CATDOLL: Interview with new voice actor Kimura Juri, CV of Meow Sen

The Japanese voice actor industry is full of talented people, and many newcomers emerge every year. For this reason, a Japanese media has specially produced a program called "New Voice Actor Picture Book". The program interviews and reports on some new voice actors with great potential, and understands their behind-the-scenes stories of entering the industry and their prospects for the future. In the latest issue of "New Voice Actor Picture Book", we will introduce Juri Kimura, who has performed outstandingly in "Shirobako" (played by Aoi Miyamori), "Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?" (played by Lefiya Veride), and "Gokagura Academy Suite" (played by Eruna Ichinomiya).

Q: The TV animation "Mikagura Gakuen Suite" is finally going to be broadcast. This is a work created by the creator of Nico Nico Douga, Last Note, and it has also caused a lot of discussion before. So what is the difference between Eruna played by Ms. Kimura and Ms. Miyamori in "Shirobako"...

Kimura: This is a typical perverted girl! According to the director, "She is a serious pervert" (laughs).

Q: “A real pervert” (laughs)?

Kimura: Should I say she is too positive? She always doesn't think about anything, just rushes forward, and she also likes girls very much. Of course, it's mainly when she meets her senior, Hoshiro (voice actor: Saori Ohnishi), and shouts "I like you" and "You're so cute~", but she gets rejected every time, but she doesn't seem frustrated at all (laughs). That kind of happy look of giving her all also unconsciously motivates the people around her.

Q: (Laughs). Using perverted behavior to motivate everyone! ? There are also some plots that she created when she was in YY.

Kimura: This is very pitiful, because some of her imaginations cannot be accepted in the real world (laughs). As for the YY plot, there is about one in each episode. And Xingsuo senior is usually cool, but in the imagination world, he is very gentle and sweet, saying things like "Eruna... (love)" (laughs). Ohnishi Saori-chan added a very sexy voice for this, and Eruna drooled to cater to this voice (laughs).

Q: It feels full of comedy (laughs).

Kimura: It's a mess, but the plot is very enjoyable (laughs). Mr. Last Note., who was in charge of the original work, also specially composed the theme song and ending song of the work. The song is very lively and refreshing, and it also reflects the unique sweetness and sourness of youth. I think this song really reflects the essence of animation.

Q: In the academy, everyone lives by saving points earned from battles. So in this setting, if Eruna saves a lot of points, what would she hope to get?

Kimura: If you don't participate in club activities, you can't get points, so Eruna, who doesn't belong to any club, is considered the lowest level person in the academy. Although she lives somewhere mediocre now... But if she gets points, she will first start a life that is no different from ordinary people (laughs).

Q: What was it like when dubbing?

Kimura: I read the original work and had a certain understanding of the character's image. However, I could only express about 80% of the requirements at the beginning. This was my first time to participate in a comedy work, and Eruna was a very chaotic character, so I often had difficulty expressing what I wanted to express. I was very troubled from the first episode, and Ms. Kayano Ai taught me how to switch my acting. I wrote it down and used it in the next episode. As a result, people said "It's great!" This encouraged me to this day. In addition, the "games" everyone played during the dubbing process were very interesting.

Q: Speaking of games, does that mean there’s a lot of improvisation?

Kimura: There are a lot of improvisations. In particular, Mr. Matsuoka Yoshitsugu, who plays the mysterious creature Bimi, often does some improvisations. When the character makes a long face, Mr. Matsuoka also tilts his face and makes a "meow meow" sound (laughs).

Q: Besides these, are there any other characters that you like?

Kimura: Eruna's cousin, the bespectacled man named Shigure, is more my type. Shigure likes Eruna very much, and in that sense he is just as perverted as Eruna (laughs). But unlike the shy Eruna, Shigure always says things that are hard to understand (laughs). Therefore, although we are both perverts, I learned a lot from Mr. Shimazaki Nobunaga, who voiced Shigure. I always sigh: So this is how it works~

Q: You have already dubbed quite a few episodes now, so are you enjoying the role of Eruna?

Kimura: That's right. I also like to improvise. For example, when running backwards, you can't see the character's mouth shape, so you can say whatever you want. If it's not good, it's okay, but first of all, you have to express your intuition. Because of Eruna, I also have some understanding of my own inherent ideas.

Q: This time, the theme song sung by Eruna, Hoshisuo, and Oto (voice actor: Ari Ozawa) is also worth looking forward to!

Kimura: The theme song "After School Revolution" reflects the spirit of Eruna who founded the new club, After School Paradise Club. Personally, I am looking forward to how the cool Hoshiro will sing this song. The same is true for Oto, what kind of thoughts will the three of them have when singing? It would be nice if everyone could listen to it with doubt. The lyrics are great, and just thinking about it makes my eyes wet... Sorry, I cry easily...

Q: No, please cry as much as you want (laughs). So in terms of recording the album, did you perform smoothly?

Kimura: Well, Last Note.'s songs are very difficult... The tempo is very fast, and the range of the voice is very wide. The high notes can only be expressed with falsetto, so it is not easy to express Eruna's spirit. But I still tried my best (laughs)!

Q: The online radio "Mikagura Academy Radio Broadcasting Club" has also started!

Kimura: Mr. Matsuoka and I hosted the show together. We introduced the various clubs in the school and recalled our school days. I was very happy to have this opportunity to get to know what kind of person Mr. Matsuoka is. Even though it is an animation broadcast, everyone in Shirobako is a girl who has a good relationship in private life, so the broadcast in real life is like an extension of the animation, so it is very lively. But this broadcast gives people a different kind of fun.

Q: So do you understand what kind of person Mr. Matsuoka is (laughs)?

Kimura: He has a passionate feeling for his work~ Also, he is a very gentle person. During the audition, he also took the trouble to make the conversation lively. He also gave me a lot of advice. I think he is really a caring person!

Q: So after the animation starts airing, what aspect of Eruna do you hope the audience will pay attention to?

Kimura: Although she is shy when facing girls, she becomes very handsome when she enters the battle state. That kind of powerful performance makes people feel the aura of THE protagonist. This contrast will also make everyone happy!

Q: Then, let's talk about Ms. Kimura's private life. Eruna is a girl who likes to play games, so what is Ms. Kimura obsessed with?

Kimura: I've been cooking hard lately. When I went back to my hometown at the end of the year, my mom cooked oden and New Year's Eve soba noodles with delicious soup. They were all delicious! My sister also teaches at a cooking school, so she made me salted lemons and chicken hot pot. I used to love cooking, but because I live alone, I feel it's too much trouble to do everything myself. But recently I've changed my mind and think I should do it myself. I basically cook Japanese food.

Q: Is there anything else that you are obsessed with?

Kimura: ...Kishidan! I am a fan of anime songs, but I also like rock music. In fact, I have been a fan of Kishidan for more than 10 years. I have been listening to their songs since elementary and junior high school.

Q: This is quite surprising (laughs). So what do you like about Kishidan?

Kimura: Speaking of Kishidan, they were originally an instrumental band, so their songs are very cool! And the bass is also very good. Their lyrics are full of passion, which is very much to my taste. In addition, each member is full of personality, and they will show off their singing and dancing during the concert. There is a lot of room to show their talents. Recently, if you buy advance tickets, it is easy to conflict with work, so you can only choose tickets on the day, but you can't buy them all the time (laughs). But even if it's just to buy peripherals, I will go there (laughs).

Q: This is a real fan (laughs). So, what is your favorite song among them?

Kimura: Oh~ there are so many~ I think the music of the song "Raiden" is very stylish. In addition, the ending song of Naruto "おまえだったんだ" is a sad song that starts with piano sound, which makes people cry. There is also "Baby Baby Baby". The songs of Kishidan often have the theme of "only by being with others can you know yourself". And I often get care from my friends, so when I listen to these songs, I think of the help I got when I was troubled. So I like them very much.

Q: Which concert has left the most profound impression on you so far?

Kimura: The 2012 "Kishidan Expo"! Their concerts are like festivals, held every year, and this year is the fourth time. In 2012, people from many fields such as Kuroh, Wada Akiko, RIP SLYME, etc. performed. Also, it was because of that that I fell in love with Hyde's VAMPS. Although there are many different types, there is a sense of unity. It's like drinking beer with friends at the beach (laughs).

Q: Which beer is best when camping?

Kimura: That's right (laughs). I'm not a person who likes to go out, and I never thought I would stay in the sun all the time, but this experience is really fun! If I need to list 5 happy things in my life, this will definitely be on the list!

Q: So, Ms. Kimura, will you try anything as a voice actor in the future?

Kimura: I was in the broadcasting department when I was a student. I entered the industry with the goal of becoming a voiceover actor. I think I was actually afraid of performing. Although I was happy when I took courses at the training school, there were always few performance opportunities. And because I love animation, I thought: How can someone like me become a voice actor? However, after getting the role of Miyamori Aoi in "Shirobako", I found that animation is different from narration work. I can hear the voices of many viewers.

Q: You have many opportunities to interact with fans.

Kimura: Yes, I was very happy to hear their cheers directly at the exclusive event! It turns out that someone is willing to accept my voice~ And after "Shirobako", I also got the opportunity to star in "Mikagura Gakuen Suite". In fact, when I was confirmed to star in "Shirobako", I didn't know if I would have another animation job, and I didn't have a strong idea of ​​"I must continue dubbing" at that time. However, when I realized that animation is really made by many people, I deeply felt that I should carry the wishes of these people, and I myself need to fully love my role. Being able to realize this is also a precious treasure for me. So... Sorry, I cried again (laughs).

So, I will work hard to bring you better works than before. In order to let more people hear my voice and let them accept important things, I will continue to appear in animations as a voice actor in the future, and I will also practice my acting skills!

Q: Thank you for accepting our interview today!