An Interview with TOUGEN ANKI voice actor Koutaro Nishiyama

Written by Ross Locksley on 21 Aug 2024

Voice actor Koutaro Nishiyama is a rising star, having won the 2018 Best New Actor Award at the 12th Seiyu Awards ceremony. Best known for his roles such as Kentaro Momose in My New Boss Is Goofy, Kiritaka Muse in Re: Starting Life in Another World, and Minami Natsume in IDOLiSH7.

In a dramatic switch from lighter roles, Koutaro Nishiyama will be playing a character named Jin who fights with chainsaw hands! We were delighted to be given some time to ask him about this new style of role for him in TOUGEN ANKI.

Did you know anything about TOUGEN ANKI before being cast?

I first read TOUGEN ANKI after receiving the discussion about the audition. At that time, it was explained to me that it revolves around Japan's Momotarō as its stage and theme. What intrigued me was the unique perspective it offers: while we're accustomed to Momotarō being the protagonist, in this comic, the focus is on the onis. I found it fascinating how it approaches the story from this different angle.

How does it feel to play such an enigmatic and moody character fighter with chainsaw hands? It seems like quite the exciting change or roles for you! 

When I heard that I had been chosen, I was very surprised because I had never been chosen for a character like Jin before in my career, and I had almost never auditioned for a character like Jin. However, it was very stimulating for me and I was really looking forward to it.

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!

In terms of the human aspect, it's important to warm up properly before diving into voice acting. If you don't, there's a risk of straining your voice, especially if you have to do a lot of yelling right from the morning. So, I make sure to warm up my body before heading into dubbing. I might drink something warm or do some stretching beforehand. And after finishing, it's crucial to take care of my voice by getting a massage or gently massaging my throat. As for Jin, I think it's better not to force his voice into a particular character mold. For example, for characters like those with a two-dimensional, chibi-like design, who are portrayed as heroes for kindergarten kids, with a cute vibe, I think there's a need to approach it in a cute manner that resonates with those children. Regarding Jin, rather than using techniques to express Jin's emotions solely through the variation of pitch in my voice, I feel it's more about letting Jin's feelings flow directly through this throat, unchanged, as if the words are simply passing through this throat. It's really abstract and I apologize for that, but rather than relying on techniques, I aim to convey emotions by allowing my feelings to pass through my throat and vocal cords during recording. It becomes quite challenging.

Using Mr. Nishiyama's body as if it's borrowed, or rather, using Mr. Nishiyama's body to produce Jin’s voice...

So, I hope that feelings take precedence.

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

We had a video recording today. It was great to learn about their feelings toward the characters and what kind of image they have of the work. We don't often have a chance to talk at the workplace, and it is often just casual chit-chat, so I think it was good that we were able to share a common understanding of what the work is about.

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

I think there are Japanese people who stop thinking about Momotaro and Oni when they see that Momotaro is righteous.

Reading this work, I was inspired to think deeply that there is justice on Oni's side as well. I hope that through this work, people will be able to feel that there are things that various people want to protect. Jin Kougasaki, who will be voiced by me, will also be asking the audience how they can come to terms with their fixed and unforgivable pasts. I would be very happy if you could see how he will change, whether his revenge will come true or not, and how he will grow as he meets Shiki and shows various aspects of himself.

We'd like to thank Koutaro Nishiyama 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