Animazement 2004 Guest Interviews & Con Report

Interviewee Photo
  • Interview with: Akira Kamiya
  • Interviewed by: Tsukasa on May 29th, 2004
  • Location: Animazement 2004: Durham, North Carolina
  • Publication Date: June 22nd, 2004
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Editor's note (04/10/08):

This interview was originally part of a single page that contained multiple interviews, and the author's convention experience merged between Q/A segments. We've moved to a new format where each person we interview gets their own page, and our experiences related to the interview appear above the interview transcript. A handful of very minor edits and omissions have been applied for clarity. We realize that some of these older pages will still look funny, but we believe that the consistency achieved makes up for that. At any rate, if you wish to view all of the pages that were originally part of the convention report, click here.

Another year has passed, and Animazement has come and gone once again. At Animazement 2004, I was given the opportunity to speak with another assortment of guests from Japan. Once again, I over-prepared, and was unable to ask all of my questions due to time constraints. However, with the aid of a translator, I was once again also able to ask many questions. Like last year, the interviews were organized in sessions, with a few guests at a time.

That Saturday, we first sat down with Akira Kamiya, while Yasuo Yamaguchi and Koichi Tsunoda (the self-proclaimed "old fogeys") took a break on the couch in the back of the room. Mr. Kamiya, who has been a regular guest at Animazement for many years, is one of the most recognizable seiyuu in the industry, and best known for many a classic anime character, including: Roy Focker (SDF Macross), Shutaro Mendou (Urusei Yatsura), Ryo Saeba (City Hunter), Kasumi Kenshiro (Fist of the North Star), and Ashram (Record of Lodoss War OVAs).

Anime Dream:

Are you currently working on any projects?

Akira Kamiya:

Currently I am working with a singer/songwriter friend of mine, Ami Ozaki. She wrote four songs for me. I am working to put out the CD under my own company label. And for the jacket art of the CD, I'm asking for Tetsuo Hara of Fist of the North Star and Tsukasa Hojo of City Hunter to help me.

Anime Dream:

Have you ever played a character that you felt was like you in personality?

Akira Kamiya:

I may not resemble Ryo Saeba physically, but aside from that, he is just like me.

Anime Dream:

Detective Conan recently began airing in America, and changes were made including those of the characters, and the series title to "Case Closed." Do you have an opinion on the changes that were made?

Akira Kamiya:

Well ideally, they could've left everything as it was, but I'm sure they had legitimate reasons to make their changes, and first things first, it's good to see that the show is being broadcast in the US now.

Anime Dream:

What is your favorite part of working in the anime industry?

Akira Kamiya:

Well the fact that everyone else is living in the same time as my characters, that gives it a certain comradic bonding, and by having real time feedback (From fans) and that's a really good support to me. So talking about shows such as Fist of the North Star or even Super Robot shows, roles that I played over thirty years ago are coming back to me, and I'm still living with them, as is my audience. This is the aspect of the industry that really makes me glad that I'm here. I speculate that there were children back then who watched my shows, and they've grown up, and some of them have gone into the industry, and desire to work with me. That's one speculation I get for this phenomenon. It means that characters from thirty years ago are still much alive with the children today. I never imagined that this would be the case, it's a very happy thing. I feel that there's a new wave of something that's brewing, seeing that there's so many of my old shows that I was in that are being broadcast on Japanese satellite television today, so it's still retaining its real-time audience.

Anime Dream:

What do you think are the differences between interacting with Japanese anime fans and American anime fans?

Akira Kamiya:

There aren't many anime conventions in Japan to begin with, so there aren't too many opportunities to interact with Japanese fans, but when I hold concerts or attend events, there would be fans that I would see often, and those are people that I can have the opportunity to have ongoing conversations with. But when I come over to the United States, a lot of American fans are up front and friendly, it's like seeing friends for the first time, so American fans tend to act more accessible.

Anime Dream:

Have you ever had any roles that you considered particularly difficult?

Akira Kamiya:

Well it was over twenty years ago when I was cast for the role of a pretty buff guy, and then my voice range was still relatively high, so I felt I was acting at the very limits of my performing abilities.

Anime Dream:

Do you have any advice for aspiring voice actors?

Akira Kamiya:

Learn the basics, don't get bored with your training, don't give up on your training, and persevere. And one more thing - learn to love to act. Then you'll be able to achieve higher grounds.