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[AFATH 2016] Animate Channel Feat. Daisuke Hirakawa

anniz August 23, 2016 Featured Content, Live Report 1,525 views

Daisuke Hirakawa, often called “Hirarin”, is Japanese seiyuu (voice actor) who come from Niigata. He previously worked for seiyuu agency “Media Force” before he left and now become an independent seiyuu. His debut was in 1998 (Grander Musashi RV) and got his first main role in 2004 (Gankutsuou as Franz d’Epinay). Thanks to his role as Naoki Irie in Itazura na Kiss and Rei Ryugazaki in Free!, these popular anime boosted up his 18 years seiyuu career. Beside that, he also released two singles and two mini albums (Hikari no Tobira in 2009, Dice in 2011). Noticed as famous seiyuu, Animate Channel made one program called “DSK” which featuring Daisuke Hirakawa himself.

Animate Channel is a variety program which related to anime, including drama CDs, seiyuu, and online event viewing which held on Animate store. For subscription, Animate channel only cost JPY 540 per month to have all access to a whole database. Fans who love anime and seiyuu will definitely enjoy this amazing buffet of audio-visual experiences! Currently Animate Channel is only available in Japan. Today, AFATH is proud to host Daisuke Hirakawa as part of the stage event program. Let’s check the talk show content together!

Hi Hirakawa-san! How are you today? Do you want to greet audience here?
Sawasdeekab! I’m really fine today! And yes, I’d be happy to greet and meet you all. Good afternoon Thailand! Thanks for coming to today’s stage and nice to meet you all~ I come here today with this Kumakawa-kun my teddy bear who always come with me as DSK’s mascot. He also says hello to everyone and very happy being here!

Is it your first time coming to Thailand?
Yes this is my first time, I’m very happy to come here to Bangkok, Thailand. And I’m really sorry if my broken English is very bad LOL.. DOSUKOI!!

How about current weather here? Are you okay?
At first everyone just like, warned me to be prepared of the heat. But no wonder, plus minus I feel the similar weather here.. Bangkok is really hot, I admit it, hotter than Tokyo. But actually Tokyo also really hot on summer. Is now summer on Thailand? Anyway some staffs told me to bring jacket because they said some shopping mall or department store may be very cold, and I’m kinda weak of cold weather. Then I confused! Is it hot or cold in Thailand? So I decided to bring thin-light jacket so I can use it on any weather! When I went to hotel from airport, suddenly it started to rain! OMG! So it’s true that weather in Bangkok is confusing.

Have you tried some Thailand’s local food? Is there any comment about it?
Yes, of course! I tried some food here and the taste is amazing! At last night dinner, staff showed me a lot of Thailand food and I wanted to take a picture for each food and try to spell out one by one BUT they were looked so hungry and ate the food at once, so I was sad because I’m not done yet for taking a look to all food. LOL

You’re invited here on Special Stage from Animate Channel, right? So what is Animate Channel itself? Please explain to us shortly!
Basically Animate Channel is a variety program which related to anime, game, seiyuu, or local event(s) but this time I’d like to introduce one program in Animate Channel called “DSK” Shutsubotsu Chuui. This program is started on July 2016. In this program I introduce some local taste and local feel, in Japan and of course outside Japan. So you may know the great place that usually seems to be hidden but actually no! It’s not like that, you just can get in touch with this kind of place if you realize! DSK’s crew and I went here and there to several place and hope you all could enjoy this show. You should know that first day was really really hot on summer, I’m glad that summer here’s not so bad so I can enjoy!

What have you done for Animate Channel “DSK”, while staying here in Bangkok? Do you want to share your story?
We’ll make “BANGKOK-HEN” as title for this episode. I arrived smoothly at the airport and staff asked me to start the documentation by taking my picture near the baggage claim and i was holding Kumakawa-san there. You see, It was so embarrassing because it’s like people at that area looked at me and some of them also took my picture there! OMG I’m so shy to talk it about it now.. Then I walked around Bangkok and tried to take BTS train yesterday! Quite different with Japanese train, I’m shocked about how ticketing system is popped out not but it was very fun! Then I visited Animate Bangkok, and really surprised there so many signed shikishi on the wall! In Japan, no Animate that have so many signed shikishi as in Bangkok. What a great place to visit! Next, I also went to KFC and saw mostly same menu like in Japan’s KFC, EXCEPT!! one menu which I’m curious about. I don’t know maybe it’s limited in Thailand but the image is like they put green curry on the top of the rice bowl, or…. or I don’t really understand LOL Honestly speaking, I really love mango. Do you like mango too? I heard Bangkok have one well-known menu related to mango. I’ve tried to find it and eat! It’s like sticky rice with mango, what do you call it? Absolutely delicious!

By the way, you know that a lot of fans here really adore Japanese seiyuu and most of them want to be seiyuu too! Would you mind to share how you ended up being a seiyuu?
At first, even though I often watched anime, neither I have a dream to become a seiyuu nor was aiming to work in seiyuu-related world. But how come? I didn’t have any idea about it also. I love children and in my early childhood wanted to work at nursery school when I grow up. Anyway since I’m enjoying anime or children program on TV, later I started to feel like if I could join that kids entertainment, maybe I can make children who watch it become happy, and happier! I thought so. Is it really like that? Or no? Still not sure but finally I’ve ended up being seiyuu like this! LOL

What is a good thing of becoming seiyuu? And what is your difficulty being a seiyuu?
I come to studio everyday, then I have recording session for any kind of animation or game, and for me that’s really fiun. Upon all of that, I always thankful for all of your support, everytime I read your letter, it gives me encourage and moreover, letter from overseas fans who tried to write in Japanese language, I’m so moved by your effort. I read that some fans who already became a parents said they enjoy watching anime together with her children or still playing game which I have role in it, even if they’re already could be called as an adult. I’m so happy to know it! About difficulty being seiyuu, I don’t really remember! LOL

~GAME SESSION~ Here, just like any otome game, Hirakawa-san asked to spell out some good words (and also stupid words) in Thai language. At first he should guess which is which and say it to audience, but finally since he asked all audience to choose for him, and the stage is done with Hirakawa-san said all option! That was really fun since basically the first option is the attractive and cool words to say but it looks like the audience wanted to see the other side of this famous seiyuu, so they were mostly answered the wrong option for stupid words! LOL

Really great talk we have with Hirakawa-san here, but unfortunately our time is going to be ended soon! For the last, kindly tell us your impression about this event and give a farewell message to everyone here!
What a short time! Is it one hour already? Well.. Thank you for coming today to the stage, quite shocked at first since I’m not expecting many fans here but you’re all so kind and thanks for your warm welcome. I really really want to visit some other place actually, but there were limited time and I should attend AFATH today so I couldn’t explore more! But don’t worry, I’ll come again here later for travelling! See you again and khopkunkhab!