Ueda Kana as Fukuzawa Yumi is yuriliciously uke
Am I the only one to think that Yumi’s intro lines for the OP of the fourth season of Maria-sama ga Miteru contained a hint of her kansai accent? Perhaps it’s because I’ve read Erica’s notes on the 18th MariMite novel where the author, Konno Oyuki, has Yumi say something in Kansai ben and then wonder why she did that. It’s a glorious and generous nod from the creator of the MariMite universe; Ueda Kana richly deserves such acknowledgment as she has well-and-truly made Yumi’s role her own.
I never took much notice of the voice acting credits before I watched MariMite. Sure, I admired Megumi Hayashibara for her roles as Lina Inverse, Rei Ayanami and Faye Valentine. But that was about it. Perhaps there were several factors that had already captured my full attention for the MariMite cast’s voice acting. The rich possibilities for yuri tangents and fan service. The Oneesama element. The complex and lovingly crafted characterizations. Nonetheless the series still stands out for some outstanding voice performances.
Megumi Toyoguchi is outstanding as Satou Sei, playful, angry, tender, in pain, reassuring. Hasekura Rei is probably Shizu-sama’s most masculine-female voice role. Naba-sama, on the other hand, captures Torii Eriko’s odd mix of whismical kookiness and perfectionism. Ikezawa Haruna’s Shimazu Yoshino presents little bursts of explosive impulsiveness and sheer willfulness. Shinohara Emi’s Mizuno Youko is Formidably Steady as She Goes, The Strong One - though her expressiveness in showing concern for Sei in the Forest of Thorns arc probably did a lot to boost Sei x Youko slashers. LOL
I even enjoy the performances of two voice actresses whom I’m not big fans of; Noto Mamiko’s Quiet Girl Toudou Shimako is played with the flashes of incisiveness and steel that define the character; Kugimiya Rie’s twintailed tsundere Matsudaira Touko mix of tsun and dere as well as transition to and fro either state felt layered and subtle. And it sure helps that she doesn’t resort to violence in the first instance. If at all. Ogasawara Sachiko is arguably Itou Miki’s Best Role - she’s simply inimitable with her casual elegance and haughtiness (my Favourite Role of hers is different though).
I’ve always been quite fond of the characters played by Ueda Kana, particularly when they’ve got a bit of Dirty Old Man in them, such as Yagami Hayate (vs. her harem particularly Signum or, more accurately, Signum’s boobs lol), Tohsaka Rin (vs. Saber which came through somewhat even though the anime neutered the game perspective on their um relationship), Kohaku is oh so cutely evil PLUS sleeping with her mistress Akiha is part of her job description (also the Most Oomph arc of the game).
But Fukuzawa Yumi is both my Favourite and Best Ueda Kana Role. For anyone who’s ever felt plain, uninteresting, slightly below average, Ueda’s Yumi really evokes the sympathy needed for one to empathize with a character. Which is important for the anime to work since the story’s basic structure, as Erica has put it so nicely, is about a Commoner, an Ordinary Person being thrust into the Deep End of an Extraordinary Situation with Life Changing Consequences. While some might find Yumi’s ‘much ado about nothing’ angsting about her relationship with Sachiko too melodramatic, I’m inclined to forgive her - after all, what else does a teenage girl with a huge crush but no family, financial, health problems have to focus on as the centre of her concerns?
I’ve always wondered why I’ve always held Ueda’s Yumi in the highest regard. Though I personally enjoy MariMite more than Nanoha, Fate/Stay Night, Tsukihime etc, it doesn’t fully explain why Yumi gets joint Favourite and Best Roles billing ahead of Hayate, Rin, Kohaku etc. It sort of came to me, not really like an ephiphany but a slow creeping feeling, kind of like how Yumi slowly realizes that Sachiko has just committed her to the lead role in the Yamayurikai’s school festival play. Yumi’s ‘Eeeh!?’ and sigh in response to Sachiko’s oblique, Over The Horizon attack wasn’t just the usual soeur-type subordination; it was a self-recognition of utter defeat beyond the tactical and operational, all the way up to the strategic and policy levels. And, later, she utterly falls for Sachiko’s Charm Offensive when she gets steam-rollered into switching her role’s gender (wait, was it the other way around?). Even when she talks Touko out of her Drama Club doramaz, it’s her ‘defenceless’ look that gets out her kouhai’s dere-dere. Yumi-chan is just so full of love and good-natured haplessness and the way Ueda Kana brings it out has been an utter delight.
Having said all that, my Favourite Chara in MariMite is, of course, Sei. The sky is blue, after all. LOL
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