Overall Series #1 : Episode 49 "Choose Me": Yusuke Kobayashi Confesses the Moment He "Became Subaru"

Next, Kobayashi and Satomi Arai (voice of Beatrice) provided commentary for Episode 49, "Choose Me," which took #1 for the 2nd season and was crowned the overall #1 across all seasons in the popularity poll.

In this episode, Subaru reaches out to Beatrice—who had been waiting in the Forbidden Library for "That Person" for 400 years—saying "Choose me" as he tries to guide her into the outside world. It was also revealed that due to social distancing recording protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic, this episode was recorded with just the two of them, Kobayashi and Arai, in the studio.

During the scene where Subaru pleads, "Beatrice, save me," Kobayashi revealed an astonishing recording secret. Normally, voice recording relies on visual cues called "bolds" displayed on unfinished footage, which serve as a reference for line timing and duration. However, in this scene, instead of trying to match his performance to the bolds, Kobayashi simply spoke naturally as Subaru—and his acting aligned perfectly with the timing of the bolds.

Kobayashi confessed, "During the actual take, it felt less like I was matching the bolds and more like the bolds were matching me," adding, "That's never happened before or since. It was only that one time." He shared how deeply immersed he was in the world as Subaru: "I thought to myself, 'I'm probably speaking the line that feels most alive right now.' That's partly why the emotional connection was so intense."

Tear-eyed, Arai commented, "It probably wasn't even acting... he became (Subaru)," and "Yu-chan was Subaru, and Subaru was Yu-chan." During the climactic scene with "Choose me, Beatrice," both of them burst into tears again. Kobayashi exclaimed, "It really is number one!" while Arai remarked, "This scene is a lifelong treasure of mine," making it clear just how unforgettable this moment was for both actors.

3rd Season #1 : Episode 57 "The Most Recent Hero and the Oldest Hero"

Taking the #1 spot for the 3rd season was Episode 57, "The Most Recent Hero and the Oldest Hero." Kobayashi and Rie Takahashi (voice of Emilia) looked back on the iconic "speech" scene where Subaru addresses the people of the Watergate City of Priestella.

When asked how he prepared for the long monologue, Kobayashi confessed, "I decided on key points, like where to shift tone. The flow leading up to those was surprisingly done on the spot." He revealed that rather than locking down every detail of his performance beforehand, he only set key anchors and relied on the emotions and flow generated in the moment.

During the actual recording, standing alone in front of the microphone delivering the speech while many fellow cast members watched gave him a feeling that paralleled Subaru carrying the burden of the people of Priestella. Kobayashi reflected, "Even though the situations were different, it felt strangely similar, which straightened my posture." Takahashi replied, "I'm glad I got to experience that live from my end, too."

When the topic turned to Emilia's character song "I Trust You," played during the speech scene, Kobayashi asked, "You sang it while listening to this dialogue, right?" to which Takahashi replied, "Yep." She revealed that she sang with conscious awareness of which lyrics overlapped with Subaru's lines, recalling, "There's a lyric that goes 'I can hear your voice.' I felt that I really wanted to record this song while listening to your (Subaru's) voice, so it was a fantastic scene where everything clicked into place perfectly!"

There were moments where both shed tears while watching the finished scene. Takahashi thoughtfully remarked, "Subaru was the one giving the speech, but maybe what supported it was the song 'I Trust You.'" Kobayashi also expressed his joy, saying, "I'm genuinely happy this was chosen as #1 for the 3rd season. It gave me confidence that it truly reached everyone."

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