Studio Ghibli's animated feature film "The Boy and the Heron?", directed by Hayao Miyazaki and winner of the 96th Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, will be broadcast uncut on Friday Road Show (NTV) from 9pm on May 2nd. This is the first time the film will be broadcast on television. In preparation for the broadcast, actor Masaki Suda, who played Blue Heron/Hermit Man, is sharing behind-the-scenes stories from the dubbing process.
--What was the most difficult part of dubbing?
I was always conscious of how to create a sense of distance between Aosagi and Masato. He starts off as a very creepy character, and then they act together like in a road movie, and then he disappears in a very dry way at the end... Aosagi is a clown, a storyteller, and a friend, and I was conscious of that instability. He seems like he could betray me at any time, and he doesn't seem dependent on Masato. The sense of distance is like that between Director Miyazaki and Producer Toshio Suzuki. When the three of us were talking in the break room, I was impressed by how "they have an absolute relationship of trust, but they also playfully insult each other... but that feels really stylish...". I used that kind of playfulness, or the "sense of distance, but connected by an incomprehensible affection," as a reference.
-What kind of instructions or advice did Director Miyazaki give you?
I was given almost no instructions, which made me feel anxious. But the only thing that happened was that I had to retake the last scene, where I told Masato, "Everyone will forget anyway, so see ya, buddy." I didn't get any explanation for why, and I recorded it several times. When I asked him later, it seemed like Director Miyazaki was sad that the scene was over... and it made sense.
--How did you record the voice of the blue heron?
We asked, "What tone should we use for the heron's voice? Should I play both the bird and the old man? How far should I go?" and we agreed, "If possible, please do both." While watching archival footage of the heron, we tried out various croaking sounds that were unrelated to the scene, and Miyazaki said, "Please use the voice you have now!". Taking inspiration from the metallic squeal of an actual heron, we choked up our throats and made a voice that sounded hoarse on purpose, and after doing it for several hours, our voice really did become hoarse.
-What's your favorite scene?
I like the final scene where he leaves. It's short, but the way he says it when he leaves, the tone of his voice, etc. It was difficult because it wasn't live action and there was no "pause" and we had to fit it into the animation. Also, the scene where he goes back and forth between bird and man was fun to act out. I also enjoyed the scene where he has a stick stuck in his beak and licks his tongue.
"The Boy and the Heron?" is Miyazaki's latest feature-length animated film, his first in about 10 years since "The Wind Rises" in 2013. Miyazaki wrote the original story and screenplay. The film was released on July 14, 2023, without the plot, cast, theme song, etc. being revealed in advance.
