Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba: Mugen Train was a blockbuster hit that shot the franchise into the limelight. If you were unaware of the series when it received an anime, you are bound to have heard of it after Mugen Train‘s theatrical debut.
Movie-goers who entered the theater premises expecting a battle-oriented Shonen came out sobbing due to the intensity of emotions they had just felt. Of course, the tragic end of the Flame Hashira was no less traumatizing.
Natsuki Hanae, a central voice actor in the series, described his side of the story while the Mugen Train film was being created.
Demon Slayer Voice Actor’s Top Concern During Voice Recording
In a 2021 interview, the voice actor of Tanjiro, Natsuki Hanae commented on the voice recording experience of Demon Slayer: Mugen Train. According to the voice actor, the recording process for the movie had a completely different feel to it when compared to the anime.
“I was concerned that everyone might lose their voices since we all recorded with so much seriousness and intensity.”
Demon Slayer has many battles, and a lot of them are charged with emotions. Even the character backstories are extremely intense. On top of everything, some characters are meant to be extra noisy (cough cough Zenitsu).
Thus, Hanae was understandably worried about his co-actors. The battle scenes always have lots of background noise, so Tanjiro’s voice had to be raised the entire time. Otherwise, his voice would be drowned out by the clash of swords, background noises, and sound effects of different breathing techniques.
“There were also many scenes where he was going through a roller coaster of emotions, so this time I prioritized showcasing those emotions in my acting.”
Mugen Train is no doubt a very emotional movie. From the very moment it began, it dealt with a big-hearted, (big stomach-ed) and passionate Hashira. The emotions Tanjiro went through at the loss of Rengoku were also heartbreaking. It is bound to be a stressful scene for any voice actor, but Hanae made it through and gave us a gem. No wonder everyone left the theater dabbing at their eyes.
Natsuki Hanae on Tanjiro
Nasuki Hanae stated that he always tries to remember one crucial fact about Tanjiro:
“Tanjiro’s wish is to turn Nezuko human again, and so I always try not to lose focus on that sentiment…He is an earnest and kind person, so I always keep in mind to be pure at heart and be someone who thinks of others…kind enough to embrace even the demons he defeated.”
As Tanjiro gets stronger with every season of the anime, it’s easy to lose track of his humble beginning. However, the character himself never forgets his goal of curing his sister. He does not want anyone to suffer the same tragedy that befell his family. Despite the destruction caused by demons, he takes every chance to understand them.
“As he (Tanjiro) ages, and as he completes his missions, I believe he evolves physically, mentally, and in his determination.”
Hanae admitted that after the recording had finished and he watched the movie, a lot of emotions ran around inside him. He even felt a little dizzy for a while after the screening was over. The intensity of the film as well as the excellent voice acting can render any person obsessed with Demon Slayer. You can only imagine how the voice actor of the protagonist felt after witnessing his completed work.
You can read Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba on Viz Media and watch the anime on Crunchyroll. The Mugen Slayer movie is also streaming on Crunchyroll.
