The latest installment of the popular anime series "PreCure" (ABC TV/TV Asahi), "You and Idol Pretty Cure" has been airing every Sunday at 8:30am since February 2nd. The motif of the latest work is "idols," with the theme "Because of you, I can shine and become stronger!". It has been revealed that Sakuma Daisuke of the popular group "Snow Man" will be appearing as a voice actor in the work. This is Sakuma's first time appearing in the "PreCure" series, and he will play Hibiki Kaito, a "legendary idol" who has attracted attention from all over the world and is loved by everyone from babies to the elderly. We spoke to Sakuma, who is also an idol, about the recording process and his thoughts on the work.
◇ Reporting to her senior about her first appearance in "PreCure": "Idol" motif makes sense
"You and Idol Pretty Cure" is the 22nd installment of the "Precure" series. The legendary saviors, Idol Precure, sing, dance, and give fan service, making "you" - the people they love, the people they care about, the people who support them, the people next to them, and the people in front of them - shine brightly, and "you" make Idol Precure shine brightly and strongly.
Sakuma, who is known as a huge anime fan with the catchphrase "Anime otaku and Snow Man," expressed his joy at being cast in "You and Idol Pretty Cure" saying, "I was very happy. I'm very happy to be involved in a work that has become a part of the Japanese animation culture known as 'PreCure'."
Regarding the "idol" motif of the latest work, he said, "It's something that hasn't been seen before. I think PreCure is something that seems close but isn't, but when it's fused with idols, there was a very strong sense of satisfaction that it would be a perfect match."
Immediately after their appearance was confirmed, Miyata Toshiya of the popular group Kis-My-Ft2 and voice actor Terashima Takuma, who are both known to be huge anime fans like Sakuma, announced their intentions.
Miyata is appearing as a voice actor in the 19th installment, "Delicious Party PreCure," and said, "They were really happy. They told me, 'You'll be able to gain a lot of different experiences and I think it'll be a great opportunity for you to grow. It'll be a lot of fun,' and I thought, 'Wow! I'm looking forward to it!' I'm really having a lot of fun right now."
He says he often consults Terashima about his role as a voice actor.
"Terashima-san appeared in the previous production, ' Wonderful PreCure!', so if I'm interested in the atmosphere on set or the approach to 'Precure', I contact her right away. I joined the recording from the fourth episode, and I discussed the role with her the day before. There are many different anime and many ways to approach the viewers, so when I'm in doubt between 'Is this what Precure is like?' and 'But this character is actually like this?', I contact Terashima-san right away."
Terashima said he received the advice, "If you have any doubts, you should definitely talk to the director."
"Pretty Cure is a little different from other works in that the director changes depending on the episode, and the voice recording is also directed by the director of each episode, so it's very similar to how a TV drama is shot. Each director has their own way of thinking, and I think the answer for that episode is there, so I was told, 'If you have a question, I think it's best to talk about it and resolve it.'"
◇ During the recording, "I'm glad I'm in Snow Man" - I empathize with Kaito's attitude towards being an idol
Sakuma said that he felt that there was "so much to learn" during the recording. There were also moments when he felt that he was "glad to be in Snow Man."
"We also recorded together, so I was also trying microphone work for the first time. We started suddenly without discussing which of the four microphones I would be in during the test. The voice actor just said, 'This is free, so let's go in,' and did it instantly, so during the test I thought, 'Wow, where should I go in?' But when I looked at it calmly, I thought, 'I can go there. This person will go in next.' Even when learning the microphone work of other people, I remembered the various positions in Snow Man's dance formations, so it was really helpful. There are nine of us. I thought it was really good to be in Snow Man (laughs)."
Kaito Hibiki, played by Sakuma, is a "legendary idol" loved by people of all ages and genders. Sakuma says he feels that Kaito "is seriously facing his role as an idol."
"I think she likes herself as an idol and has a strong desire to cherish herself. She is conscious of making jokes and being cheerful so that the words she says and the words she uses are not frivolous, but she is the kind of girl who conveys what she values. I am also an active idol, so I often apply my thoughts to Kaito. Kaito is 18 years old and is said to be a "legendary idol," and I think he is quite charismatic, so I was very conscious of the distance I should keep when talking to people. I think he is a presence that is somehow distant but close, so I was conscious of that distance, the way I interacted with him, and his personality, which would make him seem like a legendary idol."
As a fellow idol, she says she sympathizes with Kaito to some extent.
"He's a kid who can be very kind to people. That's a really important thing, because I think if you're overwhelmed with yourself, you can't turn your attention to other people, but when you're an idol, you don't have time to be overwhelmed with yourself. Even within Snow Man, if the staff are in trouble on set, we want to help them out, and Kaito also has a very strong desire to 'support' them,' so I think 'this is an idol.' I think the way he portrays that shows he really understands what it means to be an idol, and it's wonderful."
◇Will a future idol be born from "You and Idol Pretty Cure"?
Sakuma herself says that she feels that idols are "close to people who watch them these days," and says with a smile that with "You and Idol Pretty Cure" she "thinks that a lot more kids will aspire to become idols."
"The sparkle of idols and the sparkle of Precure. While there are many children who look up to Precure, there is also an idol Precure who is a little closer to their own life. With 'Idol Precure with You', you will be able to learn more and more about the work of idols in the entertainment industry, and I think that more and more children will look up to Precure and think, 'I want to be an idol,' or conversely, 'I will become an idol and shine like Precure.' The idol world may become a lot brighter thanks to this anime. I think we will see the emergence of some amazing children."
Children who watch "You and Idol Pretty Cure" and dream of becoming idols may have a future as idols. "It's really wonderful, isn't it? I think there are a lot of children who want to be sparkly too," says Sakuma. You'll be sure to be touched by the "sparkle" of legendary idol Kaito Hibiki, played by an active idol.
