Hana-Kimi thrives on a simple, ridiculous premise, and it plays it with total sincerity. Mizuki Ashiya moves to Japan, disguises herself as a boy, and enrolls in an all-boys school to get close to high jump star Izumi Sano. That mix of big feelings and bigger complications made my Valentine’s Day interview with the English dub cast so much fun, because they leaned into the romance, the comedy, and the character craft. Watch the full interview embedded in the article for the full vibe.
Katelyn Bar Talks Mizuki’s Boy Voice in Hana-Kimi
Mizuki’s “Boy Voice” works because it never stays perfectly smooth, and that is the point. Katelyn Barr talked about how she built a voice that tries to pass, then betrays itself at the worst moments. It is a performance inside a performance, and it makes Mizuki feel more human than “perfect undercover girl.”
I’ve done that before. I not not for romance, I guess, but I have made that big scary leap before with a big move so that I could definitely relate to. I think with regards to finding her voice, it’s interesting because she’s kind of a character that’s playing a character, you know, she’s. But at the same time, even if she’s changing her voice and she’s in disguise as a guy, she’s never disguising who she is. …
It’s kind of nice to leave it in there because it’s it’s a little more real, you know, like she’s not perfect at it. So even when she’s putting on this boy voice, you can still kind of hear the dorky girl behind it. It’s me. I’m the dorky.
That “leave it in there” philosophy explains why Mizuki’s comedy lands. The voice does not chase a flawless disguise. It chases intention, nerves, and feelings that leak through. It turns every squeak into story, and it keeps the romance from feeling too polished.
Barr also gave a great peek at how the booth shapes those micro-moments. She credited director Jade Saxton for pushing the cast to make emotional choices, not “correct” choices.
Yeah, I think a lot of the time the our director, Jade Saxton, she, she will sometimes encourage us to explore like okay, well we did we did one take where she just completely perfectly nailed having a boy voice.
But what if we do another take where it slides a little bit because she’s flustered or she’s angry? So getting in touch with her emotions in that moment is what helps decide how successful her voice, her boy voice is going to be.
That mindset makes Hana-Kimi feel alive in English. The performance serves Mizuki’s emotional temperature first, then the disguise second. That order keeps the stakes romantic, not mechanical.
Nakatsu’s Crush Panic Stays Kind, Not Cruel
Shuichi Nakatsu could have turned into the kind of jealous “chaos boy” who hurts people for laughs. Wyatt Baker made the opposite case. He described Nakatsu as someone whose confusion pushes him into caretaking, not cruelty, which gives the love triangle energy without making it mean.
Because that’s an interesting that’s an interesting question. I do think in in real life situations, a lot of the times when people struggle with that, it does often lead to cruelty. But I think that comes down to who you are as a person and the circumstances that you were raised in. …
Here are all of my friends. And they’re your friends now. So I think it’s just it depends on like a lot of people deal with these things, but I think it depends on the person dealing with it. And he just happens to be a very nice person.
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That “damage control mode” line Hana-Kimils why Nakatsu works. He acts like a golden retriever with a strategy board. He wants to protect Mizuki, even when his heart feels messy. That warmth keeps the comedy from punching down.
Hot Pot Party Energy Wins Valentine’s Day
The interview ended with a perfect “only in Hana-Kimi” moment. I asked for a line that would work on a Valentine’s Day card, and the cast instantly turned it into a mini sketch. If you want the show’s tone in one burst, it is right here.
Katelyn Barr -Want to have a hot pot party?
Dallas Reid -Wait. No, that’s really good. That’s a really good one.
Wyatt Baker -That’s a really good one. And that’s my character. So I get to take it. I get to go. All right, all right. You.
Dallas Reid -I want to have a hot pot party. Well, what is it.
Wyatt Baker -That Mizuki says? Like the moment that she lays eyes on Sano because it is taken romantically by just about everybody.
Katelyn Barr -Oh, to be frank, I like you, so we should hang out.
Wyatt Baker -That’s great.
Katelyn Barr -That’s literally how I ask people out.
Wyatt Baker -That’s perfect.
Katelyn Barr -So thank God it’s so much better than what I said. Hana-Kimi
This is why the interview clicks. You get craft talk and real chemistry, and you feel why this story still hits. It is rom-com rhythm with anime-sized sincerity.
Hana-Kimi has multiple adaptations across manga, anime, and live action, so the best option depends on which version you are chasing. If you want to watch the anime, check it out on Crunchyroll.
Which character’s Valentine plan fits your vibe, direct like Mizuki, chill like Sano, or group-chaos like Nakatsu? Which dub moment sold you on the cast? Which line would you actually put on a Valentine’s card? Share your thoughts in the comments or @me.
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