The following is a translation of the interview with Nobuo Tobita from the Kamille Bidan Pia Mook, published by Pia (ぴあ) in 2018.
More than 30 years have passed since the TV broadcast. We asked Nobuo Tobita, the voice actor who has continued to breathe life into Kamille Bidan, to talk about episodes from the time of recording and his thoughts on Kamille that he can only speak about now.
Director Tomino made a bold statement at the audition as well
Please tell us about how you were chosen to play the role of Kamille.
First was the audition. At that time, I never thought I would have the chance to play a main character, so I never imagined that I would be chosen.
The audition was a bit unusual. Usually the format involves several prepared lines and you are instructed to read something. But this time, in addition to that, I was asked to give a free talk, where I had about one minute to talk about anything I’d like. This was done that same day. So I said, “If the original Mobile Suit Gundam had such a good ending, why are you making a sequel?”
I watched a lot of Mobile Suit Gundam, and I really liked the way it ended with a lingering feeling. Nowadays, many anime have sequels, but back then Space Battleship Yamato was the only one that did. That’s why I ended up saying something like, “Why bother?” It’s unheard of for someone to come to an audition and then complain about the production of the program itself (laughs).
Did that statement count as part of the audition?
It did. I think the purpose of the free talk was to hear our voices when we weren’t playing the character and how we spoke naturally, but I ended up saying something like that. So on the way home after leaving the studio, I regretted it so much. “Why did I say such a thing…” I thought. It would be fine if it was during a casual chat, but it was recorded. Either way, I think it was ridiculous for a novice like me who had never worked in a professional setting to say something like that. I couldn’t help but wonder if I’d ever be hired again. At the time, I was 23-24 years old, or rather, still immature. So I gave up thinking that I would ever pass. In fact, I thought, “I don’t think I’ll ever be invited to an audition again.”
When did you find out the audition results?
I think it took more than a month for the results to come out. When the manager at the agency told me they had decided on me, I was like, “Huh, no way!” (laughs). After all, I criticized the program in the studio itself, so I thought it must have been some kind of mistake. Rather than being happy, I felt like “why me?”
After that, before the first recording, there was a meeting with the main cast members. Director Tomino was also there, and he gave us a thorough explanation of the themes and industry circumstances regarding this new work called Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam. He also gave a realistic explanation, saying, “Although I am aware that there are critical opinions about making a sequel, there are circumstances dictating that the production company has to make this show.”
When that topic was over, the director turned to me and said, “Are you satisfied?” (laughs). I guess he really was paying attention during that free talk, and that’s why he responded to me. He added, “Zeta Gundam is an original TV anime, and there is no work it is based on. Therefore, even if we have a somewhat predetermined story, the fate of the characters you play over the course of the year depends on the strength of your aura. Characters whose auras are not strong enough may disappear midway through the series even if you don’t expect them to, so don’t let your guard down and do your best,” he declared. This was the only time I experienced a pre-show cast meeting like that.
As it was your first leading role, was there any pressure?
There was an incredible amount. Normally, the main character would be safe for a year, but this is Director Tomino. There may even be a change midway through. After all, Char Aznable (Shūichi Ikeda) was my co-star (laughs). I also knew that Amuro (Tōru Furuya) would appear. Characters with a strong presence appeared one after another, so the story could have always shifted to them. There was always the pressure of that very real possibility.
Every week, after recording was finished, we received the script for the next episode, and every time I read it, I was relieved and thought, “Ah, good. I’ll still be alive next time.”
Come to think of it, the ending credits listed Char above Kamille.
Indeed. But I thought that it couldn’t be helped. After all, it’s Char (laughs). To be honest, at the time, there were parts of me that wondered why, but on the other hand, it also motivated me, “If it’s come to this, I’ll definitely survive until the final episode!”
I was told this later, but it was originally planned that Kamille would die at the end of the TV series. But it didn’t turn out that way, and I think it was worth the effort in the end.
My impressions of Kamille and what I noticed while playing him
What was your impression of Kamille when you saw the script for the first time?
He’s extreme, ready to use force at a moment’s notice. In that sense, he is the opposite of Amuro Ray. He charges head-on without pulling back at all. I personally wouldn’t do it, but I understand the feeling. So instead of thinking, “Why would he do something like this?”, it’s more like, “Oh, so he’s really doing this.” Even though I thought, “I wish he’d just kept quiet,” when he says something unnecessary while being held down and makes the situation even worse, I can really understand, or rather, empathize with him. He would be an unbelievable person in real life, but as the main character of the story, he has no sense of holding back.
Was he easy to play?
He was. As for whether I liked it or not, I loved it. I prefer characters with quirks rather than the traditional protagonist type. If I were to make the comparison to Sentai heroes, they would be more likely to be Blue or Black than Red (laughs). That’s why Kamille seemed like the perfect fit. It wasn’t often that I felt uncomfortable performing his lines or actions. In fact, there were many instances where I was surprised and thought, “They’re letting Kamille say things like this?” For example, when he says to his mother, “What are you doing, way out here?!” (Episode 3, Inside the Capsule), he calls his mother “you”*. I understand how Kamille feels, but I honestly thought it was amazing that they had him say that in an anime.
*T/N: Here Kamille uses あなた (anata) which is rude when addressing your own mother
I had the impression that you found the dialogue difficult to perform overall.
It didn’t seem that difficult while I was doing it. It wasn’t always something that I personally would say, but I could easily accept that Kamille would. This isn’t limited to just Kamille, but in my case, I found myself thinking, “Why would he say it like that?” So, instead of having preconceived notions and thinking, “He wouldn’t say something like this,” I accept it as, “That’s what he said.” During the recording, Director Tomino never gave me any instructions such as, “Please do the scene like this.”
At that time, I only asked Director Tomino a question once, and that was about the background details for Kamille. He said, “This is your role, so you can do whatever you want.” I think he meant, “Once I hand over the role, it belongs to you now.” Of course, that’s not just limited to me. Furthermore, if the director was confused, I’m sure he would say, “Let’s try that scene again.” On the other hand, despite the background details, it means that you have no choice but to read the script yourself, look at the animation, and perform based on your feelings.
Did you rephrase lines or add any ad-libs during recording?
Not at all. It wasn’t just the case for me, but also Tōru Furuya (Amuro Ray) and Shūichi Ikeda (Quattro Bajeena) too. For example, if a guest actor misreads a particle* before the director checks it, I casually tell them something like, “That’s not ‘wo,’ but ‘wa’.” I was following the script. I don’t think there was much improvisation. There were some scenes where Kamille was cursing and screaming, but when it came to the lines written in the script, even if it was only one word, I respected it completely.
*T/N: grammar particles in Japanese, such as を (wo) and は (wa)
Speaking of lines, there was one interesting instance. In the final episode, there is a scene where he fights one-on-one with Scirocco. In that scene, Scirocco says, “Big words for a smart aleck.” To this, Kamille replies, “What’s wrong with being smart?” But actually, I misread that, and the correct line was “What’s wrong with being a smart aleck?” I heard that at the time Shūichi Ikeda was thinking, “Oh, he made a mistake, but I wonder if he’ll do it properly in the actual performance?” But even in the actual performance, I replied with the line, “What’s wrong with being smart?” After we finished recording, Ikeda-san said to me, “Doesn’t that line say ‘smart aleck’?” I hurriedly looked back at the script and said, “Ah, you’re right!” (laughs). So I immediately asked the director to re-record it, but he said, “We could, but it’s interesting, so it’s fine that way.” In the end, my misreading went through as is.
So there was a secret story behind that intense scene.
Director Tomino always had a firm mental image, but if we went above that or came up with something better, he would recognize it, and there were even cases where he was hoping for that. Things like “Go beyond my imagination” and “If you want to make a change, try wowing me.” However, I think that not only the dubbing staff but also the production team as a whole felt that they shouldn’t be using any cheap tricks.
Casual, normal conversation was more difficult
Were there any aspects of Kamille’s speech that you were careful about?
The dialogue felt more like literary language than everyday language. Although it sounded good when read, it was a little difficult to say it out loud. When Kamille gets emotional, I feel like he gets caught up in the moment, or rather his vectors waver, and the words written in the script seem to fly by. But when I became too conscious of that, it suddenly started to feel theatrical.
It would be fine if all the conversations were in literary language, but when it comes to the big moments, especially the final battle with Scirocco, it felt more like they’re fighting each other from either side of a big stage rather than in an anime or drama. However, I can’t really get into such interactions unless I have a certain level of excitement within myself. If this were a stage play, it would be a very difficult scene to rehearse, but in the case of anime, the footage keeps rolling even if I’m confused. The other staff took care of the timing, and I think that’s why it worked out in the end. When doing battle scenes like that, there’s no time to think about anything unnecessary, and the dialogue progresses quickly while you’re worrying about this and that. At that time, I felt like I was desperately trying to keep up with it.
I think that in the movie version [Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam: A New Translation], the literary language felt more intuitive, and I was able to perform it reflexively, rather than thinking about it first and then saying it. It’s as if I said it without thinking, but it’s not like I said it without using my head. The words came out as if I was dodging or knocking away something flying at me. I think the director did this consciously.
So, how did you feel about casual, everyday conversation scenes?
The normal conversation scenes may have been more difficult. It’s relatively easy to express thoughts, complaints, and sarcasm, but it is difficult to have a smooth everyday conversation. For example, in an exchange with Fa, they were communicating in a nice way after meeting for the first time in a long time, but in the next scene they were arguing. They may be quarreling because they’re close, but the specific circumstances and context leading up to it are not depicted on purpose. It would be easier to get into character if there was more daily interaction, but there were almost no such parts, so even if I hype myself up, it is difficult to find the basis for it. Conversely, when it comes to battle scenes, I don’t have to think too much about it and just say things like, “What?!” or “You bastard!” It was surprisingly difficult to have natural conversations during everyday situations.
It’s fine if it’s a conversation with Fa, Lieutenant Quattro, or Emma-san, but when it comes to Argama crew members like Torres, Saegusa, and Caesar, who have almost no scenes of daily conversation, I was worried and wondered how it should feel. It was easier to understand the atmosphere with Astonaige since they can communicate as fellow mecha geeks, but I had a really hard time closing the distance with the others. In this regard, the animation helped me a lot. I would look for clues such as a hand on someone’s shoulder or when they look away. The director didn’t explain anything about that at all (laughs).
Were there any hints about that in the script?
For example, there could be a stage direction that says, “Comes from behind and pats him on the back.” However, we can only imagine what happened up until that moment, so the cast members who had been absent for a while seemed to have an even harder time than I did. Not just before and after scenes, but every time they were away, the situation changed drastically, and they asked questions like, “Oh, wasn’t Kamille on Earth just now? When did he go to space?” or “Weren’t these people fighting? Why are they shaking hands?” (laughs). Shūichi Ikeda-san also had occasional breaks, so he would often ask things like, “Who am I fighting now? What’s the situation?” Since there were often gaps between Tōru Furuya-san’s appearances, he frequently spoke with Director Tomino and the staff to check on the situation. “What has happened to me since then? What position am I in now?” The only ones who were there from beginning to end were just me and the narrator, Jurota Kosugi-san, so I often went around explaining the current situation.
What was the atmosphere like on set?
Now that I think about it, it was a pretty serious atmosphere. I don’t think there was much excitement or casual conversation. Of course, I thought to myself “I won’t die this time!”, so every week was a serious challenge. But when I got to the set, I saw Lieutenant Quattro, Amuro-san, Captain Bright, Kai-san, Hayato-san, and everyone else from my beloved First Gundam [Mobile Suit Gundam (1979)]. When I heard their voices, I was so excited (laughs). However, I always told myself that this was no time to get carried away. Occasionally, when Kamille didn’t appear as much in an episode, a staff member would joke and say something like, “You haven’t talked much today.” It really didn’t feel like I was alive.
A strange feeling I had in the last scene
Please tell us about a particularly memorable scene from anywhere in the series.
I guess it’s the last part of the final episode. It was a strange scene even when I think about it now. Actually, I knew for about three months that Kamille’s mind would be broken, but I didn’t know how it would happen. Then when I read the script, I thought the line, “A comet moves more like whoosh,” seemed a little innocent, and the scene was also really innocent, with an expression that looked like he was possessed. It was a smile that I had never seen before. The previous few episodes had been a series of gut-wrenching scenes, and the sound director, Sadayoshi Fujino-san, told me to avoid making it feel too theatrical, saying, “He’s going to act a little strange at the end, but don’t overdo it.” I thought this would be difficult to get right, but when I actually tried it, it was surprisingly easy. After Scirocco is defeated, Fa asks, “Kamille, you’re alive, right?” and he answers, “A big star…” Although it didn’t really mesh well as a conversation, I think this exchange was the most effortless and easy-going delivery of all in the year up to that point. This was a surprise even to me. I’m sure I would think about it a lot now, but at that time I didn’t think about anything unnecessary, and just as it was written in the script, I said, “It’s huge! Is it a comet?” “Please let me out.” It was very strange for me too.
Was the recording okay in one go?
Yes. I recorded it continuously from the decisive battle with Scirocco, but there was no re-recording. If it were now, I’d probably think of doing it in several parts. When it comes to the scene where Kamille breaks, I think they calculated that it was better to do it in a casual, everyday way because it conveyed his madness. I didn’t think about it at the time, but maybe it was better that they went without any strange tricks.
Have you had an experience like this in the past?
Yes, something similar happened. In the scene where Kamille boards Four’s Psycho Gundam and persuades her (Episode 20, The Heated Escape), Kamille tells her about his past, saying, “There’s something I forgot to tell you.” During the test recording, I felt like I was straining myself a bit, like I was giving my all to speak. Given the circumstances, I felt like I put passion into it. However, before the actual performance, Fujino-san said to me, “You should be a little more calm during that part.” I was in a situation where Kamille was jumping into the cockpit of a Psycho Gundam that was free-falling through the air, you know (laughs). But when he said that, I understood. I thought that he would definitely get through to Four better that way. I don’t really know how I did it at the time, but after watching the broadcast, I was satisfied. Shūichi Ikeda-san also said to me, “Kamille’s personality really came out in that scene.”
He also appeared in the sequel, Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ.
I had heard in advance that ZZ would be created after Zeta. If it had been a completely separate work that would have been one thing, but when I heard that ZZ was going to be set directly after, I was honestly like “What?!” (laughs). Moreover, the plan was to make a more light-hearted Gundam this time, so I thought, “Even though Kamille has been through something like that, it’s going to be light-hearted!?”
Had it been decided at that point that you would appear in the show?
At first, I was not told that I would have any lines, so when I received the script, I was like, “Am I really going to speak?” At the end of Zeta, Kamille was totally out of it. Then I noticed that it was like telepathy between Newtypes, so I thought, “Oh, I see now.”
In the first test recording, I performed it as if he was fighting, just like in Zeta, but Fujino-san told me, “Not with the intensity of being in a mobile suit, but like a gentle whisper in your ear,” and “It’s like you’re speaking with hearts and minds, not your physical bodies.” That’s how I ended up with that tone.
In fact, when I got to the ZZ set, I realized that Zeta is the story of Kamille Bidan, and ZZ is the story of Judau and his friends. Zeta didn’t end because there was a sequel coming up, but rather it had reached its proper conclusion. Once I realized that, I felt a lot more at ease. When I was called to the studio, I didn’t know whether Kamille would return to normal, but I remember feeling strangely relieved because Fa was by his side and they were outside the main storyline.
A new Kamille is needed for the movie
A movie version of Zeta Gundam was made to celebrate the 20th anniversary.
It had been 17 or 18 years since the TV series ended, and the director said he wanted to create a new Zeta Gundam. He said he didn’t want to simply rehash the original, but wanted to create a new Kamille. At that time, Director Tomino wrote me a letter stating, “I know you’ve come a long way, but I need to hear your voice again.” I was totally OK with doing the audition itself, with or without the letter. However, I was nervous because I didn’t know what the new Kamille and the new Zeta Gundam would be like.
As I mentioned earlier, in a normal audition, you record the specified lines and the staff listens to them later and makes a judgment, but this time I was called in alone for what felt like an interview. Director Tomino was also there, so it was truly one-on-one (laughs). What’s more, the lines provided were exactly the same as those in the TV version. When Reccoa helps him put the pilot suit on, he says, “Isn’t this a pilot’s normal suit? Is it okay for someone like me to wear this?” (Episode 3, Inside the Capsule), and when he descends to Earth, he says, “If only you hadn’t shown up, you wouldn’t have died!” (Episode 12, The Winds of Jaburo). Both of these lines are typical of Kamille, but I was like, “Are you saying I should make these new?” The director told me, “Just make him a pure Kamille. You can forget everything that came before,” but I got anxious because I had no idea how to do that specifically. For example, if the setting changed, or the same lines are spoken in a different situation, then in that case I could still understand.
But since it was all exactly the same, I wondered how I should interpret it. I tried it without finding an answer, but the director said to me, “I understand the Kamille you’ve played and the work you’ve done up until now, and I’m sure you’ve learned some things, but right now it’s getting in the way. Please throw it all away.” I thought, “I see, that’s what it means to be pure.” I guess it meant he didn’t want me to do things in a methodical way or the way I was used to. The director didn’t tell me exactly what to do. I think he didn’t want me to be told the answer so that I would say, “Oh, so that’s how you want me to do it!” So it was a really difficult audition.
Did you end up finding the answer?
No (laughs). I decided to just let things happen as they would and shoot a few shots with my crappy gun. Each time, the director would point out something like, “Hmm, it feels a bit stiff,” or “It feels heavy,” or “You’re putting a bit too much force into it, try relaxing,” and after several tries, he finally gave me the OK, saying, “That’s it!” I remember that I wasn’t putting any unnecessary strain on my body, and it felt like I was completely relaxed, but from my perspective, I was just trying things and it happened to work out well. To be honest, even now I’m only vaguely aware of what the right answer was… But the director said to me, “That’s the Kamille I want.” Later, we listened to the recording together and he said, “See, right there, that’s it!” but I was like, “Hmm…” (laughs).
In the end, I ended up working for about an hour that day. He then said to me, “After hearing your performance today, I would like you to play Kamille again in the movie version. However, I don’t know how it will turn out in the actual performance. If I hear it on that day and decide that it’s not quite right, I may ask you to go home. So don’t let your guard down.” Normally, once a decision has been made, you wouldn’t think that on the day itself, they would send you home after all that. But with Director Tomino, it was possible (laughs).
Even after 20 years, you still “kept your guard up.”
The audition was around September and the actual performance was in January after the new year, so I thought that I would receive a concrete storyline in between, but nothing came. In the end, I had no clue until the actual script was sent to me. And when I finally read it, I was like, “What’s changed?” The same things happen, the punching, the stealing, he watches his parents die, it’s all the same. At that time, I only had the script for the first part, but the thing that struck me most after reading it was how time flew by. The story moves at a really fast pace from when Quattro and the others arrive at Gryps to when they are reunited with Amuro. I didn’t notice it when I first read it, but the story moves so fast that Kamille doesn’t have time to worry. There was no time for him to be depressed, swear, or get angry. That’s why my impression of Kamille has changed a lot.
On the day of the dubbing, the director asked me, “What did you think after reading the script?” I answered, “Is it like how they say that even if your parents die, you still get hungry?” and he said, “Exactly!” However, I still couldn’t decide whether my new image of Kamille was right, and in fact I was completely fumbling around until I asked the director. In the end I was half-desperate and thought “You know, if it doesn’t work out, just drop me!” (laughs). Given my situation, the director’s words, “This is like a stage revival. It’s true that it’s a remake, and we’ve edited it using old footage, but it’s not a compilation of a so-called nostalgic series. We want to create a new, modern Zeta Gundam,” made a big impression on me. I remember hearing that and being strangely convinced, thinking, “I see, it’s a revival.”
A stage revival uses the same script, but it requires more effort than the original premiere. Because I understood this, the initial feeling of trial and error and the frantic nature of things inevitably faded. In that sense, it took a lot of energy. What’s more, it’s not necessarily the case that the original production members would carry over to the revival. This was true not only for the staff, but also for the cast. They have their own circumstances, and the production itself may change too. You must be prepared to face that. If you really don’t want to do that, then you have no choice but to step down and say that you aren’t going to do it. In a world where it’s a question of whether you do it or not, if you’re going to do it, you have to do it no matter what happens to anyone. Thanks to the director sending out such a strong message, I was able to take on the challenge. If Director Tomino said, “This is a revival and we’re going to create something new out of it,” then I just had to believe in it. That became a strong source of energy for me. If it was the director who put the most pressure on me, it was also the director who gave me the most strength. After the movie trilogy was finished, I told the director this at the launch party, and his wife, who was next to me, said, “That means you fell for it perfectly.” That’s exactly right, I fell for his trap (laughs). But I was really grateful for that.
How did it feel to play Kamille again after 20 years?
Director Tomino has occasionally spoken about Zeta Gundam in interviews, so I wondered if he still had some attachment to it. But I never imagined they would go all in and actually make a movie about it, aside from game cutscenes. Even after the decision had been made to make a movie, I was worried about who would be in the cast. So I was really grateful that the director spoke to me beforehand at the audition.
Looking back on it now, it is really a strange feeling to come in and completely discard what was there before. I don’t think I was able to completely throw it away, but it was a somewhat unique experience. At one point I thought it would be inevitable that I would be taken off the role, but I also think that if the trailers had started to air on TV or in theaters and I heard someone else’s voice, it would have been extremely disappointing.
This is about the TV version, but shortly after we started recording, I was always worried, “Will my voice really be used?” We started recording about one or two months before the broadcast, and I was half-doubting whether my voice would really be heard, or whether someone else’s would be used on air. I was so nervous that I even went to see the advance screening of the TV version, blending in with the audience (laughs). When I heard my own voice being played there, I finally felt at ease. That’s how nervous I was.
It wasn’t as bad with the movie version, but I was always worried about what would happen with the second and third movies. Even though I thought, “It’s too late to replace me now,” I was still nervous. So even when Shūichi Ikeda-san said to me during the second film, Lovers, “I’m glad they used you after all,” I replied, “You never know with that director.” (laughs).
It had been a while since we’d had such a great lineup all together, but there wasn’t any sense of nostalgia at all. Everyone seemed to be maintaining a good sense of tension. Even so, it was really pleasant on set. Up until then, I had recorded many games as Kamille, but due to schedule restrictions, I usually did so alone. I did it with high energy, with lines such as “What?!” and “You bastard!”, but since there’s no interaction with the other cast members, it ends up being like playing tennis against a wall by yourself. In the movie version, Lieutenant Quattro and Captain Bright call me “Kamille.” I can then respond with, “What is it?” Whether you respond with sarcasm or honestly, you can have a direct exchange. That made me a bit nervous, but I also thought to myself, “How wonderful it is to be here!” We recorded each film in two days, so the total time for all three was less than a week, but it was a really fulfilling and happy time.
Kamille Bidan according to voice actor Nobuo Tobita
What did you gain from playing Kamille?
Until I did the movie version, I had always felt that I was OK playing a boy’s role. However, after finishing the movie version, I began to feel like this was probably the time limit. The world of voice acting was also going through a rapid generational change, and even though there were ways to make it work, the reality was that with more and more young people in their 20s and 30s coming forward, I felt like I was nearing the end.
On the other hand, when I was in my late 30s to early 40s before the movie, I thought that my roles would become more subdued. I thought I would take on a more low-toned, calmer role on the team. However, such a vision of the future was completely destroyed by the movie version (laughs). I completely lost sight of what I had envisioned it would be like. Playing Kamille again in the movies made me realize that there’s no point in narrowing down a role for myself, and that it’s fine to approach a character of any age with purity. Of course I still have my worries, but I’ve stopped deciding my future ahead of time. In any case, if you follow a pattern, it may work for a while, but one day you will get tired of it, and there are many alternatives. I wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s a matter of survival, but how long can you continue? Can you survive? I’ve come to realize that it’s important not to miss out on any precious opportunities and to create something that will leave a lasting impression on the viewers, staff and people I work with.
What does Kamille Bidan mean to you, Tobita-san?
He’s also my first main character, and I’m really curious to see what happens to him next. I’m always wondering about how he’s living in the timeline of First Gundam created by Director Tomino. If possible, I would like to be involved again within that world. On the other hand, there’s a part of me that thinks it’s enough for now, but also that we shouldn’t put him in a mobile suit again, should we? In that sense, it’s very complicated.
To me, Kamille is a prickly character who attacks everyone he comes into contact with, just like me when I was a teenager. I hope he is happy now. He’s a mysterious character who makes you feel all sorts of emotions. But now that I think about it, he was a very normal kid. To varying degrees, everyone is a Kamille. Whether or not they actually do those kinds of things is another matter. I think it’s also symbolic that he stayed with Fa until the end. I think he’s not some outstanding character in fiction, but someone surprisingly close to us, blending in with the people around us.
Occasionally, I receive doujinshi from fans that depict what happens to Kamille after the events of the story, and when I see him living a quiet life in these works, I find myself feeling very at peace. I feel very fortunate to have been able to play the role of Kamille Bidan, a boy who still makes me feel that way. Although he is not the type of character that continues to make a big splash after all these years, I feel that he continues to live on in the hearts of myself and many others as an unforgettable character.
What if someone asked you to play Kamille again?
I still don’t want to hand it over to anyone. Although, I can’t help but feel that it’s time to move on (laughs). In fact, if they hadn’t seen any potential in me when they were making the movies, I think they would have replaced me as the role of Kamille. I’m sure there are people who could do it better than me. However, I do have some pride in the fact that I don’t think there is anyone else who can play Kamille the way I do, with the good, the bad, and the flaws. Those are the rough, unsettling parts, the prickly parts. I’m sure there are other people who could play him, but I don’t think there are many who can do what I do.
PROFILE
Nobuo Tobita (飛田展男)
He made his debut as a voice actor in 1982. Just three years later, in 1985, he landed his first leading role as Kamille Bidan in the TV version of Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam. He continued to appear in Gundam series after that, playing key roles in the story such as Ulube Ishikawa in the TV version of Mobile Fighter G Gundam and Karius in the OVA Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory. He is also active in dubbing foreign films and dramas. He is affiliated with Arts Vision.