Mansi14
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Part I of the interview
One Piece Podcast said:The official One Piece website released on Feb. 11 a new interview between the voice actors Toru Furuya (Sabo) and Yamaguchi Kappei (Usopp) from the Japanese dub of One Piece. This is the second part of the interview between Yamaguchi and Furuya and follows the first official appearance of Lucy/Sabo in the anime.
What follows is an edited translation of the interview posted on the website with Yamaguchi Kappei as interviewer and Toru Furuya as the interviewee. Enjoy!
[img=475x266]http://onepiecepodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Sabo_in_3D2Y-1-1.jpg[/img]
Yamaguchi: What kind of person do you think Sabo is, from your p.o.v.?
Furuya: Well, Sabo has a bit of a wild side to him. I’ve played a lot of hot-blooded heroes or naive young male characters but never a wild type like Sabo.
Sabo comes from a family of nobles, so he’s learned and also has this refined side to him. Also, compared to Luffy and Ace he’s more serene, gentle. I think that personality makes him stand out. And Sabo even has underlings! Being the Revolutionary Army’s No. 2 is quite a feat! It’s a position where he can command soldiers and set a lot of things in motion. I’ve never played a role like that before, so that’s also interesting in itself.
Yamaguchi: Revolutionary Army’s No. 2, that means right after Dragon. That’s almost the top! Which reminds me, there’s this theory about how “Sabo’s stronger than Ace.”
Furuya: Really!?
Yamaguchi: Well, Sabo can use Armament Haki at this moment. But it’s a mystery whether or not Ace could use Haki. Ace once used, unconsciously, the Emperor’s Disposition Haki during the childhood arc, but not anymore since. So, people’re arguing that Ace either couldn’t use Haki or even if he did, was in a state where he couldn’t control it. Sabo can not only use Haki but even has the Flame-Flame Devil Fruit, so wouldn’t that make Sabo stronger than Ace?
In the manga, when I saw Sabo fight to let Luffy and the others escape, it really made me think that there might be a kernel of truth to that theory…kind of! He may seem aloof, but Sabo’s really strong!
[img=575x327]http://onepiecepodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/One-Piece-Sabo-at-Aces-Grave-Screenshot-One-Piece-3D2Y-Special.jpg[/img]
Furuya: The fact that he’s strong makes me happy! And the fact that he’s been using this steel pipe as a weapon ever since he was a kid’s also fun!
Yamaguchi: The pipe’s length increased by as much as Sabo’s grown too (laughs).
Furuya: It really did (laughs). I’m also looking forward to the new attacks he can use!
Yamaguchi: So, changing the topic here, but… do you have any kind of methodology to your acting, or anything you pay attention to when voice acting? Specifically, any thing you’re mindful of when voicing Sabo that you can tell us?
Furuya: The one thing is that I want to bring out their male charm. Whatever role I play, that’s one thing I’m mindful of I’d say.
Yamaguchi: So not only make him a straight-forward guy, but you also want to carry over some male charisma onto him?
Furuya: Well, I want them to be popular with the ladies after all (laughs). And when voicing Sabo, there’s one thing that’s completely different from other roles I’ve done until now: the fact that Sabo is at Koala’s beck and call. It’s pretty cute. Definitely one of his charming attributes!
[img=541x269]http://onepiecepodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Koala_Jinbe_Gyojin_Karate-1.jpg[/img]
Yamaguchi: Right! Hmm, and isn’t Koala also older than him?
Furuya: Yes, she is. And because of that he’s got that coddled child side to him too which I really liked (laughs). Even though he’s a cool character, bringing out those sides in him is nice.
It’s one of his charming attributes after all, so of course I’d want to change my way of acting on that part. That’s why the acting’s fun. But, I have to say that I still sometimes have parts I’m not so certain of. That’s when I go ask the series director for some advice…For example…that “you nerd!” line (towards Bartolomeo) (laughs) .
Yamaguchi: In the original version, the manga, he said “Ugh, what are you so excited about, you nerd?! Shut up!!” Sabo’s so mean to Bartolomeo (laughs).
Furuya: Since he’s a bit of wild character I was wondering whether instead of “Shut up!!” I could have him say “Shut your mouth!”…With those slight differences in the use of certain words you can bring out a touch of wildness as well as his refined nature. Those are the parts that I hesitate on. So, I hope that just by saying more things as Sabo, repeating them over time and by adding my own emotions and feeling of the situation I’ll be able to really play him.
Yamaguchi: I see. And from all the scenes you’ve done up until now, do you remember any scene that stands out?
Furuya: Well, I’d have to say the first scene where Sabo makes his appearance! Coming in from the back, saying that one line “It’s been a while Luffy!” His very first sentence, I didn’t want him to call out to Luffy just like that, his close friend he practically sees as his own little brother, I wanted to make people think “Wait, did yet another enemy just show up?”
The first thing he shouted, “I’m not handing the Flame-Flame Fruit over to you!”, now that was bold and cool! From that point on, until the “it’s been a while”, you keep on getting more and more choked up…
Yamaguchi and Furuya then continued to talk about Lucy’s coming out as Sabo in the anime.
Yamaguchi: So, Sabo’s eaten the Flame-Flame Fruit and basically become Ace’s successor to his “Fire Fist”…Could you tell us about what you felt when you did that whole sequence?
Furuya: That whole scene’s the one that made Sabo for me. Because he eats this one memento left by Ace and becomes really strong.
[img=405x351]http://onepiecepodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Mera_Mera_no_Mi_in_Use-1.jpg[/img]
Yamaguchi: And he was already pretty strong before eating the Flame-Flame Fruit! “Dragon Claw!” I tried doing the “Dragon Claw” pose myself for fun, but I thought that here, the area between your fingers would become a weakness. But his techniques are super strong! And if you add in the Flame-Flame Fruit’s abilities to that. Going all “I’m borrowing your technique!” and then use his Fire Fist… It’s fiery side of him.
Furuya: Right, the fact that he inherited Ace’s will AND his techniques was really moving.
But before that, he says “Ah, hot! Hot! ho-, oh wait, no, it’s not.” which was a bit weird, huh (laughs).
Him bringing out a flame without it being hot, I mean.
If it were Luffy he’d whip out a giant attack/technique out of nowhere, but Sabo first tried bringing out just a little bit [of fire], and after he’s confirmed the flames come out he uses the “Fire Fist.”
Yamaguchi: That’s just like Sabo! Compared to Ace and Luffy, Sabo isn’t as rash, I mean, he’s a bit more stable… more practical. Out of those three he’s the only cautious type.
Furuya: True, he does have a bit of a cautious side to him (laughs)!
Yamaguchi: It’s important to have a guy like that as well, isn’t it! Man, he really is cool. Now, I’m sure people watching Sabo use the Fire Fist in that scene shivered. Being able to hear the word “Fire Fist” again…When Luffy used his “Red Hawk” (written in Japanese with the Japanese characters for “Fire Fist Gun”) I was pretty moved thinking “Wow! That’s Ace’s technique!!” But with Sabo taking over the Flame-Flame Fruit, it’s like Ace’s actually going to continue to live on together with them. Which the fans must’ve felt as well.
Which reminds me, Toshio Furukawa who voices the role of Ace, when he heard about you becoming Sabo, he said you were “The FT Duo”
That’s also kind of a nice twist of fate (laugh).
Ace had this big feeling of wanting to watch over Luffy but all the while still muttering/thinking that “A big brother can’t help but worry when his little brother’s a clumsy little kid” (laughs).
How do you think the other big brother, Sabo, thinks of Luffy?
Furuya: I’m certain he sees him as his cute “little brother.” But I also think he’s probably aware of what Luffy’s been up to and trusts him.
I mean, as far as something really big doesn’t happen, I don’t think he’d interfere. I feel like a part of him believes in Luffy’s own strength as well?
[img=563x280]http://onepiecepodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Ace_Sabo_and_Luffy_Sworn_Brothers-1.jpg[/img]
Yamaguchi: I see, what a great older brother!
Also, Furukawa-san left this message on twitter:
“Because we had a rerecording, it was my pleasure to be able to play Ace again. And… Sabo!! You were alive?! I’m leaving Luffy and the Flame-Flame Fruit in your care! #3D2Y”
Could you give us a reply to this?
Furuya: I could only answer to that by using/borrowing Sabo’s words!
“We’re the ones who’ll inherit Ace’s will!!”
Leave it up me/I won’t let you down, Furukawa-san!!
Yamaguchi: Thank you for those powerful words! I’m sure all the fans out there’d be happy to hear that! Which ever event I go, there’s always a lot of Sabo cosplayers out there.
Furuya: Oh really? I didn’t know that!
Yamaguchi: Everyone’s so amazing, so fast with getting those already! It’s cool!
Furuya: He’s such a popular character so I might want to cosplay him after all (laugh).
Yamaguchi: Eh? You? I’d definitely want to see that! That’d look good on you!
Furuya: Sabo’s cosplay’d definitely look cool! I’m thinking about cosplaying him this year (laughs).
Yamaguchi: Awesome, so maybe this is the year we’ll see a Furuya in Sabo clothing? Looking forward to that (laughs)!
Of course I’m also looking forward to the One Piece story and what Sabo’s going to be doing from now on as well! For example, the part where Sabo fights against Fujitora, really looking forward to that! It’s also got a lot of cool phrases in there. I believe the Revolutionaries will be starting to move out and get involved in the stories a lot so…I bet Sabo’s going to be appearing a lot more often from now on. Perhaps after this (arc) he might go on to travel around with the Straw Hats? Or at least a part of me’s hoping for that.
Furuya: I do hope that’d happen. I also want him to appear more, show his strong side a lot!
Yamaguchi: You and me both!
Anyway, any last words to all the fans out there?
Furuya: Yes. The Dressrosa Arc story’s entering its climax and Sabo’s going to be playing a very active role so do look forward to that!
