At the 2025 Osaka Comic Convention held on May 4 at INTEX Osaka, renowned voice actress Noriko Hidaka revealed a pivotal moment in her career. Speaking candidly about her journey, she shared that she was on the verge of leaving the entertainment industry if success didn’t come by the age of 22—until a major anime hit changed everything.

Osaka Comic Con, launched in 2023 as the western counterpart to the Tokyo Comic Con (established in 2016), held its third edition this year from May 2 to 4. The event brought a star-studded lineup including Sung Kang, Mads Mikkelsen, Hugh Dancy, Emily Rudd, Daniel Logan, Christina Ricci, Edward Furlong, Nicolas Cage, Bill Skarsgård, and Mackenyu Arata. Fans enjoyed stage events, autograph sessions, and photo ops throughout the weekend.

On May 4, the popular stage program “Noriko Hidaka’s Voice Actors #2,” part of both Tokyo and Osaka Comic Con, featured voice actor Junya Enoki as a guest. Praising Enoki’s performance in a live-action drama, Hidaka remarked, “He blended perfectly with the atmosphere of the scene. I was really impressed. I'm sure it was nerve-wracking, but there was no sign of strain.”

Enoki responded by noting that he rarely shows nervousness, even admitting, “When I debuted, a TV producer once told me, ‘You’re a strange newcomer—I don’t get the feeling that you want to succeed at all.’”

Hidaka then reflected on her own early struggles: “I started in a children’s theater company and debuted as an idol, but I didn’t really take off… Having experienced the tough side of the entertainment world, I had a strong desire to grab any opportunity that came my way.”

She continued, “My parents told me, ‘If you haven’t made it by 22, get a regular job.’” When Enoki asked in surprise, “How old were you when you did ‘Touch’?” she replied, “It was March of my 22nd year. My peers were graduating from university, and I began recording the anime that month. The first episode aired on March 28—barely made it! By a sliver!”

Source : ORICON NEWS