Anime “Maebashi Witches” – Sakura Kasuga & Rena Motomura Appear! Candid Talk About People They Met During Their Early Careers & What They Gained from Part-Time Jobs

Next, in the “Industry Deep Dive Connection” segment, which explores the work and personalities of those in the anime industry, the second part of an interview with anisong legend Hironobu Kageyama was aired. He explained the reason for his husky, powerful singing voice: after being fired from both his agency and record company, he met Mr. Yamagishi, president of BIRTHDAY SONG (a music agency), who gave him the chance to perform more than 100 live shows in a year.

By taking on this unusual number of performances, he obtained a uniquely characteristic voice. He also reflected on what he gained during that period, mentioning his experience working part-time on construction sites: “Carving out a path only I can take is the best shortcut to making a living. As long as you have something ONE & ONLY that no one else has, I believe you can carve out a place in the music industry,” he recalled.

Then, at the age of 24, Kageyama experienced a turning point: “I received an offer from director Mr. Kimura at Columbia Records to sing both the opening and ending themes for ‘Dengeki Sentai Changeman’.” However, things didn’t go smoothly. “Everything I did was rejected,” he said. But behind the strict guidance, the director was deeply caring, telling seniors and juniors alike, “You can’t do it unless you sing the way Kageyama does, both in terms of vocalization and Japanese phrasing.”

In 1988, at the age of 27, Kageyama’s big break began, such as being in charge of the second opening for the anime “Saint Seiya.” He then had the chance to sing “CHA-LA HEAD-CHA-LA,” the theme for “Dragon Ball Z.” He recalled, “When I heard ‘CHA-LA HEAD-CHA-LA’ during the first broadcast of ‘Dragon Ball Z,’ I was moved to tears. I thought, could an anisong really match the visuals so perfectly?”

Meeting his representative work, Kageyama rose to become a nationally recognized anisong singer. In 2000, at the age of 39, he formed the super anisong unit “JAM Project” and successfully completed a world tour, showcasing his talent in many fields. When asked what he feels now after working energetically for 41 years as an anisong singer, Kageyama expressed his gratitude for the anime industry and its production: “I realized how much fun it is to create so many types of music through anime. I’m glad I jumped into this industry, where I can see how far I can spread my wings within the themes I’m given and create dream-filled anisongs.”

Next week, on June 13 (Friday) from 9:00 PM, “SHIBUYA ANIME BASE” #50 will feature voice actress Sumire Uesaka as a guest, with a special on “Sometimes Even If ‘Alya-san’ in the Neighboring Seat Acts Deredere in Russian.”

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