The animated feature film "Ganbatte Ikimasshoi" (directed by Sakuragi Yuhei), based on Shikimura Ryoko's coming-of-age novel that has also been made into a live-action film and a TV drama, will be released on October 25th. Set in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture, the masterpiece depicts the growth and emotional turmoil of a high school girl who devotes her youth to the rowing club. The anime is also attracting attention for featuring a star-studded cast of voice actors, including Amamiya Sora as the protagonist Murakami Etsuko, Ito Miku as Saeki Hime, Takahashi Rie as Takahashi Rina, Kito Akari as Hyodo Taeko, and Hasegawa Ikumi as Imoto Mayumi.
◇Do you look like Hasegawa Ikumi?
"Ganbatte Ikimasshoi" is a masterpiece coming-of-age novel that won the grand prize of the Botchan Literature Award in 1995. It was made into a live-action film in 1998 starring actress Tanaka Rena, and became a long-running hit. In 2005, a drama starring Suzuki Anne and Nishikido Ryo was broadcast.
Kitou said of the series, "I thought it was a work filled with the youth of high school students. Club activities are something you can only do when you're a student, and seeing everyone working so hard and sincerely in the limited time they have, I felt that they really sparkled!"
Kitou plays Hyodo Taeko (Dakko), a second-year student in class A at Mitsuhigashi High School. Her rough-tongued way of speaking attracts attention at school. She is the daughter of a famous local fishing company, and is constantly competing with Mayumi, whose family is a rival. In order to beat Mayumi, she joins the rowing club.
"I have a really rough tone of voice, don't I? (laughs) I was wondering how far I could go, but the director told me, 'It's okay to be stronger,' so I played it pretty rough. Dakko is a cool character who has a strong sense of self and doesn't care much about what others think, and goes her own way. But she likes cute things and is actually a rich girl, so there's a gap between that. She goes her own way and doesn't care much about what others think or say about her. I think she has a strong sense of self, and I played the role while keeping that in mind. I'm the type of person who cares quite a bit about what others think, so I thought Dakko was cool when I watched it."
Recorded with Hasegawa, who plays Mayumi (Imochi). The well-paced exchanges between Dakko and Imochi add spice to the anime.
"The character is attractive because of his good tempo, and I spoke very comfortably with a manzai-like tempo. When I was reading the script alone, I wondered if the tempo was fast enough to fit in, but when we recorded together, it was perfect. I think it was difficult to record alone. Hasegawa said the same thing."
Hasegawa said that it was the first time they had recorded together, but they were able to act in perfect harmony.
"I've always thought that Hasegawa is similar to me. Maybe we don't act together often because our acting and voice qualities are similar? I could imagine what I would do if I were playing the role of Imochi, so it might have been easier to work with him. At our agency (Hasegawa and Kito belong to the same agency), we sometimes do tape recordings, and when my classmate heard Hasegawa recording in front of me, he said, 'I thought it was Akari, but it was Hasegawa.'"
◇Suddenly started aiming to be a voice actor
Kito said that he wasn't a sports-oriented person in high school, but that's why he felt something.
"I've never been involved in any sports clubs in my life, so it was really fun to experience it in this anime. I've never been on a boat, but I'd like to try it at least once. I'm not good at sports, so I guess daily muscle training will become important..."
Kitou was in the light music club in high school. It was during her high school days that she decided to become a voice actress.
"I was a vocalist in the light music club, but I didn't practice much. I just kept drawing illustrations. I would go home and draw on a tablet, and when I look back now, I think I was really working hard. It's hard to take the time to draw carefully like I did back then. I suddenly started aiming to become a voice actor when I was deciding on my future before graduating from high school. Until then, I had always wanted to become an illustrator, and I was interested in voice acting, but I thought it would be difficult because it was a job you could only get if you moved to Tokyo."
Kitou said about the release of "Ganbatte Ikimasshoi," "I was really moved by the sea scene. The depiction of the blue water was refreshing and made me feel like I was young! I want people to relive the sparkle of youth. When you see the scenery and the beauty of the water on the big screen, I think you'll really feel like you're on a boat. I'm sure you'll want to try boating, and it's a work that will make you want to go on a pilgrimage to the holy land. I'd like to go there with everyone. I'd like to go to a coffee shop and sit in the seat where Dakko sat." I hope you can feel the sparkle of youth.
