We had the fantastic privilege of meeting and speaking with Shuka Saito, a Japanese voice actress and singer who visited the Philippines for her performance at the Japanese Anime Music concert.
Amidst the exciting programs and activities at Cosplay Carnival 2025, she shared with us her passion for singing and voice acting, the secret behind her energetic personality, and what she looks forward to in her future in music.
Parts of this interview have been lightly edited for clarity.
Passion for Singing and Voice Acting
Shuka-san, or Shukashuu as most fans fondly call her, is most popularly known as the voice of You Watanabe in Love Live! Sunshine!! (2016) and an idol in the unit Aqours of the same franchise. She made her solo debut in 2019 and has released multiple songs, including the theme song for the anime series Oresuki.
As a talented singer and voice actress, it was very heartwarming to see up close how enthusiastic Shuka-san was for her passion. When asked about what she loved the most, she replied that it was all about creative expression.
“My favorite part of [being] a voice actress and singer is expressing. The expression through my songs and through the feelings of the characters I portray.”
That said, performing isn’t an easy feat. Shuka-san added that she gets nervous before her performances, and the work requires a lot of energy. She gets by making sure to take care of her health with vitamins and supplements, as well as indulging in delicious Japanese curry rice to bring out her energy.
Lastly, if her pre-show nerves don’t go away even after all her energizing routines, she says a prayer and asks for a successful performance.
Shuka-san also let us in on a secret. Although her fans may think her image is that of a bundle of energy to energize everyone, it’s actually the opposite; sometimes, she just wants to lie down and laze around a lot. She gestured a sleeping pose, which I could not have related more to, and we all laughed about it together.
Shuka Saito’s First Time in the Philippines
The presence of our favorite singers and voice actresses coming to the Philippines is a life-long wish that a lot of us anime and music fans share. That’s why it feels like a dream come true for us to be graced with Shuka-san’s visit to the islands of the Philippines. When asked about her thoughts on this, she shared with us the moment she received the news.
“I was very surprised when I got the invitation personally. When I found out that my Filipino fans wanted me to go to the Philippines, I was very happy. This is my dream, and it made me realize how happy I was about it.“
She also added about her sightseeing as soon as she arrived in Manila. “I just got here yesterday, and I got to go around a bit. I saw a lot of things! I even thought of wanting to live here.”
In case you missed it, Shuka-san also blogged on her Instagram and X (Twitter) about her visit to Jollibee, sightseeing, and her concert performance. She also shared about how she wants to return soon and maybe visit Cebu.
Solo Music Career, Message, and Dreams for the Future
Next, we were curious about her thoughts on her solo career and if it has changed something about her overall as a performer. Shuka-san explained that in her five years as a solo performing artist, she’s realized just how much she loves doing it.
“I found out that I wanted to sing [some more], express my Japanese songs and bring it to the whole world… My dream is to sing, perform, and convey my songs to every part of the world.”
As the exclusive media interview came to a close, the last question that was asked of Shuka-san was if she had a special message she wanted to share to her Filipino fans. Her cheerful aura and bright smile were enough to show her excitement:
“I’ll be performing after this, which is my first time [here in the Philippines]. I’m very happy about it, and I hope that everyone will have plenty of energy when I perform. Hopefully, from now on, I will be able to perform [some more] in the Philippines!”
We’d like to thank Shuka Saito-san for coming to the Philippines and for taking the time to speak to us! Follow her on her Instagram, X (Twitter), YouTube, and her official website.
Thank you as well to Cosplay.ph for having us at Cosplay Carnival 2025. Visit the Cosplay Mania Facebook page and X (Twitter) for more updates on their future anime and cosplay events.
Interview Assistance: Ken Pueyo
Photos via Cosplay.ph
Disclaimer: Anime Corner is a media partner for Cosplay Carnival 2025
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