Marriage toxins One of the most exciting shows of the current anime season, we had the opportunity to sit down with the series’ main duo, Shion Wakayama (voice of Mei Kinosaki) and Haruki Ichiya (voice of Hikaru Jirō), during the recent anime showcase.
We were lucky to spend 30 minutes with them, and I hope you enjoy some fun Q&As from our conversation.
Q: How did you both first learn about the series? What is your impression of this concept?
Wakayama: “The first time I was introduced to the series was through an audition. At first I didn’t know if the concept of a marriage quest and battle would work, but because of the amazing story structure and also the storytelling of the original writers, I was immediately drawn in as a fan.”
papers: “I personally really enjoy reading manga, so really from the beginning Marriage toxins Manga for me. Aside from the concept, though, my first thoughts about it were that it had really great art. And from the first panel of the manga it was very proportional but then it became clear that the concept was a combination of a search for marriage and a battle and I was drawn to that.
Q: The beginning of the story has a lot of action, despite the focus on finding a romantic partner. How do you think this introduction affected the way the anime progressed?
papers: “It’s very poignant for us to see this in the first episode. Because it shows that big gap between how gentle the show can sometimes be with Kinosaki and their marriage counseling and then being so serious when Jiro has to fight. It really heightens the viewers’ anticipation and makes them want to know what will happen next.”
Wakayama: “The first episode has a very fast pace that shows us the two main aspects of the show which are the search for marriage and the action. From my point of view, I think the first episode is almost like an overview of what the whole series is going to be like.”
Q: Ishiya-san, Jiro has a bit of a strange personality but he shines when he’s saving or helping people. How do you approach showcasing these different parts of his personality?
papers: “I think it’s hard to be a perfect being and the fact that you said he shines when he saves people is something that hits the nail on the head. I think you need to have some shortcomings and flaws to be interesting, and you can still be cool while still having those flaws. And me playing Jiro, I don’t really think of him as a separate being. I think he’s the same person in acting. So he has the great parts and not the great parts and all the ups and downs of his character is something I try to emphasize in my acting.”
Q: Wakayama-san, Kinosaki is a con artist and therefore must have a conniving side, but Jiro relies on him. How do you balance the honest and dishonest parts of your personality?
Wakayama: “So, yes, Kinosaki is a con man, but throughout the series you see that they are also a kind-hearted person with integrity. And with Kinosaki’s experience with fraud, they use it very cleverly. Kinosaki also has many faces, so when I played her, I made sure to differentiate my voice so that I could represent each face appropriately.”
Q: For you two, how did you decide how the voice you used for your character would sound? Did you get any specific directions or advice on what types of sounds to target or avoid?
Wakayama: “I was asked to try to find a niche for my voice in the modern vocal range. Since there are so many sides to Kinosaki’s personality, they wanted me to have an almost comical voice. One of the voices I found when researching was a strong basic voice that is also not afraid to change and from there there are many differences between them.”
papers: “In Jiro’s appearance, you can see that his neck is very thick, and he has a very large, athletic body that moves really well. So I initially assumed that he would have a very strong basic voice. But when I really thought about it I remembered that he is also an assassin and assassins don’t talk loudly. So I made sure to find a voice that blends in. Kind of like the voice you would use in an invasive mission where you need to blend in with the surrounding environment. So that’s the voice I use.” I researched well but during testing they told me not to be afraid to invert his voice when he’s sad or not feeling confident, so being able to get differences between those two voices is what I sought out.
Q: How do you feel? Marriage toxins Addresses the topic of dating in general? Does it present an honest picture of how people interact with each other romantically or is it exaggerated?
papers: “So all the potential partners who are looking for marriage are very present, like Jiro. They are all very unique but the radical understanding in the show of being able to understand each other perfectly at all times is something that is overrated but I think it can also be a real life lesson to always do your best to understand each other better especially in dating. I think that is something special about this series.”
Wakayama: “This series involving dating and battles of assassins is of course exaggerated and unreal. But the feelings that both Jiro and his partners in the search for marriage feel and the atmosphere between them is something that can be linked to reality as well.
Q: What is your impression of Jiro as a potential romantic partner? And as a personality in general? What about Kinosaki?
Wakayama: “So all the marriage partners have strong personalities and are all strong and kind-hearted people. And Jiro is a very perfect partner… I really don’t understand why no one picks him up. He’s a very attractive man. But I believe he will persevere and work hard to find the right person, and Kinosaki will definitely help Jiro find his partner. Kinosaki of course, since they are scammers, it makes them look bad, but they will never betray Jiro. I also believe Kinosaki is a very good-hearted person and will continue In helping build Jiro’s relationships with his potential marriage partners As for Kinosaki as a partner… I think Kinosaki is a very attractive person.
papers: “Jiro is the kind of guy that everyone wonders ‘he’s great, so why doesn’t he get married?’ Why??” And while Gero is really cool during his fights, if there’s a bunch of activities he does just in search of marriage, you can understand why he doesn’t get caught. Kinosaki is there for Jiro and he’s grateful they’re there. Kinosaki’s presence for Jiro is like having a coach on the field when Jiro looks back to ask if he’s doing something good, Kinosaki is there to put his arm around his neck and tell him it’s okay. And that’s kind of how I see these two characters and their relationship with each other.
Q: Did you find yourself imagining yourself in some of the situations that Jiro went through? Would you have handled them differently?
papers: “As you can tell, Jirou, he just went with the flow of life and one day decided to take over. When I put myself in his shoes, though, when your life has been in danger at such a young age for so long, I think it’s inevitable that you’ll believe that you can’t really change things and go with the flow. But I will feel like I want to change things, the only difference is that I don’t have the same skills that Jirou does.”
Wakayama: “If I were put in Jiro’s situation, I probably would have given up on finding a marriage partner. Just think about if I had to go through all the dangers and dangers that he went through as well as having to keep looking for marriage. Yes, I think I would be in a group that would give up.”
Q: What do you both enjoy most about Jiro and Kinosaki’s interactions and overall relationship?
Wakayama: “Like a husband and wife kind of sitcom. I really enjoy the rhythm of covering Jiro and Kinosaki. Where Jiro might not be confident and feel a little shy, Kinosaki comes right in and kicks him in a ‘Come on!’ kind of conversational rhythm that I really enjoyed.
papers: “Jiro and Kinosaki have a fluid relationship where they can alternate between comedian and slapstick. So in many situations I often wonder ‘Which character am I now?’ Am I the comedian or the clown?” And even when we’re not sure what role we’re playing the moment we start acting, it just kind of flows. When I act with Shion, I’m often surprised by how well it works sometimes. It feels like a rally or an exchange of conversations and atmosphere. So I really enjoyed reading the lines in those conversations.
Q: What are some of your favorite lines you’ve given in anime?
papers: “‘I want to get married.’ This line came out after everything was broken. From Toshiro’s point of view (Beast Master Jiro was fighting at the time he said that line) he was saying, “What are you talking about?” But it’s an emotional line for me. From the first episode, I wondered how I was going to deliver this line but at the end of it all I felt really proud of that line, it was a very special moment for me.
For reference, the line Ishiya-san is talking about is from episode 11:
Wakayama: “My favorite line is the one I say during Bug Master’s wedding. This came when Jiro wasn’t feeling very confident about marriage and asked Kinosaki if he could get married like that anytime, and my character replied, ‘Of course. You’ve got me in your corner.’ And that Kinosaki had that kind of confidence in acting that was something I really enjoyed.
For reference, the line Wakayama-san is talking about is from Episode 7:
Q: Finally, are there any messages you would like to share with fans?
Wakayama: “Thank you for watching. I personally love this series and the anime itself. This anime has really helped me bring out so many different expressions as a voice actor and I’m grateful for that. Season 2 has been announced and confirmed for 2027! So I hope you all will continue watching the show. Thank you all so much again.”
papers: “Hello, I’m again Haruki Ichiya. I’ve been doing voice acting in the entertainment industry in Japan since it was mainly only consumed in Japan. But lately, through the staff and even the actors, I see that anime is now very well known globally and it’s a global thing. I’ve also seen a lot of love for this series and we want to let you know that we will be working hard for the second season, so I hope you enjoy it, but also feel free to read the original manga, and even re-watch the first season. Thank you all so much.”
This concludes our 30-minute interview with the amazing voice actors Haruki Ishiya and Shion Wakayama. They were both incredibly generous with their answers, and I was blown away by their thoughtful insights into the series. It was clear that they were fully invested in their roles and were excited to bring these characters to life.
Final thoughts:
Despite its goofy and serious moments, this series is incredibly charming, and I found myself wanting to watch more and more as each episode went on. As both voice actors mentioned, each character is charming in their own way, and each one has something special about them, which is something I completely agree with.
On a personal level, this show also helped me not feel so frustrated whenever I go through difficulties. I just remember Jiro when he first started his search for marriage and think to myself, “Yes, I can do better!” But jokes aside, this is a really fun series, and I think it’s the perfect show to watch if you need a reminder to stay positive.
However, Season 1 is streaming on Crunchyroll, so if you’re interested, be sure to watch it! As previously mentioned, Season 2 is also scheduled to premiere in 2027. In the meantime, be sure to check out the Season 2 announcement trailer below.
All images are courtesy of Marriage Toxin’s official website and Crunchyroll.
©Joumyaku・Mizuki Yoda/SHUEISHA, MARRIAGETOXIN PROJECT