The official spoon.2Di magazine Twitter account
posted a reminder that
Spoon.2Di Vol.111 released on June 27th, 2024 featured interviews with the voice actors of Liko, Roy and the Elite Four!
June 27th, 2024 spoon.2Di vol.111
Anipoke features interviews with the voice actors of Liko, Roy and the Elite Four!
Minori Suzuki as
Liko
Yuka Terasaki as
Roy
Mitsuki Saiga as
Chili
Miria Takagishi as
Poppy
Ryōtarō Okiayu as
Hassaku
Kohsuke Toriumi as
Aoki
The TV anime Pocket Monsters feature is a 14-page special on the Terastal Debut arc!
It includes a super cute original pinup of Liko, Roy, Chili, Hassaku, Nyarote, Hogator, Dooh, and Seglaive
6/27 spoon.2Di vol.111
アニポケ 特集はリコ、ロイ、四天王のキャストの皆様のインタビューをお届け!
リコ役 鈴木みのり さん
ロイ役 寺崎裕香 さん
チリ役 斎賀みつき さん
ポピー役 高岸美里亜 さん
ハッサク役 置鮎龍太郎 さん
× アオキ役 鳥海浩輔 さん
テレビアニメ「ポケットモンスター」は「テラスタルデビュー」編 14P大特集!
リコ、ロイ、チリ、ハッサク、ニャローテ、ホゲータ、ドオー、セグレイブが集合したとってもキュートな描き下ろしのピンナップ付き
The Pocket Monsters TV show brings you the story of Liko, Roy and Dot, a trio with respective dreams and goals, as they grow alongside, and form bonds with, their Pokémon while traveling around as members of the adventurer team "the Rising Volt Tacklers". After entering its second year following its premiere in April 2023, the show is currently in its "Terastal Debut" arc, where Liko and the others receive Terastal training as they study on exchange at Orange Academy in the Paldea region. The plot here is developing in exciting directions as the popular Gym Leaders and Elite Four from the video games the show is based on make appearances and battle Liko and the others. We're now going to present a generous selection of highlights from the Terastal Debut arc, centered around interviews conducted with the cast members playing Liko, Roy and the Paldea Elite Four.
The Pocket Monsters TV show airs on the TV Tokyo Network every Friday at 6:55pm! (airdate and airtime may vary depending on region. All content is subject to change)
Staff: Executive Director: Daiki Tomiyasu / Director: Saori Den / Series Construction: Dai Sato / Character Design: Rei Yamazaki / Sub-Character Design: Kyoko Ito / Sound Director: Masafumi Mima / Music: Conisch / Animation: OLM
Cast: Liko: Minori Suzuki / Roy: Yuka Terasaki / Friede: Taku Yashiro / Orio: Ayane Sakura / Murdock: Kenta Miyake / Molly: Kei Shindo / Randou: Ikkyu Juku / Dot/Gurumin: Yoshino Aoyama / Amethio: Shun Horie / Zir: Kohsuke Tanabe / Conia: Arisa Shida
INTERVIEW WITH MINORI SUZUKI, THE VOICE OF LIKO:
(Born October 1st, from Aichi, represented by Aoni Production. Major roles include Freyja Wion (Macross Delta), Uran (Pluto) and Akiho Shinomoto (Cardcaptor Sakura Clear Card))
Liko is a young girl who set off on an adventure as a member of the Rising Volt Tacklers in order to learn the secret of the peandant she received from her grandmother. As she's been going through all kinds of experiences with her companions and Pokémon, including her Nyarote, she's been growing on a daily basis while discovering both her true feelings and her potential. Minori Suzuki-san has accompanied Liko on this entire journey, and we've had a lengthy discussion with her about her first encounter with Liko and what upcoming highlights await us.
Q: You've played Liko in the Pocket Monsters TV show for over a year now. How does it feel?
Suzuki: I've felt nothing but gratitude this entire year. Liko's words about how you won't find anything unless you take that first step has given me the courage to take such steps towards growing as an actor on multiple occasions, and I hope the show's characters will likewise give its viewers the courage to do their best, or something else along those lines. I also keep experiencing more and more little moments that tell me children are accepting the new protagonists Liko and Roy; I get children singing along to the ending theme rap when I attend events, I overhear children talking about watching Pocket Monsters, I get kids referring to me as "Liko"... These moments make me so happy, you know.
Q: You also felt like playing the protagonist in the Pocket Monsters anime put a lot of pressure on you when you first started voicing Liko, isn't that right?
Suzuki: It is. This show is a really major deal, so being part of it made me... well, not really nervous, but very excited. My first encounter with Liko hit me really hard though, and ever since the initial audition I truly believed I was the only person that could possibly play Liko, so I never felt overly anxious about the role. Having protagonist Roy's voice actress Yuka Terasaki-san there with me on the set was very reassuring as well.
Q: You had a role in the previous Pocket Monsters series as well, didn't you?
Suzuki: Yes, I got to play a one-off character named Regina in the previous series, and my encounter with Regina actually played a very important role in my acting career. How do I put it... This was the first time I got to go to the Pocket Monsters dubbing studio, and it was in the middle of the Corona crisis so all the voice actors weren't recording together, the only one recording together with me was Koharu's voice actress Kana Hanazawa-san. However, the staff was so considerate towards me, and the way they told me what a good job I had done afterwards gave me so much confidence and really made it clear to me how much I wanted to focus on acting. The fact that I encountered Liko after experiencing such a big turning point just made it mean even more to me.
Q: What were your initial thoughts on Liko?
Suzuki: My initial impression of her, based on the reference material I was given prior to the audition, was that she felt a bit introverted and passive in a way that reminded me of myself, not having a lot of confidence in herself and not having found something she truly wanted to do in life. That impression colored my initial approach during the first dubbing session, where I interpreted her as a bit too literally bewildered and anxious, ending up playing her as rather gloomy and negative. However, after the sound director explained to me that Liko wondering about what to do wasn't just meant to express anxiety, but also that she was actively trying to find her own answer to that question, it finally clicked that she was actually an optimistic and positive girl that just struggled to express her feelings and hadn't found a clear goal in life yet. I've kept this in mind ever since.
Q: Liko has grown a lot through her many experiences and her many encounters with various people and Pokémon, including Nyahoja. Is there anything specific you feel really changed her or contributed to her growth?
Suzuki: The way I feel she's grown the most is how she's gradually become able to communicate her thoughts to others by putting them into words. She used to monologue a lot more than she does now. One scene I think really showed her kindness was this one time when Dot looked like she was struggling to make up her mind and was instead just spinning her wheels in place. Liko was there offering a helping hand by asking if Dot really wanted to go through with her current plans - not because she was pushing her own sense of righteousness on her, but because she had been observing the situation and spoke up at the right point. In addition, I feel like she's ranked up a bit when it comes to battling, having been taught and assisted by many different people and become able to approach battles with a more serious goal in mind than just having fun or trying something new. She's become more strong-willed as a Trainer and battles in a slightly more professional-esque manner, so I keep feeling I have to get to grips with this new Liko when I play her.
Q: What are your thoughts on the relationship between Liko and her first partner Nyahoja?
Suzuki: I feel like Nyahoja/Nyarote acts according to Liko's own behavior and has no interest in supporting her if she acts weak, a kind of relationship that lets Liko continue to candidly challenge herself and overcome her inadequacies. One episode I found particularly memorable was episode 40, "Farewell, Nyahoja?", which depicted Nyahoja's past; It might actually be precisely because of its past that Liko's Nyahoja found it had something in common with the overly sensitive Liko. In that episode, Liko had to speak without a single hint of hesitation or lies in her words to get her feelings across to Nyahoja and avoid making it uneasy. It was difficult to act out those scenes, but also very fun.
Q: Liko's empathy was also on full display when she met Mibrim.
Suzuki: Indeed. Ever since I first read the script for the episode where Liko and Mibrim meet, I've found it almost unbelievable that there's actually a Pokémon that's so seemingly tailor-made for Liko. Whenever I do a scene where Liko interacts with Mibrim, I always take great care not to stress it out... though I do wonder if Mibrim's trust in Liko means she specifically wouldn't actually need to be that sensitive around it.
Q: Is there anything else you make sure to keep in mind when you play Liko?
Suzuki: Well, this is more because this is Pocket Monsters than anything directly related to Liko, but since this is ultimately both a coming-of-age story and an adventure, I give her a constant sense of goal-driven inquisitiveness and excitement. I also make sure to play her with a great sense of optimism; When the characters get stuck, the script will have them wondering aloud what to do in ways that might register as anxiousness or worry if you just look at the lines as written, and I want to keep in mind that they're actually looking for a solution to their problem as they're saying these things. As I said earlier, this is something the sound director explained to me (laughs).
Q: I'm often told how difficult it is to give Pokémon orders during Pokémon battles. How do you personally feel about it?
Suzuki: I'm actually struggling really hard with it as we speak. The Terastal Debut arc features more battles than ever, and since Liko and the others have been making a lot of progress lately, the sound director told me that Liko needs to grow as a battler as well. At the time I was personally under the impression that experience in itself would make her grow as a battler, but I eventually once again realized that I need to express her development through my acting and my voice rather than let the plot itself do all the heavy lifting. As the story progresses, Liko's stage of development increases, her opponents, goals, outlook and the like change drastically with it, and she becomes able to do so much more. As this is going on, it's only natural that a desire to battle more results in her growing more passionate about it, and that means she has to go into battle with everything she's learned firmly in mind. Summoning up all your experience at once like that as you're battling is very taxing, but I have no intent of letting it get the better of me. However, all of this is why I felt so strongly how much Liko had grown during her battle against Chili-san.
Q: Next I'd like to talk about the other characters. Let's start with Roy, the boy who came aboard the airship Brave Asagi and accompanies Liko and the others on their adventures as a member of the Rising Volt Tacklers, all in order to get the Black Rayquaza. What do you think his appeal is?
Suzuki: Roy's personality is the polar opposite of Liko's, and he and Hogator are there for each other in a different way than Liko and Nyarote are. I think that's probably why Liko and Roy respect each other and see the other as an inspiration. Roy's Hogator is incredibly cute as well. Being that I play Liko, I love Nyahoja and Nyarote more than anything else, but Roy's Hogator is still so super cute that when I'm just watching the show as a regular viewer, I can't take my eyes off it! Particularly hearing its voice for the first time really surprised me with how cute it was. It's so nice that you can make new discoveries like that when the anime lets you see the Pokémon move around and talk.
Q: Then there's Dot, another member of the Rising Volt Tacklers who goes on adventures while also working as a content creator. What are your thoughts on her?
Suzuki: At first, Liko wanted to befriend Dot, but since Dot had some emotional barriers, Liko had to carefully feel things out. Thankfully, Dot gradually grew to trust Liko, so things got less one-sided. These days they're not just fellow members of the Rising Volt Tacklers, but can also compete against each other due to being from the same generation and having the same goals; Not in terms of trying to outdo the other, but in a synergistic way where Liko trying her best will make Dot try her best, and Dot trying her best will make Liko step up after her. I really like how they're more than just friends. In addition, Liko is a big fan of Dot's content creator persona Gurumin, but she's definitely a true otaku in how she keeps Dot and Gurumin completely separated in her mind (laughs). Even when she saw Dot with the Gurumin costume only partially on, she just went "Gurumin is Gurumin!" to herself. I think it's really commendable how she keeps private matters private (laughs). Gurumin made me understand Liko's character better, see?
Q: Ever since episode 46, the plot has involved the characters receiving Terastal training while studying on exchange at Orange Academy. It's all been very busy, with lots of new characters appearing as well, so how do you feel about this story?
Suzuki: I think it's really awesome that the characters people know from the games the anime is based on get to interact with the Pocket Monsters characters, and personally I also got really exited about getting to battle a lot back when I first got told about this arc. Back before I knew if Liko and the others would be attending Orange Academy, Grape Academy, or even any academy at all, I had bought an Orange Academy pencil case I was still using, so I got overjoyed when I learned they'd be going to Orange Academy (laughs).
Q: During her assessment test, Liko learned how to Terastallize in her battle against Gym Leader Kaede. What did you think about this battle?
Suzuki: This was the very first battle in the Terastal Debut arc, so I practiced her lines where she commands a move over and over in order to get a feel for how much she had grown. This gave me a really good idea of what Liko's development was, as well as what a Pokémon battle was.
Q: So what is a Pokémon battle, according to you?
Suzuki: It's hard to explain in just a few words, but what's most important is that a battle doesn't involve the Trainer making the Pokémon fight, nor does it involve the Trainer just commanding the Pokémon; Instead, the Trainer and Pokémon fight together as a team. So since a battle reveals the Trainer's true character, I feel that I need to keep improving myself as Liko on a daily basis. What Elite Four Chili-san said in episode 56 about enjoying yourself also really struck a chord with me. If you focus on the battle while enjoying yourself at the same time, you will certainly come to properly understand both your Pokémon and your opponent, and your enthusiasm should increase on its own... And if you enjoy yourself so much you lose yourself in the battle, your outlook should expand on its own. That holds true for me as well; During my battles against Kaede-san and Chili-san, the sound director told me I sounded like I was about to give up. This was because I wasn't looking at the battle itself, only at Nyarote, and all I was thinking about was getting through to it. In fact, I was so desperate about getting through to it that I lost focus and was commanding it without my feet on the ground. And of course, since I wasn't speaking from my stomach, there was no passion and refusal to lose in my voice either, so I realized I did indeed sound like I was about to give up.
Q: What was it like acting alongside Kaede's voice actress Kotono Mitsuishi-san?
Suzuki: Liko grew one more step from Kaede-san teaching by example, but I myself also learned a lot from watching Mitsuishi-san in action at the dubbing studio; Seeing Mitsuishi-san and the sound director discuss how to show Kaede-san's idiosyncracies in a slightly nuanced manner really impressed me. I based my understanding of what Pokémon battling was like on what I picked up from her acting and played my role while thinking about how I should act in order to live up to her standard, which just ended up in frustration as I had to face my own inadequacies. The takes that ended up on TV were of course fine, but this made me come to a realization similar to the one Liko and the others came to after finding themselves completely outclassed by the Black Rayquaza in episode 45, that I still didn't know anything about Pokémon battling. Still, after the battle was over, I felt like I wanted to improve myself further and then battle some more. I'm sure Liko felt the same way at that point too, and that made me realize this is what Pokémon battles are all about, so both Liko and I were very happy to learn that we'd get to battle alongside Kaede-san once again during the battle against Chili-san.
Q: The exhibition matches against the Paldea Elite Four started in episode 55, and here Liko is going to team up with Kaede to battle Chili. What are your thoughts on Chili?
Suzuki: I was already a fan of her from the video games, so initially I was just gushing over how beautiful she was (laughs), but after battling her I felt like she truly was one of the few chosen ones, as well as someone who would kindly assist those who were aiming for her level. You can probably say that about the other members of the Elite Four as well, but I think it's just wonderful how Chili-san does it in such a cute and unique way, working in jokes to make Liko and the others feel at ease. I got to record alongside Chili-san's voice actress Mitsuki Saiga-san, and we were sitting side by side by the mike playing off each other's lines. I was incredibly fun to be able to battle her while feeling her passion at the same time.
Q: Finally, do you have something you want to tell those who are looking forward to the episodes of Pocket Monsters TV show and Liko's role in them?
Suzuki: I think her battle against Chili-san really made you feel how much Liko had grown, and I think upcoming battles will make her even stronger than that. However, it's not like it's all going to be smooth sailing for her, and she'll definitely end up eventually hitting another wall and becoming disheartened. Seeing Liko still try her best in such a situation will no doubt encourage you viewers, so make sure to look forward to the upcoming episodes!
CHARACTER PROFILES:
LIKO (Voiced by Minori Suzuki): A girl from the Paldea region. The "mysterious pendant" she got from her grandmother leads to her deciding to set off on an adventure.
KAEDE (Voiced by Kotono Mitsuishi): Gym Leader of Cercle Town and Trainer of Bug type Pokémon. The manager of "Patisserie Mukuroji".
NYAROTE: Grass Cat Pokémon. Grass type. Liko's partner. Nyahoja evolved. Battles using an ivy and a bud.
TERAPAGOS: Laid dormant in its pendant form for a long time, but turned back into its Pokémon form after reuniting with the Six Hero Pokémon. It apparently used to travel with the Ancient Adventurer Lucius.
TEBRIM: Serene Pokémon. Psychic type. Liko's Pokémon Mibrim evolved. It's grown so big it can no longer fit in Liko's hood like it used to.
THE BEGINNING OF THE STORY:
Having enrolled in Sekiei Academy, Liko was doing her best trying to bond with her Starter Pokémon Nyahoja when she suddenly got attacked by the Explorers, a group that was after the pendant she had got from her grandmother. She was rescued by an adventurer team called the Rising Volt Tacklers, and her desire to learn the secret of her pendant led to her deciding to set off on an adventure with them!
SPOTLIGHT EPISODE: EPISODE 40, "FAREWELL, NYAHOJA?"
During battle practice, Nyahoja accidentally ends up injuring Liko. Liko ensures Nyahoja it's not to blame for what happened, but it ultimately ends up running away from the airship, heading for the breeding house where it was born and raised. There, Liko learns that Nyahoja once injured a fellow Nyahoja while trying to help it, making it develop a fear of hurting those it cares about. Liko explains to Nyahoja how she actually feels, and...
SPOTLIGHT EPISODE: EPISODE 47, "LIKO AND NYAROTE, PUT ALL YOUR HEART INTO IT"
Liko visits Kaede, the Gym Leader of Cercle Town, for her Terastal training assessment test! After a confectionery cooking competition against an intruding Sango from the Explorers, Liko learns the importance of putting all your heart into it alongside your partner, both when it comes to cooking confectioneries and battling. Then it's on to the battle against Kaede, where a fully pumped Liko commands Nyarote to use a preemptive attack. However, Kaede skillfully attacks with Himeguma's Charm and Sweet Scent to toy around with the two of them...!
Remembering what Kaede had taught her, Liko and Nyarote worked together as one and successfully Terastallized for the first time! This suddenly turned the tables on Kaede and Himeguma, but they then Terastallized themselves and instantly defeated Nyarote with a powerful attack.
Despite the outcome, Kaede declared that Liko had passed due to putting all her heart into the battle. Taking in the joy she felt from passing, Liko once again etched Kaede's advice to enjoy the moment into her heart.
INTERVIEW WITH YUKA TERASAKI, THE VOICE OF ROY:
(Born August 4th, from Kumamoto, represented by Ken Production. Major roles include Vueko (Made in Abyss: Retsujitsu no Ogonkyo), Adonis (Hametsu no Okoku) and Mika Egashira (Skip to Loafer))
Roy is a young boy who set off on an adventure as a member of the Rising Volt Tacklers in order to get the Legendary Pokémon Black Rayquaza that appeared from his Ancient Monster Ball, as well as to grant his new partner Hogator's dream of becoming as cool and strong as Lizardon. Yuka Terasaki-san has played this constantly energetic and optimistic moodmaker of Liko's companions, and we've had a discussion with her about Roy's appeal and memorable scenes.
Q: You've played Roy in the Pocket Monsters TV show for over a year now. How does it feel?
Terasaki: It feels like I've finally gotten used to the role, or more accurately, that I've gradually internalized it, to the point I'm now able to discuss with the staff at the dubbing sessions how I feel Roy would logically react or word something. I've also grown much closer to Liko's voice actress Minori-chan through various events, TV show appearances and the like. Yoshino-chan has also started joining us now, and we've all become good friends. It really makes me feel like a member of the Rising Volt Tacklers on the Brave Asagi.
Q: Liko's voice actress Minori Suzuki-san mentioned that it's thanks to you being there with her on the set that she's been able to make it as far as she has.
Terasaki: Wow, she said that?! Minori-chan is so sweet!! Having Minori-chan there really meant a lot to me too. You feel a lot of pressure when you take on a new series in such a long-running franchise, so having Minori-chan there to share the burden was a big help. It's also really important that the children enjoy the show, so prior to the series' premiere I was really nervous about how they'd react to the it. Recently I've had a lot of opportunities to observe first-hand that children do enjoy it, though, so I feel a bit more at ease and a bit more confident now.
Q: What kind of boy do you think Roy is? What was your initial impression of him, and how do you think he has changed throughout the series?
Terasaki: I think he's the type of person who's driven by feelings. Liko is driven by reason, but Roy is all passion (laughs). I feel like his appeal lies in how innocent and straightforward he is, and he hasn't changed in that respect. I do think getting exposed to new and unknown things has changed him in other ways, though, and I feel like he's grown a lot as a battler. The island Roy used to live on was one where humans and Pokémon lived in coexistence, so he grew up in a community with no such thing as Pokémon battles or Pokémon Trainers. Once he first started battling by commanding Pokémon around, he'd gain EXP by watching Friede and his other companions battle and putting what he picked up from from them into practice; At first he was only going with simple and familiar stuff like commanding Hogator to use Tackle, but now he's coming up with strategies he follows and properly incorporating all kinds of things he's learned from the people he battles.
Q: What do you focus on the most when you play Roy?
Terasaki: As Roy himself declared to his Grandpa, his two goals are to catch the Black Rayquaza and to make Hogator become as strong as Lizardon, and I consider those goals very central to the character. Roy can sometimes get very impatent due to his desire to battle and quickly get stronger, but that's simply because that goal is so important to him. Early on the sound director would constantly remind me to not forget about what drives Roy to the point it got fully ingrained in me, and it's been what I focus on the most as I play him ever since.
Q: And what effect does that have on how you play him?
Terasaki: An underlying sense of purpose effects both how a line is said and how it's understood. The sound director will often say not to focus so much on the literal words themselves, and that's because the actual importance lies in WHY the character is saying a line and WHAT the character is saying it in response to; It's not as simple as just sounding sad when a line is meant to be sad. I've been a theatrical actor for quite a while now, and when I do theater I always create a profile and a past for my role, building an underlying core of a character I can then delve into. I later realized anime works similarly, that the presence of a character's underlying core effects how the character's lines are delivered and makes the character's idiosyncracies emerge. That was a very important realization for me.
Q: Are there any scenes or lines that particularly stuck out to you when it comes to Roy's portrayal?
Terasaki: In episode 37, "Hogator Becomes a Bad Boy?!", there's this scene where Hogator uses a new move called Disarming Voice for the first time. The original intent was for Hogator to be pushing itself on its own with Roy watching it from afar but not understanding what it was trying to do, followed by Hogator unleashing Disarming Voice and a surprised Roy exclaiming "Whoa, a new move!". It just didn't make sense to me for Roy to just stand there and watch as Hogator was pushing itself to the limit like that though, so after we all talked it over, the staff actually ended up changing the scene to one where Roy realizes what Hogator is trying to do and yells "Hogator, ganbare!" right before Hogator unleashes its Disarming Voice. I feel like I should credit this to the relationship Yamashita-kun and I now have after spending the past year developing our roles together. When I watched the finished episode, I saw the animators had also gone in and reanimated Roy's face during that adlibbed scene. That gave me a real feeling of animation being a collaborative effort, and I thought it was wonderful how such synergy could create something so good.
Q: Roy and Hogator's song became the talk of the town immediately after its debut in the show, and it's been featured many times since then. What is it like to dub these scenes?
Terasaki: Well, Roy always starts singing at the most surprising moments that catch you off guard (laughs). I really struggled with the song at first, being unable to stay on tune and in rhythm, and found it really difficult to do a performance the sound director was happy with. When I watched the finished episode, I finally understood what he had been telling me, though.
Q: What was that?
Terasaki: It's all about the heart and soul of the song, or in other words, what the purpose of singing it at that point actually is. Roy's singing has an underlying sense of purpose to it as well; Does he want to cheer Hogator on, does he want to encourage himself because he's scared, is he trying to find Hogator? The sound director had told me how important it was to keep this in mind when singing, and I thought I WAS doing that, but it wasn't until I saw the finished episode that it finally clicked. I was then able to do the entire retake in a single go. Later, I was asked to adlib 4 or so scenes, which I had to desperately come up with lyrics for; I think that really shows how much they trust me, don't you think? You can find that adlibbed song at the beginning of episode 49 ("Dot and Gurumin"), where the trio is heading for Hakko City and we hear Roy constantly singing in the background while Liko and Dot are talking (laughs), so make sure to check it out!
Q: Has there been any dialogue between Roy and Hogator that made a real impact on you?
Terasaki: The scenes that made the biggest impact on me when dubbing were the ones I just talked about, but if you mean individual bits of dialogue, it was definitely the "Kimi ga ii tte... kimeta n da!" line from episode 6 ("The Ancient Monster Ball"). The scene where Roy gets Hogator has Roy make this entire passionate speech to it, the music starts adding to the moment, and then Hogator just makes this confused face (laughs). I've rewatched that scene so many times, that look on its face is just hilarious; It really catches you off-guard that it has such a blank expression during such a dramatic scene (laughs). It's genuinely a really touching scene, and I'm sure you'll get a laugh out of Hogator's expression, so make sure to give it a watch! As a whole, I think Hogator is a really expressive character of the type you can only get in animation.
Q: While we're on the subject of Roy's Pokémon, I thought Kaiden's evolution into Taikaiden in episode 52, "Storm Warning for Kaiden", was a wonderful moment that really made you feel how strong the bond between Roy and Kaiden is.
Terasaki: Evolutions that happen due to the Pokémon's relationship with its Trainer are the most touching ones, aren't they? I loved how it grew in size specifically to save me, that was a really Pocket Monsters-y scene. Their initial meeting in episode 14, "Fly, Kaiden!!", really made an impact on me as well. Kaiden returns to its kin after learning to fly, but then races back to Roy with all its might after initially saying goodbye to him, and that scene where Roy gets it after Murdock gives him a little nudge is one that really got to me. Both were really moving scenes.
Q: What do you find appealing about Liko and Dot, Roy's Rising Volt Tackler travelmates? Let's start with Liko.
Terasaki: I think Liko's best quality is that unlike Roy, she's very earnest and serious, which we can see in things like her concern for her relationship with Nyahoja. This is something she has in common with her voice actress Minori-chan. When Nyahoja was evolving into Nyarote, I remember her wondering if she could've done more for Nyahoja, and that I told her that the very fact that she's asking herself that is evidence of her love for Nyahoja, so she should feel confident she didn't leave anything undone. Seeing Minori-chan thinking of Nyahoja with tears in her eyes once again gave me the impression that it's precisely thanks to her that Liko is such a lovable character.
Q: And how about Dot?
Terasaki: I think Dot has probably grown the most of the three, and really made me realize how much a person can change through outside stimuli and interaction with others. She's the kind of character that normally stays holed up in her room and thinks it's a pain to go outside, but can get her interest aroused if properly stimulated, so it's probably difficult to find the right balance when playing her, and I think her appeal has a lot to do with the way Yoshino-chan gives the role her all no matter how many retakes she needs. I feel the trio of Liko, Roy and Dot, where Liko closely observes her surroundings and thinks things through, Dot analyzes their ideas and provides data, and Roy uses his heart, is very well balanced.
Q: Ever since episode 46, the plot has involved the characters receiving Terastal training while studying on exchange at Orange Academy. It's all been very busy, with lots of new characters appearing as well, so how do you feel about this story?
Terasaki: I feel like it definitely has a lot of battles. Since we're having one battle after another, it's fun to get to use what you learned in one battle in the next one, and I think that lets both Liko, Roy, Dot and us voice actors grow substantially.
Q: During your assessment test, you battled Gym Leader Colza. What are your thoughts on him?
Terasaki: He has a really interesting vocabulary, doesn't he? When he called Roy "Roygarde", I seriously didn't realize he meant me at first. He has bags under his eyes and looks really cold and scary at first glance, but he's a passionate man who teaches Roy how to battle with great enthusiasm; A true Gym Leader who cares about the students and Trainers' development. He's very eccentric, though! (laughs) I thought Nakai-san's portrayal of him was really good as well.
Q: Hogator managed to Terastallize during the battle against Colza. Roy's "Kagayake, yume no kessho" line during that scene was really cool, don't you think?
Terasaki: I was really looking forward to saying that line. I had always been jealous of Friede's Terastallizations, and thought Amethio getting to use them as well was really cool too. I was really excited to learn what Roy would get to say when Terastallizing, so when I finally got to perform the line, I got so carried away and said it with such joy that the sound director had to remind me that it's supposed to be a strategically important move that can only be use once per battle, just like in the video games.
Q: The exhibition matches against the Paldea Elite Four started in episode 55, and here Roy teamed up with Colza to battle Hassaku. What are your thoughts on this battle?
Terasaki: Up to this point, Roy had always used keigo when talking to Colza-san, so I found it curious that he didn't do so during this battle. When I asked the staff about it, they explained that they deliberately avoided it because this battle put the two of them on a level playing field, or more accurately, as partners fighting together. That definitely made a lot of sense; When I engrossed myself in the battle and consciously focused on my teamwork with Colza-san, it felt very natural to talk like that. Roy had already battled Colza-san twice at that point, so the two of them had definitely developed somewhat of a mutual sense of trust by then, and it felt like I was cultivating a sort of seed of their bond with my acting. I'm also really grateful that Colza-san was backing Roy up and letting him be the one to shine; Teaming up with such a strong Trainer in a tag battle was definitely huge for him. Standing in front of the mike alongside an actor whose work I have so much respect for was definitely an experience for me, and as I was trying my best to live up to his standard, I realized Roy was probably feeling exactly the same way at that point.
Q: What are your thoughts on Hassaku?
Terasaki: I loved the relationship between "Hassan" and "Col-san", as they call each other (laughs). They must go way back. I could tell how much Hassaku-sensei was enjoying the battle in its own right even though he was coaching Roy, so it was a lot of fun acting alongside him.
Q: What do you feel that you, as Roy, gained from this battle?
Terasaki: Roy has always enjoyed battling, but I think this experience taught him the value of teamwork, as well as the fact that battling will always involve both him AND his Pokémon. This time he battled alongside Colza-san, but he most frequently teams up with Liko, and I think he'll change his approach somewhat the next time they do that. This battle most likely gave him some new perspectives and taught him new ways to work together with someone.
Q: We already talked about Hassaku, but what are your thoughts on the other members of the Paldea Elite Four; Poppy, Chili and Aoki?
Terasaki: Poppy-chan is absolutely adorable, don't you agree? Her innocent, childlike way of battling can be a bit scary as well, though, and I quite like that contrast. As for Chili-chan, I think her Kansai-esque speech pattern is really cute. I also find it interesting how she'll prod and agitate her opponents during a battle, not to psych them out, but to start a bit of a fire under them and get them going. And Aoki-san is... very detached (laughs). I don't really have a good read on him yet, he's pretty mysterious.
Q: Finally, do you have something you want to tell those who are looking forward to the episodes of Pocket Monsters TV show and Roy's role in them?
Terasaki: The Terastal Debut arc will continue to feature lots of battles, and lots of Gym Leaders will be appearing as well, so I'll hope you look forward to that. One of the upcoming episodes will also be the kind of cute, fun and heartwarming story you associate with Roy and Hogator. You might also find some hints about upcoming plot details in the opening, so make sure to watch it closely!
CHARACTER PROFILES:
ROY (Voiced by Yuka Terasaki): A boy from the Kanto region. He set out on an adventure to get the Black Rayquaza that came out of the "ancient monster ball" and flew off.
COLZA (Voiced by Kazuya Nakai): Gym Leader of Bowl Town in the Paldea region, as well as a nature artist whose most notable work is "The Careless Kimawari"
HOGATOR: Fire Croc Pokémon. Fire type. Roy's partner. Happy-go-lucky and gluttonous. Likes singing.
TAIKAIDEN: Frigatebird Pokémon. Electric/Flying type. Kaiden evolved. Catches the wind in its giant wings to produce electricity.
SPOTLIGHT EPISODE: EPISODE 6, "THE ANCIENT MONSTER BALL"
Hogator and its new friend, a young boy named Roy, meet on an island the airship stopped at for repairs. When the repairs are done and it's just about time to say goodbye, Roy tells Hogator how much he wanted to spend more time with it. Hogator then presents Roy with a monster ball...?! And after thus gaining Hogator as a partner, Roy decides to set out on an adventure with the Rising Volt Tacklers!
SPOTLIGHT EPISODE: EPISODE 37, "HOGATOR BECOMES A BAD BOY?!"
When Roy and Hogator learn that ferocious Waruvile and Waruvial are interfering with the work at an archeological dig, they set off to investigate and end up finding kindred spirits in these Pokémon through the medium of song. Hogator tries using its song to stop the Pokémon that are in conflict with the workers, but doesn't quite get through to them. But after some encouragement from Roy, it manages to unleash a new move; Disarming Voice...?!
SPOTLIGHT EPISODE: EPISODE 48, "SHINE! THE GLIMMER OF FIRE AND ART"
Roy visits Colza, the Gym Leader of Bowl Town, for his Terastal training assessment test, but Colza is busy preparing an art festival and tells him the battle will be postponed until Roy realizes the problem with his current fighting style. Roy enters the art festival for a change of pace, and the piece of art he and Hogator made together impresses Colza so much he starts Roy's assessment test. At first, Roy is completely at the mercy of Colza's Usokkie's Substitute, but after repeated usage of Flamethrower, he notices a tiny but important detail; The real Usokkie has started sweating...?!
After watching how Colza timed his Terastallization of Usokkie, Roy counters by having Hogator Terastallize. By carefully watching Colza's attacks and steadily responding in turn, he then secured an impressive victory!
Colza praised Roy for battling while seeing, feeling and imagining everything around him, an approach that benefits both art and battles. And thus, Roy passed his assessment test as well.
SPOTLIGHT CHARACTER: DOT
Dot is a member of the Rising Volt Tacklers. Initially she kept holing herself up in her room and kept even Liko and Roy at a distance despite their attempts to communicate with her. However, their genuine attempts eventually lead to her gradually interacting with them, leaving her room more often, and eventually becoming friends with them. She's actually the real person behind the popular content creator Gurumin, but Liko, a huge Gurumin fan, mistook her as just being a hardcore fan, and it took a long time for Dot to eventually confess the truth! Despite being extremely knowledgable about Pokémon, she initially had no intent of becoming a Trainer, and had never got the Kuwassu that always accompanied her. However, she eventually got Kuwassu in order to search for Liko's stolen pendant, taking her first step towards being one. At present, she's making daily progress as a Pokémon Trainer, wanting to learn more about the secrets of the world that Liko and Roy are pursuing.
CHARACTER PROFILES:
DOT (voiced by Yoshino Aoyama): A member of the Rising Volt Tacklers. The person in the off-limits room on the airship. Her true identity is... the popular streamer Gurumin?!
NANJAMO (voiced by Kaede Hondo): Gym Leader of Hakko City in the Paldea region. Apparently also an aquaintance of the costumed content creator Gurumin...?
KUWASSU: Duckling Pokémon. Water type. Appears in Gurumin's videos. It likes to keep things tidy and hates getting its head dirty.
KANUCHAN: Metalsmith Pokémon. Fairy/Steel type. Gathers metal in order to make a hammer.
SPOTLIGHT EPISODE: EPISODE 50, "TERASTALLIZE FOR SOCIAL MEDIA! DANCE DANCE KUWASSU!!"
Dot's Terastal training assessment test involves a battle against Nanjamo, the Gym Leader of Hakko City. Believing that the fighting style that suits her the best is to fight according to a pre-planned strategy, she researches Nanjamo's battles in advance before taking her on, but still ends up struggling greatly against Harabarie, who's a poor type matchup for Kuwassu. In addition, an unexpected incident takes place when a power outage cuts off the livestream of the battle right in the middle of it. Dot is in a hurry to come up with a new strategy...
Seeing Kuwassu seemingly enjoy itself as it dances right in the middle of this malfunction, Dot remembers the incident that taught her how misfortune is social media attention in disguise and Terastallizes Kuwassu. Kuwassu fights using its new move Liquidation, but Nanjamo counters by Terastallizing Harabarie as well. Dot and Kuwassu ultimately lost, but Nanjamo still declared they passed the assessment test due to enjoying the "batori" to the fullest no matter what happened.
SPOTLIGHT EPISODE: EPISODE 55, "SHOWDOWN! THE PALDEA ELITE FOUR"
What awaited Liko and the others after passing their assessment tests was an exhibition match against the Paldea Elite Four, where Dot will team up with Nanjamo and battle Elite Four member Poppy. Poppy makes the first move, using Daioudou's Sandstorm and Dekanuchan's Gigaton Hammer. Nanjamo then comes up with a plan involving Dot's Kuwassu attacking while protected by Harabarie's Reflect, but they get overpowered by Daioudou and Dekanuchan's barrage of attacks.
Dot commands Kuwassu to dance on Harabarie's stomach to generate electricity, before Terastallizing Kuwassu and using Liquidation against Dekanuchan! ...however, she came just one step short of defeating it. Nanjamo then unleashed a Discharge and rendered Daioudou unable to battle. Dot and Nanjamo had won.
Poppy was satisfied with having had a fun battle despite her loss, but when she sees Dot looking depressed despite winning, she asks with a pout why Dot isn't celebrating. Dot tells her that she won thanks to Nanjamo rather than her own skill, and Poppy replies that next time she'll get to have a battle that will bring her plenty of both joy and frustration. Hearing this brings a smile to Dot's face...
INTERVIEW WITH MIRIA TAKAGISHI, THE VOICE OF POPPY:
(Born February 17th, from Aichi, represented by Kenyu Office. Major roles include Tasha Romanovsky (Tokyo 7th Sisters), Sarah (Catch! Teenieping) and Eve the Pokémon Role Player (Pokémon Masters EX))
Poppy is a member of the Paldea Elite Four, and while she may look small and cute, she and her Steel type Pokémon are very powerful in battle. Miria Takagishi-san has been giving us Poppy's childlike enjoyment of battling, strength worthy of an Elite Four member and highly expressive cuteness, and we've had a discussion with her about Poppy's appeal and her thoughts on Pocket Monsters in general.
Q: How did you feel when you you got cast as Poppy in the Pocket Monsters TV show?
Takagishi: I've always wanted to be in Pokémon even after deciding to become a voice actress, both because I love the franchise and especially because I grew up with Pikachu ever since I was a baby, so getting this role made me very happy. When I first learned I'd be playing a member of the Elite Four I was unsure if a newcomer like me would be up to the task, but I decided to enjoy this rare opportunity I had been given.
Q: I hear you play the video games as well, so what were your thoughts on Poppy's role in those?
Takagishi: It really surprised me that such a tiny little cutie could become part of the Elite Four. I'm sure she can serve as an inspiration for children and teach them what they can be capable of if they put in the effort, no matter how young they are. Poppy-chan also has a really cute way of talking, and the way she was really friendly with Chili-chan in her initial appearance made a huge impact on me. I thought they made a really cute duo, and hoped we'd get to see some of that represented in the anime as well.
Q: What do you focus on the most when you play her?
Takagishi: Poppy-chan first appeared in episode 46, where she had a single line of dialogue while watching a battle. The sound director told me that since that scene involves the Elite Four visiting the academy in search of talent, watching battles to see if the Trainers there have potential, he wanted me to focus on calmly analyzing the battle and providing input on it, rather than on talking to Chili-chan in a cute way. That really gave me a sense of Poppy-chan's proficiency, as well as her passion for Pokémon battles, and I hoped the way I spoke that line got across both her cuteness and fundamental strength.
Q: During the exhibition matches between the trainees and Elite Four, Poppy battled the team of trainee Dot and Gym Leader Nanjamo, with Poppy using a Daioudou and a Dekanuchan. What did you think about your performance here?
Takagishi: I felt like Poppy-chan really enjoyed this battle; She wasn't just using pre-planned moves, but had fun improvising in response to what her opponents were doing. The episode did a great job showing just how much fun she had battling with the Pokémon she loves so much she refers to them as "friends", so I did my best to incorporate this into my acting according to the script and characterization.
Q: And what were your thoughts on your opponent Dot?
Takagishi: While her knowledge about Pokémon allows her to strategize well, she still wasn't very good at acting quick or improvising. However, as the battle went on, she was able to turn the situation around with some quick thinking. It was great how she was able to grow during the battle and eventually snatch the victory.
Q: She seemed depressed even though she won, though, didn't she?
Takagishi: Her reaction surprised me, but I realized she felt that way due to her pride as a Trainer. Poppy ultimately gave her some older sister-esque advice that she should enjoy herself more the next time around, and seeing the smile Dot made in response to that made me look forward to seeing her grow from here on.
Q: Poppy seems to idolize her fellow Elite Four member Chili. What are your thoughts on her?
Takagishi: She's very cool and handsome, isn't she? The battles we're currently in the middle of are exhibition matches so they're a very different beast from Elite Four matches, and Chili-chan acted as a proper teacher even in the middle of them, giving off even stronger older sister-type vibes than ever. I'm happy I got to see this different side of her.
Q: And what are your thoughts on the other Elite Four members, Hassaku and Aoki?
Takagishi: Hassaku-sensei definitely has a teacher feel to him the way he affectionatly provides guidance, and I thought the passion and love he has for his students and how easily he starts crying was really cute. It made the school come across as so wonderful I'd like to attend it myself. As for Aoki-san, he's had very few lines compared to the other characters I've appeared alongside, but I figured that fit him pretty well, or rather, made me think that's just the way he is (laughs). I'm looking forward to seeing what's in store for him in the future, though.
Q: What is your favorite Pokémon out of the ones that have appeared in this series so far?
Takagishi: That'd be Dot's Kanuchan. First of all, its initial encounter with Dot was really cute. It steals the mike Dot bought and turns it into a hammer, and it's just so cute when it goes to show the finished mike to Dot. i also really liked how its eyes teared up because it didn't want to say goodbye to her. I really like Roy's Hogator as well, its slight absentmindedness is super adorable, especially in the battle against Hassaku where it thinks Appryu is an apple and looks up at it while drooling. Every episode has it being so cute it hurts (laughs).
Q: Thank you so much! Finally, do you have something you want to tell those who are looking forward to the episodes of Pocket Monsters TV show?
Takagishi: It makes me extremely happy to get to be part of the Pokémon franchise, which I'm personally a huge fan of as well. I hope you'll give her expressions and battling a look, they're of the kind you can only see in animation. I'll do my best to portray an all new side of Poppy-chan, so I hope you'll enjoy the Pocket Monsters anime with me.
CHARACTER PROFILES:
POPPY (voiced by Miria Takagishi): The youngest of the Elite Four, and a cute Trainer of Steel types.
INTERVIEW WITH RYOTARO OKIAYU, THE VOICE OF HASSAKU
(Born November 17th, from Fukuoka, represented by Aoni Production. Major roles include Kaku and Kizaru(Borsalino) (One Piece), the Transformation Belt DX DreaDriver and Gigist (Kamen Rider Gotchard) and Isaku Zenpoji and Koji Makaino (Nintama Rantaro))
AND KOHSUKE TORIUMI, THE VOICE OF AOKI:
(Born May 16th, from Kanagawa, represented by Arts Vision. Major roles include Mikazuki Munechika (Touken Ranbu series), Suzuki (Henjin no Salad Bowl) and Green Keeper (Sentai Daishikkaku))
Hassaku normally works as an art teacher, and Aoki is an office worker who serves as both Elite Four member and Gym Leader. These two more adult members of the Paldea Elite Four are portrayed by Ryotaro Okiayu-san and Kohsuke Toriumi-san, and we've had a discussion with them about their thoughts on Hassaku and Aoki, as well as on getting to be part of the current series.
Q: Your characters Aoki and Hassaku made their debuts in the Terastal Debut arc, how did you feel when you you got cast in the current Pocket Monsters TV show?
Okiayu: This is my first time playing a recurring character in this series, so it made me very happy. Pocket Monsters is a series everyone has at least heard of, and one that's become part of our culture at this point. I got a tremendous amount of feedback after the public announcement of my role, which once again spelled out to me just how big this show is.
Toriumi: The last time I was in the show was back in the Pocket Monsters XY series, so I was also very happy to get to be part of it again.
Q: And what did the dubbing sessions for this series feel like?
Okiayu: Most of the voice actors playing the student characters are very young, but they've been playing them for so long now that they understand them very well. This made US feel like the clueless rookies there (laughs).
Toriumi: Yeah, this show has a lot of series-specific terminology and a very unique setting, doesn't it?
Okiayu: I got the staff to talk me through that stuff.
Toriumi: Everything is so established already, so you just feel like an intruder, you know.
Okiayu: Well, even though the current series has been airing for over a year now, we get so much guidance from the sound director that I thought both the characters and the cast still have a lot of room to grow as I was watching him.
Toriumi: Yes, the set felt brimming with youthful energy in that regard.
Q: Toriumi-san, your character Aoki is both a Gym Leader, an Elite Four member and a Pokémon League businessman all at once. What are your thoughts on the character and what do you think makes him so appealing?
Toriumi: At present, he comes across as a exemplary office worker who's devoted to his job and doesn't assert himself too much, so he seems very trustworthy in that regard. Maybe watching him can teach young children that the reason their dad is always so tired is because he's working hard for his family? (laughs) In these current episodes he's not evaluating the trainees as a Gym Leader but rather as an Elite Four member, so I think he has a desire to guide the students in his own way. I like how he doesn't make that side of him all that conspicuous, though; He's the type of person that doesn't spell things out for you, but instead makes you reach your own conclusions. In that sense, I think he might be very well suited for a leadership role in today's society.
Q: Okiayu-san, your character Hassaku is both an art teacher at Orange Academy as well as a member of the Elite Four. What are your thoughts on the character and what do you focus on the most when you play him?
Okiayu: The director described Hassaku to me as "loud and cheerful", so I had that description in mind when I first went up to the mike, and the sound director had to tell me that I got the character completely wrong (laughs). He then explained to me that he didn't just want me to play him as passionate, but also as a good teacher for his students, which made me realize more what they were going for with him. From that point on I made sure to focus more on portraying him as a proper teacher while not overshadowing the other characters in the scene. However, the fact that he can get so emotional during battles, going from being really cheerful to crying in his own distinctive manner at the drop of a hat, made me think about what kind of person he normally is; Is he the kind of person that just easily lets his emotions out when he starts crying, or is he the kind of person who's always keeping his emotions bottled up while in "normal mode", constantly being on the verge of tears?
Q: During the exhibition matches between the trainees and Elite Four, Hassaku battled the team of Roy and Gym Leader Colza, what did you think about this battle?
Okiayu: When Liko was battling Gym Leader Kaede during her assessment test, Kaede's desire to provide guidance to Liko was on full display. I got a somewhat different impression of Hassaku; Even though he might've gotten rather passionate about the battle, it felt like he was trying to give Roy an example of what battling truly is like, rather than guiding him.
Q: One reason he got so excited might be because he was fighting Colza, a long-time acquaintance of his. Do you agree?
Okiayu: "Col-san", yeah. You're right, that might have played into it. I didn't record together with his voice actor Nakai-san, so I had to picture in my head how excited he was as I was dubbing this scene.
Q: What were your thoughts on Roy?
Okiayu: That he was very energetic! This time around, the three protagonists are given three well-balanced personalities, and I figure Roy is the energetic one of the group. There's more to a character than just being energetic, though, and I thought that must be the difficult part.
Q: And Toriumi-san, what are YOUR thoughts on Hassaku?
Toriumi: He's a teacher as well, and the most education-minded member of the Elite Four. It seemed like he enjoyed battling, so he must be a fairly uncomplicated, passionate man who can be greatly moved by seeing how young people grow and improve. And while he doesn't act superior to others in any way, I think he feels a lot like like a leader type. He's also very loud (laughs).
Okiayu: (laughs). The Elite Four always gives me an impression of ultimately being a wall for the protagonists to potentially overcome. These episodes depict exhibition matches against the trainees for the specific purpose of evaluating them, so I think we've yet to see what they're truly like when battling properly as Elite Four members.
Q: Voice actors in the Pocket Monsters anime often talk about what it's like to command Pokémon during battle scenes. What was it like for you?
Okiayu: It had been quite a while since the last time I did this kind of acting, so I found it a lot of fun. Moves like "Protect" are pretty simple stuff.
Toriumi: The sound director kept repeating that what's important is essentially to not direct your command towards your own Pokémon, but for you and your Pokémon to focus on your opponent and set your eyes on his or her Pokémon together. This wasn't something he told me specifically, it was directed at the entire group of voice actors as a whole, and I think it's important to establish a shared understanding of the show in this way.
Q: Toriumi-san, how did you prepare for the role of Aoki?
Toriumi: I actually never consciously prepare for roles. However, when it comes to Aoki, he has like a single line in his first episode, then one more line in his next, two in the one after that... He barely talks at all, and I feel like it's very difficult to play a character like that.
Okiayu: Yes, it's difficult for prepare for a role when you don't have many lines to work with. In addition, Aoki and Hassaku are both adults, so they're a very different type of character from the kids that are in the process of growing up and developing. That might also be something that makes them difficult to play.
Toriumi: Indeed. The sound director places a lot of value on the characters' characterization, but he places even more value on the fact that they're individuals. That goes for Pokémon as well. He directs by delving into what the different human and Pokémon characters FEEL in a scene and why that makes them act the way they do, and I'd try to align my personal take on the role with this. I'm not sure how to best word it...
Okiayu: I think all actors have at least some kind of idea of how they want to approach their role, but if the person directing them has a clearer vision of the production they're working on, you have to follow that idea for the end result to work. In other words, the director's opinion sometimes takes priority over the actor's.
Toriumi: Exactly. Thank you.
Q: What are your thoughts on Aoki and Hassaku's fellow Elite Four members Chili and Poppy?
Okiayu: I think Chili comes across as very easygoing, her "Chili-chan ya de!" line is extremely memorable and really makes an impact on you. She feels a lot more confident and outspoken than Aoki and Hassaku.
Toriumi: Yeah, she seems very optimistic and relaxed, doesn't she?
Okiayu: As for Poppy... she's cute.
Toriumi: Indeed. Cute and endearing.
Q: And what are your thoughts on Pokémon League chairwoman Omodaka?
Okiayu: She's a lot more mature and adult than I expected her to be. She doesn't seem to flaunt her strength, but you still get the sense she's a true powerhouse.
Toriumi: Yeah, she has this boss-like air to her.
Q: Finally, what are your thoughts on each other? I know you've been in multiple shows together at this point.
Okiayu: I feel like we have very similar attitudes towards work. I don't know if we're actually that good at maintaining balance in a work environment, but we always try to do that in the dubbing studios.
Toriumi: Yeah, I think we're usually the resident "balance keepers". I'm Okiayu-san's junior, and he's always been very kind and friendly whenever we've worked together.
Q: Do you make the conscious choice of being "balance keepers" because you want balance in the work environment at the studios?
Okiayu: Yes, I think some people are the type to steer the creative work we do in the right direction, and some people are the type to establish a good work environment. Everyone wants to do their job well, of course, but I personally aim to truly excel at it; I obviously need to put in serious effort for that to happen, and I want everyone at the studio to share that same attitude.
Toriumi: Yeah, I think it's all about how you act, how you think, and how you look at things while in the studio, about fostering that "let's do this properly, guys!" attitude. That's why I consider harmony to be so important.
Okiayu: I don't feel like there's anything wrong with goofing around at work, but when it's time to actually record, we have to refocus and do our jobs properly. I think that's just common sense, really.
Q: Do you feel like you had this attitude this time around as well?
Okiayu: No, as mentioned earlier, this show feels so well established already. In addition, the staff is so attentive that if anything, it feels like we're the ones being put through the grinder here.
CHARACTER PROFILES:
AOKI (voiced by Kohsuke Toriumi): A Flying type Trainer who serves as both Elite Four member and Gym Leader.
HASSAKU (voiced by Ryotaro Okiayu): A Dragon type Trainer who's a member of the Elite Four, but also an art teacher at Orange Academy.
Aoki battled the team of Sango and Haidai, where Sango used Onigohri's Selfdestruct to render all the Pokémon on the field unable to battle, something the rules said made Aoki win. Sango objected, but Aoki gave her the adult advice that personal rules don't apply in the real world.
SPOTLIGHT EPISODE: EPISODE 55, "SHOWDOWN! THE PALDEA ELITE FOUR"
The exhibition matches against the Elite Four have Roy teaming up with Colza to battle Hassaku. Dragon type Trainer Hassaku has his Seglaive and Appryu unleash one attack after another, overwhelming Roy and Colza with delicate yet daring strategy. The two of them fight back using a highly creative combination of moves, but...?!
After Terastallizing Hogator, Roy fires off a Flamethrower, but Hassaku counters with Seglaive's Blizzard. He then follows up with Glaive Rush to render Hogator and Olinyo unable to battle, winning the match. Roy's eyes sparkle as he talks about how much fun he just had, having now personally experienced how a battle is something people create together.
INTERVIEW WITH MITSUKI SAIGA, THE VOICE OF CHILI:
(Born June 12th, from Saitama, represented by Ken Production. Major roles include Richard (Bara-o no Soretsu), Nao (Skip to Loafer) and the White-Haired Sorcerer (Jujutsu Kaisen))
The last thing we have for you is an interview with Mitsuki Saiga, the voice behind Chili, one of the Elite Four. Saiga-san portrays Chili with all her exuberant charm, which contrary to her calm and collected look includes a cheerful personality that's always getting others swept up in it, a casual kindness towards others and a handsome coolness she shows while battling. We've had a discussion with her about Chili herself, the unique dubbing style of Pocket Monsters, and the battle between Chili and the team of Liko and Kaede that's going to air any day now.
Q: How did you feel when you you got cast as Chili in the current Pocket Monsters TV show?
Saiga: I was offered the role directly and happily accepted, but it wasn't until I saw the overwhelming response to the public announcement of the character, including from my colleagues, that I realized how extremely popular a character she was. This made me feel like I had been given a lot of responsibility, but also made me look forward to experiencing a wonderful story alongside her.
Q: What are your thoughts on Pocket Monsters and its content?
Saiga: I think of it as a video game franchise that can be enjoyed by everyone, young and old alike. Back when the original Pocket Monsters Red/Green games were new, I played it when the children at my part-time job handed me a copy. After I had put a ton of effort into it and almost managed to collect all the different Pokémon, they asked for the game back and I had to return it despite all the trouble I had gone through collecting Pokémon. That's what I remember the most about the franchise (laughs). Later, I got to appear in the Pocket Monsters Advanced Generation anime as the character Shuu-kun, and I think it's amazing that the series has continued on non-stop while remaining so popular. Now it's even powered up further as well. Now that's a franchise!
Q: Chili is a member of the Paldea region's Elite Four, what are your thoughts on her?
Saiga: Even though she looks very androgynous, she's actually this open-hearted older sister-type that even cheers me up when I play her. I find it really cool, appealing and fun how she never acts arrogant in any way despite being really skilled. I initially thought she'd be calm, collected and cynical, but the director and sound director both made it very clear to me that she's a bright and cheerful character, the kind who's always getting others swept up in her energetic nature. Indeed, her very first line in the show wasn't a calm and collected "Chili desu", but a "Maido! Chili-chan ya de!" said while suddenly popping onto the scene with a big smile. That made me get what they were going for, and I think the fact that she's so surprisingly approachable is another thing that makes her so appealing. I think of her as someone who's able to get serious when needed, but otherwise spreads joy and happiness.
Q: How did you approach the dialect-esque manner she speaks in?
Saiga: Since it's only similar to kansai-ben, I was told to focus on the actual acting, but I got myself some proper coaching in what kind of intonation sounds natural and the like for the role.
Q: What were your thoughts on the dubbing sessions?
Saiga: We were a lot of people recording together, and you could really feel that. When only a few actors are recording together, I often end up playing the role in an overly safe manner. Recording together, on the other hand, means you get to build each other up and play off the emotion present in the other person's line delivery; So say, if Liko-chan starts getting really worked up during the battle, I can actually properly respond to that in turn. That's why I think recording together is a very valuable experience I'm extremely grateful for. I think it's an especially good thing in this case specifically because this is a Pocket Monsters show. The current series is a story about Liko-chan and Roy-kun growing as people that I think has a good balances between the people doing their best to grow and develop and the people supporting them, with the sound director and director there to guide the ship and keep everything together. It's all being done in a really good environment. Megumi Hayashibara-san in particular will sit there watching everyone closely and give us advice on our performances. I thought she was so cool.
Q: During the exhibition matches between the trainees and Elite Four, Chili will battle the team of protagonist Liko and Gym Leader Kaede. What are your thoughts on your opponent Liko, and what did it feel like to act alongside her voice actress Minori Suzuki-san?
Saiga: Liko-chan is very quiet girl and also felt a bit more withdrawn than everyone else, which I thought was unusual for a protagonist. This time around there's two protagonists, so I guess Roy-kun gets to be the proactive and passionate one, but that just makes Liko's demeanor have all the more of an impact on you. I was wondering when she'd take a step forward, so as I played Chili-chan this episode, I hoped she would manage to help Liko-chan do just that during their battle. I noticed that Liko-chan had a different gleam in her eyes after the battle had ended, so hopefully she took something from it. As for her voice actress Suzuki-san, this is my first time working with her. Just like Liko-chan, she comes across as quiet and unwilling to step out of her comfort zone, so she seemed to fit the character.
Q: What did you think of Chili's battle style?
Saiga: I thought she looked like she was really enjoying herself. However, when her opponent got serious, she likewise became serious and started fighting back properly with no holds barred. I thought the aspect of her character that situation revealed was really cool, and I think you'll enjoy seeing that change in her as well.
Q: What are your thoughts on her partner Pokémon Dooh?
Saiga: Dooh-chan is super cute! When I first learned how popular it was, my reaction was just "of course it is" (laughs). Chili-chan has a line where she asks the other person doesn't agree Dooh-chan is cute, and she uses so many cute Pokémon you have to wonder if she doesn't just like cute things. You can tell the two must really trust each other from how close they are. Dooh-chan is a Poison type, so it can't actually be physically touched, but it receives a lot of love despite that, which is why it has such a nice look on its face. (looks at the exclusive artwork drawn for the magazine) Look, this artwork even has Hoge-chan sitting on a cushion so it won't touch Dooh directly. It's really impressive how much effort the animators put into the little details like that.
Q: Let's talk about some other characters next. Gym Leader Kaede battles alongside Liko and shows a wide variety of facial expressions during the battle, what do you think of her?
Saiga: I initially thought she was a very gentle and kind person, but when she started enjoying herself by battling seriously, she became so cool and impressive I got stunned. Kotono-san's voice just added to it. Even though the two of us got to record together, I thought the contrast between her soft and gentle feel and this coolness was extremely impressive.
Q: What were your thoughts on getting to take part in the exhibition matches between the Elite Four and the trainees that are currently taking place?
Saiga: These matches were practice battles of sorts, meant to help Liko-chan and the other trainees grow, and I felt like that was what makes Pokémon battles so good; Rather than coming across as the parties being desperate for victory, they ultimately have a goal of making them grow into worthy Pokémon Trainers. That said, I think it's important for them to be battles with a proper conclusion and all that, a defined winner and loser, not just overly casual ones; It's important that the match ends with the loser having a desire to improve and do better next time. I feel Pocket Monsters is ultimately animation meant for children to enjoy, so it's important that it's able to cheer them up and make them want to try THEIR hardest. The other day I was actually talking to Roy's voice actress Yuka Terasaki-chan about this, and I told her how nice this type of Japanese animation is and how grateful I was to be part of such a show.
Q: And what do you think of the other Elite Four members; Hassaku, Poppy and Aoki?
Saiga: My impression of Hassaku-san is that he's a very dependable teacher, but also extremely emotional and endearing, and I think he's actually an extremely multifaceted person capable of being both passionate and kind. Poppy-chan really surprised me; I think absolutely everyone had a similar reaction to seeing such a small kid being an Elite Four member. However, when I saw her in action, being just as strong as you'd expect an Elite Four member to be, I understood how she got her position. By the way, when the entire Elite Four lined up together, you can only see the top of Poppy-chan's hat, that's how small she is. That's also why you can't do closeups of them as a group. You just have to chuckle a bit at that (laughs). As for Aoki-san, well, he's definitely the biggest mystery here. When I talked to his voice actor Toriumi-kun the other day, he pointed out how overly many positions the man holds; It's pretty amazing of him to be both a Gym Leader and an Elite Four member on top of being an office worker. When I started thinking about that, I got the impression he's probably the person most likely to actually be hiding something. I think he's the most mysterious character of the three.
Q: This show features a lot of different Pokémon. Which of them is your favorite, and which Pokémon do you like in general?
Saiga: My current favorite is definitely Dooh-chan, the combination of its round shape and characteristic facial expressions is really cute, and it looks super cute when moving around as well, even though it's so big (laughs). Previously, my favorite used to be Mew; not just because it's a Mythical Pokémon, but also because it's a cute and cool character in general. I also think Zenigame and the Kagebouzu in Pokémon Sleep are cute.
Q: You really like cute Pokémon, don't you?
Saiga: I really do. When you evolve Pokémon they often end up looking strong rather than cute, so I'm the kind of person that usually aquires two of each Pokémon, evolves one of them, then keeps using the cute preevolvution instead.
Q: Now that you've had a role in the current Pocket Monsters show, do you feel there's something that's very unique to Pocket Monsters?
Saiga: Pocket Monsters is partially an interpersonal drama series, but I think it's been very well established that the Pokémon themselves are the main focus and that it's ultimately a story about them. I could tell that everyone involved with the show were very fond of that idea, which made it very fun to work on. The atmosphere in the dubbing studio felt just as friendly and peaceful as the show itself. Of course the show's tone gets serious during battles, but as a whole it feels very gentle and kind. You can really tell it's a show meant for kids.
Q: Thank you so much! Finally, do you have something you want to tell those who are supporting the Pocket Monsters TV show?
Saiga: The Pocket Monsters Terastal Debut arc is interspersed with lots of wonderful stories that help Liko and the others grow further, so I hope you'll continue watching without missing even a single episode. Thank you so much for all your support!
CHARACTER PROFILES:
CHILI (voiced by Mitsuki Saiga): A sociable and friendly Elite Four member who commands Ground types. Nicknamed "Chili-chan" because of her easygoing attitude.
DOOH: Spiny Fish Pokémon. Poison/Ground type. Chili's partner Pokémon.
NEXT EPISODE: EPISODE 56, "LIKO VS CHILI! AT THE END OF THE BATTLE"
Liko teams up with Gym Leader Kaede to take on Elite Four Chili, keeping all she's learned thus far firmly in mind. How will she fight together with Kaede? How will Chili battle alongside Dooh and Dugtrio? It also appears an intriguing person will make an appearance...? Look forward to the upcoming episodes as well!