Tag Archives: yoshiko nakayama

[Anime Central 2025] The Anne Shirley Interview ft. Inoue Honoka and Nakayama Yoshiko

Posted on by

Nakayama Yoshiko is the producer of the anime Anne Shirley, based on the Anne of Green Gables novels, and Inoue Honoka is the voice of the titular heroine. This interview was also conducted after I had already attended the Anne Shirley panel at Anime Central 2025.

Hello, thank you for coming to this interview. I really enjoy Anne Shirley; I’m a fan of Anne of Green Gables as well, so I was happy to see this new anime being created, as well as Ms. Inoue’s portrayal of Anne. 

Inoue: Thank you!

Between the beloved 1979 anime and the general popularity of Anne of Green Gables in Japan, as well as the numerous adaptations around the world, was it intimidating to create a new Anne anime? How did you overcome this pressure?

Nakayama: I was a fan of the original novel, and I think this applies to everyone who loves Anne of Green Gables, but I think Anne exists in all of us. As for me, I saw the story a little differently, and that’s exactly why I wanted to make this anime. 

So that’s why I wanted to start this project. I’m aware of Director Takahata’s anime from 1979 but I haven’t seen it myself. When the project was greenlit, I was excited. However, the rest of the production staff was probably a little nervous.

For Nakayama: I believe female anime directors are relatively rare, and female producers even moreso. Do you have any advice for other women who might aspire to do the same thing?

This is my first time as the main producer for the project. As for advice, you need a lot of stamina, a lot of love for the project, and have a strong heart, and to not give up.

My next question is directed towards Inoue-san. I actually interviewed your mother, Inoue Kikuko, back in 2019. Getting to interview you now is amazing, just because I’ve gotten to talk to both mother and daughter over the years. Back then, she told me that she practiced with you at home. Is there any advice that you really took to heart from your mother?

Inoue: I’m honored to meet you as well—thank you very much! My mother always tells me to give it your all. It’s been a while since I debuted, so we haven’t practiced for a while, but with Anne Shirley, it’s different. My mother is a very big fan of Muraoka Hanako-sensei’s translation of Anne of Green Gables, so every episode, she asks if she can watch it with me. I think the Anne Shirley–esque qualities in my mother might be an influence on my performance.

Inoue-san, Anne is such an expressive, talkative character, that playing her must be a real feat. Is there anything you try to keep in mind as you voice Anne Shirley? 

Inoue: I don’t particularly keep anything in mind, and I don’t really have a specific way I go about a role, but I do think a lot about how I want to express Anne’s lines when I perform her role.

This next question is to both: What messages do you think Anne Shirley the show carries for a new generation discovering Anne of Green Gables for the first time?

Inoue: I think the message is to not lose things like your imagination and your hope, and to continue living as yourself. Also, within our daily lives, there’s just beauty everywhere and it all has meaning, and I think that’s what Anne is trying to tell us.

Nakayama: I have a similar answer, but I think if you approach things with imagination and courage, you can make it through even when times get tough or you feel trapped, and you might even change life for the better. That’s what I want to convey through this work.

Those are all my questions. Thank you very much!

[Anime Central 2025] The Anne Shirley Panel

Posted on by

One pleasant surprise from Anime Central 2025 was the presence of the new Anne of Green Gables adaptation, Anne Shirley. The convention had two staff members as guests of honor: Producer Nakayama Yoshiko, as well as the voice of Anne, Inoue Honoka. Inoue is actually the daughter of veteran voice actor Inoue Kikuko (Belldandy, Aina Sahalin, various mom characters throughout the years).

Both guests did commentary over a screening of the first episode, providing a lot of insight into the production process. These are my notes from their Anne Shirley panel, but I will also be posting my interview with Nakayama and Inoue in the next few days as well!

  • They actually had the full animation done for the recording, a rarity. Inoue couldn’t stop being absorbed by the beauty of the animation.
  • She did the fish-eye lens scenes over and over. 
  • Marilla’s voice actor has pretty much no anime experience before this, and is actually primarily a stage actor. Inoue once worked on dubbing a film with her and felt at ease.
  • Nakayama wanted to convey just how talkative Anne is to both people who are familiar and unfamiliar with her character.
  • They went to a great big lake the day before just like in the show. Specifically, Lake Michigan.
  • When Anne first spots the Cuthberts’ house, the yellow color of it is meant to show how Anne sees the house in her head. 
  • For Nakayama, Anne walking into the house while crying is a really funny contrast. For Inoue, Anne going from crying to not crying all of a sudden left an impression.
  • Nakayama feels bad that Honoka has to keep up with a character like Anne who flips moods all the time.
  • Nakayama: Marilla is kind of tsundere. Matthew is strong and silent but has to go along with what Marilla says.
  • Honoka was told she could do Anne’s gestures while she was recording (like covering her face), which is unusual.
  • Nakayama: Anne’s personality and maturity for her age means she doesn’t try to make fun of anyone even if they are being hard on her. 
    • Honoka: “I couldn’t do that.”
    • Nakayama: “Same.”

The screening was followed by a Q&A, which continued the look into their process.

  • The biggest challenge was finding a studio to actually do the show; the trends right now are isekai, action, and otaku-oriented works. The 1979 version also looms large and studios thought it would be difficult.
  • Inoue watched the old anime as a kid, and in middle school she learned about Lucy Maud Montgomery. That made her really want to land the role. She thought it was as unlikely as winning the lottery.
  • While Nakayama and the staff had to cut a few scenes due to time and money, the basic story remains unchanged. There is one thing she technically changed: adding a stoat. 
  • Inoue prepared for the role by rewatching the 1979 anime. She also read the Japanese translation of the original books by Muraoka Hanako (apparently a very famous and beloved translation), and even reread it again after landing the role.
  • For Anne, Matthew, and Marilla (but not Gilbert), Nakayama had a clear idea of how she wanted them to sound, and Inoue was in top 3 for Anne.
  • At the audition, Nakayama pushed for Inoue. There was someone else who was in the top running but she can’t remember who it was, and another who would have been too busy.
  • A lot of the cast members are similar in age, and they go out for food after recordings, to get Korean food and such.
  • In June 2023, they all went to Prince Edward Island (where Anne takes place). The art director’s suitcase got a large crack, but nothing was stolen.
  • As a kid, Honoka didn’t name everything like Anne does, but she could feel the life force from nature, and thinks Anne is similar. 
  • Some Japanese fans took issue with the color of Anne’s clothing and such, but they have experts who look at this stuff, and they hope the fans understand that not everything can be as they want. 
  • One of the hardest things for Inoue was having to match the lip flaps, but it was fun actually getting to see Anne’s expressions. It’s like she really is in Green Gables.

Afterwards, everyone attending the panel got a piece of promotional art autographed by both Nakayama and Inoue. I noticed how above and beyond Inoue seemed to go to appeal to her fans, and I think she’s going to be a very beloved performer in the years to come.