Hiroshi Kamiya and Koutaro Nishiyama Discuss TOUGEN ANKI at Otakon 2025
Otakon 2025 hosted a panel dedicated to TOUGEN ANKI and two of its main cast members: Hiroshi Kamiya and Koutaro Nishiyama. Kamiya, who voices Naito Mudano, and Nishiyama, who voices Jin Kougasaki, were also a part of a press conference where they answered questions from the media. Anime Atelier had the chance to take part in this event, and we're bringing you a piece of what they had to say about the anime, their characters, and more.
Due to overlapping questions from many outlets, certain questions were grouped and asked by the moderator. The second half of the press conference opened the floor for individual questions from the media representatives present at the conference.
Hiroshi Kamiya and Koutaro Nishiyama
TOUGEN ANKI at Otakon 2025: Conference
Q: Were you familiar with the original TOUGEN ANKI manga, and what was your first impression of it?
KAMIYA: Hi everyone, I'm Kamiya. When I auditioned for the [anime], I encountered the original for the first time. Until then, unfortunately, I didn't know much about it. But when I read it, I thought it was very interesting. It's based on the old story of Momotaro, which everyone in Japan knows. I was interested in seeing the continuation story after the original legend.
NISHIYAMA: Hi, I'm Nishiyama. Similar to Kamiya-san, I first read the manga around the time of the audition. What I got from the manga was that the battle scenes were very interesting, I think they were very [well] drawn. I think that by [being in] TOUGEN ANKI like this, I would be able to show lots of readers and new viewers how appealing lots of the characters are, because I found [many of them interesting,] and I wish all of you would share that too.
Q: How did you become involved with the project?
KAMIYA: There were two auditions. For the first audition, I strategized with the production manager, and they were giving me directions on what kind of character to act out and how my character should sound. I made a tape and sent it in. I went to the studio for the second audition and met the staff and other people who were auditioning.. There was a rehearsal run, and then the real deal. After that, I felt like I didn't really get too much feedback, so I was worrying: "Oh, I guess I failed this one."
I kind of walked back, depressed and everything. But then I heard at a later date [that] I passed. I got the role. So, yeah, that was a memory for me.
NISHIYAMA: Like Kamiya-san, I also did the two auditions: the tape and the second audition in the studio. Similar to Kamiya-san, I didn't have any confidence in it. I often do characters that are a bit more reasonable, a bit more maybe out there. But then Kougasaki, as you might know, isn’t really a high-energy character — he’s more of a calm one. It was a new experience for me too. When I heard that I passed, I was very happy about it.
Q: How did you feel after watching the completed version of the anime? Do you often revisit the episodes once they air or are released on streaming platforms?
KAMIYA: If you start counting from the auditioning, and then recording, and all the way to the [broadcast], that's probably around a year until I actually saw the on-air version of it. I've been saying, "Wow, I've been waiting for a long time [for] this. I wonder how it [turned out]," and I'm especially interested in that because in the post recording, I do have a sense of what might be happening, but I don't have a sense of what the music might sound like.
So I watched it to see, the first episode [was] very high quality, but I was especially interested in the music that plays. I do watch it afterwards, especially to figure out the music that's playing.
NISHIYAMA: This is something that could be said for TOUGEN ANKI almost exclusively, but I thought the animations for blood, since, as you know, blood is a theme in there, were very aggressive. I thought that watching the anime, it was very exciting; the quality of the product is very high, so on one side, I thought it was a bit scary, but then on the other side, the emotional parts, the tears, truthful feelings, and everything, really contrasted the feel that I got from the animation of blood. There were some things specific to the anime that were added to [broadcast version] that were exclusive to what you could express in the anime.
Q: Could you share what you find appealing about this series, as well as the characters you portray? Are there any traits of the characters that you identify with?
KAMIYA: I personally don't really think about the appealing points of the characters, because if I think about the character's appeal, a character's charm, I will probably be a bit heavy-handed in trying to present that to my audience.
What I believe is that you, as the viewers, should be the people who decide on what a character is, where the character is charming, and how they are interesting. Having said that, Mudano is someone that I totally cannot relate to. He is very cool-headed, and he cares about efficiency over everything else, and I know that that's being thoughtful to his students, but still, you know, couldn't you do it a bit differently? (laughs)
NISHIYAMA: In terms of a point of charm or appeal about my character, I think Jin is a very stoic person who's a bit hard on himself, but he has lots of responsibilities, so he's not really good at expressing himself over that responsibility. I think if I were in his position, I probably wouldn't be able to deal with all the responsibility that he's feeling. Having said that, similarities or how I would identify with him would be a bit more difficult, but I would say masks, maybe? Because, as a voice actor, I often wear masks, and I like it (laughs).
Q: How did you prepare for your role in the series? Were there any particular aspects you paid special attention to in your performance? Additionally, what kind of communication or directions did you receive from the director or sound director during the recording process?
KAMIYA: Preparing for the character, what I often do is try to know how they think because, irrelevant of what they are doing on screen at the moment, there is always a why for what they are doing. I try to think about how to explain this character's motivations or why they are doing something, so this question of "But, why?" is something that I asked the directors. In terms of Mudano, things that I said about not being able to relate to him, I still tried to understand that everything that he does is [because of] his love for the students.
NISHIYAMA: Jin is a masked character, and his expressions are hard to read. In the animation, his eyes [are] the point of focus of how he expresses himself. I tried to see how I could relate his eye expressions to my voice.
I asked the sound director, Mr. [Satoki] Iida, how I could do this. He told me to be aware of the fact that he is still a student, despite how responsible he is. He is not that mature yet, so I still tried to act as a student. I talked to the director about how I could achieve that.
Q: Kamiya-san and Nishiyama-san, you've collaborated on many titles before, but what was it like working together as main cast members on this series? During the recording sessions, did anything stand out to you about each other's performances?
KAMIYA: Nishiyama-kun is a very good person. He is kind and considerate. When he is on set, he is very helpful.
NISHIYAMA: I'm glad to hear that.
KAMIYA: This is my first time in the U.S., and I'm glad that I got to spend time with him. There's really nobody better than him to be around because he's so kind and thoughtful.
NISHIYAMA: I'm glad.
KAMIYA: And of course, he's also good at acting. (everyone laughs)
NISHIYAMA: I've worked with Kamiya-san ever since my debut, the very beginning as a main character, and I've had the pleasure of experiencing many turning points, and I have a lot of respect for him, and... I-I love him. (laughs). At work at TOUGEN ANKI this time, I would say the character dynamic between Mudano and Jin, being a student and teacher, is a very apt approximation of how we are in the studio. Because he often acts as a teacher kind of figure to us, and we are the students. But then at the same time, he sometimes takes on the role of student and asks questions. In terms of acting, and in terms of setting the environment to a very good mood and everything, he is a very important person to me.
Q: In closing, would you like to say a few words to your international fans?
KAMIYA: First of all, thank you very much to everyone interested in reading this interview article. TOUGEN ANKI is based on the Momotaro legend, which everyone in Japan knows, but I'm not exactly sure if it's that well-known overseas. Aside from that, I do believe that as entertainment, it's very fun and has very appealing characters. I wish for all of you to find characters that you like, and I hope that you can find something about TOUGEN ANKI that you love.
NISHIYAMA: I would appreciate it for people who are watching TOUGEN ANKI. TOUGEN ANKI on Netflix and various streaming platforms all over the world, it's very interesting to me to see the Momotaro legend [spread] all over the world. I'm happy, along with all the cast and staff of this show, because this is quite literally a show that we poured our soul and blood all over, and this is precious work for all of us. It will not betray your expectations.
TOUGEN ANKI at Otakon 2025: Press Questions
Doctor Anime: The moral lines in TOUGEN ANKI are intentionally blurred. Momotaro and Oni are both victims and perpetrators. Did this moral ambiguity challenge your perception of your character?
KAMIYA: The short answer is yes, because TOUGEN ANKI is something that is not a straight right and wrong or just or unjust answer. The Oni are not entirely evil, and Momotaro is maybe not completely just. Going from each of their other perspectives, that becomes even more of a case. The kind of ironic thing is that the endpoint should be a conversation, but then they cannot get there without conflict. That is how I feel about it.
NISHIYAMA: Jin Kougasaki is a character who has a very tough past, and he's closed himself off because of it. He should seek help, but then he tries to fix all of his problems. I think there might have been some different ways that he could have acted in seeking help, but at the same time, knowing how Kougasaki feels, I know that would be difficult for him. His hatred is also the other side of his love for what he holds valuable. I would like to be alongside this character in keeping him comfortable, because he's probably a very lonely person.
Strict Algorithm: Kamiya-san, you voice a lot of characters that are quiet but have long internal monologues. How do you approach playing those characters?
KAMIYA: In regard to the question about a character having a long monologue and internal thought being difficult, well, I do already have 30 years of experience, so I can't really show my weakness. But at the same time, I won't complain about lots of lines and monologues, but then, at the same time, Mudano is a person who was... In terms ofTOUGEN ANKI, there are lots of things that I would need to explain, and I would need to put that in terms of character thoughts so that they aren't a monologous exposition.
I would want to have the characters' feeling influenced in that explanation. In terms of preparation, though, I don't really prepare too much. Again, my career length is the driving force behind me.
Strict Algorithm: Nishiyama-san, are there any series you watched or featured actors that inspired you to pursue voice acting?
NISHIYAMA: I originally found out about voice actors back in grade school. There was a variety show that I watched when the variety show was called something along the lines of Seeing the Face of the Voice Actors Best 100 Series, and that's where I found out about the profession of voice acting. So, back then in grade school, the teacher said I read the books very well because in Japanese grade schools, you have a part of the lesson where you need to read in front of the class, and that's when I thought I wanted to be in a profession that uses my voice. So, I got into it, and I went to a voice training school in Japan, where I pursued my dream.
Anime Corner: Since the story is derived from Momotaro, all the Japanese fans will be familiar with some elements of it. For international fans who are not, what would you say are the key elements of the story to focus on?
KAMIYA: That is a very good question because I think every Japanese person would know that the baseline facts are that the Oni are evil and Momotaro rights the wrongs. But what are the Oni doing now, and what justice does Momotaro have? Because they no longer have that kind of thing going on anymore. So, I think the story of TOUGEN ANKIis about how they are looking for a way to coexist.
But then, I wouldn't be here if I were to speak about the ethics of how we should all get together and everything. I think everyone is going to tell me, "Well, we already know about that." And I think the core principle of TOUGEN ANKI is that since we know where we want to end up, I think how we get there through appealing characters and exciting battles is something that we best want to represent.
NISHIYAMA: I won't talk about the Oni since I think Kamiya-san has done such a wonderful job. I think I'll actually talk about [this ability the Oni have] that is dictated by their past or trauma. These abilities are how they fight with the others. I think how that is depicted is very fun, and I hope that everyone can focus on their personalities and how they fight, and what kind of techniques they use.
Anime Atelier: Was there a voice actor or previous role you took into consideration when coming up with the voices for your characters?
KAMIYA: I think I can't really put a finger on it, But I am sure that subconsciously, there are things that really guide my act because everything that I have seen, I have experienced, they are a part of what builds up my expressiveness until now. So, all the characters, all the experiences. But what exactly... That's a bit hard to say.
NISHIYAMA: So, Kougasaki is a very new type of character for me. What I do to think about voices is I would ask myself, as a voice actor, who would I put in the role of Kougasaki? And I would think about, say, choice A, choice B, choice C in terms of voice actors. But then again, at the same time, I am not that person A, B, or C. I cannot do the voices of A, B, and C. My ultimate thought is that how I would act it out as my act is how I handle this.
JVS Media & Productions: Why do you think anime is a genre that is more emotionally impacting than live action?
KAMIYA: I wonder why. But my idea is that anime is actually something that is made by subtraction rather than addition. Because if you go to addition, you get more details, you add in more stuff, more stuff, more stuff. Sometimes that could subtract from the overall experience of how the message is conveyed. So, in essence, maybe anime gets those feelings conveyed even [more directly] because they know what they want to tell their audience.
NISHIYAMA: The characters in anime don't really exist. But at the same time, anime add in voices and music, and they get to a point where that anime is getting to a point of believability. And once you cross a certain threshold, you kind of feel, "Oh, the character came to this side. They're on this side now." And there [is] an interjection of "Oh, so I see. We are actually making the characters come this way by our imaginations. We actually add our imaginations to the equation." I think that our emotions complete that equation of how anime is more emotionally impactful.
Special thanks to PONY CANYON and the Otakon 2025 team for organizing the conference.
TOUGEN ANKI is currently streaming on various platforms worldwide, including Netflix, Prime Video, and Crunchyroll.
© Yura Urushibara (AKITASHOTEN) /TOUGEN ANKI PROJECT
Tamara Lazic
