Sayaka Kanda interview

The Television, February 23, 2017. See the original post here

Sayaka Kanda is “deeply grateful” for the challenge of voice acting for a masterpiece!

Space Battleship Yamato, known as an eternal masterpiece, was fully remade into the TV anime series Yamato 2199 (2012) and the new series Yamato 2202 will be screened nationwide from February 25. Sayaka Kanda, who plays the legendary goddess Teresa in the new series, told us about her thoughts, the highlights, and her future activity in playing Teresa.

Interviewer: How did you feel when you were chosen for the role?

Kanda: I was very happy. The original work was made before I was born, and I became deeply grateful after I heard stories about it from various people.

Interviewer: Have you ever seen the original?

Kanda: I hadn’t, so I watched it after my appearance was decided. I think it was said to be innovative at the time, the way it depicted things with animation techniques. I also thought the music was really amazing.

Interviewer: What was it like to play the special role of a goddess?

Kanda: I had heard about the concept at first, but there isn’t really any profile from daily life for this character, so I had to supplement a big part of it with my imagination. The director (Nobuyoshi Habara) gave me advice about what I didn’t understand so I could perform it.

Interviewer: What kind of advice did he give you?

Kanda: He told me, “The moment you speak, it’s something other than human.” I dared to remove the intonation and made it flat to get into a place of calm. It was a performance of subtraction, and I was told to speak as slowly as possible.

Interviewer: Judging for yourself, what kind of person is Teresa?

Kanda: There are too many mysteries, so I can’t say anything yet. (Laughs) It’s still an unknown thing. But I think a “goddess” might have a motherly presence that seems to watch everything calmly. There are few words, but I think they have weight.

Interviewer: Do you talk with your co-stars about performance, in this or any other work?

Kanda: Depending on the work and the role, sometimes I talk positively with everyone, if there is someone on site who seems excited to talk. I tend to keep quiet. (Laughs) I think the impression depends entirely on the work.

Interviewer: How do you create a role?

Kanda: If you’re a voice actor, it’s no good to panic when different things are required of you, so I try to be flexible. If you act on a stage you can practice alone in your house, and it’s common to get someone to help you as a co-performer.

Interviewer: Is there something you normally do for a performance?

Kanda: I like to read books and manga. I try to look for works that concern me, so I’m conscious about what I see and read.

Interviewer: What is it you most want to see in your work?

Kanda: The technical terms and terminology unique to the world are difficult, aren’t they? As you might think, a character’s expressions makes it easier to understand in various places, and I think it will be a work unlike anything else I’ve seen so far. What I really love is stuff like when Susumu Kodai (voiced by Daisuke Ono) yells “Fire!” It has that manly low, swelling tone of voice and has an incredible intensity.

Interviewer: What sort of things would you like to do this year?

Kanda: I’d like to do a musical work. In terms of roles, there are many bright and spirited ones. A role like Teresa is rare. I’d like to take this as an opportunity to try quieter and more mature roles.

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