Voice Actor Grand Prix interview

Fans have waited eagerly for Space Battleship Yamato 2199 Ark of the Stars to open nationwide December 6! The critically-acclaimed Yamato 2199 40th Anniversary Best Track Image Album, which covers the famous Yamato theme, is now on sale. Here we introduce the attraction of Yamato with the help of Aya Uchida, in the role of Yuria Misaki!

The content is suitable for the theme of “Love”

Interviewer: The feature film Yamato 2199 Ark of the Stars has finally opened.

Uchida: In the Yamato 2199 TV series, which was a remake of Space Battleship Yamato, we get the Cosmo Reverse System from Iscandar to take back to Earth. Fans of the original are surprised and say, “This happens here?” when they see how this work breaks into the story, so I think new fans and traditional fans can both enjoy it.

Before I got the script, I was excited to find out what kind of story it was. Would the content be suitable for the theme of “love” in this work? I felt so. It shows very well how even fellow creatures from different planets can understand each other. By the way, General Director Yutaka Izubuchi loves the Garmillas. (Laughs) So you’ll also feel the “love” of the director.

Interviewer: The 40th Anniversary Image Album is now on sale. Some eminent artists participated in it, including Taro Hakase.

Uchida: I’ve been to several concerts now related to Yamato, and I enjoy it. When I heard the performances on this album, I thought, “Mr. Hakase is an amazing person.” Personally, I don’t know much about classical music, but you could say that I can tell the differences.

Interviewer: Mr. Akira Miyagawa works on the music, and his name is linked to the old days of Yamato music.

Uchida: In the past, Mr. Miyagawa said, “The music of Yamato is rock,” and that made a big impression on me. When I heard such passionate songs in classical form this time, I got a different impression. As I said a little while ago, because so many wonderful people get together besides Mr. Hakase, I’d like you to thoroughly enjoy the music of Yamato through this album.

Interviewer: There’s a special streaming bonus with this CD. I heard that a “YRA Radio Yamato HATS special episode” was recorded.

[Translator’s note: HATS is the music label of Taro Hakase, through which the 40th Anniversary album was released.]

Uchida: Yes. YRA Radio Yamato first began along with the anime, in March 2012. The broadcast had previously finished, but this was done for the movie premiere this time. Eriko Nakamura, the voice actor of Mikage Kiryu, joined me as a new personality in September 2014, and it’s sailing again! Before, I did it with Cho-san as the funny AU-09 (Analyzer) but Ms. Nakamura brings in a different atmosphere, I think.

Interviewer: What is the content of the “HATS special episode”?

Uchida: It has various layers for regular listeners, and fans of Mr. Hakase as well as classical music. Ms. Nakamura and I have casual everyday conversation while we look back on Yamato 2199…we try to bring something to everyone with an interest in the work when they listen.

Interviewer: The release of the drama CD YRA Radio Yamato Vol. 4 is coming up on December 24.

[Translator’s note: advance copies were available in theaters with the December 6 premiere of Ark of the Stars. The regular commercial release followed on the 24th. The term “Drama CD” refers to the segments of the show that constitute a radio drama.]

Uchida: This is the first drama CD since the re-sailing, and some of the features of the program have changed. I’m excited. Cho-san continues to appear in the drama part, so you won’t hear many changes in that, but it expands with the exchanges between Yuria, Analyzer, and Mikage Kiryu. In anime you have battle scenes and serious scenes at the center, but what does the crew do during their time off? Because the content shows what sort of things are on their minds, I think you can enjoy listening with a feeling of relaxing. Thank you in advance for taking a look!

The End

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Continue to the next article: Yomiuri Shimbun Dec. 11, 2014

Profile

Born July 23. Affiliated with JTB Entertainment. Her main anime works include Love Live! (Kotori Minami), Trinity Seven (Arin Kannazuki), Z/X Ignition (Rigel), Ai Mai Mi (Mai), and Zetsumetsu Kigu Shojo Amazing Twins (Amane Todoroki).

See a longer list of credits at Anime News Network here.

Photography: Jun Ishida
Hair & makeup: Midori (Yes)
Text: Atsushi Saeki

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