The Tale of the Out-of-This-World Kaguya! team holds teach-in event

Teach-In Event Reveals Identity of Doge Voice Actor and Production Roles in Tachikawa

As the theatrical encore screening period draws to a close, Netflix-distributed original animated film The Tale of the Out-of-This-World Kaguya! brought its creative team to Tokyo’s Tachikawa on November 4 for a teach-in screening. The venue filled to capacity on a weekday for the event held in a city that fans treat as a pilgrimage site for the feature.

Animation Producer Sings Insert Song Before Unveiling Multi-Role Staff Member

Animation producer Kazuma Momohara walked onto the stage singing the insert song Reply to open the post-screening program. Momohara introduced Sarasa Shoji, a production coordinator from Studio Colorido, by telling the audience she handled numerous behind-the-scenes duties alongside voicing the character Doge.

Shoji’s official credits for the film span 2D works, motion actor collaboration, voice testing, and production management. When asked on stage if she received a separate talent fee for playing Doge, Shoji drew laughter from the room by answering that she draws a fixed salary.

Motion-Reference and Calligraphy Work Reveal Production Realities Behind the Animation

Shoji detailed her work on the film’s motion actor sequences, including a seaside scene featuring Kaguya and a swarm of crabs that distresses character Ayaha Sayaki. Having a real-life allergy to crabs made the reference acting deeply unpleasant for her, Shoji noted.

For another sequence where Ayaha lies down in her school uniform, Shoji wore a sailor outfit inside the studio office to provide accurate physical reference. Beyond physical acting, Shoji used her calligraphy background to pen props such as the challenge letter sent to Kaguya by Black Onyx.

Voice Testing Led to the Creation of Doge’s Sound Design

Shoji initially joined the studio on a path toward production management, though she mentioned an early ambition to pursue voice acting when questioned by producers. That background led to her recording scratch vocals, known locally as a voice test, to determine scene length before professional voice actors recorded their lines.

Director Shingo Yamashita heard Shoji’s test recordings and instructed her to bark for the dog character Doge. A single trial bark resulted in her casting in the role. When preparing for specific emotional beats in the sound booth, such as the opening sequence of the Kassen battle where Mami Isayama faints from Akira Tei’s wink, Shoji researched real dog vocalizations and how to convey the character’s feelings in the bark.

Virtual Reality Live Events and Special Costumes Announced for December

The virtual event features characters Kaguya, Ayaha Sayaki, and Yayoi Tsukuyomi wearing Amaterasu costumes previously seen in the ray The Tale of the Out-of-This-World Kaguya! Version music video. VRChat will host eight total performances across a one-month window, while YouTube provides immediate access to the archived stream following the initial broadcast.