“At that time, I felt like I was living in overdrive”—What was voice actor Chiaki Kobayashi’s student life like? [Interview: “The Summer Hikaru Died”]

The TV anime “The Summer Hikaru Died” has been airing since July 2025. The original manga ranked first in the “Kono Manga ga Sugoi! 2023” (Takarajimasha) Men’s Edition and has gained significant popularity.

The story follows the protagonist, Yoshiki Tsujinaka, who tries to spend his days as usual after accepting that his late best friend has been replaced by a supernatural being, Hikaru. However, mysterious unnatural deaths begin to occur in their village.

In this article, we interviewed Chiaki Kobayashi, the voice actor for Yoshiki in the anime adaptation of “The Summer Hikaru Died.” We asked about his days in school club activities and the movies that influenced him.

——What kind of student were you, Kobayashi-san?

Kobayashi: I got bored very easily, so in junior high school, I changed clubs every year. When I was around 13 years old, I would think, “There’s already another club I want to join. If I don’t do it, I’ll miss out on life,” and I’d switch immediately. Looking back, I feel like I was living in overdrive back then.

——It’s unusual to change clubs every year. What kinds of clubs did you join?

Kobayashi: I started with the basketball club. Then I joined the boxing club, and after I quit boxing, I joined the track and field club.

——You experienced a variety of sports: ball sports, martial arts, and athletics. Is it possible to master each of them in a year?

Kobayashi: I wouldn’t say I mastered them, but I was at least able to do them to a reasonable degree.

——Besides club activities, was there anything else you were passionate about during your student days?

Kobayashi: Outside of club activities, I’d say watching movies. When I was a child, I lived in Honmoku, Yokohama, and at that time, there were only parks and the movie theater as places to go for fun, so I often went to the theater. I tend to get bored easily, but movies were the only thing I never got tired of watching.

——Are there any films that had a significant influence on you?

Kobayashi: For Japanese films, it was “Yokomichi Yonosuke” starring Kengo Kora. I was really influenced by that work. As for foreign films, “It’s a Wonderful Life” had a big impact on me.

——What aspects of those two films inspired you?

Kobayashi: In life, there are times when you can’t help but judge things from the perspective of profit and loss. There are moments when I think, “Even if I help out here, it won’t really do anything for me, and I’ll just end up spending my own money or time.”

But when I watch “Yokomichi Yonosuke” or “It’s a Wonderful Life,” I feel like what you do eventually comes back to you, and that makes me believe in acting that way. So, I try to live without thinking too much about what is or isn’t in my own interest or benefit.

Next Page