(translated from a Pash! April 2019 issue interview by @vibratingsheep, all mistakes are Sheep’s)
Pash: What kind of character does Sandalphon strike you as?
Suzumura: I see him as a very earnest character, who’s capable of true idealism. But I feel like his idealism also resulted in great pain and tragedy. He has a strong soul that lets him move forward, in spite of that pain.
Pash: What do you keep in mind when acting as Sandalphon?
Suzumura: When I just let the flow of the story take me, there are a lot of emotions that come naturally with it, so the recording ends up being smooth and easy.
Pash: This was the third story in the What Makes the Sky Blue? series. Are there any scenes or specific lines from the series that left an impression on you?
Suzumura: This episode concludes the story, and the final scene with Lucifer is very hard-hitting. Other than that, I chuckled a bit at the scene where Sandalphon does a certain something with the crew that proves how much he’s become one of them. (laughs)
Pash: What did you think when you read the script for What Makes the Sky Blue part 3: 000?
Suzumura: This story ties up Sandalphon’s story very well, so I thought “Am I done?” But I guess I’m sticking around (laughs). You’ll be seeing more of me and Sandalphon.
Pash: Tell us something that left an impression on you from all of these recordings.
Suzumura: When recording the shout “PARADISE LOST!”, I was supposed to match up with Sakurai [Takahiro]’s earlier recording of it, and I was off. I was really annoyed, we work for the same agency so it should have been easier! (laughs).
Pash: We’d like to ask you about the upcoming 16th Granblue Fantasy character single, Ain Soph Aur. What did you think when you saw the lyrics and the music?
Suzumura: In the music and especially in the very blunt lyrics, I felt the idealism and sincerity of Sandalphon coming through.
Pash: Was there anything you focused on during the recording of the song?
Suzumura: I put my whole heart into taking Sandalphon’s soliloquy and turning it into a song. I hope you all enjoy it and really feel it when it comes out!
Pash: Moving on, Is there a character other than Sandalphon who you really like?
Suzumura: Lucifer, of course… and then Lucillius, and Lucio. Sakurai-kun has put in a lot of work, so good job, buddy. (laughs)
Pash: On March 10th, Granblue Fantasy celebrates its 5th anniversary. Could you end this with a message to all the fans out there?
Suzumura: I’m honored to be a part of a work with such a rich history. I’m looking forward to seeing how the world of GBF grows and changes. I hope you are waiting with unbridled excitement for the stories to come!