Don Ueno’s Mascomi Land, Vol. 19
As modern day storytellers, I hope you all do your best this year

New Year special roundtable discussion

Host: Don Ueno

Kei Tomiyama and Yoko Asagami
Space Battleship Yamato

Toru Furuya and Mami Koyama
Harmagedon

Run Sasaki
Crusher Joe

Happy New Year to all readers and anime fans. This is Don Ueno.

We at Mascomi Land have been trying to answer your interest in the media and anime worlds from different angles, and thanks to the encouragement and favorable reviews we’ve received, we’re able to happily welcome in the year 1983. We look forward to your continued support this year.

It’s shaping up to be a big one for the anime world, with three major titles, Space Battleship Yamato, Harmagedon, and Crusher Joe being released simultaneously on March 12. The film industry will be paying close attention to which films garner buzz and become popular, making this a major event that will also be extremely important in predicting the future direction of anime films.

This time we gathered five top star voice actors who play the lead roles in these three major works, and we had them talk extensively about their enthusiasm and thoughts. The cast is a star-studded lineup including the familiar voice actors Kei Tomiyama and Yoko Asagami from Space Battleship Yamato, the famous duo of Toru Furuya and Mami Koyama from Harmagedon, and Run Sasaki, who is widely regarded as a top young voice actor from Crusher Joe.

We hope you enjoy the New Year’s special roundtable discussion where these popular voice actors come together.

March is anime season!

Don: Happy New Year, everyone.

Everyone: Happy New Year, Don!

Don: Today we have five representatives from the anime world. It’s a spectacular gathering.

(Everyone applauds)

Don: Thank you very much. The movie E.T. was a huge hit from last year to this year, and things are finally starting to calm down. Now, on March 12th, three major works will be released simultaneously, the first time since the dawn of film and anime.

Furuya: This is a big deal.

Don: Space Battleship Yamato is from Toei, Harmagedon is from Toho-Towa, and Shochiku has Crusher Joe.

Tomiyama: That’s really something.

Don: It’s unprecedented. There have been big productions before, of course, but three major works have never been released at the same time. In a sense, this is like a grand finale for anime. It makes you think, “This is it for anime…”

Everyone: (unanimously) Wait a minute. That’s not true.

Don: Oh, I misspoke. I mean, there’s a theory that this could be the first year of anime, or the true start of anime. I’d love to hear you talk about that to your heart’s content. In short, let’s just say whatever comes to mind. First of all, when you think of Yamato, you think of Susumu Kodai and Yuki Mori, right? This series keeps saying it’s over, this is the end, but then they make another one…

Tomiyama: How many times have they said that? (Laughs)

Everyone: (Laughs)

Don: They keep saying this is the last time, this is definitely the last one, and then they make another one.

Koyama: They must be making a lot of money.

Tomiyama: No, we’re not making any money at all. (Laughs)

Don: I’d like to hear your thoughts on that, Mr. Tomiyama. How has it been so far?

Tomiyama: First of all, I’m genuinely worried about whether we’ll make it by March 12th.

Asagami: We’re worried that we might fall behind.

Tomiyama: What if production slips and only Yamato gets delayed?

Asagami: Then Yamato will get all the attention. (Laughs)

Don: It’s been a long time, though.

Tomiyama: Yes, it’s been ten years. The tenth anniversary.

Asagami: Carrying a long history…

Tomiyama: I’ve gotten ten years older, so I’m worried about whether I’ll be able to perform with the same lustrous voice I had in Part I.

Furuya: What are you talking about? You’re still in your prime!

Don: The first time we did All Night Nippon together was so moving, I’ll never forget it. It was in the form of a monologue by Susumu Kodai. That opening, “Father, Mother, the year is…” was great.

Tomiyama: The concept of a first-run theater premiere was probably the originator for anime.

Asagami: Seeing that many people come out…I was shocked. I was also surprised when they decided to do a live drama on All Night Nippon.

Don: There were some people who made a few mistakes, though. (Laughs)

Asagami: Hehe…well, if you don’t make a few mistakes, you can’t really convey the atmosphere of a live broadcast, right? (Laughs)

Tomiyama: Fans say all sorts of things, but Yamato is a work that has been seen by many people. And this time it’s the final one.

Don: I once said to Yoshinobu Nishizaki, “You say you’re quitting, then you go and do it again. That’s inconsistent. Fans are criticizing that.” Then he said, “I always start by thinking about the last scene.” So, I’m sure there are problems, but he starts from the last scene and works his way back to the beginning. That’s why he thinks he’ll stop this time. But then he ends up making the next work. I don’t think he’s making excuses. He’s just driven.

Tomiyama: That kind of passion is incredible.

Asagami: He’s very passionate about making animation. I felt that when Space Battleship Yamato was on TV. Making anime meant running a deficit, but he loved making it, so when it was canceled due to poor ratings, he said, “I’ll earn money from other jobs and make another one.” That’s what he used to say.

Don: Some people criticize that, but I think that kind of dedication is what makes the work better. I learned a lot from him.

Asagami: You just get pulled in, don’t you?

Don: Now, about Harmagedon…it’s Kadokawa Pictures’ first anime, so it absolutely can’t be allowed to fail…

Furuya: Above all, it had the best staff lineup. And two of the best voice actors of today, right?

Koyama: Whoa whoa!! (Laughs)

Sasaki: That’s amazing.

Furuya: They spent a lot of time and money, and they were determined to make the best work possible. To be given a voice acting role with so much behind it…

Don: People have high expectations of you.

Furuya: I feel a tremendous sense of responsibility. If Yamato was the original, then I think Harmagedon will expand the boundaries of anime into something that can be enjoyed not only by young people, but also by adults.

Koyama: When I look at the artwork, it has a new wave feel to it. Katsuhiro Otomo’s characters are just made for anime, aren’t they? The feeling that makes them move is what new wave is all about.

Don: It’s not like your average anime.

Furuya: When I first saw it, I couldn’t believe it was an anime. It looked like live action.

Don: What roles do you two play?

Furuya: I play the main character, Joe Higashi, who is an ordinary high school student. He suddenly gets caught up in a battle with Genma and becomes an esper with supernatural powers.

Koyama: It’s me who brings out those powers. Princess Luna…something happens that forces her to save the Earth. When you say she’s fighting demons, it sounds like a sci-fi war, right? And it is, but the theme is much deeper. It’s about love. It’s a message from Haruki Kadokawa.

Furuya: The phantom demons, the source of all evil, are destroying the universe. They’re even reaching out to Earth. Princess Luna finds out about this, and the only way to save it is with the love of humanity. So she calls on the espers who exist on Earth to do it.

Don: I see. Also, the music in this work is amazing.

Koyama: That’s right. It’s by Keith Emerson!

Don: He’s the god of synthesizers. The music has already been composed. Hit anime works have good music. If the music falls short, the work itself won’t be a hit. The music is also good in the case of Yamato. Emerson’s music is sure to be wonderful, and it will be interesting to see how it attracts today’s anime fans.

Furuya: I wonder how much attention adults will pay to this.

Don: Now, the other one is Crusher Joe. This time, Hiroshi Takemura couldn’t attend, so Run Sasaki will have to do her best on her own. How about it, Run?

Sasaki: Well…it’s good. Very good.

Don: That’s great. (Laughs) You’re fighting alone.

Sasaki: Oh, isn’t Mr. Furuya in Gundam? Both Crusher Joe and Gundam are directed by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko, so please help me out. (Laughs)

Furuya: That’s exactly right!

Sasaki: Mr. Yasuhiko’s art is really good. That’s nice.

Furuya: Yes, it’s very real.

Don: There’s something like a “Yasuhiko legend” in the world of anime, and there are a lot of Yasuhiko fans. It’s amazing. Films released by Nippon Sunrise and Shochiku may not be able to attract wide audiences, but there are enthusiastic fans, and they’ll definitely come out. So, in a way, I feel like Crusher Joe has the deepest roots. What kind of role do you play, Run?

Sasaki: The only female in a group of four called the Crusher Squad. I play the role of Alfin, a former queen. I’m the daughter of a liquor store owner in Fukushima, so I wonder how much I can close that gap… (Laughs)

Koyama: Oh, you’ll be fine. (Laughs)

Tomiyama: It’s nice to be the only girl.

Koyama: This work is interesting.

Furuya: It must feel incredibly satisfying.

Koyama: When I read the original work, I wanted to play Alfin.

Sasaki: It seems that Crusher Joe has a smaller budget and smaller market than Harmagedon or Yamato, but every week the four of us – Yasuhiko, [writer] Haruki Takachiho, and Joe – travel around and ask everyone to watch it. In this environment, feelings connect with each other and many people come together.

What’s fascinating about Mr. Yasuhiko is his focus on the source of humanity. No matter how famous he becomes, no matter how well-known he becomes because of his art, he feels strongly about how humans should be. I believe that these things will definitely come out in the work, so I can confidently recommend Crusher Joe.

“I have to see all three films. We’re gonna be late!!”

Don: By the way, Run-chan was an amateur when she started out in a voice actor contest and she quickly became popular. It’s like she’s taking the role of the next generation.

Sasaki: No way…Ms. Asagami will be angry at me. (Laughs)

Asagami: No, no, I thought that after a while I wouldn’t be promoted very much. (Laughs)

Don: Mami-chan has a heavyweight vibe to her.

Furuya: Run-chan is definitely fresh. She’s young.

Tomiyama: It seems like the Yamato team is…uh… (Laughs)

Asagami: History speaks for itself. (Laughs)

Don: By the way, Mr. Furuya has the image of Gundam and will be in Harmagedon. And Mr. Tomiyama has to play a variety of characters. So I wonder how you change your voice. Do you just change the way you speak?

Tomiyama: Basically, it doesn’t change much, but I guess it changes depending on my mood. When I become Susumu Kodai, the lines come out naturally.

Asagami: With Yuki Mori, I started working on it before I knew what I was doing, so I just spoke as the moment came. With my other characters, it wasn’t a matter of how or where I wanted to speak, but rather how I blended in with the character and was able to work the magic of the image, and that’s how the voice came out.

Tomiyama: When I see the picture on the screen, the voice comes out. But when there’s nothing going on and I’m asked to do the voice, I can’t.

Don: Mr. Furuya is the strongest. He’s done a lot of roles, like Hyuma Hoshi [from Star of the Giants].

Tomiyama: There’s nothing bright about Toru-chan’s characters. (Laughs)

Koyama: He’s a gloomy person. (Laughs)

Furuya: Well, you see…

Asagami: He’s all about guts. (Laughs)

Furuya: In the case of Star of the Giants, I wasn’t at the stage where I could create the role myself. I was a student then, so I did what the director told me, almost like being fed by mouth. Oh, Mr. Tomiyama is grinning, he knows about this. (Laughs)

Tomiyama: I was wearing a tight-fitting shirt and carrying a bag… (Laughs)

Furuya: He would say “Dad!” I would copy him, just like I was taught. It was on Gundam when I first started to think about creating my own characters. In Harmagedon, the art is already alive. That’s why it’s so scary. The art is alive, so if I’m not careful, I’m afraid that the life will be snuffed out by the sound. So I need to make it more powerful than just being alive. That’s what I’m working on now.

Sasaki: Crusher Joe is like dancing, and the behind-the-scenes details in the acting are amazing.

Furuya: It’s a good way to depict everyday life.

Don: Your other role is Arale [from Dr. Slump]. That should be easy.

Sasaki: Oh, it’s quite difficult. I’m also working on two other anime for children. There aren’t that many different voices, so I can only get the feeling when I see the visuals. It’s hard for me, too! (Laughs)

(Everyone laughs)

Don: Mr. Tomiyama, I’m sure you face many difficulties in continuing to perform in a work with such a long history.

Tomiyama: Personally, I liked Susumu Kodai’s story in Part 1. He grows up while fighting…I myself have to grow up, but I feel like Kodai’s character becomes calmer as he learns more about the world. From acting captain to captain…Kodai becomes stronger and stronger.

Don: He’s becoming very knowledgeable.

Furuya: That was the case with Hyuma Hoshi. From Star of the Giants part 2, I was no longer in the catcher position, but in the position of setting up the catcher. Then it became difficult to connect with myself.

Don: Ms. Asagami, how has Yuki changed?

Asagami: She’s become more sexy in the visuals, but I still don’t have that kind of leeway. When I receive the script, I think about which lines are the most important, and I want to find a better way to say things. I feel like I’m just doing it over and over again.

Don: Run-chan, what do you think about all these great seniors?

Sasaki: Yeah, it’s scary.

Tomiyama: It doesn’t seem very scary. (Laughs)

Furuya: Because you’re totally prepared. (Laughs)

Don: That’s his physical strength. (Laughs)

Sasaki: I’m sorry. That’s why I didn’t want to come alone today. (Laughs)

Don: By the way, what’s the story of Yamato this time?

Tomiyama: I don’t know yet, but I feel like it might be the case that it’s the first time Kodai-kun thinks of Yuki Mori as a woman.

Koyama: It only took ten years.

Tomiyama: Apparently, there’s a love scene, too…

Asagami: Now I can get married. (Laughs)

Koyama: And finally become a woman. (Laughs)

Furuya: Does it work out well in your private life, too?

Don: Those two haven’t gotten together in ten years?

Tomiyama: Unfortunately not. They had vague feelings for each other.

Don: That’s been the case all along. (Laughs)

Tomiyama: I wonder if it will come true this year. (Laughs)

Don: Now, with the five of you gathered here, you’ll all be clashing in March, and it will be a showdown.

Tomiyama: But there’s no need to fight. Each work has its own good points.

Don: Yes. I hope all three films become big hits.

Asagami: I would have liked to work on all three if it were possible.

Don: It’s not some kind of fleeting fad like an anime boom, but it has firmly taken root as a distinct genre within film, and computer animation will also be coming into play in the future. So, it’s not a question of whether or not there is an audience, but I think more quality works will appear. And then true anime fans will gather around, right? And in that environment, voice actors will have to keep honing their skills.

Asagami: We have to study.

Tomiyama: They will also be carefully selected for quality.

Don: That’s a good thing. When you fit perfectly into the a role in a good work, you grow as a person. Run-chan, what are your goals for the year?

Sasaki: Regarding Crusher Joe, I’ll be touring nationwide starting in February, so I hope you’ll support me.

Don: And, you know what they always say in the corner of the studio?

Sasaki: What?

Don: You want to do good work and find a lover, right?

Furuya: A lover, huh… (Laughs)

Don: So that’s basically it, right? (Laughs)

(Everyone laughs)

Sasaki: Yeah…how about you, Mami-san?

Koyama: Why are you turning to me? (Laughs)

Tomiyama: Did Run-chan become the host?

Don: Don’t take my job. (Laughs)

Koyama: Ahem, I want a boyfriend too. (Laughs) Last year was the best year ever thanks to everyone, and this year with Harmagedon it feels like it might be even better.

Don: Mami-chan is growing up so fast, right?

Furuya: Getting chubby… (Laughs)

Don: About 1.1 times taller now. (Laughs) More than that, what about Yoko-chan?

Asagami: I’m a Cancer, so this year is supposed to be the year my love life blossoms. I really want to make it happen. Lately, no matter which studio I go to, I’m starting to fall into the older women’s category. Mami-chan, too…

Koyama: Ah, no, I…

Don: You know, forcing people into the group…

Asagami: I’ll work hard so the juniors don’t look down on me.

Don: What about you, Furuya-kun?

Furuya: I’m going to do it this year. Last year was Mami-san’s year to shine, but I was saving up my energy. This year, I want to shed my skin from a “devoted boy” to a “burning man.”

Don: What about your singing?

Furuya: My singing is burning too. Since I just released a record in December, I plan to perform at both small live houses and big stages. Everyone, when you see me, don’t you get that “manly” feeling?

(Everyone laughs)

Koyama: Tomiyama-san, as the leader, what do you think?

Tomiyama: Hmm…what should I say!?

Don: What do you think, as an 11-year veteran? Like Kodai, you know, it’s good not to age, right?

Tomiyama: Thanks to you all, it’s been ten years now, so this role feels heavy. The other day, when I met Nishizaki-san, he said, “So, Kodai-kun, the Yamato with you as the lead is finally over, huh?” But maybe it will continue with another role… (Laughs) Anyway, I want to make sure the final one is a work we can say we did well. And personally, I want to carefully consider each project and create good works.

Don: Voice acting techniques keep advancing, and breathing life into anime is the job of voice actors. It’s becoming the role of music, too. The modern storytellers gathered here, the top-class five, I want you to make a huge leap forward through these three works.

Asagami: I have to watch all three. (Laughs)

Don: You have to watch all three.

Koyama: I can’t talk about it / I’ll embarrass myself at school / I’ll be late. (Laughs)

Don: I want you to watch these three works and then talk about anime. Thank you for your time right at the start of the new year, despite your busy schedules. We look forward to your continued support this year.

Everyone: We look forward to it! (clapping)

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