The second interview in Dengeki PlayStation Magazine vol. 684 is with Yonezawa Madoka, the voice of Ferry! She talks from the perspective of a diehard fighting game fan, as well as a longtime veteran of the Granblue Fantasy series.
It’s not required to read part 1 of this interview with Oosaka Ryouta (Percival), but it’s still fun!
Dengeki: How long have you been playing Granblue Fantasy?
Yonezawa: I started playing right after I was cast as Ferry, so it’s been five and a half years. Back then, I hadn’t really played many mobile games, so I remember doing a lot of single rolls – not even ten rolls. Thankfully, I was lucky and shortly after my recording, I was able to roll Ferry.
Dengeki: What did you think of the game at first?
Yonezawa: There was a lot to do, and I thought it was a very rewarding game. It caters to a lot of different play styles and people, so there was a lot of diversity built in to it. The developers listen to the players a lot, too, so over the years, a lot of my “It would be nice if this were in the game” thoughts have been implemented, so the game is much much easier to play now than when I started.
Dengeki: Has anything memorable happened for you in the game recently?
Yonezawa: The Gachapin roulette over the new year! All the previous roulettes were 100 rolls maximum, but this year they went up to 200! Is it really okay for them to give away this much? I worried a little, but I did a whole lot of rolling thanks to them. (laughs)
Dengeki: What did you think when you first heard that GBF was going to become a fighting game?
Yonezawa: I thought “Wow! A fighting game!” I was honestly surprised. GBF has an anime, so we’ve seen some of the characters in motion, but I got very excited at the thought of seeing characters who we’ve never seen animated before.
Dengeki: GBF has so many characters in it, and your character was chosen to be part of the initial playable cast. How does that make you feel?
Yonezawa: In a cast full of very unique characters, Ferry has a lot that’s still unique to her. She’s a ghost, she has a bunch of pets, she swings a whip… there’s a lot going on with her. Personally, I think that’s why she was chosen to be in the GBVS cast.
Dengeki: GBVS‘ 3D character models let you see the characters from all-new angles. What does this add to Ferry’s appeal?
Yonezawa: Seeing her swing around the whip in battle is so cool! There are a few other attacks where her pets get in on the action, so she really feels like she’s part of a team.
Dengeki: Other than Ferry, are there other characters that you see in a new light now?
Yonezawa: I was really shocked when I saw how Lowain walks (laughs). His fighting style, his lines, they’re all so funny.
Dengeki: You were able to play GBVS at Granblue Fantasy Fes – how did it feel to play as Ferry?
Yonezawa: I feel like Ferry’s a tricky character who’s better in the hands of an expert. She can swing around in the air with the whip, and it’s really fun to toy with the opponent by flying around the screen avoiding them. That’s what I did the entire time (laughs).
Dengeki: Is there a character other than Ferry who you really like, and who you want to play?
Yonezawa: When I was able to try the game out for myself, I had a lot of fun playing Charlotta – she’s really easy to play. The animations for her entrance and for her victory poses are really cute too!
Dengeki: Compared to normal GBF recording, what was refreshing about GBVS recording? Was anything more difficult than normal?
Yonezawa: Something I never get to do in GBF, but got to do in GBVS, was record the lines while the animations were playing. Fighting games are really special to me, so I was really happy to play a part in all of this!
(Translator’s note: Yonezawa Madoka, in previous interviews, has said that she became a voice actor because she wanted to be in a fighting game)
Dengeki: GBF has a lot of fun character dialogue – is there any dialogue in GBVS that we should look out for?
Yonezawa: Most of the cast is made up of Grandcypher crewmates and friends. Even though they’re up against each other in GBVS, they’re still very friendly and supportive when they talk to each other, which is different from almost every other fighting game out there. Everyone’s so nice when they win (laughs). All of the special moves and the special victory animations are so cool, so I want you to see all of them!
Dengeki: What part of GBVS felt most familiar to you as a GBF player?
Yonezawa: I love the animations for all the Primal Beasts, they really feel like GBF to me. A lot of the stages are taken from familiar game backgrounds, and everything was made and crafted with such care! The BGM is mostly new arrangements of very familiar songs, and I could listen to that music forever. Please, listen to them all.
Dengeki: GBVS has two modes: a single-player RPG mode, and Versus mode. Which mode are you more interested in?
Yonezawa: If I had to pick one, I would pick RPG Mode. I may love fighting games, but I don’t think I’m very good at them, so I feel like RPG Mode will be more my pace. GBF is defined by its multitude of play styles, and GBVS continues that – you don’t just play versus another player, you can also customize your favorite characters, and try out new builds for them. I think that’s a huge part of the appeal for a lot of people.
Dengeki: You’ve played Ferry for a long time – starting from the very beginning of GBF, then in the second season of the anime and now GBVS. What’s changed about her in your mind?
Yonezawa: When we first met Ferry, she had spent so much time alone that she was scared to talk to people, and she was very reluctant in those early days. But after making so many new friends, she’s brightened up so much that it’s hard to believe she’s the same character. When the anime aired, I was so moved by Ferry’s story, by her resolve to accept the truth and move forward with her life no matter how much it would hurt, that I cried like a baby. I already knew the story, and I cried anyway. From here on, I’m really curious to see if her relationship with Drang changes, or if it stays the way it is…
Dengeki: Is there a character you want in the game as DLC?
Yonezawa: I want Lamretta in the game as a drunken master. I want her to get so mad when she loses that she buries her sorrows in alcohol (laughs). And, as a personal request, PLEASE put Albert in the game!
Dengeki: Any final words for the fans who’re waiting for this game to be released?
Yonezawa: Answering the questions in this interview has really made me think about how many good things are in GBVS. I think this is a good entry point for people who haven’t played GBF before, too, so if you’ve never tried GBF, try GBVS out!