Interview to commemorate the screening of "Space Battleship Yamato 2202: Warriors of Love Chapter 3! Sayaka Kanda, who plays Teresa: "I hope that singing the theme song will help me to develop my role more deeply.

The third chapter of the anime "Space Battleship Yamato 2202: Warriors of Love," "Jun-Aihen," will be screened in theaters on Saturday, October 14, 2017.

In this interview, Sayaka Kanda, who plays Teresa, the mysterious beauty goddess who lured the main character Susumu Ancient and his friends back into the great ocean of space in "2202," as well as the ending theme song for Chapter 2, appears!
In this interview, she talks about the character she plays, the theme song, and her sincere desire to be a voice actress.

The Pressure of Being Involved in a Work That Affects Other People's Lives

─ First of all, let me ask you about how you came to be involved in "Space Battleship Yamato 2202. Which came first, playing the role of Teresa or being in charge of the ending theme song for Chapter 2?

Kanda: The role of Teresa was decided first, and I received the offer to sing the song during the first recording session. At that time, I wondered how and when I would sing the song. Whether it would be the theme song or a character song had not been decided specifically. After that, it was decided that I would sing the ending theme song for the second chapter, so I was surprised that I got to sing it so quickly.

─ Did you start recording immediately after the first postrecording?

Kanda: There was a bit of a gap. In the first postrecording, I didn't have many lines, so I came out and spoke a few lines and that was it, so I think I have more lyrics than lines at this point.

The role of Teresa doesn't have many lines at this point, but she is the most important character who is the key to the second half of the story. How did you feel when you were offered such a role?

Kanda: I was very surprised. I wondered why it was me. I was also surprised that the reaction of the fans to my decision to play the character of "Yamato" was even greater than before, and the range of people who responded was wider than ever. In fact, the president of my office was also excited (laughs). (Laughs.) That's because "Yamato" has been around for such a long time, and I get the sense that people who love "Yamato" have a deep love for it. I have met many people who have a deep attachment to "Yamato" after being asked to work on it. For the first time, I feel the influence of being involved in a work that can affect someone's life.

─ Do you feel an invisible pressure?

Kanda Yes, I do feel that. People's reactions were not "I'm glad I got to be in the film," but rather, "I'm looking forward to it," as if they were happy that a new film was being produced.

The ending theme song "helped me in creating the role".

─ What kind of image do you have of the character Teresa?

Kanda: At first we only have a little information about her, but I have the image that she is largely in charge of the path of the ancients, so I kept that impression in the first words of the film. He is also seen in the first special news release of the series, and I think he is an iconic figure of "Yamato". That's why I felt a strong sense of responsibility and also a sense of "Oh no, this is bad, this is not good. I was worried because it had been so long since I first appeared in the film, and I even asked the director if I would be able to be involved in the film after this (laughs). But by singing the ending theme song, the lyrics and melody had a grandeur that is not found in ordinary character songs, so I feel that the music helped me in creating my role in the film.

─ Did singing the ending theme song allow you to enter the world of "Yamato"?

Kanda I feel that I received a great deal of support. The director also said, "The hard part starts from here," so I feel that the song will be deeply utilized.

─ Teresa was a mysterious character in "Saraba," and I think she had a magical quality that guided the Yamato crew. The character had a mature image.

Kanda: I had to leave an impact on both the viewers and the Yamato crew, but I didn't have many lines, so it was very difficult to leave the right degree of impression. I had to make up for a lot of things with my image. During the previous postrecording sessions, I actually went to the studio and watched the senior actors perform, and I felt like I was doing my best to embody the director's advice in just a few seconds. So the next time I appear for the first time in a long time, rather than recreating the feelings I had then, I feel that it would be better to do it as if I were newly appearing from this point on.

─ ─ I mean, let's leave aside the fact that you appeared in the beginning.

Kanda Yes, that's right. I wasn't really having a conversation, I was just throwing things out there. In addition, my natural voice is not very high, and in fact, when I was in training school, I was often assigned the role of a boy rather than a calm, mature woman. In that sense, I remember that I was asked to play a subtractive role, or to act in a restrained manner without broadening my range, which was refreshing and made me happy. So, I will try to use a more subdued tone in my next performance.

─ By the way, how did you feel when you sang the ending song?

Kanda I am happy just because it is a song by S.E.N.S. Project, but I don't think Teresa's character has been established enough at this point to be sung as a character song. Therefore, I think the song is a little more like a character song, but I sang it from a position somewhere between a character song and my own image of Teresa and Yamato. It was a song that I could use the way I have sung on stage, so I think I received a great song that I can say is a treasure.

─ ─ It is a very beautiful song, isn't it?

Kanda The title, "Mirror of the Moon," was also perfect for my image, as it is my favorite worldview (laughs).

My dream of "meeting Daisuke Ono-san again on the set" came true!

───At this point, do you have any relationships with other voice actors?

Kanda: Only the first postrecording and the stage greeting. So I am both happy and sad to hear that the atmosphere of "2202" is being created (laughs).

─ I heard that you are a big fan of anime, so how does it feel to be dubbing alongside such a great voice cast?

Kanda: It makes me nervous, after all. When I listen to the performances of the senior actors, every word they say makes my eardrums tingle. It is difficult to explain what is so great about being a voice actor to someone who does not aspire to be one, but the "Yamato" project was the most nerve-wracking experience I have ever had, and I was able to feel firsthand the amazingness of the people who are called veterans.

───Who was the voice actor who left a particularly strong impression on you?

Kanda: Daisuke Ono. When I received a Seiyu Award, the Best Actor Award went to Daisuke Ono. I also love anime and wanted someone who has specialized in voice acting to win the award, so at the time I was very afraid that I would be the one to win the award. So that day, I remember giving my speech with my voice trembling, feeling that I was taking not one step back, but ten steps back. I remember that at the very end of the party, Mr. Ono said, "Let's meet on site next time," which made me so happy that I had to hold back my tears.

─ Was Mr. Ono someone you admired?

Kanda: It was an honor to meet you, but it was difficult for me to stand next to you at the Seiyu Awards because of my position as the best. We haven't seen each other since then, so I was happy that we were able to realize our dream of co-starring.

My ambition for 2018 is to live a muddled life.

─ I think that Teresa will finally be featured in the next chapter or so, but could you tell us about the highlights?

Kanda When I watched "Saraba," I was shocked when Teresa saw the front for the first time. So when I saw the tome that says "(Teresa) turns around," I was reminded of that. She has always looked at the front and said, "I want to face you all. Although I have not appeared in the story as Teresa, I myself have been watching the story and waiting for her appearance, so I would like to make use of that sense of time synchronization in the future.

─ For Teresa, she has been waiting for a long time.

Kanda It feels like she has waited her whole life for this film. Although this is a remake, there are many aspects of the production that show the creator's thoughts and feelings, so much so that it could be called the original. In order to respond to that, I feel as if I am being an original.

─ Recently, you have been doing more voice acting work.

Kanda Nowadays, one person's strength is that he or she can do many things, but I myself have always been attracted to people who are dedicated to one thing. It has been 16 years since I made my debut, but I have had the opportunity to try many different things, and I think it is really precious to be able to encounter a genre that you really want to work in. That is what voice acting is in my mind. So my resolution for 2018 is to go back to the academic side of things as much as I can think of, just like I did in my first year of debut. Muddle through, you might say. If I don't dig in and read the scripts, my confidence when I go into the field is completely different. I would like to continue to do this and make the world of voice acting my place, even if only a little.

─ ─ Thank you very much.