This time we're sitting down for a discussion with the adult duo of Symphogear. Having played the same roles throughout every season, can you tell us how you feel about your characters currently?
Ishikawa: Ever since the F.I.S. girls joined the group, I feel like Genjuro has forgotten how to fight (laugh).
Hoshi: Oh yeah, now that you mention it, he fought against Fine in season 1 right?
Ishikawa: He completely overwhelmed Fine, but lately he's just become the "explanation master." He'll start off by bringing up something that either Fujitaka or Tomosato will analyze and then he'll take that and put it in layman's terms.
Hoshi: That's true (laugh).
Ishikawa: And now that I think about it, Ogawa has changed too hasn't he? In AXZ there hasn't been an opportunity for Tsubasa to perform as a singer, so he is completely regulated to his job as an Intelligence Agent.
Hoshi: Him acting as Tsubasa's manager does feel a little nostalgic, yeah. Actually, in season 1 it seemed like he was nothing more than an ordinary manager, but at some point before I realized it he had become a ninja (laugh).
Ishikawa: He ran across the water in G, right? I remember thinking back then "something's different about this guy," then in GX when he used the shadow weave technique it confirmed to me that "this guy is actually really strong."
Over the seasons, Ogawa has become increasingly more active as a character.
Hoshi: In season 1 his character description stated that he specialized in working behind the scenes, but at the end he wasn't able to stand up against Fine and so his role was mainly just to support Tsubasa. However, his development since then has progressed incredibly fast.
Ishikawa: Inversely, Genjuro went all out in season 1 and he hasn't be able to do it again since then so that's a little disappointing. Of course he still serves as the final ultimate secret weapon, but I want to see him fight!
Hoshi: However, his amount of dialog hasn't really changed right?
Ishikawa: It hasn't. As usual, he talks about a lot of complicated stuff. Ogawa's dialog hasn't changed much either right?
Hoshi: It hasn't really, but I find myself wishing he had more catchphrases or lines that stand out. For example in season 1 he said things like "Please don't leave Tsubasa all alone in the world" or "I'm just a coward. There are many other people who are truly kind." These type of lines reveal a little of his personal side. Back then, I thought that's what made him really cool.
Ishikawa: And now we get to struggle with all the explanations. These's always a lot of words that are hard to say.
Hoshi: Yes, even the shorter lines can be difficult.
Ishikawa: During recording sessions our seats have always been next to each other, ever since the beginning. So we're always checking on each other by asking things like, "were you able to say the line?" or "did it go okay?"
Well in G, there was a scene where Genjuro got to sing the song "Hero Story."
Ishikawa: And ever since then they've never let him sing again, so I think they learned their lesson. Making this type of character sing is just a bad idea.
Hoshi: I don't think that's the case at all! (laugh) What's the story behind you being asked to sing that song, anyway?
Ishikawa: Well I'm certain that either Mr. Agematsu or Mr. Kaneko must have thought "Ishikawa is always asking us to let him sing, so we'll give him something to sing." But to be frank, I never once requested to sing. What I asked them for was to be given a gear.
Hoshi: I guess they interpreted that request a little differently than you intended (laugh).
Ishikawa: But of course, it's thanks to that song that I was able to participate in the 2013 concert so I'm incredibly grateful.
Can you tell us a story about something from seasons 1 through 3 that left an impression on you?
Ishikawa: I'd have to say the concert scene in episode 1 of each season is the most memorable for me. In season 1, I participated in recording the crowd's background cheering for the first time. Ever since then I've always looked forward to doing more of that.
Hoshi: I wasn't able to participate in that recording session for season 1. It wasn't until G that I got to experience that and it was really fun for me as well.
Ishikawa: In general, "Symphogear" was known for having those concert scenes in episode 1, so when they left it out of AXZ it was a little sad, but at the same time helped to make the season feel fresh.
Hoshi: Yeah, it became something that everyone looked forward to.
Ishikawa: Also, in each season there was a veteran actor or actress who came to participate and I always looked forward to meeting them. In season 1 we had Mrs. Minami (Takayama), in G Mrs. Kikuko (Inoue) and in GX Mr. Seki (Toshihiko). Season 1 was especially memorable for me in that regard. Whenever Mrs. Minami came to record she would always invite me out for food afterwards, like "Hide, let's go" and I'd say "yes m'am!"
Hoshi: So you two were pretty close.
Ishikawa: I've been indebted to her for a long time, so I can never defy her (laugh). But it was always reassuring to have someone else on the cast who was even more of an adult than we are.
And what about you, Mr. Hoshi?
Hoshi: Well as I said earlier, I fondly remember the first episode of season 2 because I was able to participate in the crowd recording session, but I also felt that Maria's first appearance was particularly striking. "With a character this confident and strong, I wonder how things will turn out in the end," I remember thinking to myself.
Ishikawa: I never imagined that she would eventually become an ally.
Hoshi: To be honest, I quite like Maria. The gap that was created between her character's initial boldness and how she's settled into her current personality is quite nice. In AXZ episode 1 there were also some cute scenes where she was teased by Tsubasa.
Ishikawa: Yeah, she's become a character that's always so serious that it causes her to become a bit of an airhead at times.
Is there a character that is a personal favorite of yours, Mr. Ishikawa?
Ishikawa: All of the female characters are cute, so I can't possibly choose.
Hoshi: Yes, each one of them has their own wonderful traits.
Ishikawa: ....I suppose, for now, I'll choose Mrs. Kikuko's character.
Hoshi: What do you mean "I suppose, for now"? (laugh)
Ishikawa: Yep, I pick Mrs. Kikuko and Mrs. Minami.
Hoshi: Why are you trying so hard to appeal to the veterans? (laugh)
How do you interpret the relationship between Genjuro, Ogawa and the six Symphogear Adaptors?
Ishikawa: Well from their perspective, I imagine each of the girls has a different view of Genjuro. To Hibiki he is her master, to Tsubasa he is her uncle, and to Chris he's more of a foster parent. And I'm sure Maria, Kirika and Shirabe must all seem him differently as well. However, in AXZ it mostly feels like he's become the de-facto guardian of all of them.
Hoshi: Speaking from Ogawa's perspective, his relationship with Tsubasa is definitely unique. In season 1 he was fully dedicated to being her manager, and often supported her both in official and personal matters. Now that Tsubasa has grown up a little bit, she's become able to handle it by herself and so now he watches over her from afar. Actually I feel like he's more focused on supporting the other girls at this point.
Ishikawa: Yeah, in the AXZ opening he was even helping Maria with her training.
Hoshi: Somehow he ended up as her boxing trainer, it seems (laugh).
Ishikawa: I'm sure he must be doing similar things for the others, even if we don't see it.
Hoshi: It might not be featured in the show itself, but it seems very likely that both Ogawa and Genjuro are participating in the Adaptor's training sessions.
Ishikawa: And in that regard all six of the girls must definitely consider both of them "pretty damn strong."
Especially with the rumor that Genjuro is the strongest man alive.
Hoshi: It definitely makes you curious how exactly he became as strong as he is (laugh).
Ishikawa: It's because Genjuro is a man of the heart. He lives his life under the mantra that "anything is possible, if you put your mind to it." That's why when it comes to martial arts or replicating scenes from action movies, if he thinks it can be done then he just does it. I think he's the type of person that by simply believing he can be the strongest, actually becomes it.
So, tell us how you feel about AXZ which currently just finished airing its fifth episode.
Ishikawa: Personally speaking, I'm really happy that Mr. Miki (Shinichiro) joined the cast this season. In the past I actually did some assistant work at one of Mrs. Minami's concerts and I originally met him there. Ever since then we've gotten along well. Recently we even started talking about how interesting it would be if Mrs. Minami was at the recording with us.
Hoshi: For me, I'm completely dedicated to watching over and supporting the girls. They've all come along so far, I think it's best that they let loose as much as possible. They sing, fight, and just go crazy. I think that's the most appealing part of "Symphogear" and everyone has always given it their best, so I enjoy it most just sitting back and watching from above so to speak.
Ishikawa: It's always fun to hear the more ridiculous lines of dialog the show is known for.
Hoshi: Certainly, we can definitely tell that the writers are really enjoying their jobs with every line.
Ishikawa: Another interesting thing about AXZ is that the introduction of Cagliostro's character has made me realize just how manly the girls are when they fight. On one hand I watch Aoi Shota giving a girly "Aiieee~" and at the same time watch Hibiki shout"ORYAAAAA!"
Hoshi: Yeah, the girl's side of the recording booth exudes more manliness.
Ishikawa: I think that's really great and it made me realize that their "intensity" is a fundamental part of what makes "Symphogear" so entertaining.
In terms of intense, in episode 1 we got to see Ogawa flying through the air using only a kite.
Hoshi: Yeah, he not only gave Hibiki and Chris a ride but started fighting the instant he hit the ground. He just nonchalantly busted out some ninja moves and was a fundamental part of the big opening scene.
Ishikawa: It was pretty surreal to see him riding on that kite in just a regular old suit. Not to mention the kite was marked with the "忍" ("to hide") character.
Hoshi: He wasn't even trying to hide himself at all (laugh).
Ishikawa: Maybe only folks in our generation would understand this, but that scene reminded me of this old TV show called "Masked Ninja: Akakage." Ogawa was just like the character Shirokage, who would always ride down on his kite yelling "Akakage-dono!"
Hoshi: Another major draw of "Symphogear" is definitely all of those small references to nostalgic tokusatsu films and TV shows that get snuck in everywhere. The fans can never get enough. Although it can be difficult to understand the plot or terminology sometimes, the way this show entertains you with both moments of intensity and nostalgia makes it really easy to get into.
What can we expect to see from Ogawa and Genjuro in the rest of the season?
Ishikawa: There will be scene where each of them has a significant impact on the Adaptors. Actually, it should be coming up relatively soon.
Hoshi: Yes, it came sooner than I expected. There's a moment when it might surprise people that Ogawa gets involved, and I think he has a rather significant impact upon one of the girls.
Ishikawa: It will be THE scene to watch out for in AXZ.
Hoshi: Maybe, it's possible there will be something even greater in store from the parts that we haven't finished recording yet.
Ishikawa: If there's something I can fight, I want to fight!
Hoshi: Hahaha (laugh). Ogawa is satisfied with just hanging out behind the scenes and supporting the girls. I hope the viewers will consider all the work he does in the shadows that doesn't make into the show itself.
The battles that the Adaptors face will only become more intense from here on out.
Ishikawa: The stronger the enemy, the stronger that Hibiki and the others become. Of course, in each series we end up with an enemy who greatly surpasses them. This season the enemy is once again someone they can't deal with through ordinary means. So it's interesting for us as well to see how the girls will become strong enough to deal with the threat.
Hoshi: Even if the enemy get increasingly stronger, we can keep watching without stressing too much. I think the reason for that is because the girls are capable of overcoming their own weaknesses without having to rely upon the adults for help. The adults may provide them with a hint on how to move forward, but the girls always resolve the problem by themselves in the end. I'm sure that at the end of this season too, each of them will have found their own answer.
Ishikawa: Also, I think everyone can look forward to unique dialogs between the girls themselves. There is a certain story that also involves Ogawa, but one of the highlights of AXZ is watching certain aspects begin to crossover where they hadn't before.
Hoshi: Currently there's a few episodes left we haven't recorded yet, so we're also excited to see how those turn out.
Ishikawa: We only find out about what happens when we receive the scripts, and that generally only happens slightly earlier than when you all can watch it. So I look forward to finding out what happens along with the rest of you.
Special Corner
Please sum up Symphogear in one word!Ishikawa: Fired-up
Hoshi: Fist
I'm really hoping Genjuro gets a legit fight scene in XV.
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