CATDOLL: Voice actress Mai Fuchigami said in an interview that she likes to bully Riki Kuma the most

Every year, a large number of new voice actors emerge in the Japanese voice actor industry. 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 learns about 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 Mai Fuchigami, who has performed outstandingly in works such as "Assassination Classroom" (played by Nagisa Shiota), "Girls und Panzer" (played by Miho Nishizumi), "Tokimeki! Pretty Cure" (played by Yotsuba Arisu), and "Moe Invaders OUTBREAK COMPANY" (played by Petraka-an-Eldante III). The following is the content of the interview:

Q: Ms. Fuchigami Mai will play the role of Mei in the TV animation "Kanzhi Spirit" which will be aired in April. What kind of role is this?

Fuchigami: This is one of the twelve zodiac members that appears in the story. Although she is a sheep god type character, I always feel that this character gives people a very gentle feeling, including her appearance. I don’t know why, but her clothes are actually nurse uniforms (laughs). Many of the other zodiac gods are children with strong personalities and are always noisy, so in comparison, Xiaomei is a very calm child. This kind of healing character gives people a feeling of "I am here to heal everyone's mind and body."

Q: So how did you perform when you played Xiaome?

Fuchigami: The sound director let me perform freely. In the scenes where she has a lot of scenes, it seems that not only herself, but also the characters around her are involved, and it feels lively. There are many characters in this work, and each of them has a distinct personality. There are also many episodes in which everyone appears, so I thought about reflecting the lively feeling of the dubbing scene in the performance.

Q: After all, the goal of this work is to "become the noisiest animation in Japan" (laughs), and I watched the Nico Nico live broadcast programs "Kanzhi~ku!" and "えとたまらじおソルラルくれにゃ！ ?", and I felt that the voice actors, including Ms. Murakawa Rii, who voices the protagonist, Meow, were very lively. It seems that the dubbing was also the same...?

Fuchigami: That's the same (laughs). Everyone would play a prank on Riki Kuma (laughs). "Kanzhi Soul" is a story centered on the growth of Meow, and Yue (voice actor: Shimono Hiro) would always make fun of Meow's messy remarks. Riki Kuma and Mr. Shimono look like the three-dimensional version of Meow and Yue (laughs). In short, Mr. Shimono always makes fun of the emotional Riki and bullies her... (laughs) It's a scene that makes you smile.

Q: In this situation, what will the other twelve zodiac signs do...

Fuchigami: Seniors like Kochu (voice actor: Sayaka Ohara) and Kokai (voice actor: Hitomi Namatame) always watch us playfully (laughs). I feel like the scene was 100% real in terms of the plot (laughs). I'm not the type to scream at the scene, so I always watch from a distance and think, "Ah~ everyone seems to be having fun" (laughs).

Q: Can we say that this is the characteristic of dubbing scenes where there are many women?

Fuchigami: People give each other small gifts, and they often contain great things. Since there are twelve zodiac signs, I, the sheep, will get "yokan" and the like. I am always very touched!

Q: It's very exquisite (laughs). Speaking of which, the ending song "blue moment" was sung by Xiao Miao and the twelve members. So what type of song is this?

Fuchigami: I think people might think this is a noisy, very passionate song. However, it is actually a very quiet song. It gives people a warm feeling inside. Although the plot is a comedy theme and the atmosphere is warm, you can also feel the seriousness of the characters and the growth of Xiao Miao through the ending song.

Q: Does the story contain any content that reflects Xiaome’s mood changes?

Fuchigami: Me-chan… Actually, her impression changed completely from the middle of the story. She was a gentle and lovely girl at the beginning… Anyway, I didn’t expect her to be like that at the beginning (laughs). I think it was not reflected in her character design (laughs).

Q: (Laughs). Then, please say a few words to the audience who are looking forward to the TV broadcast!

Fuchigami: The first episode was very lively overall, and you might be thinking, "What the hell is this!" (laughs) But from the second episode on, it gradually shifted to everyone's relationships and mood changes. Just watching the work makes people feel happy, and there is a very relaxed atmosphere! There are many characters in each episode, so if you find your favorite character and watch it as the center, it will be very interesting.

Q: Then please talk about your other works. You have appeared in many works before this, so which work can be regarded as a turning point for Ms. Fuchigami?

Fuchigami: This is definitely Girls und Panzer! At first, I had never played a "cute and simple girl" like Nishizumi Miho, so I wondered if my voice would be able to continue to fit this role.

Q: So how did you feel after the actual performance?

Fuchigami: Miho thought that she would never be able to achieve Tank Lane... but after seeing her companions' performance, she finally grew up. I was also very uneasy at the beginning, but I grew up naturally because of the gentle care of my seniors. It's great to be able to play a character in my true colors now, in this sense, and meet this work.

Q: Since the show was aired, the reviews have skyrocketed. Did you feel this phenomenon firsthand when you were performing?

Fuchigami: Yes, it's a strange feeling. I think life is always full of uncertainties (laughs).

Q: Do you enjoy the feeling of things slowly becoming more lively?

Fuchigami: I wasn't interested in the tank at first. When I auditioned, the screen was just a rough sketch without color, so I just watched the live broadcast with the mentality of a spectator. But I found that the tank was very cool. It is still very happy to be able to enjoy the work with the same mood as everyone else.

Q: You have a lot of singing work recently. For example, the first concert of Trident (Mai Fuchigami, Aimi Numakura, Hibiki Yamamura), the group born from "Blue Steel Battleship", will be held on March 22. What can we expect?

Fuchigami: This is my first time to hold an exclusive live as a member of a production team, so I am looking forward to it. The responsibility is also heavier than before, so I absolutely have to make everyone happy. The preparations are very intense, and there are many things I have to remember, but it is very challenging.

Q: Also, the songs included in the mini album "Blue Snow" will be announced at the concert? Can we look forward to it?

Fuchigami: Yes. The songs announced for the first time will also be accompanied by dances, so please look forward to it. Of course, the songs that we have sung before, such as "ブルー・フィールド" and "Purest Blue", should still be able to bring you new feelings if they are performed at the concert.

Q: Finally, please tell us what direction you would like to work towards as a voice actor!

Fuchigami: As a voice actor, I have received many jobs, but I like to voice anime characters the most. So I hope I can meet more characters in the future. Recently, I played the boy Nagisa in "Assassination Classroom". I want to try a bad role next (laughs). I hope I can become an actor who can perfectly perform any role.

Q: Thank you for accepting our interview today!