Sore ga Seiyuu Episode 6: Music Video Filming

My heart broke. My heart broke into a million pieces.

The title says Music Video Filming, but really that was hardly the main thing the episode focused on. Poor Futaba…please give this girl a break, I can’t take seeing her upset and worried all the time. Why you gotta do her like this?

Okay yes some of it was dedicated to music video filming, and their song. Their song which we heard in the ending, which I thought was cute but nothing that made me get up and dance to. Earphones got the date for their song release, they made dates for choreography lessons, they practiced singing, they filmed the music video, and so on. Futaba was absolutely awful when it came to dancing so the girls decided that they should practice together on their free time, since Futaba is a terrible dancer and they really need to get the choreography down by the time the music video shoot arrived. Like I said, all of this wasn’t really the main dish of this episode. Just like last week, we take another look into one of the Earphones girls, and this time it’s Futaba.

Futaba…Futaba…Futabaaaa. When will she catch a break, honestly? Pumping herself up for the Earphones song, Futaba reminisces about a time a year before, back when she was a super newbie voice actress, and how she was in a drama CD, SPIRAL CAFE. Futaba played the little sister of the main girl of the story who was played by Rie Kugimiya.

Another extremely big name VA aka the Tsundere Queen. A tsundere? You name it, she’s done the voice for them. Of the roles I know of that she plays and that I’ve heard her as, my favorite would be Kagura from Gintama. Kagura is a cutie.

Futaba had fun in that job as the little sister, Uma. She was also able to meet Rie Kugimiya, so that was quite the experience for her. When walking past a store, she sees a poster that SPIRAL CAFE will be getting an anime adaptation. Excited by the news, knowing that she’ll reprise her role as Uma, Futaba buys volumes of the manga to read at home. She’s completely ecstatic and was in such a good mood for days, even though she never got any calls or news about her to get ready to record for the show. She patiently waited and even asked Konno if there was any work or news for her, but even so she waited. It wasn’t until their radio show that they announced their song debut that Futaba learned why she never got any news.

Rin got the role of Uma. The director thought it would be a good idea for her to make the announcement on their show, so she announced right in front of Futaba (without knowing of course) that she would play the role of Uma in the SPIRAL CAFE anime. And right there was when Futaba’s world and my heart shattered. Basically everyone else in the cast from the drama CD for the anime remained the same except for Futaba’s character being replaced by Rin. Checking out the series deeper on the internet, Rin then found out that Futaba had voiced the character in the drama. She’s devastated as well. Futaba didn’t show up for their morning dance practice and instead went to her agency, waiting in line like all the other VAs waiting for a job, wondering just why she didn’t get to reprise her role. Was it that she was bad? Is it because she isn’t popular? We never really get a reason why Futaba didn’t get the role, though later when Futaba listened to the drama again she admitted that she was really bad, so that was probably why. Also, just like her senpai told her when she went to comfort her, it also could have been budget issues or a change in production. Whatever it was, this is something she can learn from.

Getting advice and comfort from her senpai, she admits to Rin that she’s hurt, jealous, and frustrated that she didn’t get to play Uma again, but she was looking forward to Rin’s version. She remained professional and went on in her life, even though she was still hurting. But luckily this ordeal didn’t damage her relationship with Rin, because really, it wasn’t her fault at all. The voice acting business is a tough world, and you need to be prepared to be rejected and replaced. Re-casting happens for whatever reason, and if that happens to you, you need to hold your head up high and move on ahead. I’m glad Futaba also didn’t dwell in self-loathing and jealousy, I don’t like seeing her sad. ;___;