Newtype interview with the 4 teachers from spring anime Nande Koko ni Sensei ga!? (Why the Hell are You Here, Teacher!?) – Uesaka Sumire (Kojima Kana), Gotō Yūko (Matsukaze Mayu), Ishigami Shizuka (Hazakura Hikari) and Yamamoto Nozomi (Tachibana Chizuru).
It’s an adaptation of a very titillating manga by Soboro-sensei that has boob master Kaneko Hiraku (Seikon no Qwaser, Valkyrie Drive) overseeing things as chief director so if even if there’s little of substance, we can always look forward to jiggly [censored?] breast physics!
Q: Tell us what your impressions were upon reading the Nande Koko ni Sensei ga!? manga.
Uesaka: I was surprised, thinking ‘Does this really run in Young Magazine!?’ It’s a mainstream weekly comic that’s sold at convenience stores so I didn’t think they’d have such an ‘extreme’ manga within its pages (laughs) The content may seem over the top but once I read it, I could see how pure the teachers were. I’m also thinking how you could enjoy this as a pure love story as I’m reading.
Goto: The series is constructed very cleverly. “So if you have a certain situation and you’re given a specific prop, this is what will happen!’ is what I’m thinking as I’m reading, but the series always seems to go above and beyond my expectations (laughs)
Ishigami: Before the auditions my manager checked with me: ‘it’s a lewd anime, is that fine with you?’ but I was totally alright with that (laughs). What I mean is that the lewd stuff only happens as a consequence of certain ‘incidents’ and that means they don’t feel lewd at all to me. Still, it’s not something you should read on the train (laughs). Every volume features a different teacher-student pairing so I’m always excited to see what comes next.
Yamamoto: My first impression was ‘boobs!’ (laughs). Each and every pair of boobs seem soft and the way they move is amazing. While being overwhelmed by boobs, the scenes still contain plenty of laughs and charm as well – definitely lots of appeal in this series.
Q: Describe the appeal of each of the teachers whom you voice.
Uesaka: She’s nicknamed ‘Demon Kojima’ and seems to have a Spartan approach towards education. But in truth she’s quite shy and retiring. She tries her best to overcome her introverted nature, working hard at playing the part of a tough teacher. The anime does kick off with an extraordinary scene featuring Kojima-sensei, but I feel that she’s the most naïve and purest of the 4 teachers.
Q: Were there any aspects that you were careful about when it came to voicing Kojima-sensei?
Uesaka: Her gentle nature that she lets slip from time to time. In front of her students she may act sophisticated but only her partner Satō-kun is aware of the truth. I’m doing my best to show the contrast between the expressions she shows when she’s working and those when she’s in front of the one she loves.
Q: What about Matsukaze-sensei?
Goto: Matsukaze-sensei looks cute on the outside but as her nickname ‘Saint Matsukaze’ suggests, she’s someone who’s overflowing with motherly love. Only for Suzuki-kun does she seize the initiative in love and yet, ends up being super klutzy – which is really quite charming! Matsukaze-sensei and Suzuki-kun’s story is indisputably one of pure romance so I’ve got rom-coms on my mind as I play the role. Please continue to watch over how their love grows even as your heart beats faster!
Ishigami: Hazakura-sensei is probably the most childish of them all, and she’s also the one who gets closest to her students without showing any bias. I’d originally thought that she lacked self-awareness as a teacher but considering the fact that she’s also the student council’s adviser, I guess she’s actually the type who knows how to do her job properly (laughs) As for her relationship with her partner Taka-kun – they were childhood friends so I’m trying to play her as the ‘friendly neighbourhood onee-san’.
Yamamoto: Tachibana-sensei’s nickname is ‘Absolute Zero Tachibana’ in reference to her cold image but she’s not really the type to snub people – it’s just an inability to express herself properly that makes her misunderstood. She’s worried sick about that and wants to get along well with everyone. I do think that those inconsistencies are endearing. Her facial expressions don’t change much so although the range of her emotions is quite limited, the sweetness she shows only to Tanaka-kun is adorable. Her spaciness punctuated by random moments featuring an outpouring of emotions is similar to my own personality, so it felt relatively easy for me to slip into the role.
Q: Tell us what you think of your male partners. Do you see them as viable choices in real life?
Uesaka: Sato-kun is your stereotypical lewd manga hero. He doesn’t fight his desires, and despite all the events in the manga that seem to happen like a Rube Goldberg machine* he manages to impose himself in a pretty masculine way. I’d go for him in real life (laughs)
Goto: Suzuki-kun’s a boy who looks scary on the outside but is actually sensitive, gentle and overly serious on the inside. I personally adore him very much, his incredible obliviousness included.
Ishigami: Taka-kun is really cute both inside and outside and the word ‘boy’ suits him perfectly. I think the phrase ‘Onee-shota’ [older sister-young boy] was made for the two of them (laughs). I do love boys who react to being teased so Taka-kun’s a good fit for me.
Yamamoto: Tanaka-kun is an honours student, as you can tell from his student representative’s speech during the graduation ceremony. But there’s that unusual side of him that you see from when he works part-time at a mysterious restaurant full of macho men. It looks like it’d be fun to spend time with him, and I definitely see him as marriage material (laughs)
Goto: Oh wow we’re all into our boys!
*Uesaka uses the term ‘Pythagorean device’ here which is a reference to a segment on the NHK show PythagoraSwitch
Q: What should we be looking out for in the series?
Uesaka: What could possibly happen when you get 15 minutes of extreme nipple works? Our chief director is the anime world’s boob master Kaneko Hiraku-san, so it’s definitely gonna be a flawless treatment (laughs). I will never forget the impact that (the Kaneko-directed) Seikon no Qwaser had!
Goto: We only get the rough line art during recording sessions but the strokes already tell me that those boobs are gonna be soft! I’m looking forward to how much more wonderful they’ll be when they’re coloured. And please do pay attention to the cast performances as well. We take it too seriously sometimes and attack our lines with such fervour until we have to do retakes ‘cos we sound ‘too explicit’ (laughs)
Ishigami: What I loved reading in the manga was how the teacher and student pairings would grow closer at a steady pace. I’m happy that the way the relationships develop in the anime is just as superb. Do look forward to watching how they play out.
Yamamoto: I’ve actually got the series notes in hand now and… ‘although there is normal content contained within, there are extreme phrases that cannot be read aloud in public’ (laughs). I am curious to see the results of what they’ve been working on with such seriousness ….do please watch the series.
Q: What kind of emotions do you feel coming from the staff working on the series?
Uesaka: ‘Purity’ that seeps through to the bones. The visuals we’d seen prior to recording had seemed outrageous but the director instructed us to remain pure in mind as we voiced our roles.
Ishigami: But I’ve got to say that the passion directed at the depiction of lewd stuff really is amazing. I personally want you to observe how the nipples become erect (laughs). In every episode, the process is laid bare, giving it plenty of air time. But it seems that it might be too difficult to show on normal TV so you might just have to wait to enjoy it on DVD/Bluray. I too, am looking forward to it!
Q: Apart from the teachers whom you play, name your favourite character.
Uesaka: I like Tachibana-sensei’s partner Tanaka-kun. He has the knowledge but lacks the ability to take action – I do find the sight of a guy crying when he can’t achieve the results he desires, to be adorable (laughs)
Goto: I like Tanaka-kun too. What the other students can handle smartly, clumsy Tanaka-kun fails miserably at. But he can offer you comfort when you’re feeling down. I tend to self-insert into his cycle [of endless misery]. I think most guys watching would be the same (laughs)
Ishigami: I like Tachibana-sensei’s outward appearance and personality. Hazakura-sensei and Tachibana-sensei seem to be good friends and I do wonder how they got close to each other.
Yamamoto: I like Matsukaze-sensei. She’s cute and does have the look of a teacher but at the same time, possesses a wealth of adult knowledge. She’s so assertive in pursuing Suzuki-kun and the way that contrasts with her cuteness really gets me. If her partner was anyone other than Suzuki-kun then they’d be together already and the story would be over in a flash, so I do think that this couple is perfect (laughs)
Q: By the way – when you were in school, did you admire any of your teachers?
Uesaka: I was in an all-girls’ high school and there were teachers who were popular but I wasn’t really interested in any of them. I may be the delusional type but my teachers didn’t appear in my fantasies.
Goto: Who’s your dream partner?
Uesaka: I started to get into Russia when I was in high school, so probably the Russian Emperor or the General Secretary. I guess my high school days were more ‘Why the Hell are You Here, Emperor!?’ or ‘Why the Hell are You Here, General Secretary!?’.
All: (laughter)
Goto: It’s a no for me as well. My parents and grandfather were all teachers so they definitely weren’t gonna be the kind of people I’d target. For me it was already ‘Why the Hell are You Here, Teacher!?’ all day every day at home (laughs)
Ishigami: I’ve never had feelings of love towards a teacher, but I did have a lot of respect for them. That’s because one of my junior high teachers happened to be the one who influenced my decision to become a seiyuu by telling me ‘you have a good voice so you should find a career that utilizes it’. So for me it’s ‘I’m Here Because of You, Teacher!’.
Yamamoto: Nothing at all for me either. In terms of memories, I did have this otaku friend who was always fantasizing about teachers coupling up with each other, so I guess it was just a befuddled ‘Why The Hell Is It Teacher x Teacher!?’ for me (laughs)
Q: Thanks for the wonderful memories (laughs). Lastly, please leave a message.
Uesaka: April is the month for new encounters but some of you will still find yourselves alone. If you’re feeling sad and lonely, come and see your teacher. I will gladly & kindly ‘show’ you the way!
Goto: As Uesaka-san mentioned – watch the series and let the teachers heal your broken hearts! For those who feel they’re alright, do not allow yourself to be satisfied with what you already have. Watch ‘Nande Koko ni Sensei ga!?’ and let it open new doors for you!! (laughs)
Ishigami: Fans of the manga might have their doubts over how this outrageous manga could possibly be adapted into anime but have no fears – you expectations will be met. It might seem like a story for the guys but at its core lies purity. I’d love it if girls would watch the show too, as long as you’re not allergic to [an excess o] skin.
Yamamoto: In many ways, this is the kind of series that’s perfect to watch just before going to bed. Please do watch the show as a pleasant way to bring your day or your week to a satisfying finish!
[Interview & Text: Hoshi Masaaki]
Seiyuu+ 