Aoi Yuki is undoubtedly the "Captain" of Team Symphogear. As the voice of Hibiki, the show would never have been the hit it became without her infectious energy and passion. Of course, not everything was sunshine and roses for her over the course of the series. Her personal struggles with season 1 and stepping into the spotlight as the main character have been well documented over the years. She's also cried on stage numerous times out of overwhelming emotion for the warm reception that fans and fellow castmembers alike have given her. So, it seems fitting for the first installment of the 10th year anniversary translations to feature this interview with her from LisAni.
Please enjoy!
The Symphogear series hit the 10th anniversary mark in January of 2022. Please tell us how you feel about that.
When I first auditioned for the show, I didn’t think it would end up being so long. It personally feels like these 10 years have gone by in a flash. I think that’s due to the fact that performing as Hibiki always requires my upmost focus.
What were your first impressions of Hibiki when you started playing her character in season 1?
In season 1, Hibiki is someone who tries so hard that it’s almost lame, but all of her effort steadily leads to her becoming a hero who’s cooler than anybody else. At the time, I was also bending over backwards just to keep the essence of Hibiki’s character together. So, looking back on it now, it’s like I’m standing next to Hibiki saying: “you know, the two of us really worked our butts off, huh?” (laugh). The one thing I shared with her in those days was the sensation of rising up to confront a peril that you know you can’t overcome with your own strength. I was totally in sync with that aspect of her, which is how I found a way to stay true to her character through the end.
As the series continued through the years, did you find your perception of Hibiki’s character changed at all?
Well, the story of season 1 was a tragedy where an ordinary girl gets embroiled in a disaster and must find a way to save the world. However, starting with season 2, Hibiki grows stronger alongside her friends and the story turns into more of an epic that follows their heroic adventures. Then, eventually, they sort of become gods and it becomes a myth (laugh). In season 2, Hibiki is portrayed as a girl who toughened up through facing conflict and responsibility, which leads into season 3, where she has to process the new personal concerns that arise from all that. It’s her experiences in those 3 seasons that lead to her becoming this awesome pillar of strength in seasons 4 and 5. Even though she and I shared similarities at the start, like how we were both thrown into facing big challenges, by the time season 5 rolls around, she’s become someone who is far more awe-inspiring than I could hope to be. In that sense, I feel more like I’m encouraging her from the sidelines these days.
Does that mean you found it difficult to play her character in season 5?
I had sharpened my skills as an actor by that point and, most importantly, I was able to communicate much better with the staff and cast. So that helped me achieve the mindset that I didn’t have to be “the hero” all by myself anymore. It’s a stark contrast to season 1, when I was constantly thinking “I gotta be the hero for everyone!” I learned that a fundamental part of acting is how the other actors respond to my performance. That response is what helps the characters take shape. So I was able to build Hibiki up thanks to their feedback, which allowed me to focus on providing the feedback to help them build, too. Hibiki fully takes on the hero mantle in season 5, which I believe is thanks to the “echo” provided by my fellow castmates.
In other words, the efforts of the staff & cast and their various experiences throughout the seasons is what culminated in your performance as Hibiki in season 5?
Exactly. From my perspective, season 5 is the culmination of everyone coming together to create a “myth” in the modern era.
When it comes to Symphogear, the “battle song” recording sessions are perhaps the most famous. Did you have a lot of difficulty with those?
During the production of season 1, the staff were still fumbling with a lot of various elements and it didn’t help that I was green when it came to recording, much less singing. My experience was practically zero at that point. So, to be honest, I had no idea how to approach any of it. My singing ability was a big source of concern for me back then. What ended up happening is that I had to wing it without knowing what the ideal result should be, and those are the takes they used. However, the silver lining was it actually played into Hibiki’s character pretty well at that point in time. During season 2, I reflected on my experience in season 1 and was able to make decisions and offer suggestions based on that, while gradually figuring out the best way to sing. That’s when it became fun for me.
Hibiki’s character songs in particular seem to become more elaborate and heroic with each season, don’t they?
That’s because Hibiki often tries to overcome big hurdles and that gets reflected in her songs. So the heroicness of the music changes to match whatever challenge she’s facing. Personally, one highlight of those songs is that you can get a sense of the character’s personality, worries, and the future they’re striving for, just by listening.
Speaking of which, can you tell us what sort of sentiment you were trying to capture with Hibiki’s song from season 1: “Gekiso Gungnir”?
Actually, I was so frantic to get the job done when we recorded it, that I didn’t have the luxury of thinking about anything else (forced laugh). It was the first time in my life I had to sing a song with such a high level of intensity. When I listen back on it now, even I get the sense that “whoa, she sounds desperate!” (laugh). I had really strong tunnel vision when I was singing that song, so it caused me a lot of grief. But given my level of experience now, it would be impossible for me to perform it the same way. Hibiki’s character had the same level of desperation as I did, which must be why they kept that take. And I’m incredibly appreciative of all the staff and fans out there who saw the value in it.
Meanwhile, “Seigi o Shinjite, Nigirshimete” from season 2 almost seems like it’s Hibiki’s theme song.
That was the song where I truly came to understand Hibiki. I was left feeling like: “Okay, now I see the kind of person you want to be.” Season 2 has a pretty heavy story where Hibiki ends up having to fight Miku, but she powered up thanks to her experiences in season 1 and found her place as a hero. I think that was where it all came together for her.
What did you think of her song from season 3, “Genkai Toppa G-beat”?
It’s a concert song for sure. The calls of “G-beat” in the chorus were intended to get the fans to sing along. I’m sure the staff of Elements Garden were inspired by the passionate concert crowds. I think they wrote these songs not just to make the visuals of the anime exciting, but also to hype up the fans at live performances.
What about the another version of the song, “Genkai Toppa G-beat (IGNITED arrangement)”, where both the music and the style of singing changes?
For the IGNITED arrangements, they didn’t want me to sing with the usual high energy. Instead, I was directed to sing in a more restrained and professional manner. I remember they told everybody: “For example, think of when you avoid going to the bathroom by holding it in.” Except we all just tilted our heads and thought: “What does that mean…?” (laugh). Thankfully, after working on the previous 2 seasons, it became easier for me to envision how my singing would sync with the visuals to create something cool. It also helped to watch how my castmates handled it, since they were better equipped to handle things impromptu. So I got on the same wavelength as them and sung in a similar style.
Well, I can’t go without mentioning “ALL LOVES BLAZING” from season 5. The fiery energy that exudes from that song makes it feel like Hibiki reached a peak.
Yeah, singing that song is enough to send any enemy flying (laugh). Actually, that was the point where I stopped being able to keep up with Hibiki’s energy. I was of two minds about it. On one hand, I felt lonely as she got further away from me by walking the path of a hero. But on the other hand, I felt proud to see her do that. Hibiki was becoming more of a god-like existence, while I’m nothing but a regular human. I have limits. However, I still feel like I’m the closest person on Earth to Hibiki. When I sung this particular song, I really felt motivated to catch up with her. If even just for a moment!
Your relationship with the character is truly wonderful. The B-side track for “ALL LOVES BLAZING” on the album was “Kimi Dake Ni”. That’s another song that only came to fruition after Hibiki experienced all 5 seasons, right?
This was the first song that captured Hibiki’s feelings on such a strong level. I remember feeling happy that she finally got to sing a carefree song. I thought it was important that Hibiki also sing for the joy of singing, and not just as a fighter.
Especially since the lyrics of the song are addressed to Miku. Listening to this song after watching the final episode really leaves the impression that it could be another “ending theme” for the series.
Yeah, I think that’s true for Hibiki and Miku. It’s a song that could be considered their final destination, or perhaps even their starting point. Above all, it makes clear how deeply Hibiki cherishes Miku. For a time, Miku’s feelings were so strong that it seemed like all the enthusiasm was one-sided. But that wasn't the case. The reality was Hibiki loves Miku so much that it totally engulfed everything coming at her. And she sent it all back to Miku with this song. I was really glad they were finally able to communicate their feelings for each other clearly after all this time.
After going on this journey with Hibiki for 10 years, how do you think it’s affected you personally?
I learned how to be brave! I was a total amateur sitting among a cast of seasoned pros when we first started and they told me: “You’re the main character. Please sing while acting for the fight scenes.” All I remember thinking is: “Holy crap!” But now that I’ve gone through Symphogear and survived, there’s absolutely nothing that scares me. I was a coward back then and the only reason I was able to let go of that fear and risk everything was because Hibiki taught me the power of positive thinking.
Finally, please tell us about something that you’d like to try with the Symphogear series in the future.
One of the themes of Symphogear is: “music can transcend words”. So, personally, I think it would be wonderful if more people overseas got a chance to connect with the series. Like, it would be neat if a set of different actors could create an English version. I would be so excited for someone else out there, beyond the language barrier, to share Hibiki’s spirit with me! That's just a personal fantasy that I have (laugh).
No comments:
Post a Comment