Saho Shirasu, who plays the humanoid hotelier robot Yachiyo in the original TV anime Apocalypse Hotel, which began airing in April, sat down with ORICON NEWS for an interview. She shared the challenges of portraying her character in a post-human world—and spoke about the buzz-worthy role that required her to speak five different languages.

Set on Earth long after the extinction of humanity, the anime takes place in Ginza, Tokyo, at the hotel Gingarou. There, hotelier robot Yachiyo and her fellow staff robots patiently await the return of their owner and the arrival of human guests once more.

But after 100 years, the first guests to arrive are extraterrestrial beings. Are they here to stay—or to invade? The story follows Yachiyo and the staff as they offer their best hospitality in the face of this cosmic mystery.

Interview

—The story takes place in a hotel after humanity’s extinction. While the tone can be light, there are also heavy scenes with inactive robots. What was your impression when you first encountered the script?

Shirasu
My first encounter with the project was during the audition, which included the full "Aaaaaaaaaaah!" line from the first episode's shower cap scene. I was dying to know what happened before and after that scene! Whether it was the audition, the recording sessions, or seeing the completed anime—each stage brought new discoveries and surprises. When I saw the finished scenes with Yachiyo's fellow robots, the emotional weight hit me hard. Even though I already knew the story, it brought me to tears.

—In Episode 2, your character speaks in five languages, including English and Chinese. Were you already skilled in any of them?

Shirasu
Not at all! I had no experience with any of the languages. Thankfully, we had a great team overseeing the pronunciation. They sent me reference audio beforehand, and during the recording, they checked everything remotely in real time. Personally, Hindi was the hardest. Even when I thought I finally got it, delivering it as Yachiyo was still tricky. I listened to slowed-down versions and practiced endlessly at home. It was such a rare experience, and I genuinely enjoyed the challenge.

—In the anime, the character Yachiyo treasures her shower cap. When staying at a hotel yourself, what do you value most?

Shirasu
I don’t have a signature item like Yachiyo’s shower cap, but when I travel, I do care a lot about the food. If the hotel has a breakfast buffet—oh, that’s the best!

—As the story enters its latter half, what would you say to viewers who haven’t seen the show yet?

Shirasu
Every time I walked out of the studio, I thought, “Maybe I finally nailed it today!” or, “I bet this is what’s going to happen next...” But then I’d get the next script and be completely blindsided! I really want people to stick with it to the very end. I feel torn—I want to hint at what’s coming, but I also think this anime is best enjoyed without any spoilers. I hope viewers will follow Yachiyo and her colleagues all the way through to see how Earth’s fate unfolds.

—By the way, did you ever wear a shower cap as a child?

Shirasu
My grandmother was a firm believer in shower caps and kept one just for me at her house. I only wore it when I visited my grandparents. When I took baths with my grandpa, he’d always pour a ton of water on my head while rinsing shampoo. It was way too much for the flimsy little kids' cap to handle, and the water would end up all over my face anyway. So... it didn’t really help! (laughs)

Source : ORICON NEWS