Tomori Kusunoki: The Path of a Voice Actor and Artist Seen Beyond Breaking Out of Her Shell [Part 2 of 2]

Tomori Kusunoki

Born on December 22, 1999. Height: 155 cm. Hobbies: Writing lyrics and music, playing and listening to music, visiting art supply stores, gaming, and internet surfing. Special skills: Drawing and playing the trumpet. In October 2016, she received the Special Award at the 5th “Anistoteles” anime audition hosted by Sony Music Artists and in 2018, she made her first starring role in the TV anime “Märchen Mädchen.” Since then, she has appeared in numerous works, including the anime “GGO.” In March 2019, she won the Best New Actress Award at the 13th “Seiyu Awards”. In August 2020, she made her solo major debut as an artist with SACRA MUSIC.

Click here to view the first part of this article:Tomori Kusunoki: The Path of a Voice Actor and Artist Seen Beyond Breaking Out of Her Shell [Part 1 of 2]

The big obstacle she faced after her voice acting debut

Just one year after her debut, Tomori Kusunoki landed a leading role and officially started her career as a voice actor. She garnered attention as a rising young star, being given opportunities almost as if she were living a true Cinderella story. However, she says, "I was fortunate to be given the chance to perform, but later on, I struggled immensely with things that should have been obvious.”

"I hadn't attended any training school, and after joining the agency, I had only experienced voice training. Then, I suddenly debuted on the actual scene. On top of that, I was given the main role in ‘Märchen Mädchen,’ but I also received some negative feedback... I remember becoming discouraged at that point (laughs).

On set, the sound director would tell me things like, 'Try to make it sound a bit brighter.' While I understood it in my head, I had no idea what exactly was wrong or how to fix it. The only thing I knew for sure was that I wasn’t good enough, so I was always relying on the more experienced actors around me for help. For the first few years after I started working, I spent my time constantly worrying, thinking, 'What if people say something negative about my work every time it goes public?'"

However, her inherent seriousness, sense of responsibility, and strong competitive spirit kept her from giving up.

"No matter what happens, I decided to always do my best! I made a habit of learning from the performances of my experienced colleagues on set, and when I couldn’t be on set, I would play fully voiced games. With games, I could listen to each line repeatedly, and by doing so, I thought I could expand my range of character expressions. I just wanted to increase my repertoire, so I focused on both input and output with a powerful style, relentlessly training on my own."

She diligently improved by putting in an immense amount of practice, much like how one would practice an instrument in a brass band club, right? When asked this, she laughed and said, "That's exactly it! I'm really glad I had that experience back then." During that time, she was also saved by the kindness of her veteran co-stars.

"The first person to teach me about the recording environment was Yoko Hikasa. My first voice recording role was in ‘Senki Zesshou Symphogear AXZ,’ where I had to scream while being attacked. Since I had no experience in a voice acting training school, I didn't even know how to stand in front of the microphone. When I consulted with Hikasa-san, she kindly advised me to make notes in the script so I could use the same microphone for both the test and the actual recording. She taught me in detail about even the smallest things. I've continued to work with Hikasa-san on various projects since then, and she's always been considerate of me. I can only be grateful."

In other projects as well, Tomori Kusunoki sincerely expresses, "I owe my progress to the kindness of all my co-stars, who supported me when I was still inexperienced." While the voice recording environment is usually warm and friendly, there is a tense atmosphere when it's time for the actual recording, where professionals collide with each other. She analyzes that this atmosphere has a connection to her experiences in brass band.

“The director and sound director are the conductors who make one song better, and it's our job to bring those ideals to life by portraying our characters. The environment where we listen to each other's performances, demonstrate incredible responsiveness, and instantaneously build the scene together is very similar to how we come together in a brass band to complete a piece of music.

When I made my debut as a main character, every day felt like a thousand practice knocks! There were times when I thought it was tough, but looking back now, I feel that the intense training from the start suited me well. Perhaps it’s thanks to the experience I gained in the brass band club."

“Happy yet scared” - returning to “GGO” after six years

Since passing the “Anistoteles” audition, Tomori Kusunoki has been steadily building her skills and increasing her number of roles by overcoming her worries and anxieties through disciplined self-practice. She always finds something to absorb from each work she participates in, whether it’s a new approach to acting, a mindset toward the project, or an interpretation of the character, and she expresses a deep attachment to each of these experiences.

"It's true that popular works or those that attract a lot of attention tend to give me more opportunities to have my name recognized. However, as a voice actor, I love each work equally, and each one offers different things to gain. So, I can't just judge them by name recognition alone. Right now, I feel a great weight in each project I take on."

Her latest project is “GGOII,” which began airing and streaming on October 4. The first season of the series aired in April 2018, marking its return after approximately six years.

The story is set in "Gun Gale Online," a VRMMO (Virtual Reality Massively Multiplayer Online Game) where skilled warriors engage in intense gun battles. In the real world, the protagonist, Karen Kohiruimaki aka “LLENN”, who has a complex about her tall height, enters the VR game as a smaller version of herself. Together with her teammates, she takes on the fierce team-based deathmatch called "Squad Jam."

"When I heard that the second season was coming after six years, I was thrilled and thought, 'Yay!' but honestly, I also felt scared!"

Happy yet scared. Why did she think that way?

"It's related to what I mentioned earlier, six years ago, I was just blindly and passionately playing LLENN without thinking about anything. When I listen to my performance from the first season now, I can see that there are many clumsy parts, but I believe that my enthusiasm and the sincerity of my acting really fit the naturalness of LLENN.

However, because I've accumulated various experiences since then, I have now come to think, 'How should I say this?' while acting... I've started to overthink things a bit. At that point, I became scared, wondering if I could approach LLENN with the same feelings as before."

It seems that the other cast members also felt the same difficulty and tension as they approached the new work after six years.

"The recording for the first episode started with the four main cast members: me, as well as Yoko Hikasa, who plays PITOHUI, Kazuyuki Okitsu as M, and Chinatsu Akasaki as FUKAZIROH. It felt like everyone was quite anxious, just like me (laughs).

When I entered the studio, I arrived quite early, even before the meeting time, and Akasaki-san was also there early. When I told her, 'I'm really nervous and I'm kind of shaking,' Akasaki-san, who has been in the industry longer than me, said, 'I’m a little nervous, too.' Then, as we began the recording, standing in front of the microphones and starting to voice our lines, I felt a rush of memories from six years ago come flooding back. It was a really strange sensation."

And because time had passed, there were moments when she realized the charm of the protagonist, LLENN, and the appeal of the work itself.

"In the past, I thought the charm of the anime was the gap between LLENN's cuteness and the grim atmosphere of the battles in the story. That hasn’t changed, but looking back at the first season and considering LLENN, including my own performance, I realize that when transitioning from Karen to LLENN, it’s not a sudden switch of character. Instead, it feels like I am enjoying the game as LLENN while still being Karen, and I think that balance is what makes her charming.

Because there are two worlds—the game and reality—it feels like the characters living in them are truly thinking and living. Even though it’s within an anime, it feels authentic. The excitement that comes from that is really wonderful, and I realize once again how charming all the characters, including LLENN, are."

As a performer, it seems she has been able to deliver performances that reflect her growth.

"I resolved to express the LLENN I can portray now, rather than forcing myself to match the performance from the first season. In the past, I only had one option in my mind, but now I can choose to portray her in different ways, and I can select what I believe is best. I hope that in the second season, everyone will be able to see both sides of LLENN."

Anime “SAO Alternative: Gun Gale Online II” Character PV | LLENN

The highlights of the story in the second season offer a different kind of enjoyment compared to the first season.

"The rules of the battles have changed from the first season, so if the previous ones were wild, this time they are much more rational and strategic. You can enjoy battles that have a completely different atmosphere, and since PITOHUI, who was an enemy before, has become a teammate, the interactions among the four members of the same team are really funny, almost like a stage comedy.

Since LLENN is the only one who can handle close-range combat, she constantly complains, 'Why is it always me!' while being doted on by her teammates, who lovingly pat her on the head. This is also a highlight (laughs). For those who watched the previous season, and even for those who are starting with the second season, it's definitely going to be entertaining, so I hope many people will watch it!"

The feelings behind her first complete self-produced EP “Toro”

In parallel with her voice acting career, her activities as an artist also play a significant role in Tomori Kusunoki's expression. Having a deep appreciation for music from the beginning, she had already been active as an indie artist before making her major label debut with the EP “Hamidashimono” in August 2020.

"I had been performing at acoustic live shows and releasing music, but when my major label debut was announced, I was really happy because I could finally deliver my songs to a larger audience!

Although I had band experience in high school, we only played covers back then, so songwriting was a completely new experience for me. I had a clear image of wanting to create songs with a rock and band sound, and I wanted the lyrics to convey a message, but I didn't know how to actually make those kinds of songs. I relied on advice from everyone around me while preparing for my debut."

Having a clear vision of the music she wanted to create and a commitment to her lyrics, she took on the role of lyricist for all the songs on her debut EP. Apart from the title track “Hamidashimono,” which was used as the ending theme song for the TV anime “The Misfit of Demon King Academy: History’s Strongest Demon King Reincarnates and Goes to School with His Descendants,” she was involved in both the lyrics and composition for the other three tracks, making for a striking debut.

"I think the staff made a really bold decision to let me sing my own lyrics for my first anime tie-in... When I look back at the lyrics now, they really lack playfulness and feel quite stiff, but I worked really hard on them.

It's hard to express, but for me, my music activities don't feel like work; it feels like I'm continuing to do something I love. I'm really happy to be able to pursue my cherished hobby in a professional environment."

The hardworking and responsible artist has written and composed all the songs for her 5th EP, “Toro,” which will be released on November 6, showcasing her artistic abilities to the fullest.

"The single 'Shingetsu,' released this May, was produced by TETSUYA from my favorite band, L’Arc～en～Ciel, and I felt like it became an incredibly rich track—I could hardly ask for anything more. When I thought about what I wanted to do next, I realized that the music I used to do in the past hadn’t been realized in the mainstream yet.

That's why I wanted 'Toro' to be a raw song that truly showcases my ego, so for the first time, I thought about the entire concept of the EP, the concept of the songs I wanted to write, and even the artwork. I presented everything to the staff, and that's how it was decided, allowing me to self-produce the whole thing.

I asked song arrangers I admire to create the music, which resulted in many tracks that break away from my previous concepts, showcasing a raw and edgy style. I was able to pack in everything I wanted to do, and I’m very satisfied with the final product"

Tomori Kusunoki “Shingetsu” Music Video 【Sound Produced by TETSUYA (L’Arc-en-Ciel)】

Both expression as a voice actor and as an artist are important to Tomori Kusunoki, she says. With her eyes glittering, she expresses her desire to continue doing both, expanding her range as a voice actor while also pushing boundaries in her music, all while keeping her feet firmly on the ground.

"In the past, many people would discover me as 'Tomori Kusunoki, the voice actor who also does music,' but recently, I've noticed an increase in people saying, 'I know Tomori Kusunoki, who sings anime theme songs, but I wasn't aware of her acting.' I think this shows that I’ve been able to establish both activities to that extent.

I will continue to do my best so that through my work, my characters, and my music, people can fully take an interest in all aspects of Tomori Kusunoki, and enjoy everything I'm able to offer!"

Tomori Kusunoki Love Say You -Voice in Love-

Click here to view the first part of this article:Tomori Kusunoki: The Path of a Voice Actor and Artist Seen Beyond Breaking Out of Her Shell [Part 1 of 2]

Text by Mika Abe
Photos by Osamu Hoshikawa
Translated by Yumi Hasegawa