It has been announced that actor Takahashi Fumiya and voice actor Umehara Yuuichiro will appear in “Anime Kapibara-san”, which will be broadcast on TV Tokyo’s “Kinder TV” from Oct. 9. Comments from both of them have also arrived.
“Anime Kapibara-san” is a short anime that shows the “curly” everyday life of Kapibara-san and his friends, a character created by TRYWORKS, a women-only-team from “BANDAI SPIRITS” founded in 2005.
In this work, Takahashi will do the narration, and Umehara will appear in this work as the narrator/zookeeper. The narration has a double cast, and comments arrived from both.
Also, director Tsukimi Tomohiro, who has worked on “Gudetama” and “How clumsy you are, Miss Ueno”, explained about why two actors were hired, “Takahashi Fumiya-san’s high-pitched, crisp, fresh voice is attractive, and I asked him for narration because I thought it would match the episodes of the stories that center on the energetic characters such as baby Kapi, Atsui-san, and Prarie-san. I also thought his voice would be a nice contrast to Umehara-san’s narration!”
Regarding Umehara, “Umehara Yuuichiro-san was asked for narration because of his low-pitched, calm, and gentle voice that would match the episodes with laid-back stories! Also, he will play the only human character and I asked him to use a higher-pitched voice than usualto match the energetic, neutral image of the Otomen character!”
“Anime Kapibara-san” will be broadcast on “Kinder TV” from Oct. 9.
Comments from Takahashi Fumiya
――How did you feel when you were offered this role?
It was my first time to narrate an anime, so I was simply confused as to whether I could handle it or not.
Listening to Umehara-san’s voice recorded earlier, I learned how he conveyed the message with such a gentle voice. But there would be no point in me narrating if I copied his style. I wanted to do a narration that matches the world of Kapibara-san in my own style.
――What were your thoughts on narrating?
It was really hard. I’ve been doing dubbing for a year, but the narration to bring out the best of Kapibara-san and his friends was very difficult. Although the recording time was short, I was able to finish it with the guidance of the director.
Thanks to Kapibara-san and the cute characters, my heart was soothed after watching the video, and I naturally had a warming feeling during the recording.
――What is your favorite character?
It’s Regent-kun. Regent-kun, who calls himself “bad boy”, dyed his hair purple with lavender because he doesn’t like normal things. Isn’t that really cute? He smells so nice, haha. I was researching about the characters and he caught my attention even before the recording. He says stop when the baby Kapis gather around him, but he actually looked pleased. He has a tsundere side. He’s just like a second-grader, and I think it’s very cute. I want to stay at home with Regent-kun, who has the scent of lavender!
Kapibara-san is very normal in a good way. But that’s why there are characters like big brother baby Kapi who looks up to Kapibara-san, Regent-kun, who dislikes ordinary things, and other characters stand out. I think it is possible because of the beloved Kapibara-san.
――Please give a message to fans who are looking forward to it.
I did my best to narrate for “Kapibara-san” so that everyone who watches it will get their hearts soothed.
I hope you can also enjoy me getting drawn into the world of “Kapibara-san” towards the final episode. Thank you.
Comments from Umehara Yuuichiro
――How did you feel when you were offered this role?
I wondered if I would fit in this warm and comfortable vibe. Looking at the characters while narrating and dubbing, I felt refreshed. Also, I found how they used pauses and the way they manipulated time very interesting.
――What were your thoughts on narrating and voicing the zookeeper?
At first, I didn’t know how close the narrator should be to the characters in the play, so I adjusted it trying again and again. Some episodes had odd lines, such as, “Dainashiiinn” and “Gorgeosooonnn”, so it was hard to determine if I would narrate in a funny manner, or stay it emotionlessly. It was difficult to find the right emotions.
The zookeeper is a type of character that I usually don’t play, so it was fun. As a gentle person with a neutral vibe, I gathered up the feminine elements in myself for the role. I significantly remember the director telling me to “lighten it up a bit.”
――What is your favorite character?
It’s Namakemono-kun. The character design is amazing. Is this a creature? Because it looks like a mysterious life-form. He’s always zoning out, being silent and mysterious. I think that kind of thing is interesting. There is something that leads to the fun of “manipulation of time” in the whole work. I also like sloths, so he was a character that caught my attention.
Kapibara-san is a character that soothes you out just by looking at him. I think it’s perfect for tired-out modern age people.
――Please give a message to fans who are looking forward to it.
The story of each episode is short, but it is a work that makes you feel peaceful. Sit back, relax, and watch it with your head blank. Thank you.
(C) TRYWORKS / Team Kapibara-san
