One of the first anime magazines aimed at a female demographic, PASH! began publication 2004. The April 2024 issue includes a cover story on the Heaven Official’s Blessing donghua, featuring multiple interviews with members of the Japanese dub voice cast. The following is a translation of the double interview with both Hiroshi Kamiya, voice of Xie Lian, Jun Fukuyama voice of Hua Cheng.
Interview < 1 >
Hiroshi Kamiya (as Xie Lian) & Jun Fukuyama (as Hua Cheng)
Hiroshi Kamiya is affiliated with Aoni Production. His major roles include Takashi Natsume in the Natsume’s Book of Friends series and Ataru Moroboshi in Urusei Yatsura (2022), among others.
Jun Fukuyama is affiliated with BLACK SHIP. His major roles include Yukio Okumura in the Blue Exorcist series and the protagonist in the Persona 5 series, among others.
“Carefully depicting the relationship between the two characters — something that remained unchanged in the second season as well.”
“Once you watch Season 1, please enjoy Season 2 as well!” both actors encouraged. They shared their thoughts starting with the memorable exchanges from this season, as well as stand out moments and the relationships between the characters.
“Hua Cheng Time”, where the flow of time changes, is an essential part of the production.
━━━ Please tell us what you both find appealing about Heaven Official’s Blessing (Tian Guan Ci Fu).
Fukuyama
I think one of the first things of note is how the Heavenly Realm and the Ghost Realm are portrayed in China, and how the Heavenly Officials behave. Most of these things have already been depicted in Japanese anime, so it’s interesting to see how we, as foreigners, perceive a culture close to Japan’s. Moreover, I think this work’s genre is classified as a bromance, so some people will be strongly drawn to the relationship between Xie Lian and Hua Cheng, which is the story’s main focus. As the story moves further forward, the times Xie Lian and Hua Cheng reunite are depicted as quiet moments, which I think is the interesting aspect of the first half.
Kamiya
As Jun mentioned, I think being able to experience Chinese culture is a major draw. Furthermore, it’s presented through highly technical animation. This is a show where you’re guaranteed to feel something wonderful during every episode.
Fukuyama
While the visuals are beautiful, it can be difficult to tell whether the show is focused on depicting people or the world. However, I believe that it actually strikes a good balance, and I don’t think that being easy to understand is necessarily a positive. Works of entertainment will keep viewers watching so long as they find something that piques their interest.
Kamiya
Ideally, they should depict an overall picture of the story, but this work tends to place emphasis on the relationship between Xie Lian and Hua Cheng. As a result, when Hua Cheng (or San Lang) appears, time seems to move really, really slowly!
Fukuyama
(laughs)
Kamiya
It’s depicted in such detail that you might think time itself has stopped. Up until that point, the story may have been progressing at a good pace, but the moment Xie Lian meets Hua Cheng, it’s as if the dimensions warped…
Fukuyama
Like Dragon Ball (laughs).
Kamiya
That’s right, it becomes like the Hyperbolic Time Chamber[1] (laughs). Even as the one acting, I continue to be surprised, while also enjoying it.
Fukuyama
Bystanders go along with it too. I don’t know why, but everyone affirms everything Hua Cheng does.
Kamiya
It’s kind of interesting, isn’t it? It’s like we’re being shown an extended close up of their relationship.
━━━ What are some highlights of the second season?
Fukuyama
To be honest, the final episode of the first season was quite a culture shock for me.
Kamiya
It was just the two of us having a conversation! (laughs)
Fukuyama
In a typical anime, wouldn’t they make the final episode in such a way that connects it to an anticipated second season? But in this case, they’re dedicating so much screen time to just the two of them talking and having a peaceful time together instead!? I thought it was a brave and daring structure. As I was wondering how they would portray such scenes in the second season, they showed us “Hua Cheng Time,” where the flow of time clearly changes even when there are other people around (laughs). In scenes where it’s just the two of them, they still try to depict how they spend time alone together, and that hasn’t changed.
Kamiya
That’s true. While the first season did progress the story, it placed equal or even greater emphasis on depicting the relationship between the two main characters. So to be honest, I was confused at first. I wondered if there could be better balance, like including more action scenes or delving deeper into the story. But as soon as I understood that bromance is about putting the spotlight on the two characters and depicting their relationship thoroughly, while also treating the world and story with equal importance, I realized that there was a purpose behind it.
In recent years, Japanese animation has become less and less about carefully depicting the feelings of a single character over one whole cour. There are simply too many characters, and I’m sure there are business matters involved as well. In that respect, while Heaven Official’s Blessing indeed has many characters, it carefully portrays the relationship between Xie Lian and Hua Cheng, and that remained the same in the second season. I continue to appreciate that aspect as I play the role, and I think the relationship between those two is definitely a highlight.
━━━ I think one of the key points in the second season is when Hua Cheng appears not as San Lang, but in his true form.
Fukuyama
In the first season, there were only a few lines in his Hua Cheng form, and since Hua Cheng and San Lang are technically different bodies, I was thinking about how to portray that. Ultimately, I was given direction while also making minor adjustments myself in order to express that he is still San Lang, only his body has changed. I think I was able to adjust to that quickly because I had a feel for it from the first season.
Kamiya
Since I act from Xie Lian’s perspective, I actually don’t really understand the difference between Hua Cheng and San Lang. Of course, there are parts where their physical appearances are clearly different, and where I feel that Jun’s acting has changed. But as Xie Lian, I’m like, “What’s the difference?” I’m curious how this makes the viewers feel, but he will continue to call him San Lang as always. Xie Lian is really terrible (laughs). To use an example from Tsuribaka Nisshi, it’s like saying, “In the office, you should call him ‘President,’ not ‘Su-san’!”[2] He has that kind of lack of social awareness.
Q: Which new characters are you personally interested in?
Fukuyama
Jun Wu is trusted and respected by everyone, and his words and actions are befitting of someone at the top. But I get the impression that among the other people in the Heavenly Realm, many speak impulsively, even those of fairly high status.
Kamiya
They’re all such snobs. There isn’t a single decent god!
Fukuyama
It makes me think that the heavens must be an outlandish place (laughs). In Japan, we treat gods as something transcendent, but in Heaven Official’s Blessing, those who are born human can accumulate virtue and ascend to heaven, so I wonder what the boundary is between gods and humans?
Kamiya
To be honest, I can’t empathize with any of the characters. I can understand Xie Lian’s motivations, partly because I play him, but I have absolutely no idea what motivates the others.
Fukuyama
At any point, someone could say “Hey we’re in the Palace, aren’t we?” and yet the new characters are laying out all of their feelings, interests, losses and gains. All of them make a strong impression, and in that sense, I’m sure the viewers will become familiar with them right away (laughs).
Kamiya
While I was watching, I wondered, “Does he really have to be subjected to such harsh treatment? What good deeds have these people done?!” But I suppose Xie Lian must have done something to trigger these heightened emotions, so I hope that will be resolved… However, I wonder if such words being hurled at Xie Lian might eventually break him…? Since everyone seems to be directing malice towards him for some reason, I find myself wondering how each new character will interact with him.
I think Hua Cheng got carried away when he injured Xie Lian
━━━ How do you perceive Xie Lian’s appeal?
Kamiya
From a human perspective, I think Xie Lian is a pitiable, or rather, a clumsy person. He possesses the incredible potential to ascend three times, something that is probably unmatched by anyone else in the Heavenly Realm. That’s why some find him annoying, while others understand this potential. And the unfortunate fact about him is that, because he has lived so long, he has to come to terms with everything. For humans, whether they accumulate virtue or commit evil deeds, it all ends when they die, but in Xie Lian’s case, he lives on burdened by all the events of the past 800 years. Moreover, the new lives born during that time only hear bits and pieces of past events, slander him based on rumors alone, or misunderstand things because they only know a portion of the whole story. Yet he doesn’t take the initiative to clear up these misunderstandings. It’s rather pathetic how he just puts forth his efforts towards whatever he’s told, and I feel like he lives a totally clumsy life. But that’s what makes him so human despite being a god, and I think that part of him is appealing. He’s portrayed to us as a very friendly and relatable presence.
Fukuyama
For those who recognize these good qualities, Xie Lian is someone who is so selfless that one could say it’s abnormal. For example, while the other Heavenly Officials wear dazzling attire, Xie Lian wears what one would call a white Shinto robe in Japan, lacking any sort of decoration. He has a love for weapons and can handle a sword, but he chooses not to wield one, instead using a cloth. He probably has an altruistic spirit, but that doesn’t mean he’s like that all the time, nor has he given up on it either. If he had the power, he could save many people, but he doesn’t think about anything so grand. Instead, he seems to be trying to focus on only what is within his sight… He’s a very inconsistent person. For Hua Cheng, it evokes a feeling in him that he is the only one who understands Xie Lian. I think that is Xie Lian’s charm.
━━━ Next, what are the appealing aspects of Hua Cheng/San Lang?
Fukuyama
Speaking as San Lang, I think he’s a bit mysterious (laughs). I mean, I’m surprised Xie Lian accepted San Lang. After all, San Lang is just Hua Cheng’s disguise and doesn’t really exist, right? But they spent time together in the first season, Xie Lian trusted him, and he must have felt something towards this man who so easily warmed up to him. However, when it comes down to it, San Lang, who protects and guides Xie Lian openly rather than secretly and doesn’t hesitate to take obviously suspicious actions, is less of an attention seeker and more of an “attention grabber” (laughs).
Kamiya
(laughs)
Fukuyama
There are many instances where he acts as if he wants to be noticed, which is quite unsubtle of him, and it makes you think, “If you’re going to do that, why bother hiding your true identity?” But I guess it’s not that simple.
Kamiya
While everyone else misunderstands Xie Lian, Hua Cheng is the only one who understands him and is always on his side, which I’m truly grateful for. That’s precisely why I also think he’s a cunning person. He’s incredibly powerful and a thorn in the side of Heaven, yet he obediently listens to anything that Xie Lian, a pariah in Heaven, says. What kind of clever setup is that?! But perhaps that imbalance is part of his charm. Similar to what Jun said, Xie Lian himself is a very imbalanced and mysterious presence as well, so I think the fact that Hua Cheng is there to balance things out is also part of what makes him so appealing.
━━━ Have you noticed any changes in their relationship, or did anything leave a lasting impression on you?
Fukuyama
I don’t think there’s been any change in their relationship yet. In episodes six and seven, Hua Cheng became a little emotional, but while Xie Lian feels a certain closeness to Hua Cheng, he still treats him pretty much the same as everyone else. And Hua Cheng probably doesn’t like that (laughs). If Xie Lian had said something like, “It’s all your fault!”, it would have felt different from how he treats others, and Hua Cheng would probably get the sense that Xie Lian is closer to him compared to them. But since Xie Lian acts the same way towards everyone, I can understand Hua Cheng’s frustration.
Kamiya
Xie Lian is an odd person, and he always ends up thinking things like, “It’s all my fault things ended up this way…” He absolutely never blames anyone. In episode five, he not only burns down Hua Cheng’s armory, but the entire Paradise Manor. Well, that was definitely not something that could be fixed with just an apology.
Fukuyama
In any other situation, that would have led to war! His idea of compensation is also interesting, isn’t it?
Kamiya
Right? It’s so typical of Xie Lian to think, “I have to make amends no matter how many centuries it takes!” His sense of time is off, and so is how he builds relationships with others. To the average person, it just doesn’t make sense. But getting back to the arson, that was Wind Master’s (Shi Qingxuan’s)[3] fault! It’s ridiculous (laughs).
Fukuyama
There’s that scene where Hua Cheng glares up at the group from the destroyed ceiling, and why wouldn’t he! (laughs)
Kamiya
It was interesting how you could start to see how Xie Lian came to be so despised. On the other hand, Hua Cheng, the victim in this case, doesn’t think anything of it, and instead insists that he is the one that should apologize for hurting Xie Lian. I think it depends on your perspective whether you think that’s kind or not. From Xie Lian’s point of view, what’s Hua Cheng so upset about? He (Xie Lian) is the one in the wrong. I’m sure the viewers can’t get enough of how they’re constantly talking past each other like this. But all I see is that the armory and Paradise Manor burned down…
Fukuyama
Even after everything was said to be top-notch…
Kamiya & Fukuyama
(both laugh)
Kamiya
Since there was no further depiction of the Ghost City after that, I couldn’t help but be worried.
Fukuyama
It was pandemonium. But I don’t think Hua Cheng really thinks anything of it. Of course, if Xie Lian wasn’t involved, I think he might have wanted revenge. When I think about what could happen to Xie Lian that would trouble Hua Cheng the most, it’s probably him getting hurt. Hua Cheng often takes actions that would allow Xie Lian to gain something rather than lose something, yet Xie Lian stubbornly declines. Hua Cheng offers to give Xie Lian his armory, and even his luck, which isn’t something that can be shared. He’s constantly trying to give Xie Lian things, even if it means losing them for himself. But would you believe Xie Lian rejects all of it? I think there’s a good chance that Xie Lian honestly believes his own material possessions are meaningless.
━━━ Given the kind of person Hua Cheng is, it must have been a shock for him to have hurt Xie Lian.
Fukuyama
This is just my personal opinion, but I think he might have realized he was getting carried away. If he had anticipated everyone gathered in the armory and acted in a way that would have prevented Xie Lian from getting hurt, Hua Cheng could have calmed the situation down and it all could have been avoided. After all, even when Xie Lian acts differently than usual, Hua Cheng understands the risks and acts accordingly. For example, in the first season, when he falls into the Sinner’s Pit, he could have done something about the situation if he wanted to, but he deliberately didn’t.
Kamiya
That’s right. I thought he had come to help, but that wasn’t the case.
Fukuyama
San Lang didn’t need to fall into that hole, and it’s also clear that Xie Lian was being led into falling in (laughs). He was in “attention grabber” mode, saying he’d come to save Xie Lian if he was in trouble. So maybe that feeling was still there? Plus, it was within his own territory, the Ghost Realm, so I think he might have let his guard down a little.
Q: If you could ascend, what kind of merit would you accumulate, and what kind of god would you want to become? Also, what kind of god do you think each other would become?
Fukuyama
Based on my true nature and the fact that I’m difficult for others to understand, I might be a god like Xie Lian.
Kamiya
No way, you’re laughing after saying that!
Fukuyama
(laughs). I’ve never really felt the need to accumulate merit in the first place.
Kamiya
That’s a problem in itself (laughs).
Fukuyama
Kamiya-san could become many different kinds of gods, but he’s especially sharp-minded, so if he wanted to, he could ascend thanks to that. He could be a civil servant like Ling Wen[4], or someone who speaks while holding a fan.
Kamiya
I know it’s quite difficult, but ideally, since I’m making my living in the entertainment industry, I’d love to be recognized for that and ascend. Jun has acted in many works, carried the weight of those roles, been involved in many different lives, and has brightened people’s spirits, so I think he is a man of great virtue. So, it would be great if we could both ascend in the entertainment field, having similarly helped people in a positive way.
Fukuyama
Alright, let’s both be enshrined at Hanazono Shrine[5], which is said to bring good fortune in the entertainment industry!
Hua Cheng, who only has eyes for Xie Lian, and Xie Lian, who doesn’t let that “specialness” show
━━━ Please tell us about a scene that left a lasting impression on you.
Fukuyama
Whenever Hua Cheng appears, time tends to slow down, so it’s interesting as an actor to see how the flow of events changes drastically. For example, the dice scene in episode two was fun.
Kamiya
Hua Cheng said he’d teach Xie Lian how to roll the dice, but ended up just saying, “I’ll give you my luck.” It’s not like there’s any trick to rolling them!! (laughs).
Fukuyama
It completely spoils everything up to that point (laughs). He’s talking about how to roll the dice, but I think he just wanted to touch Xie Lian. When Xie Lian actually tries to roll them himself and it doesn’t work out, Hua Cheng says, “That was just practice,” and everyone else accepts it, saying, “Ooh, it was just practice.” I personally found that exchange hilarious (laughs). We recorded the second season on different days, and at that time I thought, “I’m glad I wasn’t recording together with Kamiya-san…!” If we had recorded the “Hua Cheng Time” from this first half together, I don’t think we would have been able to perform with such a good balance.
━━━ What do you keep in mind when performing your lines?
Fukuyama
When Hua Cheng first appeared in the second season, I initially acted with the energy of, “I’m the Crimson Rain Sought Flower!”, taking into consideration Xie Lian’s situation and his own public persona as a Supreme Ghost King. But I realized that was wrong. No matter what’s going on around him, no matter where he is, if Xie Lian is in front of him, he wants to treat him as his “gege.”[6] That’s the most important thing to be considerate of when playing this role, and I painfully realized that I was still naive. He has nothing but Xie Lian in his eyes.
Kamiya
I’m using the same approach as I did in the first season, consciously trying to interact in a completely neutral way. Of course, I think San Lang is a special person to Xie Lian, but there’s no need to play that up. Just like when he answered Jun Wu, “I just happened to meet an interesting boy,” I think Xie Lian really does see him that way. I don’t know if this interpretation is correct, though.
But anyway, when he’s interacting with Hua Cheng, I try not to let any special emotions show. Jun said it was good that we recorded separately, and I was actually afraid that if we recorded together and started to click, it would have become “too much.” The important thing is to keep the acting neutral and let the audience decide how to feel for themselves. For Xie Lian, he’s used to being subjected to hostility and malice, but even so, I’m sure he feels grateful to those who treat him kindly, even though he remains neutral towards both sides. But the crux of all this is that there’s probably something that makes everyone think, “He’s a little different when he’s with San Lang (Hua Cheng)!” The visuals express that more than adequately, so I don’t think I need to add anything special with my voice. Therefore, while I’m mindful not to overdo it, if I’m directed to be a little gentler, I do add more of that quality.
Fukuyama
It’s the opposite for me. I always focus on those special aspects. For example, when I’m interacting with Lang Qianqiu it’s completely different from how I am towards Xie Lian (laughs).
Kamiya
Hua Cheng is close with him for sure (laughs). The relationship between the two of them will be depicted in detail from here on out, so I hope you’ll keep watching.
Translator’s Notes
- In Dragon Ball, the Hyperbolic Time Chamber is an alternate dimension where each chamber’s flow of time is compressed, meaning time there is vastly different compared to the flow of time outside. You can read more about it here.
- Tsuribaka Nisshi (釣りバカ日誌) is a manga series written by Jūzō Yamasaki and illustrated by Kenichi Kitami that began in 1979. The story focuses on a salaryman with a passion for fishing named Densuke Hamasaki who befriends an an older fisherman named Su-san, who is actually Ichinosuke Suzuki, the CEO of the company he works for. Kamiya is likening Xie Lian calling Hua Cheng “San Lang” in front of everyone too casual in that way Hamasaki calling Suzuki “Su-san” in the office would be.
- Shi Qingxuan’s name and title are written differently in Chinese and Japanese. In Chinese, Shi Qingxuan is 师青玄, while in Japanese it’s 師青玄. To indicate how the name should be pronounced as it is in Chinese, katakana furigana is written over top. You can see this in practice on the Japanese site for the TGCF donghua, where シー・チンシュエン [shī chinshuen] is written above 師青玄. Likewise, the title “Wind Master” is written differently in Chinese 风师 versus Japanese 風師 as well.
- Like Shi Qingxuan, Ling Wen’s name is also written differently in Chinese 灵文 versus Japanese 霊文.
- You can read more about Hanazono Shrine here. It is located in Shinjuku.
- The Japanese dub translates the Chinese term 哥哥 [gēge] as 兄さん [nīsan]. Since the official English translation uses gege, I’ve chosen to do that here as well.