Kakazu Yumi is a voice actor arguably greatest recognized for her function as Yuffie Kisaragi within the Closing Fantasy franchise. I had the chance to interview her at Otakon 2024, the place my questions centered totally on her work in mecha anime.
One actor you appear to work with fairly usually is Hiyama Nobuyuki, corresponding to in Gaogaigar, Godannar, and even Preliminary D. Do you have got any enjoyable reminiscences of performing alongside him?
Thanks for coming to this interview. I’ve been a fan for a few years, and I wish to begin off by asking about one function I do know you for that others may not take into consideration: Shizuru in Godannar. Do you recall what it was like engaged on that collection, and the way you approached the character?
Kakazu: Shizuru is a really grounded, very mature character, and he or she was additionally a commanding officer. It’s a attribute that’s not like me, so I attempted to carry out that half after I was voice appearing.
One other employees member who was on Godannar was Kimura Takahiro, who just lately handed away. He additionally labored on one other collection that you simply had been concerned with: Gaogaigar FINAL. Did you ever get to know him, and do you have got any memorable tales about him?
Kakazu: Really, Kimura-san came over the studio after we had been recording, and we additionally spoke collectively on stage. On the occasion, he tried to use his personal make-up, however he had by no means accomplished it earlier than, so he requested, “Kakazu-san, are you able to assist me with this?” So behind the stage, I used to be doing it for him.
I by no means knew that he cosplayed! Do you keep in mind who he cosplayed as?
Kakazu: I believe he had a white wing…? Or possibly it was Shishioh Man. I overlook.
On the subject of Gaogaigar, you returned to the function of Renais a couple of years in the past in Tremendous Robotic Wars 30. What was it like taking part in Renais again whenever you first labored on FINAL, and did something change for you taking part in the function over time in SRW?
Kakazu: Not so much modified.
Associated to that, I used to be truly on the Closing Fantasy panel earlier, and also you talked about taking part in Yuffie since Ehrgeiz. So, related query: Do you assume your efficiency has modified, or has it been fairly strong all through?
Kakazu: I mentioned this on stage, however after I first began voicing Yuffie, she was one character in a combating sport. The one sounds she had had been “Hahh! Hahh!” sort noises.. However over time she’s gotten extra possibilities to talk and extra traces, and now she stands alongside the opposite characters, exhibiting how mainstream she’s change into. I’m grateful that I used to be capable of meet Yuffie all the best way again at first, and in addition much more grateful to the individuals who have supported her up till now.
One other anime you labored on is a collection known as RahXephon, and your character, Hiroko, has a really highly effective and tragic dying. And do you have got any recommendation for voice actors on the way to strategy such a difficult scene?
Kakazu: So I keep in mind getting the script after I was recording, and I keep in mind being very centered on studying and attempting to grasp it. Additionally, I keep in mind the ache I felt after I was recording. After I’m appearing out these tragic scenes, I attempt to recall my private expertise, and in addition use my creativeness to increase the efficiency. So possibly this isn’t recommendation, however I understand that every thing I’ve skilled in my life has change into a useful resource that fuels my appearing and efficiency. So possibly the recommendation I’d give one other voice actor is to seek out which means in on a regular basis life.
You appear to behave alongside the actor Hiyama Nobuyuki fairly usually. Do you have got any enjoyable reminiscences of performing alongside him in any of the exhibits you labored on collectively?
Kakazu: I even have lots of enjoyable reminiscences with him. When Hiyama would say the road, “GAO! GAI! GAAAAR!,” he would shout the road in an awesome huge voice, and it will reverberate via his total physique. I keep in mind the primary day of this recording, he did the road, and the mic truly broke!
Oh, I discovered the cosplay that Kimura-sensei did. [Shows a picture of Guy from Gaogaigar.]
Ah!
I interviewed the director of Gundam X, Takamatsu Shinji, at Otakon 9 years in the past. Do you keep in mind what it was like engaged on that collection and taking part in the character of Sala?
Kakazu: Sala was truly my debut function as a voice actor. She’s truly second-in-command and has an essential function, however she’s solely 17 years outdated. So there’s a distinction between how she has to behave as second-in-command versus how outdated she truly is. So it was actually troublesome to determine the stability between her age and her having this mature, heavy accountability as second-in-command. I keep in mind working very laborious figuring that out, and this contributed to studying extra about voice appearing.
Thanks!
