The Voice of the Control Devil: Decrypting the Charm and Challenges of Makima's Voice Actress—Tomori Kusunoki in "Chainsaw Man"

Preface: Giving Voice to the Soul of the Dominator

In the anime "Chainsaw Man," Makima, the leader of the Public Safety Devil Extermination Special Division 4, has become one of the most discussed characters in the work due to her gentle yet chilling image. Animating this character, who embodies mystery, elegance, gentleness, and absolute domination, made the choice of voice actress crucial. Ultimately, this important task fell upon the shoulders of the new-generation, highly skilled voice actress—Tomori Kusunoki. This article will delve into introducing the voice actress who gave Makima her soul and how she interpreted this complex character.

Makima's Japanese Voice Actress: Tomori Kusunoki

In the anime version of "Chainsaw Man," the voice behind Makima is Japanese voice actress Tomori Kusunoki. Born on December 22, 1999, she is one of the notable new-generation voice actresses in recent years. Tomori Kusunoki's vocal range is versatile; she can portray pure and cute girls as well as calm and mysterious mature characters, which also made her the perfect choice to interpret Makima.

Voice Actress's Interpretation and Challenges: Tomori Kusunoki mentioned in interviews that interpreting the role of Makima was full of challenges. The MAPPA production team's request to her was: "Do not overly express a suspicious feeling" and "Do not reveal too much information in your voice." This is because Makima's position in the early part of the story is ambiguous; her gentleness and care seem sincere, yet they simultaneously exude a sense of incongruity.

To achieve this effect, Tomori Kusunoki deliberately restrained excessive emotional expression, using a flat, calm, and slightly gentle tone in her performance. She could not let the audience immediately decide "This person is definitely a villain," but rather had to create an atmosphere of "Although she sounds gentle, something feels off." This nuanced vocal performance successfully perfectly restored Makima's elusive and inscrutable nature, allowing the audience to be drawn to her while also sensing an underlying fear.

Tomori Kusunoki's Other Representative Works: Besides Makima, Tomori Kusunoki has many other well-known roles that showcase her diverse vocal range and acting skills, such as:

• "Sword Art Online Alternative Gun Gale Online": Llenn / Karen Kohiruimaki
• "Love Live! Nijigasaki High School Idol Club": Setsuna Yuki
• "The Misfit of Demon King Academy: History's Strongest Demon King Reincarnates and Goes to School with His Descendants": Misha Necron

Makima's English Voice Actress: Suzie Yeung

In the English dub version of "Chainsaw Man," the voice for Makima is provided by the well-known Chinese-American voice actress Suzie Yeung. She is also an experienced voice actress who has participated in many famous anime and game dubbing works, such as "Eula" in "Genshin Impact" and "Yuffie Kisaragi" in "Final Fantasy VII Remake." With her clear and emotionally rich voice, she brought another flavor of the Control Devil to audiences in English-speaking regions.

Why Tomori Kusunoki is the Perfect Choice to Interpret Makima?

Anime director Ryū Nakayama stated that the key to choosing Tomori Kusunoki was her ability to inadvertently convey Makima's non-human-like performance. Makima's horror does not lie in overt evil, but in her extremely calm, matter-of-fact attitude towards dominating and manipulating others. The deliberately emotion-suppressed "flatness" in Tomori Kusunoki's voice perfectly captures this. She is not "acting" as a gentle superior; rather, she herself is a "dominator" whose emotions cannot be understood by ordinary people. This subtle performance is precisely the key to the character's success.

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