"It's Truly Historical! The Set is Alive!" Shion Wakayama and Natsuki Hanae Share Behind-the-Scenes Stories of Dandadan Anime Dubbing

The currently airing TV anime 'Dandadan' is reaching its climax. The series, featuring Shion Wakayama as Momo and Natsuki Hanae as Okarun , is gaining attention for its star-studded cast including Nana Mizuki, Mayumi Tanaka, and Kazuya Nakai.

[Video] Special Retrospective Program Featuring the 'Dandadan' Cast

In this series, supernatural phenomena like yokai and aliens appear, blending comedy, battle, and romance. The lively exchanges between the unique characters are one of the anime's distinct charms. This article presents behind-the-scenes stories from interviews with Wakayama and Hanae, focusing on their mindset during dubbing.

— This work features a mix of battles and romantic comedy, with dense interactions between the characters. What mindset did you each have when approaching your dubbing roles?

Wakayama: Up until the dubbing for the first episode, I felt I had to go all out, especially in the comedic scenes, which made me somewhat tense. But with repeated dubbing sessions, I realized that the core of Momo is that she's a "high school girl."

By keeping that core central, I could swing between comedy and battle, raising or lowering the tension. In scenes where she's emotionally down or in emotional moments, I would lower the tone to build her character.

— The high school girl essence is indeed a clear part of Momo's charm, even from a viewer's perspective.

Wakayama: Consistency lies in maintaining that high school girl essence. I wanted to keep the feeling of "she could be someone you know." I act in a tone not too different from my usual speaking voice, so I was anxious about whether she'd really seem like a "gal," but I'm thrilled that it was well-received.

— Okarun, on the other hand, is quite a character with a wide range.

Hanae: With Okarun, I realized during dubbing that it's okay to go all out. His reactions vary when talking to Momo, Hoshiko, or Turbo Granny, but the emotional shifts and conversation tempo are so good that I thought it would be interesting to expand the range by making big changes. Okarun seems like a weird guy who can still work even if I try to take him out of character.

While keeping those points in mind, I aimed to balance by having his seriousness, earnestness, straightforwardness, and passion as his core.

— I see. By the way, is there a clear distinction in your acting approach when Okarun transforms?

Hanae: Yes, indeed. Emotionally, it's probably the same, but it feels almost like a different person.

— Regarding the tempo of character interactions, starting with Momo and Okarun, were there any unique considerations or elements during dubbing for this series?

Wakayama: During dubbing, the specified duration of lines served as a guideline, and there's a significant part formed by matching that duration... but I feel like I'm being led by Hanae-san, (looking to Hanae for confirmation) what do you think?

Hanae: Hmm, I'm not sure.

Wakayama: I feel like Momo builds her conversations using Okarun's retorts and the way he lifts up the dialogue.

Hanae: Indeed, Momo's usual demeanor is quite natural, so when the scene suddenly shifts to comedy, it feels like Okarun jumps right in. As I mentioned earlier, I think about how to make it funny each time without deviating from the character's tone.

Scenes where the face isn't shown (since there's no need to match the lip-sync) allow for quite a bit of freedom (laughs). Personally, I think that's where the engine really starts for the conversation scenes.

-- What do you focus on to create the tempo of the conversation, Mr. Hanae?

Hanae: I think it's about making it feel good. The timing of the dialogue is set during the recording, but I don't worry too much about it. I perform in a way that feels good to me, which I think results in a nice rhythm and tempo.

Wakayama: Exactly.

-- By the way, the star-studded cast, including Nana Mizuki as Hoshiko and Mayumi Tanaka as Turbo Baba, has become quite a topic, hasn't it?

Wakayama: From the first episode, I had the opportunity to record with Mayumi Tanaka and Kazuya Nakai, who plays Serpo Alien. It made me question how I should be myself, starting with reevaluating my own presence (laughs).

Growing up with a lot of exposure to Jump works, it was one of my goals to play a main character in a Jump series. It was overwhelming to be cast as a Jump protagonist and to work alongside such legends who have been part of Jump series. My head was about to explode (laughs).

Hanae: Thank you (laughs).

*Editor's Note: Hanae voices Tanjiro Kamado in "Demon Slayer," Tanaka voices Monkey D. Luffy in "ONE PIECE" and Krillin in "Dragon Ball," Nakai voices Roronoa Zoro in "ONE PIECE" and Toshiro Hijikata in "Gintama," and Mizuki voices Hinata Hyuga in "NARUTO."

Wakayama: It's truly a historic set! It's an incredible environment!

-- You've made quite a history yourself, Mr. Hanae.

Hanae: I didn't expect to get the role of Okarun, so I was honestly very happy.

Wakayama: Really?

Hanae: I felt it suited me, but I had this image that if you play one protagonist in a Jump series, you probably wouldn't get another role. But I got it, and I was surrounded by talented and unique co-actors ranging from veterans to newcomers... Shion-chan is technically more experienced than me.

Wakayama: Not at all, I'm a newcomer! I can confidently say I'm a newcomer!

Hanae: That's the situation (laughs). I guess I'm somewhere in the middle. With (Kaito) Ishikawa as Jiji, there's me, and then there's (Ayane) Sakura. But before the recordings started, I did think a lot about how to balance things in the studio.

-- And now, you've managed to create an exceptional dynamic together (laughs).

Hanae: Yes, it feels like we've really hit our stride (laughs).

The anime "Dandadan," brought to life by an array of unique cast members, promises exciting interactions with newly introduced characters. We certainly look forward to the dynamic exchanges that will unfold.

(C)龍幸伸／集英社・ダンダダン製作委員会
Anime Official HP：https://anime-dandadan.com/
Anime Official X：https://x.com/anime_dandadan
Interview・Photos・Text／kato

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