羽多野 渉

In order to get close to the hearts of those who want to deliver music to works, characters, and music, he released the single “Breakers” and ran through this year. Burning in his heart is the unchanging thought of origin.

It was a year in which you showed further evolution as an artist, such as taking on the challenge of your first acoustic live performance. Hatano: I was surprised and moved by how much the arrangement of a song that I have sung live so many times can change the world view. The way I sang it naturally become Bossa Nova-like, and when I acted, it felt like I was opening a drawer inside myself, and it was a lot of fun. There was also a surprise from my hometown, and when I received my family’s feelings again in the form of a letter, there was something overflowing.

The ED theme “Breakers” of the TV anime “The Night Beyond the Tricornered Window”, in which he plays Rihito Hiyakawa, became a song because he deeply understands the work. Hatano: By the time we were recording, the post-recording had already started, so being able to sing while fully immersed in the worldview was a big deal. I chose falsetto for the beginning of the song, and by deliberately choosing an unstable sound, I was able to express something that exists between the front and back of this world while maintaining the mysterious viewing experience of anime. It’s because I wanted to. It was composed by Evan Call, who is charge of the accompaniment for the play, and it was created as a part of the work, so I ended up playing an outrageous character. While feeling the pressure, I wanted to fulfil my responsibilities in the music part as well. When I was enrolled in Elements Garden, I was directly indebted to Evan-san for the TV animation “Dances with Devils,” and I was happy to meet him this time.

I would like to ask you about the lyrics of the song, but is there anything that you remember about how you were able to break the “enclosure” yourself? Hatano: I think it was when I moved to Tokyo from Nagano. Born and raised in a farm village surrounded by mountains 360 degrees, was only a world of imagination. But even though I jumped over the great fence thinking, “I’m going to make my dreams come true!” When it became difficult to come and go due to the corona crisis, I realized again that although it may have been an enclosure, it is also the roots that I want to cherish forever. On top of that, I think I was able to make it to where I am today thanks to the new “encounters” here in Tokyo.

Hiyakawa, who grew up in a closed environment and had a gap in communication, is saved by “meeting people.” Have you had any encounters that have had a positive impact on you recently? Hatano: The joy I feel in meeting the characters has not changed at all since my debut. The role of Paddington in the dubbed “Paddington’s Adventure” has been decided. The moment I found out, I cried so hard that I couldn’t get up even though I was sitting in a café thinking, “Even though I’m recording after this!” In fact, Paddington is a “reunion.” I used to play Paddington in a magazine supplement, but the production company changed, and when it came time to turn it into a series, another audition was held. For a voice actor, it’s a good thing to have someone else play a role once they’ve won it, but even so, they still have a special attachment to it, so the happiness of being able to play it again is twice as much.

There was one day late at night when the name of Hatano-san’s character was trending on Twitter. Hatano: I’m really happy that people love the characters I play.

The topic of discussion in the evening was “My Hero Academia”. Hatano: It was Hitoshi Shinsou. I sympathize with him from the bottom of my heart, saying that even though he failed the entrance exam for the hero course and went to the normal course, he never gave up on his dream and continued to work hard. I also don’t want to lose the starting point of “I want to be able to remember names” and “I want to be the main character of an anime,” and I still feel like “I’m going to be a voice actor someday.” On top of that, I want to play a lot of different roles without being bound by one personality. In that sense, this year’s characters have extremely strong personalities, and it was a great blessing for me as an actor to be able to meet characters who are completely different from each other. Every character is born from a drawer that he created from his own feelings and experiences. It is an important part to me.

If the title song is a tie-up, the coupling tends to be “120% Hatano Wataru,” but in “Heart to Heart,” you can honestly express your thoughts on what you like. The theme that is expressed through music activities is sung that it is okay to shout. Hatano: This time, based on that, I sang with the theme of “accepting diversity.” I believe that when someone else recognized the feeling of “like,” people feel fulfilled and become able to be kinder to themselves. I realized it while shedding tears (laughs). Live well with this show. I hope that there will be something that can be conveyed to those who are troubled through songs, just like the “Fab 5” who are remodelling their guests who are unable to get around.

You will release your first single in February 2022, and you will hold a live performance in March. Hatano: As the ED song for the TV anime “Orient,” we made a song with a refreshing sense of speed. Hideo Kosameda, whom I play, looks like a good person, but he has a very peculiar character, so it may make you feel a little complicated (laughs), but that is also due to me being his voice actor. I would be happy if you could take the fun of music activities and enjoy them with anime. Every time I thought, “I wish I could release the next song,” I did what I could at that time, and before I knew it, 10 years had passed since my debut as an artist. I would like to enjoy the treasure-like music that I have created with the people I met so far, hopefully in the same space as you.

Column: Happy holidays

My favourite thing about New Year’s Eve is the mochi rice cakes that my grandma sent me from my parents’ house. I’m happy to eat it with sugar soy sauce.