“Enma Yuuken does not waver, no matter what happens. He is suddenly thrown into a different world where magic use is the norm and it would be natural to panic, but all he thinks about is returning to his own world to participate in a kendo tournament.
Even when he has to live in a rundown dorm full of ghosts, he is curious when he should be frightened. He’s a hardliner but full of humor, and because someone like him with both strength and gentleness is at the center, I think the individuality of the students’ with their strong personalities shines even more.
Being able to immerse together with everyone watching in the world of ‘Twst’ through his eyes has been incredibly fun for me.
I am the same age as Hanae-kun who plays Riddle, and we have been acting for the same amount of time. Since we’re close friends outside of our jobs it was refreshing to be his co-star in a role like this where he spreads an unreasonable amount of fear, and it was impressive how energetic he was during recordings.
In contrast to Riddle Rosehearts, Enma Yuuken has a strong sense of justice that is not bound by rules and he absolutely will not yield to things he cannot accept. The more extreme both characters are the more their personalities stand out when they clash, and I really enjoy playing off that dynamic. But if I had a senpai like Riddle in real life, I’d probably be a little scared (laughs).
But what’s so compelling about this story inspired by Disney villains is how carefully it explores why these characters became the way that they are. Even in the original Disney animations, I’ve always been drawn to those brief moments where you catch a glimpse of what’s hidden in a villain’s heart. As the story unfolds, you just can’t help but start to like them.
I think jealousy toward someone who is better than you and has what you want is something that can happen to anyone. To the point that my voice actor friends and I have promised each other that if any one of us becomes famous and starts to get arrogant, we will properly tell them off. People can suddenly turn to good or evil from small triggers, and because I fear that I am no exception I need to make an effort and listen to the voices around me. I think this series deeply conveys what it looks like to overcome such weaknesses.
I have always related more to the first-year students standing up against unfairness, but now that I’m an adult I can also understand the third-years who prioritize reading the room and maintaining harmony. I imagine Trey Clover must feel really torn, especially after trying to do the right thing only for things to spiral anyway.
Still, I believe tradition and innovation can coexist. We have to keep reevaluating what matters to us in the present. Enma Yuuken, as the outside, brings that new perspective. I’m excited to see what kind of chemistry he’ll create at the center of this story. I hope viewers will keep an eye on the little nuances in how the characters breathe and move—the kind of expressiveness that only animation can bring.”
– Azakami Youhei, Da Vinci magazine (2025)
“(Yuuken) is well-balanced, has good instincts, knows how to read the room, and always stays logical. He’s also Japanese, which is rare in Disney works, and he is very ‘和’ (Japanese in spirit), which really sets him apart from the others in a good way.
I watched videos and studied how to project my voice like someone practicing kendo.
I recorded together with Riddle, Ace, and Deuce, and it was all very relaxed and easy going. There was a funny moment when (Riddle’s VA) went way over-the-top with his ‘UGIGIGIGIIII!’ and got called out for it, which was hilarious.
You can really feel how much attention was paid to the action scenes through how carefully crafted they are. And there’s unmistakable Disney energy in the words and animation that is quite exciting.”
– Azakami Youhei, Yomuri Newspaper (2025)
“He’s the player character, and each person who has played the game has their own feelings and interpretations. So creating a character who is a high school boy with his own will, who expresses opinions to and asserts himself against the existing characters, must have been something the original comic adaptation struggled with as well. Therefore, rather than just ‘doing my best,’ I felt I needed to think about how he became the person he is, and perform with that understanding.
That made things difficult. Keeping that in mind and properly performing Yuuken as his own character are separate tasks, so I switched between those mindsets as needed.
During the first recording, I decided to try to forget that he’s a high school student for a day. The first episode of the animation is kind of an introduction to Yuuken, and at the very beginning, he suddenly arrives in this world alone. It’s the scene where he’s most flustered, and I was wondering how far to take the acting when the director told me, ‘You don’t need sound that shocked.’
Thinking about it, high school students wouldn’t really be that composed. Coming from the modern world into Twisted Wonderland and taking action without panicking, that’s probably one of Yuuken’s unique traits. I tried to reflect that and link it properly to his overall character. Honestly, if I were in this world, I wouldn’t be able to fit in like him. Unable to use magic I’d feel completely out of place, and I certainly wouldn’t be as composed (laughs).
Many of the voice actors on the cast are around the same age, there are kind veterans and newer actors, so I have been able to work in a wonderful atmosphere. Yamashita (Seiichiro)-kun, who plays Ace, and I have recently been working together quite often, and he looks up to me in a ‘senpai’ sort of way, which I really appreciate.
In terms of the characters’ relationships, Yuuken is responsible and Ace is cheerful, so it helps that he creates that kind of atmosphere. Deuce’s Kobayashi Chiaki is laid-back but has taught me a lot about Twisted Wonderland. The three of us have gone out to eat ramen together after recordings, and it has been really enjoyable.”
– Azakami Youhei, Nikkei Entertainment (2025)
“When I first acted out the scene where Yuuken wanders into Twisted Wonderland I played the surprise very big. Then the director told me, ‘You don’t need to sound that shocked.” That’s when I really grasped Yuuken’s personality.
Instead of being overwhelmed by the strangeness of another world, his focus is on, ‘I’ve got a kendo tournament coming up, I need to get back soon!’ That grounded, straightforward mindset is part of what makes him both charming and interesting.
Headmage Crowley is a great teacher, but also incredibly mysterious, and honestly, no one wearing a mask like that could possibly be just a normal teacher, right? (laughs) From Episode 3 onward, Yuuken’s school life truly begins!
As the ‘Ramshackle Dorm Prefect,’ he has no choice but to adapt to life at Night Raven College. I believe that it’s precisely because of someone as honest and unwavering as Yuuken that the other strong personalities in the story shine even brighter. I put a lot of care into preserving that steadfastness in my performance.
The hardest part was the comedic scenes. I often debated, ‘Would Yuuken join in here, or just let it pass?’ But since he’s so straightforward, that itself creates some funny moments. I worked closely with the director and sound director to find the right balance.
Ace and Deuce’s playful interactions looked so fun that during the test recordings, I also added some ad-libbing, which ended up confusing Chiaki-kun and Yamashita-kun.
For example, Yuuken didn’t know about the Queen of Hearts of the Great Seven, but I did, so I responded with, ‘Of course I know who she is!’ to confuse them… (laughs).”
– Azakami Youhei, Animedia magazine (2025)
“I spent high school running away from club activities, so I find Yuuken, who is devoted to the kendo club, to be very admirable.
Recently, there have been more and more newer voice actors at work, and I cannot escape the position of senpai. I myself have been helped by veteran actors in the past, and if there are newer actors who do not understand the workplace, I want to be able to teach them with kindness and passion, to be able to talk with them about acting.
With age, I am finally able to feel Yuuken’s perspective.
A lot of us from the same generation all came together at the studio for recordings, so it was a really pleasant atmosphere.
I am a new addition to this world. Around me are people who have built up these characters, been involved with this project over the past 5 or 6 years. That gave me a little anxiety, and hearing Yamashita Seiichiro-kun (Ace), Kobayashi Chiaki-kun (Deuce), Grim’s Sugiyama-san, and Hanae-kun (Riddle) say, ‘Yuuken is perfect for you,’ was very meaningful to me.
It made me really want to enjoy working on both the comedy scenes and the serious scenes together with everyone as a group. Yamashita-kun, Chiaki-kun and I were able to perform in an especially relaxed atmosphere that felt almost like having a casual chat. I think that we were able to carry that same feeling all the way through to the end, with the intention of delivering that atmosphere to everyone watching.”
– Azakami Youhei, Newtype magazine (2025)
“Yuuken is, among all the students with such strong personalities, incredibly straightforward. I feel that having someone like him around actually helps the other characters’ personalities shine even more.
My first impression was that, because he’s so straightforward, he probably wouldn’t understand jokes very well. At first I even thought, ‘Maybe he’s not suited for comedic scenes?’ But I later realized that when someone like that remains serious to the end, that itself can actually be funny (laughs).
– Azakami Youhei, PASH! magazine (2025)
Twisted Wonderland Reference Note 