The TV anime Tengoku no Jyaduugaru — based on the award-winning historical manga by Tomato Soup (serialised in Akita Shoten’s Souffle) — is currently airing on TV Asahi’s nationwide 24-station “IMAnimation” block, BS Asahi, and other channels. Set in 13th-century Mongolia, the story follows Shitara, a former slave girl whose fate becomes entangled with the fate of an empire.

In the ninth instalment of the cast interview series, we spoke with Ami Koshimizu, the voice behind Döregene — the sixth consort of Emperor Ögedei, who harbours a burning desire for revenge against the Mongol Empire. Koshimizu discussed her pre-audition research into Mongolian history, the unique bond between Döregene and Shitara, and how performing opposite Hiro Shimono and Akira Ishida reshaped her understanding of the character.

Researching History to Understand the World of Tengoku no Jyaduugaru

Koshimizu went through two rounds of auditions — a tape submission and a studio session — and felt from the very beginning that Döregene was an exceptionally rewarding role. She was so captivated by the work itself that she thought, even if she weren’t chosen, she would want to see whoever was cast bring the character to life. Being selected in the end made her genuinely happy.

Before recording her tape audition, she researched historical figures in similar positions to Döregene, as well as Genghis Khan and other characters in the story. What surprised her most was how scarce the available records are. Because Mongolian culture of that era did not have a strong tradition of written documentation, most surviving sources are accounts written by foreign travellers rather than by the Mongols themselves.

“The less information I found, the more I thought about how much effort Tomato Soup sensei must have put into crafting these characters and this story,” she said. She also noted that one of the things that struck her most during recording was how natural every line of dialogue felt — something she attributed to the meticulous care with which each character’s inner logic and emotional arc had been constructed.

Döregene’s “Frozen Time” and Her Hidden Sensitivity

Asked what she finds most compelling about Döregene, Koshimizu described her as “an extraordinarily delicate woman.” A traumatic event in her past caused part of her inner self to freeze at that moment in time. Her body aged, she bore children, she lived through countless experiences — but the truest, most unguarded part of her remained unchanged.

“In front of Shitara, Döregene shows a girlish side without any calculation — it’s simply her real self surfacing,” Koshimizu explained. “It’s as though the frozen time starts moving again whenever she’s with Shitara.”

Koshimizu also reflected on Döregene’s declaration to Ögedei — “I am not your wife. I am your enemy” — interpreting it not only as a statement directed at him, but as a reminder to herself: a way of keeping her own flame alive and preventing the complicated feelings that had grown over years of living in Mongolia from extinguishing her resolve.

“There are no true villains in this story,” she said, echoing sentiments expressed by Shitara’s voice actress Akira Sekine in an earlier interview. “The manga’s genius is that it never simply declares who is right or wrong — it shows every character’s circumstances so naturally that you can’t stay on one side for long.”

How Hiro Shimono and Akira Ishida Deepened Döregene’s Emotions

Despite thorough preparation, Koshimizu found that the actual recording sessions brought unexpected discoveries.

The biggest surprise came from Hiro Shimono‘s performance as Ögedei. “I had prepared myself to think of him as ‘the enemy to be hated,’ but when we actually performed together, Shimono-san’s Ögedei was genuinely charming — warm and gentle in a way that made me want to open up to him without meaning to,” she laughed. “I understood intellectually why Döregene wavers, but experiencing that performance made me feel it for myself.”

Equally impactful was Akira Ishida‘s portrayal of Dair Usun, Döregene’s husband. “The love that came through in Ishida-san’s performance was so pure — like the love of a father for a daughter, or for family. There was no hidden agenda, no complexity. Before I knew it, I had genuinely grown attached to that character myself,” Koshimizu said. “That’s why the farewell scene was so painful — all of that had built up.”

“The anger toward Mongolia, the memory of being loved, the past that can’t be forgotten, the things I don’t want to forget — all of those emotions became clearer inside me through performing with the rest of the cast,” she concluded. “So much of what this show is was born from this specific cast. I hope everyone will follow this story through to the end.”

TV Anime Tengoku no Jyaduugaru — Staff & Cast

Staff

• Original Work: Tomato Soup — Tengoku no Jyaduugaru (Akita Shoten, Souffle)
• General Director: Naoko Yamada
• Director: Abel Gongora
• Series Composition: Kan’ichi Katō
• Character Design / Animation Chief: Ken’ichi Yoshida
• Direction Chief: Takuya Fujikura
• Art Director: Yuri Kabasawa
• Color Design: Narumi Konno
• Photography Director: Naoki Takahashi
• Editor: Kiyoshi Hirose
• Music: Kōshirō Hino
• Sound Director: Noriyoshi Konuma
• Animation Studio: Science SARU

Cast

• Shitara: Akira Sekine
• Döregene: Ami Koshimizu
• Fātima: Hōko Kuwashima
• Muhammad: Jun Saitō
• Ögedei: Hiro Shimono
• Tolui: Ryōta Suzuki
• Shira: Miyu Irino
• Chagatai: Daisuke Namikawa
• Jochi: Kenji Nojima
• Sorqoqtani: Misaki Kuno
• Möge: Ayaka Asai
• Kirghiztani: Mayumi Shintani
• Borakchine: Kujira

Theme Songs

• Opening Theme: SEKAI NO OWARI — “Stella”
• Ending Theme: Joō Hachi — “Hoshi”