[Seiyuu] Sasuga Sugita no Corner 3: B’s Log Interview Part 2

Welcome to Sasuga Sugita no Corner! As promised, here’s the 2nd part of Sugita’s B’s Log interview, in which he mainly talks about a game and drama CD called Corpse Party (PC remake is titled Corpse Party Blood Covered). The other part of the interview tells us what kind of roles Sugita likes the most and what would he like to act as in an otome game (all I can say is: as expected of Sugita, lol). Oh, and we have an unexpected (no, not really) mention of a toilet, too. But first, I’ll talk a bit about the Corpse Party franchise (I’m mainly listing the games that came out so far); feel free to skip this and click “continue reading” if you’re here just for the interview xD

Corpse Party was originally a fan made game (by doujin circle Team GrisGris). It was mainly thanks to the audio, which was done exceptionally well and that managed to create a tense atmosphere fitting the game’s theme, that the game became quite popular among doujin game players. So popular that it was remade for cell phones (Corpse Party: New Chapter) and PC (Corpse Party Blood Covered), it got two drama CDs with a well-known seiyuu cast (which is very fitting, imo), an interest and support of Sugita Tomokazu, who narrated a promo video for the PC version and voiced one of the side characters, and finally, a very “upgraded” PSP remake (Corpse Party Blood Covered: Repeated Fear) by a known company 5pb., that uses the cast from the drama CDs and dummy head recording for all the dialogues (it can be quite scary at times xD). They also made a visual novel version (Corpse Party: Book of Shadows; also for PSP) that tells the original story from a different perspective, and gives insight into the past of some of the characters. A “love comedy” version of Corpse Party is being made (again, for PSP), which is a compilation of “lighter” stories written by various scenario writers. On top of it, the original creator of the game is making another Corpse Party game (Corpse Party 2: Dead Patient; as Team GrindHouse). It’s not only the games, there are also various novel and manga versions of the series (the only thing lacking in this line-up is an anime, lol). What was originally just a fan made game grew to amazing proportions and created a huge fanbase. I think it deserves it, and I’m not surprised Sugita likes it so much. I started from the PSP remake, and I fell in love with it xD However, I realize that it’s definitely not for everyone. It’s not only about the horror element, there’s also a lot of gore moments, especially in the bad ends (seriously, the way they are written is really descriptive, and voice effects+voice acting isn’t making things any better, lol). Also, in my ears, the music is BRILLIANT. I’d love to have a soundtrack, but it was released only as and extra for the limited edition of Repeated Fear. For those interested in playing the game but not knowing Japanese, there is an English version of the PSP remake (Repeated Fear, not Book of Shadows) done by XSeed. They translated the game’s text, but left the original audio intact, including voice acting.

On a side note, while we’re at doujin games, Sugita is involved with a circle called AGRS. They recently released a new 月英学園 (Getsuei Academy) game (visual novel style), 月英学園ergo. Sugita came up with the concept for both games. He actually showed up at the circle’s booth at Winter 2011 Comiket, cosplaying as the game’s heroine.

Ok, enough of my blabbering, let’s get to that interview! I’m sorry for any possible mistakes and awkward-sounding phrases m(__)m

B’s Log: Please tell us something about your favorite item that you brought here with you, which is a Corpse Party Blood Covered drama CD.

Sugita: From way back, I was in love with a game called Corpse Party, made sometime in the 90s with RPG Maker. It’s a horror game, and it’s rare to see something made with so much passion, and for that passion to come through to the player so easily. In 2007, a remake version came out for cell phones, but sadly it wasn’t made for my phone model, so I ended up crying tears of blood for not being able to play it. But soon after, a PC version remake was confirmed, and I was so happy about it that I mentioned it in a few radio shows.

B: Do you like horror games?

S: No, I’m extremely bad with them. I’m the type who ends up watching horror movies out of sheer curiosity, just to regret it after it’s over, thinking “I shouldn’t have watched it…” (laugh). Corpse Party is a homage to a Famicom [Family Computer; known as Nintendo Entertainment System in the West] game Sweet Home, so I was able to play it with ease. [Sweet Home is one of his favorite games]

B: I heard that Corpse Party is about a group of people locked up in a school full of evil spirits.

S: There’s a survival element to it, so it’s not only about fearing the ghosts, but there’s also fear coming from the “human relationships” part interweaved in the story. It shows what people can do if they’re in a situation that brings them to their limits. That’s also one reason why it’s so scary.  The visual side may not be this awesome, but the content is certainly something that stimulates one’s imagination. That’s why the scariest part comes after you finish the game, relieved that it’s over. Depending on the imagination of the player, it can become a grotesque game, or something that grabs your heart from behind and wrings it in fear, in the way a Japanese-style horror movie does. Of course, it’s not only about being scary, there’s also an element of everyone working together in order to get out of the building. It’s also one of the game’s charms.

B: You act as Kizami Yuuya in the drama CD, what are your thoughts about him?

S: I would have never even imagined that I’d be able to take part in this production, so it was an honor to me. When I first heard about it, I asked my manager “could it be a role of an anatomical model? Or is it an evil spirit?!”, but he calmly replied “no, it’s a human” (laugh). By the way, Kizami is a new character who was added in the PC remake version. He’s a high school student who adapted himself to the other dimension that is Tenjin Elementary School (a place where the game takes place). He is a dangerous person who doesn’t hesitate to kill others. Tenjin Elementary School is a place where common sense doesn’t work, so it’s not easy to decide whether his actions are something good or bad. While acting him, I tried to be careful not to show an obvious evil intent coming from him. In the first drama CD he acts like he has some hidden intentions, but in the second CD that is coming out in January you can see his everyday life… If you see this side of him, I feel you can’t see him as a born villain.

B: In the chronological order, is the second drama CD happening earlier than the first one?

S: That’s right. The second CD is about what happened before everyone got trapped in Tenjin Elementary, so there’s not much “horror” to it. The first CD was deemed scary even by the performers, so everyone was hoping that the second CD will be something less scary. Then it turned out that it will be more like a funny story. This way those who are bad at handling horror stories should be fine listening to it!

B: How was the atmosphere during the recording?

S: The people involved in the recording were comparatively close age-wise, so it was relaxing. Only, the studio we were recording at is known for stories that it’s haunted, so I really felt like asking someone “why did you choose this place?!” (laugh).

B: I heard that other than the drama CD, there’s also a DJ talk CD?

S: In the second volume, three guys with distinguishably “cute” voices and me are given the challenge to eat a “darkness pot”. I felt like I became a leading teacher there (laugh). About the “darkness pot”, the ingredients prepared by the original work’s heretic – no, I mean by Kedwin-sensei [Corpse Party’s creator, script writer and character designer], were really dangerous. So awful that I’d love to have my revenge by putting a whole pot into his mouth! (laugh) Look forward to listening just how awful it was (laugh).

B: Are there any other parts of the CD that you especially recommend listening to?

S: It’s a must listen to anyone who is a Nakamura Yuuichi fan! Yoshiki (Nakamura’s character) is so active throughout the main story that you almost get to think he, and not Satoshi, is the main character (laugh). I think that his way of overcoming things he got dragged into is amazing. Otherwise, the script itself is dangerous in it’s own way, so please pay attention to it as well.

B: In Corpse Party, you had a role of a dangerous young man, but is there any particular role you’d like to act as in any future works?

S: I’d like to act an animal. In the past, in a drama CD Mr. Assassin (殺し屋さん), I had the chance to act as a shepherd dog, and it was a lot of fun! It’s always fun to act something other than a human. I’d also enjoy acting as some kind of creature or even as some “vague existence”. Or a hat’s voice, left arm’s voice, katana’s voice… They’re all something that you get to experience acting only when you are a seiyuu. However, currently I already take part in many projects, so this is something I wouldn’t even think of pestering my manager about. This year I had a chance to be a regular in a dub of a foreign series Kamen Rider Dragon Knight, and that made me realize that doing something else than usual makes me even more enthusiastic! The recordings were a lot of fun, too, like all the times when the original actors’ lines turned up to be too short to give them a direct Japanese translation, so we all gathered together to think up some alternatives. Or when I talked with the director, while taking care of our business in the toilet, about how the lines the characters say in their last moments seem too simple and that they’d most likely say something else. And then the next week his lines turned out to be exactly how we thought them up back then in the toilet (laugh).

B: Is there any role in connection to otome games that you’d like to do?

S: I’d like to act as a character who’s in an interesting or funny position. Something like a Buddha’s statue that, if asked, tells you about your relationship status with the characters or “the Great Will”, or something vague like that.

B: It really seems that you like non-human roles (laugh). Lastly, please say something to the fans.

S: There’s a handy phrase known as “sensibility”. It allows us to appreciate everything, but can also lead us to dislike and turn away from something. Don’t you think that it’s a waste to miss out on an opportunity by being too sensitive about some things? If we feel stressed or bad about something, wouldn’t it be better to face it and try to look for its good points instead of simply giving up on it? Let’s try turning irrational situations into positive energy that will push us forward. Please continue to support me.