Official interview with all the members from the "Voice Actor Boys Are...? Official interview with all the members from "The Movie: Voice Actor Boys Are...? There is also a behind-the-scenes story about the hot spring scene in the movie version!

An official interview with all the members of Seiyu Danshiman who will appear in the movie "Seiyu Danshiman the Movie - Let's talk about your future life as a voice actor...? ～Let's talk about your future life as a voice actor!

Seiyu danshita desu...? is a TV program by voice actors that has been regularly broadcast on CS Family Theater for a total of four seasons since 2015. Seven male voice actors, Yusho Kamimura, Yuichiro Umehara, Keisuke Kawamoto, Yusuke Kobayashi, Yusuke Shirai, Yutaro Honjo, and Kazuomi Yamamoto, appear on the show.

⇒ "The Movie: Voice Actor Boys Are...? Let's talk about your future life as a voice actor" video is finally released!

On the occasion of the release of the theater version, we have received interviews with all the members, which we will introduce below (original text in Japanese).

Q. (On the poster) "When we are together, we are invincible. Q: As the poster says, "When we are together, we are invincible", is there a moment when you feel "invincible"?

Shirai: First of all, the fact that we have been able to continue this long is invincible.
Kobayashi: To be honest, I don't see any vision of the end.
Shirai: I don't think it's very often that a variety show with voice actors like this goes all the way to the theater, so I think it's because of these seven of us that we have been able to do this.
Uemura: From the first pilot version, there has always been a good atmosphere, and I think it has gotten better and better.
Kawamoto: It's getting stronger and stronger with each passing season.
Kobayashi: They are also doing muscle training!
All: (laughs)
Yamamoto: Thanks to the many experiences I've had, I can do pretty much anything I'm asked to do.

Q "What are some of the things that have influenced your growth as a voice actor in this program over the past five years?"

Kawamoto: The ability to think out of the box and the power of spontaneity! I think that these challenges of the show have trained me a lot.
Honjo：I couldn't ad-lib at all in the past, but I thought, "Compared to doing it in front of a camera, doing it in front of a microphone is not embarrassing at all. I think I've gotten better at ad-libbing during postrecording.
Kobayashi: I am no longer afraid of being embarrassed.
Shirai: You were scared at first.
Kobayashi: I was scared! I became a voice actor because I didn't want to show my face... (laughs).
Umehara: At first, I was told to do certain things, but as I continued, I was allowed to do things such as hanging out in the streets, with almost no set script, etc. I am very grateful that I had the experience of being allowed to do various things freely.
Uemura: Unlike when we meet in other settings, in this program we meet as ourselves. In that sense, I think I was able to see many different faces over the past five years. This program is a place where we can meet again every time the season is renewed. I think it is a place where we can inspire each other to see how hard everyone is working.
Yamamoto: I always felt a sense of reassurance, though not a sense of camaraderie, in our work.
Shirai: There were many things that I experienced for the first time through this program. It was a great experience for me both as a human being and as a voice actor. I would like to experience many more things in the future.

Q "The hot spring scene is impressive in the movie version.

Yamamoto: I'm not supposed to tell you the backstory! (Laughs)
Everyone: (Laughs)
Kobayashi: The best way to watch it is to let your imagination run wild...
Kawamoto:...well, I mean...we didn't actually go in there!
Kobayashi: Everyone is only soaking in it as a footbath (laughs)
Yamamoto: Please enjoy the audio!
Umehara: I think it's supposed to be a surround sound section.
Yamamoto: And the voice that was not heard during the actual recording...?
Shirai: Is that Mr. White Goat?
Yamamoto: Do you let goats in?
Shirai: I think you can put it in. Yamamoto: Yes.
Uemura: What, is that an answer?
All: (laughs)

Q "Any other behind-the-scenes stories?

Honjo: Mr. Yamamoto, you haven't had milk tea for a while and you were feeling a little sick.
Shirai: Oh, you ran out of milk tea?
Yamamoto: Yes. I ran out of milk tea, and I was feeling a little down... (laughs). (laughs). But then they refilled the milk tea. On the morning of the second day, while everyone else was drinking coffee, I was drinking milk tea by myself.
Uemura: I worked so hard to make coffee....
Everyone: (laughs)
Yamamoto: "You made coffee! That's great!" while drinking milk tea (laughs).
Kobayashi: Ponchan and I were in the shopping group. So we decided to buy some stuff.
Yamamoto: How kind.
Kobayashi: In the end, it was the manager who bought it for us (laughs).
Everyone: (laughs)
Yamamoto: We also played a lot of games...
Kobayashi: Frisbee was probably the most exciting.
Kawamoto: Frisbee on the riverbank was a lot of fun!
Uemura: I brought my own Frisbee. Even though the cameras weren't rolling, I gave it my all!
Everyone: (laughs)
Kawamoto: We played until the sun went down and we couldn't see.
Shirai: Is that in the video?
（Staff: It might not be.)
All: Yes!
Kawamoto: Then that's the real backstory! It was definitely dark, so there might not be any footage left.
Yamamoto: Also, there is a scene where Mr. Shirai appears on the radio, but we had no idea what he was actually recording. We had no idea how he actually recorded the scene! I was surprised to see how he was doing it.
Kawamoto: We thought he recorded it like a normal radio show, but in fact he was very active (laughs).
Yamamoto: I thought they were doing it in a bigger place than a tent. I thought they were recording in a booth. (Looking at Shirai-san) That was interesting.
Shirai: Oh, really. It was great.
Everyone: (laughs)

Q: "What impressions have changed among the members over the past five years?

Kawamoto: When I see them at different sites, I think, "They must be really cool. You can see their frank faces on the show, but when they are on the dubbing set, you can see their different expressions as professional voice actors. I get a sense of "Oh, I'm working with great people! Everyone's experiences change as the years go by, so I am always surprised when I see them again.
Kobayashi: When I see them on the set, they look the same as they did when we were recording "Seiyu Danshi desu...? Kobayashi: When I see them on set, I feel that they are the same as when we were recording "Seiyu Danshi Desuka...? When we meet, the tension is the same. Usually, the tension on the show is different from when we are just being ourselves. So, I feel that I can now do things in my natural state, which is the biggest change.
Yamamoto: You are becoming more and more mischievous, aren't you?
Shirai: I no longer feel embarrassed.
Kobayashi: Is the lack of shame mischievous?
Yamamoto: I don't mean to be mischievous, but I think I've been goofing around more.
Kobayashi: It's the age...
Shirai: Age! Is that old?
Kobayashi: You'll find out in 5 years.
Everyone: (laughs)
Kobayashi: In the beginning, I thought I had to be the most firm, but now that Ko is taking care of that, I can say, "Oh, well, that's fine. That's how trustworthy he is.
Kawamoto: After watching the pilot version at the event earlier, I feel that I can trust him even more. The shame and unnecessary shyness are all gone.
Kobayashi: In a good sense, we don't feel the need to do things properly anymore.
Everyone: Yeah, yeah.
Uemura: You don't have to think too much.
Honjo: (About Mr. Uemura) It is often mentioned that people thought Muchan was a bit of a player at first, but in that sense, he is a friendly older brother who retains the good parts of the frankness he had when he was a university student. He is not a "onee" (oneeye)! (laughs). (Laughs) When I see him on the set, I think he has become an older brother.

Q "Do you also have anything in common with Umehara-san and Shirai-san?

Umehara: Yes, I do. I don't think Mr. Shirai has changed.
Yamamoto: He has grown a lot, though!
Shirai: My body shape has changed (laughs).
Umehara: He must be doing morphological copying all the time.
Shirai: That's not the point!
Umehara: But there really is a quality that hasn't changed in five years, isn't there? Mr. Shirai. In a good sense, it was completed from the beginning.
Shirai: I don't know if it is completed (laughs). (laughs) I don't know if it's completed, but I think it hasn't changed much. But I think our consciousness has changed a little. When we did the first pilot version, we were all a bit groping. We didn't know how much we should joke around or how funny we should be. But when we saw the actual on-air version, it was edited in a very funny way, and the program was very well done. I felt that I could trust the staff and leave everything to them. If I did what I wanted to do, the staff would take care of it. In a way, I think I became able to do everything I wanted without thinking.

Q: Mr. Umehara, about Mr. Shirai, what do you think about the parts of Mr. Shirai that have been perfected and have not changed, other than the morphological copying?

All: (laughs)
Shirai: See~!
Umehara: That's difficult (laughs). Yes... Mr. Shirai has been like that since we first met, but he always gives it his all. I think it would be better if I, as a younger member of this group, were more sharply pointed, but since Mr. Shirai is in charge of that, I trust him to do so. I am sure that Mr. Shirai will take care of that for the time being. Sometimes he doesn't (laughs).
All: (laughs)

Q "Now that you can say it now, what would you recommend to those who have never seen the show?"

Shirai: "Seiyu men"...can you say "men", these 7 guys....
Umehara: Uncle Seiyu.
All: (laughs)
Shirai: It's just the right amount of fun to see the "voice actor guys" putting their bodies on the line and challenging themselves in a variety of different ways while still having time to watch the ・・・・・・ show (laughs).
Umehara: You can watch them without being self-conscious.
Shirai: Yes. Without being self-conscious. It's the kind of program that you can watch without raising the bar, so if you give it a try, I think you'll get hooked before you know it.
Kawamoto: It has a documentary quality that varies depending on the season you watch it. In the beginning, everyone was five years younger than they are now, so youth and energy were at the forefront, but as the seasons go by, I think there is a more mature and relaxed atmosphere, not just a full-on collision. I think that is the beauty of this program. Each season has its own flavor, and I think you will enjoy it.
Yamamoto: Each member has created a character, and there are also short animated films, but this time we decided to make a theater version. I feel that this program has infinite possibilities in the way it can be an event. I am sure that I will be able to challenge new things that I have not done yet as a voice actor male in the future.

Q "If you had the chance to go abroad next time, is there a place you would like to visit or a project you would like to try?"

Yamamoto: Las M. Bisons!
Umehara: I would like to go to a casino!
Uemura: That's exactly what we went to in private, a casino.
Honjo: The strong one was Mr. Kawamoto, wasn't it?
Kawamoto: I won a blast at my first casino in England.
Yamamoto: Going in that vein, I'd like to go to Singapore, too.
Shirai: You just want to gamble!
Kawamoto: I'd like to go to Hawaii, too. Let's all get burned. Banana boats and all.
Uemura: The ocean, that sounds great. We haven't done any marine sports on the show yet, have we?
Shirai: Oh, let's go diving.
Uemura: I have a scuba diving license!
Honjo: Then, Malaysia is a good place to go, isn't it? It's safe.
Yamamoto: Maybe we could go to an island, like a deserted island.
Uemura: We could live together.
Umehara: Living on a deserted island would be nice.
Kobayashi: The ko is no good.
Kawamoto: I want a bidet (laughs).
Kobayashi: I personally want to go to Europe. I want to see the beautiful cities and try my hand at being a stylish voice actor boy.
Umehara: You say that again.
Kobayashi: As a returnee, after all! (laughs). I want to go to places where I can't speak the language and see if I can communicate with people there with nothing but my body. Like morphological copying, right?
Shirai: That's impossible! I'll take my Pocket Talk with me (laughs).
Yamamoto: But it's the same as talking to animals in the savanna, right?
Kobayashi: That's different! (laughs).　Against humans!
Kawamoto: Well, I mean, you can have fun wherever you go (laughs).
Kobayashi: That's for sure.

Q "Is there anything you value as a professional voice actor or any message you would like to share?

Yamamoto: Compared to the rest of the world, Japanese voice-over recording is the only scene where recording is done at the same time, while overseas it is often done separately. In such a situation, it is very important to have a good sense of how to read and care for the people around you, as well as the technical aspects of microphone work, and most importantly, to be considerate of each other. Basically, everyone is serious and has the ability to do what they need to do with sincerity, and they have learned to be considerate of others. I think that is why we are able to work well together in a natural way even when we meet for the first time and do variety shows, as in the case of the voice actor boys. That is why I value not only acting but also consideration for others.

Uemura: As someone who also has to show my face, I feel that the communication and personalities of the actors are in high demand, and that some fans are attracted to these aspects and support them. Of course it is important to improve your acting, but I believe that your personality will also be reflected in your performance. I am very happy to be a part of the "Seiyuu Danshi desu...? I think that having the opportunity to see what they are thinking and what kind of expressions they have on their faces has been a source of food for me. I am very grateful for that.

Umehara: I have been doing more and more work that is not acting, so I sometimes feel the difficulty of that. The main focus is on postrecording and acting, so I must not lose sight of that, but I think there are parts of my visual work and non-postrecording work that I can make use of. For example, in "Seiyu danshi desu desu...? I think I was able to develop the ability to improvise and the boldness to do something unexpectedly. In that sense, it is not at all out of the mainstream of acting, and in fact, there are many things I can learn from it. I believe it will lead to a wider range of acting.

Honjo：I am a student on weekdays, and I am not at liberty to go into the subject of what it means to be a voice actor, but... I feel that nothing I am doing now as a student, at work, or in my everyday life is a waste of time. For example, I am a university student in the science field, and I was once cast in a role based on the image of a "glasses-wearing, eccentric, science student-ish". I think that everything has a connection to who I am, so I think it's a good idea to put all my energy into not only acting, but also studying and many other things.

Shirai: I really enjoy variety shows and radio shows where I get to show my face, as well as other jobs that are different from my usual postrecording work. If I don't enjoy myself, I don't think the people watching me will be able to enjoy themselves, and I think it is important for aspiring voice actors to enjoy themselves as well. Nothing is ever wasted, so I think it is important to find something to enjoy in whatever you do.

Kawamoto：I value the saying, "The voice is the body of a person. It means that the more you polish your voice, the more attractive your voice will become. The roles we play change depending on our age and timing, so the best way to get the message across is to give it our all in a way that only we can at that time. Of course, skill is necessary, but to reach people's hearts, the most important thing is heart. Of course, technique is also important, but there are things that can be produced only at that moment. I think that if you have heart, it will be conveyed.

Kobayashi: There are so many things to do as a voice actor nowadays, and there are so many people aspiring to be one. If you don't have a firm core of what you want to do the most, you will be out of sync no matter what you do. I consider acting to be the most important thing, and I think about where I can apply the work that comes my way to my acting. I think that the technique is honed in postrecording, but it is in variety shows like this that the sensibility is honed. I always think about whether I can bring that straight into the play. I always think about whether I can bring that straight to the play! (Laughs).

Film information
Voice Actor Boys Are...? ～Let's talk about your future as a voice actor.

Release Information: February 14, 2020 (Fri.) at Cine Libre Ikebukuro and other theaters nationwide
Cast: Yusho Uemura, Yuichiro Umehara, Keisuke Kawamoto, Yusuke Kobayashi, Yusuke Shirai, Yutaro Honjo, Kazuomi Yamamoto
Narration: Junichi Suwabe
Planning Producer: Hiroyuki Hattori (Family Theater)
Producer: Mitsutaka Saito, Masahiko Fukuda
Advertising: Rin Mano, Koyanagi Dai-samurai
Director: Ayumi Suzuki
Screenplay: Nasa Hajime Gorgeous Someya
Cinematography: Kenichi Kurashima
Sound Mixer: Hirofumi Ishii
Lighting: Hisatomo Ishii
Theme Song: "7 Yokos with Tokusatsu" (EVIL LINE RECORDS)
Production and Distribution: Tohoku Shinsha
Source: Family Theater


＜Story＞
One summer day, Yusho Kamimura and Yuichiro Umehara at camp, Yusho Uemura, Yuichiro Umehara, Keisuke Kawamoto, Yusuke Kobayashi, Yutaro Honjo, and Kazuomi Yamamoto. They went outdoors to strengthen their bond with each other even more than before. However, it was only the six ...... who went out. Only Yusuke Shirai was not there.
The six enjoyed splashing and splitting watermelons on a riverbank surrounded by nature, while Kamimura and Kawamoto went fishing and Kobayashi and Honjo went shopping. Meanwhile, Umehara and Yamamoto, who remained behind, started splitting maki. They named a goat they found at the campsite "Yusuke Shirai.
The shopping team and the fishing team returned home and started preparing for dinner. Then, a different color paracord bracelet arrives in front of the six of them. Who made these hand-knitted, dubious outdoor items for so many people? And where and what is Yusuke Shirai doing? ......

(c) Tohoku Shinsha