The TV anime " Dandadan " is based on the popular manga by Yukinobu Tatsu , which is currently being serialized in Shueisha's manga magazine app "Shonen Jump+ (Plus)." The second season, currently airing on the MBS/TBS "Super Animeism TURBO" slot, is also attracting attention for its powerful battle scenes and well-paced dialogue between the voice actors. We spoke to voice actors Natsuki Hanae , who plays the popular character Okarun (played by Takakura Ken), and Mayumi Tanaka, who plays Turbo Granny, about behind-the-scenes recording, what makes each other so great, and the appeal of the series.
◇ A sense of mission in playing the role of Turbo Granny: "It had to be me"
--In the first season, Turbo Granny appeared as Momo (Ayase Momo) and Okarun's first formidable opponent. Tanaka herself commented that during the audition, she thought, "I want to play this role!!"
Tanaka- san Turbo Granny is vulgar (laughs), but it's really me. I'm that kind of person. I didn't talk much during the audition either, just said, "Let me suck your dick," that's the kind of line I used. It's not a role for a younger person, so I pictured the face of an actress of my generation and felt a strong sense of mission, thinking, "I can't let this person say those lines," and "If I don't do it, someone else will, right?" This is me. I thought I had to do it, that it had to be me.
-Hanae-san, how did you feel when you found out that Tanaka-san would be playing Turbo Babaa?
I thought Hanae-san was perfect for the role.
Isn't that right, Tanaka-san ?
Hanae-san's Turbo Granny transforms into a cute cat, and Mayumi-san's range is what makes both roles enjoyable. I really like the cute cat Granny, but I hadn't really heard Mayumi-san's voice or acting in her first Granny form.
That's true, Tanaka-san , you only play boy roles.
It was very refreshing to see Hanae-san in the role, and I was impressed by how perfectly suited he was to the role.
--Hanae-san, you previously said about Okarun that he is "a character who can do a lot of interesting things."
I thought it would be really fun for Tanaka as an actor. This duality. In "Dandadan," it feels like everyone can show two sides, including Jiji.
Hanae-san: That's right.
As an actor , Tanaka-san, this is a very rewarding character that I would love to play. The aliens and all the other characters all look like they're having fun.
Hanae-san, everyone looks like they're having fun.
- Tanaka-san, is there anything you keep in mind when playing the role of Turbo Baba?
Tanaka: No, nothing in particular. I just say my lines naturally, thinking, "This is me." But there's nothing in particular I pay attention to, right?
Hanae: That's right. The lines probably create the character, so when you read it, there are parts where you naturally get the idea, "Oh, so this is the kind of person he is."
◇ First appearance together in "Dandadan" "This kid is amazing!"
--It seems that Hanae and Tanaka co-starred for the first time in "Dandadan." What were your impressions of interacting with each other?
Tanaka-san, the scene in the first season where Turbo Granny and Okarun mix together was fun to act in. (The voices) are mixed together a bit.
Hanae-san, it was fun. By the way, I met Mayumi-san once a long time ago. There was a radio show called "Dengeki Taisho." I was on it for a while, and we met at the wrap party.
If you think of Tanaka as a member of the "Dengeki" crew, "Dandadan" seems a good fit. "Dandadan" might be a good fit.
It was really great to be able to work with Hanae-san as a regular. Mayumi-san has a really strong voice, so it really brings the atmosphere on set together. Tanaka-san's voice has a lot of power and energy, and it inspired me to try doing more of this, and that. There's also a scene where Okarun and Turbo Granny fight.
That happened to Tanaka-san . Those scenes end up being recorded separately, but the test scenes are always fun. During the test, you get the feeling, "Oh, so that's how it goes." There are a lot of things you can do with this film.
Hanae-san: That's right.
-What was the scene in Hanae's acting that made you think, "Oh, so that's how it is?"
The way Tanaka Okarun transforms and changes, and then goes back to normal, is truly amazing. I think, "She's got it all, she's got it all!" I'm sorry if I sound condescending. I'm 70 years old, so please bear with me.
Hanae-san, no no (laughs).
Tanaka-san , this girl is amazing, just as people say.
-What impression did you have of Hanae before you co-starred in "Dandadan"?
Tanaka: I watched the first episode of "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba" and thought it was just as good as the reviews said. "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba" was incredibly popular, so I decided to give it a try. I thought she was an amazing girl.
Thank you, Hanae-san .
After working with Tanaka , I realized that he was just as good as his reputation suggested, so I was confident.
-Hanae-san, what was your impression of Tanaka-san before you co-starred with him?
Hanae-san , I've been listening to Mayumi-san's voice ever since I was a child. Because the "One Piece" anime started when I was in the second grade of elementary school, so ever since then I've always thought, "Oh, it's Mayumi-san." I also watch "Dragon Ball" reruns, and "Yu Yu Hakusho" hit me right in the generation it was made for. So it feels a little strange that we're still working together.
◇The kindness in Turbo Granny's voice
--After working together on "Dandadan," what appeals do you feel about each other as voice actors?
Tanaka-san has a wide range of acting. It may be because Okarun plays that kind of character, but his range is amazing. I think it would be interesting and fun to do it.
Hanae-san, it's fun.
Tanaka-san, don't you feel like "Dandadan" allows the actors to act however they want?
Hanae-san will do it.
Because it's Tanaka , everyone is alive. I think this is what she wanted to do. I also think that Nana Mizuki(who plays Hoshiko) had never played a role like this before.
Hanae: That's true, I haven't heard much (a voice like Hoshiko's).
-What do you think is amazing about Tanaka when you work with him?
Just hearing Hanae-san and Mayumi-san's voices, you know, "Oh, it's this person." They have such a strong presence, so no matter how busy the other characters are, when Turbo Granny speaks, it instantly takes over the atmosphere, which I think is a really charming thing.
That's the kind of character Tanaka is .
Hanae-san , that's true too. I also think Mayumi-san's personality comes through in her voice. She says some crazy things, but I think there's a kindness at her core that really shines through.
Tanaka-san said something great!
--Indeed, there are many scenes where you can feel Turbo Granny's kindness.
Tanaka-san, the Turbo Granny, is quite helpful, isn't she? And she's always right. She's an amazing person after all.
-Finally, please tell us what the appeal of the anime "Dandadan" is and what we should look forward to in the second season.
Hanae: The appeal of "Dandadan" is that it's a jumble of different elements, but it's incredibly well-balanced and enjoyable to watch. I think that's definitely Ryu-sensei's talent. It feels like it's packed with things he really loves, and it's fun to watch too. With the anime, it feels like the directors are constantly interpreting the original work in various ways and coming up with the right answer as an animation. We also get very long messages from the director on every official radio show, and it's clear that every scene is directed with a clear intention. I think it's wonderful that it's constructed in that way.
Tanaka: Romance, the occult, moving stories, comedy - "Dandadan" doesn't cut corners on any of them, it goes all out, and I haven't seen many works like that in my long career as a voice actor, so it's definitely something that people of all ages and genders will find interesting. There's laughter in the horror.
Hanae-san is scary. The second season is especially scary.
Tanaka-san, the feeling of being shaken up as you move back and forth between various genres is very satisfying. I'm sure the viewers feel the same way.
--At the advance screening of the second season of "Dandadan," Tanaka said, "I'm glad I came across this work."
Tanaka: That's true. I think that's because I've played a lot of boy roles up until now. I thought I'd end up only playing boy roles, so I was happy to be given such a good role. It made me feel like I could make it in life as an anime voice actor.
"Dandadan" began serialization in "Shonen Jump+" in April 2021. It depicts Momo, a high school girl from a family of spiritualists, and her classmate Okarun, an occult enthusiast, as they confront a succession of mysterious events. The second season of the TV anime is currently airing on the "Super Animeism TURBO" block.
