(Translated by sumire from an article in the July 1997 Anime V)
A Man on a Quest for Three-Dimensional Drama: Takehito Koyasu
He was charmed by
the three-dimensional acting of the soldiers in Ginga
Tetsudou 999
Now appearing: Takehito Koyasu-san, introduced by Tomo
Sakurai-san.
What's the true face of the beautiful voice shared by Zetsuai's
Takuto and Mosquiton's Mo-chan?
The reason I became a voice actor? Because I wanted to do work using my voice, the end (laughs). No, actually, in junior high school, I wanted to become a screen actor. Since I loved watching movies, I would skip school and watch them every day. The most I ever saw was about six in one day. Amongst them, by chance, I encountered Sayonara Ginga Tetsudou 999. I was particularly impressed by the scene before Tetsurou goes on his journey. The nameless soldiers are trying to get Tetsurou on the 999... with those men's acting, I felt such depth, it looked three-dimensional. Even though animation is two-dimensional.
"This is amazing. Voice acting--there's such a profession?" And so from then on my life took a new course. Since then, my policy, what I strive for, has become "three-dimensional drama."
As soon as I graduated from high school, I entered a training school, and I began walking down the road to my heart's desire, becoming a voice actor. My debut character was Francois in The Anime Three Musketeers. He's Aramis' sweetheart, a cool older-brother type. It was the first time I'd gotten a part with a name; I was very happy. Ukare ponchi ni nattemashita (laughs).
But afterwards, I started to worry a lot. "Am I not cut out to be a voice actor?" This was when I was playing Gai in Tenkuu Senki Shurato. Whether it was crafting a role or personal relations, I ended up thinking I was like a "heretic."
The reason I've been able to continue as a voice actor to this day is because the role of Snufkin in Tanoshii Moomin Ikke came to me next. Since this had a different meaning, too, I felt a lot of pressure and had a hard time. Everybody already has a set image of Snufkin, don't they? I think the people around me were thinking, "That Koyasu who played Gai as Snufkin? There's no way he can do that." Even my self-confidence was divided on whether or not I could do it, wondering how it would turn out. But in the midst of that, I remember the "fun hardship" of creating a character.
I had the sound director of Moomin, who patiently advised me, give a speech at my wedding. So, he said, "His Snufkin role--looking at it now that it's done, I give him 80 points." That's harsh! Since it's my wedding, even if you're lying, say 100 points (laughs).
Afterwards, I mostly enjoyed any role I did. Villians--well, in any case, I like them.
Most recently, there's Akahoshi Rezo from Slayers, but my favorite is Tekkaman Blade's Tekkaman Evil. [He's] a compilation of all my evil roles. At that time, I put out everything I had. There was no mouth synchronization, and no expression, so I could do whatever I wanted to. I put in soft lack of feeling [fukimisa], icchatteru lack of feeling, all kinds of lack of feeling. At the time, I thought, "I'm so great," but now when I watch the video, I'm really bad, aren't I. Well, it's that I've made that much progress (laughs).
With villains, don't you wonder, "Why did he become evil?" and create a reason to suit your taste that goes beyond the story? It creates that depth, that feeling that there's something living behind the surface.
What with this and that, about two years ago I finally started thinking that I can live in this world. Maybe it would be nice to be a voice actor all my life.
It's a Secret, but Actually!?
The Letter-V Scar is Proof of VictoryActually, I have a letter-V scar. When I was in preschool, we were playing hide-and-seek, and I hid on the second-floor landing of the stairs. Then, the "it" said, "Takehito-kun, I found you!" and pon! pushed me on my back, and da-da-da-daa, I fell down fourteen steps. Unfortunately, one of the neighborhood ladies had a pickling stone drying there, and gotsun! went my head against that pickling stone. That wound became a letter-V-shaped bald spot that I still have. That's usually called a "boomerang scar," but I insist on calling it a letter-V scar. That's proof of my victory!
Photo caption: "I play [video] games every day. Right now, it's one I did, Quo Vadis 2. I love watching and playing the anime and games I've done. Maybe I'm a narcissist."
Photo caption: Right now, Koyasu-san is developing his original work, Weiss. "It'll be great if it ultimately becomes an anime."
(Photos by Hideo Nakamura)
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