"I Envy Takaba" – What Path to Life Was Revealed Through the Appeal of Fumihiko Takaba in the TV Anime "Jujutsu Kaisen"? [Voice Actor Satoshi Tsuruoka Interview]

Currently airing since January 2026, "Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3: The Culling Game Part 1." The way protagonist Yūji Itadori and others throw themselves into "The Culling Game," a deadly battle among those who possess jujutsu, has been depicted with extremely profound visual expression, which has also become a topic of conversation.

Many highly individualistic sorcerers participating in "The Culling Game" have appeared, but among them, the presence of Fumihiko Takaba, who has the background of being an unsuccessful comedian, will likely attract attention. Voice actor Satoshi Tsuruoka, who plays Takaba, says he approached the role with the concept of "performing with full energy."

In an interview with Tsuruoka, who says he deeply empathizes with Takaba, the discussion led to topics that anyone who has chosen their own path can relate to, through the existence of Takaba.

——I re-read the original manga before this interview, and I felt once again what a good guy Takaba is. I think he's a character full of very human appeal, but where do you feel Takaba's charm lies, Tsuruoka-san?

Tsuruoka: It's definitely his determination to keep getting on stage no matter what situation he's in. I didn't become an actor because someone asked me to, either, and to put it simply, I think even just standing somewhere a bit elevated and doing something can be a sufficient stage for that person.

However, the moment you want to make it big and become major, desires emerge that paint over your original intention of just wanting to make people laugh, and when it becomes only about wanting to make it big, it becomes painful. That's exactly the same for me.

——It's a very relatable aspect for people who are pursuing something and continuing with it.

Tsuruoka: I also felt happy just having people watch my acting in front of others, and having those who watch receive various emotions and have their feelings moved, but as a voice actor, there's the aspect that as a professional, it's all about getting paid. When I wasn't selling well and started thinking about what was wrong, the words that Ken-san throws at Takaba (who didn't get laughs) really resonated with me.

——"There are two types of guys who keep selling: guys who are always funny, and guys who can always delude themselves into thinking they're funny."

Tsuruoka: I decided to label myself as the latter type and tried to go all-in with the conviction that my acting is cool, so that's really similar to Takaba. I love him so much that I want to have a meal with Takaba and talk about various things (lol). Even so, the indomitable spirit of not giving up, the purity of still continuing to stand on stage – I think that's his charm.