Voice actress and singer Rika Matsumoto revealed that she was paid less than a thousand dollars to sing the Pokemon anime song.
Kodoani.com – As reported by Yahoo! News Japan, Matsumoto appeared as a guest on a Japanese variety show and revealed that she was only paid 100,000 yen, or about $765 at today’s exchange rate, to perform. anime song, “Mezase Pokemon Master.” While the English version of Pokemon The original is said to be famous worldwide, Matsumoto’s song is also a huge hit in its own right, having sold over 2 million copies in Japan since 1997. While the song continues to be used, used to promote the series in Japan, and experiencing a resurgence in popularity during the series’ one-year 25th anniversary, Matsumoto said that when she recorded the song in 1997, she signed a royalty-free fixed contract, so she hasn’t made any money on the single since that initial payment.
The actress-singer doesn’t seem particularly bitter about the situation, as she continues to work on the series Pokemon as Satoshi, also known as Ash Ketchum in the English version of the series. Matsumoto first voiced the character in the 1997 first episode of the series and continues to portray the character in the current season of the anime, which has been released worldwide as Pokemon Master Journeys. She has also continued to contribute music to the series, and most recently performed the first two songs for the Sun and Moon seasons of the anime, the second being an arrangement of her original songs. .
In addition to her work in the Pokemon franchise, Matsumoto is also known for her work as part of the JAM Project, a popular Japanese rock group that has contributed to soundtracks for anime series like One Punch Man, Garo: The Animation and Sgt. Frog. She has also acted in several other anime classics, including Lupine the Third, Outlaw Star, You’re Under Arrest, and Paradise Kiss.
The Pokemon Master Journeys anime recently announced that it is coming to an end with the upcoming World Championship round, which will see characters from all eight of the released Pokemon generations currently fighting. for the title of World Champion. The anime series is being distributed worldwide by Netflix, which releases new episodes of the show every few months. Following the season’s ending, a new season of the anime is expected to be announced, which will likely be based on the upcoming Pokemon Scarlet and Violet games.
Via: Kodoani.com