Shopping Guide
To complete just one anime work, a great number of components must be seamlessly interlaced. Of course, characters, a backstory, and an image are necessary. Yet among all the uncountable aspects, you can’t forget the voices. It is the voice stars who breathes life into the work by naturally performing the characters.
Recently, the diversity of voice stars’ work is increasing. In addition to anime, voice stars have begun to perform dubbing for overseas films as well as music and narration work. One such work opportunity for voice stars is radio. Not just radio narration, but performing similarly to a main personality of a show. Currently, at the height of popularity is the “Chou! A&G” voice star speciality program radio channel, which is proof of such radio shows existing.
The TOM team was able to visit a recording of the voice actress internet radio program “Akiba Blitz Sales Department ~Kaori and Manami’s ‘Certain Akihabara Office Ladies’ Actual Affairs’ Ver. 2.0~.” The broadcast included reports of voice star work and interviews by the program’s main personalities Kaori Shimizu and Manami Numakura, who are both voice actresses currently at the forefront of the Japanese anime industry.
The recording of the radio program began in a certain studio in Akihabara. Although the program is only nearing one year of broadcasting, the two voice stars and staff’s moods are perfect. A relaxing atmosphere flowed throughout the studio. From the first meeting until the completion of the recording, the mood was harmonious. Also, since the day of our visit was near Shimizu’s birthday, a surprise was carried out during the program that included cake, flowers, and a special quiz. Shimizu was surprised, and the staff’s consideration of the details was clearly evident.
Not before long, the recording began. This program was broadcast on the massive “Rajikame Vision” display located on the Radio Kaikan Building 1 in Akihabara. For that reason, Shimizu and Numakura were very animated, and frequently mixed grand movements into the program. From the program’s start with office lady drama, discussion was had, the card game Phantasmagoria was introduced, and Radio Kaikan information was conveyed. The recording was over before we knew it. Together with the professional feeling of the recording, we enjoyed the entertaining, spontaneous chat between the voice actress. It was freshly done as if they were unaware of the audience. When the theme of the talk turned to romance, the atmosphere of the studio completely changed to that of office ladies (OL) talking about love at the office. Questions were being lightheartedly thrown at a group of men outside the recording booth and the two were completely losing themselves in the moment. From experiencing these two stars firsthand, we can understand why this program is loved by the audience.
We will have an interview with the main personalities Shimizu and Numakura in a forthcoming part of this article, so stay tuned!
“Akiba Blitz Sales Department ~Kaori and Manami’s ‘Certain Akihabara Office Ladies’ Actual Affairs’ Ver. 2.0~” Official Site:
http://www.radiokaikan.jp/station/ (Japanese)
This is a Tokyo Otaku Mode original article.
