Shūichirō Umeda of 'The Banished Court Magician Aims to Become the Strongest' Says He's Now "Primed for Clapbacks," while Masaaki Mizunaka Reveals He "Screamed Enough to Destroy His Throat"—Voice Actors Share Recording Secrets

A special program for the new Fall anime, The Banished Court Magician Aims to Become the Strongest (hereafter referred to as Hojo Mahō), titled Hojo Mahō Pre-Broadcast Special! A Spell to Make Things Even More Fun SP (or “Hojo Mahō” Pre-Broadcast Special! We'll Cast a Spell to Make It More Interesting SP), was exclusively broadcast live and free on ABEMA on Saturday, October 4th, the day the anime began airing.

The program featured live appearances by Shūichirō Umeda (Alec Yugret), Yurika Kubo (Yorha Eisentz), Masumi Tazawa (Clasia Annerose), Masaaki Mizunaka (Ornest Rain), and Atsushi Abe (Regulus Caldana). The varied content, including character introductions, behind-the-scenes recording stories, and a "Magic Experience" corner, made for an exciting show.

Hojo Mahō is a classic fantasy epic following Alec, a former court magician who supported the Crown Prince but was suddenly banished from the court. He sets out to recreate the party "Lasting Period," once hailed as a "legend" during his magic academy days, and forge a new legend.

■Analyzing the Charm of Hojo Mahō! What the Cast Members See in the Series

The program started with a discussion about Umeda, who was unable to attend the advance screening event at the "ABEMA Anime Festival." When Abe asked, "Why weren't you there!?", Umeda drew laughs by replying, "Just like the title of the work, I was literally banished!" When told how much his castmates had been teasing him in his absence, Umeda commented, "We are a very close-knit team, but everyone has this habit of teasing the person who isn't there (laughs). Even when I'm absent, they talk about me." He then reflected on the voice recording sessions, saying, "They were very intense days," immediately showing off the good chemistry among the cast.

The show then moved on to character introductions. Umeda, who plays Alec, explained what he wants the audience to focus on in this coming-of-age story: "Alec is a young man with a huge thirst for knowledge—he loves studying, magic, and fighting. The highlight is watching how Alec, who endured so much during his time as a court magician, 'opens up' after his banishment."

Next, Kubo, who plays Yolha, emphasized her personality, calling her "the epitome of a heroine with cuteness, but also strong-willed and devoted." Umeda agreed, saying, "She has a big heart for everyone, and although she's small, you feel a sense of reliability from her more than her size." When a character shot of "Yolha looking up at Alec" was shown, the studio immediately erupted with excitement over the fully-heroic shot: "So cute!", "The height difference is irresistible!", and "Wow, she's really working it!"

Furthermore, Tazawa (Clasia) promoted her character as "cool but actually very devoted to her friends," and Mizunaka (Ornest) highlighted his as "a rash and headstrong character, but his combat style is truly genius."

Abe, who plays Regulus—the very person who banished Alec—talked about his acting process for the scene where he delivers the banishment in his very first line. "The sound director told me, 'Put more hatred into it! Be more hateful!' I acted with quite a lot of hatred within me," he said. He concluded by expressing his hopes for Regulus, "He's a hateful character, but I think he actually has room to grow. He's a character whose future I look forward to!"