The film Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - Infinity Castle: On September 6, Act 1: Akaza Returns held a special event in Tokyo where seven voice actors who play the Kasugai crows met fans. Takumi Yamazaki, Manaka Iwami, Ryusei Nakao, Rie Kugimiya, Yui Horie, Kenyu Horiuchi, and Sho Hayami all appeared on stage, which made the audience very happy.

The event was timed to coincide with "Crow Day" in Japan, held on September 6 because the numbers nine (ku) and six (ro) resemble the pronunciation of "crow." Takumi Yamazaki, the voice of Tanjiro Kamado's crow, started the event by saying, "Kasugai crows, gather! Kasugai crows, report to Shinjuku immediately!" which made the audience cheer.

One by one, the remaining voice actors came on stage. Manaka Iwami is the voice of Zenitsu's sparrow, Ryusei Nakao is the voice of Genya's crow, Rie Kugimiya is the voice of Muichiro's crow, Yui Horie is the voice of Mitsuri's crow, Kenyu Horiuchi is the voice of Sanemi's crow, and Sho Hayami is the voice of the crow that serves Master Ubuyashiki. Each performer did their own unique character lines, which was a nice surprise for the fans there.

When asked what he thought about it, Yamazaki said, "I'm the most surprised to be here. I never thought it would turn into this when it all started. As the recording sessions continued, more and more experienced actors were invited to contribute their voices to the crows. Today, I feel like I'm the youngest here!" His words made the audience laugh.

Iwami, who has been with the series since the early episodes, commented, "I can't believe that I'm standing here for a Demon Slayer stage greeting with such amazing seniors. I am truly nervous." Nakao added, "I never expected to stand on stage as a crow. I am just happy to finally be part of Demon Slayer."

Rie Kugimiya, who joined from the Swordsmith Village Arc, shared, "I received this offer over a year ago, and I could feel the staff's incredible passion. I never expected to get this role, so I'm very thankful." Horie made a lighthearted comment. "I saw on social media how moving the Akaza stage greeting was last week, and then I learned I would be on stage for the crow event right after. I thought about whether we could make people cry again, but then I decided to let my experienced colleagues handle it."

Horiuchi said, "I'm so happy I got the role." Hayami joked, "The dress code today is black, so I came in a chic outfit. I will eat everything like a crow!"

Then, they talked about the challenges of playing such unique roles. Yamazaki remembered, "At the very first recording, everyone was together, but after the test run, I was told, 'Takumi-san, you will be recording separately.' After that, it was just me croaking alone."

Iwami shared her experience: "Zenitsu's sparrow only says 'Chun,' so I had to create a very distinct characterization. At first, I performed it like a sound effect without emotion, but since Chuntaro shows such expressive reactions toward Zenitsu, we gradually developed it into a lively sparrow full of emotions."

Nakao said, "It was probably the shortest time I ever spent at a studio." Horiuchi added, "My line was just one word, but it took me the longest recording ever. I kept redoing my takes, and when it was finally finished, I thought, 'I might have mastered the crow!'" His story made the crowd laugh.

For the Swordsmith Village Arc, Kugimiya said, "I thought my crow liked Muichiro, but at the studio I was told, 'Like him even more!' So I pushed that feeling even further, making it an intense character, which had me sweating through the session." Horie said, "This was my first time voicing a crow, so I used Yamazaki-san's performance as a model. Then, I thought about how a female crow might sound. I also looked to Rie Kugimiya for guidance. Since it was Mitsuri's crow, I tried to speak gently."

Sho Hayami, who voiced Ubuyashiki's crow in the Hashira Training Arc, said, "I practiced crow sounds a lot, but when I arrived at the studio, I didn't hear even the slightest 'caw' from the other actors. The recording didn't sound like a crow at all. His story also made people laugh.

Then, we talked about what we thought of Infinity Castle. Act 1. Iwami said, "I'm happy to see how much Zenitsu has grown, and it made me very happy to watch it in a theater." Nakao said, "The two and a half hours went by really fast. Each character is memorable, and the actors gave great performances that matched the stunning visuals."

Kugimiya added, "It truly felt like a monumental work of art. The performances, visuals, and music all came together to create a unified whole. I felt so lucky to be involved, and I think the audiences are lucky to see it in theaters."

Horie admitted, "I had not read the manga all the way through, but I almost did." Watching this film, I thought Akaza was incredibly cool." Horiuchi also said, "The visuals were breathtaking, and the actors had to match that intensity with their voices. They did a great job. The film also made me think deeply about what it means to be human and to do the right thing, which was moving."

Finally, Yamazaki closed for the Crow of the Demon Slayer Corps, saying, "To everyone here and to those watching the live viewing, thank you very much. We, the crows, are deeply moved by this film's brilliance. Let's keep enjoying this together." The event ended on a warm and celebratory note.

Source : ORICON NEWS