Anna Nagase Reveals Pressure and Behind-the-Scenes Stories of Starring in Spring Anime 'Akane-banashi'! Keisuke Kuwata's OP Theme Song Realized by Staff's 'Love Letter'!? Studio Amazed by Too Luxurious Behind-the-Scenes Talk on 'SHIBUYA ANIME BASE' #81

New future TV 'ABEMA' broadcast 'SHIBUYA ANIME BASE (#ShibuAni)' #81 live on 'ABEMA Anime Channel' from 9 PM to 10 PM on Friday, April 3, 2026, and began free on-demand streaming after the broadcast. This time, the broadcast was from a new studio, welcoming the currently noteworthy young voice actress Anna Nagase as a special guest, delivering plenty of content including information on new spring anime and segments delving into the guest's true personality.

At the beginning of the program, Anna Nagase, as the first guest in the new studio, made a cute appearance, saying, 'I was so happy I skipped here!' To Nagase, who is currently 21 years old and has 6 years of voice acting experience, fellow voice actor Shugo Nakamura, who has co-starred with her, gave high praise, saying, 'She can deliver raw performances. I respect her.' Nagase also spoke about her anime history, stating, 'When I was little, I liked foreign anime like on Cartoon Network,' while confessing that she recently got hooked on Chie Shinohara's 'Umi no Yami, Tsuki no Kage.' Despite it being a work from a completely different generation than her own, she passionately spoke about her niche anime love, saying, 'Toshihiko Seki, who plays the senior role, is cool,' surprising MC Yuki Iwai of Haraiichi.

Next, the program featured a special on 'Akane-banashi,' a highly anticipated spring anime that began airing the next day, April 4. Nagase, who plays the protagonist rakugo performer Akane Osaki, spoke of her joy when her casting was decided, but also confessed the immense pressure she felt, saying, 'At the audition, I was told that 'rakugo is absolutely essential' and 'you must attend every practice,' and I wondered if I could really do it.' It was revealed that during recording, an impromptu 'koza' (rakugo stage) was set up, and she recorded the rakugo scenes sitting in 'seiza' (formal kneeling position) on a cushion, showing extraordinary dedication. Furthermore, a questionnaire from Kikuhiko Hayashiya, the rakugo supervisor for this work, was introduced, with him highly praising, 'Recently, when she stands in front of the microphone, she becomes a dignified 'Akane'.' On the other hand, when the supervisor mentioned, 'I tend to get a bit sadistic with my instructions,' Nagase revealed her competitive side, saying, 'When I hear that, I get fired up and think, 'I'll do it!''