Megumi Hayashibara Will Release a Book About Her Characters

Prominent Japanese voice actress Megumi Hayashibara will release a book in which she writes about what she learned from every character she has voiced throughout her career. The book will be titled Zenbu Chara kara Osowatta – Ima wo Ikinuku Chikara, which can be translated to “Everything I Learned from Characters – The Power to Live Through the Present.” [Thanks, Ryokutya2089!]

Zenbu Chara kara Osowatta – Ima wo Ikinuku Chikara will be 264 pages long and A5 size. In the fully-colored book, Hayashibara will discuss not only about her memories of performing roles in each title, but will also turn them into messages to support people who are living in the current era.

The book will also contain illustrations and commentaries from mangaka artists and character designers from anime shows in which Hayashibara had a character role:

• Eiichiro Oda, the creator of One Piece, where she voiced Rebecca and Honey Queen.
• Rumiko Takahashi, the creator of Ranma 1/2, where she voiced the female version of Ranma Saotome.
• Yuzo Takada, the creator of 3×3 Eyes, where she voiced Pai.
• Masakazu Katsura, the creator of D・N・A², where she voiced Tomoko Saeki.
• Yoshiyuki Sadamoto, the character designer for the Evangelion series, where she voiced Rei Ayanami.
• Gosho Aoyama, the creator of Case Closed (Detective Conan), where she voiced Shiho Miyano and Ai Haibara.
• Moyoco Anno, the creator of Kantoku Fuyuki Todoki. In the 2014 anime adaptation, Hayashibara voiced the character modeled after Moyoco Anno herself.
• Kazuhiro Fujita, the creator of Karakuri Circus, where she voiced Shirogane (Eleonore) and Angelina Saiga.

Born in 1967, Megumi Hayashibara made her debut as a voice actress in 1986 by voicing minor characters in Maison Ikkoku. She received her first major roles in 1988 as Todomatsu, the youngest of the six Matsuno brothers in Osomatsu-kun, and Himiko Shinobibe, the heroine of Mashin Hero Wataru. Hayashibara is also known for voicing Christina Mackenzie in Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket, Anna Kyoyama in Shaman King, and Musashi (Jessie) in Pokemon.

Zenbu Chara kara Osowatta – Ima wo Ikinuku Chikara will be released in Japan in February 2021. It will be available for 1,800 yen.