Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon - A talk about love for the series!
An interview with Sara Matsumoto, Mikako Komatsu, and Azusa Tadokoro, who play the half-demon princesses!

Translated by: Harley Acres

January 14, 2021 12:00

The TV anime series Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon began airing on Yomiuri TV and Nippon TV on Saturday, October 3, 2020. As the pasts of the Yashahime, daughters of Sesshomaru and Inuyasha, characters from Inuyasha, are revealed, mysteries are clarified and then deepened... The surprising, intricately intertwined developments have caused a huge stir. We were able to speak with Sara Matsumoto (Towa Higurashi), Mikako Komatsu (Setsuna), and Azusa Tadokoro (Moroha), who play the main heroines! The three actresses are playing the Yashahime, cherishing the legacy of the world of Inuyasha and the atmosphere of the dialogue on set. They spoke at length about the recording process, their love for the series, and more.

A detailed look at the charms of Yashahime and the characters, including explanations of each character

What did you think when you first heard that a new story about Inuyasha and Sesshomaru's daughters would be made?

Sara Matsumoto (hereafter Matsumoto): When I found out it was going to be made, the first thing that came to mind was a strong shock... I was shocked to hear that characters I'd watched since I was little were having children, and I wondered a lot about how they came about (laughs).

Azusa Tadokoro (hereafter Tadokoro): I was really surprised too! I knew that Inuyasha had a beautiful conclusion, so I never imagined there would be a new story that would continue it. I wondered if Inuyasha and Kagome had a child, but I wondered who Sesshomaru's child was. Before preparing for the audition, I looked at the character designs carefully, wondering whose children they were (laughs).

Mikako Komatsu (hereafter Komatsu): When I first saw the title, I thought it was a work with a title like Inuyasha, but I was surprised to find out that it was a work that continued the authentic Inuyasha world (laughs). I was also surprised that it was set as the story of Inuyasha and his children. However, the final episode of Inuyasha: The Final Act did depict Miroku and the others as having children, so it certainly seemed like a plausible story. I was very happy and excited to be able to experience the Inuyasha world, which I've enjoyed since I was a child, all over again.

We were very excited to see a new world of Inuyasha that we didn't know existed, and to be able to experience the world of Inuyasha once again.

What kind of characters are Towa, Setsuna, and Moroha, respectively, that you play?

Matsumoto: Towa, unlike Moroha and Setsuna, is the only character who grew up in modern times, so there are many scenes where Moroha and Setsuna, who grew up in the Warring States period, criticize her for being too weak or too flexible. I thought she would brush them off, saying, "That's not true!", but she surprisingly takes it in stride, so I think she's a very soft-spoken girl deep down like her mother.

I think she's the kind of girl that people around her would say, "You're really just like her."

Tadokoro: Moroha, at first glance, seems a bit silly. Sound director Yasushi Nagura even told me to "act even more foolish" (laughs). ^[1] While she has an innocent side that makes her act before thinking, she has also survived some pretty tough times on her own, which has led to her being skilled in combat, the most strategic and giving orders such as "you go over here." She's a character you really can't take your eyes off of, and the more you get to know her, the more you like her. Her emotions and expressions change so constantly that it's hard for me to keep up, which is why I never get bored of watching her.

She has the nobility, toughness, and adult-like qualities of having survived on her own, but she also has the innocence of a child, and I think she's a really adorable girl.

Komatsu: Setsuna is the complete opposite of Towa who grew up in the modern world while she grew up in the demon slayer's village. While she has inherited a strong heritage from Sesshomaru in some ways, such as her calmness and way of speaking, she was raised in a human settlement, and I think her ability to connect with people is what sets her apart from Sesshomaru.

After meeting Towa... Not only does she have no memories of her childhood, but Towa lives a lukewarm life, the complete opposite of her own (laughs), so it's frustrating for her, but she also acknowledges that these are things she doesn't have, which is why she's wavering in her own way.

Maybe it's because she's only 14, but I think she's a girl who really shows the turmoil of her emotions. While she fights calmly, she's witnessed Towa's behavior and way of life, and even though she doesn't say it out loud, I think she's probably thinking, "Oh, so that's one way of thinking about things too."

In the script, the scenes where she speaks are marked as "...", so I think she's really thinking it through in her own way.

She sometimes gets into the comedy scenes (laughs). She's surprisingly easygoing. She's the type to read the mood (laughs).

Tadokoro: That's true! (laughs) Well done.

Komatsu: I think that's the influence of the people she grew up with.

The most important thing in dubbing is the "atmosphere"

I heard that due to the current situation, the dubbing was done with a small number of people. In particular, the Yashahime and some other characters are often recorded last, so what is the recording like?

Matsumoto: Despite the current situation, acting is a live performance, so they try to schedule recordings at the same time as other people I regularly interact with.

Sometimes Azusa-san would come in first, and sometimes we (Towa and Setsuna) would come in, and we would interact with the other cast members as we recorded. The three of us interact a lot, so we often end up together.

Tadokoro: On the other hand, if we don't interact (in Moroha's case), we don't get to meet up with each other very often (laughs). Moroha often records with Takechiyo and Jyubei's team.

Komatsu: That's true. Moroha often acts alone, so there are times when she gets left behind, and sometimes we don't meet up. We'll say, "Sorry, Moroha..." (laughs).

Tadokoro: ...That's lonely (laughs).

Komatsu: (laughs). We place great importance on recording the scenes where the characters change one after the other, but we also get to interact closely with the voice actors of guest characters who we might not otherwise meet during these recordings.

In the process, we sometimes hear stories from senior voice actors, such as, "My daughter is looking forward to the anime." Some of us have been influenced by Inuyasha, and there are voice actors whose daughters watch the anime now, so we often talk about our love for the series. ^[2]

Even though it's only been a short time, I think it's a show that allows the cast to communicate with each other.

Listening to you talk, I can sense how close you three are. Do you often get to talk together before recordings?

Komatsu: We talk before and after recordings.

Matsumoto: We do talk. When we go to recordings, the script for the next episode is always there. When I arrive, the first thing I do is sneakily read it and ask, "Have you read it?" (laughs).

Komatsu: Or find ourselves at our wits' end (laughs). We all get along well.

Tadokoro: After recording, the cast once went to the Inuyasha collaboration cafe. I feel like I've been included in the Inuyasha family, so I'm really grateful.

I imagine you're often inspired by each other's acting.

Matsumoto: That's true. The only materials I was given at first were character designs by Rumiko Takahashi-sensei and a simple relationship diagram. When I heard, "These three are the audition subjects," I wondered, "If the Yashahime were given voices and moved, what kind of characters would emerge?"

But once recording began and I heard their voices and saw their acting, I thought, "Ah, I see!" and it all made sense to me. But at first, I just wanted to avoid causing them any trouble...

Komatsu & Tadokoro: No, no, no, no!

Matsumoto: No, no, no, no! (laughs) I was like, "No, I have to do it properly!" There's a lot I learn from the two of them.

However, as I mentioned earlier, Moroha and I often do our own thing separately. But even if we don't get to interact together, if I'm making something serious here, a scene with Moroha will make it more interesting, and vice versa. I often feel that even though we're far apart, we're connected by blood.

When we go to the recording studio and the test begins, there's a lot I take away from it. It makes me think, "Moroha and the others are doing this for me, so I'll try even harder."

Tadokoro: I'm happy. Actually, when I auditioned, I also auditioned for the roles of the two other characters besides Moroha. But to be honest, I couldn't imagine what their voices would sound like. When we actually recorded together, I thought (with a grin), "This is it!" (laughs).

Komatsu: "This is it!" (laughs).

Tadokoro: There's no doubt that each of them was perfect for the role...how can I put it? It was like I saw the answer: "Ah, this is it!"

Towa-chan lives in the present day, but there are depictions of her not fitting in even in the present day. But she also doesn't fit in well in the Sengoku period, so she's a very unstable character.

That's why she sometimes says things that are a little off, but Sara-san's straightforward and sincere acting makes you feel like, "Oh, Towa-chan is saying those things because she has her own beliefs."

It's a very difficult role, but her acting makes you want to root for Towa-chan, and I love it. Her personality really shines through.

Komatsu-san's acting really brings out Sesshomaru, and I thought, "Ah, amazing!" I think it's very difficult for a woman to imbue Narita-san's acting style with that strength, while also conveying the cuteness of a 14-year-old.

I auditioned for the role myself, so I know how difficult it is. I think it's Komatsu's skill that brings out the full range of Setsuna's personality. She's so cute when she gets all lovey-dovey (laughs).

Komatsu: I'm so happy, thank you! As Koroazu-chan (Tadokoro-san) said, I think each character's personality comes out. ^[3]

Towa has a sharp appearance and at first glance gives off a boyish impression, but she's also very friendly. I think she could probably live in any era. She was raised in the Higurashi family, so I think she probably likes people.

It's the same with yokai, and even when it comes to killing, she has a "no, killing is not okay" attitude. She's good at fighting, but she understands the value of life. That kind of friendliness is also present in Sara-chan.

She has great communication skills, and on set she treats everyone equally, making her fun to talk to. I think she has a similar drawer full of fun conversations just like Towa. If you only look at Towa's lines, you might think she's "annoying" or "troublesome," but when you add in her friendliness, she becomes softer.

I think Setsuna also feels like it's not so bad (laughs).

Moroha's acting is truly straightforward, as if she had inherited the blood of Inuyasha and Kagome, and when I first heard her voice I thought, "This is it! Moroha!"

I feel that only Koroazu could capture Inuyasha's roughness and Kagome's inner strength and resilience. Moroha has a playful, absent-minded side to her that makes her even cuter.

If she had only inherited Inuyasha's character, she would have just been a rough-and-tumble girl, but Kagome's unique strength and cuteness are added to her. Moroha has a certain absent-mindedness to her, so Setsuna can forgive her when she talks to her (laughs). That's the Koroazu magic.

Setsuna also finds the other two "lovable," so even though she can't accept them directly at first, I think she's slowly starting to accept all three of them being together...well, they are family, after all (laughs).

Earlier, Matsumoto said that you didn't want to cause them any trouble, but was that pressure intense?

Matsumoto: Yes. I might get a slap across the face and be told, "That's just being spoiled!", but I don't have much experience (in animation) so...

Komatsu & Tadokoro: No, no, no, no...!

Tadokoro: If anything, I'm the one who feels the need to keep up with the two of them. I always go home feeling depressed (laughs).

Matsumoto & Komatsu: No, no, no! (laughs)

A chorus of no, no, nos (laughs).

Matsumoto: I'm really nervous inside. Every time, right before I go to record, I find myself muttering to myself (in a depressed voice), "Oh, I'll do my best today...ohhh" (wry smile).

When I actually get to interact with the two of you on set, I feel energized and think, "Ah, that's right! That's right!" There are a lot of scenes in the story where the two of you tell me to "Pull myself together!" so it really hits home.

As a character, and as Matsumoto-san. Is there anything you pay attention to or are conscious of in those scenes?

Matsumoto: If anything, I'm conscious of not making things too rigid. Rather than trying to create a rigid acting routine from start to finish, I try to create the parts where I'm influenced by the two of them, and vice versa, without being too rigid. I've been careful about that since before the first episode.

Komatsu: Towa is often the first to speak at the start of the story. In other words, she sets the momentum for the story with her first line.

That actually helps me out. "Okay, Towa's going to lead the way again today!" "Towa, do your best!"

Matsumoto: (laughs).

Komatsu: Towa and Setsuna are like "stillness and movement." Towa is a girl with lots of energy, so she gives it her all in everything. She brings that momentum from the start, so she really pulls me along. In terms of the atmosphere on set.

Tadokoro: That's true. When recording starts and I hear Towa's voice, I feel like, "Yashahime has begun!"

Matsumoto: I'm so happy, thank you. You've always been such good friends. I really was at the point where I was wondering, "What can I give you?" (laughs).

Tadokoro: I think it was great that we were able to start together from the first episode with a "Ready, set, go!" attitude. The atmosphere on set was harmonious, like "Let's all do this together!" I'm a very timid person, so it's a relief.

I'm sure each set has its own unique atmosphere, but is there a certain Inuyasha-ism to it?

Komatsu: The Inuyasha team was already established as the Inuyasha team, and it seems like the production team and cast have inherited that team's sensibility.

They all love and are familiar with the series to begin with, so they share a kind of "consensus," and their bond is strong.

Sara-chan, in particular, reads the script carefully. She came up with clear questions and doubts, like, "Is this the right way to act in this part?" ####--.

Matsumoto: (Appearing flustered) What!? They were watching...!?

Komatsu: Hehe (laughs). The sound director and director Teruo Sato really took those questions and doubts into consideration. ^[4] I think it would be difficult to ask or answer such questions on a set where the answers were clearly decided, but there was plenty of room for discussion on this set. They accept it, and I think it's great that they can take the stance of "let's do as much as we want" based on that.

It's such a great team.

Komatsu: Yes. As I said earlier, frankly everyone gets along well.

Matsumoto: I really feel that. Everyone communicates well and there's a sense of teamwork.

Tadokoro: But I also feel like it's you two who create that atmosphere. The senior voice actors seem comfortable too (laughs).

I'm the type who gets nervous and doesn't talk much, but they explain the show to the people playing guest characters and talk to them, so there's always a gentle atmosphere.

Thanks to that, I'm able to talk to the senior actors, and now I can call (Toshiyuki) Koyama-san, who plays Jubei, "big brother!", and Fairouz Ai, who plays Takechiyo, also talks to me a lot. There are a lot of scenes where the three of us, Fairouz Ai, Koyama-san, and I, talk to each other, so it was really helpful to have them create a gentle atmosphere on set.

The "explanation" during the battle really touches the heart and makes you feel like Inuyasha!

Could you tell us about the most memorable and difficult scenes you played?

Matsumoto: It was episode 14. It was a story that revealed why Towa and Setsuna were caught up in a forest fire when they were little... Even though the enemy appears, you still end up sympathizing with him.

Komatsu: Ah, it was so passionate!

Matsumoto: That's right! There's a scene where the character Homura, who burned down the forest, takes his own life, and it really touched me during the recording.

Towa is unable to move in the face of what's happening in front of her eyes, and Setsuna calls her back, saying, "Pull yourself together!" I still remember the feeling. It was so poignant, fleeting, and beautiful.

But there are also unbearable truths that make your stomach churn...

In that episode, just when you think the culprit has been found, there's actually someone else behind the scenes, and their father is nearby... We're not told any information, so we just honestly think, "What was Dad doing?"

Everyone: (laughs)

Tadokoro: What I think is unique to Inuyasha is that even in scenes where the characters are surprised, in critical situations, and using techniques... they always provide thorough explanations (laughs).

Matsumoto: That might be especially true for Moroha!

Komatsu: It's true that Moroha does a lot of explaining (laughs).

Tadokoro: "That's what our seniors used to do!" The enemies would explain their techniques, and so on (laughs).

That said, even while providing explanations, we had to retain the momentum and surprise of the battle scenes. It was technically difficult, but my heart warmed when I thought, "This is what our seniors used to do." She was talking nonsense about Miroku-sama (laughs).

Komatsu: Yeah, yeah, explain it clearly (laughs). In my case... since she's a half-demon, there's bound to be episodes! I was looking forward to the episode in "Night of the New Moon and the Black-Haired Towa" (episode 12), where Towa's hair changes color, and the episode with Miroku and Setsuna.

I'd kind of forgotten about Setsuna, but then I remembered, "Oh, that's what happened." I was surprised to learn that the blood she inherited from Sesshomaru was boiling inside her and she couldn't contain it, and that it was actually Miroku who sealed it away. I was sure there would be an episode about the new moon, like in Inuyasha, where she turns into a demon, so I was looking forward to that.

I also liked the relationship between Miroku and his son Hisui. I was like, "Good job, Dad! He's not just a dad who hides himself away in the mountains training!" and it made me fall in love with him all over again.

The existence of Inuyasha and Sesshomaru is addictive.

Changing the subject a bit, but are there any characters that have personally influenced you? Tadokoro-san, you've said that you decided to become a voice actor after seeing Akiko Yajima's performance as Kohaku in Inuyasha. ^[5]

Tadokoro: Yes. So, if I had to choose a character that influenced me, it would have to be Kohaku. Until then, even when watching anime, I never paid much attention to the inner nature of a character.

But after coming into contact with Inuyasha, I was impressed by the incredible acting. Yajima-san's voice in particular... even in her everyday conversations, you could really sense the kind of life she's led to get to where she is today. It was what made me think about becoming a voice actor, so I think Kohaku-kun is the person who has influenced me the most.

Komatsu: As for characters that have influenced me the most, it's Kagome. At the time, I was watching Inuyasha and she was the closest in age to me, and she was the heroine...I followed the story from Kagome's perspective, so I thought I wanted to be a girl like her!

She's a little strong-willed, but positive and can face people head-on. Kagome has special powers, but even putting that aside, she herself is a very strong girl. I grew up wanting to be a strong girl like her.

As for other girls, there's Sango and Kikyo. I feel like the female characters have influenced me quite a bit.

Matsumoto: The character Riku from Yashahime is mysterious, and I'm very curious about him when it comes to acting with him. His true identity has yet to be revealed... but with Inuyasha, it was clear which characters they wanted to portray as good and which characters they wanted to portray as evil, and then when I looked at it from the opposite perspective, I realized that "this is just one version of good."

But Riku is a character you can't help but follow with your eyes. I think the viewers will be at the mercy of him as well.

We've talked about a lot of things today, but could you finally tell us again what the appeal of Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon is?

Matsumoto: As was the case with Inuyasha, the depiction of traveling back and forth between the present day and the Sengoku period is a part of Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon's story. The way the story gets started is the same as Inuyasha, so I think people who have seen Inuyasha will enjoy it, and it will also be easy to understand for people who haven't. There are many ways to enjoy it for people of each generation.

One of the appealing things about this work is that it can be enjoyed casually, but at the same time, many different storylines are intertwined in various places. I think many people have been thinking about it. I think it would be interesting to unravel that in your own way and compare it to the story later on.

In Yashahime, it's fine to just fantasize about who will end up together (laughs), so I hope you can enjoy it in various ways. It's such a fascinating work that I want to say, "Everything is fascinating!" (laughs).

Tadokoro: I can totally see how much fun it is to speculate. We're not told much about what's going to happen next, so we get excited imagining things. The world of Inuyasha is filled with such fascinating and lovable characters that even fans are curious to know what kind of lives the children lead.

Watching it as a normal viewer, even the characters you might think are villains are all charming in their own beautiful ways (laughs). You instantly fall in love with Kirinmaru, for example. They're so charming that you can't help but want to see what's going to happen. It's because there are so many mysteries that you can't miss it, and I think that the sheer immersion is what continues the appeal of Inuyasha.

Komatsu: What Inuyasha didn't have was a female protagonist. And even though they were girls, they were three half-demon characters who didn't have a feminine feel at all, and there were no human protagonists (laughs). That's an interesting aspect when you carefully think about it.

For those of the generation that watched Inuyasha, it's strange, in a way, to be in the Inuyasha world without Inuyasha and his friends. The daughters are the main characters, and the story revolves around solving the mystery of why they haven't met their parents.

On the other hand, there are many amusing exchanges between the three girls, and I think that element of fun is also one of the highlights. In a way, it's like "a day in the life of yokai hunters." It makes me wonder what it would be like if we were to hunt yokai in this world.

"I defeated another yokai today, but it didn't leave any evidence! I don't have any money! I can't eat!" (laughs)

I was also happy to get a glimpse into what it was like to survive in that world! We are the generation that wanted to go into Inuyasha's well and travel to that era, so I'm really happy that we were able to enter that world.

Also, the hints at the presence of Inuyasha, Sesshomaru and the others at key points are addictive.

Tadokoro: The way it's presented is really clever.

Komatsu: That's right! Just the legs are showing! (laughs)

Tadokoro: I was thinking, "I'd love to have some Inuyasha elements!" and they came out in a really clever way.

Komatsu: That's right! And every once in a while there are some full-on flashbacks to the past, which I think will be irresistible for long-time Inuyasha fans.

I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next. Thank you! ^[6]

[Interview and text by Mari Sakai]

TV Anime Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon Production Information
She inherited her strength from her father.
A new wind blows through the Sengoku period! The half-demon princesses have arrived! Their fate is entrusted to the next generation.




Broadcast every Saturday from 5:30 PM on Yomiuri TV and Nippon TV networks. *Excluding some areas

Introduction
This work is a new story featuring the daughters of Sesshōmaru and Inuyasha. Following on from the Inuyasha anime series, animation production will be handled by Sunrise Inc.

Directed by Teruo Sato (assistant director of Inuyasha: The Final Act), series composition by Katsuyuki Sumizawa (whose original story is featured), main character design by Rumiko Takahashi, animation character design by Yoshihito Hishinuma, and music by Kaoru Wada, the staff who worked on the Inuyasha anime series will reunite to create a new Sengoku Otogi Zoshi.

Synopsis
Towa, Setsuna, and Moroha are half-demon girls of mixed human and demon ancestry. Towa and Setsuna are twin girls who were separated when they were caught in a forest fire at a young age. Towa travels through the time-traveling tunnel of the Tree of Ages, traveling through time from the Sengoku period to the present day. Raised as the daughter of the Higurashi family, connected to Kagome, Towa grows into a middle school student skilled in martial arts.

Meanwhile, her younger sister Setsuna, left behind in the Sengoku period, makes a living exterminating yokai under the supervision of Kohaku, the head of a yokai extermination agency. Moroha is the daughter of Kagome and Inuyasha. A bounty hunter nicknamed "Moroha the Yokai Killer," she also devotes herself to exterminating yokai.

Ten years have passed since Towa and Setsuna were separated. The time-traveling tunnel of the Tree of Ages has reopened. Towa is reunited with Setsuna, who has appeared in the present day, but for some reason Setsuna has forgotten about Towa.

Moroha, who has also come to the present day with Setsuna, joins them, and Towa and the other "Yashahime Half-Demons" rampage freely through the present day and the Sengoku period!

Main Staff:

Director: Teruo Sato
Series Composition: Katsuyuki Sumizawa
Main Character Design: Rumiko Takahashi
Animation Character Design: Yoshihito Hishinuma
Music: Kaoru Wada
Animation Production: Sunrise
Production: Sunrise, Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV

Main Cast:

Towa Higurashi: Sara Matsumoto
Setsuna: Mikako Komatsu
Moroha: Azusa Tadokoro

• Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon Sunrise Official Website
  
• Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon Yomiuri TV Official Website
  
• Weekly Shonen Sunday Official Website
  
• Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon Official Twitter (@hanyo_yashahime)
  
• Weekly Shonen Sunday Official Twitter (@shonen_sunday)
  

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Footnotes

• [1] Yasushi Nagura (名倉靖) was the sound director (voice director) on both seasons of Yashahime and worked as a sound recorder on all of Inuyasha, Inuyasha: The Final Act and all four films.
• [2] In an interview Azusa Tadokoro spoke of how influenced she was by Akiko Yajima's portrayal of Kohaku in Inuyasha.
• [3] "Koroazu" (ころあず) is Azusa Tadakoro's nickname.
• [4] Teruo Sato (佐藤照雄) served as episode director on Inuyasha and Inuyasha: The Final Act and series director on Yashahime and MAO. His other credits include Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn (機動戦士ガンダムUC/Kido Senshi Gundam Unicorn). An interview with him concerning Yashahime is available on the site.
• [5] In an interview Azusa Tadokoro spoke of how influenced she was by Akiko Yajima's portrayal of Kohaku in Inuyasha.
• [6] For unclear reasons, sections of this interview are nearly identical to an interview that was run by Animage Plus, Mantan Web and Pash! Plus also from January 2021, however some of the answers are expanded upon here, and other aspects are omitted from this interview that appear in the other two.

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