The 20th episode (episode 158) of the 7th season of the TV anime "My Hero Academia", based on the manga by Horikoshi Kohei serialized in "Weekly Shonen Jump" (Shueisha), "A Girl's Ego", will be broadcast on Yomiuri TV and Nippon TV from 5:30 pm on October 5th. In the episode where Uraraka Ochako and Toga Himiko confront each other, Sakura Ayane, who plays Uraraka Ochako, and Fukuen Misato, who plays Toga Himiko, spoke about their thoughts.
◇The day has finally come
--How did you feel when you read "A Girl's Ego" in the original?
Sakura I should have imagined it in the back of my mind as a day to come, but when it was presented as reality in Horikoshi-sensei's drawing, I was stunned and could only shed a mess of tears. Positive and negative feelings swirled inside me, but I still couldn't help but think that it would have been better if I had never met her. I was simply grateful to have met My Hero Academia and Toga Himiko.
Fukuen: The ending couldn't have been more wonderful, and I was overwhelmed, not just as Toga's voice actress, but as a reader too. I've wondered many times over the past few years whether it's possible for Toga to atone for her sins without hurting anyone and live in society, but that would mean forcing her into the framework of the "normal majority" that has continued to torment her... I'm sure some of you already know, but for those who haven't, I'd be happy if you could watch the anime and see how the girls live their lives.
--What were you thinking before the recording, and what were your feelings on the day?
Sakura: I wished that this episode's recording would never come, and I felt like I was being strangled with cotton, but I also felt a sense of mission that I absolutely had to help these girls move forward in their time of suffering, so I arrived at the studio with my heart in a mess. Fukuen and I sat next to each other across the aisle. We were next to each other, but there was definitely a gap between us, which was the most comfortable distance and allowed me to concentrate on the recording.
Fukuen: I was moved by the original work, but to be honest, I felt pressured thinking that I would one day be performing this. I also didn't want it to end, so I was hoping it would be as late as possible. On the day, it was somehow very quiet. In my heart and in my mind. In the studio too. I wonder if this is what it's like when you go to battle. It's not that I wasn't nervous, but when I met Ayane, the atmosphere that surrounds me was completely different from usual, and I thought I could only look forward to going head-on with this person.
--What did you feel during the recording?
Sakura: I was crying the whole time. During the recording, I could barely see the words on the script and I have almost no memory of it. Only Toga's face in the storyboard is burned into my mind. It wasn't so much acting, but I felt like I was close to the feeling of being alive. I feel like I was relentlessly asked to do retakes, but I don't remember much about it. I won't know which take was chosen until it airs. During breaks, I would feel relieved when my seniors would congratulate me, saying things like "That's amazing," and "That was amazing," but then I would look at the script again, heartbroken, and burst into tears...it was a continuous cycle. Fukuen-san looked refreshed for some reason and laughed, saying "Ayane-chan, why are you crying so much," which made me feel even more tired, so even after the recording was over, I cried alone for a while while walking around town.
Fukuen-sanHonestly, my memories are scattered. I remember thinking "my throat is about to give out" halfway through. After the recording, my voice was sore for two or three days. The sound director and other staff members gave me instructions on the parts that were too subjective, and we recorded it very carefully. I really did it many times, and I think that it was a performance that could only come out at that moment with Ayane-chan, so there may be some rough parts, but I have no regrets.
--Please give a message to the fans.
Sakura The relationship between the two that started with Deku-kun eventually becomes a story about the pride of two little girls. I agonized over how to express Ochako's humanity, which is not just as a hero, but also as someone who wants to capture every feeling. I hope you will watch to see the conclusion that these two little girls, influenced by Deku-kun, reach.
Fukuen The day has finally come. I haven't seen the finished version yet, so I'm looking forward to watching it with everyone when it airs. I have been the voice of Toga Himiko for about 10 years. Because she is difficult to grasp and has many layers, there is always a slight distance between Toga-chan and me. But in this episode there was a moment when we completely overlapped. I hope that the feelings of the clumsy Toga-chan and the kind Ochako-chan reach everyone. Don't miss the climax of season 7.
