───Momoko first appeared in the TV series from the third season, what kind of audition did you have?
Originally, I appeared as Yada-kun from the first season. So I didn’t feel like I “joined later”. I still remember the day I auditioned for Momoko, I had a high fever. I went to the audition feeling dizzy. At first, I had to speak my character name and my name into the microphone, but I couldn’t read the kanji for “Asuka”. I had been thinking it was pronounced “Hattori” the whole time. The moment I said, “I’m Miyahara Nami, playing the role of Hattori Momoko”, I heard a big laugh from the supposedly soundproof staff room… “This is it, this is it!” (laughs). Afterwards, I heard that my mistake actually fit perfectly with the image of the returnee schoolgirl they had in mind.
───According to Producer Seki-san, Utada Hikaru’s breakthrough was the catalyst for the introduction of the new heroine Momoko, who attends an international school. Illustrator Umakoshi-san also said, “As Miyahara-san began playing Momoko, the character began to take shape.”
Really? (laughs) I wonder what that means. (laughs)
I belonged to a children’s theater group since I was a child and I did plays, but voice acting, or rather, just using my voice for work, was something I first did for the predecessor to “Doremi”, “The Crayon Kingdom of Dreams”. Initially, I thought that the voice of an animated character was the character itself speaking, so I didn’t even know that there was a person playing the voice. I didn’t know that “voice acting” was a job. When I first debuted as a voice actor, I couldn’t read the script while matching it with the video, I didn’t know the timing or how to breathe properly, and there were times when I couldn’t do anything and cried in the toilet.
But the people who appeared in “Doremi” were active in various genres. So I could do more freely, or rather, do ad-libs I didn’t expect would be OK, and play freer characters that weren’t tied to stereotypes, I think. It made me realize, “Ah, I can just be myself more”. It was an important work that taught me that. Thanks to the depth of the producer, director, and sound director’s generosity (laughs).
───What was it like for you when you were 16-17 years old, Miyahara-san?
Ever since I was little, I had trouble doing the same things as other kids, and before I realized it, I was attending an international school. Looking back now, my parents must have been thinking of various things for me.
Also, because of my parents’ belief that “it’s better to broaden your horizons”, I spent two years studying abroad at a ranch in Japan. I would wake up at 4 am, milk the cows and take care of the horses, and then ride my bike for dozens of kilometers to school. Thanks to that, I came to love horseback riding. When I was around 17 years old, I was studying abroad in Salzburg, Austria, and there was a ranch right in front of my school. I rode horses almost every day on my own.
───Going back to Doremi, how was it for you to appear in the “Doremi 17 Limited Edition” drama CD?
Well, how should I say (laughs), I didn’t have many lines (laughs).
But the atmosphere of the dubbing hasn’t changed. It’s the same staff, the same cast, and it hasn’t changed at all. It felt like we had just done it last week, and it was strange how naturally I got into it. As for Momoko’s scenes, I was left wanting more (laughs).
───What does the “Doremi” series mean to you?
The best thing about “Doremi” is that everyone solves various problems that arise in their individual lives and it ends positively. The nature and size of the problems may change depending on age or position, but the basic approach of solving very realistic problems together that match their growth has remained consistent. I’m glad that this consistency has continued from the 16-17 series, and I hope we can all work together to make it into an anime. I think it’s a necessary work, especially now that there aren’t many anime like it.
───Finally, do you have a message for our readers?
Thank you for always supporting us. It’s really great that even small children who didn’t watch “Doremi” in real-time are cheering us on. I think we’ve come this far thanks to your support. Thank you very much.
───Also, the second volume of the drama CD is set to be released on February 28th next year. Please keep up the great work on the drama CD (laughs)!
Absolutely (laughs)!