The second season of the all-new anime adaptation of Rumiko Takahashi's hit manga "Ranma 1/2" will begin airing on Nippon Television every Saturday at 12:55 AM starting October 4th. "Ranma 1/2" is a hugely popular work by Takahashi, also known for "Urusei Yatsura Yatsura" and "Maison Ikkoku," which was serialized in the manga magazine "Weekly Shonen Sunday" (Shogakukan) from 1987 to 1996. A television anime adaptation also aired from 1989 to 1992, and the first season of this all-new anime, the first of its kind in over 30 years, aired from October to December 2024. The reappearance of Ranma Saotome as Kappei Yamaguchi, Megumi Hayashibara as Ranma, and Noriko Hidaka as Akane Tendo is also a hot topic. Shampoo's childhood friend Mousse finally appears in the second season. We asked Rei Sakuma, who played Shampoo, and Seki Toshihiko, who played Mousse, who continued to play their voices, to tell us behind-the-scenes stories about the recording of the previous film and the "completely new anime."
◇ "Ranma 1/2" is a work that made me happy
--What does "Ranma 1/2" mean to you two?
Seki: Even before "Ranma 1/2" was made into an anime, Rumiko Takahashi was an incredible presence in the manga world, and even now I think I was lucky to have been able to appear in "Ranma 1/2." Being involved in the Rumiko world was a rare experience for me, and I was very happy.
Sakuma: I wasn't originally a voice actor, so at the time I wasn't really aware of myself as one. At the time, anime was just one of the many jobs I had. When I was included in an anime magazine's voice actor popularity poll, I was given the title of voice actor, and it felt like I'd been given a title, so I was really happy. What's more, being able to play such a cute role was like being in another dimension. I'm not the type of person who gets good results when I say, "I'm going to do it!" So maybe it was a good thing that I went into the job without really understanding what I was doing. For me, work was something I enjoyed, so I wasn't too pushy.
Seki-san, that's the ideal.
Sakuma: I found out later that Shampoo was really loved. I'm glad I didn't know that back then, because I would have gotten too big for my boots (laughs). Shampoo made me really happy. I've had a lot of popular voice actors tell me, "I loved Shampoo," and every time I hear that, it makes me really happy. It's a really important work that has left a lasting impression on me as a voice actor.
Seki-san is great... It's rare to hear someone say, "I loved mousse" (laughs).
There are a lot of fans of Sakuma-san's Mousse! I never thought Mousse was cool in the previous anime (laughs). But this time, I thought he was cool from the beginning. Of course, Seki-san's voice is cool too, but he's cool. In the previous anime, I was so preoccupied with my own concerns that I didn't have time to look around, but now that I've watched it again, I think he's cool.
-What was the most memorable thing about the recording at that time?
Seki: Back then, the recording method was different from now, and we had to glance at the person next to us and stop talking if we were about to overlap, but I clearly remember Shiba-san (Sound Recording Director Shiba Shigeharu) praising us by saying, "You're all amazing."
Sakuma: Nowadays, we often do separate recordings, which makes the sound three-dimensional and wonderful, but back then we all recorded together, and we kept our ears open to each other's breathing. Times have changed, and it's not that one is better than the other, but I think there were things we could do by working together. Back then, I was always nervous about making mistakes. Even if things were going well, if I messed up at the very last moment, we'd have to start all over again.
Seki: That's right. It's not a question of which is better or worse. The guilt you felt when you failed was enormous compared to what you feel now.
--Did you gain any training in that kind of environment?
Seki-san's concentration has really improved. It wasn't like the "Ranma 1/2" set, but I thought maybe I had overdone it a little, so I mustered up the courage to ask, "Excuse me. Can you do that cut again?" and the director told me, "You'll have to embarrass yourself on air." That meant the director thought it was okay.
Sakuma: If the flow was good, we could just go ahead with it.
◇The impact of the new anime
-What did you feel while recording the new anime?
Sakuma-san, maybe in the past you didn't pay much attention to what was going on around you. If you made a mistake, everyone else would have to start over, so you were overwhelmed by the thought of causing trouble. In the new work, there are parts where you can look at the people around you calmly, and while you know that everyone is amazing, you still think, "Oh, that's how it is!", and that's what's interesting. What's amazing is how Ranma and Ranma appear to be the same person. Ranma is a man at heart, but Megu (Hayashibara Megumi Hayashibara, who plays Ranma) seems to be having fun being a woman, and Kappei (Kappei Yamaguchi, who plays Ranma) is also not shy about expressing himself, and yet they still seem to be the same person. It's something you can do because you've been doing it for so many years, and I feel like you're seeing something amazing.
It feels like Seki-san has become more of a character than before. In this production, it's important not to rehearse too much, but to let the dialogue come out on the spot, and I tried to do the same this time, but at first I got too nervous. I was too focused on trying my best.
--At the "Great Joy Anime Presentation" event held at Shinjuku Wald 9 (Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo) on June 22nd, it was announced that Seki would be appearing as Moose, and his surprise appearance on stage also became a hot topic.
Everyone knew about it, Seki-san (laughs). For some reason, he was very keen to hide the fact that I was going to be in the show.
Sakuma: I was also asked "Is Seki going to be there?" but I would just say "and more." It's like "And more." (laughs)
I think I'll change my name , Seki-san (lol).
--What are your thoughts on the new anime?
I compared the first episode of Seki-san's previous work with the first episode of the new one, and both were very interesting, so it was hard to choose between them. The new one is of high quality, and I think it will definitely become popular. I really like the use of colors. They have a pastel-like feel, and there's a softness to them that makes them feel comforting.
Sakuma: There are some scenes that are three-dimensional, and some that make you think they might be from a comic book. I was shocked when I first saw them. The staff really put a lot of effort into it.
Seki: That's right. A lot of effort has gone into it. The opening and ending themes are stylish and cool, and I'm looking forward to the second season.
