"I'd Hate for it to End": TV Anime Golden Kamuy Interview with Chikahiro Kobayashi, Haruka Shiraishi, and Kentaro Ito

Shiraishi recalled her early days: "I was acting among senior voice actors even before I was fully accustomed to post-recording work, and in the first season, my hands were actually trembling from nervousness during every episode recording."

She went on to share an anecdote illustrating the cast's bond: "Although the series has some brutal scenes, we were able to record in a friendly, harmonious atmosphere, sometimes eating cake during breaks, which makes me happy that we've become like a Golden Kamuy Family. I believe that bond will continue even after the series concludes," a sentiment Kobayashi agreed with.

Ito began with a veteran's perspective: "I always feel this way when I'm involved in a long-running series like this. It starts with the excitement of wondering what will happen when the anime first begins, and moves to a feeling of running toward a clearly visible goal as you fully grasp the original manga's ending in the middle to final stages. I feel that this change in mindset evolves significantly every few years."

Regarding the work Golden Kamuy specifically, Ito commented: "The original story wraps up very beautifully, and the path to the conclusion is clearly drawn. It is a tremendous honor to put the finishing touches on this final run, and I truly feel this is the greatest reward for an actor."

He further praised Kobayashi and Shiraishi, saying: "I'm sure everyone knows how these two have flourished over the past eight years, but the deep emotion of traveling alongside such wonderful junior members remains a fresh source of inspiration, no matter how old I get."

Kobayashi involuntarily exclaimed, "It sounds like a finale interview! We still have more to go!" But the question remains: what kind of finale will the TV anime Golden Kamuy achieve at the end of its long journey? We urge everyone to experience the prologue in theaters.

Golden Kamuy: Sapporo Beer Factory Arc Theatrical Pre-release Version
Part 1 and Part 2 are now major hits in theaters.

Distributor: WOWOW
(C)野田サトル／集英社・ゴールデンカムイ製作委員会
取材・撮影・テキスト／kato