Over the past few years, tons of new Shonen series have premiered that have reminded fans of older shows that they have grown up watching. Yuki Tabata’s Black Clover is one that fans have grown attached to because it reminded them of their favorite series. Though some call it a lack of creativity for the Shonen viewers, it is a blend of everything exciting.
Moreover, in the recent turn of events, where Kohei Horikoshi’s My Hero Academia fell from the grace of heaven due to its mediocre ending, Tabata-Sensei’s magnum opus soared in popularity. Part of the series’ fame goes to the epic rivalry between Asta and Yuno, which some believe to be the best in the new-gen Shonen series.
While the two characters share a fierce rivalry with each other, Gakuto Kajiwara has one key reason to respect Nobunaga Shimazaki, Yuno’s voice actor, who helped him to establish himself as one of the greatest voice actors in the anime industry.
Asta’s Voice Actor is Forever in debt to Nobunaga Shimazaki’s Supportive Guidance
In Yuki Tabata’s Black Clover, the rivalry between Asta and Yuno has kept the audience hooked to the series, which takes a different approach that elevates the storyline, where Asta and Yuno, the two characters, share the same dream of becoming the Magic King of the Clover kingdom.
The series majorly features how the two protagonists share a fiery rivalry, as they would love to be the strongest mage in the kingdom.
However, Gakuto Kajiwara, Asta’s voice actor, shares different feelings towards his colleague Nobunaga Shimazaki, who took him under his wing to make him feel much better.
During an exclusive interview via Cho-Animedia, Kajiwara-San expressed his gratitude towards his Shimazaki-Senpai, where he mentioned how he took him out for dinner and gave him advice to feel “particularly helpful.” He said,
That would be Nobunaga-san. We had been recording together since the TV animation started, and he took me out to dinner afterwards. At the time, I was really worried about my work, but Nobunaga-san’s advice helped me feel better.
He also added how Jun Fukuyama, the voice actor of Finlal, also helped him get through the technical side, as well as express himself better.
Also, Mr. Jun Fukuyama (who played the role of Finlal) supported me on the technical side. I often had to stay behind to record, and he was always behind me, teaching me so much, from the basics to emotional expression. He is my greatest “master.”
Shimazaki-San added how Suwabe-San also cared about his co-star a lot. To which Gakuto Kajiwara replied that the voice actor also taught him a lot through his “acting without using words.”
With all the great minds working together, the voice actor quickly gelled with them, learning traits that have made him one of the most renowned names in the industry.
Gakuto Kajiwara Was Excited to be a Part of the Black Clover Film
In 2023, when Black Clover: Sword of the Wizard King was announced, it left a lasting impression on the viewers, but when the script was first shared with the two voice actors, it took them by surprise as well.
In the same interview, the interviewer asked them about their “impression” when they read the script. Kajiwara first said how he was excited to work in the film and how the story’s conflict was something that made it more epic. He said,
I was looking forward to acting in the film, because while it retains the “Black Clover” style of the original work and the TV anime series, the battle scenes are more epic and the themes dealt with are larger than ever in a theatre production.
He added,
I felt that the story of Asta having to fight against the “magic emperor” that he has been striving for, the conflict of having to defeat what he has been striving for, and the clash of justice between the two sides, made it an appropriate story to depict in a movie.
Indeed, the film was epic, where the animation elevated the Black Clover’s allure, but what made the film leave a lasting impact on the viewers’ minds was the phenomenal voice acting that went behind each character.
The extra effort divided the fandom in two, where they would root for their favorite protagonist coming a step closer to becoming the Magic King.
Black Clover can be streamed on Crunchyroll.
