深町 寿成

What kind of year was 2019, Fukamachi-san? Fukamachi: This year, I was involved in my first lead role in an anime with the work “Arifureta Shogaku de Sekai Saikyo,” and I spent a lot of time thinking about the work, which left an impression on me. During the recording of first episode, there was a scene where I was talking to myself for what felt like an eternity, and it was shocking. I was standing in front. Also, although it has nothing to do with work, I used to play games.

You like it. Fukamachi: Yes, From September onwards, I was playing Monster Hunter every day. My family wasn’t very tolerant of games, so I didn’t play that much when I was a child. I’m addicted to it (laughs). I’m very happy that I was able to play as much as I could because of the backlash so far, which I couldn’t even do if I wanted to. There were quite a few things I did all night.

Ahaha. Currently, you are active in an industry closely related to games, but you were familiar with the culture. Fukamachi: Yes. There are various genres of games, so I’m not familiar with all of them, but I like them. Also, the other day I participated in Comiket for the first time.

It’s a summer comic market. Fukamachi: Yes, I will meet you at a big event called Comiket. I was very happy that I was able to come and see people from far away. Perhaps because it was Comiket, it was impressive that there were a lot of luggage from those who came to the handover event.

That’s right. Fukamachi: I thought it would be a lot of work because I had a lot of luggage, so I handed them over. Thank you for coming. I’m glad that you kindly called out to me.

It’s a good memory. Fukamachi: At the time, there wasn’t much information out there about the works that were handed over at Comiket, so I was worried about things like, “Is it okay?” However, I was able to talk to people who were passionate about the work, and even though the ban on the characters’ profiles had just been lifted, they did a lot of research and told me what they liked… I was happy too. I don’t have many opportunities to directly convey my feelings and passion, so it was fresh, and I felt that the performance was worthwhile.

Do you like events such as handover parties? Fukamachi: I’m not good at talking to people I’ve never met before, so I was really nervous at first. I wondered if I could do well. Will I be able to properly respond to what I had to say? However, thanks to everyone’s kindness, it was a warm time.

There is also a worrisome side. Fukamachi-san, you weren’t on the path of special acting from an early age, were you? Fukamachi: Yes. I think I wanted to use my skills to challenge myself.

Fukamachi-san, who likes music, also likes to sing, right? Fukamachi: It’s true that I like singing.

Do you sing while playing the guitar? Fukamachi: The first thing I started playing was the electric guitar, so it didn’t feel like I was playing while I was singing. But if I sing too loudly, it will sound like my family, so I’m embarrassed (laughs).It’s like the embarrassment peculiar to adolescence. Fukamachi: Yes, I can sing because I have a role, and I like it because I have a role. Maybe the work made me realize that I like singing. I sing because someone is happy. There are places where I can sing because I hear everyone’s voices.

By the way, how were you as a child? Fukamachi: It may come as a surprise, but I was very restless.

Really? Fukamachi: Yes, I was so mischievous that if my parents or teachers took my eyes off me for a second, I’ll disappear. I was a very noisy child, so at the time, I had to go through a lot of hardships.

It’s changed, hasn’t it? When did you become the current Fukamachi-san? Fukamachi: I think it was around the time I was in junior high school. I think it was a time when everyone was going through a lot of changes, but I think things calmed down around that time.

And now? Fukamachi: Well… I’m not very sociable (laughs). I spend most of my time with the same members. Now that I think about it, maybe it’s because I’m from Yamagata in the Tohoku region. It’s been a long time, and there’s a little bit of a close relationship, and I think that kind of part has a lot of influence. Although I have a personality, I tend to be seen as a dry person because I only hang out with certain people, and I don’t invite people I don’t know to dinner. I’m the type that takes time to get closer.

Aren’t you good at showing your emotions? Fukamachi: Maybe. When I get a new job, or when I get a role in an audition, I’m really happy, but I often say that it’s hard to understand my emotions. Even if you’re really excited, it’s like, “Are you enjoying yourself? Are you really?”

In acting, you often have to show your emotions, so it’s hard. Fukamachi: Yes, when I don’t understand something, I force myself to come up with it. After finishing, I feel exhausted, but it’s fun to express tension and emotions that I don’t usually express through the role. And the gap between the role and my usual self is so big that after the recording, my head hurts (laughs).Because I play a role that is so different from myself, I can say, “This is a feeling I don’t have.”

When did you become interested in acting? Fukamachi: I think it was when I was in high school. I became a little interested in acting, so I attended acting workshops. From there, I gradually became interested in acting, so even after graduating from high school, I continued to focus on acting.

Did you have any desire to come to Tokyo? Fukamachi: It’s always been there. I always dreamed of living in the city. I always thought that Kyoto was a world that I could only see on TV, so when I actually came to Tokyo, I was like, “Harajuku really does exist!” (laughs) A town I’ve seen before. It’s like… When I was in Yamagata, Sendai. It was my dream to go to Sendai on weekends. I thought it was very stylish.

Is that so. Fukamachi: I wanted to move to Tokyo, but when I came here, the city wasn’t so busy. I tend to avoid places with a lot of people. I came to Tokyo because I longed for it, but I’m trying to find a place where there are no people.

What was your hometown like? Fukamachi: It’s a quiet countryside. There are only a few places you can go, and every time I go to a supermarket, I always meet someone I know. For example, even if I read something like, “This anime is popular now,” or “This anime is currently on air!” I can’t see it. When I was talking about anime at the time, I felt depressed and said, “Well, it wasn’t being broadcast in my area…” Now, I can’t keep up with the story (laughs). I think it would be nice to be in the city, but there weren’t many anime series, and the stores didn’t have as many products as in the city, so I had a longing for the city. When I came to Kyoto and went to Tower Records for the first time, I was really impressed.

I hear you. Fukamachi: Everything is CD’s. There are CDs on every floor.

Did you live alone after that? Fukamachi: That’s right. I still remember the feeling of liberation when I started living alone. I lived my life.

Were you lonely? Fukamachi: I wasn’t lonely. I could be alone all the time, so I never felt lonely. It’s cold anyway. The room warms up when someone is there. That’s why I felt away from my family.

Certainly! Fukamachi: It wasn’t lonely, but the pitch-dark and cold room created a sense of loneliness…

Didn’t you cook for yourself? Fukamachi: Now I don’t cook at all, so I ate out all the time, but at the time, I thought, “I’m living alone, so I’ll try cooking.” Then I got hooked on making curry. I used to make curry with regular store-bought curry, but when I bought the spice set, I got hooked on it.

Nice. Fukamachi: It’s like making curry and then eating it all day long.

I’d like to try Fukamachi-san’s curry someday. Did you graduate from college after that? Fukamachi: Yes, I graduated from university, but I don’t have many memories of my university life. After the lecture, I just go home and live a black-and-white life. I can’t make any friends.

That’s good advice. I heard that you graduated, but are you not looking for a job? Fukamachi:Actually, I’ve been working as a voice actor since my college days, and I was thinking of going down that path, so I haven’t been looking for a job. I couldn’t think of anything else that I wanted to do, and it didn’t really come to mind.

On the other hand, what would you be doing if you weren’t a voice actor? Fukamachi: If I wasn’t in the voice acting industry… I don’t know if I would actually be working.

Extreme, isn’t it? Fukamachi: No, I don’t know, but I’m not the type to do things systemically, so I might have done something out of the ordinary. On the other hand, my mother told me that I should get a stable job. Ever since I was a child, I don’t know how long I’ve been working as a civil servant or in a safe job. Well, it went the exact opposite.

When you told your stable-minded parents, “I’m going to be a voice actor,” didn’t they say anything? Fukamachi: I was almost laughed at. At first, they were like, “What are you talking about?” I was in an area where anime wasn’t aired much, so I didn’t feel like the job of being a voice actor or my mother really made sense to me. But now I would say that they understand me, or rather, they know more about me than I do. They watch my various works, listen to the radio, and support me.

Good for you. Fukamachi: However, it is a little embarrassing to see and hear about my performance.

I’m glad. I suddenly got the feeling, Fukamachi-san, do you have a capricious personality? Fukamachi: Yes.

It looks like a cat. Fukamachi: Now that you say it, it might be so. I live like a cat. On my days off, I visit coffee shops. Then I go to another shop and eat something sweet, drink tea, etc. I can do it all by myself.

Are you the type who needs alone time? Fukamachi: Maybe so. Before I knew it, I was alone, so that might be the result. I’m alone a lot, so I don’t think I want alone time.

So that’s it. As an actor, where you can see a little of your private life. I would like to approach Fukamachi=san. What is a good role for you? Fukamachi: Most of the roles I have been given tend to be cool roles, so I think I might be good at them. Also, I would often play a character who had a world of his own.

So that’s it. Fukamachi-san, did you have a chuunibyou period? Fukamachi: Absolutely. To put it another way, it’s still like chuunibyou. I think all boys will always have chuunibyou somewhere. Don’t show it. I feel like I’m living while hiding something like that.

I feel like that (laughs). To play a cool role, you say you have a lot of them, but do you have that side too? Fukamachi: I don’t think of myself as cool.

It’s true that cool people don’t think of themselves as cool (laughs). Lastly, I would like to ask you about your outlook. What kind of work would you like to be involved in from now on? What kind of acting style would you like to explore? Fukamachi: I would like to appear in a robot anime. Trying is on the mind of any job site. I’m also conscious of it, but my current theme is to find a way to find a balance between expression that naturally fits the picture. While pursuing reality, it would be nice if I could pursue acting that fits in with the work.

It’s good to have clear goals. It’s the end. What are your resolutions for next year and a message to the readers? Fukamachi: Next year, I would like to play even more characters. I hope that as a result of my efforts, you will have more opportunities to see my work. Thank you very much for reading my special feature. This time, there are many pages of shooting, so I’m very happy to be able to talk about so many things. I hope that I have told you about myself, and I hope that you will keep this magazine as a permanent copy, so that those who get it later can be proud of it. Please cherish it! Thank you very much for your continued support.