How The Summer Hikaru Died Voice Actor Chiaki Kobayashi Learned a Rural Dialect

TV animation hikaru died in summer Becoming one of the best anime of the season. The horror series gets married with the life of the town, the occurrence of supernaturality and the sad emotions of the stuffy Japanese summer. Much of the attraction of the story depends on the central relationship between Yoshiki (the reserved teenager Yoshiki) and his long-time friend Hikaru, who no longer looks like him.

We talk to the voice actor Chiaki Kobayashi About his role as Yoshiki, how he is familiar with the unique country dialect of his character hikaru died in summerand his friendship with the co-star shūichirōumeda.

Congratulations on your role in Yoshiki Tsujinaka hikaru died in summer. What is the story that attracts you?

Chiaki Kobayashi: So, this is a story about you’re going to be a completely different person. We can all be related to this feeling. I think this story is very appealing. It makes me think, “If my best friend or my family is just turning into a different person in there, then the thing about them is just switching to something different. What should I do?” I think it would be very scary.

The story is set in a rural area where the characters have different dialects than the Tokyo dialect. Are you already familiar with this way of speaking, or are you practicing with your coach? What speech differences do you have to get used to when making a voice Yoshiki?

Kobayashi: I’m from Yokohama, Kananagawa Prefecture, so I’m not familiar with the dialect itself at all. It was difficult for me to do this, so during the voice recording session, I was helped by my native language. Usually when I receive what is called a rehearsal DVD, it has no audio at all. But my dialect coach can guide us through the regional speeches, which I practice while watching.

Additionally, during the recording session, the dialect coach was there to provide feedback on my performance. It’s like a double training.

Can you give an example of a sentence to say in the Tokyo dialect and then say it in the dialect used hikaru died in summerso that our readers can see what the possible difference is?

Kobayashi: exist”hikaru died in summer”, the character speaks in the MIE dialect, giving the story a strong place and local flavor. Usually in standard Japanese, such as the way Tokyo speaks, the ending of the sentence is like Yang or Daiyo NE. But in mie dialect, that would be Excellent [with an upward inflection on the last syllable] Or slice.

That’s very interesting.

Kobayashi: And, when you speak in a standard dialect tadaima [I’m home] only tadaimabut in Mie dialect, the distance between these two people and their relationship changes what they say: “I’m at home.” So if it’s someone next to you, it’s tadaima [low inflection and a short hold on the last syllable]. For people, it will be tadaimaaa [longer hold on the final syllable, upward inflection]. The turning point increases.

If they are like in a house, the inflection point will rise, and –

Kobayashi: Also, if they are close family members. This is an interesting aspect of the MIE dialect, as it won’t happen in the standard (Tokyo dialect).

Before you speak, consider more. Do you have to pay more attention to role relationships when speaking this dialect? Because that may affect how you deliver the route.

Kobayashi: Yes, this is very important. Yoshiki is a little shy, so he is easily open to people. So because he is a little shy with strangers, or like a friend’s mother, he will be shy and speak in a reserved way. But when it comes to his close friends or family, he is just an average high school student. This is what I’m trying to convey. Defensive to adults. So, especially when he talks to adults, he is more closed.

You are working with it shūichirōumeda-san on the set. What has been working with him so far? Can you share any live stories with us?

Kobayashi: Umeda-kun’s sound is soft and bright. I think this is perfect for Hikaru’s sound. And his personality is bright and warm. There are also some inhuman things about hikaru. I’m really curious how he’ll incorporate the non-human aspect into his voice performance. I couldn’t imagine what he would do at first. Umeda-kun’s voice was bright and warm when I performed with him, but there was a monster aspect that was unknown and terrible. This makes him sound warm and bright, which makes him even more frightened, but in fact he is not. This is something you don’t know.

There is a gap there.

Kobayashi: After the recording was finished, I thought the results were very interesting and perfect. As for the story about recording together, Umeda-kun ate a lot during the recording session. However, eating a lot of things will make me sleepy, so I try not to overeat. But Umeda-kun’s image and eating a lot of things and hikaru eating a lot of matches, I think it’s fun.

I Talk to the director Takeshita-san, he said you both are the perfect actors for the series, especially since he noticed that you’ll be home together after the meeting.

Kobayashi: that’s right. We are also close in age and have similar experiences as voice actors. So we really get along. And because of his very soft and open personality, we do get along and become friends. Usually, after recording the meeting, we go to eat ramen and visit the cafe.

very nice. Can you guide us by creating Yoshiki’s sound with his tone and rhythm? What parts of his personality do you want to convey by creating his voice?

Kobayashi: At first glance, Yoshiki seems shy. He was calm, too, but he seemed a little cold or dark. But to me, he is just an ordinary high school student. I don’t want him to act in a contemplative way. So, I focused on making him more mature for high school students. Plus, when the speech is delivered quickly, it creates a different personality. It sounds like another Western dialect, not from Mie. Maybe from Osaka or other dialect. So I’m trying to avoid this by speaking slowly. That’s what I’m paying attention to.

Are you most excited to perform or look forward to seeing the audience for the first time?

Kobayashi: So, in the first episode, there is a choir scene where all the students sing together. But this is not the original work. This is an exclusive scene in the anime. However, this is a scene created by director Takeshita-san. This is a key scene that plays a crucial role in the second half of the story. So even fans of the original work will be surprised. I hope everyone pays attention to this aspect.

This is a surprise for everyone. Do you have a personal story about interacting with paranormal phenomena?

Kobayashi: There is nothing supernatural in the horror way. This is not from the anime, but from another recording session. So I had a drink with me, but once it disappeared and it moved to another studio and someone drank it. That’s terrible. So I think humans are more terrifying than ghosts.

Do you have information to share with your fans in the United States?

Kobayashi: I’m in Los Angeles for this interview and the summer in Los Angeles feels different from the summer in Japan. So I like the difference.

It’s not too wet.

Kobayashi: I think American audiences can watch the humidity in Japan in Japan hikaru died in summer. Even if they have never been to Japan, they can experience the summer in Japan through it. In that interesting environment, the rich drama of hikaru and Yoshiki unfolds. So I hope they look forward to enjoying it.

hikaru died in summer comics Series is available in English from publishers Yen Publishing House. The anime series is currently on air Netflix.

Disclosure: Kadokawa World Entertainment (KWE), a wholly owned subsidiary of Kadokawa Corporation, is the majority owner of Anime News Network, LLC. One of the companies mentioned in this article is part of the Kadokawa Group.