AFA11 Interview Chiwa Saito

Source: Ani-Culture interview, December 10, 2011. Slightly edited.

On Day 2 of the Anime Festival Asia 2011, we caught up with Seiyuu (Voice Actress), Chiwa Saito for a little interview together with SGCafe and Collateral Damage Studios.

And here are the contents of our interview:

SGCafe: Can you tell me more about yourself, hobbies?

Chiwa Saito: I like traveling and watching movies

SGCafe: Any similarities between you and Homura that you voiced?

Chiwa Saito: I can’t speak out about what my worries are and often keep them to myself which most of the time leads me to thinking negatively, this part I think is quite similar to Homura.

SGCafe: What would you say to Kyubey if you see it?

Chiwa Saito: Don’t come to me!

Ani-Culture: You have voiced so many characters in your career, from the extremely cute Hazuki (Tsukuyomi: Moon Phase) to the serious Senjougahara. How do you prepare for such a wide range of vocal personalities?

Chiwa Saito: Though the character might be scary, cute or strong, they are still a girl within. I want to bring that out and be natural, the feelings of a girl, instead of emphasizing just the certain parts of the character. I don’t configure my characters myself but according the rest of the cast and the story.

Ani-Culture: Out of all the characters you have voice acted, who is your favorite character?

Chiwa Saito: Natsumi from Keroro Gunso, afterall I voiced her for 7 and a half year. Natsumi feels like family to me.

Ani-Culture: If you had not gone into voice acting, what would you be doing now?

Chiwa Saito: This is a very difficult question, I have no idea what I'd do, even though sometime I do think about it. I still have no answers for it. But it would be great if I can travel. In fact I studied overseas.

Ani-Culture: Oh? Where did you study overseas?

Chiwa Saito: New Zealand.

Ani-Culture: I see! No wonder you can understand English so well! So where in Singapore have you already visited?

Chiwa Saito: The Sky Park, Marina Bay Sands and the Supermarket at Holland village, the trip to the supermarket is so fun!

Ani-Culture: Soon you will be performing on the stage, what are you expecting from the fans?

Chiwa Saito: I am looking forward to seeing the audiences, especially after meeting so many media for interviews and feeling so welcomed.

Ani-Culture: Nervous?

Chiwa Saito: I’m not really nervous but wondering how the audience will feel when I am voice acting Homura.

Ani-Culture: What is your impression of Singapore before and after you have visited?

Chiwa Saito: I’m expecting it to be more of a tropical country, since it's south of Japan. But after landing in Singapore, everything is so nice and beautiful here! Like the Christmas lightings and everything along the way on the taxi. I would like to come to Singapore as tourist instead of work sometime. It’s so nice here; I don’t want to go back.

Ani-Culture: Last question, any last words for the fans?

Chiwa Saito: Even though I voice my characters in Japanese; I feel that instead of just a character, I am voice acting a life and they can go beyond language, race and culture, to make everyone love them!

And thanks to this support by everyone, I will work hard to create even better works back in Japan!

Ani-Culture: With that, we come to the end of the interview session. Thank you for this interview session.

At the end of interview, Collateral Damage Studios presented their Chiwa Saito tribute artwork to her, ending the session in a highlight.

Thank you to Miss Chiwa Saito and her translator for joining SGcafe, CDS and us.