© かわさき健・古沢優／オーイ!とんぼ製作委員会

Tonbo golf cartoon! is one of the new anime coming out in Spring 2024. At Anime Japan 2024, we sat down with main voice actors Rika Hayashi and Hiroki Tōchi to talk about their characters, their golf experiences and the positives of country life in Japan.

In her first voice role as a main character, Hayashi plays Oi! Tonbo, a young golfer from one of Japan's many small island communities. “Tonbo is a genius,” Hayashi introduces his character. “Not only about skills but also about thinking. She always keeps trying. She tries to understand her mistakes and how people around her work. She is aware of what she can and cannot do and that is how she keeps improving.”

Hiroki Tōchi Meanwhile, veteran voice actor Hiroki Tōchi takes on the role of disgraced former professional golfer Kazuyoshi Igarashi. “[Anh ấy] clumsy… he’s not really skillful—or rather, he constantly fails,” Tōchi says about the core of his character. However, as the story continues, Igarashi matures through his relationship with Tonbo. This culminates in Tōchi's favorite moment: When Igarashi voices his feelings about their mentor/mentee relationship. “It's worth noting that Igarashi has never done that before but he clearly expressed his feelings towards Tonbo. It's a really lovely scene where you can feel the bond between them. As an adult myself, I see it as a wonderful moment.”

It's Tonbo! is an anime centered around golf, it's nice to know that both voice actors have spent at least some time playing the sport. Hayashi had little experience playing golf before being cast in the role. “When I was in elementary school, I only swung a golf club a few times, but I never played golf again,” she begins. “From [sản xuất] Tonbo! started, I was going to the practice range—trying to hit the ball and figure out how to make it fly. I tried to imitate what Tonbo did and gradually understood the joy and excitement she felt when trying new things and achieving them. It can be similar to the joy Tonbo feels when he overcomes challenges and succeeds, even when things don't go well at first.”

Tōchi, on the other hand, has more history with golf. “When I was about 16, in my first year of high school, my dad liked to play golf, so I would go out with him sometimes,” he explains. “Because I've played before, I understand the stress of 'I'm going to make this putt'—the pressure that comes from knowing that making this putt will change my score from 40 to 39. I understand Tonbo and Igarashi's mentality came from when they were playing golf.”

Interestingly, golf—or rather its English term—is an obstacle that both Tōchi and Hayashi must overcome. “When it comes to golf, there are a lot of technical aspects, which can be quite difficult [để nói]. Sometimes, I have to say three pages of the script in a row. That was difficult.” Tōchi continued, “I'm familiar with terms like '3-iron' mentioned—or words like 'against' (for headwind) and 'follow' (for tailwind)—but the tone of these words can be difficult, as in 'fairway.'” Hayashi agreed, “I couldn't say it at first!”

Rika HayashiHowever, while golf is the focus of Tonbo!, its context is also extremely important. The story begins in the rural Tokara Islands — a chain of small islands off the southern coast of Japan with a total population in the mid-hundreds. Although neither Tōchi nor Hayashi had ever visited the islands, Hayashi himself came from a rural background and easily identified with the islanders' close-knit community: “As a child, I often forgot house key before going to school. Since my parents were both at work, I couldn't go in the house until they got back. However, because I live in rural Wakayama, neighbors passing by will see me and ask, ‘Do you want to come by?’ We all know each other and are very nice.”

Although he did not grow up in the countryside, Tōchi noted that as a child he had a much greater sense of community, which mirrors what is shown in Tonbo! “I currently live in an apartment building and we have neighbors who don't even say hello to each other. When I was a child, it was normal to borrow things like soy sauce from neighbors if you ran out of money. It seems that such habits are still common in the Tokara Islands,” Tōchi explained. “While some people yearn for Tokyo, people living on the Tokara Islands naturally display warmth and kindness. Even though they are not related by blood, everyone in the community supports each other. It's like a big family. I envy such a community.”

When thinking about the fact that Tonbo! will be watched by anime fans around the world, Hayashi said. “I feel excited and a little nervous thinking about how people from different places will watch the anime and what they will think about it. This is a fun show with charm from everyone involved, so I hope everyone enjoys watching it.”

Tōchi also added his thoughts on the matter. “Golf is a sport known around the world, so the storyline [của Tonbo!] very easy for you to participate and enjoy. There are many different genres of anime, but this one has a classic Japanese atmosphere. The characters are also really charming. You can learn about resilience, kindness, and what it means to be strong from them. I hope that children and adults alike can appreciate its beauty! I hope many people like this series!”

Tonbo! currently streaming on Amazon Prime and YouTube in the US.