#INTERVIEW: That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime and So I'm a Spider, So What? Lead Voice Actors
“#INTERVIEW: That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime and So I'm a Spider, So What? Lead Voice Actors”
In coordination with the current season of So I’m a Spider, So What?, Crunchyroll News was given the opportunity to officially translate interviews with the staff and cast of the series. You can read the original Japanese interview between Aoi Yuki and Miho Okasaki right here.
The interview was conducted by Daisuke Iwakura.
So I'm a Spider, So What? x That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Crossover Interview! "Me" (a.k.a. Kumoko) Aoi Yuki and "Rimuru Tempest" Miho Okasaki.
It's a dream crossover between two anime airing in January: So I'm a Spider, So What? and That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime! The interview was held on December 19th, 2020 as part of the Isekai Miracle Crossover broadcast featuring Aoi Yuki, who plays "Me" (a.k.a. Kumoko), and Miho Okasaki, who plays Rimuru Tempest.
These two characters were reincarnated as monsters, and while they have their similarities, they have their differences, too. We spoke to Yuki-san and Okasaki-san about what they have in common, where they're distinct, and what makes each of the shows so interesting.
A shared concern … being reincarnated means having a lot of dialogue?!
—I've heard this is the first time either of you have encountered each other's projects. For starters, could you give a brief description of the show? Yuki-san, if you could go first.
Yuki: Kumoko is a girl who was unfortunate enough to find herself reincarnated as a spider after her classroom was blown up. And the type of spider she was reincarnated as happens to be the weakest monster in that world. She's initially pretty pessimistic about what's happened, but her naturally positive and free-wheeling personality allow her to tackle the situation with gusto. She's got a lot of strengths like being quick-witted and staying calm under stress, but I think her biggest appeal is that she's very self-centered, in a good way. The way she's able to focus on what she needs to do, and what she needs to pursue to become happy makes a good match for having been turned into a monster, and really ties into her determination to survive.
Okasaki: Before the interview, they showed me the first episode of So I'm a Spider, So What? and while I did think Kumoko's optimism was charming, I was amazed by how many lines Yuki-san had!
Yuki: It's pretty brutal, right?! It gives the impression that being reincarnated means having a lot of dialogue. (Laughs)
Okasaki: I know what you mean! Rimuru is the same way, he has a lot of monologues.
Yuki: Chalk it up to "things that happened when you're reincarnated." I've reincarnated a few times before … by which I mean my characters have, of course. (Laughs) But the amount of lines Kumoko has is incomparable to all the rest.
Okasaki: The way she talks to herself so amusingly is really entertaining, and it really speaks to Yuki-san's strengths as an actress. I was amazed.
Yuki: Thank you so much!
—Now, Okasaki-san, if you could tell us about Rimuru.
Okasaki: After reincarnating as a slime, Rimuru ran into a character named Shizu-san, and as a result gained an alternate human form. And while I think being able to change shapes is kind of cheating (Laughs), both are really cute, and I really enjoy making each form sound distinct during the recording. In terms of personality, he's got a really big heart. He encounters characters that oppose him, but he considers their circumstances and ends up making them into allies. His humanity really attracts others to him. It's that kind of personality where you can understand how he ended up as a leader.
Yuki: I was shown Episode 25 of That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime. Even in that one episode, you could tell how beloved he is in a way that makes you kind of jealous. Kumoko would love to join Tempest (the Jura Tempest Federation)!
Okasaki: We'd be glad to have you! Our country is very accepting of monsters.
Yuki: Meanwhile, I'm stuck in a cave having to kill other monsters! (Laughs) The problem is none of them will listen to reason, so I just have to eat them.
Okasaki: (Laughs)
Yuki: I also like how easy-going Rimuru is. Even when everyone is desperate and fighting, he never loses his cool, which really impresses on you how big of a deal he is. It's the kind of composure that comes from being really strong.
Okasaki: That's true, being able to take a step back and look at things analytically is one of Rimuru's strengths.
—I'd like to discuss the similarities and differences between the two characters. First, since Kumoko and Rimuru have both reincarnated, let's talk about the differences between who they originally were.
Okasaki: Rimuru was originally a 37-year-old office worker.
Yuki: Kumoko was a high schooler, so that's about a 20 year age difference.
Okasaki: Since he's an older guy, Rimuru gets really, really excited whenever cute girls show up.
Yuki: I remember him riding on top of someone's boobs. (Laughs)
Okasaki: That did happen. He often uses his slime form as a means to get to sit in girls' laps. When we were recording that scene, the audio director had to explain the male point of view in that situation. His direction was along the lines of, "You need to sound happier about it." (Laughs)
—Do you try to be conscious about him being a 37-year-old man when portraying Rimuru, Okasaki-san?
Okasaki: I do. I really think his perspective on things tends to be on the mature side. He doesn't feel desperate to survive like Kumoko, and when confronted with an enemy, his reaction is to think, "Well, I'll give it a shot," instead of, "I'm gonna win!" He reincarnated, ended up with a variety of skills, and before long he became a ruler, but he lived 37 years of his life and developed an outlook that keeps him from feeling desperate, and I try to capture that maturity when I perform as him.
Yuki: When you're 37 years old, you're an adult who's dealt with things like taking care of bills and paying into your pension, and you'll have experienced both the sweet and bitter parts of life, letting you see how it all balances out. You're able to approach life in a way where the overarching thought is, "Well, that's just how it is." Compared to that, Kumoko hasn't even started paying taxes yet, and hasn't really developed an outlook to approach life with. As a result, she tackles things with a gusto that makes you wonder if she's going to burn out, which really shows how youthful she is. But I also think the world she's reincarnated into is one where that kind of ferocity is necessary for survival.
—There's also the fact that currently, Rimuru is surrounded by friends, while Kumoko is all by herself.
Yuki: There's a part in Episode 25 where Rimuru's friends are having him dress up in different outfits, almost like a doll, and I thought that was wonderful. Kumoko has been on her own this entire time, in a cave, and is only able to fantasize about getting to wear clothing.
Okasaki: For as much of a social butterfly as he is, Rimuru actually never had a girlfriend in his past life.
Yuki: Maybe he never seemed like boyfriend material? The kind of person who finds the object of their affection asking for romantic advice.
Okasaki: Oh! I kind of feel bad for him, now … maybe he lacked that extra spice that's necessary.
Yuki: He's nice, and seems smart, and gives really good relationship advice.
Okasaki: And ended up as a bachelor for 37 years as a result … But when I think about it that way, the world he was reincarnated to might be suited to Rimuru. It's a world where you get judged for the amount of power you have, so by being both powerful and lovable, he and the world have a mutual appreciation for each other. Rimuru's past life didn't end up being very personally productive, so his reincarnation doesn't seem so bad now that he gets to be surrounded by friends and enjoy life.
—Since Kumoko is by herself, it sounds like you end up doing a lot of recording by yourself, too.
Yuki: It's so lonely! The second set of key visuals show four different versions of Kumoko, but they're all played by me.
Okasaki: I didn't know that!
Yuki: I'm still alone, but at least there's a little bit more back-and-forth now. (Laughs)
Okasaki: That seems like it'd be a lot of lines …
Yuki: It feels like things have gotten even more hectic with the four of her.
—Another interesting point of comparison is how the characters both have encounters with dragons.
Yuki: The Earth Dragon I run into is bad news. Unlike Veldora, it's not interested in talking at all.
Okasaki: I guess communication is off the table. It's also pretty scary looking! (Looking at the art in the teaser visuals.)
Yuki: And it's really strong! And it's definitely going to threaten Kumoko again. The thought of becoming friends didn't occur to me.
Okasaki: I'm not so sure that'd work, even for Rimuru.
Yuki: Rimuru-san's strong too, though, so he'd be able to deal with it.
—In comparison, Veldora is almost like Rimuru's partner.
Okasaki: That's right. He might look so scary that Rimuru fainted when he first saw him, but he's actually pretty charming when you talk to him. And a tsundere!
Yuki: That's great!
Okasaki: When Rimuru approaches him about being friends, Veldora says, "Well, I guess I can consider it!" But in the end, they become friends anyway.
Yuki: That's so nice. This might be a little weird, but I always find the fantasy races in stories like this to be charming. That goes for the humanoid ones of course, but even the monstrous ones can really pull on my heartstrings. When I was talking to a friend who feels the same way, they mentioned that Veldora-san is super cute.
Okasaki: That's interesting! Veldora is definitely a popular character.
Yuki: Everyone who finds dragons cute mentioned him, so I've looked at some character art before. Rimuru was in slime form too, so it was like, "This is some good fantasy race content."
Their circumstances may be different, but these reincarnations would definitely get along!
—We've discussed the things they have in common, and their differences, and now I'd like to ask: Do you think these two characters would get along?
Yuki: I don't think they'd have any trouble in that regard since they'd be able to communicate and understand each other.
Okasaki: The fact that they've both reincarnated is something they'd be able to bond over, and I think Rimuru would be thrilled to encounter another former human who reincarnated as a monster.
Yuki: Kumoko is friendly as long as she's not hungry … then again, I think she'd realize she's outmatched. And since she doesn't pick fights she can't win, I'm sure they'd get along fine. I apologize if she accidentally eats anyone from Tempest, though!
Okasaki: That would not be okay! (Laughs) Rimuru really cares about his friends, so please try and show some restraint. There's plenty of actual food to eat, instead!
Yuki: As long as there's food.
Okasaki: That's a relief … but after talking it over, it'd be interesting to see Rimuru and Kumoko actually interact.
Yuki: It'd make a great short anime!
Okasaki: Good idea! They've crossed over before, so I'd love it if they adapted that story! ["Monster x Reincarnation Fair" was an original short story by So I'm a Spider, So What? author Okina Baba-sensei.]
—Since you're both here, do you have any questions for each other?
Okasaki: Hearing Yuki-san's performance, she's doing a great job of establishing Kumoko-san's character, but at the same time, you can imagine a normal human high school student with the same performance. How did you manage that?
Yuki: To be honest, I already knew going to the audition that I'd be talking a lot with this role, and I realized if I went too hard, the performance would fall apart. (Laughs) For example, talking in a really high voice for an extended period of time wouldn't be possible, right? The end result is what comes from eliminating stuff like that. And since she's a character who can go from really low energy to being super excited pretty quickly, I tried to use a neutral voice that would let me do both.
Okasaki: That's really interesting! You knew you would be talking a lot beforehand, right?
Yuki: You should always be careful with any project that has "reincarnation" in the premise, because you'll end up talking a lot.
Okasaki: Hahaha, you're right! I'll have to remember that. (Laughs)
—Do you have any questions, Yuki-san?
Yuki: Rimuru-san has no gender as a slime. Was there anything special that you did considering that?
Okasaki: I thought he would sound gender-neutral, so I tried to craft a voice that would give that impression. That being said, I'm a woman with a feminine voice, so what worked best was leaning into a boyish direction. I would record the voice I came up with and listen to it, searching for a voice that suits the genderless Rimuru. My own voice isn't particularly exuberant either (laughs), and since I've a relatively huskier tone, I was eventually able to nail it pretty easily. That helps make it come out naturally.
—Thank you both so much. Before we go, what do you think is the main appeal of your projects?
Okasaki: In Season 1, Rimuru was reincarnated as a slime, got a humanoid form, made friends, created a nice country, and it ended on a peaceful note. But in Season 2, he's going to be encountering a lot of opposition and forced to make some major decisions. Things have been smooth sailing so far, but now he's going to have to think about what he can do for his friends. I've been portraying a new, more heroic side of him, which I think will be a lot of fun to see.
Yuki: Kumoko's story has an element of "survival of the fittest," and there's a kind of exhilaration you get from seeing that unfold. She faces a strong enemy, grows from the experience, and then encounters something even stronger, continuing to evolve. That cycle is really interesting to watch, and her positivity can make you happy just from seeing it unfold, so it might be a good idea to end a long day with watching So I'm a Spider, So What?
If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on Google News too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.
For forums sites go to Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com
If you want to read more anime-manga articles, you can visit our anime-manga category.
