga Ichiru), Beyblade Burst (Minamo Naoki)
What drove you to be a seiyuu (Anime/Character/ Seiyuu etc.)
Summer vacation in my second year of middle school
During a time when I was worried about my future, I saw a lot of voice actors’ names next to the characters’ names in the ending credits of a game I was playing, and thought “this is the only path I can take.”
A movie/book/manga you recommend
Movie: 007 Casino Royale
Books: (1) Ooizumi Essays: The 16 Years I Wrote (大泉エッセイ 僕が綴った16年); (2) Useless Human: Memoirs of A Youth Full of Sighs (ダメ人間 溜め息ばかりの青春記); (3) Super Useless Human: Memoirs of a Middle Age Where I Ran Anyway (ダメダメ人間 それでも走り続けた半生記)
Manga: Kamen Rider SpiritsMovie: The story itself is wonderful too, of course, but I personally recommend the beginning – the opening! It’s really stylish!!
Books:
(1) This is a collection of essays that my spiritual mentor, Ooizumi You-san, had written for various media outlets. It’s a wonderful book that you can read with a pleasantly light feeling.
(2 and 3) They’re both autobiographical novels written by Suzui Takayuki-san (aka “Mister”), Chairman of the Board of Ooizumi-san’s agency [Creative Office CUE], who is active in many fields, as well. Mister’s regrets, frustrations, and struggles…even if you set aside my love for “How do you like Wednesdays?”, this book really resounded with me.Manga: If you like the Showa-era Riders, you have to read this! I’m impressed by the insane amount of knowledge and love for the Rider series by this author, Mr. [Kenichi] Muraeda – even settings that seem irrelevant are included everywhere. The more you know about it, the more it makes you grin – this is a work that fellow Showa-era Rider fans would love to get their hands on.
A thing you’re hooked on lately (your hobbies, etc.)
Clothes, tokusatsu, horror (mysteries)
Clothes [specifically, 洋服 – “Western-style clothes”]: Before, I really didn’t like it when the salespeople would talk to me in the store, and I had absolutely no interest in it. But since I found a brand I like, I’ve been looking for clothes that suit me, trying on new colors that I don’t usually wear, listening to stories from the staff members and designers, and peeking into other stores…it’s been fun to discover various things.
Tokusatsu: I’ve loved them since I was in kindergarten. Ultraman, Kamen Rider, Super Sentai…the list goes on and on. I wish I can get involved in them someday.
Horror: Several times a year, at irregular times, I end up wanting to watch/read some. Every though they scare me (lol)
Describe yourself in one phrase.
Stubborn
I know very well that I’m very particular about my hobbies and the things I like. If there were someone else like me, I think I’m absolutely sure we won’t get along (lol)
Favorite phrase?
As if it was your first battle (常に初陣)
It’s my favorite out of Ooizumi You-san’s lines from my favorite TV show, “How do you like Wednesdays?”
A seiyuu who shocked you
Yamaguchi Kappei
He’s really like the sun with how he makes the world around him seem a little bit brighter. During the year I spent as a regular cast member alongside him, he always gave me surprise after surprise – he portrayed his character very freely, even ad-libbing within the limits he was given. I really respect how he always keeps pursuing new things. Even though we don’t work together regularly anymore, we still get along well up to now, and he’s a senior I really love.
I guess it also counts as a “shock” how he kancho‘d me 5 seconds before his cue, walked up to his mic immediately after, and then started acting out his lines as if absolutely nothing had just happened (lol)
Something that makes you glad you’re a seiyuu?
I can become someone other than myself.
Through my roles, I can experience various worlds and personalities that I can’t normally do.
Anime character you fell in love with?
Lupin the 3rd
It…might not exactly be love, but I think it’s wonderful that he doesn’t compromise his beliefs or aesthetic sense.
What kind of seiyuu do you want to be in the future?
A seiyuu who can give back.
I want to do my best so I can pass on to my juniors the things my seniors had given me.
- since some of the links are Amazon links – none of them are affiliate links. they’re just the only links to those books i can find lol
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