Bottom-tier voice actress wants to become a big star on VTuber.

"Well played. Next, try a different lineup. After all, in the main tournament, your opponents will definitely study your information and eliminate your signature heroes."

"Coach, coach~ So can I play Darius now?" Nutcracker, now brimming with confidence, was the first to ask.

"You still want to teach Ye a lesson with both sides? Be careful of getting flamed by his fans. Try Ornn this game. You need to practice tank heroes too."

"Huh? Ornn~ Okay, I'll listen to the coach."

Nutto Noah is nicknamed Mad Dog and Pomeranian, not only because she likes to argue with her viewers in her live stream, but also because she plays games very aggressively.

However, after playing as a tank last time and ignoring commands, which resulted in being dragged into a half-hour solo duel by Shimizu Toru, I dared not act recklessly again.

For a complete beginner like her, the pressure of soloing with Shimizu Toru felt just like that of the victims of Donk.

At first, you will indeed feel red and warm, but after being abused many times, you will start to laugh with relief.

Image: "Looks dangerous, actually is", Location: "Images/1754319113-100444248-113682188.jpg"

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Let me show you what a mountain road looks like. But even on such a dangerous road, you can encounter dozens of 100-ton trucks along the way.

The actual curves are much more terrifying than they appear on the map. Oncoming cars are completely hidden behind the mountainside; you can't see them at all unless they're coming straight at you. Accidents happen on this road every year.

Volume 1: Chapter 112 First Lead Role, Taken!

HARMONY STUDIO, Building A, Shibuya Ward.

An unusual tension permeated the air, quite unlike the usual creative atmosphere in the recording studio.

Today is the day for auditions for the main characters of the BEASTARS anime, especially the much-anticipated male protagonist—Legoshi the Big Bad Wolf.

Shimizu Toru sat in the waiting area, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the thin audition script.

The script contains only a few lines, yet it sketches an extremely complex soul, a blend of gentleness and bestiality, inferiority and power, a forbidden love for herbivores and a sense of alienation from the margins of society.

He closed his eyes, the words of Daisuke Sakazaki echoing in his mind: "This is your first chance to play a leading role, Shimizu! Give it your all!"

Competition is brutal. Shimizu glanced at Kobayashi Chikahiro sitting not far away. The other man looked calm and composed, clearly an experienced veteran.

There were also several other talented voice actors, and the invisible pressure in the air almost solidified into a tangible form.

Shimizu Toru took a deep breath, suppressing his distracting thoughts. He wasn't without his advantages—his experience as a transmigrator allowed him to grasp the core of the character earlier.

More importantly, he knew Legoshi's inner struggle, the tearing feeling of trying to find a balance between established rules and inner instincts.

"Qingshui Tousang, please prepare." The staff member's voice interrupted his thoughts.

Stepping into the soundproofed audition room, several key figures sat behind the long table—Shinichi Matsumi, the animation's chief director, and Nanami Higuchi, the series composer.

What truly startled Shimizu Toru was the presence of the original author, Itagaki Paru, sitting beside him with a curious and scrutinizing gaze. Her presence instantly amplified the significance of this audition.

"Please begin, Shimizu-san." Director Matsumi's voice was calm and even.

Toru Shimizu put on the monitoring headphones and adjusted the height of the microphone. He was to perform Legoshi's classic monologue after his first encounter with Haru, during which his inner turmoil was intense, and the scene where his repressed animalistic instincts suddenly erupted when he was questioned by Louis in the alley.

These are two extremes, and also the most concentrated manifestation of Legoshi's core contradictions.

He lowered his head slightly, and when he raised it again, his eyes had changed. He was no longer the refreshing boy on the pond, but a young gray wolf with a hint of timidity, confusion, and great bewilderment.

The voice he spoke was a carefully tuned variation of his princely tone—lower, more reserved, carrying a cautious sense of inferiority, yet strangely pure.

"Why, why is my heart beating so fast? That tiny rabbit... we just brushed past each other... this scent... is it fear? Or something else? I don't understand... this feeling... it's so unfamiliar, yet so... intense..."

He precisely blended together the confusion and self-doubt in his voice, as well as the barely suppressed yet still faintly seeping out excitement for the opposite sex and the instinctive impulses of a carnivore.

Every breath, every rhythm and intensity of her breathing, served to reflect the character's chaotic inner world at that moment. Itagaki Paru lightly touched the paper with her pen, her gaze becoming focused.

Immediately afterwards, the scene changed, and faced with Louis's condescending questioning, that suppressed humility was instantly ignited.

Shimizu Toru's voice suddenly shifted, from docile to a blazing high, carrying an offended anger and a wild roar hidden deep in his blood, full of power and a heart-wrenching sense of tearing apart:

"Shut up! Don't look at me like that! What do you think you know?! I... I'm trying my best to hold back too! This damn instinct... this damn world!!"

In the final sentence, the voice abruptly shifts from an angry roar to a deep, almost desperate, painful whisper, perfectly capturing Legoshi's struggle on the edge of reason and bestiality.

The transition between outburst and repression happens in an instant, yet it is distinct and incredibly impactful.

The audition room was silent. Director Matsumi stared intently at Shimizu Toru, as if trying to see the struggling wolf through his body.

Higuchi Nanami nodded slightly, while Itagaki Paru, the author who created Legoshi, had a bright glint in her eyes as she looked at Shimizu Toru, as if she were seeing for the first time the perfect fit between the voice and the character.

"Please try another section." Director Matsumi broke the silence and handed over a new piece of paper.

The above is Legoshi's line backstage at the drama club, when he's facing Haru. It's a line that's both about wanting to get close to her and extremely restrained, almost clumsy in its gentleness: "Be in the state that feels most appropriate to you."

This was a test of another side of the character. Shimizu Toru quickly adjusted his breathing, completely suppressing the beastly nature that had just erupted, and his voice returned to that deep, gentle, yet deeply uneasy and sincere prince-like variation.

He spoke slowly, each word as if carefully considered before being uttered, filled with clumsy tenderness and a deep-seated protectiveness.

"Um... Chun... classmate? Are you... alright? If, if there's anything I can do... please... please tell me."

This passage, without any intense conflict, clearly conveys the softest and most cherished part of Legoshi's heart—his almost devout protectiveness—through the texture and rhythm of his voice.

"Thank you for your hard work, Shimizu-san." Director Matsumi's voice remained emotionless: "Please go back and wait for further notice."

Shimizu bowed and withdrew, his back slightly damp with sweat. He knew he had given his all, and the rest was up to fate and those who could "hear" Legoshi's soul.

A few days later, ARTSVION Studio.

Toru Shimizu was discussing the upcoming auditions for "Weathering With You" with Daisuke Sakazaki when his phone suddenly vibrated on the table.

The two exchanged a glance, and Daisuke Sakazaki quickly answered the phone, his tone respectful: "Hello, this is Sakazaki. Eh? Really?! Thank you so much! Yes, yes, we will definitely cooperate fully! Okay, we'll confirm the details later!"

Daisuke Sakazaki hung up the phone, his face filled with uncontrollable excitement and elation. He looked at Toru Shimizu, his voice trembling slightly: "Shimizu! You got him! Legoshi from 'BEASTARS' is yours!!"

Even though she had a premonition, the moment she heard the news, Shimizu Toru's heart still skipped a beat, and a huge surge of heat instantly flowed through her body.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm his turbulent emotions, but the corners of his mouth had already involuntarily turned up.

Lead role! And such a significant one at that! The turning point in my voice acting career is right here!

"What did Director Matsumi say?" Shimizu Toru's voice trembled slightly, almost imperceptibly.

“He said…” Daisuke Sakazaki tried to sound professional, but his excitement was palpable: “Your audition left a very deep impression on the production committee, especially on the original author, Paru Itagaki!”

"Itagaki-sensei said you perfectly captured the tearing and contradictory feeling of Legoshi's 'fragile soul beneath a strong exterior' and 'beastly nature hidden within a gentle heart.' Your voice's versatility and emotional explosiveness are impeccable! It's exactly the voice of Legoshi she envisioned!"

The original author, Paru Itagaki, has given it her approval! This is more significant than any award, and Toru Shimizu felt a tremendous sense of accomplishment fill his chest.

Winning this role by beating out established actors like Chikahiro Kobayashi is not only proof of his talent but also the best reward for his acting skills and understanding of the character. It means that his potential as a voice actor has been seen and recognized by the industry's top figures.

"That's great!" Shimizu Toru finally couldn't hold back, his smile spreading wide. He clenched his fist tightly: "Sakazaki-san, I'll leave the follow-up arrangements to you!"

"Don't worry! I've got it covered!" Daisuke Sakazaki patted his chest confidently.

"This is your debut role as the lead, and the agency will definitely invest the maximum resources to support you! Recording schedule, character research, and getting to know your co-stars... we'll arrange everything. You just need to focus on portraying Legoshi well!"

Leaving the office, the Tokyo afternoon sun seemed particularly bright. As Shimizu Toru walked down the street, his excitement had not yet subsided.

If I can pass the audition for "Weathering With You" tomorrow, then winning the Best New Voice Actor award in my first year as a voice actor will be a sure thing!

Volume 1: Chapter 113 Makoto Shinkai's Favor

Before he could even celebrate for long, the audition for Hodaka Morishima, the male lead in "Weathering With You," was just around the corner.

Unlike the complex and torn feeling of Legoshi's restrained repression and bestial outburst in "BEASTARS", Hodaka Morishima needs a different quality.

A "Rain Man" who is lost and struggling in the urban jungle, with stubbornness and innocence, and fights against the world for love.

The audition took place in Makoto Shinkai's preferred recording studio, where the air seemed to carry the unique, moist, and slightly melancholic poetic quality characteristic of Shinkai's works.

Shimizu Toru arrived half an hour early and made final preparations in the lounge. He flipped through the audition script, which only had a few pages and contained key segments personally selected by Makoto Shinkai.

Hodaka's first arrival in Tokyo, his panting and monologue as he runs through the pouring rain; his fear and trepidation after risking his life to save Hina only to be scolded; and his desperate roar as he tries to protect Hina when facing the police.

What's needed is... the loneliness of urban drifters, the recklessness and purity of youth, and the almost obsessive courage that erupts in dire straits...

Shimizu Toru muttered to himself, his fingertips unconsciously tracing patterns on the paper. He closed his eyes, trying to immerse himself in the role of the boy who ran away from home after being beaten by his father.

A young man, repeatedly encountering setbacks in a metropolis, feels as insignificant as a raindrop yet yearns to grasp at the light.

Sakazaki Daisuke sat to the side, looking at Shimizu Toru's calm and focused profile, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

In just a few months, this newcomer, who once needed his reminders to use honorifics, has grown to the point where he can now challenge for heavyweight roles.

He whispered a reminder: "Shimizu, you know Director Shinkai's style. He pays great attention to the airiness of the voice and the natural flow of emotions. Don't try to act deliberately. Try to become that boy in the rain."

Shimizu Toru nodded. While the visuals and music in Makoto Shinkai's works are certainly stunning, sound is also an indispensable part of conveying his "world-building" emotions.

What he needed was not a collection of techniques, but a voice that could blend into the real emotions of the continuous rain and the urban light and shadow. This is perhaps why the other party did not like to use professional voice actors.

Just like many art film directors aiming for awards, they prefer to use amateurs rather than actors with formal training.

When it was Shimizu Toru's turn to enter the recording studio, unlike with "BEASTARS", the lighting in the recording studio was dimmed this time, as if simulating the atmosphere of a rainy day.

Several people were sitting behind the control panel. The middle-aged man in the center, wearing glasses and with a calm and gentle demeanor, was none other than Makoto Shinkai, the wallpaper wholesaler.

His gaze fell on Shimizu Toru through the glass, scrutinizing her with a hint of curiosity—clearly, the viral short video she co-starred in with Mamoru Miyano and her recent rise in the voice acting world had piqued his interest in this newcomer.

"Tomoko Shimizu, please begin." The voice of sound director Jin Aketagawa came through the headphones.

Shimizu Toru took a deep breath, put on his headphones, and stood in front of the microphone. He lowered his eyelids slightly, adjusted his breathing, and relaxed his body.

When he spoke, his voice was no longer the clear, youthful tone, but rather a slightly hoarse one, like a suppressed, panting breath soaked by rain:

"Tokyo...is terrifying, but...I don't want to go back."

Her voice was filled with the confusion and disarray of someone newly arrived in a big city, as well as a stubborn refusal to admit defeat.

Every breath he took carried a genuine sense of exhaustion, as if one could see his soaked shirt clinging to his back, shivering in the cold rain.

Makoto Shinkai leaned forward slightly, his fingers tapping lightly on the table. This was the kind of realism he needed—a sense of displacement and alienation for a young man from the lower rungs of society, so out of place in bustling Tokyo.

Shimizu Toru's voice accurately captured Hodaka's core emotions in the early stages.

The scene then shifts to a moment where Hina is rescued from thugs, but is scolded for shooting at people indiscriminately, and throws away the handgun she picked up from the trash can.

Unlike anime series, theatrical films are usually already completed by this point, with only voice acting remaining.

Shimizu Toru's voice changed instantly: "That's right, I found it. I thought it was a toy, so I carried it with me as a talisman."

The youthful energy of someone eager to defend themselves to the person they're attracted to, trying to salvage their image, is portrayed very well.

Makoto Shinkai's lips curved upwards almost imperceptibly; this newcomer had a keen eye for detail.

Finally, after Hina disappears, Morishima returns to the abandoned building where he first met her and saw her use her weather maiden powers, only to be stopped by Suga Keisuke, voiced by Shun Oguri, and then confronts the police with guns drawn.

"That's the way to the other side! She must be in heaven. I just need to go up the fire escape stairs! I have to save her!"

"Leave me alone! You all know nothing, pretend you know nothing. I just want to see her one more time, just one more time!"

This roar was filled with a boy's obsession, desperate love, and a fierce clash with the rules of the adult world.

The sound has a tearing quality that is very impactful, yet it is controlled to the point of not distorting, demonstrating a powerful control over the sound.

The recording studio was silent. Jin Aketagawa looked at Makoto Shinkai.

Makoto Shinkai paused for a few seconds, then slowly took off his glasses, rubbed his temples, and a gentle, satisfied smile appeared on his face.

He picked up the walkie-talkie: "Shimizu-san, for the last part... could you please say it again, in a slightly calmer tone, but with a deeper determination, 'Even if there are no more sunny days in the future, it doesn't matter. I want Hina more than blue skies'?"

This is a positive sign! Shimizu Tomo was immediately invigorated and adjusted his state of mind.

He took a deep breath, suppressing his explosive roar, lowering his voice and slowing his pace, but every word seemed to be squeezed out from the depths of his chest, carrying the weight of a rock and an undeniable firmness:

"Even if there are no more sunny days in the future, it doesn't matter. I want Hina more than blue skies!"

This time, there was less youthful impetuosity and more of a heavy awareness of bearing everything for love, which made it all the more tragic and affectionate.

Makoto Shinkai clapped his hands lightly, his smile deepening: "Thank you for your hard work, Shimizu-san. Your voice is very penetrating and genuine. Please go back and wait for further notice."

Shimizu bowed in thanks and walked out of the recording studio, his back slightly damp with sweat.

Although Makoto Shinkai did not express his opinion on the spot, he could sense that the initial scrutiny in the other person's eyes had turned into strong interest and recognition.

Back at the office, Daisuke Sakazaki immediately greeted him, eagerly asking, "How did it go? What was Director Shinkai's reaction?"

Shimizu Toru recounted the entire process in detail, especially mentioning the detail of Makoto Shinkai asking him to give an extra sentence. After listening, Sakazaki Daisuke slapped his thigh hard:

"You've got it, Shimizu! Coach Shinkai doesn't easily ask people to try again, and he even gave specific requirements, which is definitely a good sign! He's interested in your performance!"

Good things come in pairs. Just then, the audition results for "Dr. Stone" came in—he successfully landed the role of the second male lead, Krom.

The following afternoon, Daisuke Sakazaki practically burst through the door to the agency's break room, waving a fax in his hand, so excited he was incoherent: