Hello everyone, she’s back again. Ikumi Hasegawa was interviewed by Animage but this time, she brought along Nao Touyama with her! Together, they voice Kurea Howa and Luluka Moria, the detective pair that right now is having a few relationship difficulties to put it lightly. Luckily none of that is happening in the real world as there’s plenty more of these interviews with the pair yet to come on Magical Stage!
We’ve also got some thoughts from other staff on the series, including friend of the website Isao Murayama, as well as the other Cure Eclair candidates!
Now an advanced warning that this interview is pretty long! Make sure you’re eating the ice cream you have in front of you right now while reading, otherwise it will melt!
Let’s get reading this one too!
Translation by “nui”, Editing by me – Interview with Ikumi Hasegawa and Nao Touyama was originally published in Animage in August 2026.
Ikumi Hasegawa and Nao Touyama – Finally freed from the secret
Cure Eclair’s true identity was Patisserie ChuChu’s patissier, Kurea Howa! She had lost her Makoto Jewel, which caused her amnesia. For some reason, Usonoir possessed that Makoto Jewel, and Luluka joined the Phantom Thieves for the purpose of getting it back.
On the fateful day of July 19th, when Kurea shed tears because she couldn’t help Pochitan search for Cure Eclair, the scent of Top of Lily awakened her memories. As if responding to that, the Makoto Jewel also returned to its owner. Kurea transformed into Cure Eclair! Her combat power was overwhelming, and she splendidly repelled the giant Usonoir!
However, her former partner, Cure Arcana Shadow, showed a bitter expression at Cure Eclair’s success. She confessed to Nijee and the others that she never wanted Kurea to transform again, declaring that there is no future unless she defeats her!
Cure Eclair’s true identity was a secret even from co-stars
Interviewer: Hasegawa-san, four years ago you appeared as a classmate of a Precure in Delicious Party Precure. Please tell us your thoughts when you were chosen for the role of Cure Eclair this time.
Hasegawa: For me, this was actually only my second time auditioning for “Precure”. I also participated in a studio audition for the first time, but I couldn’t really picture a future where “I would be a Precure”. So I went into it half resigned, thinking, “Since I made it all the way to the studio audition, I’m just going to have fun with it! It’s not often you get to say a Precure catchphrase anyway!”
Interviewer: Did you also audition for other characters?
Hasegawa: I only went for Cure Eclair. Maybe because of that, things felt like they progressed super fast, which surprised me.
Touyama: I had been auditioning for Precure roles every year, so Hase-chan is the exact opposite (laughs).
Hasegawa: Actually, I bumped into Nao-san by coincidence during the studio audition. Nao-san had just finished, and I was just about to enter the venue. When I called out “Ah, Nao-san”, you cheered me on saying, “Do your best!” Who would have thought that not only would we both get chosen, but we’d be playing roles with this kind of relationship!
Touyama: So true! But honestly, I didn’t remember that at all until Hase-chan told me about it. I was probably spacing out after finishing my audition and couldn’t see anything around me. I’m glad I was able to hold a cheerful conversation (laughs).
Hasegawa: Being able to subconsciously cheer someone on is amazing. I was so grateful!
Interviewer: Starting in July, various mysteries about the characters have been revealed. I heard that Touyama-san received explanations from Series Director Kouji Kawasaki at the time of dubbing Episode 6.
Touyama: Yes, I was told about Cure Eclair, which was revealed in episodes 25 and 26, as well as the backstory regarding Cure Arcana Shadow that will be told later on. While the other cast members didn’t know anything, I was the only one still holding onto the secret even at the stage of Episode 26.
Hasegawa: I also acted while knowing the general plot and her relationship with Luluka to some extent. However, as for Kurea, I didn’t particularly need the backstory for acting her out up until now, so…
Touyama: Because she lost her memory, right.
Hasegawa: Right, since it doesn’t really relate much until she awakens as a Precure, I acted without being conscious of it. Up until now, I only participated in dubbing for the episodes where Kurea appeared.
Touyama: If you came to observe when you had no lines, the other cast members would figure out that Kurea is Cure Eclair (laughs).
Hasegawa: They’d be like, “Why are you here again today!”
Interviewer: Does that mean the only regulars who knew her true identity were the four Precure including Hikari Senga and the others?
Hasegawa: Plus the three cast members for the partner fairies.
Touyama: Jett-senpai isn’t a partner fairy, so he wasn’t informed.
Hasegawa: Karin Isobe-san, who plays Shushutan, apparently knew from the beginning. But the others didn’t know when I made my first appearance in Episode 2. By the time of the next episode, Episode 10, the three Precure cast members, Pochitan (Emiri Katou), and Mashutan (Hina Youmiya) knew.
The toy recordings were also very carefully planned. Nao-san and the others recorded separately from me, and they intentionally left a time gap before my recording time. I was even told, “Please don’t come to the studio too early.” So we wouldn’t accidentally pass by each other (laughs).
Interviewer: They were very thorough!
Touyama: The three Cure Eclair candidates also must have known it wasn’t them, but they probably didn’t know who Cure Eclair actually was. I think they finally found out the answer when they received the script for Episode 25.
A sense of justice of “I want to save them!” was added
Interviewer: The first time Kurea and Luluka exchanged words in the show was Episode 23. There was a very suggestive atmosphere in that episode.
Hasegawa: Even the viewers who didn’t know Cure Eclair’s true identity yet must have been like, “The humidity is too high!” (laughs).
Touyama: “Humidity” is a good way to put it (laughs).
Hasegawa: Like you could just “sense” it from that exchange? (laughs)
Touyama: Talking to Kurea, who lost her memory, was quite mentally stressful for Luluka. So during the dubbing test, I was much darker. Even my tension for the transformation bank catchphrase was too low. I heard the staff in the control room were making a fuss saying, “It’s too dark. At this rate, their relationship will be exposed.”
Hasegawa: Like, she’s completely different from usual! (laughs)
Touyama: Since the other cast members were also there, they couldn’t say much, but they gave me the direction, “That last take was a little too heavy, so… let’s lighten it up a bit.” Kawasaki-san’s gaze was pleading, “Please don’t give it away!!”, so I got the hint and answered, “Yes!!” (laughs).
Hasegawa: Your intuition is amazing!
Interviewer: So you had to hide it not just from the viewers, but also from the other cast members (laughs).
Touyama: As Luluka, I think this episode was very depressing for her. So personally, I wanted to carry that heavy feeling into my performance. However, since we are “creating a work” that includes solving mysteries, I had a conflict where I had to keep it at a level where everyone wouldn’t figure it out!
Interviewer: It seems Luluka had been constantly going to Patisserie ChuChu to eat ice cream up until now.
Hasegawa: Seems like it. But in the next episode, Episode 24, it was just a popsicle you can buy at a convenience store. I felt so bad for her, thinking, “Ah, she can’t go to ChuChu anymore!” According to Producer Masaya Aramaki, this interpretation is correct.
Touyama: Great deduction! As expected of Cure Eclair.
Hasegawa: Her heartbreaking realization of ‘I won’t go to ChuChu anymore’ was told entirely through her choice of ice cream!
Interviewer: So Kurea didn’t even remember Luluka’s name.
Hasegawa: That’s right. In the scene in episode 23 where Luluka’s name is called out by Kurea, just from her expression… her eyes were wavering. Watching the broadcast, I almost cried too.
Touyama: Plus, it was painful that she attached the honorific “Luluka-san”.
Hasegawa: Before she lost her memory, she just called her without honorifics. There was a bit of distance now.
Touyama: But just hearing Kurea call her name again gave off this feeling of, ‘I never thought this day would come.’ Since Luluka had already given up on that hope, she just couldn’t hide it on her face… It’s heartbreaking.
Hasegawa: Really. We have already acted out a few episodes ahead, but even now when I rewatch Episode 23, it makes my chest tighten like, “Uwaaah!”
Reckless after transforming! Her eyes spin in circles
Interviewer: Kurea finally got her memories back, but what are you careful about when acting her out, Hasegawa-san?
Hasegawa: Even though her memories returned, she’s the same person, so I try not to change her completely. Among the four Precures, she has the most “older sister” like existence and gives an impression of having a lot of tolerance, so I hope I expressed that. However, the Kurea from when she had no memories was purely a “patissier older sister”. Her feelings were like, “For the smiles of the customers,” and “I want to make everyone happy with delicious cakes.” But when her memories return, a sense of justice of “I want to save them!” is added to that. Especially when she transforms into Cure Eclair, I think dignity and robustness are also included.
Interviewer: The “Twinkle Time” attack where she blasted away the giant Usonoir with super acceleration was also amazing. But then her eyes get dizzy right away (laughs).
Hasegawa: Yeah, she’s seriously ridiculously strong! But she doesn’t last long (laughs). Kurea Howa herself always seems calm and gives the impression of someone who can handle things efficiently without a hitch, but once she becomes Cure Eclair, she’s reckless and immediately gets dizzy like “guruguru”. She has a really drastic duality to her.
build note: guruguru means “going around in circles”. This note is actually just an excuse to get people to watch Magical Circle Guru Guru though.
Touyama: That part where her eyes spin was also in the audition lines, right?
Hasegawa: It was. Something like, “The world is spinning.”
Touyama: I think it was important to be able to express both the powerful side and the cute side where her eyes spin! Since I auditioned for all three besides Cure Answer, I still remember the audition script (laughs).
Hasegawa: So that’s how it was!
Interviewer: Touyama-san, what is your impression of Cure Eclair from your perspective?
Touyama: Originally, I heard that Cure Eclair was the strongest among the four Precures. Up until now, Cure Arcana Shadow was the strongest, depicted as a mysterious senior who guides the middle school duo, but there’s someone even above her. Her overwhelming strength was depicted in the battle scenes. Also, even in their interactions before transforming, I think Kurea is somewhat of a genius. In Episode 17, she held the hand of a depressed Anna, asked what came to Anna’s mind, and made a wonderful cake. She must have some kind of sixth sense like that.
Hasegawa: Yeah, yeah.
Touyama: At the same time, she also has kindness. For Luluka, I think Kurea is a dazzling existence close to admiration. As a star detective, she’s probably someone she highly respects too.
Interviewer: Then, what is your impression of Cure Arcana Shadow from your perspective, Hasegawa-san?
Hasegawa: It’s a bit painful to watch her. Even though Mashutan is there, she’s trying to take everything upon herself and walk alone. Looking at every single one of those actions and words, it makes you want to save her. I’m sure the viewers watching the broadcast are also thinking, “I want Luluka to be happy!” Since I view her through Kurea, I’ve been acting with the thought of “I want to do something about this!” Luluka is a difficult character to act out, isn’t she? There’s this thing where you have to express the wavering of emotions within a limited range.
Touyama: (Nods repeatedly)
Hasegawa: And Nao-san plays that so delicately. A huge part of my own performance comes from just feeding off of her acting. It’s like, ‘Since Luluka is delivering the line this way, this is how my emotions are going to shift in response.’ I get to go into the booth every week completely inspired by how Nao-san approaches her role.
Interviewer: Are you talking about being influenced by the story from Episode 27 onwards, where Luluka declared she would defeat Cure Eclair?
Hasegawa: It goes beyond that; I feel like I’ve been heavily influenced by her from the very start. Like in Episode 23 that we just mentioned, she was making these incredibly subtle adjustments to capture that indescribable feeling of, ‘I finally get to speak with Kurea again.’ Seeing Nao-san in the booth pushing herself and saying, ‘Please let me do one more take!’ is so cool. I’m always learning just by watching her work.
Touyama: Thank you! It definitely is a challenge (laughs). Luluka speaks with a very detached tone, but she actually feels things very deeply. She has things she holds dear, and her heart is wounded. The emotions are swirling inside her, but her outward expression of them is just very subtle. So, for every single scene, I have to calculate, ‘Exactly how much emotion should I let show here?’ Everything Luluka does is driven by Kurea. I would love to just let my emotions take the wheel and pour all that passion into the mic, but I have to be more strategic about it. I have to think, ‘If she is going to get this emotional in a later scene, I need to dial it back to this level for now.’ Because Kawasaki-san gave me the roadmap ahead of time, I was able to carefully construct the performance, almost like carving a delicate sculpture.
But I’m also really influenced by Hase-chan’s performance. Ever since Luluka started interacting with Kurea, the entire dynamic has completely shifted for her. Hase-chan takes Luluka’s emotions head-on and gives them right back. And she does it with such a clear, beautiful voice!
Hasegawa: Wow, thank you so much!
Touyama: Because her lines are so straightforward, they shine even brighter and really resonate with me! They go straight to my heart.
Interviewer: Luluka’s tone is detached, but she definitely has a strong core, and I can really feel those subtle nuances in your delivery.
Touyama: That is because she is a really strong girl. Honestly, she is basically nothing but core (laughs). She is the type to think two or three steps ahead when dealing with things. However, I try to make sure she doesn’t sound too robotic, keeping a hint of sweetness in her detached tone. That is a conscious acting choice to balance out her visual design. She shows up as an enemy, but it is not like she has been brainwashed. Plus, while Luluka plays it cool, she is also genuinely kind. For example, in the scene in Episode 7 where she is sitting on a cherry blossom branch eating an ice cream, she splits it in two and gives the bigger half to Mashutan.
Interviewer: Oh, right.
Touyama: Because she has that underlying kindness, I try to keep her words from sounding too sharp. I want her true heart to come across in the few words she does speak.
How long will Luluka’s painful battle continue!?
Interviewer: Once we found out who Cure Eclair really was, a lot of people thought Luluka might join everyone at the detective agency too, but.
Touyama: That didn’t happen.
Hasegawa: Instead, sparks are flying!
Touyama: Exactly! Telling Cure Eclair “I will defeat you” right after she finally awakened… I think everyone was wondering, “Why?” But I hope people pay attention to the heavy burden she is carrying on her shoulders.
Hasegawa: I wasn’t all that familiar with the Precure franchise, so I was really surprised, like, “Wow, they really don’t pull their punches with the painful drama, even in a kids’ show!” I figured it would be an episodic story where a new incident happens every week, they solve it, and the four of them just live happily and peacefully together, but it wasn’t like that at all. I was amazed by how deep the story actually is.
Touyama: From Luluka’s perspective, Kurea returning as Cure Eclair is the absolute last thing she wanted to happen. Luluka kept going to Patisserie ChuChu just to check in on her, even though Kurea had forgotten all about her. She is dealing with a lot of internal conflict, but she is already past the point of hesitation and has resolved to see this path through. Still, underneath it all, she has to be feeling the pain of just being a normal girl…
Interviewer: If anything, things seem even harder for her now that Kurea has her memories back.
Touyama: That is exactly right. I have been constantly thinking about Luluka these past few months, and it has been a really painful and emotionally draining process. Luluka’s complex feelings might be a little hard for the younger kids watching to fully grasp. But when they grow up and rewatch it, if they can understand the emotional struggles of the character they used to just see as a cool older sister, I think they will end up loving her even more. Either way, this painful situation is going to continue, and the intensity is about to kick into an even higher gear. Please look forward to her back-and-forth battles with Kurea from here on out! Will the ice between them ever melt?
Hasegawa: Yeah. Hopefully by the time the movie comes out in September! (Everyone laughs)
Interviewer: Finally, please give a message to the fans.
Touyama: Thank you for eagerly watching every week and loving this work. I hope everyone will continue to watch while “thinking” a lot. The Precure series is wonderful every year, but I feel like TanPre has constantly been a hot topic in society since the broadcast began. There was also the collaboration with Detective Conan from May to June.
Interviewer: In April and May, there was also the “Cure Arcana Shadow Grand Strategy”. In conjunction with Cure Arcana Shadow’s first transformation, you also handled the in store broadcasts at toy stores and the narration for the sponsor screens in Episodes 11 and 12.
Touyama: Oh right, that’s already nostalgic! (laughs) It was the first attempt in Precure history to have a character announce the program sponsors, and I just get the impression that it’s a very aggressive work. I think the third cours will have more and more breathtaking developments waiting, so please continue to support us!
Hasegawa: As Kurea, I’m happy that she could finally become a member of the detective agency and join up with everyone. But just when you think sparkling days are waiting now that she’s a Precure, her destiny with Luluka remains unresolved. Even though she got her memories back, she’s like, “Luluka, why?…” I want everyone to watch over what becomes of these two. Also, this work has so many really fun measures, but personally, I’m glad the “Who is Cure Eclair’s True Identity!?” campaign is over, and I feel refreshed finally being freed from the secret (laughs). At this workplace, all the actors are always analyzing the work and predicting future developments. That’s how much we are also absorbed in the story. From here on out, I want to stand side by side with the other cast members and have fun solving the mysteries together!
We went all out without caring about appearances
Series Composition: Isao Murayama
Kurea is an older sister who gently watches over Anna and the others. Even though they are both older characters, she’s a different type from Luluka, but I devised ways so people would come to like Kurea too. Not just being strong, but getting dizzy right after using “Twinkle Time”. In the initial setting, she was supposed to get “Precure Motion Sickness” because she couldn’t keep up with her own speed. I really liked that phrase, but I was vetoed (laughs).
Actually, in the very, very initial settings, Kurea didn’t have amnesia, but rather “she is hiding the fact that she is Eclair due to certain circumstances”. However, I thought that not helping when Anna and Mikuru are in a pinch and not acting until Episode 25 might be un-Precure-like no matter the circumstances, so I changed it to the amnesia setting.
Setting up Cure Eclair candidates itself was decided from the beginning, but the number of people wasn’t decided. We made it four candidates, and made them “Precure-like” characters where it wouldn’t be strange no matter who it turned out to be. Shiruku’s line “Kimetsuke ja dame! / Don’t jump to conclusions!” is close to Cure Star’s line “Kimetsuke wa nashi! / No making unfair assumptions” in “Star Twinkle Precure”, and Rei, the student council president with a strong sense of responsibility, and Eliza, the fun mood maker, wouldn’t be out of place among the Precure members either.
Also, seeing the producers and the rest of the staff working so hard to hype up the “Who is Cure Eclair’s True Identity!?” campaign through promotions and various other measures really fired me up. I wanted to help promote it within the show itself, so starting from Episode 21, I added a pre-title segment where Anna and the others directly address the campaign. And this was despite the fact that I generally dislike breaking the fourth wall, and the transformation sequences in this series are already long, meaning we were desperately short on runtime (laughs). It was our first time trying something like this, so I wasn’t sure how it would turn out, but I figured we should just do whatever we could. The on-screen text at the end counting down “XX days until the fateful seventh month, July 19, 1999” was another example of this, as that is a style you don’t typically see in “Precure”. We really threw caution to the wind and did whatever it took to build the hype.
We carefully crafted Episode 25, which served as the finish line, to be the absolute climax of the campaign. I tried to make the pacing as thrilling and suspenseful as possible so viewers would be wondering “Who is Cure Eclair?” right up until the very end of the episode. Due to various behind-the-scenes circumstances, revealing Eclair’s true identity in Episode 25 was an absolute must. However, we were told, “As long as the identity is revealed, the actual transformation can wait until the following week.” So, for Episode 25, we focused entirely on dropping the big reveal and showcasing Cure Answer and the others fighting Usonoir. I hope everyone enjoyed the long-awaited transformation and action in Episode 26.
Checkpoints
Checkpoint #1: Anna & Kurea making a cake
Hasegawa: In Episode 17, Anna was feeling unusually down on herself, wasn’t she? She felt like since she is a detective, she couldn’t afford to show any weakness. But Kurea tells her that feelings of loneliness and sadness are also precious sparkles of the heart. I think for anyone, the older we get, the more we struggle to accept ourselves. But Kurea made me realize that experiencing those heavy emotions is an important part of the process, and that it will eventually lead to growth. Her words felt like they were comforting not just Anna, but all of us, and I was really encouraged by that. The ‘kirameki’ (sparkle) that Kurea talks about here really became a crucial keyword moving forward, didn’t it?
Checkpoint #2: Luluka’s super reluctant “Lie-Lie-Sir”
Touyama: The scene where she is shown Cure Eclair’s Makoto Jewel by Usonoir and replies “Lie-Lie-Sir” (in a bitter voice), she really seemed to hate it (wry smile).
Hasegawa: This was the first time Luluka ever said “Lie-Lie-Sir” (wry smile).
Touyama: Until then, Mashutan had always said it for her, but it was so humiliating that she finally had to say it herself… She absolutely didn’t want to say it, but she had to for Kurea’s sake, for her mission. My chest tightened there too!
Checkpoint #3: The partner fairies’ “This part is cute!”
Touyama: “Luluka’s partner fairy, Mashutan, is such a comforting presence. Even when it comes to the mission Luluka is shouldering all by herself, Mashutan stays right by her side and believes in her, saying, ‘If this is what Luluka has decided.’ She is so precious to me that I could almost cry. Plus, she is so precocious and cute. At first glance, she puts on a mature older sister act, but she is really just a hardworking girl trying her best to act grown-up.
Hasegawa: Sometimes she slips up too. She accidentally let slip the name “Cure Eclair” in front of Anna and Mikuru (laughs).
Touyama: “Mashutan…” (glares) “Eek!” (laughs). She seems responsible, but she’s a bit clumsy. Also, Mashutan seems to like acting, and in Episode 22 there’s a scene where she goes “Uoooh!” and her eyes turn into flames. I also like how that mysterious switch flips sometimes.
Touyama: It is so endearing, isn’t it!
Hasegawa: Also, ever since Shushutan showed up, we have this new routine where she gives us quizzes, and it is so fun feeling like a new running gag has been born. But to think that a fairy like Shushutan had been watching over Kurea in the form of a hair scrunchie all this time, completely unable to speak to her… it is just heartbreakingly sweet!
Touyama: I wonder how she must have felt watching over her all that time. Especially since Kurea had forgotten all about Shushutan, too…
Hasegawa: Now she even wraps herself around Kurea’s arm, and it just makes me so emotional thinking, “She must have wanted to do this all along, and she finally gets to!”
Checkpoint #4: “Who is Cure Eclair’s True Identity!?” Campaign
Hasegawa: The whole “Let’s watch the broadcast and deduce her true identity together” campaign was such an interesting idea, wasn’t it? I had heard about it quite a while ago, so I was really excited for it.
Touyama: It was totally groundbreaking.
Hasegawa: Even though the name “Cure Eclair” never actually came up in the main story, from Episode 21 onward, the word “Eclair” was trending almost every single week (laughs).
Touyama: Exactly! She wasn’t even on screen, yet she had this massive presence (laughs).
Hasegawa: People were like, “It feels like she is in every single episode!” (laughs). I was so happy.
Touyama: Adults and kids alike were all making their deductions together. All four of the candidates were so charming, and I think everyone was on the edge of their seats watching Episode 25 when her true identity was finally revealed. Getting to hype it up and theorize together is probably going to be one of the biggest memories of this year. I really hope that looking back to figure out where all the hints were gave parents and kids something fun to bond over.
We didn’t know the answer either!
Common Questions
- Question #1: What was your first impression of the character you play, and what parts of that impression changed after acting as them?
- Question #2: What have you been conscious of when acting, and what parts are similar to the character you play?
- Question #3: What were your thoughts watching your character’s focus episode, and after acting in it?
- Question #4: Tell us a memorable scene from your focus episode!
- Question #5: Were you told from the beginning that you were a Cure Eclair candidate?
- Question #6: How was the “Who is Cure Eclair’s True Identity!?” campaign?
- Question #7: Finally, a message to the fans!
A thrill you don’t often get to experience – Eliza Kurusu (CV: Riko Akechi)
Answer #1: When she first appeared in Episode 2, I built my performance around the idea of an “older sister everyone admires.” But during the recording, I was told, “She actually gets pretty mischievous later on,” so I shifted gears to make her cuter. Now, I completely see her as a funny, adorable girl.
Answer #2: I try to make sure she doesn’t sound too mature or composed, and I focus on keeping a lively, youthful energy. In terms of similarities between us, I also love mystery novels, so I would love to read one of Eliza-san’s books someday!
Answer #3: Actually, back when we recorded Episode 2, they told me, “Eventually, you’ll be wearing cat ears.” I waited for my next recording session wondering what in the world “cat ears” meant, but Eliza-san in Episode 16 was just so cute that I couldn’t help but laugh the first time I read the script. To really capture that free-spirited energy of her dragging Anna-chan and Mikuru-chan along for the ride, I made sure to go completely all out, and I had so much fun recording it.
Answer #4: For Episode 16, it definitely has to be the cat ears. Her catchphrase, “Roleplay inspiration!” was so much fun to say. Also, there is a scene where Anna-chan and Mikuru-chan praise the cat ears and call them “Cute!”, and their movements there are just adorable. I have loved that scene ever since we recorded it. For Episode 21, it is her conversation with Henmi-san. Normally, you would think someone has to choose between being a novelist or a detective, but she gets writing ideas from it, and she genuinely wants to be a detective too, so she decides not to give up on either! I felt like that kind of forceful energy is something only the incredibly straightforward Eliza-san could pull off.
Answer #5: Actually, I wasn’t told anything when we recorded Episode 2, so I only found out I was a Cure Eclair suspect through social media! When they finally told me, “You are an Eclair candidate,” during the Episode 16 recording, it really hit me that I was part of the big secret! After that, I got to experience a rare kind of thrill you don’t usually get. By the way, I wasn’t told who Eclair actually was, so just like everyone else, I found out her true identity for the first time when reading the script for Episode 25.
Answer #6: I thought it was such a fun idea! I was honestly thrilled that so many people were saying, “I hope it’s Eliza-san.” I was secretly checking the voting updates, too, so throughout the whole campaign, I constantly felt so blessed to be voicing a character that is loved this much.
Answer #7: To everyone who has been talking about Eliza-san since her first appearance, thank you so much! I think the campaign got as hyped up as it did entirely because of everyone’s love. I hear she still has more appearances coming up, so I would be thrilled if you continue to enjoy Star Detective Precure! from here on out. I will be right there enjoying it with you!
Was it their plan to keep the actors out of the loop, too? – Rei Kaneda (CV: Lynn)
Answer #1: Based on her stern expression and appearance, my initial impression was that she might be a highly serious and quiet girl. There were also moments depicting her being highly respected by the other students, or rather, giving off a somewhat intimidating vibe. But as soon as I actually played her, I felt the genuine warmth of her heart. Now I just see her as a deeply kind girl with a strong sense of responsibility.
Answer #2: Rei is always thinking about what is best for the school and the students. She has incredibly strong convictions, so I am careful to ensure those feelings never waver in my performance. Her attempt to be the perfect honors student as the student council president is actually very similar to me, since I was also the student council president back in middle school! Also, my love for Pochitan is exactly the same. I personally find her way too cute, and I absolutely melt every time she calls out “Re~i~” during our recording sessions.
Answer #3: I think the stark contrast in Rei’s personality is directly tied to that “warmth of her heart” I mentioned earlier. She is probably just easily misunderstood because of the intimidating aura she gives off. I do get studio directions like, “Please put more strength into your emotions here,” but since I wasn’t given any specific instructions regarding her softer side, I just let myself act that out naturally as I felt it.
Answer #4: In Episode 14, I think the scene where she reads aloud to the children completely shifted the audience’s impression of her. I decided to change my vocal tone during the test take, and since the staff didn’t say anything to correct me, I was thrilled that they kept it as is for the final recording! In Episode 24, it was amazing seeing her desperately stand up to Nijee to protect Pochitan. I put a ton of raw emotion into her frustrated line, “If only I had the power of a Precure…”
Answer #5: I didn’t know a thing at first. During the recording for her debut episode, they only told me, “She is an important character who will play a major role later on.” After Episode 1 aired, I saw theories blowing up on social media saying, “Looking at the opening animation, couldn’t Rei be Eclair?” My heart started pounding, and I thought, “Wait, is my character actually going to become a Precure? Are they keeping it a secret from the cast as well!?” But of course, I hadn’t even auditioned for the role of Eclair, so there was no way that was true (laughs). During my second recording session, Series Director Kouji Kawasaki explained the whole project to us and asked us to please keep the answer a total secret.
Answer #6: I thought it was a really fascinating idea. Getting to be a suspect in a massive whodunit campaign that could only work in a detective series might be a once in a lifetime experience for me. I was so happy seeing everyone making all sorts of predictions and getting so hyped up about it.
Answer #7: Just like Katou-san, who voices Pochitan, said, “I am always so happy when a Rei-focused episode comes up because Pochitan gets to talk a lot too!” I am also really looking forward to more interactions between Rei and Pochitan. And, of course, I fully expect her to continue playing an active role as a close friend and confidante to Anna and Mikuru. Please continue to enjoy TanPre while keeping an eye on Rei’s future development as well!
She looks just like Cure Eclair!? – Shiruku Ieiri (CV: Natsumi Murakami)
Answer #1: My initial impression was of a cheerful, caring older sister type. But from there, I gradually learned about her incredible work ethic, how deeply she cares about her audience, and the sheer strength of her resolve. I felt she was so admirable and cool that it is hard to believe she is only 16 years old! She is incredibly observant and always looks out for the people around her, so I think she is just a genuinely good person!
Answer #2: She is older than Anna-chan and Mikuru-chan, and on top of that, she is a super popular, trendy actor right now, someone everyone completely admires! So I always try to keep that star energy in mind when I am acting! I can really relate to how deeply she values her work and her fans. I also thought her proactive side, wanting to tackle everything she sets her mind to, like juggling school and work, is very similar to me.
Answer #3: It is wonderful how Shiruku-chan genuinely thinks Anna-chan and the others are amazing for wanting to help people in trouble and make them smile, and she really pushes them to keep going! Also, she knows how to properly rely on others, like when she opened up to the two detectives about her own worries. Appearing so blunt and straightforward on the outside, but actually being willing to show her vulnerable, anxious feelings is definitely part of her charm, I think.
Answer #4: In Episode 9, which was also the episode title, the line “Don’t jump to conclusions!” really left a lasting impression on me! She drops that line on Mikuru-chan and Jet-senpai, and also on Luluka-chan in Episode 22, so I was really happy to perform it in a variety of different emotional contexts! Also in Episode 22, we got the Shiruku Gymnastics scene. It was really memorable to see that this is how she always overcomes her nerves and anxiety to shift her mindset.
Answer #5: I didn’t know anything at first! So when I first saw Shiruku-chan’s character design, I thought, “Huh? She looks just like Cure Eclair!?” (laughs). I was wondering about things like her hair color, the ponytail, and the fact that they wear similarly shaped earrings, but halfway through I found out she was one of the candidates, and it all clicked like, “Oh, I get it now!!” (laughs). Even when my co-stars or people around me asked, “Wait, are you Cure Eclair?”, since I genuinely didn’t know who the real Cure Eclair was either, all I could say was, “I don’t know,” which made it feel like I was playing a massive game of Werewolf (laughs).
build note: Werewolf, otherwise known as Mafia, is a social deduction game between an informed minority (Ikumi Hasegawa) and an uninformed majority (the rest of the cast).
Answer #6: I never expected it to turn into a full-blown campaign, so I was really surprised! I was thrilled that everyone had so much fun deducing and voting, and it was great seeing people use “Don’t jump to conclusions!” in all sorts of clever situations online! (laughs)
Answer #7: Thank you for always supporting TanPre and Shiruku-chan! Getting to feel just how much everyone loves Shiruku-chan on a daily basis makes me truly, truly happy!! I will continue to put my whole heart into voicing her so that my beloved Shiruku-chan’s charm fully comes across to the audience! Let’s keep going! Let’s continue to enjoy TanPre together!!
