President and Voice Actor Yoko Hikasa Reveals Why She "Really Struggled" with 'The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity' on 'ShibuAni' #71

The work she mentioned as most memorable from the second half of the year was 'The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity'. "I really struggled with it. This was a work where I learned that mothers are meant to wait. I'm impatient by nature, so I couldn't understand the sense of waiting, and I kept thinking about why she would feel this way and what makes a good mother for whom," she revealed. Later, when she consulted with a sound director at another production, she was told, "It's okay to be more entertaining. You don't need to think so deeply about it," which helped her let go. The fact that the main cast was centered around younger actors was also stimulating, and she said, "That was also fun."

Additionally, when she recently reunited with Kouki Uchiyama, she said, "Our relationship had been reset, and he treated me like a stranger, which annoyed me (lol)," drawing laughter. Other behind-the-scenes stories were also shared, including how i.nari, the voice acting agency where Hikasa serves as representative, celebrated its first anniversary, and when the agency members had a barbecue together, "Since there are few opportunities for actors to gather together, it was refreshing to ask how everyone's been doing lately."

Hikasa, who will celebrate her 20th debut anniversary next year, also mentioned the characters she'd like to challenge in the future. "I originally became a voice actor because I wanted to play boys' roles, and thankfully I've been given many opportunities. My next goal is to play a sidekick role. I'd like to play a sidekick who stays close to the protagonist, around their small shoulder area," she said.