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Japan Anime News Edit by Satoru Shoji

'BLEACH' Anime Is More Than Just Action: Masakazu Morita & Noriaki Sugiyama on Ichigo and Uryu's Relationship

Were there any other scenes where you followed the “flow”?

Uryu Ishida

Uryu Ishida (C) Tite Kubo / Shueisha / TV Tokyo / dentsu / Pierrot


Morita
The scenes in episode 40, where Ichigo and Uryu have a heated argument or reminisce on the rooftop, were definitely performed in the “flow.”

Sugiyama
For action scenes, like slashing attacks, shooting arrows, or being punched, you can plan your performance to some extent—like deciding, “I’ll deliver this line more forcefully.” But for dialogue-focused scenes, it’s all about responding to your partner. The tone and intensity often shift depending on their performance. After rehearsals, we refine the scene’s image with feedback from the director and production staff. However, we rarely discuss or coordinate the details of our performances with our co-actors, like saying, “Let’s approach this line this way.”

Morita
It’s such a strange feeling! During the break between rehearsals and the actual recording, it’s like everyone’s reading each other’s minds.

Sugiyama
Exactly.

Morita
And it’s not about calculating or manipulating each other. Instead, it’s like thinking, “They gave this level of intensity in rehearsal, so they’ll probably ramp it up for the actual take,” or guessing how the energy will shift based on the director’s feedback.

Sugiyama
You also consider how others might adjust their performances based on the direction they received and then adapt your character’s tone and emotions accordingly.

Morita
What’s crazy is that even though we don’t discuss these adjustments, everything aligns perfectly during the actual take. It’s almost unsettling (laughs).

Sugiyama
That’s a compliment, right? (laughs)

Morita
Absolutely (laughs).

Sugiyama
I completely understand.


Were there any changes in how you approached your performance between the second and third cours?

Ichigo Kurosaki

Ichigo Kurosaki(C) Tite Kubo / Shueisha / TV Tokyo / dentsu / Pierrot


Morita
Having voiced Ichigo Kurosaki for about 20 years, there’s a voice I’ve always wanted to produce for him but couldn’t quite achieve back then. While it’s still not perfect, I’ve started to tap into those mid-to-lower tones more effectively, particularly since Thousand-Year Blood War began. However, I made subtle adjustments throughout, and in The Conflict Arc, I intentionally reverted to a tone closer to Ichigo’s early days.

In episode 40, there’s a scene where Ichigo and Uryu have a heated argument. For that, I used a voice similar to their initial confrontation in Karakura Town. However, since Jugram Haschwalth is also present, it was important not to portray the scene as solely “Ichigo vs. Uryu,” as that might diminish the threat of the immediate enemy. Instead, I focused on conveying that, while Ichigo’s tone is aggressive toward Uryu, the hostility isn’t truly directed at him. I felt that using Ichigo’s higher-pitched voice from earlier days suited this dynamic better.

Sugiyama
As I mentioned earlier, I tried to maintain an air of ambiguity about Uryu's allegiance until his true intentions were revealed. During the scene where Uryu raises his voice at Ichigo, I deliberated over how much emotion to express. I remember retaking the scene several times during testing to ensure the emotions transitioned seamlessly between the preceding and following moments.


Source : ORICON NEWS