Tokyo Color Sonic!! the Stage | Interview Shoya Chiba (voice actor) and Kishimoto Yuta (stage actor)

[odorekijin]

Interview with Shoya Chiba (voice actor) and Kishimoto Yuta (stage actor), both playing as Komiyama Arashi, by Animate.

Published on January 19th, 2023. (original article)

 

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――I believe this is the first time you both ever met in person: what is your first impression of each other?

Chiba：My immediate thought was that he looked massive with his tall and slender body. I’m always super nervous whenever I have to talk to actors in person.

Kishimoto：This is my very first time speaking to a voice actor, actually.

Chiba：Oh, also, I had imagined that we would be close in age, but meeting him in person? His actual aura is completely different.

Kishimoto：I’m sure it’s not that wild of a difference!

Chiba：By the way, did you familiarise yourself with Tokyo Color Sonic's story through the play’s script first, or did you listen to the drama tracks and songs beforehand?

Kishimoto：I got to know about the whole universe through the character visuals and the CDs first. In fact, I got around the script much, much later.

Chiba：Does that mean your own interpretation of Arashi will be heavily influenced by my own performance?

Kishimoto：Essentially, yes, it’s like building my role based on your image of Arashi. Actually, I was listening to Arashi’s song, "NEW DEVIATION”, on my way here.

Chiba：No way! Well, thanks, I’m honored (laughs).

――What image do you have of Arashi?

Chiba：There’s these aspects of Arashi that I consistently try to depict ever since I first recorded for the role: his intense desire to sing, his complicated family environment, his relationship with his father and siblings... as well as his unexpected care for others and low self-esteem, it's all an antithesis to his brusque way with words. All in all, I find that he’s a very humane character.

Kishimoto：I first thought that Arashi’s coolness was something other guys could admire, but I was immediately charmed by his will to chase after his dream through thick and thin—I first prepared for the role on that very basis. I, too, love music and I got into this industry only because I auditioned in dancing & singing to begin with, so I feel close to Arashi in some way or another.

The moment I listened to Chiba-san's performance in the original CDs, Arashi instantly felt real and three-dimensional, like he could be before me, in the flesh… That got me awfully excited, and I was filled with joy that I had been chosen to play this role on stage.

Chiba：I'm not consciously trying to act smooth or sound suave and imposing, but instead I try to act cool overall, so I'm honoured that I can be a guy other men can admire too.

Kishimoto：Arashi’s the coolest guy out of them all, to me.

Chiba：The way he goes: “I’ll change the world with my music” with all his might, it's like he’s the real deal kind of guy.

Kishimoto：That’s something you can say only if you really mean it, he puts his money where his mouth is. He can say with pride that he’s got it in him to achieve his dream.

――What are your thoughts on Arashi's visuals, portrayed by Kishimoto-san?

Chiba：I got shaken to my core when I first saw the pictures! Arashi's hair color and street style is very delinquent-like to represent his wild past, but Kishimoto-san makes it look stylish, simple yet cool.

That’s the first time we can see Arashi in real life, and it's perfect down to every detail, especially his eyes… like there’s a gentleness deep inside his sharp gaze… I’ve been acting as Arashi for a while now, so I already know that side of him, but the expression you went for perfectly captured his kindness! I thought: “Wow, he’s super cool! Like, that’s totally Arashi right there, hands down!”

Kishimoto：I’m happy to hear that. Actually, I felt like I had truly become Arashi after that full-costume photoshoot.

Arashi’s not only about acting tough all the time, he’s a character with strength and passion burning in his heart. Through these pictures, I wanted to show his outlook on life, his behaviour and goodness. I think I’ll keep on trying things out as Arashi from the first curtain rise and even after the shows are over.

――Do you feel any sort of pressure to play Arashi in the same cool-gutsy way Chiba-san does?

Chiba：No way you’ve got that kind of stress going on, right!?

Kishimoto：Of course I do! I mentioned it earlier, but I really like Arashi’s "NEW DEVIATION", so much so that I even listen to it before going to work on other productions.

Even when I'm feeling anxious or gloomy, I find that the song picks me right back up, plus the final chorus really raises my spirits. That’s why I listened to it while going to the photoshoot, and kept it going during the session as well, so it’s like I was basking in the smoothness of your voice, Chiba-san.

Chiba：Oh, I’m touched! “NEW DEVIATION" is a straightforward song, so it’s truly all about what the listener feels about it. I am happy to hear that it could cheer you up!

――What’s something important that you need to be conscious of when playing Arashi, Chiba-san?

Chiba：I’d say… to stay true to myself? Arashi is someone who’s resolute and knows how to express his ideas, so I try to bring out his own decisiveness. He takes pride in doing as much as he can without exaggerating who he really is. By grasping that much of his character, I can then interact better with others.

However, the more I embody his role, the brighter I depict him, and each time I get reminded that he should sound a little more delinquent-like (laughs).

――With that in mind, in what way are you going to tackle Arashi’s role, Kishimoto-san?

Kishimoto：To me, Arashi’s love for music is his driving force. Since I also deeply love music, I think our approach to music is pretty similar: for example, I listen to music that fits the mood and the scene I work on. I believe this will be both a good basis and my own strength in handling Arashi’s role.

Chiba：Arashi’s a reformed delinquent who’s still real’ good at throwing punches. I, on the other hand, have never been into a fight before, let alone been a delinquent, so I had some trouble showing his strength. You seem like you’re the type to be often cast as the delinquent-type, so I’m curious as to how you handle such roles.

Kishimoto：I’m far from one myself, but I do like acting as the young punk of the bunch. Besides, I’m a big fan of Arashi’s passion and kindness, that sets him apart! (laughs)

――Both of you sang the theme song "Begin on buddy," common to both the original material and stage adaptation. What was something you always kept in mind during the recording session?

Chiba：Not only is Arashi set as an extremely good singer, but he himself said that he would change the world with his music so that’s a lot of pressure on our shoulders (laughs).

To me, the most important aspect to keep in mind is Arashi’s motive to sing, as well as the happiness from the compliments he may have received from it, making sure that he’s humble and not weirdly pretentious. I sang in a way that expressed what I believe is Arashi's style.

Kishimoto：I really, really love this song as well, but I honestly never thought I’d be able to sing it! I thought about it long and hard the day before the recording session, but there was no point in getting super worked up and overambitious, and just singing it all smooth and cool wouldn’t really fit him, so… But even for a hip-hop fan like me, actually singing the song was harder than I thought, especially the rap part.

Chiba：Oh yeah, that rap also gave me some trouble back then.

Kishimoto：I was really worried about singing both with the katakana pronunciation and with an English accent. We were, however, always getting comments from the staff during the recording, so I’m glad we were able to produce something nice in the end.

――What do you think you need to include in your performance, after listening to the original cast's songs?

Kishimoto：Even if I wanted to copy the way they interpret the characters, I just couldn’t. Not only are all of the voice actors’ cast for Color Sonic great singers, but each word picked for the lyrics felt professionally crafted... So I switched gears and sang with my own interpretation of Arashi in mind, while respecting everyone else's work.

Actually, when they told us that we were going to sing the main title, I was so worried that we actors wouldn’t be able to interpret it properly that I contacted my fellow co-stars that I’m friends with. I was sending them messages like: “That part’s super hard” or "I'm practising in the studio right now, but I don't really know what I’m doing to be honest”...

Chiba：You went through that much issues!?

Kishimoto：Yes, and that’s when I felt the gap that separates us from you, voice actors. Actually sitting down and learning the song, I realised how far ahead voice actors are, and how amazing they are at their craft.

Chiba：No, no, we’re not as amazing as you make it sound, really. I got to listen to you guys’ version too, and it was really cool, you know! I could already picture all the characters on stage without even trying.

It was a fresh, new experience for us to listen to you, the stage actors, singing titles we have already recorded. It must have been harder for you to mimic my interpretation since I don't have that much of a distinctive voice or personality, right? (laughs)

Kishimoto：Not at all! I’m still struggling with how I should approach my singing since the way you interpret Arashi’s voice is already perfect. I’m taking on this challenge with the idea that if I can sing other songs for the stage, then I’ll be able to sing as Arashi just fine.

――That being said, how did you feel when you discovered that Color Sonic would be adapted on stage?

Chiba：I was so, so happy. Color Sonic is an incredibly down-to-earth series, with emotional clashes between the characters. I believe seeing that story delivered directly to the audience through the stage will be even more moving.

Also, having someone other than myself act as Arashi would create something new, help me discover things I had not realised before… I can’t wait to meet these new sides of Arashi.

――To follow Chiba-san's comments, how did you feel when you read the script for the first time?

Kishimoto：I immediately wanted to portray the changes in Arashi's heart in the most realistic way possible, like what he carries in his mind and how he deals with his buddy, Kirishima Sora.

Since I’ve already performed on stage with many actors in our current cast before, I’m excited to see how they’ll move and act through their characters. I also can’t wait to see how our dialogues and banters with the other cast members will go down.

Chiba： I’ve only seen this story through Arashi's eyes, so I don't think I got to grasp the whole picture of Arashi and Sora’s relationship. This will be my first time getting a larger outlook on their relationship; I’m really looking forward to how it will go on stage!

――Do you have any particular expectations for this stage adaptation, Chiba-san?

Chiba：You’re throwing the both of us under the bus there (laughs).

The way Arashi carries himself, how he doesn’t intrude on others' personal space, and how I’ll be able to discover new things I can’t achieve with my own voice yet is what I’m looking forward to the most. I wonder how I’ll feel when I’ll see Arashi for the first time, standing on stage.

I also want to see Arashi’s… expressions? I’m sure he’ll pull faces I didn’t realise he could, and that will definitely feel new to me. I also can’t wait to see that scene where Arashi’s being encouraged by Sora.

――The stage adaptation features all four buddy pairs, including Arashi and Sora, yet it seems that each of their episodes are well balanced throughout the script.

Kishimoto：At first, I thought the focus would be on someone else specifically, but each of the duos have their own, well-written episodes.

I’m sure the audience will enjoy the way the characters clash with one another, the different expressions and emotions they’ll show depending on who they’re dealing with, and it’ll be just as rewarding to perform as actors. Fans of our teachers, Tadokoro and Ashino, will also get their fair share of content!

――Do you have a good luck charm or routine you need to follow before tackling any kind of work?

Chiba：I generally adapt my clothing style to the role I have: even if I am not performing in front of a public or a camera, I wouldn’t be wearing high-brand clothes if I were playing, let’s say, a high-school student—that wouldn’t help me get in-character.

Similarly, if I play a serious character but I wear street style, that’d change the way I stand before the microphone, and then the audience would definitely sense that uneasiness...

Whenever I can, I try to add some soul to my performance in some way, and that starts with my clothes to get in the zone. Personally, I’m way more comfortable in black clothing, but I force myself to wear more white these days since I may look more austere and unfriendly than I intend. I’m wearing all-black today though (laughs).

Kishimoto：Does wearing white change the way you feel?

Chiba：No matter how gloomy a character may be, I honestly feel more at ease if I’m in a cheerful mood. Therefore, even when all my fellow voice actors wear black on the job, I’m the only courageous guy that wears white (laughs).

Kishimoto：As for me, I first plan at what time I’ll get up, when I’ll leave the house, when I'll stretch at this-particular-spot at the theatre for a set amount of time, and so on… I also calculate the amount of time it takes me to have my hair and makeup done, so if another actor's preparation gets delayed, I have to reorder my whole routine, which gets me really antsy (laughs).

Oh, and when I enter the stage from a certain side-wing, I try to figure out which staff member I must pass by.

Chiba：You even plan which staff member you are going to see!?

Kishimoto：Yes, and if they aren’t there, I actively look for them (laughs). Also, when I play muscular characters, I’d set aside time for muscle-building, taking protein and supplements before the show—else, I’d get anxious.

Chiba：Was there something in particular that got you to build that routine?

Kishimoto：Once, I didn't go through that specific routine, and I felt like the rest of my acting wasn't up to the task as a result: I kept on thinking about my failed routine on and on. Since I don't want to feel like that, I try to make the right decision from the very start of my day.

However, I’m sorry, I must say this, but… I made it a principle to always be the last to leave the dressing room before a performance, but if someone is taking their time to get prepared, I’d get impatient and think: “Come on! Let’s go already!”. In the end, the staff would come to tell us that the curtain would rise in five minutes.

Chiba：But just the fact that you can apply that sort of habit to yourself is amazing in itself!

――If they ever read this interview, perhaps your fellow co-stars will be more cooperative?

Kishimoto：No actually all my fellow actors are nuisances like that! (laughs) And I definitely don’t want them to know or else it’ll ruin my routine!

Chiba：Huh, well that’s interesting (laughs). But that just shows how close you guys already are. On the other hand, I’m more of the guy that’s interested in what kind of water they have on set. Like, I can't tell you how destroyed I am when they don’t have my usual water brand in their local vending machine…

Kishimoto：I understand, not all waters are created equal.

Chiba：You get me!

――Through your conversation today, did you discover any similarities between the two of you?

Kishimoto：I wouldn’t be so presumptuous to say so myself! But getting to hear all these things that I wouldn’t normally serve as very important insight to me, so… I hope I can get my hands on the audio version of this interview later on (laughs). I feel like I’m actively building Arashi’s role as we speak, so I want to absorb as many information as I can.

Chiba：I’m feeling chatty today, so you don’t have to sugarcoat and compliment me (laughs).

Kishimoto：Honestly, not only is this conversation valuable to me, but it also feels like I’ve finally met with the real Arashi. All of this time spent has been gratifying, really.

Chiba：I can feel that Kishimoto-san is a conscientious and serious person, and seeing that he’ll tackle Arashi’s role with the same thoroughness makes me really happy.

――If you were to be paired together as buddies, what kind of relationship would you have?

Chiba：Kishimoto-san, are you more of an older or younger brother?

Kishimoto：I’d say I’m the older brother.

Chiba：That’s good, because I’m definitely more like a younger brother that’d go around talking to all kinds of people if I’m left alone.

Kishimoto：Are you, really?

Chiba：Yeah, that’s why I feel like I’d be the one talking all the time if we were paired together.

Kishimoto：I’m a rather quiet and private person, so maybe we’d have a good balance.

Chiba：Now that I think about it, I haven’t met a lot of people like you before, Kishimoto-san. What do other people say about you, generally?

Kishimoto：That I’m difficult to approach, and yet here I am.

Chiba：I mean, I can see why others would think that (laughs). You’ve also got that mysterious aura to you.

Kishimoto：I hear that often, like how I look “cool” and “no one can really read my mind”. That’s my holy-trinity of comments (laughs).

Chiba：I’m honestly really curious about you. By the way, do you drink alcohol?

Kishimoto：Sometimes, not everyday.

Chiba：If they ever have something planned for us as a buddy pair, perhaps we could talk about it over drinks.

――More often than not, voice and stage actors that play the same character get along pretty well after a few minutes of conversation.

Chiba：Oh, really? Whenever I feel like someone is a little bit friendly with me, I’m the type of guy that willingly wants to close the gap, but I usually try to restrain myself (laughs).

Kishimoto：I really respect voice actors, so the more I familiarise myself with the original story, the more I look into it to perform my own role, the more they seem like gods among humans to me.

Figuring out a role by myself is difficult sometimes, and I often get conflicted yet everyone links their performances with the images and videos so wonderfully… Even today, I came here wondering if it was okay for me to have a conversation with Chiba-san.

Chiba：I’m literally the one guy in this whole industry who you shouldn’t overthink so much around, really! (laughs)

I like to watch plays and check out anything that interests me, from 2.5 stages to musicals to straight plays to begin with, so… I know that there’s some amount of fear in standing in front of an audience by yourself, but that’s exactly why I have such respect for actors who can do that every single day. I’m happy that such a wonderful actor will be playing the same roles as I am.

――Do you have any encouragement for each other?

Chiba：Anyway, I’m really looking forward to the stage play! Even if the dialogues are similar, no two performances will be exactly the same, plus I’m sure the relationship between Arashi and Sora will show unique answers for each performance.

I hope you will enjoy performing until the very last show, and I hope you’ll find some sort of catharsis in playing Arashi.

Kishimoto：I had an image of Arashi and an acting plan that I had been thinking about, but I made plenty of discoveries that I had not yet taken into consideration thanks to this opportunity. Now, I'm looking forward to building Arashi’s character, and I think I’ll have a whole different outlook when I’ll listen to Chiba-san’s voice in the CDs.

The words Chiba-san addressed to me today gave me some ideas, and I can’t wait for the rehearsals to start to expand on it.

――Do you feel like the sympathy and fellowship between fellow actors for Arashi has grown a little stronger today?

Chiba：I feel like it did!

Kishimoto：Me too.

Chiba：This series is pretty difficult to adapt to the stage in my opinion. Its worldview is different from the current Japanese society, but there are realistic aspects to it, so I’m excited to see how the production will handle it. I feel like the stage will show us how extra-cool Arashi really is.

Kishimoto：Thank you, and I’ll do my best to play my part in making Color Sonic a long-running show!

Chiba：No two shows or audiences will ever be the same, be it from the atmosphere in the room to the interactions between the characters. That’s why each performance will be like a miracle in itself, and I’m sure that those who will attend the shows will fall even more for Color Sonic. I really hope this production will make things even more exciting for the series.

――Please give us a few closing words about today's interview and a wrap-up message to our readers!

Kishimoto：First of all, I’m deeply thankful for getting the opportunity to talk with Chiba-san: the timing feels just right, just before the first rehearsals, but not so close to the opening show. I’m also grateful that I got to hear all those valuable anecdotes that I’ll definitely apply to my character studies.

This will be Color Sonic's first stage production, so I'm very excited to read all of our fans' expectations on social media. I’ll definitely strive to exceed them, and I hope to fully embody my own interpretation of Arashi on stage.

Finally, I hope that this stage will help Color Sonic and Sonisute to grow, so please do come by the theatre!

Chiba：It was nice to hear Kishimoto-san's impressions, I found them very reassuring. This was such an interesting time for me, so much so that I began self-reflecting on my acting as well. Like, if I took this aspect of Kishimoto-san’s acting into account, maybe I’ll be able to play Arashi in a new way. In fact, we wrapped up a recording session for Color Sonic not so long ago, yet I already want to get back into the recording booth (laughs).

You may have experienced Color Sonic only through your ears, but you’ll now be able to see it in the flesh! You may even feel different about the story compared to what the drama tracks delivered. It’s only natural, obviously, and that’s how the range of Arashi’s personality will be fully explored. So I really hope that our fans will enjoy the stage plenty.

On the other hand, if you got into Color Sonic through the stage adaptation, I hope you’ll give the songs and drama tracks a listen. I’m sure there’s traits in the characters that will be exclusive to the CDs, and you’ll be just as delighted to see the characters’ relationship deepen the same way your expectations and appreciation towards Tokyo Color Sonic!! will grow.

Kishimoto Yuta's interview by Animate (September 21st, 2022.)