It's been 25 years since Masamune Shirou released the original manga "Ghost in the Shell". Recently, the latest series of works "Ghost in the Shell New Theater Version" has been released to everyone, and this animation about Suzi's past has also aroused a lot of interest. Recently, Suko voice actor Maaya Sakamoto was interviewed.

●The number of lines for a companion to give an order has increased

Q: After "Ghost in the Shell ARISE", what is your impression of Motoko Kusa in "New Theater Version"?

A: It's been the last two years since I got the role of Suko, but as the plot develops, Suko is growing and her relationships with the people around her have changed. Naturally, my own impression of Suko has changed.

Q: So what do you think are the more obvious changes?

A: In the beginning, she would think about solving the problem on her own. But slowly, I developed a sense of leadership and began to command the people around me. In the new theatrical version, Suzi has a lot of lines to give orders, such as "Hey, what are you going to do?" "Do this." And her relationship of trust with her peers has also deepened, and there is a picture of handing over the work to others.

Q: When you were selected as the voice actor of Suko in "Ghost in the Shell ARISE", has the pressure lessened compared to that time?

A: I'm still nervous (laughs). However, in the process of performance, this pressure will be released slowly. This time it can be said that it is the final chapter of the work.,And I'm afraid it's also the last time I'll play the grass pheasant Motoko.。 It's a difficult character to play, but on the other hand, I still feel very lonely when the work is over. In order not to leave regrets, I hope to be able to show what I think of as "grass pheasant motoko" in all aspects.

●I guess my language interests are similar to those of Mr. Shintaro Sakamoto

Q: You also released the theme song of "Sakamoto Maya Cornelius" around this movie, which caused a lot of buzz.

A: Keigo Koyamada, who was in charge of producing each of the "ARISE" theme songs, was a big fan of the "ARISE" series, and I'm glad that Shintaro Sakamoto was able to write the lyrics for this song. Mr. Sakamoto understood the worldview of "Ghost in the Shell" very well, so he wrote lyrics that fit the plot very well. I think his preference for speech is very obvious, and for me, Mr. Sakamoto's words are very powerful, and I feel very good when I sing them.

Q: What kind of "words" do Ms. Maya find favorable, for example......?

A: I don't say anything about the times. Those popular discourses and sayings tend to be popular for a certain period of time, but then disappear quickly. On the other hand, there are some Japanese content that can be applied in any era. I think that if you want to sing, it is better to have words that will not feel outdated in 10 or 20 years. There are a lot of words in Japanese, and I can express a delicate style. For example, haiku and tanka can be described in very few words and phrases to express the amazing "scenery", which made me feel the breadth and depth of the Japanese language and how interesting it is.

●The difference between voice actress Maaya Sakamoto and singer Maaya Sakamoto

Q: Sometimes you're a voice actress, sometimes you're a singer, and what kind of life does it feel like to have to take on several roles?

A: I'm often asked, "How do you switch between your work modes?" and I'm not too aware of that myself. It's just that when I work as a voice actor and actress, I want to be able to do a good job behind the scenes; When singing, you need to think about "what you really want". Depending on the job, the responsibilities required are different, so sometimes it will naturally become "the person who wants to do this", and you may have unconsciously switched roles.

Q: Are you good at switching between your feelings?

A: Not at all! If I have to say it, I'm still not a good type. For example, when I started a musical, I tried not to mix it with other work until the performance started, and I kept my mind on it. But I don't know why I came out with a lot of things that had to be done, and as a result, all kinds of things had to be dealt with together. Maybe I'm more insatiable (laughs).

● Once you are bored, you can't help but write something

Q: You have a collection of essays called "A Full Belly", in which you mentioned that there was a time when the train was out of service due to heavy snowfall, and then you muttered, "Do you still have to work at this time?" ", while writing the original manuscript.

A: Yes, yes. When I came back from Malaysia and the plane was suspended due to a typhoon, I was also writing the original manuscript in the hotel. There are reasons why the deadline is approaching, but I should say that I love writing about it, and I can't stop writing it. Even if there is no deadline, once you are bored, you can't help but write something.

Q: What a role model to learn from......! Would you write something on your hand?

A: Occasionally, I write a little bit in my phone. But I often collect material and think "this might be used in an essay!" when something happens! Also, working as a voice actor and actor allows you to have a virtual experience of someone else's life that isn't you. People can generate a lot of ideas. The emotions that swell in my heart when I play a role often help me to compose lyrics.

●Suko, who starred in the girl's prosthesis, was still 15 years old

Q: 2015 also marks the 20th anniversary of your debut.

A: Exactly 20 years ago, when I was 15 years old, I got the opportunity to play the role of a girl prosthetic in "GHOSTINTHESHELL". That was basically my first job as an anime voice actor. Time has passed, and now I can continue to dub Suzi, which makes me feel a very incredible fate. After the age of 30, I also played some roles that would never have been possible in my 10s. In the next 10 or 20 years, I hope to expand my work and take on roles that I have never experienced before.