Even After Four Seasons: Tensura Voice Actors Still Find Their Roles Challenging
Speaking to Anime News Network at Anime Expo, Miho Okasaki and Megumi Toyoguchi shared candid thoughts about the characters they have voiced for four seasons of That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime. Okasaki, who voices Rimuru Tempest, and Toyoguchi, who voices the wise entity Raphael within Rimuru, stated that these roles still pose a great challenge. The two also offered behind-the-scenes insights into the chemistry between their characters during the interview with Anime News Network.
The series, created by Fuse and also known as Tensura, follows Satoru Mikami's rebirth as a slime after his death and his establishment of his own nation under the name Rimuru Tempest. The work, brought to life as a light novel with illustrations by Mitz Vah, reached a wide fan base worldwide with Taiki Kawakami's manga adaptation and the anime version produced by studio 8bit in 2018. Raphael, who emerged from the evolution of the Great Sage among Rimuru's skills, stands out as one of the series' most important intellectual figures. His presence within Rimuru's mind gives rise to a strange but effective duo between the two voice actresses.
Toyoguchi is a voice acting veteran who has been associated with characters such as Winry Rockbell in Fullmetal Alchemist, Revy in Black Lagoon, and Minori Kushieda in Toradora! for years. Okasaki, on the other hand, made her breakthrough with Rimuru and has become one of the most recognizable voices in the isekai genre. The most important detail the duo shared was that even after four seasons, the characters still don't feel 'figured out.' In particular, Rimuru's growing nature—both as a human and as a leader—requires a different approach with each new episode.
Raphael's emotionless and logic-driven nature is in constant contrast with Rimuru's playful but stubborn personality. Okasaki and Toyoguchi stated that they carry this contrast into their own partnership and have captured a complementary energy. That is why Rimuru's internal dialogues remain one of the series' most beloved narrative devices.
Such statements also show why Tensura, one of the longest-running anime in the isekai genre, remains fresh. The voice actors' dedication to their roles is an important signal for the series' future projects. Fans are eagerly watching how Okasaki and Toyoguchi carry this duo as Raphael's role in the story continues to grow.
