Dani Chambers Interview: Voicing Reina Aharen

Dani Chambers spoke to The Natural Aristocrat about voicing Reina Aharen on the most wholesome romantic comedy series on Crunchyroll, Aharen-san wa Hakarenai.

This interview contains spoilers for Aharen-san wa Hakarenai Season 1.

THE NATURAL ARISTOCRAT (NIR REGEV): How does it feel to be on not one but two of the most wholesome anime shows dubbed this year in Aharen-san wa Hakarenai and SPY x FAMILY?

DANI CHAMBERS: It’s so cute & fun! I love voicing my little precious babies! Which is what I call them because they’re so sweet, especially Aharen. I love voicing her!

Reina Aharen – Photo Credit: © Mizu Asato / Shueisha, BILIBILI

Even though Aharen doesn’t say much, I still love her character and how sweet & quiet she is. Especially, how she tries so hard with her group of friends.

Reina Aharen, Raido, and Mitsuki Oshiro – Photo Credit: © Mizu Asato / Shueisha, BILIBILI

With Becky Blackbell (SPY x FAMILY) she’s that rich best friend that we all need. She’s a ride or die kind of character. It feels so, so great to be a part of two wholesome shows like that.

THE NATURAL ARISTOCRAT (NIR REGEV): I feel it’s extremely difficult to make a character’s personality pop with an understated, subtle voice rather than the high energy one we usually hear in anime.

Reina Aharen whispers to Raido – Photo Credit: © Mizu Asato / Shueisha, BILIBILI

How were you able to layer Reina Aharen’s voice from a whisper to one of the star attractions on the series?

DANI CHAMBERS: Well, working with the ADR director, Emily Fajardo, she pretty much broke down the character for me to say Aharen earnestly wants to make friends. But she gets too close physically, right into your personal space. Aharen doesn’t know boundaries.

Reina Aharen and Raido – Photo Credit: © Mizu Asato / Shueisha, BILIBILI

And so during the whole show, she’s learning boundaries, not just with Raidō, but with other people in her little friend group.

Ms. Miyahira, Mitsuki Oshiro, Raido, Reina Aharen, Hanako Sato, and Ishikawa – Photo Credit: © Mizu Asato / Shueisha, BILIBILI

As Aharen’s learning, she not only learns about them, but about herself as well. Getting to put that on screen was always so much fun!

Reina Aharen and Mitsuki Oshiro – Photo Credit: © Mizu Asato / Shueisha, BILIBILI

I just love how her relationships develop with the whole crew. It makes me so happy!

THE NATURAL ARISTOCRAT (NIR REGEV): The first thing I noticed about your characters in Aharen-san wa Hakarenai, Shadow House and Tomodachi Game is your expertise at doing emotive expression filler sounds when there is no dialogue.

How did you develop that speciality over time?

DANI CHAMBERS: It’s funny you say that because growing up, I’ve always made weird noises that expressed how I was feeling! (laughs) So it worked out in the end, it’s not really new to me.

Reina Aharen – Photo Credit: © Mizu Asato / Shueisha, BILIBILI

THE NATURAL ARISTOCRAT (NIR REGEV): I thought it would be fun to see how close you are to Aharen. How good are you at crane games? How about fidget spinners and Othello/Reversi?

Reina Aharen plays crane game alongside Raido – Photo Credit: © Mizu Asato / Shueisha, BILIBILI

DANI CHAMBERS: Not in the slightest for crane games! (laughs)

I’m good at fidget spinners, but that’s about it.

Reina Aharen is the fidget spinner champion – Photo Credit: © Mizu Asato / Shueisha, BILIBILI

I tried playing Othello a few times, and nope, not at all. But I’m not terrible either.

Reina Aharen, fidget spinner champion speaks to Atsushi and Raido – Photo Credit: © Mizu Asato / Shueisha, BILIBILI

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD

Reina Aharen looks at Raido – Photo Credit: © Mizu Asato / Shueisha, BILIBILI

THE NATURAL ARISTOCRAT (NIR REGEV): When Reina Aharen tells Raidō she likes him, it’s one of the first times you can really hear the difference in the way she emotes.

Reina Aharen – “I like you too” – Photo Credit: © Mizu Asato / Shueisha, BILIBILI

She kind of sounds like Emilico from Shadow House at that moment. Was that a vocal decision you made on your own?

DANI CHAMBERS: It was a group effort between me and Emily (Fajardo), the ADR Director. Before we establish a voice, we’ll audition with whatever type of voice we think the character has.

Reina Aharen – Photo Credit: © Mizu Asato / Shueisha, BILIBILI

Then once we book it, we go in and the ADR director & the actor kind of workshop it to make it the right voice type. Sometimes, it can be straight out of the audition.

Reina Aharen and Raido – Photo Credit: © Mizu Asato / Shueisha, BILIBILI

They like the voice and you’ll tweak it just a little bit. So it usually depends on the Director or the show. But with Emily (Fajardo), we just made her a little bit higher in pitch. Just a teeny bit than what I did in the audition.

Reina Aharen and Raido – Photo Credit: © Mizu Asato / Shueisha, BILIBILI

THE NATURAL ARISTOCRAT (NIR REGEV): Were you waiting on Reina Aharen to reveal her feelings to Raidō? Did you fangirl a bit when she did?

DANI CHAMBERS: Oh my God, yes I did! Especially because it was strange when Aharen confessed, we didn’t hear anything. So I was like, what happened?!

Reina Aharen kisses Raido – Photo Credit: © Mizu Asato / Shueisha, BILIBILI

When she kisses Raidō and then runs away, I was like, did she? I resonated so much with her. When they finally have the conversation about it, it’s so wholesome.

Reina Aharen and Raido – Photo Credit: © Mizu Asato / Shueisha, BILIBILI

It shows how far they’ve come from the start of the series and how their feelings have developed for each other.

Reina Aharen and Raido – Photo Credit: © Mizu Asato / Shueisha, BILIBILI

How Aharen’s much better at explaining her feelings and being louder to let people know what she’s thinking.

Raido and Reina Aharen – Photo Credit: © Mizu Asato / Shueisha, BILIBILI

THE NATURAL ARISTOCRAT (NIR REGEV): The first time I watched that scene, I had to rewind because I thought I missed it.

DANI CHAMBERS: Yeah, I watched it before I recorded and thought, ‘Did she say something?’ Oh, maybe the subtitles weren’t on. So it was just like, ‘I guess she did say it… Or we’re not supposed to be able to hear it.

THE NATURAL ARISTOCRAT (NIR REGEV): Do you enjoy Raidō’s overactive imagination about Aharen?

DANI CHAMBERS: Oh, it’s great! I crack up every time I record and I see him. He’s so funny, it’s absolutely hilarious.

Cyorg Reina Aharen in Raido’s Imagination – Photo Credit: © Mizu Asato / Shueisha, BILIBILI

The only person he’s actually almost right about is Mitsuki Ōshiro wanting to kill him at one point! (laughs)

Mitsuki Oshiro challenges Raido to a game of Othello / Reversi – Photo Credit: © Mizu Asato / Shueisha, BILIBILI

THE NATURAL ARISTOCRAT (NIR REGEV): What are your thoughts on Ms. Tobaru frequently passing out from overloading at seeing Raidō & Aharen’s romance / ‘esteem’?

Ms. Tobaru and Ms. Miyahira eating lunch alongside Reina Aharen and Raido – Photo Credit: © Mizu Asato / Shueisha, BILIBILI

DANI CHAMBERS: I love that so much! It reminds me of the series Snow White with the Red Hair because there’s two guards who are secretly ‘shipping the main characters together.

Reina Aharen on date with Raido – Photo Credit: © Mizu Asato / Shueisha, BILIBILI

I’m like, ‘Oh yeah, that’s them!’ And it’s so freaking cute.

Ms. Tobaru and Ms. Miyahira eating lunch alongside Reina Aharen and Raido – Photo Credit: © Mizu Asato / Shueisha, BILIBILI

I love Katelyn Barr (Ms. Tobaru) and Tia Ballard (Ms. Miyahira) as the teachers.

Ms. Tobaru and Ms. Miyahira eating lunch alongside Reina Aharen and Raido – Photo Credit: © Mizu Asato / Shueisha, BILIBILI

I’m like, ‘Oh yes, I want more of this!’

/END SPOILERS

THE NATURAL ARISTOCRAT (NIR REGEV): What was your first audition for Reina Aharen like? Did you know you were reading for her?

Reina Aharen and Raido – Photo Credit: © Mizu Asato / Shueisha, BILIBILI

DANI CHAMBERS: Emily (Fajardo) actually sent out the sides. She designed them so cute! Emily’s a graphic designer, so she went ahead and made the sides look really cute too.

Maid Reina Aharen greets Raido – Photo Credit: © Mizu Asato / Shueisha, BILIBILI

There was information about the character with a picture on the side and three lines for what she says. Sometimes, in your side you’ll get different emotive lines to show off. So you can show off different emotions for the character.

Reina Aharen feeds Raido her lunch from a bento box – Photo Credit: © Mizu Asato / Shueisha, BILIBILI

With Aharen that’s what we did. She had different sentences, a picture, and the description of the character.

THE NATURAL ARISTOCRAT (NIR REGEV): You’re going to be a featured guest at Anime Fest 2022 in Dallas next week (July 29-August 1).

Are you going be at Anime NYC 2022 for a panel on Aharen-san wa Hakarenai in November?

DANI CHAMBERS: I would love to be at Anime NYC! I just have to be requested for it. So I mean, if people want me at Anime NYC, they just have to ask for me and Aharen!

Reina Aharen and Raido – Photo Credit: © Mizu Asato / Shueisha, BILIBILI

If we have a panel, I want Emily Fajardo there with me too. I think a lot of panels should have the directors on there.

THE NATURAL ARISTOCRAT (NIR REGEV): What does it mean to you to give a voice to quiet, shy girls everywhere? I feel Reina Aharen is an exceptionally positive representation of an introvert.

DANI CHAMBERS: It was truly sweet and I felt honored to do it because growing up, I was a little bit more extroverted than Aharen, like completely. But as I got older, I felt very anxious.

Reina Aharen and Raido – Photo Credit: © Mizu Asato / Shueisha, BILIBILI

I wasn’t sure how to interact with people. I do understand that getting too close part, that’s how I relate to her because I didn’t really understand boundaries growing up.

I figured everybody was my friend and be like, ‘Hey, how’s it going?!’ I was just all in their business. You know, not knowing like people need space.

Reina Aharen and Mitsuki Oshiro – Photo Credit: © Mizu Asato / Shueisha, BILIBILI

I felt like I was ruining friendships because of that. So being able to tell Aharen’s story and seeing her character growth after… It’s like learning about my own character growth in my life. She’s so heartwarming.

Raido and Reina Aharen – Photo Credit: © Mizu Asato / Shueisha, BILIBILI

I’m very honored that I get to voice this character who learns to love. And who learns about boundaries not just romantically, but with friendships.

Raido, Ishikawa, Hanako Sato, and Reina Aharen – Photo Credit: © Mizu Asato / Shueisha, BILIBILI

As well, that her friends won’t leave her. She doesn’t have to keep doing things in order to keep people in her life, she can just be herself.

Raido and Reina Aharen- Photo Credit: © Mizu Asato / Shueisha, BILIBILI

Aharen learns to work on those things that will make her and her friends comfortable. I’m so excited. I hope we get to do a Season 2! I went it so bad!

Reina Aharen and Raido watch fireworks at summer festival – Photo Credit: © Mizu Asato / Shueisha, BILIBILI

Oh my God, this series was so wholesome! It was nice to have different feel and different atmosphere. I can sit down & relax and not feel stressed about a show. I love Aharen.

THE NATURAL ARISTOCRAT (NIR REGEV): Thanks Dani!

DANI CHAMBERS: Thank you!

Reina Aharen and Raido – Photo Credit: © Mizu Asato / Shueisha, BILIBILI

EDITOR’S NOTE: Later this week, we’ll be releasing our interview with Dani Chambers on Yutori Kokorogi in Tomodachi Game! Stay tuned!

Follow Dani Chambers on Social Media:

Photo Credit: Dani Chambers

You can follow voice actress Dani Chambers on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Twitch, and YouTube!

Visit Dani Chambers’ official website for a listing of her featured characters and information regarding future convention appearances.

Aharen-san wa Hakarenai English Dub Cast: Main Characters

Reina Aharen and Raido – Photo Credit: © Mizu Asato / Shueisha, BILIBILI

Dani Chambers as Reina Aharen
Ben Balmaceda as Raidō (Raidou Matsuboshi / Raido)
Kristen McGuire as Mitsuki Ōshiro (Mitsuki Ooshiro)
Katelyn Barr as Ms. Tobaru
Tia Ballard as Ms. Miyahira
Jill Harris as Futaba
Bryn Apprill as Atsushi
Jalitza Chantel Delgado as Raidō’s Sister
Natalie Hoover as Eru Aharen
Brittney Karbowski as Ren Aharen
Veronica Laux as Hanako Satō
Kevin D. Thelwell as Ishikawa
Corey Pettit as Raidō’s mother
Sarah Roach as young Raidō
Anthony Bowling as Nui the Dog

Aharen-san wa Hakarenai English Dub: Preview Trailer

You can watch all 12 episodes of Aharen-san wa Hakarenai Season 1 on Crunchyroll, dubbed and subbed, right now!

TV Anime Series – Aharen-san wa Hakarenai English Dub Poster. Photo Credit: © Mizu Asato / Shueisha, BILIBILI

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Maid Reina Aharen gives Raido menu – Photo Credit: © Mizu Asato / Shueisha, BILIBILI

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