An Interview with TOUGEN ANKI voice actor Kazuki Ura

Written by Ross Locksley on 13 Aug 2024

We're delighted to be able to speak with voice actor Kazuki Ura, known for voicing Kyōsuke Aiba in Futsal Boys!!!!!, Shōta Doi in World's End Harem, Yoichi Isagi in Blue Lock, Cobalt in Technoroid, and Byaku in My Daughter Left the Nest and Returned an S-Rank Adventurer.

Set to play the lead character Shiki Ichinose in the upcoming TOUGEN ANKI anime adaptation, we wanted to know about the project and Kazuki Ura's preparations for the starring role.

Did you know anything about TOUGEN ANKI before being cast?

I read TOUGEN ANKI for the first time when I was auditioning. The concept of TOUGEN ANKI comes from the old Japanese story Momotaro, which is the story that all Japanese know, and my mother is from Okayama, the birthplace of Momotaro, so in that sense, I really feel familiar and a sense of closeness with this work.

TOUGEN ANKI is an action-heavy series, does this sort of project require any special preparation? I imagine there will be a lot of shouting!

It is not a special preparation, but I try to wake up early in the morning. If I wake up and immediately start speaking loudly, my throat gets crushed. I don't want to put the brakes on Shiki, who has a wild character, so I don't want myself to feel like I should stop at this level. I try to make sure I am in perfect condition by sleeping well the day before, eating a hearty breakfast in the morning to build up my energy and get ready for work, and keeping my throat moist to prevent it from drying out.

Did you all record together or were you recording lines separately? 

I have already recorded the first episode with all other actors. There were two parts, A part and B part, and I was in both parts, so we had a good time recording in a friendly atmosphere, but since I was by far the junior member, everyone was there to help me and I enjoyed the recording session. 

You’re cast as Shiki Ichinose, the main character of the series. Does it add extra pressure knowing that you’re the hero and have to win over the audience and be the character the rest of the cast revolve around?

Of course, I feel pressure. It's full of pressure. My seniors, Koutaro Nishiyama plays Jin Kougasaki and Hiroshi Kamiya plays Naito Mudano, so I don't want them to think that I am just that good.. However, that does not mean that I want to stand out myself. I act for the sake of the work, so I always think about what I can do now to make the work better and challenge the recording. I don't know when I will be released from the pressure, but I think that is proof that I am taking the work seriously, so I will continue to work hard while feeling pressure.

Have you met the rest of the cast and had time to get to know each other before recording?

I had worked with Kamiya-san in the other work, but our interactions in recording  were limited to key moments, so I was happy to be in the same booth with him this time. Since this was my first time playing with other actors, I thought of my performance as a business card to let them get to know me. They were all very kind, so I had a lot of fun with them.

What would you like to say to the foreign fans eagerly awaiting this anime and experiencing your performance?

The work “TOUGEN ANKI” is based on the famous Japanese story “Momotaro'' and is full of Japaneseness (sic), so even if you have never been to Japan, you will be filled with various imaginations and for those familiar with Japan, it can evoke the memories of their own Japan through the work. I would be more than happy if you could love Japan through “TOUGEN ANKI” so please support the anime and the original manga!

We'd like to thank Kazuki Ura for generously sharing his time with us, and wish both himself and his co-stars the best of luck with the upcoming anime! Check out the TOUGEN ANKI website for all the information and to keep track of the project.

TOUGEN ANKI is slated for a 2025 release.
© Yura Urushibara (AKITASHOTEN) /TOUGEN ANKI PROJECT