Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Voice Recording Episodes (2004)

Title: Voice Recording Episodes / 「ボイス収録エピソード」
Source: Dreamaga, Issue 21, May-July, 2004

Summary: An interview with all six original voice actors in the first three Gyakuten Saiban (Ace Attorney) games was featured in a 2004 issue of Dreamaga, following the Game Boy Advance release of Gyakuten Saiban 3 (Ace Attorney 3 - Trials & Tribulations). While nowadays professional voice actors are hired to voice the characters in these games, the original three games featured Capcom staff members, some of them even people who hadn't worked directly on the game series. In this short interview, the actors explain how they got their roles and talk about what went on during the recording sessions.

Voice Recording Stories

Naruhodō Ryūichi (Phoenix Wright)
Voice actor: Takumi Shū (Director)

How were you chosen?
I used my powers as the director for precisely such an occassion and claimed the role of the protagonist, without discussing it with the others. I worked in secret with the sound designer, treating it all as  a fait accompli, and by the time the others noticed what was going on, Naruhodō was already shouting “Objection!” We started recording the other voices one by one after that.

Tell us about the recording.
We took over thirty takes each for “Objection!,” “Take That!” and “Hold It!” I had problems with “Objection!”. The sound designer rejected a lot of my recordings.

What if the series was made into an anime?
Perhaps I can use my powers as the director for precisely such an occassion.

A message for the users.
Everyone is crying out loud during the recording sessions until they have nothing left, like they’re possessed, but there’s always one moment when the expression of the character overlap with their own face. It’s really a precious experience to witness that very moment, when the best take is given life.

Mitsurugi Reiji (Miles Edgeworth)
Voice actor: Iwamoto Tatsurō (Character designer)

How were you chosen?
Through auditions. The whole team did trial recordings, and mine was chosen.

Tell us about the recording.
We recorded “Take That!” and “Hold It!” for 3, but I had trouble getting the same voice out of me like the one I did three years ago, when I did “Objection!” Mr. Takumi said I needed to get more pumped, but then I’d say: “But Mitsurugi is supposed to be cool.”

What if the series was made into an anime?
I’ll leave the role up to the professionals.

A message for the users.
I don’t look like Mitsurugi on the outside (neither on the inside), so please don’t get disappointed with me (laugh).

Karuma Mei (Franziska von Karma)
Voice actor: Suwabe Yukari (Development Support)

How were you chosen?
The producer told me about the role and I told them I wanted to try it too. There was no real audition. It only took about thirty seconds between them telling me about it and me getting selected (laugh).

Tell us about the recording.
I only had one line, but I had to retake it several times. That took about thirty minutes. Mr. Takumi directed my acting. “More from your stomach!” He gave me a live performance of his “Objection!” then (laugh).

What if the series was made into an anime?
It took me several retakes for one word, and it’s pretty embarrassing to hear your own voice, so no way (sweat).

A message for the users.Mei’s aggressive personality is kinda similar to mine, perhaps? I really like her.

Godot
Voice actor: Kamiya Hideki (Director of Devil May Cry, Viewtiful Joe)

How were you chosen?
Director Takumi asked me. I was always telling to him to use me in his games, so I guess he was being nice to me?

Tell us about the recording.
It was just one word, but I was tensed and we did several retakes. He told me to play it cool, but it didn’t go really well. Now I’ve played the whole game, I can do Godot’s voice better actually. It’s definitely going to get handy during group dating.

What if the series was made into an anime?
I hope a professional voice actor will do a cool performance. As a fan myself, I hope it does get made into an anime.

A message for the users.
I’m gratefully using the white mug I got for White Day now. But I hate coffee, so it’s soup I pour into it…

Ayasato Chihiro (Mia Fey)
Voice actor: Kawahara Miyuki (Development Support)

How were you chosen?
I asked for the role. I had Ms. Suwabe, who did Mei, to ask Mr. Takumi if there was a role free. Eventually, Mr. Inaba said there’d be a swimsuit contest first, and they chose me just like that.

Tell us about the recording.
I don’t use any of the words in my usual life, so it was quite difficult. Especially “Take That!” I think I finally got it after shouting it thirty, forty times. I thought more of my intonation than my acting. I finally got the OK when I desperately cried out with everything I had.

What if the series was made into an anime?
I’d really love to do it (laugh). Having learned from this first time, I hope I could do the voice of Chihiro again.

A message for the users.
Some might feel like the voice doesn’t fit Chihiro, but I hope people can find an unexpected side to her through my voice.

Auchi Takefumi (Winston Payne)
Voice actor: Hama Wataru (Sound, SE)

How were you chosen?
I was just close by.

Tell us about the recording.
As I was shouting “Hold It!” again and again, I accidently said: “Sold It!” I was told to do a miserable middle-aged man.

What if it’s made into an anime?
I’m in, of course!

Something for the users.
The person doing Auchi’s voice is actually very much like him (laugh).

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