Hello everyone, I’m back from my various trips around the world to bring you all another interview that happened this month. Ikumi Hasegawa has been interviewed a lot this month and this is me slowly but surely publishing each and every one of those interviews on here. Not sure if any of them discuss what her preferred Tesco Meal Deal combo is but I’m sure she’d pick well. In fact, I’m not even sure if she’s even been to Tesco.
If there’s anyone from Animedia reading this, you now know what to ask her next time.
What she does get to answer in this interview is more on how she ended up becoming Cure Eclair and what she would be doing in a relay race which I’d say is almost as good as a question as what I came up with earlier. Let’s get reading then!
Translation by “nui”, Editing by me – Interview with Ikumi Hasegawa was originally published in Animedia in August 2026.
[Cure Eclair / Kurea Howa] Ikumi Hasegawa
Born 31st May From Tochigi Prefecture. Affiliated with Raccoon Dog.
Main roles include Ikuyo Kita in “Bocchi the Rock!“, Aya Mitsuki in “Tai Ari Deshita. ~Ojou-sama wa Kakutou Game Nante Shinai~“, among others.
The Sense of Unity in Creating a Show Felt During DePaPre
Interviewer: You got the role of Cure Eclair / Howa Kurea through an audition. Did you participate in the audition because you always looked up to Precure roles?
Hasegawa: No, actually, I didn’t grow up watching Precure. Of course, I knew about the Precure franchise itself since I was little, but for some reason, I just never crossed paths with it and became an adult. So, even after I started my career as a voice actress, I never imagined that Precure would become a part of my voice acting life. However, as fate would have it, I was called in to play a classmate and the Pizza Recipeppi in Delicious Party♡Precure (DePaPre). That was where I really felt the sense of unity in creating the show and the passion to carry on the history of Precure. The team spirit among everyone involved was genuinely so wonderful, and it made me think, “I hope I can be a part of a show like this someday.”
Interviewer: Did you audition for other Precure roles as well?
Hasegawa: No, I only auditioned for Cure Eclair. This was also my first time taking a studio audition for a Precure role, so I went in with the mindset of, “This might be a once in a lifetime opportunity, so let’s just have fun with it.” Precure auditions are filled with a totally different kind of tension compared to other shows, but there were also lines you rarely get to do elsewhere, like transformation speeches and calling out special attacks. So, while I was super excited, I just threw my absolute best into the audition at that moment.
Interviewer: How did you feel when you received the news that you were chosen for the role of Cure Eclair / Kurea?
Hasegawa: My manager contacted me saying, “I have something to discuss regarding your schedule, so please come to the office.” I usually never get called in like that, so I kind of had a hunch and thought, “Wait, could this be about getting Cure Eclair?” Because of that, when they actually told me at the office, “You’ve been cast as Cure Eclair!”, my reaction ended up being this weird kind of joy like, “Yes! My guess was right!” (laughs). I was genuinely thrilled to accept the role, and I committed to putting forth my best effort.
Interviewer: Were you informed at the time of the audition that Cure Eclair’s true identity would be kept hidden for a while?
Hasegawa: I was only told, “Her true identity will be revealed a bit later.” If I remember correctly, it was only after I got the part that I heard the big reveal would happen in Episode 25, “Cure Eclair’s True Identity”.
Interviewer: How did you go about building the character for Cure Eclair / Kurea?
Hasegawa: The very first recording session was for the toy voices, and for that, I made sure my acting matched Cure Eclair’s visual design. After that, Kurea made her first anime appearance in Episode 2, “Introducing The Genius! His Name Is Jett-senpai!”, but she only had a few lines, so I didn’t do any detailed character building at that stage. I seriously locked in Kurea’s acting during Episode 17, “Memories with Mom”, where her line count suddenly jumped up. I solidified how to play her in Episode 17 and gradually made it my own from there.
Episode 23: Where Kurea’s Inherent Sense of Justice Shined
Interviewer: Episode 23, “Kurea, Sleuthing, And Ice Cream,” was a spotlight episode in the “Cure Eclair Arc.” Could you share any memories from recording this episode?
Hasegawa: Up until Episode 17, Kurea had a strong image as a gentle older sister. But in Episode 23, she became a direct party to the incident, which showcased her inherent sense of justice. That sense of justice is what eventually blossoms when she becomes Cure Eclair, and I acted with the hope that viewers could feel glimpses of it beforehand. I think Kurea actually has a lot of guts. Even when she talked with Luluka, she didn’t compromise and faced her completely head on. Yet, she is also incredibly compassionate, so I made sure to firmly incorporate that into my acting for Cure Eclair as well.
Interviewer: Viewers were super hyped for Episode 25 too! How did you feel when you read the script, and what was it like to record?
Hasegawa: Man, I was completely overwhelmed by how they tied up the story’s foreshadowing and the sheer intensity of the climax. I thought, “It’s going to get even more hyped up from here?!” In the following Episode 26, “Cure Eclair Returns!”, Cure Eclair finally transformed. Since it also included her first roll call in the anime, I was pretty nervous heading into the recording session. My heart was really pounding, and I was honestly so jealous of Anna and Mikuru who get to transform together (laughs). Cure Eclair’s transformation has a ballet motif and is extremely elegant. Every single movement is truly beautiful, so I remember recording it while thinking about how much I wanted to see the finished animation right away.
Interviewer: From Episode 26 onwards, a comical side was added to Cure Eclair / Kurea’s character, wasn’t it?
Hasegawa: Yeah. After going all out at full speed, Cure Eclair couldn’t keep up with her own speed and ended up getting dizzy. Her line there, “The world is spinning~”, was actually in the audition too. But I had completely forgotten about it, and I only remembered when Hika-chan, pointed it out to me (laughs). You would think the always perfect Kurea would become an even more flawless being as Cure Eclair, but when I found out she makes herself dizzy with her own speed, my affection for her went up another notch. Plus, even knowing she’ll get dizzy, she still charges forward fearlessly. I felt that really showcased her Precure like qualities and sense of justice. That unique gap in Cure Eclair’s personality made me love her even more.
The Intriguing Presence of Shushutan and Ruruka
Interviewer: The partner fairy Shushutan finally made an appearance too!
Hasegawa: Everyone was so focused on Cure Eclair’s true identity, but Shushutan was actually the biggest mystery of all, right? (laughs). Shushutan is the smallest among the partner fairies, yet also the smartest and most knowledgeable. Combined with the voice of Karin Isobe-san, I feel like she’s become such an incredibly adorable character. Karin-san always gets a bit anxious during dubbing, asking, “I wonder if I can hit those high notes?”, but I always watch her record thinking, “You’re fine, you’re cute every single time!”
Interviewer: From a viewer’s perspective, the relationship between Cure Eclair and Cure Arcana Shadow / Luluka Moria is also a major point of interest.
Hasegawa: Luluka is full of mysteries, and her dark hero vibe is really cool. She always speaks in this cool tone with very little emotional fluctuation, but the destructive power she has when she occasionally smiles is just incredible. Combined with the cute voice of Nao Touyama-san, you just get totally knocked out by that gap. In Episodes 25 and 26, there was some back and forth between Luluka and Kurea. But precisely because Kurea regained her memories, she feels like, “This isn’t the Luluka I know.” There is this sense that you can’t reach Luluka even if you stretch your hand out, so playing Kurea, I am just filled with frustration right now. The relationship between Luluka and Kurea will be unraveled more and more from here on out. It is a relationship so “hot” that I almost cried just reading the script by myself, so please definitely keep checking out the story going forward!
Hasegawa-san’s Q&A: Kurea’s Birthday & Fully Enjoying Autumn
A Moving Reunion with Shushutan!
Question: 10th August is Cure Eclair / Kurea Howa’s birthday! If it were you, Hasegawa-san, what kind of present and cake would you prepare for Kurea?
Answer: I would love to use my adult financial power to just buy her anything (laughs), but since Shushutan returned to her fairy form, I would like to give her a new, cute scrunchie (shushu). For the birthday cake, maybe I’ll prepare something Kurea wouldn’t easily make herself. I am thinking of slapping her favorite eclair right on top of the sponge cake and going for maximum impact!
Question: Autumn of Appetite! What are your favorite cakes and sweets, Hasegawa-san?
Answer: I love tarts with a firm base the most! As for the flavor, chocolate would be great. I love it so much that I eat chocolate every single day.
Question: Autumn of Sports! Cure Eclair seems to have great reflexes, but what about you, Hasegawa-san?
Answer: I think I am perfectly average, neither good nor bad!
Question: If you were to participate in a sports festival, what event would you join?
Answer: Tug of war, no question! When I was in middle school, my whole class got super hyped up saying, “We absolutely have to win!” We studied winning strategies and took it really seriously, ending up completely crushing the other classes. It feels so good to unite our hearts and pull the rope with all our might, and winning makes it the best. You don’t really get the chance to do tug of war as an adult, so if I could join a sports festival, I would choose it without hesitation.
Question: Imagine a relay race with the 4 Precure Cast Members and the 4 Precure. Please think of the running order for both!
Answer:
- [4 Precure Cast Members]: The first runner is Hika-chan, and I am second. Nao-san, who is good at dancing and seems to have a lot of stamina, is third. The anchor is definitely Eede-chan, who looks like she runs fast!
- [4 Precure]: I want the first runner to run glamorously, so Cure Answer. The second runner is Cure Mystique, who has good synergy with Cure Answer. Next would be Cure Arcana Shadow, and the anchor would probably be Cure Eclair. If it is after she crosses the finish line, it is perfectly fine if she gets dizzy from her own speed. Plus, if it is Cure Eclair, no matter how far behind we are, it feels like she would make a comeback at the very end!
