野津山 幸宏

Shortly after his debut, Yukihiro Nozuyama continued his smooth sailing career as a voice actor, winning the role of Dice Arisugawa in the music-based character rap project “Hypnosis Mic – Division Rap Battle. I would like to unravel the path from the moment I set foot in the present. Aiming to grow with the actor as soon as he thinks of it. First, I would like to ask him about his childhood.

Were you originally interested in anime and working as a voice actor? Nozuyama: Ever since I was a child, I have liked impersonating my teachers and friends at school to make people laugh and liven up the atmosphere, so I wanted to become and impersonator comedian. When I was there, Kouichi Yamadera-san was appearing. I hadn’t seen any anime until then, so I’m sorry that I didn’t know Yamadera-san. That was the first time I met a voice actor. I found out that there is a job like that. At that time, if you became a voice actor, you may be able to appear on a mimicry program (laughs). When I told my parents that I wanted to be a voice actor, they readily agreed. I’m the type of person who acts as soon as I have an idea, so I researched voice actor training schools and enrolled after graduating from high school.

After going through high school and training school, he started his career as a voice actor in earnest, and soon took on the role of Dice. Nozuyama: Well, I was surprised! “HypMic” was about the third audition I ever took in my life. At that time, I was 20 years old and just starting out. It’s there! I was ecstatic (laughs). I heard that it was difficult to pass the audition itself, so I was very happy.

For Nozuyama, the encounter with “HypMic” must have been a turning point in his life. Nozuyama: It’s only a turning point. This work, if I hadn’t met you, I might not have been able to continue working as a voice actor. I have an optimistic personality, and my motto is “It’s OK as long as I don’t die.” So, I’m sure there will be many turning points in the future, and I may make a lot of mistakes, but I can try again and again.

For Nozuyama, the encounter with “HypMic” must have been a turning point in his life. Nozuyama: It’s only a turning point. This work, if I hadn’t met you, I might not have been able to continue working as a voice actor. I have an optimistic personality, and my motto is “It’s OK as long as I don’t die.” So I’m sure there will be many turning points in the future, and I may make a lot of mistakes, but I can try again and again.

What do you mean? Nozuyama: To make a living as a voice actor, I think I went to Tokyo. After all, I came to Tokyo with a dream, so I don’t want to leave half-finished. But strangely enough, I wasn’t worried about whether I could do well as a voice actor. I didn’t think I had any talent or sense, but I came to Tokyo with the single feeling that I wanted to do voice work.

It has grown into a big content. How do you feel about your work and roles? Nozuyama:  When I played Dice for the first time, I was so inexperienced that I didn’t even know what acting was like, so I was worried that my skills wouldn’t keep up with the popularity of the work. However, I never want to disappoint the people who support the work and me. As a result of worrying about how I can play Dice in my own way, I decided to evolve the character along with the story.

It seems that you have a close relationship with Sho Hayami, who is also the representative of the office, but what kind of person is he? Nozuyama: In terms of acting, of course, he is a “master”, who teaches me various other things, and he is like a “father of Tokyo”.

Is there anything that Hayami-san said that really stuck in your mind? Nozuyama: The first thing I was told when I entered the current office’s training school was, “Your best voice is your natural voice.” To do that, I was convinced that I had to be able to make various voices. However, Hayami-san advised me that it was important not to change the voice, but to change the approach to each character. I feel that those words became the foundation of my play, and I feel that I am making use of them in my current acting.

Originally, I didn’t really like my voice, but as I worked, I came to think that I had a good voice (laughs). “This character has a big body, so let out a deep voice…” It’s about what kind of life the character has walked though, who he’s talking to. I started thinking about that point with importance.

Yusuke Shirai, who plays Ramuda Amemura, a member of Shibuya Division Fling Posse, which Dice belongs to, and Saito, who plays Gentarou Yumeno. What kind of relationship do you have with Soma-san? Nozuyama: I feel that the bond between the character and ourselves is gradually getting stronger. Shirai-san is always natural and a very mysterious person (laughs). It’s the same with his own YouTube channel “Shiraimu Channel”, which I and Soma-san also visited as guests, but I think it’s cool that you can act without being overwhelmed by various things. Before the live performance, let’s do our best on the wings of the stage! Its also nice to have one side that’s put together. I’ve been indebted to Soma-san since my first time as a voice actor. I respect him for having a clear vision of the future while firmly recognising his own current situation. Even in my private life, Soma-san takes me to his favourite shops, and I’m always indebted to you both.

HypMic, which will start a TV anime from October, but in the future. Please tell us about your enthusiasm. Nozuyama: This work has been developed in various ways, but this is the first attempt to make it into an animation, so I hope you will look forward to it. The vast and of course the people who support us are very passionate about this content. We will continue to do so. Let’s liven it up together!

Earlier, there was talk of participating in the M-1 Grand Prix, but there are also other challenges such as rakugo, and overseeing the main MC in the program “Bodo Café! Season 2!” (Rakuten TV) that conveys the fun of board games. I have the impression that you are also energetically active outside of the voice acting industry. What do you want to do in the future? Nozuyama: I don’t have a specific vision, but I want to do something that no one has done before. I’ve never had a voice actor participate before, so I think that’s why I got so much attention. From now on, I’ll continue to challenge new things like that, and be an existence that excites the people watching. I wish I could.