I Thought I Had Adjusted My Voice for Kamui, But... Satoshi Hino Talks About His Voice Acting Struggles [Interview for "Shin Gekijouban Gintama: Yoshiwara Dai Enjou"]

On Friday, February 13th, "Shin Gekijouban Gintama: Yoshiwara Dai Enjou" began screening. This latest installment in the popular anime "Gintama" series is the first film adaptation of the "Yoshiwara in Flames" arc, which was renowned for its intense developments among the original episodes. With original elements incorporated, such as the appearance of characters like Kotarō Katsura and the Shinsengumi who didn't appear in the original version, the film has captured fans' attention.

In this article, we conducted an interview with voice actor Satoshi Hino, who plays Kamui, the formidable enemy standing in the way of protagonist Gintoki Sakata and his companions. He shared various behind-the-scenes stories, including the repeated adjustments he made to produce Kamui's high-pitched voice.

——First, please tell us how you felt when you learned that "Yoshiwara in Flames" would be revived as "Shin Gekijouban Gintama: Yoshiwara Dai Enjou."

Hino: First, honestly, the initial reaction was surprise, like "Oh, we're doing this again!" And then the next thought I had was, "I wonder if I can still produce Kamui's voice" (lol).

——You mentioned that in your official comment as well, worrying, "Can I still hit those high notes?"

Hino: Yes. While battle scenes have a menacing edge to them, there's also a side to him where he produces a cute voice when he's acting carefree, so I was worried whether I could still produce that voice.

——By the way, you also played Kamui in the TV anime "GINTAMA - Mr. Ginpachi's Zany Class," which finished airing in December 2025, but which recording came first—the theatrical version or that one?

Hino: The recording for "Ginpachi-sensei" came first.

——So, in terms of regaining Kamui's voice, you first played him in "Ginpachi-sensei," and then moved on to the theatrical version from there?

Hino: After finishing the recording for "Ginpachi-sensei," there was a bit of a gap, so I went through the adjustment process all over again (lol).