"Kimi to Idol PreCure♪" is the 22nd installment of the popular anime "PreCure" series. Misato Matsuoka, who plays Cure Idol Sakura Uta, is a voice actress known for her roles as Mizusaki Tsubame in "Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!", Konoe Rei in "Singing Mille-feuille", and Kirarin Usagi in "Wonderful PreCure!", but this is her first time starring in a TV anime series. She was chosen to play the role of a PreCure, a character she has admired since childhood. We asked Matsuoka about her feelings about her idol, PreCure.
◇ Tears for appearing in PreCure
The motif of "You and Idol Precure♪" is "idols" and the theme is "Because of you, I can shine and become stronger!". 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 it is "you" that makes Idol Precure shine brightly and strongly. Matsuoka plays Cure Idol/Sakura Uta, Takahashi Minami plays Cure Ink/Soukaze Nana, and Takamori Natsumi plays Cure Kyun Kyun/Shiu Kokoro. The show airs every Sunday at 8:30 a.m. on ABC TV and TV Asahi.
The first installment of the "PreCure" series, "Futari wa Pretty Cure," began in February 2004. Matsuoka has been an avid fan of the series since she was a child.
"When I was in kindergarten, the original ' Futari wa Pretty Cure' started, and I watched it all the time with my sister. Even now, when I go to karaoke, I sing the theme song to ' Yes! PreCure 5' and do the 'Metamorphose' pose. I imitated the dance at the end of 'Fresh Pretty Cure!', and I can still dance a little. I like all the Pretty Cures, but I especially liked Shiny Luminous and Cure Passion. However, when we played Pretty Cure at kindergarten, I imitated Cure White. Cure White was popular at kindergarten, and everyone wanted to be Cure White. I was a very strong child, and I didn't care about injuries or illnesses, and I was the kind of child who would run around the schoolyard with energy. That's probably why I was attracted to Cure White's cuteness. As I got older, I started to like the cool Cure Black."
For Matsuoka, PreCure has been her dream since she was a child, and when she found out she would be playing a PreCure, she was overwhelmed with tears.
"For about five years I had a piece of paper hanging on the wall of my room that said, 'I'll be the lead in an anime series.' My dream has come true and every time I look at that piece of paper I feel very emotional. The people around me were so supportive, so I think it was with the help of so many people that I became a Precure. I surely couldn't have gotten to where I am today with just what I have. When I think about the people around me, tears come to my eyes. I had always wanted to become a Precure, but I never thought I'd be able to. My natural voice is a little low, and I wondered if I could do it, so I thought, 'I can give it a try!' and I was able to look forward."
◇ Act as you feel
Uta, played by Matsuoka, is a second-year junior high school student who loves to sing, and her idol smile transforms her into a fan service-giving Cure Idol. Her transformation catchphrase is "Singing with you, my heart sparkles! Smiling, Cure Idol!"
"At first, I thought she was the kind of girl who would cheer you up just by looking at her. Rather than being the kind of girl who stands in the center of her own volition, I think she's the kind of girl who is in the center without even realizing it. She can look people in the eye and tell them what she thinks is good, and her facial expressions change easily. When I act, I value my own feelings. I try to express Uta's emotions directly as I feel them, without thinking too much about it. I myself find dubbing really fun, so I try to express those happy feelings as they are."
Although the people on set are all seniors, Matsuoka says, "Everyone really cheers me on, so it's just so much fun!" and it seems that she naturally ends up in the middle. Matsuoka, who expresses her thoughts honestly and is positive, has some things in common with Uta.
"Because my seniors are supporting me, I am able to act freely and enjoyably. To be honest, I have some negative sides. However, thanks to the support of the production, the staff, and my seniors, I am able to stay positive. Uta-chan is positive, cheerful, and energetic, but she may become depressed at times in the future. But she is a girl who can get up and face forward. Maybe part of me is feeling positive because I am playing the role of Uta-chan."
Since it was such an important role, it seems there was some pressure at first...
"Because she is an idol for both children and adults, I felt some pressure at first. But Uta-chan didn't feel any pressure when she became a Precure, and she was happy. It gave her a strong will to shine a bright light into the darkness. Once recording began, I thought to myself, "I'll do my best too!" and was able to stay positive just like Uta-chan. If I had been crushed by the pressure, I would never have been able to become Uta-chan. When I was practicing at home, the pressure was so great that I couldn't become Uta-chan at all. But when I got to the set, I was able to become her."
◇ I want to feel you more
The scene where the Cure Idols sing on stage like idols has also become a hot topic. The "Pretty Cure" series has a history of evolving and changing, but it has also introduced new themes such as "idols" and "fan service."
"We recorded the song before recording the anime. I sang while thinking, How will Uta sing? What expression will she have? I felt like I was opening up a drawer inside myself. Idols are a new concept, but the series has a strong and unwavering core, and I feel that it is a work that is taking on various challenges. 'PreCure' is a work that will become a precious memory for children who will go on to have many different experiences. Our goal in delivering to these children, and the fact that it is a dream for children, will never change. It is a work that has both challenges and tradition, and I think it is amazing..."
Matsuoka-san has been cast as a Pretty Cure, something she has always dreamed of, and has become someone people look up to. She says she "loves children," and it seems the support of children will give her strength.
"I love children so much that I used to work part-time at an after-school program. The other day, when I went to the Toei Animation Museum, I saw a child holding a KimiPuri flyer and staring at it intently. It just brought me to tears. I think if I see everyone cheering on PreCure, I won't be able to stop crying. I want to use the support of children as my energy."
It feels like Matsuoka, who is powerful and straightforward, was destined to become a PreCure.
"I've never played a character like Uta-chan before. I've often played boyish, energetic, cool girls or androgynous characters, so playing Uta-chan is a challenge for me. I'm sure Uta-chan will grow a lot in the future. I want to grow together with Uta-chan. Since I'm recording with all my seniors, I'm going to the recording with the feeling that I want to absorb everything! I want to do my best so that everyone can see how I've grown. 'Kimi to Idol Precure ♪' is a work that is delivered to 'you'. I want to deliver it while imagining 'you' watching in front of the TV, and I think 'you' will give me strength. I want to feel 'you' a lot. Uta-chan is positive, hardworking and kind. But she may hit a wall sometimes. At those times, I hope I can be there for her and stand up together with her."
Matsuoka-san will be united in heart with Precure and deliver her feelings to "you." I hope "you" will also support Matsuoka-san and Precure.
