Voice Actor Kikunosuke Toya Reveals His Role Preparation for Denji in Chainsaw Man: “I Even Made the ‘Ultimate Bread’”

Voice actor Kikunosuke Toya appears in the November issue of the Japanese fashion magazine Oggi (Shogakukan), released on September 27. Known for playing Denji, the protagonist in the currently released film Chainsaw Man: The Reze Arc, Toya discusses his approach to role preparation in the serialized feature “Mimikoi, Voices You Want to Hear.”

Toya’s career began when he won a special award in the 6th Anisutorēsu voice acting audition in 2017. He debuted the following year, and about five years later earned the lead role of Denji in the TV anime Chainsaw Man through another audition. Since then, he has appeared as Choji Tomiyama in WIND BREAKER and Donny in The Seven Deadly Sins: Four Knights of the Apocalypse.

Explaining his method, Toya shared:
“Just mimicking the form doesn’t feel complete, nor does it convey anything to the audience, and I can’t be satisfied either. For example, I try sitting in the same posture as the character or eating the same food while delivering lines. In the series, when Denji eats bread and says ‘Delicious!’, I even made that so-called ‘ultimate bread’ myself and ate it while practicing.”

He also described experimenting with combat scenes by physically slamming his back against a wall.

“Even if the impact is on your back, the shock still reaches your chest, and you realize what kind of sounds naturally slip out. I like exploring those genuine details,” he said. Toya prepares thoroughly until no one can question his performance, then stands before the microphone ready to give his all. Fans of Chainsaw Man have praised him, saying “Denji’s voice fits perfectly.”

“During the TV anime recordings, I spent entire weeks just thinking about the work,” Toya added with a laugh. “Sometimes you wonder, ‘Do you really need to go that far?’ But I feel there could be a hint hidden there, and that makes me want to try.”

In the magazine feature, Toya also challenged himself with fashion photography, appearing in the latest styles with both a mature allure and a refreshing smile. The interview further reveals surprising aspects of his life, such as once aspiring to be a comedian and still creating his own skits to perform at events today.

Source : ORICON NEWS