Interview: Yusuke Kobayashi (Voice of Subaru Natsuki) and Konomi Suzuki (OP Artist) on Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-

Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- has been very successful in our Spring and Summer anime awards, and for good reason. Since its beginning, the anime has been unique amongst large numbers of isekai anime. Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- follows Subaru Natsuki, a shut-in who is transported to a fantasy world. While there, he discovers he has a unique ability to return to earlier points in time upon dying, an ability he names Return by Death. While using his ability, Subaru learns more about the world he’s been transported to, develops relationships with a variety of characters like half-elf Emilia, and slowly becomes involved in taking down the antagonist Sin Archbishops.

During this year’s Anime NYC, we sat down with Yusuke Kobayashi, the Japanese voice of Subaru Natsuki, and Konomi Suzuki, the OP Artist for seasons 1-4 of the series. We asked them about their inspirations, their performances, and how they inspire one another.

Portions of this interview have been lightly edited for clarity. This interview was conducted with the assistance of an interpreter.

Q: My first question is for Kobayashi-san. You’ve experienced countless loops of Subaru’s existence, constant resets, and various timelines, which reset do you personally feel has been the most impactful, and which required the most active adjustments for your voice acting?

Kobayashi-san: So it’s really hard — that’s a really hard question, to pick which Return by Death, but if I had to choose, Episode 7 sticks in my memory because that’s when Subaru jumped off the cliff by himself. Why it stood out was because up until that point he — death was controlling him. But that was when he decided to take death into his own hands and use it for his own advantage in a positive way.

Q: The next question is for Suzuki-san. You’ve spoken in the past about putting 50% of your feelings and 50% of Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-‘s worldview into some songs. As your music has continued to be used for Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- openings, and as the anime itself has evolved, has that balance shifted?

Suzuki-san: So yes, at first I really wanted to put myself into the songs, but of course Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- as well, so it was really 50/50, but now I think it’s more 100% and 100% for both myself and Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- in my songs. As my career kept going and I worked with my team more and more, I think I was able to link 100% and 100% very naturally together and make them work together.

Q: Kobayashi-san, in Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- Season 4, Subaru is afflicted with amnesia, leading to him acting differently than the Subaru who has the memories of his time in this new world. Given that you essentially had to play an entirely new version of a familiar character, what was your approach, and how did you decide what elements to keep the same and which elements to change?

Kobayashi-san: I wouldn’t say that I was really playing a different version of Subaru, it was more I basically went back to when he first came to the isekai. And I wouldn’t say it’s hard. Because Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- has had a lot of collabs and I’ve had to act out that Subaru more than once, so I didn’t find it very hard. The one thing that is different obviously, everyone around him doesn’t realize that he’s lost his memories, and they’re still acting the same way towards him, and Subaru can’t really deal with this very well. He’s not understanding what’s going on, so instead of feeling bad about the situation — his friends not understanding what’s going on — he honestly feels a little awkward and like it doesn’t sit right with him. In Season 4 there’s a new form of returning. Basically there are more ways that he can be in pain and more ways of him dying over and over.

We’re all looking forward to it (all laugh).

Q: This next question is for both of you. Have you read ahead of where the anime is in the original source material to inform your performance?

Kobayashi-san: I personally make sure that I do not read it. I mean, because Subaru doesn’t know what’s going to happen. So I want his reaction to feel very real and also very new. That’s why I purposely do not read ahead. I don’t read ahead in the original story but during the dubbing sessions we get our scripts, right? For that I do read ahead and I do read the whole script. Because there are times when scenes are cut and I want to leave those scenes in my head when I’m acting either way. But otherwise no I don’t read ahead.

Suzuki-san: I personally also don’t read that far ahead, but when I’m asked to do a song for Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- again, I always at least watch and read, or probably just watch to that point so I can get a better feel for my song. When I have read the book it’s obviously very heartbreaking. I would talk to my team about how a scene was really really rough and graphic or another one was very heartfelt. We’ll work together and collaborate to uh put all those feelings together into the song.

Q: Kobayashi-san, over the course of the last several seasons, Subaru has become a much more strategically formidable character, even outside of his death loops. How have you incorporated the confidence and growth he’s experienced, especially since the start of Season 3?

Kobayashi-san: Between Season 2 and Season 3 there’s a one year period. He very much trained very hard and worked hard to better whatever he was lacking. So I wanted to make sure that confidence shown through. If you ask me if there’s anything specific, there really wasn’t. But I feel his lines — the dialogue itself — shows his confidence and growth. I believe the confidence and growth came out very naturally, like magic.

Q: Suzuki-san, when thinking about character’s perspective to incorporate into your singing, what characters other than Subaru are most on your mind?

Suzuki-san: In the very beginning I embodied Subaru very much, but throughout the series going on, seeing everyone else fight and go through hardships themselves, I believe that I started incorporating all of their feelings into my songs. Especially in this particular season, I think one that stands out is Ram’s bravery. And the lines themselves also show the growth and confidence but I believe that everyone from Season 1, not just Subaru, has grown very much. I try to keep all that in mind when I work on my songs.

Q: Both of you have opportunities to hear the work of the other. Kobayashi-san, has the energy or color of the series’ openings influenced your voice acting? And Suzuki-san, has the evolution of the voice acting influenced your singing?

Kobayashi-san: When I hear Konomi-san’s songs, it’s basically when it starts playing in the anime and I’ve already recorded a lot of episodes by the time it airs. So I wouldn’t say it really affects my acting. But listening to the songs, I can feel that she puts Subaru first and so I do get energy, hope, and positivity from that and I try to become more positive. I mean, I have to as Subaru. In the most recent season, there’s more of Rem [in the song] — not Emilia’s very kind and sweet encouraging of Subaru, Rem being very rude and very forward, [telling him to] just shape up. She’s not very nice but she means well. If I had to choose I sort of feel like Suzuki-san and I are sort of rivals in a good way.

Suzuki-san: My situation is pretty similar. When I make a song for [a] particular season, I start a year before, so I don’t technically get to hear their lines for that season. I don’t think there’s a direct connection, really. But I do know in my heart that all the voice actors are working their hardest, [and] knowing that gives me a lot of energy. Recently, I was invited to a dubbing session, so I got to hear the voice actors perform and see it live for the first time. It was very impactful to me and my heart. “Recollect” is also a collaboration. Basically, when I work with someone amazing, there are some frustrations on my end because I want to do better. There are times that I’m so frustrated that I end up crying. But I just keep in mind that everyone is fighting, so I have to fight in the world of singing as well.

Q: Do you have a character you hope gets more attention in the future of Season 4?

Kobayashi-san: I would like people to pay attention to Shaula. To expand on Shaula, right now we don’t know in the story for the anime we don’t know who she really is. We just know that she’s very cheerful and happy and has an amazing body. And I think that everyone will love her. I’m very curious to see what people think of her by the end of season 4.

Suzuki-san: So personally I love Beatrice. I would love to see more of her. Every time I suffer heartbreak from this series, I would like one Beatrice to make up for it. Also, I’m starting to miss Otto quite a bit because we haven’t seen him at all pretty much this season. And personally I’m also very curious about Shaula. There’s a lot that I’m looking forward to seeing.

---

We would like to thank Yusuke Kobayashi and Konomi Suzuki for taking the time to speak with us during Anime NYC and thank the folks at Crunchyroll for coordinating the interview. Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- Season 4 is available to stream on Crunchyroll.