Keisuke Kuwata’s Anime Theme Song Realized via a Passionate Letter from the Staff! Anna Nagase Reveals Behind-the-Scenes of "Akane-banashi" Production

The conversation then turned to the opening theme song "Hitotarashi," which was newly written for the series by musician Keisuke Kuwata. Reflecting on the fact that Kuwata, at age 70, handled both the lyrics and composition for an anime theme song for the first time in his career, Nagase recalled, "When I first heard the news, I thought my heart was going to stop."

During the program, a special animated video featuring Keisuke Kuwata as a rakugo storyteller was also revealed. The studio was filled with excitement at the luxurious production, which featured Kuwata himself speaking as a character. It was also revealed that this "miraculous collaboration" was made possible by the anime production staff and the original manga editors sending a passionate "love letter" to Kuwata, expressing their deep admiration.

In the latter half of the program, the "My Anime Resume" segment delved into Nagase’s roots. At age 10, she was obsessed with My Little Pony and Tamagotchi. At 15, she entered a training school with the aim of becoming a stage actress, only to discover the fascination of voice acting.

Furthermore, a surprise letter arrived from voice actress Yoko Hikasa, who co-starred with Nagase in her first lead role at age 17 in the anime Summertime Rendering. The message, full of love and respect, was read aloud: "The way you face your acting with such an honest spirit and honest eyes was truly beautiful. There will surely be days when you hit an enormous wall. I’ll be waiting for you on the other side. Come climb up here with Mira." Nagase was visibly moved, saying, "This might be the first time I’ve ever received a letter from someone..." She looked back on a heartwarming episode with Hikasa, stating, "Back then, when I was struggling deeply, she didn't just give me the answer, but assisted me just enough to broaden my path," and renewed her determination, saying, "I felt like I have to work even harder now!"

Additionally, the latest anime news segment covered "AnimeJapan 2026," which recorded a cumulative attendance of approximately 156,000 people. The studio conversation heated up with behind-the-scenes talk from the event. Nagase shared, "I was constantly moving between stages with no time to rest," while Iwai, who has experience participating as an MC, joked, "I’m always put in a lonely room." Performer Sora Tokui looked back on the Is the Order a Rabbit? stage, revealing voice actor Sho Hayami’s brilliant time-keeping skills amidst a tight schedule: "The cast members are all talkative and want to keep the excitement going, but Sho Hayami, as the MC, stops us right at the perfect moment."

At the end of the program, it was announced that the ending theme song for the current season would be "UNSTOPPABLE" by Daisuke Namikawa. In response, Iwai suddenly confessed, "I haven't mentioned this before, but my favorite voice actor is actually Namikawa." He spoke passionately about his admiration, saying, "I’ve loved him since the days of Kimi ni Todoke. He has a truly unique voice." The song, included in the 8th mini-album UNSTOPPABLE as part of Namikawa's 15th artist debut anniversary project, is a track that symbolizes "Daisuke Namikawa now"—someone who continues to stand up and take on challenges repeatedly.

"SHIBUYA ANIME BASE" Episode 81 is currently available for free on-demand streaming on ABEMA. Next week’s Episode 82, airing on Friday, April 10, will feature Nene Hieda from the anime Kirio Fan Club and Sayumi Suzushiro from the anime Botan Kamiina Fully Blossoms When Drunk.

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