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Kurusu Rin on Her 3-Year Struggle with Self-Doubt After Leaving Idol Life for Voice Acting

Check out the original interview in "Woman type" (Web magazine) here

After her group disbanded in October 2022, Kurusu Rin transitioned into the world of voice acting. A field she had long admired.

Since her voice acting debut in the anime KamiKatsu: Working for God in a Godless World, she has appeared in several notable titles, including I'll Become a Villainess Who Goes Down in History! and Love Live! Hasunosora.

This year, she also joined the cast of the highly anticipated film adaptation of the beloved anime Odekake Kozame: Tokai no Otomodachi, continuing to broaden her range as a voice actress.

“Having been a fan of anime and games for so long, actually joining the voice acting world felt incredibly scary.”

That’s how she describes her mindset at the time of her debut.

Although she’s only been a voice actress for three years, her dedication and uncompromising attitude toward her work plus her sincere love for her fans have made her a beloved figure in the anime and gaming world.

Still, she admitted, “Once I moved into voice acting, I realized how powerless I was,”

— Kurusu-san, after your idol group disbanded in 2022, you immediately moved to voice acting. But even before that, you were already a fan of anime and games, right?

Kurusu Rin : Ever since I was in high school, I'd thought, “I want to be an idol and a voice actor,”

It was the kind of world I had always pictured myself stepping into someday.

Since I’d worked as an idol, I came to really understand just how much fans value and take pride in their favorites. That made me feel I couldn’t step into voice acting with a half-hearted attitude, so I found it hard to say out loud that I wanted to pursue it.

— Because you knew how passionate anime and game fans are, you felt it was something you had to approach with real care.

Kurusu Rin : Yes, I was a fan of anime and games myself.

But I also knew that being an idol isn’t something you can do forever, that it would eventually come to an end. So I made sure never to let go of my dream of “wanting to try becoming a voice actress.”

So when the group disbanded, I gathered my resolve and went for it.

— How did it feel to get your dream job?

Kurusu Rin : First of all, I was struck by how powerless I was during the audition.

I hadn’t gone to a voice acting school, and I entered this world right after quitting as an idol, so I was unfamiliar with the things my peers already knew. What came naturally to them was a challenge for me.

Even when it came to something so basic, I couldn’t speak clearly or project my voice the way everyone else could.

I had been active as an idol for about six years, so I thought at the very least I was confident when it came to performing on stage. But when I actually stood in front of the mic, I had no idea what to do and ended up panicking.

I felt overwhelmed, thinking, “Ah. Once I moved into voice acting, I realized how powerless I was,”

Looking back now, I'm glad I was able to have this experience so soon after changing careers.

— Why do you feel that way?

Kurusu Rin : If, at that moment, I had thought, “Hey, I’m doing just fine,” I don’t think I would have made any real progress.

Back then, I kept criticizing myself, asking, “Why can’t I do anything right?”. But in the end, I believe it was that frustration that allowed me to grow and eventually take part in wonderful projects like Odekake Kozame.

「 I don’t think I’ll ever truly be satisfied with or proud of myself, even until the day I die. 」

— It’s been nearly three years since you made the switch to voice acting. Looking back, how do you feel about those three years?

Kurusu Rin : Many people see me as someone cheerful, and for the most part, I’ve been able to approach things with a positive and upbeat attitude.

Maybe the pressure to stay upbeat builds up, ironically, perhaps as a counterbalance, I tend to crash emotionally once every six months.

Even if I can do everything perfectly in practice, once I get on stage, I suddenly can’t perform the same way. At times like that, the tears wouldn’t stop. I just couldn’t forgive myself for falling short.

— Sounds like you can be pretty hard on yourself.

Kurusu Rin : Emotions would overwhelm me suddenly, with thoughts like, “I can’t do anything right.”

I often found myself crying alone on the train ride home from work. Even now, it still happens from time to time.

— When you were an idol, did you also tend to be hard on yourself?

Kurusu Rin : When I was an idol, I was often approached with job opportunities, but now as a voice actress, I actively pursue roles myself. Because of that, I’ve been hard on myself, thinking, “I’m here because I was given a chance, so I can’t afford to make any mistakes.”

— Your latest role in Odekake Kozame was offered to you directly, with the team specifically saying they wanted you for it. As you continue to receive more voice acting opportunities like this, do you still hold yourself to the same high standards?

Kurusu Rin : It hasn't changed. Back when I was an idol, I was still young, and I often had this mindset to focus on proving how hard I was working, that was always at the forefront. But after switching to voice acting, I feel like my perspective has really broadened.

The work I receive, whether it’s through media exposure or casting director and fans who continue to support me. I see every bit of it as something to be thankful for, not something to be taken for granted. Realizing that helped me stay disciplined and not go easy on myself.

Since becoming a voice actor, I’ve had the chance to closely observe people who pour themselves wholeheartedly into creating a single work, and I think that experience has helped shape this mindset.

— You don’t take the opportunities you’re given for granted. You approach them with gratitude and care. That earnest and disciplined attitude seems to be what keeps expanding your potential.

Kurusu Rin : I don’t think I’ll ever truly be satisfied with or proud of myself, even until the day I die.

— Isn’t it exhausting to be that disciplined all the time?

Kurusu Rin : My fans’ words bring me a comfort, so I’m able to keep going. When fans say things like, “That performance in that scene was really good,” and share their thoughts even on the smallest details of my acting, it makes me realize they’re really watching. That gives me the courage to keep going.

— We often see many supportive messages from your fans on social media as well.

Kurusu Rin : I’m really grateful for that. Fans often send me messages like, “I saw an ad with Kurusu Rin while I was walking!” or “This character is voiced by Kurusu Rin, right?” along with pictures. It always gives me a lot of encouragement.

— Just seeing someone you root for in a regular moment can totally lift your mood, doesn’t it?

Kurusu Rin : It’s precisely because of that I hope to be more visible and reach as many people as I can, even in small ways.

Like when someone’s feeling worn out and boards a packed train, and they see me or a character I’ve voiced, and their spirits lift with a little “Wow!”. If I can create even just a single moment like that, it would make me truly happy.

Odekake Kozame became a turning point that let me level up as a voice actress.

— Your latest work, Odekake Kozame: Tokai no Otomodachi , is part of a series with a large fanbase. Would you say it became a great opportunity to showcase your talents to an even wider audience?

Kurusu Rin : Odekake Kozame is actually a series my friend really loves. She used to show me merchandise and we’d talk about the series together, so I was already quite familiar with it.

This movie marked my first time joining the series, and I’ve had a lot of people say things like, “Hey, I saw the Odekake Kozame ad!” I was really happy to be involved in a work that so many people feel a connection to.

— You’re working alongside such an incredible cast. What was it like during filming?

Kurusu Rin : I was pretty overwhelmed. There were a lot of veterans who were main cast members in well-known works.

Odekake Kozame already has a strong fanbase, so stepping in as a fresh presence without disturbing the established tone was a real challenge.

— What was the most challenging part of this role for you, Kurusu-san?

Kurusu Rin : I played the role of Miho, who is a classmate of Sora (voiced by Iwami Manaka). Miho isn’t a particularly quirky or distinctive character, she’s just an ordinary high school girl.

She’s the kind of relatable person you might encounter in everyday life, so I made a conscious effort not to overdo the voice and kept it close to my natural tone.

Since I usually voice more stylized or character-like roles, this actually made it more challenging for me in a different way.

— Did working alongside such experienced veterans lead to any realizations or learning moments?

Kurusu Rin : The main character is a sharks that communicate using their own unique language. In the script, all of their lines were written as symbols, like ○△×.

When I was practicing Miho's part at home, I sometimes think, "What’s the right way to express this?"

Once I was actually on set, I saw my co-stars responding without the slightest hesitation. Saying things like, “It’s probably like this,” or “Maybe like that.” Watching them handle it so calmly really made me realize just how incredible experienced voice actors are. They’ve got such a wide range of skills that nothing seems to throw them off.

— It looks like you’ve gained another layer of experience through this role.

Kurusu Rin : Yes, that’s right. When something new is suddenly asked of me on set, I sometimes don’t know how to respond. But watching others handle it smoothly made me realize, it's experience that makes the difference. That’s why I now truly understand how valuable it is to try new things without hesitation.

— So many people cheer you on, but is there something or someone you find yourself cheering for?

Kurusu Rin : I really love games, and among them, I’m especially into a Korean FPS game called VALORANT. I play it all the time, and one of my dreams is to someday voice one of the characters in that game.

Just imagining being involved in a game I interact with every day is such an exciting thought.

— When you first became a voice actor, you once said that because it was something you loved, stepping into that world felt scary. But now, maybe you've come to believe in yourself enough to say, “This is exactly what I want to work on!”

Kurusu Rin : I definitely feel more confident now.

When I first transitioned into this career, I was hesitant to get too close to the things I loved. But now, those very things are what give me strength.

I’m still learning, but I hope to keep improving little by little.

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