tododekucrumbs: Sharing something a little different today– a translated article interviewing
tododekucrumbs: Sharing something a little different today– a translated article interviewing Yuki Kaji, Todoroki’s voice actor! Apologies if this has been translated before, I have seen several quotes from it referenced places (particularly about Midoriya lighting a fire in Todoroki’s frozen heart) but couldn’t find where it had been translated so went ahead and translated it again myself for anyone interested :)It’s a fun interview with Yuki Kaji talking in depth about the Sports Festival Arc– his personal favorite lines and scenes, as well as his thoughts on its impact on Todoroki’s character!This is just my take on a translation– feel free to message me if you notice any mistakes and I’ll try to fix as soon as possible!The original article was posted July 6, 2017 on Anime.Eiga.com aka Anime Hack, an anime news site powered by Eiga.com. I’ve included screencaps in this post in case it’s taken down in the future.Original Article Link: https://anime.eiga.com/news/104784/—————✴︎——————————✴︎—————Yuki Kaji Voice Actor for Shoto Todoroki in My Hero Academia - “A Fire Lit in a Frozen Heart” - Moving on to Fight a Powerful Villain in the Second Half of the Season After Intense Fights in the Sports Festival ArcSeason 2 of the television anime “My Hero Academia” is starting a new stage now that the exciting “Sports Festival” arc has come to an end. The anime is an adaption of the popular manga series by Kohei Horikoshi running in Weekly Shonen Jump. The manga has already sold over 10 million copies and tells the story of Izuku Midoriya, a young boy striving to be the greatest hero as he attends the famous hero school U.A. High School in a world where 80% of the population has a special power known as a “Quirk”. The first half of the second season of the anime shows Izuku and the other students in the Hero Department each with their own goals and resolve to be a hero competing in a big event watched by all of Japan, the U.A. Sports Festival. The centerpiece of the Sports Festival Arc was the tournament battles, and the fierce fight between Izuku and Shoto Todoroki in episode 25 “Shoto Todoroki: Origin” attracted the attention of both fans and non-fans alike. In today’s interview, we spoke with Shoto’s voice actor Yuki Kaji about his thoughts on the Sports Festival arc and his excitement for the upcoming battles awaiting his character in the second half of the season. Question: First of all, how do you feel now that the Sports Festival arc in the first half of season two of My Hero Academia has ended?Kaji: My impression is that Todoroki’s drama really starts moving in the second season. During the first season, he was just kind of a vague calm, cool, and strong character. But I had already read past the Sports Festival arc in the manga and knew the story after that so I tried to portray more than just those basic traits and include some hints of what he would be like later in the story. However Todoroki isn’t the type to portray his emotions openly and he didn’t have many scenes in the first season, so I felt a bit frustrated (lol). I think I got the chance to really act as him for the first time now in season 2. Question: What moment do you think it was that you got to “really act as Todoroki” for the first time?Kaji: Todoroki is a person who is still in the midst of changing, and to be honest I still feel some frustration sometimes, but it was definitely during his one-on-one tournament battle fight with Midoriya. The resolve and words that Midoriya expressed…… all of that seems to have pulled out Todoroki’s true self. I see it as maybe Todoroki’s “visible emotions” were his fire power. I think Todoroki had frozen his own heart, and Midoriya lit a fire in it for him. Question: Is there anything you can personally relate to about Todoroki’s character?Kaji: He’s still in his mid-teens, a difficult age as you transition from child to adult. I think almost everyone experiences feeling a little sensitive mentally or getting offensive easily around that age. Todoroki suffers from the heavy weight of his parent’s expectations and how others see him. I also went through a phase where my father felt like a “wall I want to overcome”. I felt some kind of rivalry with him, and I often felt annoyed at him for no clear reason. At the same time I felt that about my father I also had a period where my feelings towards my mother were complicated. I think it’s partially thanks to these experiences I was able to recall my memories and express Todoroki’s pain in a realistic manner. And I think this is one of My Hero Academia’s great points– it depicts human drama that is raw and not just pretty, in a way that would put even some documentaries to shame. Question: Looking back on the Sports Festival arc, what do you think the main themes of it were?Kaji: I think part of what makes My Hero Academia interesting is that each character has a different theme… but I think the Sports Festival arc was a series of stories that lead everyone to reflect on what a Quirk really is. How can you use your power to win… you can’t move forward without facing what your Quirk really is. In Todoroki’s case that meant releasing his fire power. I don’t think he could have won against Midoriya with just his ice power. Question: If you had to pick a favorite line and favorite scene from the Sports Festival arc what would they be?Kaji: My Hero Academia is just one great quote and amazing scene after another so this is a really hard question (lol). I thought the Cavalry Battle was great though because it was an episode that allowed a lot of characters to use their Quirks and show off their powers and personalities. It was interesting to see the strengths and weaknesses of each character during this team battle.And of course, the battle against Midoriya. Midoriya’s “It’s your power!” and Todoroki’s “I want to be a hero too…!!” are lines that really left a strong impression with me. The scene in the hospital where Todoroki calls out “Mom” is also really memorable. I put a lot of thought into how to express the emotions Todoroki had held for so many long years in just that one line. I tried my best to imagine the mood of the hospital and how nervous Todoroki must have felt in front of that door so that I could speak the line as realistically as possible. I think season 2 has allowed us to see a bit more of Todoroki’s human side and he’s grown into an even more appealing character than before. Like when he speaks to All Might about his troubles on the podium. I really enjoy acting when I get to express emotions, and in the Sports Festival Arc I finally got to start to show how Todoroki is affected by his feelings, so I’m excited to keep acting as him in the future.Question: Changing the subject, do you have a favorite character other than Todoroki?Kaji: Every character has their own good points, so I love them all! It feels good to watch Midoriya so reckless and straightforward as he grows. Bakugo is aggressive and powerful enough to put even some of the villains to shame (lol) and the way he sticks to his guns is impressive. Iida also has an honest heart but in season 2 you get a glimpse of another more sensitive side of him that made me like his character even more. Ochako also showed through her fight with Bakugo that she’s not here just to be a “Heroine” but a “Hero” like the others. …But overall my absolute favorite is Yaoyorozu (Momo)! Question: On that note, what kind of person do you consider a “Hero”?Kaji: Someone who offers a “sense of security” I guess. Like in sports, someone who makes you think “As long as they’re here there’s no way we’ll lose!”. Whether in school or at work, the kind of person you can rely on and who makes you sure everything will be okay just by them being there.Question: From your point of view, out of 100 points where does Todoroki stand now?Kaji: Is that under the pretense that All Might is a perfect 100 points? Hmm… I think the perfect 100 that Midoriya is aiming for and the perfect 100 that Todoroki is aiming for are completely different things. They have different Quirks, and I think this is one of the major themes of My Hero Academia, so it’s hard to put into numbers. However, as of the end of the Sports Festival, I think Todoroki is beginning to become someone who offers a sense of security to everyone in Class 1-A. Question: Everyone has their own Quirks– you’re right! What are your thoughts regarding the second half of the season?Kaji: With the Sports Festival, Todoroki’s long frozen heart finally began to melt. I think the key point in playing Todoroki in future episodes will be how his relationships with his classmates change and how he faces his family. His heart was frozen for a long time, so of course it will be hard for him to change suddenly. But I hope I can do a good job portraying his slowly changing mental state going forward.Question: Lastly, please share any last comments for your fans!Kaji: All the characters grew a lot during the Sports Festival arc and they have new resolve in their journey to become heroes. Everyone is hopeful and positive, but next they’ll be faced with Stain– a villain beyond school levels who is a true threat to society. I think in this next arc you’ll be able to see a different but interesting side of My Hero Academia. I hope you watch and pay attention to how Todoroki acts as he faces this powerful enemy he could never defeat alone. I believe My Hero Academia is an amazing piece of entertainment that offers all sorts of interesting stories. It’s a hero story and a school story, combining a lot of different genres, and even the tension in the story is different in different situations like during the Sports Festival and then during actual battles with villains. There are all types of drama still yet to unfold as the story continues so please make sure to watch it every week!—————✴︎——————————✴︎————— -- source link