Interview: Shion Wakayama [Presented by AVIOT]

Shion Wakayama has appeared in numerous anime in recent years, quickly becoming a fan favorite through her performances as a new generation of iconic characters. Some of her most notable roles include Takina Inoue from Lycoris Recoil and Momo Ayase from DAN DA DAN. Interestingly, her career in the entertainment industry began at a young age, and with years of experience behind her, she now shares her talent with audiences through her voice.

Anime Corner had the opportunity to interview the rising star, where she spoke about her journey from a child TV performer to an up-and-coming voice actress, the inspirations that led her to pursue voice acting, and her gratitude toward the fans who continue to support her.

Q: You began acting in TV dramas at a young age. What inspired you to make the transition into voice acting and explore that medium?
A: To be honest, there wasn’t a single turning point. I just kept throwing myself into auditions and giving my all to the work I was entrusted with, and before I knew it, I had found myself in the world of voice acting. Since I’ve always admired voice actors, being able to walk this path feels like a true blessing.

Q: In your experience, what are the biggest differences between on-camera acting and voice acting?
A: I don’t have a deep understanding of on-camera acting, so I’m not sure if my analysis is entirely accurate, but I’d say the parts of the body involved and the balance of expression are different. Since voice actors are only responsible for a character’s voice, we rely on the throat, mouth, and, in terms of thought process, parts of the brain. We also convey certain actions, postures, and a sense of distance, but compared to live-action acting, much more has to be expressed through the voice, since we can’t rely on physical movement.

Q: Are there any voice actors or screen actors who have influenced your performance style or whom you particularly look up to?
A: Atsuko Tanaka. I enjoy watching foreign dramas dubbed into Japanese, and what first got me into it was watching the dubbed version of Cold Case. In that series, the protagonist was voiced by Atsuko Tanaka, and after that, I sought out many of the works she appeared in. Before long, I found myself wanting to be like her. However, when I tried to imitate her, it came out strange, probably because I lacked the skill. That made me realize that I can’t become her—I need to find my own style of voice acting. Even so, she will always be someone I admire.

Q: As your popularity continues to grow within the voice acting community, you will definitely get to try an even wider range of roles. Is there a particular type of character you haven’t voiced yet but would be excited to take on?
A: I’ve never played a truly evil character, so I’d love to try it someday. At the same time, I feel I still lack the depth needed to fully take on such a role, so I want to have more varied experiences and grow into a more multifaceted individual.

Q: You’re not only involved in the AVIOT collaboration with GRIDMAN, but also host the AVIOT radio program. How does it feel to be part of both projects, and how do the two experiences compare?
A: In the collaboration between AVIOT and GRIDMAN, it’s wonderful to be able to share the appeal not only of GRIDMAN but also of the collaboration models, Oneverse and Twoverse, while feeling the fans’ enthusiasm. On my AVIOT radio show, I talk about personal sides of myself that I haven’t shared before. I’d be happy if people took an interest in the different aspects of me, so I hope you’ll give it a listen.

Q: You were recently voted the No. 2 Female Seiyuu of the Year in our annual Seiyuu Awards. Do you have a message you’d like to share with the fans who voted for and supported you?
A: Thank you so much for your continued support. I still can’t quite believe I’ve been chosen for this prestigious ranking. I’ll keep working hard to live up to everyone’s support, and I hope I can bring even a little happiness to your lives.

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We would like to thank Shion Wakayama for taking the time to answer our interview questions.  We would also like to thank AVIOT for coordinating this interview. You can check out our previous interviews with Hina Youmiya and Aoi Yuki, which were also coordinated with the help of AVIOT. We also had the opportunity to review one of their products, the AVIOT TE-V1R-HOP earbuds.

Disclaimer: AVIOT arranged the interview opportunity but had no editorial input.

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