ItalianoWhat is a voice actor to GACKT-san? He speaks of his meeting with great voice actors! 「The way of voice acting of the individualistic artiste GACKT」
The individualistic artiste GACKT-san, who engages in a wide range of activities including acting and voice acting. Aside from providing his own songs for the TV anime 『TRICKSTER -Edogawa Ranpo 「Shonen Tanteidan」 Yori-』 (referred to as Trickster below), which started in October 2016 and is currently airing it’s second season, he has also produced anew it’s 2nd ending theme song. In addition, he was also involved as a voice actor for the character the Fiend with Twenty Faces.
So how does GACKT-san catch onto his job as avoice actor? This time, we had an interview with him with the theme of 「The way of voice acting of the individualistic artiste GACKT」. GACKT has shared with us his thoughts on the charms of being a voice actor as a job, on song writing as the artiste GACKT-san, and on the character image of the Fiend with Twenty Faces, which we are now beginning to understand as the anime draws to a close! In addition, he also spoke of an astounding episode with a great voice actor.
Just as there are vocalisations suited for dramas, there are vocalisations suited for voice acting
──GACKT-san has been involved in a variety of works but, what do you think is the reason that got you selected?
GACKT-san (referred to as GACKT below): When you think about it, an artiste who does the theme song and voice acts as well is in an exceptionally special position. Even if there are voice actors who can sing, you rarely hear of artistes who do voice acting too. In the first place, it’s unreasonable.
──Do you mean that it’s difficult for someone without experience to be a voice actor?
GACKT: More than that, the way a voice actor has to speak is completely different from everything else. There are actors who do voice acting but because their vocalisation performance have movements and expressions as an extension of it, their voices sound different compared to actual voice actors and they can’t stand on par with them.
For me, I love doing voice acting, and I’ve even done voice acting since the time I started doing music, so I’ve put in the necessary effort for that. And even when I did period dramas and other dramas, like voice acting, I did those while consciously thinking about using the suitable speech patterns for them. I was allowed to be a voice actor because I have an accumulation of experience like that. In other words, if I was here as a crowd puller, I’ll be gone after one work. That’s why I’m extremely happy to be able to do voice acting as a job. It also means that I’ve been recognised a little.
──You’ve been a voice actor for both anime and games but, people in general are quite surprised that you take on a lot of different challenges right.
GACKT: I’ve even taken on stuff relating to cosplay (laughs). Just that, I’ve only been dressed up like the game’s character, I can’t beat the real thing. I’ve impersonated game characters for work but even I think that it’s impossible. (laughs)
Both: (Laughs).
GACKT: Because a real human being can’t win against such 10-head figures, that’s just impossible (laughs). Indeed, I suppose that was during the time of 『Dirge of Ceberus Final Fantasy VII』. At that time, the image of 『Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII-』 was already in the production team so right at the end of the ending, they decided to let Genesis (※1) make an appearance. For some reason, it became 「Let’s feature both CG and live action together」, and they had me dress up as Genesis. It felt like, 「No no no no, isn’t that impossible?」 (laughs). Oh well, we did it though.
※1: GACKT-san was the character G in 『Dirge of Cerberus Final Fantasy VII』, and he performed as Genesis in 『Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII-』.
──As expected of you to challenge it without refusing (laughs).
GACKT: It was a 2-3 minutes long scene where I carried a character and flew into the sky but that was filmed with a green screen. I did my best. I did my best but… … something like that (laughs).
Both: (Laughs).
GACKT: Even as I thought, 「I wonder if it’s alright even though I don’t have a 10-head figure」, I did it as well as I could because I was to do it. Anyway, I’ll just try.
The Fiend with Twenty Faces is an incomplete adult with “something” missing
──In this time’s 『Trickster』, you performed as the Fiend with Twenty Faces, and while performing, what did you feel about the character or in terms of the acting?
GACKT: I think the Fiend with Twenty Faces is someone who has been holding onto some kind of huge trauma as they became an adult, and I have the impression that he’s missing a lot of emotions. He normally remains calm but when things don’t go in the way that he expects it to, it feels like the child in him turns to tatters and comes out. They didn’t let that happen in the story but that part of him comes out a lot in the last episode. Do look forward to finding out what happens in the ending.
──Among all the roles that Gakuto-san has performed in as a voice actor, the Fiend with Twenty Faces is a rather distinctive character, isn’t he.
GACKT: He’s a character for which I’ve kept emotions and intonations rather suppressed so I got the feeling that he’s the type that I’m bad at performing as. Because I can get too indifferent. But it was very interesting, and it became something for me to study. Especially since his emotions came out in the last episode too, that was enjoyable. Instead, I strangely felt that the revelation of the emotions that have been suppressed, and the insanity rapidly surfacing, were more suited to me.
Like a former teacher who influenced me
──Previously, when we were talking about 『Trickster』 in a series interview (※2) by Animate Times, you spoke of having gone for drinks with Otsuka Akio-san. You said 「I have a voice fetish」 but, have you ever had moments when you think “I like this voice”?
※2: It appeared in the 4th part of the series interview for 『Trickster』. From that point, he spoke of his extraordinary thoughts about voice actors.
GACKT: Including Otsuka Akio-san’s voice, I love Ginga Banjo-san’s too, and Ikeda Shuichi-san’s too… …
For me, I’ve never been moved when I meet celebrities. It’s probably because I don’t have any admiration for celebrities at all. However, I’ve been influenced by “voice” a number of times in life, that’s why when I get to meet voice actors, I feel much more grateful.
──Thus far, have there been an impressionable episode with a voice actor you’ve met?
GACKT: When I was in the studio recording for『Crisis Core』, it just so happened that Banjo-san was also recording right in front of me. I only found out about that when I arrived in the studio. I already turned tense like「For real!?」(laughs).
Then I thought that I should go and say hi to him, and I waited for him to come out of the studio… … At that time, I still didn’t know what Banjo-san looked like so whenever a buff silver-haired man appeared from the studio, my heart will start racing (laughs).
Both: (Laughs).
GACKT: I can’t forget those times. I was rushing as I said「It’s very nice to meet you, I’m GACKT. I’ll be providing the voice for Genesis. Since a long time back I’ve always liked Banjo-san’s voice, so I’m honoured to get to meet you like this」, then Banjo-san extended his hand, and said in that voice (mimicking his voice)「I’m very honoured that someone like me is being respected by you. I’ll continue to diligently do my best from here on」right. In my heart, I was already screaming「It’s Gihren Zabi!!」(※3). Really, it was as if I could see Gihren Zabi standing in front of me in real life. It’s like I’ll be willing to die if this guy was the chief (laughs).
※3: A character who appeared in『Mobile Suit Gundam』. One of Ginga Banjo-san’s notable characters. Incidentally, GACKT-san is a big fan of『Mobile Suit Gundam』.
He then said his farewells to me (mimicking his voice),「Well then, it’s about time for me to go, do your best for the rest of the recordings」and I couldn’t stop my tears any more. The back view of him leaving wasn’t Banjo-san at all, it was Gihren Zabi (laughs). To think that I can get this moved from hearing a voice.
──So such things do happen to GACKT-san too (laughs).
GACKT: I don’t mind showing my emotions now. In the first place, I’m not a person who fits into the general society anyway, because I’m a pervert (laughs).
Both: (Laughs).
GACKT: Also, at the『Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam A New Translation』(※4) completion party, Ikeda Shuichi-san introduced me to Furukawa Toshio-san.
※4: The anime movie produced for the 20th anniversary of『Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam』. GACKT-san provided 4 songs for it including「Kimi ga Matteiru Kara (Remix ver.)」.
Somehow there wasn’t a place for me and I was standing alone when Shuichi-san came towards me, and asked in that voice (mimicking his voice)「Do you know Furukawa Toshio=san who voices the character Kai Shiden?」. He’s already turned into Char(※5) (laughs).
※5: A character who appeared in『Mobile Suit Gundam』, Char Aznable. For Ikeda-san, it’s this character.
Both: (Laughs).
GACKT: Then he introduces Furukawa-san to me. I still remember those moments as clearly as if they were just yesterday. Ikeda-san said (mimicking his voice)「GACKT-san, who’s provided the songs this time around, said he’d like to meet you」, and then Furukawa-san replied (mimicking his voice)「Nice to meet you」. It was like Kai Shiden (※6) flew straight out from the anime and I was looking at an older version of him. To be able to stand there in that moment and meet him, I was so moved it was like「I’m so happy!!」.
※6: A character who appeared in『Mobile Suit Gundam』. Together with Amuro Ray (CV: Furuya Tohru-san), he is also one of the notable characters.
──It was an episode of GACKT-san conveying your love right.
GACKT: I just love voice actors that much. It was the moment when I thought「The impact of a voice is so amazing!」. And in all of that, I’m digesting how honoured I feel that I’ve been allowed to work with them.
──Is GACKT-san able to watch a lot of anime?
GACKT: Honestly, if you ask whether I’m one of those who watch a lot, I’m not one, but I’m the type to watch the stuff that I like over and over again. What especially shocked me was『Mobile Suit Gundam』, and starting from that, I’ve watched all of the works related to the One Year War. That’s why, all of the voice actors who appear in those works are like indicators to me.
I suppose taught me how wonderful a job voice acting is. For me, I feel proud at being given the chance to work in the same field as these people. Despite the fact that I don’t feel anything when I work with other celebrities, my heart gets moved when it comes to voice actors. Even though I’m only listening to their voices. It’s really amazing.
──It’s a longing for GACKT-san, isn’t it.
GACKT: Instead of longing, it’s more like the image of getting to meet a former teacher that I’ve never met. It’s not like they’ve specifically taught me anything but, they’re one of the people who’ve taught me important things and influenced me.
The influnce that anime and manga have on people is much stronger than what the general populace assumes. Manga has a word-count restriction, and the character’s lines have to be written in that tiny speech bubble so there are a lot of times when the words used were carefully selected. Adding a voice to those carefully chosen words turns it inot anime. If that voice fits the image perfectly, each word will pierce deeper into your heart. I understand that voice actors are being supported my a lot of people. I suppose everyone, like me, was drawn by the charms of a voice.
Singers attract people with a general art form that is made up of melodies and song lyrics but voice actors don’t do that. They attract people simply through the daily act of “speaking” that everyone does. Despite that, it’s amazingly magical that they can make people feel moved.
Instead of a song for an anime, I want to make a song that goes a step further
──From this point I would like to ask you about topics related to being an artiste. You’ve provided 「Kimi no Tame ni Boku de Iru Kara」 for 『Trickster』 and also wrote 「Tsumi no Keisho ~ORIGINAL SIN~」for it but what do you have in your mind and what are the feelings you put into your songs?
GACKT: I think that there have been so many songs that feel too much like anime songs and follow that route recently that there hasn’t really been enough that caters to people who have become deaf to those. That’s why, when I was writing the song, I decided to be completely unaware of the anime. In the first place, it becomes meaningless if the production team doesn’t fall in love with my song.
──So you didn’t write the song with the idea that you’re making it for an anime right.
GACKT: I decided that I’ll do what I can for the anime. But since the image of the anime will be supplemented by the opening video, I thought that it would be great if I could have more edge than usual for the song. When I always overdo it, I get told 「It lacks pop」 though, in the first place I didn’t have any intention of writing a pop song anyway, and I want to stuff more and more of my identity into the song. It’s not like I’m consciously trying to write a song that’s easy to sing in Karaoke, and if I can’t write songs that are more like myself, or have my eccentricities and make people go “cool!”, then there’s no reason for me to write them.
The song 「Kimi Dake no Boku de Iru Kara」 was already made, and the production team used it in the anime because they liked it, but this time, I wrote 「Tsumi no Keisho ~ORIGINAL SIN~」 with the decision already made that it will be the anime’s ending song. Since that’s the case, I decided that I’ll try writing a song that goes a step further than my usual. Because I knew that it was going to be an anime song, I thought of taking hints from it and trying to create an edgy song that includes that.
I once again realised that this is my way of writing a song. From here on, when I write songs, I’ll create songs that have more and more edge added to them. For example, even if it includes content that can’t be broadcasted commercially, that’s my song too. I was able to recognise that, so it was a good thing that I got to do it this time.
──You’re always thinking of moving forward, aren’t you.
GACKT: When I was in a recording company, I was told a variety of things like don’t make it R-rated or R-18, or follow the commercial broadcasting code, and I had to think about my lyrics but to me, I honestly think that that’s just silly. Like, why do I have to care so much even though it’s a form of expression. And it becomes meaningless if my songs become something that doesn’t sound like me.
In 「Tsumi no Keisho ~ORIGINAL SIN~」, I was able to reaffirm that this is also my style so from here on, I can continue without caring about it. At this point in time, it’s no longer an era where you sell records too, and it’ll be good to release more songs with more edge.
──Lastly, since we’ve come to that topic, is there something that you would like to challenge hereafter?
GACKT: Since I do love voice acting after all, maybe I’ll do a crazier, maniacal character. That’s not limited to only games and anime, but also for dramas and stage plays, the acting industry in general. Expressing insanity is suitable for me. Just that, I guess it seems like the office doesn’t want me to have such an image after all. Well, it’s impossible though. Because I’m crazy to begin with (laughs).
Both: (Laughs).
GACKT: In the first place I’m a person who doesn’t fit into the general society (laughs). I’ll just end up being forced into the framework of society. That’s why, after such a long time, people think of me as 「That guy’s a mad man」. But I’m just an extreme pervert (laughs)
──Do you feel like you’ll open up more from here on?
GACKT: Well I wasn’t hiding to begin with.
──I feel like the impression of you has somewhat changed. I thought that you’d be more harsh though.
GACKT: No no (laughs). Indeed it would be a lie if I were to say that I don’t want to be harsh but that part of me is for artistic expression. There’s a crazy side of me too, and I love having fun. I’m a joker to no end. That’s why I don’t really want people ask for the romantic side of me (laughs).
Source: animatetimes.com
Translation: GACKT ITALIA Team
Translation © GACKT ITALIA