Answer: "Wonderful" was the impression I got from the original novel. I read it again right after I finished reading it for the first time. I think it’s very philosophical and that’s the part I like the most about it.

Q: Do you and Kino have anything in common?

A: Well… I’m not sure, but one thing is that I’m pretty passive for the most part. In that sense, I think I’m a little like Kino, but I’m not sure whether we have similar personalities, though. Kino’s calmer than I am.

Q: This is your first job as a voice actress. How do you feel about it?

A: I have no idea how it’s going to turn out, because taping for the TV show hasn’t even started yet. I’ve been thinking maybe it’ll be easier than doing radio dramas because I can actually see Kino’s facial expressions while I act. Or maybe it’s going to be hard to keep pace with the images as I talk. But you know what? I came to the conclusion that I’ll never know the answers to those questions until I actually do it! [laughs]

Q: Is there anything about doing Kino’s voice that you pay extra attention to?

A: The original Kino’s Journey has already captured a big audience. I tend to develop a certain image of a character while reading the original story and when the character is portrayed differently in the animated version, I’ll be like, “That’s not true!” I really don’t want fans of the original story to feel that way when they watch the animated version of Kino’s Journey.

Question: Do you enjoy reading comics and novels?

A: I love manga! I read pretty much anything. Recently, I borrowed Psycho from my friends and I’ve been reading it even though I don’t like brutal scenes. [laughs]

I like reading books. When I was little, I never got told “no” no matter how many books I asked for. I remember my grandfather used to send me books every month. From picture books to novels, I read every book I could get my hands on! [laughs] Personally, I enjoy reading Kaori Eguni novels because I just love the atmosphere of her stories. I like books that make me feel like I’m in a different world in a different time.

Kino’s Journey is definitely my kind of story. I like the setting, how time flows in the story, and the atmosphere. Some parts of the story describe how silly and ridiculous humans can sometimes be; they cause me to reflect on myself.

Q: Any message for fans of Kino’s Journey?

A: I think that no two people will get the same impression from Kino’s Journey. In other words, everyone will have different preconceptions about it. I think you’ll love the show as much as I enjoy working on it. This is going to be an anime that leaves you thinking. [laughs] Enjoy your journey with Kino!