- Event Video to be Available on YouTube for a Limited Time from Saturday, June 13 to Sunday, July 12 - Report on the hugely successful public recording by popular voice actors Miina Tominaga, Tomokazu Seki,and Atsumi Tanezaki
TOKYO, June 17, 2026 - (JCN Newswire) - Anime Tokyo Station, an exhibition center for Japanese anime operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Association of Japanese Animations, has welcomed many visitors from Japan and overseas as a facility that promotes the appeal of Japanese anime to the world under the motto, “Making ANIME more interesting, Bringing ANIME far into the future.”
From the left: Yuichi Kimura, Miina Tominaga, Tomokazu Seki, Atsumi Tanezaki, and Noriko Namiki
On Monday, June 1, the official Anime Tokyo Station YouTube channel hosted the public recording event “Anime Tokyo Station Early Summer Festival.” A total of 52 visitors selected by lottery attended the event.
The event was held in two parts, with Miina Tominaga serving as the host. When guest Tomokazu Seki made an appearance after being introduced by Tominaga, the audience welcomed him with thunderous applause. Seki said in surprise, “Amazing! It feels like there are 1,000 people here.”
In the first part, the participants conversed while using “Anime TAIZEN,” a comprehensive database of Japanese anime at Anime Tokyo Station, to search for works in which Seki has appeared. When “PSYCHO-PASS” was brought up, Seki, who played the protagonist Shinya Kogami in the series, performed some of his lines on the spot. As he read out, “We have our own way of doing things” and “But the one who bears that responsibility is you, the Inspector,” a huge round of applause erupted from the audience. Tominaga commented about Seki, “I’ve always thought he has this ability to completely erase his own presence. Watching as a viewer, it’s almost as if the role takes over... and he appears in so many works. Even on stage, he seems to take the main role and maintain it until the very moment he’s left the stage.” Surprised but delighted, Seki responded, “It makes me incredibly happy to hear someone I respect so much, Miina, say that about me.” Tominaga replied with humor, “So that’s how I should respond when being complimented. I’m learning so much.” Seki playfully answered, “Come on, I mean it.” Their perfectly timed exchange drew laughter from the audience.
The two also discussed how, in recent years, they have appeared in more works that continue over many years, such as Seki’s role as Panda in “Jujutsu Kaisen.” Tominaga brought up the difficulty of working on a single series over a long period of time, noting that as voice actors grow and change, it can become difficult to maintain the same voice and energy in their performances. Seki agreed, saying, “Yes, that really is true.” He continued, “For my role as Sanemi Shinazugawa in “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba,” there is a long gap between the first recording and the next time the character appears, so it’s difficult to keep that same feeling going until the next recording.” Tominaga nodded, saying, “I understand that as someone in the same profession. Sometimes it feels like I’m imitating my past self.” The two shared valuable stories spanning past and present, along with perfectly timed banter, creating a one-of-a-kind exchange that drew loud applause and laughter from the audience multiple times and generated excitement from start to finish.
Next, the conversation turned to what inspired Seki to pursue voice acting. When the answer board he had filled out in advance was revealed, it featured hand-drawn illustrations by Seki of “Devilman” and “Mazinger Z.” “You’re so good!” Tominaga exclaimed, impressed by the wonderful drawings. She then said, “I met Go Nagai at a fan meeting held at Anime Tokyo Station.” Seki replied, “When I was in fourth grade, I had the chance to visit Mr. Nagai’s home.” When he shared the surprising story that he had even had a sword fight with Nagai on the rooftop, the venue stirred with excitement. Seki also spoke about how he was a fan of the radio program “Animetopia” at the time. “When I called the radio station, they told me to come over, and I was able to meet Mayumi Tanaka and Saeko Shimazu. Fourth grade was a turning point for me,” he recalled, sharing another valuable story. “Adults back then were really open-hearted. Please come visit us too,” Seki said with a smile, drawing enthusiastic applause from the audience.
The event then moved into “Quick Anime Quiz,” the final segment of the first part, in which quiz questions are instantly presented based on an anime title chosen on the spot. An audience member who was selected chose “PSYCHO-PASS” and took on the quiz, getting all answers correct. Tominaga and Seki exclaimed “Amazing!” in applause, and the participant received a commemorative gift from Anime Tokyo Station. Taking on the quiz, Seki chose “Getter Robo” as his anime title. Questions such as “What is the name of the genius scientist who created Getter Robo?” were presented, and Seki answered each one immediately, achieving a perfect score. “I’m glad I was able to answer correctly.” he said with a relieved expression.
The audience responded with loud applause and laughter over and over as the two shared rare stories and perfectly timed banter that only veteran voice actors behind some of Japan’s most beloved anime could offer. The venue was filled with excitement from start to finish.
For the dramatic reading in the second part, another guest, Atsumi Tanezaki, made an appearance. The three performers delivered a live performance of “Kiri no Nakade (In the Fog),” the fourth installment of the “Arashi No Yoru Ni (One Stormy Night)” dramatic reading series, which has become a familiar part of Anime Tokyo Station events. Tominaga explained that Tanezaki’s appearance came about after the two had appeared together on a program in the past, when Tominaga reached out to Tanezaki and Tanezaki watched a stream of the previous dramatic reading.
The three delivered a vivid live performance, bringing each scene to life. Seki in particular played all three wolf roles—Gabu, Barry, and Giro—by himself, making each character distinct. In addition to the live percussion, original background music, and sound effects used in previous performances, the fourth dramatic reading also featured a live flute performance for the first time, making the audience feel as though they had stepped into the world of the story. The entire audience gathered at the venue listened quietly to this rare dramatic reading, and after it ended, the stage was filled with applause that would not stop.
Following the dramatic reading, Yuichi Kimura, author of the “Arashi No Yoru Ni (One Stormy Night)” series, appeared. He shared his thoughts: “It was wonderful. There were so many characters, but the way you used different voices for each one was incredible. I felt that when voice actors perform the words I wrote, they come to life in such an amazing way.” Tanezaki, who played Mei the goat, received a warm comment from Kimura, who smiled and said, “You were adorable.” “I’m honored...” she replied, looking relieved.
Reflecting on the event, Seki commented, “I felt that Anime Tokyo Station is a truly wonderful place for learning about the history of anime and discovering its future. Seeing that wonderful events like this are being held here has made me feel a strong desire to become more actively involved.” Tanezaki also commented, “I was very nervous to perform a reading with such senior voice actors in front of the original author, but it was such a fun experience. I’m honored to have had the opportunity to appear in an event like this.”
Footage of this lively event will be made available on the official Anime Tokyo Station YouTube channel for a limited time of approximately one month, from Saturday, June 13 to Sunday, July 12.
Please take this opportunity to enjoy Anime Tokyo Station content, either at the facility or on YouTube.
Overview of the Anime Tokyo Station Early Summer Festival Video
Available on the Anime Tokyo Station official YouTube channel for a limited time only Period: Saturday, June 13, 2026 to Sunday, July 12, 2026 (11:59 p.m.) YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSJOjGJE5Yiqw3PZ97AVdJw (In Japanese)
Venue Overview
Name:
Anime Tokyo Station (also known as "Anime Tokyo")
Location:
Floors B1 to 2F of Tokyu East 5 (2-25-5 Minami-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo) *4 minutes on foot from Ikebukuro Station
Hours:
11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (last admission: 6:45 p.m. / Special exhibitions close: 6:30 p.m.)
Closed:
Mondays *If Monday falls on a holiday, the venue will be open on Monday and closed on the following day New Year's holiday period May be closed on other days Please check the venue website before coming.
Inquiries regarding this press release Public Relations Office of "Anime Tokyo Station" (Kyodo PR) Contact person: Miri Yasuda E-mail: animetokyo-pr@kyodo-pr.co.jp
