NYAF 2008 Rie Tanaka Panel
Time: ~11 AM, September 28, 2008.
Place: The first panel room to the left (”Anime Panel Room”), NYAF 2008 at the Javits Center, NYC.
Panelists: Rie Tanaka with her interpreter.
(As usual, bold for questions, italics for personal comments. You can figure the rest out yourself.)
[Originally was going to do the blogging panel, but run into a technical difficulty (aka. I think I accidentally deleted the recording on Sunday since I was in an exhausted stupor for the most of the day) so Tanaka’s panel is coming up now.]
[Edit: also, see comments for links to other interviews]
===
The panel was slated for 11 AM, but most of Rie Tanaka’s ardent fans lined up early (read: 5-7am) to get a shot at an autograph. I think animemiz was there with Moy? The lot of us lined up outside of her panel room also because she was going to give away some special pens to the first 20-some-odd persons at her panel. The pens supposedly are for her fan club members only? Anyways; the crowd filed in, VIP badges first and the rest second. Some press folks got front row dibs too.
My seat was in the second row to the left section, so it was almost a surprise (even if the side door is obviously there and the only other entrance to the panel room) when she walked into the panel waving, and got on stage all by herself. She was like 6 feet away! Well, only if I knew what would happen next…
Crowd cheered, flashes discharged, and things were going to start until we realized there’s no sound because, lol unions. It was 5 minutes till 11 anyways. Someone in the crowd shouted out some character she did and RieRie replied with a voice act. Quickly the rest of the crowd caught on and RieRie did lines for about 6 different characters until the sound came online. Let’s see… Bianchi, Maria, Chii, Pink-chan, Suigintou, and Saki.
Actually, the first thing RieRie noticed on stage was a member of her fanclub. This dutiful fan flew from Osaka to see her, and he sat front and center, first row from the stage. He also relayed, at the time, a message from another eager fan that shall remain unmentioned for now, but it was a good idea. The overeager fan also made a sign for her, and he was raising it up and down, two seats down from me. We shall call him “sign man.”
For intro, the panel played the opening to Chobits and we \o/ and \o\ and /o/. Then abruptly we went straight into Q&A, the MC/interpreter cited that she probably didn’t need any introduction for most of us, anyways.
Q1: [in Japanese] How was Strike Witches?
Rie Tanaka [R]: We’re done with the recording for the last episode. Did you guys got to see it at all?
Crowd: mostly quiet, some yeahs
R: Mina has an image song. She is kind and gentle but she has a heavy past. If you push beyond her past, it brings out her character. I was surprised about the gap between her two characterizations but maybe that’s just how I played her.
Q2: How is hosting MuCom [read: Mu-Comi]? How does it feel compared to voice acting and singing?
R: It takes place at midnight, and it’s a live program. [It’s a half-hour program that airs live at midnight, once a week.]
Q2: [in Japanese] I listen to it all the time!
R: Thank you! It makes me sleepy because sometimes I’d be at work since 10am, and it airs at midnight. When it’s like that I make myself really hyper to keep myself up. It’s rewarding and fun. Thank you!
Q2 is, by the way, sign man.
Q3: What’s her favorite role?
:rolleyes:
R: [in CENSORED’S voice] [Censored because I’m suppose to keep this a secret][She explains something about something that you just had to be there~]
Hmm. Let’s just say it’s not hard to guess, and if she ever goes to another American con, someone has to ask this question.
Q4: [in Japanese][I can’t even really hear it][Probably something about Mina and her real life persona]
R: Mina is a sexy character. Nothing like that is going to happen in real life.
Q5: [in Japanese] Which voice actor do you like to work with together?
Seesh, so many JP speakers. I guess they are at least native-sounding.
R: A really difficult question. There’s no one really like that. But when I see one of my friends in the cast, it makes me hyper and happy. For example, when Miyuki Sawashiro was playing Shinku in Rozen Maiden, it made playing Suigintou a lot more fun because we are good friends. I can go beyond 100%, and go 120% or even 200% because of Sawashiro was playing the nemisis. I think it’s very important to have a good partner in that environment.
Q5: Thank you very much.
R: Are you Japanese?
Q5: I’m half, my mom is from Japan.
R: Who taught you?
Q5: My mom!
R: Your Japanese is really good!
Q5: Thank you!
Ugh.
Q6: How is it like voicing for a video game [in redux]?
R: If it’s a video game, we don’t do voiceover with other people. It would only be yourself in the studio doing all the lines. If it is animation, usually you do it with the other actors together. In a game, you have to imagine how the other voice acting are like and think/cooperate with the director.
R: Oh, I love games by the way. I’m a gamer. I also pay a lot of attention in voicing in games as a result. BTW I play a Mithra in FFXI.
Ohohoho.
Q7: How is it voice acting for a big franchise like Gundam versus a smaller production?
R: There’s not that many differences. Sometimes I realize that even a 30 minute episode could cost about 3 million USD (300,000,000 yen), and that involves a lot of people including non-production personelle. It makes me excited that everyone’s putting their all into it and I try my best on every episode. The characters is a big part of a franchise, too. When the anime turns into a movie, the budget can double for the production. If I get the main character role, I put a lot of pressure on myself and it feels like you gotta carry that burden. It feels I really have to give my all.
Oh wow, she demonstrates business sense?
Q8: How did she get the inspiration for Simca?
R: When I went to audition for Simca, I didn’t have the opportunity to discuss it with the director. I went with the lines they made me read and created a character from that. They ended up picking me and I’m very happy for it, and I used that voice.
Q9: ???
I can’t make it out.
R: Thank you! うれしい.
Q10: What’s the hardest character for you to do?
R: Probably Lacus. Part of it was because I played Meer at the same time, but Lacus was not very realistic like a human being. There isn’t a lot of emotion and she doesn’t show it. She’s always nice and gentle, and she doesn’t show much human emotions. She always has her own style. Because of the war that is going on, and the people dying, she expressed a bit of anger and sadness, but I had to play it in a certain style. I always had to check with the director to make sure it’s what he wants.
Q11: [Repeated question]
R: [Repeated impression, repeated censorship]
Rie now turns the table on us and asks the audience a question.
R12: Video gamers, raise your hand?
We raise our hands.
R12: Net games (MMOG)?
A few less, but many still kept their hands up.
R12: When I was hooked, I would play all day. When I was in college I’d play all day long and do nothing else.
The crowd cheers.
R12: Why are you applauding??
R12: But after I graduated college, I have to work. I have to manage my free time after work, too. How do you guys do it?
Crowd: don’t get caught, don’t start, sheer force of will, play with friends who stop you, etc.
R12: For my voice jobs, I have to study the script before the recording. If it’s a typical episode, I have to study some before the recording. But for a game, it can take several days to go through the material. Sometimes though I feel like an addict. Like I’d get the shakes or something. When I’m on the train to work I play games on the phone, and it’d feel like heaven.
The crowd gives it up for the honest gamer!
Q13: What was your favorite moment for Bianchi?
R: The wedding. It makes me feel that Bianchi is so feminine.
R: I’ve actually done another voice in the show besides Bianchi, see if you can spot it?
She asks about the Q13’s costume.
Q13: It’s just the horns.
Random guy: I love you!
Cheers?
Q14: What is your favorite line for Lacus?
R: [Thinking]
R: What is it you believe in? What is it you should you be fighting for now?…
She bumbles as she forgets the line.
People cheers in support.
Japanese guy chimes in with the key words.
R: Ah! Yes, thank you. [Lacus mode on] Is it the medal you received? Or for your father’s orders?
Sign man next to me goes on and explains the context of the line.
Which you can find on Gundam wiki.
Interpreter [I]: Yea, what he said. Give it up for her!
Crowd cheers.
Q15: Have a Pink-chan!
Looks like a gift.
R: Thank you! Maybe in a bit.
The manager person for Rie went down to the crowd and picked up the Haro for her.
Meanwhile a question slipped through the gap and I couldn’t make it out about some movie? I forget.
R: Do you guys want to take a picture with me and the Haro?
At this point everyone crowded up to the front for the photo op. A bit of chaos ensued and the staffers broke out. The Japanese guy at the front row handed up a plushie that I couldn’t make out from the distance and crowd.
Meanwhile Rie kept on posing.
Q16: Azudai? Bokuras? What?
R: Bokuras? What? Thank you?
I think he meant blockheads, but Yomi is not one?
R: Anyways, I remember Yomi. She’s into dieting and very conscious of her body. I thought it was really cute that she always care about dieting but she always kept on eating snacks.
I: People seen Azumanga?
There was cheering.
I: Chobits?
There was cheering x2.
I: Gundam Seed?
There was cheering x3.
R: I saw more Chii than Lacus, but I really wish that I could see one Lacus, man or girl, in her costume. Maybe I missed it. Let us know if you saw any.
Japanese guy: I saw 5 of them on Friday.
R: Aww.
Q17: Fujio Kirie? Kara no Kyoukai? How was it?
R: You know Kara no Kyoukai? Natsu Kinoko…
Crowd burped up a positive response.
R: It was a really heavy character. I played it heavier the first time, then I toned it down later. The first time I played it heavier because she is very sad in the original story. She got too creepy and scary later, so they toned it down to make her more girly and fragile. In the story, Kirie is the enemy of the main character. In the questionnaire after the first movie, despite that Kirie was tragic and sad, people voted they’d like to see her again. It made me happy.
Q18: Can you sing something for us?
R: Sing? Ok? Ok.
??!
Rie busts out a line from her Lacus image song from SEED accapella.
WOOOOOOO!
WOOOOOO, goes the room.
I: It deserves a standing ovation I think!
WOOOOOOO!
WOOOOOO, goes the room.
And the Q&A ends here. The panel audience plays janken with Rie and you sit down if you tie or lose to her. Last 9 standing got free loot. Small t-shirts, cellphone straps and autographed CDs were given away. It cleared out in 3 rounds.
The panel did not end here however. Well, officially it ended, but after the farewell cheer and clap, the crowd turns into madness as Rie recalls the crowd to the front of the panel room for a group picture!
I am suppose to explain myself here, but the scoop is that the Osaka spy relayed this idea, concocted by sign man earlier as we were chatting in line. Osaka dude can’t speak English very well so sign man’s broken Japanese made it work. At the start of the panel he relayed the idea to Rie who thought it was cool.
And to take the picture she even walked down to the crowd! AWESOMENESS.
I’m expecting it to appear on her blog any day now…
Edit: NYAF actually solicited a bunch of questions for Rie to answer way back like, in August. Now you can read the answers. Granted it was posted like on 9/17, so it’s been a while (lol I just found out?).
HURRAY FOR BROKEN JAPANESE WOOO
Finally, found your blog.
And i was the fag who shouted “Rozen Maiden… YEAH” alone right after the chobits.
Come on guys, dont be a closet rozen maiden fans (☞ﾟ◡◡ﾟ)☞
Anyway, nice meeting you guys at the telephone booth.
*where is the ROSE story?
By the way, bayaob delivers a live script of the panel as well, which you can find here.
It was nice meeting you e-jump. I found your blog yesterday/this morning. You’re all the way west coast! Woot! You can find the ROSE story over at Moy’s blog.
Benson: YES. While we crack on you for being annoying, the whole experience improved with your help and hooking up with that guy from Osaka. Keep that kimo-ota spirit!
“R12: Why are you applauding??”
That’s the best moment for me in reading this. :P
Glad to see you had a fun time, and your commentary is awesome.
XD Normally I’m not so obnoxious and enthusiastic, but Rie Tanaka’s really special. She was my favorite actress from 2002 right up until mid 2007 when I started watching Haruhi. And now she’s my favorite actress again because she was just SUCH a nice person and so extremely friendly.
BTW you should show me the rose video when you get it. I’m really excited to know how Rie reacted to it =).
I really really hope Rie comes back to America some day. Seiyuu generally don’t come back very often but I’m keeping my fingers crossed
TheBigK guy is talking shit about you on the NYAF forums
http://www.newyorkanimefestival.yuku.com/topic/837/t/The-2008-NYAF-quot-Post-Your-Pictures-quot-Thread.html?page=2
“LOL. I would have loved to have photographed that guy with the rose hopefully being dragged away by the scruff of his neck. I just found it fascinating that there are Japanese fans who would fly from Japan to NYC and pay for a VIP badge just to see Rie Tanaka. In my book, that’s either true dedication or creepy obsession. I tried speaking to a couple of them at the WCS and they were like “Tanaka-san #1!” and they gladly showed me all the stuff they wanted autographed.
Oh yeah, I shoot in RAW format and I use Photoshop CS2 for cropping and, if necessary, to make any adjustments to the exposure values.”
Apparently he took a photo of me on his Flickr and basically called me creepy. I’m not really gonna respond to him because I don’t feel like starting an Internet flame war but I thought I’d point it out.
Sounds like you had a fun time… I’m a little bit jealous. Rie
Benson: Well what loser trolls don’t know won’t hurt them, I guess…
Anyways, that TheBigTog guy served up a lot of nice shots, so props to that.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thebigtog/sets/72157607591151205/
And they don’t call fake kimo-ota creepy! It’s sort of the whole point.
Yeah but most of the photos have really insulting captions about the Rie fans so it kinda irritates me to look at them.
And he makes a comment on the forums about how the group photo was the manager’s idea and how Rie was ‘probably’ completely creeped out by fans. It’s a shame people like to make baseless assumptions like that just for the sake of being assholes.
Well, whatever that makes them feel good? But hey, we know what was really going on, and that’s what matters.
Kudos to the Osaka dude and the sign man for coming up with the group photo idea, even though I was probably cut off.
TheBigK know nothing about RIE fan base.
In general, being a fan of Tanaka RIE is just same as to Beckham, Rihana etc.
Dude just dont know shit bout Tanaka RIE
*Anyway Im actually from Malaysia, attending job training in California.
Yeah, I doubt that guy would care if I made a sign saying “GOOO LEBRON JAMES” at a basketball game. But the idea behind it is no different.
I really really like Rie Tanaka and admire her. However that doesn’t mean I think of her as a deity. The admiration I have for her is no different than the admiration that aspiring basketball players and fans have for Lebron James and Michael Jordan.
No one would think EWW FANBOY if some guy asked Michael Jordan for his autograph and cheered for him etc.
It’s a shame people only think otaku admiration is annoying and obnoxious.
Calm down dudes–you guys can go whine on the NYAF forum too. Might be more exciting to do it there. ;) But that’s enough for this topic.
Edit: NYAF actually solicited a bunch of questions for Rie to answer way back like, in August. Now you can read the answers. Granted it was posted like on 9/17, so it’s been a while (lol I just found out?).
Rie Tanaka likes Nicole Kidman and one of her favorite movies is Legally Blonde.
And I thought I had weird tastes XD
Actually, if I recall, the first 20 gets a free pen and that’s was way before the Sunday part of the convention opened. I think it was around 9:30 AM when that happened.
@Benson
Who doesn’t? Everyone is entitled to their own strange tastes! XD
For me, the best part of the interview is that she wants to work in a toy store. XD. I think it’s the best idea to rediscover the child within ANYONE I guess. XD. Question is that, what will happen if she works in a toy store?
I am pretty sure the “first 20 people” are the first 20 VIP pass holders that lined up at her panel. Then she gave away some extra pens to some of the first 20 people who lined up before the con opened, but not everyone got them.
At least according to Moy ;)
So wait, there are about 40 pens altogether? I thought those pens weren’t related to Rie whatsoever, and that they were “advertising for the convention”. Oh well.
Speaking of Rie, I read from Moy’s blog that you really went far to pour your feelings for Rie, and I would really love to see it sometime if possible. “Don’t give up” as I said to certain people.
I remember waving Hi to her as she was walking by, so I missed the part that Moy mentioned.
No, there were only 20 pens plus a few extras given out. I don’t know what the pens are for, but supposedly they are ones given to Rie’s fan club.
As to “pour my feelings for Rie” I think that’s a bit exaggerated. Let’s just say that I wanted to make her feel welcome at her first US con appearance, although in the aggregate I don’t know if it was achieved or not.
Yeah, sorry about that, I do tend to exaggerate needlessly. However, I think that you really did made her feel welcome, so I won’t worry so much about it.
I wanted to make a very strong impression on her, and I hope I did my job XD.
She didn’t really mention anyone in particular on the last MuComi show. She mentioned seeing lots of cosplayers from various anime and that she had souvenirs from NY for people calling the radio show and answering a quiz, but other than that I didn’t hear any particular people being described.
It’s probably in the spirit of professionalism and everything. Still, I hope she remembered us ^_^
Well, hopefully she does remember us. ^-^
A first impression is hard for some people, isn’t it? But I think Rie understand us. I still remember my first impression, and I wrote it somewhere on Moy’s blog.
Thanks the update Benson. And the post-con gushing for both of you.
http://giapet.net/2008/10/07/nyaf08-interview-with-rie-tanaka/
Thanks Gia!
According to Rie Tanaka’s blog (assuming I read it correctly), the NYAF pictures she took will be sent to her fan club.
…>_
Ah, well, I suppose that’s expected. But know we know what to do am i right…
Yeah, I already emailed Yusuke about it XD.
I think they are available on her fan club webpage but we can’t access it without being members x_x. So hopefully Yusuke will pull through for me :D
Rough translation of http://www.tanaka-rie.com/diary_7/
————————-
I’ve returned from MuComi…
[picture]
This week is Tokyo Game Show!
This Saturday, the 11th, at Marvelous-san’s booth, I will be performing on the stage of “Rune Factory Frontier”!
It’s my first TGS in a long time so I am really looking forward to it~
wakuwaku…
Ah… for all the fans who came to New York to cheer me on… thank you so much for all the gifts. I’m sorry; truly… I’ll treasure them.
Also, thank you so much for all the letters （*＾∇＾*）
————————-
This isn’t a perfect translation but it gets the general idea across.
yay. thank you again for the translation
Yusuke will send me the photos when he gets them.
!! awesome
Did anyone ever get to see this picture? I was hoping to see it too, but I’m not a member of Rie’s fan club. Thanks!
I think Benson got it at some point… It isn’t the greatest quality but it’s a nice sight.