Marvelous have been interviewing the women who voice the characters of Senran Kagura: Estival Versus, and we’ve been translating those interviews for you. Previously, we’ve translated the videos with Hitomi Harada, the voice of Asuka, Hirata Hiromi, the voice of Miyabi, and Kitamura Eri, the voice of Homura.
Below, you can enjoy the translation of the interview with Hara Yumi, the voice of Yumi.
Please say a line as your character.
Hara Yumi: Please tell me. How can I become a wonderful bride?
Please introduce yourself.
Of course! Today is the breast day ever! I’m fighting for cute justice-puri, Hara Yumi.
Since Senran Kagura started, it’s been three years. They’ve gone by in a flash. Tell us how you felt about being offered a part in an explosive breast hyper battle and the memories and impressions you’ve had concerning the experience.
Senran Kagura as a work has – well, I haven’t really played it myself, but a lot of my fellows have been in it. It’s been converted into an anime, and that was very famous, so of course I’ve heard of that. I never imagined I’d be able to participate in a work this big. In addition, the character I was chosen to play has the same name as me! However, while my name is written as 由実, her name is written with 雪泉. I thought that this had to be the work of destiny. Once I got to the recording studio, the staff were talking about Yumi (雪泉, the character I was playing) but I wondered if they were referring to me. I remember being a little surprised by that. And since I wasn’t yet used to it all, I was very excited by the entire process.
What sort of character is Yumi (雪泉)? Let’s hear about how she’s similar to and different from you.
Yumi’s hobby is Japanese calligraphy. I’ve been practicing that for a long time. That’s one thing we definitely have in common. She’s especially good at traditional Japanese dance. Sadly, I am very bad at dancing. I respect her talent in that area. However, her character is very different from mine. She works hard, and like the image of snow, she’s cool. The people around her were very relaxed and independent, so there were many scenes where she was strict and harsh. The others mock her, so there were times when she was in a bad spot and panicked. That’s how I played her. There’s a big difference between that and my life, but I thought she was kawaii.
For you, what is the cutest thing in the world?
That’s difficult to answer! There are so many cute things. Actresses. Idols. There are very many cute people, but to choose one from amongst their midst . . . as a seiyuu, I’d choose the characters I’ve acted. You get a really cute feeling from them. Sure, they’re kind of evil, or difficult to get along with, but beneath all of that you really get a sense that you want to meet them. Including Yumi(雪泉)-chan, I can say that the characters I’ve played are the cutest in the entire world. However, Yumi(雪泉)-chan is extremely cute. In the setting, she’s very picky, tough, and angry – and yet, there are times when she turns red with embarrassment, so I think Yumi(雪泉) is the cutest – Yumi the character, not me.
Can you tell us about your best example of “justice”?
That’s also tricky. I can’t think of good examples for the years I’ve been alive, and I can’t really call this justice, but a long time ago mansion apartments had rectangular mailboxes. There was also a trash can nearby. Some things weren’t in the trash can – they had fallen out, or the people throwing things in missed. Someone picked all that up and saw that the trash was properly deposited. Maybe that’s the only example I can give you right now.
Do you share any favorite foods with the character? Please tell us about your favorite things to eat.
Yumi(雪泉) loves shaved ice with azuki red beans. Although I like shaved ice, I’m not crazy about azuki red beans. I prefer strawberry. In the summer months, I’ll have a little condensed milk on top of that. We have shaved ice in common. The thing I love the most is cup ramen.
The stage is a midsummer beach. Do you like beach parties or do you prefer going to the mountains? Please tell us and give us your reasons why.
I like the beach. I also like the mountains too, but the bugs I’d find there are not things I’m fond of. I used to go to the beach with my family, but we almost never went to the mountains. In short, I like the beach a lot more.
Tell us what we have to look for in this new release.
In this one the story’s got some serious parts and some comedy parts. There’s also plenty of sexy parts to look forward to. As usual, there are destructible clothes, but this time there’s more to it than just clothing destruction, there’s the fun of getting clothes wet and then seeing the underwear through them or dirtying the clothes. That means there’s a lot of exciting variation. The graphics are also very beautiful. As this came out on PS4, the graphics are extremely pleasing to the eye. Personally speaking, there was the theme song, which I got to sing along to. It was played along with the PV. It has a feel of summer-ness. It’s the type of song that I enjoy, and I really feel the cuteness of the song. I’ll be happy if people play the game and listen to it.
Are there any lines or scenes that left an impression on you?
I’m a little worried about revealing spoilers. Well, if I say anything bad I’m sure it’ll be cut. During a conversation – oh, and there will be new characters in this one, and there are scenes I can recommend. For Yumi(雪泉), it’d be Grandfather Kurokage and where he shows up. Is that okay to say? I don’t know. When I was first playing the character I realized how important this person’s existence was to Yumi(雪泉). Therefore, coming here meant that Grandfather was __________. I guess I can’t say after all. That’s the important thing you’ll see concerning Yumi(雪泉).
Which of the new characters do you like?
Probably the cute characters – there are so many that I notice some very cute ones. Of the new ones, I really like Sayuri, the elderly lady. There’s been a grandfather, lots of cute young girls, and up until now someone like Sayuri hasn’t appeared in the work. Sayuri really caught my attention. And even though she’s an elderly lady, she still has big boobs. I want to play the game soon so I can see Sayuri move around.
You can change outfits for the characters in the changing room. Are there any outfits from the game you want Yumi(雪泉) to wear, and are there any that you yourself want to try on?
What I’d want to wear isn’t Yumi(雪泉)’s style, but I think I’d like to try some of the others. There are quite a few things I’d like Yumi(雪泉) to try on, but I’d like her to try something plain, like an old jersey and gym shorts. It’d be like the things people wore in their student days, something totally unlike her daily life. She has a very traditional Japanese look to her, so I’d like her to try some Western clothing. She’s very pale, so a wedding dress might look very nice. I want to see her in those.
Senran Kagura is well-known for its destructible clothing system. Have you ever experienced your clothes falling apart?
Yes, a few years back. I even blogged about it. My top tore near the abdomen and I was really surprised. It was a simple one-piece dress. I realized it was torn while I was standing in front of 109 in Shibuya. Ooops, nothing to be done but go in 109 and find something else to wear. I’m so glad I realized that had happened. Oh, this is embarrassing. That was a precious experience.
Why did they tear?
I don’t know. That’s kind of scary.
What parts of Senran Kagura do you like?
The explosive breasts. I played the game so I know this myself, but when you play it your eyes are naturally drawn to their breasts. Everyone has good proportions. There’s a lot of stuff swaying around as they run or fight. Looking at that makes me feel kind of jealous. That’s something I noticed a lot of, so it’s an appealing part of Senran Kagura.
How would you express this game in words?
A lot of people have said this before, but explosive breasts! But there’s more to it than that. There are sexy scenes, but the story of these characters and their responsibilities means you feel for each character. As a result, you enjoy both the sexiness and the story of the game.
What are you hoping from Senra Kagura?
I hope to sing at events. There has been a Senran Kagura anime, but that was before my character was introduced. I want them to make a new one where Miki and Yumi(雪泉) can appear.
A new OVA is included in the special edition of the game.
Wow! Radical. You’ll be able to see a lot of things, and maybe you’ll be able to see all the things you couldn’t during the tv broadcast – which is exciting. There’ll be lots of things to anticipate seeing.
What is Senran Kagura to you?
Explosive breasts are something to yearn for eternally. I’m told I have a “big breasted voice” but I often end up playing characters with smaller busts. So hearing explosive breast battle makes me think that my voice (and only my voice) wants a lesbian experience. That’s the part I admire.
Please, a message for the fans looking forward to Senran Kagura Estival Versus going on sale.
This time there are new features and plenty of new characters. Yumi(雪泉) has a lot to do in this game! Please play the game. There are scenes that are so exciting you may have a nosebleed. Prepare some tissues before you play! Please regard me favorably.
