©Sunsunsun,Momoco/KADOKAWA/Alya-san Partners
We're excited to share some great news! Anime News Network and Newtype magazine are teaming up to bring selected Newtype articles to anime fans around the world! These articles, along with exclusive content and images from the magazine, will now be available globally. Fans can expect insightful interviews with the creators and all the latest anime updates. We'll start with an exclusive interview with Sumire Uesaka, who voices Alya in Alya Sometimes Hides Her Emotions in Russian. We hope you enjoy this exciting collaboration!
Alya and Masachika's common goal is…?
Alya wants to become student council president. To help realize her dream, Masachika Kuze joins the student council as a general affairs member to support her. However, on their path are Masachika's younger sister Yuki Suou and maid Ayano Kimishima, as well as Sayaka Taniyama, their former rival in the middle school student council election, along with their best friend. She is Nonoa Miyamae. But between the whispered “I love yous”, the kisses on the cheeks, the dinner dates, etc. no one can stand in the way of Alya and Masachika as they grow closer! How will Masachika and Alya fare against their opponents on their path to becoming student council president?
Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian, an addictive story about a girl with a cold attitude who only expresses her true feelings in Russian, has finally ended its season. According to the title, the “hiding emotions in Russian” story element is certainly unique, but how did the cast and crew approach this premise? We interviewed Sumire Uesaka, who voices Alya, to learn all about her approach to the role.
©Sunsunsun,Momoco/KADOKAWA/Alya-san Partners
Alya: a pet that is only friendly to its owner? Sumire Uesaka as Alisa Mikhailovna Kujou
The truth is that Alya has never had friends.
—You also voiced Alya in the original novel's promotional video. Can you tell us your first impression of Alya Sometimes Hiding Her Feelings in Russian?
Uesaka: It reminded me of the first romantic comedy novel I read when I was a student, and there was something really nostalgic about it. But there are also new and fresh plot devices I've never seen before, such as a girl using Russian to express her true feelings and her excitement about running for student council . Those elements really attracted me.
—What do you feel makes the character Alya so appealing?
Uesaka: She often talks quite harshly to Masachika, but will then make flirty comments to him in Russian, which I think makes her the ideal tsundere (hot and cold) character . She has no qualms about verbally beating him down before saying how she really feels in Russian, so I'm sure if anyone other than Masachika happened to understand Russian they would be devastated soul (laughs). Aside from those, she also has a lot of other adorable qualities like being really happy when someone calls her cute or not having any friends despite being a trendy young girl, these things make her a into an attractive female lead.
— How did you feel when you heard that Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian would be adapted into an anime?
Uesaka: I'm really happy, but at the same time I can't help but worry about how well they did. will be able to reproduce Momoco's original illustrations from the novel, which are absolutely beautiful. However, when I learned that Doga Kobo would be responsible for producing the animation, I immediately felt relieved (laughs). Alya is adorable, as is the entire finished product.
—What do you think about voicing Alya in the TV anime?
Uesaka: When I voiced her in the original novel's promotional video, I chose to give her Russian lines fairly evenly. But in the anime, you can see her expressions quite clearly, so I wondered if I should try a different approach. I feel like I tend to emphasize a lot of things in my acting, but I felt Alya's cuteness from the animation we watched during the recording phase, which I wanted to evoke. The atmosphere is as light as possible. I especially tried to keep her voice cute despite her harsh words and behavior.
—Is there anything you pay special attention to when delivering your Russian dialogue?
Uesaka: The Russian language can be scary just speaking it normally. However, while Alya is a girl of Russian descent whose looks and overall aura make her seem unapproachable, deep down she's really just an ordinary girl. After many consultations with the Russian supervisor and sound director, I tried to soften some of the sounds to make all her Russian lines cuter. Maybe Russian speakers might be offended by that, but my goal is for people who don't know Russian to find Alya cute, so I hope that happens.
©Sunsunsun,Momoco/KADOKAWA/Alya-san Partners
—You talked about Alya not having friends, but she shows a very different side of herself to people she feels comfortable with, like Masachika and Masha, than she does to everyone else. What do you think about that?
Uesaka: Basically, Alya is always wary of anyone who isn't Masachika or Masha. She is especially wary of Yuki. Even with the student council members, she only contacts Chisaki and Touya about work-related matters… Looking at her that way, she's like a cat with trust issues. People portray her as a solitary ice princess, but in truth she's more like a pet that's only friendly with its owner.
—Six episodes later, what do you think of Alya and Masachika's relationship so far?
Uesaka: I think Alya must have been very happy and felt secure having Masachika as her operating partner. At first, she tries to become student council president herself and chooses someone despite having no friends. Because of her past, she tried to take matters into her own hands, but now Masachika is there to help. Because of this, Alya begins to feel possessive of him. Meanwhile, Masachika is paving the way for her on the path to becoming president. Their unique relationship is truly irresistible!
—Ayano, Yuki and Sayaka's subordinate who competes with them in the middle school student council election also appears, adding chaos to Alya's journey to become student council president. Meanwhile her relationship with Masachika deepens. Is there anything you want viewers to pay attention to?
Uesaka: From episode 7 onwards, we get to see Ayano in her full form as well as touch on other topics, but most importantly the development of Masachika and Alya's Relationship. I hope viewers will enjoy witnessing their wonderful cooperation as they confront Yuki in the uncompromising battle for the title of student council president. The bond they have cultivated through romantic and comedic developments so far is what will make future developments that much more interesting, so stay tuned! Additionally, each episode has a different ending song, but my favorite of them all aired later in the season. Try to guess which song it is!
This interview originally appeared in the September 2024 issue of Newtype magazine.
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Disclosure: Kadokawa World Entertainment (KWE), a wholly owned subsidiary of Kadokawa Corporation, is the majority owner of Anime News Network, LLC. One or more companies mentioned in this article are part of the Kadokawa Group of Companies.
