Is Nakamori Akina Becoming a VTuber?! “I’ll Sing a Little,” Appearing in Anime for the First Time in Around 30 Years in ‘Arai-guma Karukaru-dan’ [Interview]

Released from the 1977 classic anime Arai-guma Rasukaru, the spin-off short anime Arai-guma Karukaru-dan runs for about one minute per episode. In this work, legendary songstress Nakamori Akina-san participates as a voice actress. Furthermore, her role is a national VTuber raccoon dog! What is Nakamori-san’s enthusiasm for her long-awaited anime appearance?

Jun’ya Enoki, Taku Yashiro, Kensho Ono, Yohei Azakami, and Kenjirou Tsuda become employees of the “Himitsu Kessha Karukaru-dan” (Secret Society Karukaru Group), striving for world domination while constantly pressured by performance targets. The first episode took a bold approach, appearing like a commentary track laid over an unfinished video. Despite its brief runtime of about one minute, it’s a comedy series that certainly leaves an impact.

The characters are a diverse bunch. Akakaru, the pure and innocent newcomer, is voiced by Enoki Jun’ya. Logical, the ambitious senior, is voiced by Yashiro Taku. Subukaru, the subculture enthusiast, is voiced by Ono Kensho. Komikaru, the muscle-bound, chivalrous one, is voiced by Azakami Yohei. And Middle, the cool, older branch manager, is voiced by Tsuda Kenjirou. Watching each episode with their full-throttle energy is a definite highlight.

In a truly surprising turn, legendary artist Nakamori Akina is set to participate as a guest voice actor in this distinctive series! Even more astonishing, she will be voicing a character described as a national “VTuber raccoon dog.” How did this appearance come about? What kind of preparation did Nakamori-san do for her role? We asked her about these details, and also took a brief look back at the nostalgic Sekai Meisaku Gekijou series.

◆ Nervous, Saying “I’m Worried I’ll Cause Trouble”

“The character I’m playing is pink and very cute, so I was really happy. I think younger people also like these kinds of characters. For example, I thought she might be the type of girl that people would adore, like attaching a small plushie of their ‘oshi character’ to their bag or their car’s rearview mirror.”

When asked by reporters for her thoughts on the offer, Nakamori Akina-san, though looking a little nervous, smiled and spoke cheerfully. During the recording session, she wore the Karukaru-dan tracksuit, similar to those worn by the main cast including Enoki Jun’ya and Tsuda Kenjirou. Despite 43 years in the industry, her demeanor was calm and gentle, just like her television appearances, as she answered reporters’ questions.

Nakamori-san’s role this time is Vocal, a national VTuber from Kiyose-shi, Tokyo, who is an idol character captivating fans with her cute appearance and singing voice. Kiyose-shi is Nakamori Akina-san’s hometown, making the setting relatable even though it’s a trendy VTuber character. The special tracksuit provided by the production team and worn by Nakamori Akina-san had unique decorations added throughout.

This is Nakamori Akina-san’s second time voicing an anime character, her first being Raisa, the lover of Merosu’s best friend, in the 1992 anime film Hashire Merosu. One reason she decided to accept the offer seems to be her consideration for parents raising children.

“I believe that in any household with children, the child takes priority. When parents watch anime together with their children, I thought that if my appearance could make them feel even a little bit of enjoyment, it would make their child-centered life even more fun. So I was very happy to accept the offer.”

Nakamori-san herself also enjoys anime and commented on her approach to the role.

“I’ve always loved playing with children since I was very young. In elementary and junior high school, I spent more time taking care of neighborhood kids than playing with friends. I know how to make children happy, so when preparing for the role, I recalled those times and delved into the character’s inner world.”

Producer Nakata Hiroya explained why they offered the role to Nakamori Akina-san:

“Arai-guma Karukaru-dan is a spin-off of Arai-guma Rasukaru, but the story is an original comedy. It’s a very short anime, with the main episode being one minute and the ending 30 seconds. While constantly seeking ways to create surprise in each episode, we thought it would be intriguing to have Nakamori Akina-san, an idol representing the Showa era, portray a VTuber character symbolizing the modern age. We believed that if Nakamori-san, with her cool image and mysterious singing voice, were to play a cute,ぶりっ子 (burikko – someone who acts cute/childlike) VTuber, it would create a surprising and entertaining contrast, so we offered her the role.”

Nakata-san mentioned that they made the offer without expecting much. However, they wrote the scenario assuming Nakamori-san would play the role even before her participation was confirmed. They had Nakamori-san read the script, and she happily accepted.

Nakamori-san is a top idol who represented the 80s, a legendary songstress who moved the hearts of many fans with hit songs like “Kazari Ja Nai No Yo Namida Wa,” “DESIRE -Jounetsu-,” and “Shoujo A.” On the other hand, she also appeared in numerous variety shows such as Hachiji Da Yo! Zen’in Shuugou and Downtown no Gaki no Tsukai Ya Arahende!, so even those who didn’t experience her rise in real-time are likely aware of her wide-ranging activities.

With a quiet personality, Nakamori-san gave a strong impression of maturity for a 16-year-old at the time of her debut. She also had a significant influence on the world of anime and manga. For example, Ayukawa Madoka, the heroine of the Shuukan Shonen Jump masterpiece Kimagure Orange☆Road, and Juno from BEASTARS were modeled after Nakamori Akina-san.

“Although I’m playing a VTuber this time, I’m really not knowledgeable about digital things. I haven’t even watched YouTube yet, and I only started using a personal device like a smartphone about two years ago. This unknown world of VTubing feels strange, like being taken aboard a UFO (laughs).”

“I’m about to challenge the voice recording, but I’m really bad at speaking quickly, so I’m already sweating profusely thinking I might cause trouble for everyone (laughs). If possible, I’d almost like to record separately so I don’t cause trouble…”

According to the producer, the co-stars like Enoki-san are also feeling nervous, looking forward to working with Nakamori-san while feeling restless in the presence of the admired songstress. There will be scenes in the anime where she sings, but she will be singing as the character Vocal, which means the singing style will be entirely different and highly exaggerated compared to her usual calm performances, so it’s something to look forward to.

“When I was a child, I loved the Sekai Meisaku Gekijou series and Sazae-san. But during that time slot, sumo was also on, so when I went to my grandparents’ house, the channel would be switched to that. I even threw tantrums about it sometimes (laughs).”

The Sekai Meisaku Gekijou series is one of the classic anime blocks from the Showa era. A total of 23 works were produced from the 1970s to the late 1990s, including Flanders no Inu, Alps no Shoujo Heidi, and Haha o Tazunete Sanzenri.

Arai-guma Rasukaru, the original anime that Arai-guma Karukaru-dan is based on, was one of the early works in the series, airing in 1977. Nozawa Masako-san was in charge of Rasukaru’s crying sounds, and her wide range of acting, from boys to animals, became a topic of conversation for a time.

Also, when thinking of the Sekai Meisaku Gekijou series, many people from the Showa generation vividly remember the familiar commercials for curry and stew from the era when Karupisu and later Hausu Shokuhin were the sole sponsors. It reigned for many years as the king of the now-defunct kids’ slot on Fuji Terebi on Sundays at 7:30 PM. The fact that anime works from that era can still give rise to new spin-off works like this demonstrates the “legendary” power unique to masterpieces.

Regarding her appearance in a spin-off of such a masterpiece anime, Nakamori-san sent the following message to fans at the end of the press conference:

“To all the fans who have been watching Arai-guma Karukaru-dan since April, I believe there have probably been guest appearances before, but this time, I will be joining in. You must be very surprised. I will approach the voice recording hoping to live up to everyone’s expectations. Please look forward to it.”

Here’s a look at the show’s staff and cast:

Staff

Main Cast

(C)「あらいぐま カルカル団」製作委員会

《Kigasawa Masashi》