Rumic Voice Actors Representative, Kappei Yamaguchi-san!
Celebration Special Interview
Yamaguchi-san, who is also a close friend of Rumiko Takahashi-sensei, gives his blessing!

Translation by: Harley Acres
Thanks to Shrine-Maiden.net for scans of this interview.

KAPPEI YAMAGUCHI PROFILE

Born in Fukuoka, Japan on May 23rd. His main roles include: Detective Conan Shinichi Kudo/Kaito Kid, One Piece Usopp, Kamiwaza Wanda Wanda, Nobunaga no Shinobi Hideyoshi Kinoshita, Kiki's Delivery Service Tombo, The Boy and the Beast Jiromaru, and others.

The first time I met Takahashi-sensei was at the launch of Ranma!

When did you first meet Rumiko Takahashi-sensei?

Yamaguchi: The first time we met was at the reception after the final episode of the Ranma 1/2 anime. I remember I was very happy to hear her say, "Thank you for your Ranma." It meant a lot to me when she said, "I thought Ranma was talking when I heard him fighting with (his father) Genma." Ranma had a lot of signature lines, but it was more the casual, everyday conversation that seemed like Ranma to Rumiko-sensei.

The role of Ranma Saotome in Ranma 1/2 was your first starring role, wasn't it?

Yamaguchi: It was the first work I auditioned for and worked on regularly in terms of an anime program. I was in a situation where I didn't know what was right and what was left, but I just immersed myself in the role of "Ranma Saotome" and tried my best to play the role. I've loved and read Urusei Yatsura since I was a child, but I never thought I'd be able to appear in one of Rumiko-sensei's works. In that sense, appearing in Ranma 1/2 was... I felt like the world I had lived in had changed. I had just made my debut and hadn't really formed my identity as a voice actor, so I felt that Ranma's acting style was completely different between the first episode and the final episode. I think I was able to directly reflect what I had learned as a voice actor in Ranma.

After ten years, he goes back to his roots with Rumic's Inuyasha!

And you also played the main character, Inuyasha, in Inuyasha!

Yamaguchi: When the serialization of Inuyasha started in Shonen Sunday, I immediately thought "I'd like to play this role if it's made into an anime!" I had an audition for this one as well, but I later heard from the staff that Rumiko-sensei said that she wanted the voice of Inuyasha to be played by the same person who played Ranma, which made me very happy. ^[1] I was able to go back to my roots and confirm my standing as a voice actor with that work.

Did you have any challenges while acting?

Yamaguchi: Rather than a challenges, I rather enjoyed the action scenes. I was confident that I had acquired, spontaneous power through my work as a voice actor, so I thought, "I can perform any action scene, no matter how intense!" I also tried many other small things, such as dropping the tone of my voice for a moment when Inuyasha turns back into a half-demon to express the demonic blood inside him. I think even looking back on it now, I still feel that I was very creative in my performance.

So, what is the appeal of Inuyasha as a work?

Yamaguchi: While Ranma 1/2 was fun in that it featured a series of interesting and strange characters, I think Inuyasha had a more intriguing storyline. It had very strong romantic elements, such as the love triangle between Inuyasha, Kagome Higurashi, and Kikyo. I have the impression that there were a lot of female fans too. Another reason for the popularity among women may be the presence of Sesshomaru, a beautiful, cold, gag-free character, which is rare in Rumiko-sensei's works.

I'll do my best to play a wild old man.

And now in Kyokai no RINNE, you are appearing as Sabato Rokudo, the main character's father!

Yamaguchi: I don't think I could be happier as a voice actor to have made my full-fledged debut with Rumiko-sensei's work, and to be able to grow old through the works of a single author. I am very blessed as a voice actor to be able to get my start in Ranma 1/2, spend an emotional period in Inuyasha, and now play the role of a father in Kyokai no RINNE. If there is another work beyond RINNE, I would definitely like to do my best to participate in the role of "a wild old man" like Cherry in Urusei Yatsura or Happosai in Ranma 1/2 (laughs).

From your perspective, Yamaguchi-san, what is your impression of Rumiko Takahashi-sensei?

Yamaguchi: She's an old-fashioned manga artist and a genuine "manga artisan". When you meet Rumiko-sensei, you'll find her to be a gentle person who is very unassuming, yet with such a personality, how is it that she can create one bizarre character after another, and such rich stories? I think the gap between her personality and her creativity is really wonderful. I'd like to look inside Rumiko-sensei's head someday (laughs). She's a fun person to have dinner with, but because she draws shonen manga, she also has a "mannish" side to her that is surprisingly bossy (laughs).

I'm thrilled to be able to celebrate the 200 millionth book milestone with you.

Have you ever had the pleasure of working with Takahashi-sensei on other projects?

Yamaguchi: In the OVAs of Urusei Yatsura, Ranma 1/2, and Inuyasha produced during the "Rumiko Takahashi Exhibition", Ranma and Inuyasha have conversations, and I appeared as Kosuke Shirai in Urusei Yatsura. ^[2] That's right. So, I have actually appeared in four of Takahashi-sensei's works (laughs).

Lastly, please give us a message of congratulations on reaching 200 million copies.

Yamaguchi: It is truly amazing, isn't it? I think the "200 million copies sold worldwide" is the result of her sincere devotion to manga from her debut until today. When I asked her what her hobbies were, she replied, "Drawing manga." I love Rumiko-sensei, she's so single-minded about her manga, and I'm happy to be able to celebrate the 200 million volume milestone with her by being involved in her work. I can no longer sleep with my feet turned toward Rumiko-sensei. ^[3] I can't wait to have dinner with you again and chat about all sorts of things. Oh! I'm also a Hanshin fan, though I'm not expert, but I'm sure Rumiko-sensei would be happy to see the Hanshin Tigers win (laughs).

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Footnotes

• [1] Takahashi mentions in an interview that she could not have imagined anyone else playing Inuyasha other than Kappei Yamaguchi.
• [2] He is referring to the three special OVAs that were commissioned to celebrate Rumiko Takahashi's 30th anniversary as a mangaka. Kappei Yamaguchi appeared in each of the OVAs. He played Kosuke Shirai in The Obstacle Course Swim Meet, Ranma Saotome in Nightmare! Incense of Spring Sleep and Inuyasha in Black Tessaiga. Though he says he has appeared in four series (Kyokai no RINNE being the forth) he also appeared in Rumiko Takahashi Anthology as Betto in "The Merchant of Romance". Yamaguchi also later appeared in the 2022 adaptation of Urusei Yatsura as well, playing a number of minor characters.
• [3] "I can no longer sleep with my feet turned toward Rumiko-sensei." - This is a Japanese idiom, "ashi o mukete nemuremasen" (足を向けて眠れません). It means that an indebted person can never treat someone they feel indebted to highly enough.

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