Anime fans in Abu Dhabi had the chance to meet some of the biggest names in the industry at Animenia, the capital’s largest anime festival. Voice actors Fumi Hirano and Masaya Matsukaze, both veterans of the business with hundreds of credits under their name, were at the event.
“I’m genuinely impressed by how large and well-organised everything is," Hirano tells The National. "It not only showcases Japanese anime but also highlights local animation, like Spacetoon. I was pleasantly surprised by how well everything is integrated and how much the people of Abu Dhabi appreciate Japanese culture.”
Matsukaze adds to the appreciation, saying the festival "was amazing" and he wished he could have directly communicated with fans who attended. He says: "I’ve noticed that many anime and manga fans in this region not only love Japanese culture but also share values that are important in Japan, like politeness, generosity and putting others first.”
Matsukaze’s comments highlight the strong bond between Japanese culture and fans in the region, a connection deepened by the work of voice actors like Hirano, who have brought beloved characters to life for many anime fans around the world.
Hirano first rose to fame as the voice of Lum in the anime series Urusei Yatsura. However, before that, she began her journey as a child actor, where she took on various roles. Then, when she was 17 until she graduated from university, she worked as a radio DJ, hosting popular midnight radio shows.
She says: “One day, I received a postcard from a fan who suggested: 'Miss Fumi, why don’t you become a voice actor for anime?' That comment stuck with me, and it led me to audition for my first voice acting role: Lum in Urusei Yatsura. My favourite character remains Lum – my very first character and one that's very close to my heart.”
Urusei Yatsura aired from 1981 to 1986 with 194 episodes over four seasons. The show was popular during its original run and remains a cult favourite of that period. Hirano has been a prolific voice actor since her debut on the show, even doing Japanese dubbing work for English films such as Lorraine Bracco’s character Karen Hill in Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas.
Meanwhile, Matsukaze, whose career in the industry began in 1997, had his big break in 2001 as he voiced a character on the popular Pokemon series and again in 2007 when he voiced a character on the anime show Death Note. Since then, he’s appeared on series such as Hunter x Hunter, One-Punch Man 2 and Attack on Titan: The Final Season. He also famously voiced the main character Ryo Hazuki on the popular Sega game Shenmue.
He says that the way he shapes his voice for a character is about finding an interesting way to grab the attention of the audience. He adds: “When preparing for a role, I focus on giving each character a unique quality or hook that makes viewers think: 'This character is really interesting.' This keeps each performance fresh and engaging for the audience.”
Hirano, on the other hand, says that the script for a job informs much of how she shapes her voice for a character. “The script gives us a basic sense of the character, like the type of voice you’d expect – a young kid might have a high, cute pitch, while an older lady might have a bolder tone. But as a voice actor, I try to add my own unique touches to bring the character to life beyond what’s expected.”
Although both have had lengthy careers, they are aware of the integration of artificial intelligence into their industry but don’t seem fazed by it, at least not yet. Matsukaze says: “People now have a different view of voice acting, especially with the rise of AI technology. While voice acting used to be seen as a unique art, AI is now presenting both challenges and new opportunities. For example, it's becoming common to use one actor's voice for different characters thanks to AI tools.”
Hirano says: “In the future, the focus in the industry seems to be on combining AI with the natural talents of voice actors. Instead of worrying about being replaced by AI, the goal is to find ways to work together to create better productions and more enjoyable anime for fans.”
The pair also believe that learning Japanese as a second language should not deter people from hoping they can become anime voice actors. Matsukaze says: “Everyone has their own strength and weapon that they can use. For example, let’s say if your Japanese is not as good – maybe you can take on a role of a half-Japanese, English-speaking character in the show. You would be better at acting the role than a normal Japanese person."
Hirano says that with determination and passion for voice acting, people can still achieve great things. "Even if Japanese is your second language," Hirano adds. "Don’t let anyone discourage you or tell you that you can’t do it. What matters most is your enthusiasm and dedication to what you love.”
Another way to earn air miles
In addition to the Emirates and Etihad programmes, there is the Air Miles Middle East card, which offers members the ability to choose any airline, has no black-out dates and no restrictions on seat availability. Air Miles is linked up to HSBC credit cards and can also be earned through retail partners such as Spinneys, Sharaf DG and The Toy Store.
An Emirates Dubai-London round-trip ticket costs 180,000 miles on the Air Miles website. But customers earn these ‘miles’ at a much faster rate than airline miles. Adidas offers two air miles per Dh1 spent. Air Miles has partnerships with websites as well, so booking.com and agoda.com offer three miles per Dh1 spent.
“If you use your HSBC credit card when shopping at our partners, you are able to earn Air Miles twice which will mean you can get that flight reward faster and for less spend,” says Paul Lacey, the managing director for Europe, Middle East and India for Aimia, which owns and operates Air Miles Middle East.
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sep 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
The biog
Name: Atheja Ali Busaibah
Date of birth: 15 November, 1951
Favourite books: Ihsan Abdel Quddous books, such as “The Sun will Never Set”
Hobbies: Reading and writing poetry
Match info
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Liverpool v Porto, Tuesday, 11pm (UAE)
Matches can be watched on BeIN Sports
It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
UAE tour of the Netherlands
UAE squad: Rohan Mustafa (captain), Shaiman Anwar, Ghulam Shabber, Mohammed Qasim, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Chirag Suri, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Mohammed Naveed, Amjad Javed, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed
Fixtures and results:
Monday, UAE won by three wickets
Wednesday, 2nd 50-over match
Thursday, 3rd 50-over match
The specs: 2018 Mercedes-Benz E 300 Cabriolet
Price, base / as tested: Dh275,250 / Dh328,465
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder
Power: 245hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm @ 1,300rpm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.0L / 100km
TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
info-box
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: Happy Tenant
Started: January 2019
Co-founders: Joe Moufarrej and Umar Rana
Based: Dubai
Sector: Technology, real-estate
Initial investment: Dh2.5 million
Investors: Self-funded
Total customers: 4,000
The%20specs
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
TECH%20SPECS%3A%20APPLE%20WATCH%20SE%20(second%20generation)
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20SAMSUNG%20GALAXY%20Z%20FLIP5
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More on animal trafficking
The bio
Favourite food: Japanese
Favourite car: Lamborghini
Favourite hobby: Football
Favourite quote: If your dreams don’t scare you, they are not big enough
Favourite country: UAE
So what is Spicy Chickenjoy?
Just as McDonald’s has the Big Mac, Jollibee has Spicy Chickenjoy – a piece of fried chicken that’s crispy and spicy on the outside and comes with a side of spaghetti, all covered in tomato sauce and topped with sausage slices and ground beef. It sounds like a recipe that a child would come up with, but perhaps that’s the point – a flavourbomb combination of cheap comfort foods. Chickenjoy is Jollibee’s best-selling product in every country in which it has a presence.
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SERIE A FIXTURES
Saturday (UAE kick-off times)
Atalanta v Juventus (6pm)
AC Milan v Napoli (9pm)
Torino v Inter Milan (11.45pm)
Sunday
Bologna v Parma (3.30pm)
Sassuolo v Lazio (6pm)
Roma v Brescia (6pm)
Verona v Fiorentina (6pm)
Sampdoria v Udinese (9pm)
Lecce v Cagliari (11.45pm)
Monday
SPAL v Genoa (11.45pm)
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
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Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
A Bad Moms Christmas
Dir: John Lucas and Scott Moore
Starring: Mila Kunis, Kathryn Hahn, Kristen Bell, Susan Sarandon, Christine Baranski, Cheryl Hines
Two stars
