"I Didn't Really Feel Like I Struggled That Much"—How Voice Actor Shūichirō Umeda Approaches "Character Differentiation"【Interview for "The Summer Hikaru Died"】

—— Did Director Ryōhei Takeshita give you any instructions on how to portray Hikaru?

Umeda: Rather than instructions about the character as a whole, they were mostly notes on specific episodes, remarkable scenes, or cases where there was an anime-original direction the director wanted to take.

For example, there were scenes where I had to cry in a more adult-like way instead of childlike, or where I was told to cry much more clearly. There were also scenes where I had to speak in a voice that was barely more than a sigh, completely worn out.

Usually, I felt like I was given a lot of freedom, but when there were such directions, it made me think that the director must have had a vision from a unique perspective that only he could see.

In “The Summer Hikaru Died,” with its many finely nuanced scenes and complex character backstories, Umeda took on a particularly demanding role, but what stood out was his strong impression that it was more fun than difficult. If you re-watch the main story while focusing on Umeda’s expressive performance, you might discover something new.

(C)Mokumokuren/KADOKAWA/The Summer Hikaru Died Partners
Official anime website：https://hikanatsu-anime.com/
Official anime X：https://x.com/hikanatsu_anime