The TV anime "For Some Reason , I'm Living with an Otaku NEET Kunoichi!?" based on a popular romantic comedy manga on the website "Nico Nico Seiga" and social media will be broadcast on TOKYO MX, BS11 and other networks from January 4th. The main character, Shizuri Deura, a genius kunoichi who is also an otaku and NEET, is played by popular voice actress Hinaki Yano. Yano said of the series, "It's the craziest work I've ever worked on... no, it used even more than that," so we spoke to her about what went on behind the scenes during the recording.
◇Everything is so rich!
The work is a manga by Koryu and Yagido Mato. It depicts the cohabitation of an office worker and a genius kunoichi who is a NEET. In order to protect the ordinary office worker Yasumi Masashi from demons, the genius kunoichi Shizuri makes a master-servant contract with him on the condition that she stays with him. Shizuri defeats the demons with ease, but in reality, she is an otaku NEET who spends all her time playing games. Other unique characters appear in the work, including Ayame Momochi, who worships Shizuri, Hina Izumi, who has a tendency to be unlucky, and Kanna Natsumi, who calls herself "Shizuri's rival."
Yano said, "Everything is just so intense! It's amazing how it gets more and more intense. There's a good balance between the fight scenes and the lazy NEET moments. At first it has a strong NEET feel, but there are also serious parts, and I found myself wanting to see what happens next." It seems he was captivated by the series' "intense" charm.
The character she plays, Shizuri, is described as a "nerd, NEET, genius kunoichi." Was there anything about the character that you could relate to?
"It's like a dream to be in an environment where delicious food is served and you're told it's okay to play games all the time. I simply envy Shizuri. Shizuri enjoys everything about being a NEET and says that her food is delicious, so I can understand why Masa spoils her. Actually, I just met Momotsuki Nashiko, who cosplayed as Shizuri, and she was so cute that I thought maybe I wouldn't mind being insulted by her...I empathized with Shizuri's masochistic side, which actually appears briefly in the main story. She didn't insult me! She was so cute that it felt like a new door had opened for me (laughs)."
Apart from Shizuri, the other characters that interest her are the lovey-dovey pair of Hina and Nakayama Toru. Toru dotes on Hina so much that he tolerates her unhappiness, and she passionately explains, "She's my favorite. She's gotten into the habit of being affectionate with him, and I want that too. We're affectionate whenever we get the chance. It's one of the points to look out for."
◇Challenging dirty sounds
When her appearance in the film was announced, Yano commented, "This is the craziest production ever, and it used everything in my head...no, even more."
"Due to the timing of the recording, it was my first time to play a main role in a comedy-themed work, so at first I was a bit worried about whether I could do it. But my co-stars were all amazing, and I felt like I couldn't lose to them! I can do more! This was a work that allowed me to challenge myself by asking myself, 'What about in this direction?' What was most memorable was the direction I was given, 'Can you make a dirtier sound?' Shizuri's breathing and snoring are also dirty. She's cute at heart, but she also has some raw parts. I was able to take on a lot of different challenges."
While playing the role of Shizuri, a "new door" also opened for me.
"They brought out more of me! Fay-chan (Fairouz Ai), who plays Ayame, fully expresses the dangerous side of Ayame, and I was like, 'Give me more masochistic side!', so they brought out more and more of me. The sound director also tried out different directions, and it was a work that I learned a lot from. I think I was able to grow. But it was also difficult. The people around me were so amazing that I wondered what I should do, but this work has made me think that comedy works are fun now! I gave it my all and acted."
Shizuri is both a NEET and a genius, and shows many different expressions. The way her expressions change so frequently is what makes her so appealing.
"At the audition stage, I had a lot of lines for the NEET part, but when the actual recording started, I explored and consulted with the people involved about what my voice would be like when I'm normal, and how cool would I sound when I'm cool? As I was acting, I felt that it was better not to be too conscious of the idea that 'Shizuri's voice is like this.' When I was being spoiled, I was spoiled to the max, and when I was being cool, I was cool... I was conscious of playing about three characters. It was hard, but when it was over, I felt sad that I wanted to do more. It's a bit premature, but I still want to act!"
◇A year in which I realized my growth
Last year, The Elusive Samurai" and " Love Live! Nijigasaki High School Idol Club: Final Chapter." She said that it was a year in which she was able to feel her growth as a voice actor.
"I have had the opportunity to appear in various productions, and this year I have been recording for a production that will be broadcast, so I have played a wide range of characters, including Shizuri. It was a year in which I was able to gain experience and grow. Outside of work, just like the year before last, I have been playing a lot of card games. It was fun to play with various people, and I have been spreading the word about them."
This year, she has been very active since the beginning of the year, appearing in "I Got Married to the Girl I Hate Most in Class" and "Medaka Kuroiwa Is Impervious to My Charms", which will start in January. Finally, we asked her about her goals for this year.
"Not just this year, but I want to become a voice actor that people say, 'I feel safe with this person.' Because I was able to appear in various works in 2024, I want to continue taking on new challenges. I would also like to play a non-human character with a two-headed body. In my private life, I want to relax in a hot spring. I've also started to notice the appeal of saunas, so I'd like to try going."
