"He's only 16, after all"—What are the key points for voice actor Kenshō Ono in playing Yuru from "Daemons of the Shadow Realm"?

"Daemons of the Shadow Realm" is the latest work by manga artist Hiromu Arakawa, best known for "Fullmetal Alchemist" and "Silver Spoon." Currently serialized in Monthly Shonen Gangan, the series is described as a supernatural fantasy weaving together pairs of beings known as "Daemons" and the "masters" who command them.

The story centers on the protagonist Yuru, who lives as a hunter deep in the Japanese mountains, and his twin sister, Asa. The series features battle action and comical depictions drawn with Arakawa's signature touch.

The TV anime version, which began airing in April, is produced by Bones Film. The released footage is of exceptionally high quality, making it a title of great interest for anime fans both in Japan and abroad. This article focuses on an interview with Kenshō Ono (the voice of Yuru), Yume Miyamoto (Asa), and Misaki Kuno (Gabu-chan), specifically highlighting Ono's impressions of the original manga and his approach to the role.

In the first and second episodes of the TV anime, the village where Yuru lives is attacked by Asa, Gabu-chan, and their group. With the help of Dera and Hana, a shocking turn of events unfolds as Yuru descends to the "lower world."

Regarding his impression upon reading the original manga, Ono replied, "I remember my heart racing when I read the raid scene where people are suddenly attacked in a place where everyone was living in peace."

"The fact that you can keep reading without it becoming too heavy feels very much like Arakawa-sensei's style," he remarked, revealing that he had finished reading the manga up to the latest volume even before waiting for the audition results.

When playing Yuru, who is always looking out for his sister Asa, how does he perceive Yuru as a person? Ono prefaced his answer by noting it was based on the stage of the first two episodes: "I felt he is a boy with a very strong sense that he has to be the responsible one. I can feel that he moves for the sake of Asa, who cannot go outside due to her 'duty,' and that he was forced to grow up quickly because his parents are gone."

As a result, Ono explained that he had developed a more mature performance starting from the audition stage. However, he reflected, "Since he grew up faithfully following what his father taught him about hunting from a young age, I thought it would be okay to make him more mature than his actual age. But Yuru is still only 16. I was surprised all over again that he's still very much at a child's age. I even told the sound director later on, 'I might have played him a bit too maturely during the audition,' because I originally performed him even more adult-like."