Main Cast Interview - Kappei Yamaguchi (Ranma Saotome) x Noriko Hidaka (Akane Tendo)

Translation by: Harley Acres

The long-awaited re-animation has finally come!

The TV anime Ranma 1/2 is coming back after 30 years. How did you feel when you first heard about the project?

Yamaguchi: I thought, "It's finally here!" Since Urusei Yatsura was remade, I was hoping that Ranma 1/2 would also be made into an anime again someday. ^[1]

Hidaka: I co-starred with Kappei (Yamaguchi) in Inuyasha, also written by Rumiko Takahashi-sensei, and on set we often talked about how we'd like to do Ranma 1/2 again.

Yamaguchi: The last time it was made into an anime, it didn't make it to the end of the original manga. So, I'd hoped that if there was another adaptation, I'd like it to make it to the end. ^[2]

Hidaka: However, to be honest, I never thought I'd be able to play Akane again.

Yamaguchi: Me too. I thought that another actor would play Ranma, and I was frustrated, so I even jokingly told the staff, "If it's not me, then I'll either die or let them kill me before making it into the anime!" (laughs).

Hidaka: That's too extreme (laughs). I'd have wanted them to wait about five more years to remake it into an anime. Then, even if they told me they were going to completely change the cast, I would probably just give up and say, "I can't do that anymore."

Yamaguchi: No, I don't think I'd be able to give up until the day I die (laughs). Around the same time that the talk of the anime adaptation started to trickle out, we were contacted and asked if we would do a voice test with the previous cast.

Hidaka: That's right. But I was still skeptical. I was happy that they were doing the test, but I thought they probably wanted to replace the cast with a new one (laughs).

Yamaguchi: (laughs) At that time, everyone was really negative. That's why I was so happy when it was decided. Just like this cover drawn for DaVinci, every time I see a new picture like this, it makes me feel happy, thinking "It's really happening, this new series" and "I can be a part of it."

Hidaka: This cover is also really cute. It's rare to see Ranma and Akane like this.

Yamaguchi: Yes. For fans who know their relationship well, I think it's a very happy and precious image.

After performing the role this time, I definitely thought that Ranma fell in love with Akane first. -Yamaguchi

How was it dubbing the TV anime after such a long time?

Hidaka: Akane-chan has always been in my mind for these past 32 years. So I was happy to meet her again, and I took on the role with the feeling of "I'll do my best, so please support me until the end," but I was very worried about whether I could act the same way as before. That's because it was about five years since my debut at the time of the original, and my voice was thin. So I thought I wouldn't be able to act exactly the same as I had back then.

Yamaguchi: Everyone is always chasing after their former selves. For me, the show was like my debut work, so I have a strong attachment to it and I found myself thinking, "What was I like before?"

For these 32 years, Akane-chan has always been in my heart. -Hidaka

Hidaka: At that time, everyone was young, and the sound director, Shigeharu Shiba, gave each of us detailed acting instruction like a school teacher. It was a production that we all created together, so I thought it would never be the same as it was back then. ^[3]

Yamaguchi: Also, our skills have improved, and we have more time to listen to the acting of those around us than we used to, right? I think that was a big factor. I felt that it'd be a waste to ignore Non-san (Hidaka) and Megumi Hayashibara's amazing acting and chase after my past self. That's why I quickly stopped pursuing my past performance.

Hidaka: I have a goal that I set for myself. In the past, I would act with the momentum of youth, but this time I want to read more into Rumiko-sensei's original work, and I want to capture all the fun of the original manga, Akane's cuteness, and sadness, and express them in my voice... But having said that, the first episode brought back memories of the past.

Yamaguchi: I also felt that the nostalgia of the first episode was something that Director (Konosuke) Uda was aiming for. ^[4] The way the story unfolded, the way the commercials came in, and the way it ended were all very similar to the first episode 35 years ago. So I think it was inevitable that people would be conscious of the past.

Ranma's unexpected emotional outburst comes from his jealousy towards Tofu-sensei.

Do you feel there are any changes from the previous Ranma 1/2 series, not just from a technical standpoint, but also emotionally?

Hidaka: I feel a big difference in the fight scenes between Ranma and Akane. In the past, it was just a case of verbal abuse, and I always acted as if I was fighting seriously. But now, as they get closer to one another, I'm more aware of distance between them, like "Maybe they're just messing around with one another."

Yamaguchi: In the past, we didn't have the skills to convey that sort of nuance.

Hidaka: Right. But this time, it's like a sitcom in a way, and even though they're fighting, I think we've managed to create an atmosphere that makes the audience feel warm inside.

Yamaguchi: The difference I felt from the last time was regarding Ranma's feelings towards Akane. I was talking to Hayashibara about this, but after performing the role this time, I definitely felt that Ranma fell in love with Akane first.

Hidaka: Huh. From the beginning?

Yamaguchi: Right. So I was conscious of that when I acted. Even in the original story, at the end of the first chapter, when Akane glares at Ranma, he doesn't glare back, but has an expression like "Sorry..." So by the time they go to school together for the first time, I think he's already started to think of Akane as a "cute girl."

Hidaka: I see, I see. But the decisive scene in which Akane and Ranma became closer was definitely the conversation in the dojo in episode three of the anime.

Yamaguchi: That's right. The line "But you're cute when you smile." When people say how they feel, it can make those feelings grow bigger and bigger inside them. That's probably why Ranma later said to Akane, after her hair was cut short, "It suits you." And then, when Akane said, "I'm happy even if it's a lie," he felt once again how cute she really was. At that moment, Ranma was completely aware that he had fallen in love with her. On the other hand, at what point did Akane start to notice Ranma?

Hidaka: Akane is a really obtuse girl. Everyone can tell that she's interested in Ranma, but she's completely unaware of it (laugh). That's what makes her so cute. However, I think it was the arrival of Shampoo that made her realize her feelings. For some reason, I found myself getting annoyed at the way Shampoo looked at Ranma lovingly and chased him around. I think that's when she finally became aware of her feelings.

Yamaguchi: Even before that, Ranma had made her heart flutter many times, but she still didn't notice (laughs).

Hidaka: But it's also Ranma's fault that he's making her feel that way. Even during the "you're cute when you smile" scene, that night Akane was smiling in front of the mirror, but Ranma saw her and what he said was... "Are you serious?"

Yamaguchi: "Why are you grinning to yourself? That's creepy." It's just the worst (laughs).

Hidaka: Ranma called her "cute" and she was happy, and those words remained in her mind even that night. And yet, he saw her in a state she didn't want anyone to see, and on top of that, he called her "creepy." That scene was embarrassing for me, and I thought to myself, "That's right, she must be so mad that she kicked Ranma" (laughs).

Yamaguchi: No, she didn't kick him. She punched him so hard his neck was bent (laughs).

Hidaka: Over the past 30 years as a voice actor, I've played many different boy roles and I've gained a lot of training in the process, so I think Akane's lines have more power now than they did before (laughs).

Yamaguchi: (laughs) But if you think about it, "You're cute when you smile" and "It suits you" are conversations that took place after meeting Tofu-sensei. In other words, it's possible that Ranma, realizing that Akane has feelings for Tofu-sensei, got a little jealous and said those things due to that.

Hidaka: I see. When I think about it like that, it makes me feel a little sad.

Yamaguchi: Yes, there are quite a lot of sad stories in the beginning of Ranma 1/2.

Hidaka: The story develops in a sudden way, with Akane giving up on her feelings for Tofu-sensei, causing her to suffer through a heartbreak.

Yamaguchi: But from that sad episode, it suddenly turns into a slapstick romantic comedy. That's the amazing thing about Rumiko-sensei.

Everyone is honest and true to themselves, even if they express their love in different ways.

Another episode that developed the romance between Ranma and Akane includes the famous scene in which Ranma shouts, "Akane is my fiancée!"

Yamaguchi: That scene also had a slightly different feeling to it 35 years ago. In the past, I was trying to make it a good scene. But the important thing is that Ranma is genuinely angry. And the reason he's angry is because Mikado Sanzenin (one of the Golden Pair of combat skaters) tried to put his hands on Akane. I was conscious of that flow of feelings.

Hidaka: Wow, I was startled this time too! I'm sure Akane was surprised, but when someone says something like that, it's bound to have an effect.

Yamaguchi: Come to think of it, Hayashibara always says to me, "[Male] Ranma has so many cool lines." She seems jealous because Ranma, as a girl, doesn't have many iconic lines.

Hidaka: I see. But I think there are more heartwarming scenes with [female] Ranma. Like when Akane carries an injured Ranma on her back. I think Akane is a little kinder when Ranma turns into a girl.

Yamaguchi: That may be true. I love the conversation between Tofu-sensei and Ranma. When Tofu-sensei talks about Akane, saying that she's a really kind and good girl, Ranma responds, "nope, I don't see it yet."

Hidaka: It's a beautiful scene.

Yamaguchi: Yeah. So, in the end, Hayashibara and I are just jealous of each other's good scenes, we're just being greedy (laughs).

Additionally, there are rivals who come between the two of them, such as Ryoga Hibiki and Tatewaki Kuno.

Yamaguchi: Ryoga is interesting, isn't he? Ah, sorry. I just said "Ryoga is interesting" from the perspective of Ranma (laughs). He's a surprisingly sad character.

Hidaka: That's right. He's devoted to Akane and always tries his best, but she never pays him any attention.

Yamaguchi: This is a side note, but during the voice test, (Koichi) Yamadera-san was the most timid. He was like, "I wonder if I can do Ryoga the way I am now." Also, Yamadera-san is a kind person, so during the voice test, he asked the staff behind the scenes, "I might not be able to do it, but everyone else will be okay, so please don't change it because of me."

Hidaka: That's so sad! He's so kind!

Yamaguchi: I think that kindness is also reflected in the way he plays Ryoga.

Hidaka: Yes. But it's the same with the other characters too. They all have something in common with their role and the person who plays them.

Yamaguchi: Oh. So Hayashibara and I are pretty villainous (laughs).

Hidaka: I didn't say that! Let's change the subject (laughs). The love lives of the others are also fun, with many different types characters, from those who express their feelings directly to those who are a little sneaky. Moreover, everyone is honest about their feelings and true to themselves.

Yamaguchi: Kuno-senpai isn't very straightforward though. He chases after Akane and Ranma (laughs).

Hidaka: I just can't help but wonder why he doesn't realize that [female] Ranma and [male] Ranma Saotome are one and the same (laughs).

Yamaguchi: Maybe he's blinded by love.

Hidaka: I suppose. That's also something that only happens during adolescence. As we act, we get to experience our youth again. It's really fun to bring out the emotions that we had long ago tucked away in the back of the closet, like the excitement and thrills of that time (laughs), and then record them into the voices.

Yamaguchi: Ranma is walking on top of the fence, and Akane is below him talking to him as they head to school... Just seeing a scene like that makes you feel affection for the two of them, and it really gets to you.

Hidaka: Also, I'm happy just to be able to be involved in Rumiko-sensei's work again, which is so dear to me, but to be able to act with my old friends again like this, it gets my heart pounding. I couldn't be happier.

Yamaguchi: It really is the reward of life.

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Footnotes

• [1] Though he was not in the original 1980s Urusei Yatsura anime, Kappei Yamaguchi, who has appeared in essentially every Rumiko Takahashi anime adaptation since 1989 did appear in minor roles in the 2022 remake.
• [2] The original Ranma 1/2 anime ran from 1989 until 1996 with the final OVA of the original series getting released just a few months prior to the manga ending. Twelve years later a single, one-off OVA was made that adapted a random story to celebrate Rumiko Takahashi's 30th anniversary as a mangaka. All told the original series of Ranma 1/2 adapted roughly two-thirds of the manga.
• [3] Shigeharu Shiba (斯波重治) was the sound director on Urusei Yatsura, Maison Ikkoku and Ranma 1/2 in addition to My Neighbor Totoro (となりのトトロ/Tonari no Totoro), Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (風の谷のナウシカ/Kaze no tani no Naushika), and Patlabor: The Movie (機動警察パトレイバー the Movie/Kido Keisatsu Patoreibaa the Movie). We have a number of interview with Shigeharu Shiba on the site including, "The Blitz Broadcast is about to Begin!", "Main Staff and Cast Message", "Maison Ikkoku Music Box Interviews", and "Urusei Yatsura Music Box Interviews". Megumi Hayashibara spoke about working with him in her interview in the same issue of DaVinci as well, and Saeko Shimazu, the voice of Kodachi in the 1989 anime spoke of him as well.
• [4] Konosuke Uda (宇田鋼之介) is the director of the 2024 adaptation of Ranma 1/2. You can read an interview with him here.

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