TenSura Voice Actors: Even After Four Seasons, Rimuru and Raphael Are Still Challenging
Miho Okasaki and Megumi Toyoguchi, who have voiced the lead roles in the anime series That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime (TenSura) for four seasons, made an important confession in their interview at Anime Expo 2026: even after four seasons, voicing the characters Rimuru Tempest and Raphael is still challenging. In their interview with Anime News Network, the duo both described their behind-the-scenes chemistry and emphasized that playing a role in a long-running series never gets easier.
One of the most interesting aspects of the series is the presence of Raphael, the inner voice that accompanies Rimuru's journey. While Okasaki brings the leadership burden beneath Rimuru's warm and friendly exterior into her voice, Toyoguchi balances the depth that Raphael, who speaks calmly but decisively, has gained over time through her acting. The actors stated that the dialogue between these two characters is actually one of the series' most important narrative tools, and therefore it requires a different kind of teamwork in every new season.
The foundation of TenSura is based on Fuse's light novel series of the same name. The series first came to life as a web novel and was adapted into an anime by 8bit studio in 2018. The first season aired in 2018-2019; the following second season was broadcast in two separate cours in 2021. While the third season aired in 2024, the fourth season was officially announced at the 10th anniversary event held in 2025.
In long-running adaptations like this, the time voice actors spend with their characters directly affects the connection fans form with the story. Voicing two intertwined characters like Rimuru and Raphael for years requires a new interpretation each season, depending on the characters' changing goals and their weight in the story. The fact that Okasaki and Toyoguchi continue to develop this interpretation is of great interest to the series' fans.
It is eagerly awaited how the fourth season's story will progress and during which broadcast period it will meet fans. The most important message left from this interview, however, is clear: the TenSura team believes that even after four seasons, Rimuru and Raphael's story is not “over” yet, and that there is much more to tell in this universe.
