As the voice of the titular Kaguya Shinomiya, Aoi Koga embodies in her voice Features. From the childlike excitement of waiting for a text to the devastating demeanor of encountering a romantic challenger, dubbing Kaguya requires vocal resiliency. ANN spoke with Koga about the multifaceted nature of her character and Kaguya’s relationship with her great friend Hayasaka.
Kaguya has many different sides, which part of her character is most empathetic to you?
Aoi Koga: It might be a little different from my relationship with her, but…I really sympathize with her cute and pure On the one hand, she just wants to be a normal girl. At first, she was unable to express her true feelings in her heart, but through meeting with members of the student council, she began to open up and become more expressive.
In season 3, we saw Kaguya’s feminine side, which I thought was cute. It made me think maybe I could be friends with this Kaguya. (laughs)
Kaguya’s different sides also have different voices, is there anything that is particularly difficult to master?
The hardest part was the first episode of season one, which had a lot of inner monologues .
I’ve never played a character who has so many inner monologues and has to differentiate between her thoughts and her outer demeanor. So I think dubbing Kaguya is a valuable training experience as a voice actor. Also, there are many versions of Kaguya in Kaguya, and it can be difficult to make sure each side is properly represented, so I make sure to keep that in mind when performing.
During the past three seasons, which moment made you laugh the most? When was the most touching moment?
Laugh out loud. In Japan, everyone is in the studio and we rehearse before we actually start recording. During these rehearsals, we hear what each of us thinks about the scene. Since that was the first time we heard an explanation from our cast – like “oh, that’s how you approach it” – I couldn’t help but let out a chuckle during the comedy scene. On top of that, everyone tends to improvise, so I can’t let my guard down because every moment is fun. What stood out to me was Mr. Aoyama as the narrator. He gave me a new perspective on how to handle scenarios like “I guess you can play so much in narration”.
Normally, the narration does not affect the story, but in
Kaguya-sama The narration often kicks off. I think because Mr. Aoyama’s narration sets the tone for the world, our actors can give their all during the recording and the audience can immerse themselves in the story.
Funny how Mr. Aoyama chipped in with the improv wherever we were on set. Most importantly, I thought his approach was cool, so I was impressed. As a result, everyone else started improvising, and for that, I benefited greatly from Mr. Aoyama’s narration. He inspired me to be a voice actor like him.
While it’s hard to pinpoint a moving moment, I have to say it was the first time I saw this show on TV. The animation was incomplete when recorded and did not include elements such as background music or special effects. Seeing the finished work, I learned for the first time that “this part is like this” and “this is how they fit into the music”, and I was very moved. Like “Ah! It all fits together perfectly.” You can’t imagine how to edit everything while recording, so every time I watch the finished product, I always find something new.
Kaguya and Hayasaka have a unique friendship. Can you share how you feel about their relationship with each other?
I think Hayasaka is not only the closest person to Kaguya, but also a bit like a big sister she. Hayasaka’s presence played a huge role in Kaguya’s relationship with the rest of the student council. As someone who has to constantly suppress what she wants to do, I feel that having someone around her who can talk about her true feelings is Kaguya’s lifeline. I kind of burst into tears when I talked about this. (laughs) Hayasaka is such an important presence, and…when I talk about Hayasaka, I always is very excited. (Ms. Koga’s eyes start to water and she smiles) 
400ⒸAkasakaAkasaka/SHUEISHA,PROJECT KAGUYA 400 Their relationship is so close that it is something that Kaguya ignores and takes for granted, who sometimes completely ignores Hayasaka’s feelings. For example, in the rap scene in Season 3, Episode 5, Hayasaka revealed her true feelings to Kaguya, who also became aware of Hayasaka’s experience. I found it to be such a real, real moment.
Sometimes you don’t appreciate the most important people in your life until they leave. There are some things you will never understand until you realize it. I think it’s a blessing to have someone who makes you aware of these things, so I find their relationship very special.
In the season finale, Kaguya and Miyuki finally go on a date together at the school festival . Do you remember the cultural festival when you were in school? What kind of performances/activities did your class create?
I was in a music club so I spent a lot of time in the club room and Let’s practice songs together. I have so much fun performing on stage in the auditorium or on campus! People in my class would come to see us perform, so I have very fond memories of a fulfilling high school experience. I can’t go to the activities my class has planned for the festival, but I’ll be walking around during breaks. One year my class was doing a haunted house and it looked so fun that I really wanted to participate. (laughs) They darkened the classroom with black garbage bags and it looked funny. In addition to this, we have also opened a store that sells baked goods or fried noodles.
Did you leave a message for overseas fans watching Anime News Network?
Hello everyone! I am Aoi Koga, Japanese voice of Kaguya Shinomiya. I don’t often have the opportunity to communicate with people overseas, so it’s a pleasure to communicate with you. In Japan, I got messages from people overseas who liked them
Kaguya-sama and I was lucky enough to experience all Human love is performed all over the world. As much as you love us, everyone on the production side loves you so much. If you continue to support Kaguya-sama , I will be very happy.
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