Megami Magazine‘s “Megami’s Voice” interview series features an extended conversation with Nakayama Manaka, the voice behind Ichigeki Danko in the anime Honoo no Tokyujo Dodge Danko (炎の闘球女 ドッジ弾子), published in the October 2026 issue. The online version includes additional content not printed in the magazine.
Her First Lead Role
This is Nakayama’s first time voicing an anime protagonist. She received the news on her way home and promptly burst into tears on the street. “Once I calmed down, I skipped the rest of the way home,” she laughed. Her first impression of the source manga was the charming artwork by Koshita Tetsuhiro — classic hobby-manga energy with a feminine flair. She also enjoyed discovering shared special moves between this series and its predecessor, Honoo no Tokyuji Dodge Danpei.
Understanding Danko
Nakayama describes Danko as a girl packed full of energy, like a ball ready to bounce at any moment. “Even before recording, I was sure her voice had to be loud,” she said. As the story progresses, Danko grows through clashes with rivals, becoming cooler and more determined — yet still endearingly childlike, afraid of ghosts and green peppers.
For her performance, Nakayama focused on raw, unfiltered emotion. “Danko never hides how she feels. She doesn’t put on a front. I kept that momentum and intensity at the forefront of everything,” she explained.
Life in the Recording Booth
Nakayama admitted she was completely stiff during the Episode 1 recording session. Seeing Danko illustrated on the script cover holding an “Episode 1” sign made her feel unworthy of the role. Maeda Kaori, who voices Kobutsu Jinko and was seated beside her, broke the ice with friendly conversation. “I was so moved that someone could be that kind,” Nakayama recalled.
The studio atmosphere quickly became lively. Cast members would snack together between takes, and someone would always shout “Sensei’s here!” when the sound director walked in — a running joke the director himself played along with. The biggest vocal challenge was Danko’s long screaming sequences, which require starting at 100% and escalating further. “By the end I’m screaming at 200%,” she said. A pivotal direction came during the scene where Danko hurls a ball at her father’s towering grave: the director kept pushing for more volume, and that moment taught Nakayama to remove all limiters when playing the role.
Similarities and Differences
Nakayama sees herself in Danko’s all-or-nothing work ethic, but admires the character’s girlish charm — something Koshita himself described as Danko being “a little bit of a maiden” — as a quality she’d like to emulate.
What to Watch For
The Ura Super Dodge Taikai tournament kicks off from Episode 7. Nakayama is personally rooting for the Tosa Attackers, having grown up in Tokushima with ties to Kochi. Upcoming highlights include the backstory of Mochiko and Suzy in the US Buffaloes match — Nakayama even went up to Daichi You (Suzy’s voice actress) after recording to say how cool the performance was — as well as the Black Armors’ past and a story centered on Jinko’s parents. Ise Mariya, who voices Mido Ran, asked for the rehearsal take to be recorded because her performance was so emotionally charged. “I was watching from behind and started crying, then had to scream into the mic while still crying,” Nakayama said, urging fans not to miss the climax.
Megami Q&A Highlights
- Charm point: A wide mouth — she can eat a lot and sometimes surprises herself with how loud her voice is on playback.
- Nickname: Just “Nakayama,” because every vowel in “Nakayama Manaka” is an “a,” making it easy to say as-is. Only Maeda calls her “Mana-chan.”
- Voice quality: Strong, forceful, with a solid core.
- Personality: A runaway locomotive — once she commits to something she’ll sacrifice sleep to finish it, but her health is iron-clad.
- Current obsession: Rewatching favorites like Katekyo Hitman Reborn!, Kill la Kill, and Promare with fresh ears after visiting a dubbing session and seeing how meticulously sound is crafted.
- Dodgeball skills: Excellent catcher — once took a ball to the face and threw it straight back.
- School activity: Broadcasting club. She researched which school in her prefecture had the strongest club and told the entrance interviewer (diplomatically) that she intended to lead it. The team went to nationals three years running.
- Personal series tagline: “令和を焦がす超熱血スーパードッジボール” — Super Hot-Blooded Super Dodgeball That Sets the Reiwa Era Ablaze.
Series Information
Honoo no Tokyujo Dodge Danko is based on the manga by Koshita Tetsuhiro, serialized in Weekly CoroCoro Comic (Shogakukan). New episodes air every Monday at 11:00 PM on TOKYO MX and other networks. Official site: https://dodge-danko.com/
Nakayama Manaka — born April 2, from Tokushima Prefecture, represented by Amuleto. Previous credits include Yusha Regina in Maou to Ubatsu Tai!
© Koshita Tetsuhiro / Shogakukan / Dodge Danko Production Committee
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