#INTERVIEW: Ryotaro Okiayu as Nube Provides Early Insights to Hell Teacher: Jigoku Sensei Nube

Hell Teacher: Jigoku Sensei Nube is a unique supernatural anime series that blends education with exorcism. The story follows Meisuke Nueno, known as Nube, who is both a dedicated teacher and a skilled exorcist, using his oni-imbuded left hand to protect his students from paranormal threats. In this interview with Anime Trending, Ryotaro Okiayu, the voice behind Nube, discusses his return to the series, his views on the appeal of Hell Teacher: Jigoku Sensei Nube, and tidbits about the current voice acting process.

Thank you for your time! What was your initial reaction when you were asked to reprise your role as Nube in the Hell Teacher: Jigoku Sensei Nube reboot after nearly 30 years?

Ryotaro Okiayu: When I first heard that this was going to be another anime series, I was surprised, but at the same time, I had been hoping for it. I was very happy and the messages [from Makura-sensei and Okano-sensei] were very [inspiring], so I’m looking forward to it.

How do you think the “modern update” mentioned by creator, Shou Makura-sensei, will affect the personalities and interactions of the students of Class 5-3?

Ryotaro Okiayu: It’s been thirty years since the first animation. Although the relationship between Nube and the students might not change, everything around it, like all the digital devices and such, have evolved and might change within the title.

What aspects of Nube’s character are you most excited to explore in this modern adaptation?          

Ryotaro Okiayu: Although he’s obviously a cool character, at the same time, he’s very clumsy when he does stuff. I’m looking forward to showing that to the fans. At the same time, I always have that in mind, so that I’m not too cool, per se.

How has your approach to voice acting changed since the original 90s series, and how might that influence your portrayal of Nube?

Ryotaro Okiayu: It’s been 28 years since the first series, so time has gone by. Within that time, I’ve played various roles, but this character is one of the characters with dynamics I have to act out. For other characters, I also have to act cool and tough, but for this character, he’s very dynamic and diverse, given all his movements. I’m having fun acting it out and I’m also trying to get back into my old self [from ]28 years ago. All the actors playing as the students were having a comedic time while we [rehearse].

How do you think the themes of Hell Teacher: Jigoku Sensei Nube resonate with today’s audience compared to the 90s?

Ryotaro Okiayu: Nube is like a school horror, and it can be viewed by all ages. I have been in a lot of live-actions and anime horrors. I hope that although with its current age, all the fans would enjoy it, no matter [how old] or who they are.

What do you think makes Hell Teacher: Jigoku Sensei Nube stand out among other supernatural anime series?

Ryotaro Okiayu: So what I think is special is that Nube has to handle oni — he has a power that’s within his hand and it gets unleashed. That kind of aspect is kind of special only to this title. He can control his hand sometimes and he’s controlling it by using it, but he has a lot of background stories as to why he has that hand.

When he first appears in the story, he already has the hand, and there is a mystery behind it that the audience won’t find out until later on. .

Are there any particular aspects of Nube’s personality that you find challenging or enjoyable to portray?

Ryotaro Okiayu: What I find difficult is when Nube is fighting. I have to kind of scream and say stuff really loudly, which is kind of hard for me. Considering my age and my body, I can’t tolerate it as much as I did 30 years ago. But the fun part is that I enjoy everything about it.

How much screaming have you done so far in the voice acting?

Ryotaro Okiayu: I’m screaming in every single episode.

While it might still be early to ask, could you share any stories or moments so far while working on Hell Teacher: Jigoku Sensei Nube such as the recording session?

Ryotaro Okiayu: In the first episode, the staff and the actors were tense and nervous. I was trying to regain my old self and I also wanted to create something new, so that kind of balance was kind of fun and new to me. In the beginning, when I got into the role, I aimed to portray how Nube is when protecting his students. I always had that in mind. I can’t reveal too much about the first episode, but the first episode is basically about protecting his students. That was interesting and memorable to me while recording the first episode.

What message would you like to share with older fans and newcomers to the show in 2025?

Ryotaro Okiayu: You might see it in the new trailer that’s going to be revealed, but I hope old fans will feel nostalgic and could look forward to new elements in the upcoming anime series. There are some new additions within this series that will be interesting for the new fans. The cast had been discussing how this story will turn out, so I hope that viewers will enjoy that as well. Some content that has already been made into anime will appear, but other content will be animated and revealed for the first time ever, so it’ll be interesting to see how that will be entwined within the new series.

The old series used hand drawn cels, whereas now, we’re in the digital era. I want fans to look forward to the fact that this Nube series is going to be a mix of digital and not traditional anime, so I hope everyone will enjoy that!

Special thanks to REMOW and It’s Anime for the opportunity to interview. Hell Teacher: Jigoku Sense Nubei will begin streaming Summer 2025 with further details to be announced soon on It’s Anime X (formerly Twitter) account.