Uchida Maaya, Tuesday MC of “Say You to Yoasbi 2021”: “If I were to compare Shimono-san to a game, I’d say he’s a shield.[Interview]

The industry’s first original regular voice-over program, “Say You to Yoasobi (Nightlife with Voice Actors),” which is being distributed on the Anime CH of the new future TV “ABEMA,” celebrated its 4th anniversary on April 2, 2021.

To celebrate the 4th anniversary and the start of the new season, Anime! Anime! conducted interviews with the voice actors in charge of each day of the week and asked them about their journey with “Say You to Yoasobi” and their enthusiasm for the 4th year.

This time, we interviewed Tuesday’s MC, Uchida Maaya, and asked her how she plans to evolve “Healing Tuesday” with her partner, Shimono Hiro, who are now in their 3rd year together.
[Interview and text by Mori Motoyuki, photography by Fujita Ayumi].

–How did you feel when you first heard that you would be continuing as the MC for “Say You to Yoasobi 2021”?

Uchida: I was very happy. Every Tuesday, I come to the studio at the same time and make a show with the same people. I’ve been doing this for two years and it’s become a routine, so I’ve been anxiously wondering if I’ll be able to do it again next year, and I’ll miss it if it disappears.

The staff asked me, “Will you continue as MC?” , so I answered immediately, “Of course, I would like to continue with Shimono-san.” I was very relieved because I didn’t know until the very last minute if I would continue, and I was more than happy to be able to continue MCing with Shimono-san again.

–Have there been any memorable projects on “Healing Tuesday”?

Uchida: The Tanabata episode where we wore “Tanabata costumes”. We were both wearing different costumes, but we happened to rent our clothes from the same place, so when we stood side by side, it looked really good. On Tuesdays, we are allowed to wear different clothes for each season, but I was particularly impressed by the high level of perfection and the enthusiasm with which we were able to do it.

–Speaking of flippant projects, you also have fun with the board game “Ciao, Ciao” using different rules than the original.

Uchida: We played a lot of other board games on “Say You to Yoasobi 2020,” but that one was particularly fun. We added new tricks and deviated from the original rules to play with our own unique rules, but no matter how crazy we got, Shimono-san would accept it, so we were free to play.

–What kind of day of the week would you like to make from the next season?

Uchida: Since the show is called “Healing Tuesdays,” I would like to continue to aim for a show that makes everyone smile and feel relieved.
Also, the good thing about Tuesdays is that it is fun for children to watch, with cosplay and board games.” It’s called “Nightlife”, so it’s a nighttime show, but it’s still an hour and a half that people can watch with their families.

At first, I was worried that I wasn’t being aggressive enough, but on Tuesday, that part of the show became my personality and turned into a good thing. I’d like to keep that intact.

–Are there any projects you would like to do in the new season?

Uchida: I’d like to do a project related to baseball, which I love. In the second season, former professional baseball player Satozaki Tomoya visited us. I’d like to collaborate with people involved in baseball again or go to the ballpark.

Also, I’d like to have a collaboration of “Say You to Yoasobi” and “Pacific League” to create a project like “Challenge a Ugly Girl!” It would be great if we could do something like that. I’d like to make an announcement like “Pitcher …… Wada”.

Also, since Maeno-san (Maeno Tomoaki) is also a baseball fan, it would be interesting to have a baseball duel between the Tuesday team (Shimono and Uchida) and the Monday team (Yasumoto and Maeno).

–When I interviewed Maeno-san, he said, “This year, I definitely don’t want to lose to Uchida-san.
Maeno-san is a big fan of the Yomiuri Giants, and they were defeated in the Japan Series two years in a row by the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, which Uchida-san supports.

Uchida: Last year, we didn’t let them win a single game in the Japan Series, so I wish we could!

As for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks this year, they seemed to be finishing well when I watched their opening game. While they are trying out some of their younger players, their first team roster is as thick as ever, and they won three straight games against the Chiba Lotte Marines, a team they are not very good at, so that’s good.

Also, the veteran players, commonly known as “Ojitaka,” are very good. Matsuda Nobuhiro, Akashi Takeshi, Hasegawa Yuya, Kawashima Keizo and Wada Tsuyoshi, who is now 40 years old, are all expected to win as starting pitchers.

I would be very happy if all of these players could be my guests during the off-season.

–Are there any days of the week you would like to join?

Uchida: Any day of the week sounds interesting, but I’m curious about Friday’s conversation between Seki-san (Seki Tomokazu) and Hatanaka-san (Hatanaka Tasuku) because I can’t imagine what kind of conversation they’ll have (lol). I think this is Seki-san’s 4th year as MC, and he’s a major figure in “Say You to Yoasobi” so I’d like to learn a lot from him.

On Wednesdays, there will be three girls, Komatsu-san (Komatsu Mikako), Uesaka-san (Uesaka Sumire), and Tokui-san (Tokui Sora). It would be fun if I showed up, saying ‘Do you need a 4th girl?’
I had heard about “Destruction Wednesday” and was surprised when I saw them breaking down the door. I’m wondering what would happen if “Healing Tuesday” and “Destruction Wednesday” came together.

–Do you ever watch other days of the week?

Uchida: I often watch videos that come up on my Twitter timeline.
Also, it’s not the show itself, but when the MCs of other days of the week are on TV or in other media, I tend to watch them. “Subaru-kun is making cola! “Oh, Seki-san,” “It’s Morikubo-san (Shotaro),” and so on. I feel a sense of camaraderie, like we’re in different classes at the same school, so I’m curious.

–The show is associated with nighttime, but on the contrary, do you have a morning routine?

Uchida: I’m a big fan of pickled plums, and I look forward to eating them every morning. I even order them from a specialty store, and I like them so much that they were featured on the program, but I get swollen if I eat them at night, so I hold back and eat them in the morning.
I keep a box of various kinds of pickled plums and eat them randomly according to my mood at the time. I’m so confident that I can taste any kind of pickled plum I’ve had before.
They are also very good for the body, so when I don’t eat rice, I dissolve them in hot water and use them as plum water.

–Is there anything you would like to say to your partner, Shimono Hiro?

Uchida: The longer we’ve known each other, the more I’ve learned that he does a lot of different things, and the more I learn about him, the more I realize how interesting he is.
I’d like to say, “Please be open-minded and wait for me!”

–Again, how is your combination with Shimono-san?

Uchida: If I were to use a game analogy, Shimono-san would hold up his shield and step forward to block out dangerous traps and such. After that, I would attack from behind with my sword, saying, “Swish, swish, yah! I didn’t realize it at first, but over the past two years I’ve come to realize that this is the best combination. I would like to develop the combination further in the future.

–By the way, when I interviewed Shimono-san, he said, “Feel free to do whatever you want. He said, “My staff and I will take care of the processing.”

Uchida: I think we’re saying about the same thing. ……! It’s a great combination that we can understand each other (lol).

–Since it’s a new season, what is something new you would you like to try this year?

Uchida: I want to make this a year of learning, so I want to challenge myself in English. Looking at my followers on Instagram, etc., I see that many of them are from China and other foreign countries, and I have a strong desire to communicate more to my overseas fans.
I feel that if I can convey my thoughts in my own words, they will be happy and my own world will expand. I don’t have many opportunities to speak English in my daily life or at work, but I would like to challenge myself over the next few years.

–Finally, please give a message to your fans.

Uchida: I’m happy to announce that I’ll be MCing with Shimono-san again in 2021. I’m sure many of you were wondering if we would be able to continue, but now that all the MCs are here for the new season, I promise to bring you a fun and smiling “Say You to Yoasobi 2021”. Please watch “Say You to Yoasobi 2021” on Tuesdays at 10pm. Thank you very much.