To celebrate the upcoming broadcast of the TV anime My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON beginning October 4, a special interview has been released with the two voice actors portraying the ultimate villain, the “Dark Lord” All For One (AFO): Akio Otsuka and Hiroshi Kamiya. They shared their thoughts on playing AFO and what it means to be part of the FINAL SEASON.

ーーMy Hero Academia is finally entering its FINAL SEASON. Mr. Otsuka, you have voiced All For One for about nine years since Season 1. How do you feel now?

Otsuka:
When I hear nine years, I realize that back when Season 1 aired, I was still in my mid-fifties. It hits me that I have been doing this role for such a long time, and it makes me feel very attached to this work as it now heads into its final chapter. After everything is finished, I want to go back and rewatch it all from the beginning, curious to see how much everyone, myself included, has grown over those nine years.

ーーMr. Kamiya, you joined the series in its climax, playing what is essentially the “final boss.” How do you feel about stepping into this role?

Kamiya:
I have never had an experience quite like this before, and I am very grateful for the opportunity. That said, it was a heavy responsibility, and at first I thought, “What have I gotten myself into?” (laughs)

Otsuka:
When I heard AFO would be rejuvenated, I wondered what they were going to do about the voice, since he keeps getting younger. When I learned Kamiya would take over, I felt very reassured. I knew I could pass the baton with peace of mind.

Kamiya:
Before my appearance, I read through the entire original manga. I already knew the story developments, but when I saw that AFO was not only pursued by heroes but even pressured by other villains, I felt a strange sense of distance. Mr. Otsuka had already been voicing him for so long, and when I was rehearsing lines at home, I sometimes thought, “This isn’t really my role…” and it left me feeling lonely (laughs).

Otsuka:
That’s true (laughs).

Kamiya:
Even at the studio, at first I was nervous and struggled with how best to approach it. But then I thought, “Mr. Otsuka must have enjoyed playing this role, so I need to inherit that energy. I need to have fun with it too.” I wanted to respect that spirit.

ーーAll For One is the Dark Lord of this story, the embodiment of pure evil. As actors who have played many roles, do you approach a purely evil character differently?

Otsuka:
I have played characters called “Dark Lords” in many works.

Kamiya:
That’s true. Mr. Otsuka is unbeatable when it comes to Dark Lords. Wherever you go, he’s the final boss (laughs).

Otsuka:
I wouldn’t go that far (laughs). But the key is to enjoy it. Acting, at its root, is about enjoyment. And playing the “Dark Lord” is something you never get to do in real life, where you can’t just do whatever you want. That freedom is something only villains can offer.

Kamiya:
Villains aren’t often completely flawless embodiments of evil. Usually, I try to leave some cracks or add a bit of charm, since that makes them more interesting. But with AFO, Mr. Otsuka didn’t play it that way at all—he went all in on being detestable. I wondered how I could approach that. And like Mr. Otsuka said, the answer was simply to enjoy it. AFO just lives true to the purpose he has found. So I thought about how to embody that enjoyment—like, “How can I make him more aggravating? How can I deliver this line so it really gets under someone’s skin?”

Otsuka:
That is what makes it fun.

ーーThat makes the battles against All Might—played by Kenta Miyake—particularly enjoyable. For Mr. Otsuka, it was Season 3, and for Mr. Kamiya, it will be the climax of Season 7 and the start of the FINAL SEASON.

Otsuka:
Yes, those were moments of goading and provoking.

Kamiya:
And AFO never believes he could possibly lose.

ーーFINAL SEASON begins with the fierce battle between All Might and AFO. Please share a message for fans awaiting the broadcast.

Kamiya:
I only joined toward the end of this long-running series, but My Hero Academia is loved not just in Japan but worldwide. To be part of it, to inherit the spirit of the role that Mr. Otsuka built up, was a truly valuable opportunity for me as an actor. Playing AFO allowed me to think in ways I never had before, imagining how best to irritate others and cause trouble. That was a lot of fun. Kohei Horikoshi-sensei has been drawing this story for years, and now we are finally reaching its conclusion in animated form. I am sure fans worldwide have been waiting for this, and I hope everyone stays with us until the end.

Otsuka:
I believe fans all around the world will enjoy the final chapter of the anime. We as performers are also looking forward to experiencing it together with all of you. Please enjoy it until the very end.

Source : ORICON NEWS