Animazement 2007 Spectacular

Interviewee Photo
  • Interview with: Kikuko Inoue
  • Interviewed by: Tsukasa on May 24th, 2007
  • Location: Animazement 2007: Durham, North Carolina
  • Publication Date: August 20th, 2008

Additional Information:

  • Inoue is: Belldandy (Ah! My Goddess), Mizuho (Please Teacher!), Princess Rune (El Hazard), and many others
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For all those working on and attending Animazement, 2007 was a milestone year - the 10th year, the decade mark, the big easy. (Okay, maybe not that last one.) After ten years of attendance, from high school up through the end of college, some personal reflection seemed called for. Who am I? Where am I going? Aren't I getting too old for this whole "Japanese cartoon" thing? Wait - why is the dealer's room almost all Final Fantasy VII, Kingdom Hearts, Naruto, and Bleach merchandise? Some serious soul searching, that. Anime may be a young person's hobby - these days, more often to the detriment of companies releasing anime here's bottom line than not, unfortunately - but on through and even post-college, Animazement is still a truly enjoyable convention to attend.

Due to some transportation difficulties, I didn't arrive until early friday afternoon, and in scrambling to catch up with friends, I wasn't able to attend nearly as many events as I would have liked. Friday's were an interesting lot, from guest panels discussing Sgt. Frog, Inu-Yasha, and bishounen, to more traditionally cultural panels, centered on their usual subjects: geisha, ball-jointed dolls, and travel in Japan. Koichi Tsunoda held his usual intensive three-hour drawing workshop as well, for those dying to learn new techniques from a professional. There was also a LARP panel, but I heard conflicting word around the con as to whether or not anybody actually showed up for that. (And with all the Final Fantasy VII, Bleach, and Naruto fanboys there, you'd think...)

Following my usual con-going routine, Friday was largely spent with friends, acclimating myself to the busy, kinetic atmosphere of the convention. I caught some fan-subs, did a little deal-scouring in the dealer's room, and enjoyed the ambiance. Later that evening, my ears bled until I went deaf at karaoke. (Or at least, some of the singers definitely leave you feeling that way.)

The big Friday draw, as usual, was Anime Hell: one of Animazement's signature events, not to be missed. For the uninformed, Anime Hell is an event at which con attendees let go of their addiction to the animes for a couple of hours while staff unveil two hours worth of the strangest, most twisted, hilarious, and unnerving videos they spent the past year mining from the bowels of the internet.

This year's Hell highlights included: a wonderfully tasetful Sigue Sigue Sputnik music video featuring footage from the Challenger mission, an episode of the 1960s classic ultra-cheesy animated series Johnny Cypher, part of an episode of Kure Kure Takora (every Japanese child's favorite rubber monster suit-based show, with some surprisingly dark themes), repeated video evidence that television was far better in the '70s than it is now, the Don Hertzfeldt classic, "Billy's Balloon," an old Osamu Tezuka cartoon that played with video distortion, the original trailers to "The Raiders of Atlantis," "Dawn of an Evil Millennium," and "The Bullet Machine" (Much more than just a gun!), low budget wrestling videos, and a trailer for some old Charlie's Angels style Japanese show that focused on the one thing Charlie's Angels needed more of - gratuitous female nudity. Hell closed with a hilarious Soviet Russian propaganda video about the electrification of the nation and the growth that came with it.

Sadly, there was neither Heino nor Bob Sapp at this year's Hell, but they more than made up for that with the rest of the event's content. If you attend no other event at Animazement, at least make it to Anime Hell. (But you'd be missing out in not hitting other events and panels too, of course.)

I hit day two of Animazement 2007 in the early afternoon again, puzzling over the hotel television in my friends' room, trying to get their Gamecube hooked up for some of that all-important Super Smash Bros. Melee. Upon failing, it was time to hit a guest panel: "Together with Big Sister," with Kikuko Inoue. If you don't know who she is, you clearly aren't very good at this whole otaku thing. (I'm not so sure if you should be ashamed of that, or not.) You'll remember Ms. Inoue from her numerous memorable roles, including Belldandy in Ah! My Goddess, Kasumi in Ranma 1/2, Rune Venus in El Hazard, and more recently, Mizuho Kazami in Onegai Teacher. (See the bottom of this con report for her panel's Q&A highlights.)

Given the merging of cosplay and this year's musical ("JET! or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Kancho," a comedy about the dangers of teaching English in Japan.) and my lack of love for sitting/standing in noisy lines across the hotel for hours on end, I had to pass on the event again this year, but given COUP's track record with their musicals, I'm sure it was thoroughly entertaining.

The last hours of Animazement always seem to fly by. And so, with friends, they passed like dust particles through fans running in the early summer night - a little melancholy, rather bittersweet. Or maybe nothing quite that dramatic. Regardless, by the time Saturday night flies by, there's little left but to hunt for any last deals in the dealer's room on Sunday and say one's farewells with friends, hoping to see them again soon enough.

It can never be said enough, but thanks again, to the Animazement staff, guests, and interpreters - on behalf of Anime Dream - for not only putting up with us and all the craziness of the con each year, but for continuing to keep it going and making it so much fun. I already can't wait until next year.

Ms. Inoue's panel began with her cheerfully introducing herself as Kikuko Inoue, seventeen years old. She maintains a running joke with her fans wherein she refers to herself as being that age whenever she speaks with her fans, and it's the fans' job to correct her with an "Oi, oi!"

She said that she felt it made her feel that we were together in spirit when we did this. She was very happy to be there at Animazement, and explained how she was fortunately able to adjust her schedule to attend. In looking forward to having a dialogue with us, she encouraged the panel attendees to ask her anything.

Anime Dream:

When are you turning eighteen?

Kikuko Inoue:

It's been seven or eight years since I turned seventeen, so a lot of people tell me I'm a very veteran seventeen-year-old. So I'd like to hold on to being seventeen for a little while longer.

Anime Dream:

Do you get recognized in Japan, and did you get recognized at all coming here?

Kikuko Inoue:

Since I rarely show my face on television, I don't tend to be recognized. But once in a while, there are people who recognize me. That happened the other day on the train. It was someone right across from me on the train, and right before he talked to me, I was sneaking a snack because I was so hungry and he was watching me eat on the train. And so I was..., so I decided I should be more careful about my behavior.

Anime Dream:

What do you enjoy about voice acting?

Kikuko Inoue:

The most fun thing about voice acting is that in an instant, you can switch roles from anything, from a baby to an old woman. If you're a normal speech actor or television screen actor, you need more preparation such as costumes and makeup. But in voice acting, you can do that performance and that's the most fun thing about it.

Anime Dream:

Recently, you've reprised your role as Belldandy in the Ah! My Goddess TV series. Is there going to be a third season, and will you be in it?

Kikuko Inoue:

That's something that I very much hope will happen, but it's not something that I can predict, either. So if everyone here could write or e-mail the Japanese company responsible for green-lighting it, that should really endorse it going into production. Do you guys use the internet?

(Ed Note: She was impressed that everyone there was pretty much an internet addict. Not exactly out of line with otaku culture, of course.)

That's very impressive. I do have a website, so if you get the chance, please check my website out too.

Anime Dream:

I noticed that there was a registration fee there - is that only for Japanese people, or for westernerns/gaijin too?

Kikuko Inoue:

I don't know. But I know on the website, there are free areas and members-only areas, and I would like to put more content in the free area to show you more. But if I promise too much, they might scold me for it. Perhaps it'd be better for me if there were more membership-users.

Anime Dream:

You played three different ages in the El Hazard series. Didn't that feel kinda weird?

Kikuko Inoue:

Well, looking back, it actually does look difficult for myself. But going back as a woman as when I was recording and playing the characters, I was just fully into the character at the moment, and I do like playing characters of various ages, so it wasn't difficult back then.

Anime Dream:

Most of the characters range in the age of 14 to about 20 - is this your choice, or a matter of being typecast as playing characters of that age? And have you decided to play any older or much younger characters?

Kikuko Inoue:

Well, since I am seventeen right now

("Oi, oi!")

Wow, you understand Japanese! And it really makes me happy that you have everyone doing that. Just hit me back with "Oi, oi" if I say something out of line. But since I'm supposed to be seventeen, that's a very natural age range for me.

("Oi, oi!")

But I do however get a lot of other roles. I've done various different mother types — those are fun roles to play too.

Anime Dream:

What was it like to work on the Sakura Taisen musical show, where in addition to acting, you had to sing and dress up? And how hard is it to dance in those platform shoes?

Kikuko Inoue:

What? How do you know all this? I'm impressed. In Sakura Wars, I do play Roberia, the scariest evil villain that Paris has ever seen. And perhaps that should be my new self. And I was supposed to be the tallest character on stage, so I was wearing platform shoes, and it was kind of scary walking around on stage in those. And when acting as Roberia, I was in character and I couldn't smile or laugh, and that was the hardest part about being the character.

Anime Dream:

A profile of yours online says that you claim to have been a fish in a former life. How did you arrive at that conclusion?

Kikuko Inoue:

I remember swimming in the ocean in my former life. But for the longest time, I had no idea what kind of fish I was, because in the ocean there are no mirrors. As a fish, you can't see yourself. So I was puzzled about this for the longest time, and discussed it with a friend. Is anyone familiar with the voice actress Noriko Hidaka? She was in Touch. And she was also Akane in Ranma 1/2. And so Noriko Hidaka told me that I was probably a big sunfish. And I was remiss that she was right. So that's why I know that I was a sunfish in my former life.

Anime Dream:

Out of all the characters you've played, do you have a favorite or one that you feel that you connected with?

Kikuko Inoue:

That's a frequently asked question, but all the characters I've played do feel like children that I've given birth to. But, I am seventeen so —

("Oi, oi!")

You're all impressive. I have other children eventually, but they're all dear children to me. But a long time ago, I had to play a refrigerator, and I loved playing that character. So whenever I introduce myself, I tell people that my dimensions are - from the top - 103, 103, and 103. I love those kind of roles.

Anime Dream:

How long have you been singing professionally, and did you start prepping when you were little?

Kikuko Inoue:

I write my own songs. And I've put out a couple of CDs. But unlike professional songwriters, who might be writing a song while playing the piano, I improvise on the spot. For example, I might be lost, and then I'd sing a song about being lost. And if I was washing the dishes at home and dropped one, I'd sing a song about how "Oh, I dropped the dish." I call these my simple songs becaue they just come to me and disappear to wherever right afterwards. So a lot of times I actually ask for themes from the audience for songs, so perhaps I should do that for you too. Does anybody care to provide three subjects that I should sing about?

(Ed note: Responses were: "Seventeen in America!," "Gohan! (Rice)," "General stereotypes about Americans!")

Okay, but I'll do it in Japanese, so if I suck, you can't tell. Ready to clap along with me?

(Ed note: She sang a short song with the themes. Roughly translated - "I am in the US for some strange reason, but I am happy, but I am very hungry, and a Japanese notion about Americans is that they're pretty out of control.")

As I do this all the time, one in ten of these stand to be good songs. And they're full of my questions. As a voice actor, there's a lot of singing I do as an anime character, and I love doing those, so I like you seeing me as those characters as well.

Anime Dream:

In the game Guilty Gear, you play the character Ino. How do you feel about playing evil characters and whatever video game characters have evil voicing?

Kikuko Inoue:

Not only Guilty Gear, but in Metal Gear Solid 3, there's a character called "The Boss." So even though I might be seventeen —

("Oi, oi!")

— I've been playing a lot of video game characters too. You all sound so serious that it's getting a little scary. I'd like you to be a bit more gentle on "Oi, oi!"

("Oi, oi!")

That was good. As a voice actor, I've done a lot of voice training these past three years, and since I have a voice like this, I've been looking out to be able to do strong and heroic females, so I've done a lot of vocal training. And my practice is doing low voices a lot. I was able to come up with lower voices.

Anime Dream:

Are you going to have any more personal albums and songs using your free time in the near future?

Kikuko Inoue:

In fact, I'm working on one right now, but it won't be coming out immediately. I do need to collect a few more songs for that.

Anime Dream:

What current anime projects are you working on now?

Kikuko Inoue:

Right now, I've been working on a lot of children's shows, and one has been long-going - Shimajiro the Striped Tiger - and Birdy from the Southern Island, and in these two shows, I've been playing mothers. And a few new shows are going into production right now.

Anime Dream:

Although you are seventeen, how does your daughter feel about your being a voice actress, and does she have any particular characters she wishes you were more like?

Kikuko Inoue:

My daughter is in the 4th grade right now, and when she watches TV and catches a show with my character in it, she'd say "Oh, it's mommy on TV." But at home, when I say "I am Kikuko Inoue, seventeen years old" —

("Oi, oi!")

— my daughter also says "I am seventeen too!" So both of us are saying "Oi, oi!" to each other.

Anime Dream:

Little is known about your husband. Is he involved in the anime industry?

Kikuko Inoue:

My husband works in a completely different industry, and since I am a 17-year-old

("Oi, oi!")

I probably shouldn't talk about him too much.

Anime Dream:

Which of your many roles has taken you the farthest out of your comfort zone?

Kikuko Inoue:

It's much easier to play characters that have distinct personalities such as Kasumi in Ranma 1/2, she's a very flexed and even-minded character, so if you can just do that kind of personality. And a strong character would just have that kind of personality and you could get into that. It tends to be hardest just to play an ordinary person. Out of the ordinary - I hope that answers your question.

Anime Dream:

Does your daughter want to be a voice actress?

Kikuko Inoue:

She seems to like to draw better. And I can't draw at all, so I have a lot of respect for that and I'd like to see her become an artist. And I'd be happy if she could draw just the main character in a story.

Anime Dream:

In your role in Ranma 1/2, you played alongside many other veteran voice actors - like Megumi Hayashibara. Do you have any stories from recording sessions with someone like her?

Kikuko Inoue:

Well, for Megumi Hayashibara, she's in Pokemon. Does anyone know which one she is?

("Jesse." / Musashi)

Well, I play Joy, the nurse. And since the show is ongoing and we have a summer feature coming out, we still meet each other at the studio once a week. And so it's been so many years since I started working with Megumi, and I have many anecdotes. Megumi always loved snacks and so do I, so in the studio, we'd always exchange our snacks. That's the most I can think of right now, I'm sorry.