AX 2019: Interview with Aimi and Haruka Kudo from Bushiroad!
- GamePress interviews Aimi (voice of Kasumi Toyama from BanG Dream!), and Haruka Kudo (voice of Yachiyo Tsuruhime from Revue Starlight Re LIVE/Sayo Hikawa from BanG Dream!) at Anime Expo 2019!
- We speak about their adventures in California, how it feels to voice their characters, and also their thoughts on the different BanG Dream! Bands!
Thank you both so much for coming out to Los Angeles. You just came from the panel that happened about an hour and a half ago, how was it seeing all the excited fans here in the United States?
I felt loved, and many of you were in cosplay! They were excited by every word I said, and that makes me happy!
I spoke in Japanese and there's a translator, but when we spoke a little bit of Japanese a lot of people understood everything we said. So that was very exciting to know.
You've been to California several times now. Are they any activities outside of conventions that you always look forward to doing?
Disneyland, Disneyland California Adventures, Hollywood… oh, and the Citadel Outlets!
I like beaches like the Santa Monica Beach. I went there last time and loved it.
There're many more great beaches to explore in California!
It was mentioned in the panel earlier that both BanG Dream! and Revue Starlight are multimedia franchises that have anime, live performances, and also mobile games. What do you think makes the two franchises unique and appealing?
Not only in the anime, the animated characters are voiced. We also do live performances like the musical performances, live performances, and I think those are the most unique aspects.
Like BanG Dream!, in Revue Starlight we also practice a lot with the other members. Some of that uniqueness for the characters and of the voice cast themselves would basically come into the contents.
What's it like switching between the roles of Sayo and Yachiyo? Both characters have very different personalities. Was it challenging?
Their basic characteristics are very different. Sayo is very stoic and hard inside, but in contrast Yachiyo is very soft and kind. They are very opposite when I act as these two characters. It is true that I have to become a little stiff when acting as Sayo, but I can relax when I'm doing Yachiyo.
Who is the more challenging role for you?
Sayo is.
The Garusuta (Girls' Stage) Festival just happened recently in Japan and it was also announced at the panel that it will be coming to CharaExpo. There's been a lot of cross promotion between the two franchises, what do you think makes those franchises so strong when they're brought together?
There are fans who know only about BanG Dream! and ones who only know about Revue Starlight, so by being in the same atmosphere, they get to know about the other titles. They get to experience the music and that helps bring the two fan bases together.
Both of you have performed together in the past in the Cardfight!! Vanguard group, Rummy Labyrinth. Do you have any memories you’d like to share from that time?
There was this event called Attack-Sareyoukai. So we have this thing called "harisen" in Japan, a paper fan to smack people with. We were using harisen then and going around the fans and attacking their backs. There’s something called Attack in Vanguard, so we were doing a similar thing with that.
We were here as Rummy Labyrinth two years ago at Vanguard & Buddyfight Grand Festival (that is the predecessor of CharaExpo) and that was very fun and exciting.
You voice all these franchises with games, which of these do you play?
I do play all the ones I'm in. I play the BanG Dream! app, but for Vanguard, I play more of the physical card game. That's a lot of fun.
Which deck?
Angel Feather.
I play Pale Moon. I like looking at the cards once in a while and think back to the memories that I had, playing with the card games.
Are you surprised by the amount of international fans you see here?
On our Instagram and Twitter account, we saw a lot of English comments, so we are aware that international fans are everywhere. A lot of the international fans have come to Japan just to see our events, and that makes me very happy.
Like Aimi, the SNS (social media) lets me know that there are people globally who know me through the contents that I'm in. That was very surprising to know.
Shoujo Sungeki: All Starlight is premiering soon in Japan, is there anything notable about bringing the character Yachiyo from the mobile game to anime?
It is a mini, a short anime, so it's a little bit different from Revue Starlight itself. It's kind of a gag comedy, so she is a little bit different from her usual character. I had lots of fun doing her voice.
Yachiyo played many different roles in ReLive. Which one of them was your favorite to play?
The yellow dress, 大地の神, the direct translation would be Goddess of Earth.
BanG Dream! features different groups. In the panel, you described Poppin' Party as kira-kira, doki-doki and Roselia as cool. What would you say the strength of the other groups that are involved are?
Afterglow... Osanajimi, like childhood friends.
Pastel＊Palettes... Shuwa Shuwa. How'd you call it? Sparkling, like sparkling water, carbonate... Oh, bubbly!
Hello, happy world! - Happy, Lucky, Smiling, Yay!
Final words to your international fans?
Thank you so much for your smiles every time I come to events. I'm pretty sure all the fans would see my photos and my videos of everything, but seeing them in person it makes me feel very happy. So for CharaExpo in December, I'll be here. It would be very nice if we can see everyone with the biggest smile.
Thank you so much for everyone to be a fan and send me messages internationally. Everything comes to me by SNS, and every time I go to live performances, I would always ask if anyone here internationally. I saw many coming from overseas and that has reached me. This time I'm here in the United States, and seeing all the fans let me feel their love. Now for December CharaExpo, I will be here as well. If I can see you again, that will make me very happy.
Thank you!
Thank you!
Thank you!
GamePress would like to thank Bushiroad and anitrendz.net for helping to make this interview possible!
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