At Anime Expo, Anime Trending had the great opportunity to interview Seiichirouu Yamashita for his role as the main character, Cid Kagenou, also known as Shadow, in The Eminence in Shadow Season 2. The Eminence in Shadow is an isekai series where A high school boy intent on becoming an anti-hero operating in the shadows finds himself with the perfect opportunity to fulfill his dream by dying and being reincarnated in a new world. Telling a series of elaborate lies, he positions himself as his ideal anti-hero – unaware that every lie he tells is actually the truth in this new magical world.
Waiting for this second part to air.
fall, Anime Trending is pleased to bring you this interview and hope you enjoy Seiichirouu Yamashita’s answers as much as we do.
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Seiichirouu Yamashita at Anime Expo Source: https://twitter.com/Shadowgarden_PR/status/1675537133178863619
First of all, thank you very much for giving us this opportunity to interview you. We are very, very excited. Our entire organization is really a big fan of anime.
Seiichirou Yamashita: Thank you. Thank you very much.
So the first question we have today is what is the most enjoyable aspect of playing such an incredibly powerful and lucky character?
So is there any strong opponent for Shadow? yes, he enters any fight with confidence and swagger, and it’s incredibly satisfying to play as Shadow. And the interesting thing is that I never recorded any breathing sounds. Usually, there’s like HAAAA or HRRRR for fight scenes and things like that, but he didn’t even do that. So I didn’t do any of those voices because he was so confident.
And when I act in the studio, usually the enemy characters are played by all the famous voice actors in Japan who are similar to my seniors. They were all grunting and making sounds and everything, and I was just standing there silently, you know, finally confident. And it’s funny that I don’t do anything in those situations and it’s also strange that I do. So it was an interesting experience.
Well, with Cid being so powerful, do you think Cid has any notable flaws or weaknesses?
I think it’s interesting that those things he said let’s spin the story in different directions. And that’s what’s interesting about this show, I think, and interesting because it’s less predictable.
I think he’s irresponsible when he speaks and he’s completely inconsiderate of others. Literally no interest. And that is both his strength and his weakness.
Not only does it feel like a weakness, but even now, I can’t really apply my usual logic to the way he thinks. So he is a character of his own, completely his own.
Cid is known to have many sides to him. You can even see he has multiple personalities, but he’s still a human being. How did you prepare for a character like Cid, who has many different ways of expressing himself?
[anime] This is really a comedy, and so—there are serious moments and there are really funny moments. But being a comedy, when preparing, I really thought about how to make Cid funny. And usually, there are times when I think, “Okay, this has gone too far,” and [các thành viên sản xuất khác sẽ] said, “Okay, that’s great.”
It’s really all about feeling who he is and maintaining that momentum as a character and bringing that energy out. Actually, we use a lot of improvisation, which is a challenge, but I’m also really just thinking about, “How can I make this as funny as possible?” That idea also becomes a part of Cid. So Cid is a really limited character in that way. So, yeah — that’s how those ideas came in. It always impresses me.
Compared to other roles you’ve played, what makes playing Cid different?
When I think about any role — any character, really — I think about how similar they are to me. Like, “Oh, I’ve felt this emotion before” or something like that.
That’s always interesting. But what’s interesting about Cid is that he’s almost inhuman. I found myself thinking, “What’s your deal?” Because he was just out there. He’s attractive but also very confusing. Usually, it’s a matter of finding these things in common, but in this case, it’s really just about getting to know a very different, difficult person. So he’s very unique in that way and I don’t think there will be another character like him.
What is your favorite line you’ve said as Cid? If you have.
So after it aired, you know the line “I am an atom” became a big rumor. And so, even when I travel abroad, sometimes people will say, “Aren’t you an atomic person?” and things like that. I guess it has become what we call a powerful word.
So, “I am the atom.” It’s really short. However, it leaves a lasting impression. I’ve made all kinds of different versions of it, and there’s also a whisper version. So that quote has definitely helped me in many situations.
Cid, in general, does not change much in personality throughout season one. Do you expect him to change in season two, and if so, in what way?
I think in season one, nothing really changed in terms of his charm and all that. But I think there were small changes in his behavior, like he was just doing his thing and doing what he wanted, but as a result he started interacting more with people [khác]. You can sense that he might have a little bit of gratitude or a little bit of guilt about something just from very subtle actions, and I think in season two, you’ll see more of that. , and you will see to see that he is also a real person.
We are looking forward to it. The Eminence in Shadow has a large cast and is expected to be larger in the second season. Do you have any memories or stories you can share about working with them on this series?
As members of Shadow Garden in season one, I think we all really understood what our roles were and we really understood our roles. It. And in season two, the acting really comes into its own. In other words, there were times when the other actors did things that made me laugh while performing, and that increased in season two. So, as Shadow, I have to be really serious. So in those situations, other people’s acting almost makes me laugh, or I have to try really hard to like, hold back laughter, and that happened more than in the first part. Like this –
[Yamashita che miệng, bắt chước cách anh ấy nhịn cười, sau đó thả tay xuống, vẻ mặt nghiêm túc và ngay lập tức đóng vai Cid]
It was like a switch, going from trying not to laugh to Shadow. So you have that to look forward to.
You are currently nominated for best voice actor for the Anime Trend awards for your role, as Cid/Shadow, how does it feel to be nominated for your performance of the character? Friend?
What! I wish I knew sooner. No one told me.
Does this happen every year, Anime Trend Awards?
It is there.
Oh my God. How many people are nominated?
There will be 10 voice actors and 10 voice actors.
This is the first time I’ve heard of this and I’m very surprised. I’m so happy, overjoyed.
It will be decided at the end of the year through a major awards voting campaign. So you can win.
I really hope that becomes a reality.
You have a chance.
It was touching to see people’s reactions at the previous world premiere. Everyone really had funny moments and everything. So it’s great to see that beyond borders, it’s been successful and well understood. It’s great when the audience chooses [người chiến thắng].
You will be the first to know if you win or not.
Please interview me if I win.
We certainly will.
Our final question is — any final words for fans eagerly awaiting the return of Eminence in Shadow season 2?
This is a rare opportunity to speak in America and that’s really it, thank you fans. I am honored and very grateful to have received such a huge response. And with part 2 coming soon, you can enjoy it even more if you re-watch part one.
The Master of Garden video game is also a really fun game that gives you a glimpse into another side of the world of Cid and Eminence in Shadow. Now I can’t say much about part two, but I can say that it will definitely surprise you. I can’t wait for everyone to see it and I’d love to hear what people think of it. So thank you so much for this interview time. Thank you.
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The Eminence in Shadow Season 2 is currently airing on HIDIVE.