"Daemons of the Shadow Realm" Episode 7: Veteran Voice Actor Kappei Yamaguchi Plays Plump, Bespectacled Hikaru Kagemori, Sparking Surprise: "I Didn't Know He Could Make a Voice Like That!" and "How Deep is His Range?!"

Episode 7 of the anime "Daemons of the Shadow Realm," which has been broadcasting sequentially since May 16, is based on the latest work by blockbuster manga artist Hiromu Arakawa—best known for "Fullmetal Alchemist." Viewers were amazed by the fresh performance of veteran voice actor Kappei Yamaguchi as Hikaru Kagemori, with a flurry of surprised comments emerging online, such as "I didn't even realize it until I saw the credits!" and "How deep is his range?!"

In Episode 7, "Asa and 'Kai' (The Solution)," Hikaru Kagemori made his first appearance. Walking through the mansion that had been left in shambles by the attack, Hikaru was unable to grasp the situation, visibly bewildered as he wondered, "What on earth happened here? Was there an earthquake?" After confirming that Asa (CV: Yume Miyamoto) was safe, he turned to her older brother Yuru (CV: Kenshō Ono) with a good-natured smile, saying, "You're Yuru-kun, right? I've heard about you from Asa-chan..." However, he quickly turned pale under the intimidating aura of Right and Left.

Hikaru is voiced by veteran voice actor Kappei Yamaguchi. Having played numerous mischievous young boy characters throughout his career, many viewers seemed to find it unexpected to see him take on the role of Hikaru—a character with a plump build, glasses, and a tracksuit, exuding a thoroughly quiet and gentle aura.

Following this fresh performance, social media was flooded with astonished reactions: "I was so shocked because I’ve never heard Kappei Yamaguchi sound like this before...!", "His vocal delivery was completely different from usual, so I didn't recognize him right away," "I didn't even realize it until I saw the credits!", and "I didn't know he could make a voice like that!" He received high praise, with users commenting, "The skill of a voice actor who can stay at the absolute forefront of the industry is truly incredible," and "Seriously, how deep is that guy's range? He's amazing!"