Published: 2020/1/10
Original Link: http://dendro-anime.jp/special/interview01/
Features:
Saito Soma (Ray Starling in Infinite Dendrogram)
Mentioned:
Ono Yuko (Nemesis in Infinite Dendrogram)
Hikasa Yoko (Marie Adler in Infinite Dendrogram)
Hino Satoshi (Shu Starling in Infinite Dendrogram)
Murase Ayumu (Hugo Lesseps in Infinite Dendrogram)
Ogura Yui (Cyco in Infinite Dendrogram)
※Relevant excerpts from the other cast member’s interviews will be included at the bottom.
Q: What were your impressions after reading the original work?
I read Volume 1 first when I was going to take the audition, and after I was chosen for Ray, I read the rest and found myself getting drawn in more and more with each volume. The story is written in a way that makes the most out of the novel medium, and the ideas get more and more imaginative. I really like the story after the Franklin Game arc too, so I hope you’ll be able to experience it in some way.
Q: What did you keep in mind when voicing Ray?
I feel that Ray is passionate but not impulsive. He analyzes the situation and faces (gets pulled into) problems with his own determination. So, I tried to balance passion with analysis, not going too far in one direction. In a way, he has a slightly different thought process (or way of feeling) than the average person. Despite that, he’s still likeable, so I think it’s only natural that he became a protagonist *laughs*. I hope I’m able to portray him well.
Q: What impression do you have of Ray’s partner, Nemesis (CV: Ono Yuko)?
Ono-san has a soft voice, so Nemesis seems milder in the anime than she did in the original work. But what I felt the most was Nemesis’s strong feelings for Ray. It seems obvious, but actually, when I’m speaking as Ray, I can really feel Nemesis’s feelings of camaraderie from her tone of voice and personality. That really stood out to me. Her character also has cute sides to her, like her gluttony and airheadedness, while also being a reliable partner during battle. I think that gap is great.
Q: Were there any particularly memorable dialogues with Nemesis’s voice actress, Ono Yuko?
Strictly speaking, it wasn’t recorded as a dialogue (due to recording constraints), but I liked Episode 2 when Nemesis was scared of zombies and ended up sobbing, because you could really feel the contrast between that and her coolness in Episode 1. Our dialogues went more smoothly with each episode, and I remember feeling more secure as the series went on, as both Ray and myself.
Q: Were there any other memorable scenes with the rest of the cast?
The recording sessions were extremely peaceful. Career history-wise, I was probably right in the middle, and my senpais were very kind and warm. We often chatted in the booth, with Hikasa-san and Hino-san keeping things together. I chatted a lot with Murase-san who voices Hugo, but I don’t remember anything we talked about *laughs*. The recording atmosphere probably influenced the everyday non-battle scenes.
Q: If you were to play Infinite Dendrogram, what job would you want?
Rather than choosing a job, I’d be more interested in exploring every nook and cranny of the fantasy world. Also, I like the idea of being strong despite not having fighting techniques, so I think I’d want an autonomous combat embryo. Something like the Golem Master. But golems are a bit too tough for me, so I’d rather have a gargoyle. I just looked it up, and gargoyles are called Ausguss or Wasserspeier in German. It appeals to my chuuni heart. I want to have a talking gargoyle fight for me while I eat delicious food.
Q: Who would you want to be in your adventuring party?
If we’re talking about characters, then I’d want Shu to teach me about the game, just like at the start of the anime. It’d also be fun to work as Marie’s subordinate. I already liked Marie in the original novels, but the anime made me like her even more. At any rate, I want to team up with strong people and farm EXP so that I can play on easy mode!
Q: Lastly, a message for the viewers.
Ray’s adventure has finally begun! Please immerse yourself in the world of Dendro as you enjoy the characters’ interweaving stories! There’s a lot I want to talk about, but I think I’ll hold back and let you see it with your own eyes! Thank you for your support!
From the other cast interviews:
- Ono Yuko said that as her character’s partnership grew stronger with Ray’s, she would think “This is how Saito-san would say this line” as she was acting.
- Ayu said that during the recording, he and Soma would talk about various things like miscellaneous knowledge, pseudoscience, and the occult. “Talking with him is fun because he has so much knowledge and it makes me feel like I’m getting smarter *laughs*”
- Yui-chan said that Soma was very dependable during the recording, explaining the current situation of the work to the people who were voicing guest characters.
