Turn A Gundam Episode 50 Audio Commentary

Turn A Gundam episode 50 audio commentary
Translation by Mia U.
Contextual assistance by Feez

The Turn A Gundam BD BOX 1&2 include select episode commentaries by various voice actors & actresses. This episode features Paku Romi (Loran), Takehito Koyasu (Gym Ghingham) and Rieko Takahashi (Dianna Soreil, Kihel Heim).


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0:00
Romi: Turn A Gundam, episode 50 The Golden Autumn! Audio commentary!

[Clapping]

Romi: Did you hear that?

Koyasu: Hear what?

Romi: How unenthused Rieko Takahashi-san was, just now.

Koyasu: Yeah, you’re right.

Romi: Thank you.  You’re just like “Fine I’ll play along”. Thank you.

Koyasu: But like, you haven’t changed at all.

Romi: Seriously though.

Rieko: Can you just introduce yourself?

Romi: I’m sorry.  I played Loran...Hello everybody, my name is Romi Park and I played Loran.

Rieko: I played Dianna Soreil and Kihel Heim.  I’m Rieko Takahashi.

Koyasu: Hello, I played Gym Gingham, and my name is Takehito Koyasu.

Romi: What’s up everybody?  We’re all just stumbling on our words.  We should redo this.

Koyasu: We should.

Romi: I’m Park Romi and I played Loran Cehack.

Koyasu: That’s it. I knew you were somewhat wrong earlier.

Romi: I. Played. Loran.

Rieko: I’m Takahashi Rieko and I played Dianna and Kihel Heim.

Romi: Are you okay? Did you forget your character’s name?

Rieko: No, no.  I just don’t have it written out.

1:00
Koyasu: I think we’re all just a little tired.  I’m tired today too.

Romi: Wait, why! It’s still so early!

Koyasu: I’m Takehito Koyasu, and I played Gym Ghingham. Thank you very much.

Fujitsu: I’ll be hosting and keeping the dialogue going, I’m Ryota Fujitsu.

[Laugh]

Koyasu: This is awful!

Romi: What happened? What happened!  This is the last episode! Does this mean there’s more coming?

Koyasu: I know, right?

Fujitsu: So these actors will be doing the audio commentary for this episode.

Romi: No comment, eh?

Koyasu: Ahhh.

ALL: Thank you!

Koyasu: This is the last episode.

Romi: Yeah, it’s the last episode.

Fujitsu: The fight scene between Loran and Ghingham has been going on since the last episode...

Koyasu: You’re right.

Romi: Yeah.

Fujitsu: What was it like for the two of you, acting these scenes out?

Koyasu: Ha.  Are we really starting with this one?

Romi: Well, there was a lot going on, and...

Koyasu: “Acting” it out?

Romi: You’re gonna dig deep into our pasts, huh?

Fujitsu: Yes.

Romi: For me...I don’t think I’d ever felt so bitter, as I ever did, except this last episode of Turn A Gundam.  Like, literally.  So bitter.

Koyasu: Oh, wow.  Why?

Romi: Wow, you piss me off so much!

Koyasu: Why? I have no idea why...neither does anyone else.

Romi: After Gym Ghingham appeared in the series, there were way more fighting and battle sequences, and...

2:00
Romi: it’s just, he was always just like “You and your terrible acting can’t possibly beat me.”

Koyasu: I never said that though, right?  I was “like” that, according to you.

Romi: But you were totally that way towards me.

Koyasu: No way!

Romi: His aura, was just like...man...

Koyasu: This so-called “aura” may have been real, but I never said those words!

Romi: But you were like that!

Koyasu: Park, this is all in your head though!

Romi: But it was true too, wasn’t it?

Koyasu: Yeah, I mean, a little bit.  I was like “Wow, with that kind of acting, heh.”

Romi: I know! And I was getting so annoyed.  But I tried to talk to him, and he totally blew me off...his aura! And then back then, for the first time ever, I lost my voice.  A lot happened.  I just didn’t want to lose against this guy, so I’d head to the hospital first thing in the morning...that was the first time I ever went to a throat doctor.  I fully recovered, went to the studio...

3:00
Romi: ...yet, he’s way more pumped than always.  Ugh, it was so terrible.  And the worst part!  When we finished taking this last episode, there were interviews and stuff.  And I went up to him to say a few words, like thank you, and then he goes “Well, I’m sure we’ll never cross paths again.” AH!

Rieko: He said that?

Romi: He said that!

Koyasu: I figured you weren’t gonna be a big part of my life.  So I was just like “Well, we’ll never see each other anyways.” Yeah.

Romi: I was so hurt! I got so emotional and teared up, and I was like “I’m definitely gonna see you! And when we work together, I’m not gonna let you get to me!”

Koyasu: Well, we all remember that well, don’t we.  The thing is though, I came in in the later half of the series.  And I know that Turn A Gundam was a lot more peaceful, until my character showed up. So I felt the need to bring some unrest, just like my character.

4:00
Koyasu: Well, I needed to be impressive.  I had to show everyone up, that it was going to be my world now.  My fights.  I had to show that.  That’s how I see it.

Romi: But like...

Koyasu: And then...this little girl...she just won’t give up at all!  She’s so feisty, and she keeps charging at me! It was really a lot of fun!

Romi: Really though...

Koyasu: It’s a joy, when someone reacts so strongly towards me.  And I know Park was saying all these things- obviously I never uttered any of that...and I’m trying to just bring this energy into the studio, and Park just won’t give up! And that kind of vibe is obviously infectious.  The entire studio tensed up.  Like Inada-kun, and those other younger boys.  It was a really good thing, that everybody else kept up too.

Romi: Ugh, I was being manipulated.

5:00
Koyasu: Well of course! Back then...I was older than you.  I had more experience than anyone else, career-wise.  I needed to lead everyone.  And the role I was given was more the kind where I just had to do things.  Show things.

Romi: That’s true.

Koyasu: It was very difficult.  Everyone just tagged along.  And I mean, as far as the plot went, Tomiya-san was in charge.  I think I was in charge though, with acting.  It was a lot of fun.  And of course, she was just another girl from some theater troupe.  I thought she’d disappear after Turn A. I didn’t think I’d see her ever again.

Romi: And then I kept bumping into you, and bumping into you!

Koyasu: I KNOW, RIGHT! Gosh, I never wanted to admit this...and definitely not to you, Park, but...when we were recording Turn A, I kept calling you “Park-chan”.  I had to be somewhat nice to you, especially since this was gonna be your last gig.  So- “Park-chan,” “Park-chan.”

6:00
Koyasu: And I’d see her in other places, and be like “Oh, Park-chan, how are you?” La-di-da. “How’s it going?” And she’s just so...I don’t even...she’s so vibrant, and kept absorbing this ability, you know? She kept evolving as a voice actress...I watched her growing, and growing, and I was really impressed.  But I also feared that she really wanted to beat the crap out of me. And then like...after Turn A...

Romi: Yeah, we ended up acting a lot together.

Koyasu: Yeah.  We never became “rivals,” so-to-speak, but I always felt pressure to be extraordinary in front of Park.  And she was always incredible too.  So after a certain point, I knew that she was something quite special, and she was really hard-working, so I went from “Park-chan” to “Park”.

Romi: What!! I had no idea!

Koyasu: I know you didn’t.  I never call you “Park-chan,” I just call you informally- “Park”.

7:00
Koyasu: I pretty much look at you as an equal now.

Romi: Wait, stop it! This is making me tickle!

Koyasu: Really though, like...since Turn A Gundam, I look at you in quite a different light, Romi Park.

Rieko: Wow.

Koyasu: Yep. You’re no longer just a little girl from some theater troupe.

Romi: I’m no longer this barking dog now.

Koyasu: Yeah, in my head I was like “did she sleep with the director or something?”

Romi: Whoa! Wait a minute! I worked hard for this role!

Koyasu: Yeah, I’m sure.  I believe you.  Looking back though...most of the cast from Turn A were really really young.  And they had gone through tremendous changes.  It’s remarkable, really, how many of them are still working.  I feel really blessed, thinking about what a great group of people I worked with.

Romi: It’s all thanks to you though.

Koyasu: Oh, no way.  No way.

Romi: The other day, I was recording with Inada-kun.  I was the last boss, and he’s supposed to be opposing me.  And by the end of the recording, he came up to me and said “Wow.  This reminds me so much of Turn A Gundam. But the roles have switched!”
(They /might/ be talking about Kill la Kill here - unsure exactly when BD2's recordings took place.)

8:00
Romi: “Koyasu-san had to take you in then, but now you’re the one taking people in.”  It made me think a lot.

Koyasu: That’s cool. But also, that much time has passed too. Fifteen years.

Romi: Yeah, it’s been fifteen years.

Koyasu: And we’re still surviving.

Romi: That’s true. Thank you so much for sparing me!

Koyasu: Why yes.  It is amazing we’ve lasted this many years in this field.

Romi: It’s thanks to everyone else.  But really though, Turn A Gundam brought me together with such incredible people.  And watching it right now, it’s like...what other series could possibly have a rocket punch go in between the legs like that?

Koyasu: There is none.

Romi: It’s the last episode! I mean, even Inada-kun must have been working so hard, trying to keep up with you.

Koyasu: This fight sequence couldn’t be like any of the other ones.  It had to be more unique, more tense.  It really was stressful.

Rieko: I just felt like...no one could ever compete with you.

9:00
Koyasu: Thank you.

Rieko: It was awful.

Koyasu: Awful!!?  Like you felt pressured?

Rieko: How do I even describe this...it felt so prickly.  I mean, it was obvious that nothing could beat him, and yet the characters just went up against him, and kept failing...And Koyasu-san, you have such a cute face.  And then you laugh that evil laugh.  It’s just awful.  Just prickly.  Nothing could beat him, and we still had to keep fighting! After Gingham showed up, it was nothing but that.

Koyasu: I’m so sorry.

Rieko: Even now! You have such a cute face...and then you laugh so evil...ugh.  Why?

Koyasu: But like...you know that she[Romi] was the only one I wanted to beat up.

Romi: WHY!  Didn’t you want to take down Dianna too?

Koyasu: But the thing is...I didn’t fight Dianna that much.

Rieko: It’s true.  Not at all.

Koyasu: Right.

10:00
Romi: Wow.  You guys are totally right.  There were hardly any fight sequences with Dianna.

Koyasu: Not at all. I’m sure that I’m like, hated though in one way or another because of the few that happened.

Romi: You know though.  I’ve been re-watching the episodes.  And take like, episode 43, and the beginning of the dark history.  They don’t fight, but they definitely loathe each other.

Rieko: Ah!

Romi: They DO fight, in that sense. It’s very clear.  Tomino-san really did develop the characters so skillfully.

Koyasu: I agree.

Romi: This series deserves way more credit.

Fujitsu: On-screen, Guin is uh...how do we say this... having his farewell speech.  He’s about to be replaced, and...it’s very interesting.  Do you think that Tomino-san and his scripts...his use of words, was very different?

Koyasu: Of course.

Romi: Just listen to this part.  Do you hear that?

Background: Why don’t you wear a skirt?

Rieko: What?

Romi: Wait...were you guys not listening?

11:00
Rieko: I’m ready now.

Romi: You see...um.

Fujitsu: The skirt, right? He repeatedly uses the word skirt.

Romi: Yes.

Fujitsu: In regards to the new era.

Koyasu: Oh, I remember that.  I have some dialogue too, with Guin towards the end.  And like...Guin...who played him?

Romi: Aoba-kun.

Koyasu: Aoba...right.  He was also very threatening towards me, just like, practically picking fights...I had no idea what prompted that one though!

Romi: Yeah, why! That makes NO sense!

Fujitsu: Yeah, you two are supposed to be on the same side...

Koyasu: He came up to me and was like “I acted so that I could never be defeated by you.” And I was just like “O...kay...?

Romi: Wow, you really started a fire in EVERYONE.  That’s amazing.

Rieko: Right?

Koyasu: Haha.  That’s so funny.  The dialogue really is interesting too.

Romi: That’s true. And here too.  Loran goes “I just want you to be safe.” And then, Lily is like “Then YOU wear a skirt.”

12:00
Romi: And then the character goes “It’s too early for someone with a skirt to rule.” And then at the end, she goes up to Guin and says “I will rule, wearing a skirt.” They just go on and on about skirts.  In the last episode.  That’s really cool. Oh, they’re talking.  They’re talking.  And I can’t hear it.

Koyasu: That’s fine.

Romi: NO it’s not! Why would you say that? I wanna listen with you.

Koyasu: Stop. It’s okay.  They’re just memories of times past.

Romi: There! Listen!

Koyasu: But like, it was a lot of fun acting this out.  You’d always step it up, and try to be on the same rink as me.  It was a wonderful time, bouncing back and forth.  It wasn’t too much or too little. It felt really good, you as Loran.

Romi: It’s been fifteen years, and I was re-watching all of this and I realized...I can’t act like then anymore.

Koyasu: I know exactly what you mean.

13:00
Koyasu: It’s okay.  You’ll do even greater things.

Romi: What was that?  Your hand...stop it.

Koyasu: It’s like that though.  You’ll get used to it.

Romi: More than anything though...Rieko Takahashi.

Koyasu: I know, right?

Romi: Really though...

Koyasu: Was it hard, acting out two roles?

Rieko: In the beginning, the two characters were kinda...switched?  And then when they came back...I got lost.

Koyasu: What was all of that about though?  Were there ever separate character developments, or...?

Rieko: Not really.  But then...Dianna was always more concerned with everyone else...so that everyone would be happy.  And Kihel was a little more self-centered.  That’s pretty much...it...

Romi: She says ‘that’s pretty much it,’ but if you watch episode 43, Kihel and Dianna are totally conversing with one another. And they refer to one another.

14:00
Romi: There’s some line that’s like “Thank you for that time, that you cried in front of Father.” But like, Rieko Takahashi totally has those two characters- Dianna and Kihel down.

Koyasu: Yeah.

Rieko: Really?

Koyasu: It’s true.

Romi: She’s just like “I didn’t know anything...” and yet...

Koyasu: Oh, are you one of those people who can just do everything?

Romi: Yeah.  She is.

Koyasu: You’re a genius.

Romi: She is a genius.

Rieko: Guys stop.

Romi: There’s a genius amongst us.

Koyasu: You can just do it, from your instincts, huh?

Romi: Yeah.

Koyasu: But think about the people we were acting with.  I think a lot of people there were just doing their jobs based on their feelings and intuitions.

Romi: She doesn’t get nanomachines at all! And yet she’s totally like...

Rieko: No! I UNDERSTAND nanomachines!

Koyasu: Wait, what! I don’t get them AT ALL!

Rieko: No, I mean like, I kinda get it...

Romi: See! She doesn’t understand them, and yet, she’s totally able to incorporate the idea of them when she talks.

Koyasu: That’s true.

Romi: You’re onto something though.  We were surrounded by people who just...”got” it.

Koyasu: Yeah.  I don’t think any of them could have explained what they were doing.

Rieko: Our director was like that.

Koyasu: That’s true too.

15:00
Koyasu: It really was such a unique work environment.

Fujitsu: Oh, the screen is at...

Koyasu: Oh! This! It’s such a funny scene.  The ending...

Romi: Fighting with katanas...

Koyasu: Katanas, of all things...And getting out of their mobile suits to begin with...

Romi: Right?

Koyasu: Wow.

Romi: This scene is so great.

Koyasu: But like...everything leading up to this scene was so much work. And there was SUCH distance!

Romi: That’s so true!

Koyasu: We’re both just screaming at the top of our lungs!  And you know what’s funny! It’s an anime! A relatively modern anime! We could’ve gotten away with just raising the volume!

Romi: That would have been such a cop out!

Koyasu: I know, right?

Romi: Ugh, it was so hard though.  I just felt like my instrument [voice] was just dragging you down and couldn’t get to your level. It was such a hard time.

Koyasu: I know, I mean, you really weren’t at your best health.  And you lost your voice...

Romi: That had never happened to me.  In my entire life, I’d never lost my voice like that.

16:00
Romi: I didn’t know how to care for myself either.  It was terrible.  In theater, I may have like...had a sore throat, or whatever, but I’d never experienced not being able to make a sound.  I’d never been so disappointed in myself.

Koyasu: You can feel it though, when listening to your acting.  It comes out.  I’m sure you were suffering, but it makes it all the more realistic.

Romi: I know, but I couldn’t have done it without the support of everyone, including the staff.

Koyasu: Really? I actually don’t even remember your voice being so bad...

Rieko: Neither do I.

Koyasu: I saw you just moping about in the studio, for sure.

Rieko: Maybe you were just...your expectations were much higher.

Koyasu: Yeah, that could have been it.

Romi: I wish I could do it all over again.

Koyasu: No way, no way.

Romi: No, I do though.  I really want to just...squeeze onto the two actors in front of me.

Koyasu: No. No. No. Come on, we did do another one right after this.

Romi: But let’s be real.  Fifteen years later, now, would be so much better.

Koyasu: No, it wouldn’t be interesting at all.  It would just be trivial and lame.

Romi: NO!

Koyasu: Really though?

17:00
Koyasu: You just want to show yourself off.

Romi: Yeah.

Koyasu: Oh, dang you admitted it.

Romi: I am so much better than then.

Koyasu: Whoa! This little girl really does talk now, doesn’t she!

Romi: This little girl!

Koyasu: THIS little girl!

Romi: You’re right! I do talk a lot more now!

Koyasu: Wow.  Of course! The star from Tokyo.  No, the star of Japan!

Romi: Wow, I never want to hear that from you again.

Rieko: It’s all thanks to you, Koyasu-san.

Romi: It’s true.

Koyasu: That’s definitely not true.

Fujitsu: We’re about to close into the final ending.

Koyasu: Wow, it’s really ending.

Fujitsu: Takahashi-san.  Did you know that as Dianna, you’d be looking over the last days for Loran? Did you get any kind of heads up before the script came to you?

Rieko: No, I had no idea.

Koyasu: We were never clued in, on how this series was going to end.

Romi: I will never forget though.  During the rehearsals, they played the song.

Koyasu: Oh yeah!

Romi: I just balled crying, at that point.  And come the real deal, when we’re actually recording, and the song doesn’t come on.  I just...didn’t know what was going on.

18:00
Koyasu: I know, like “I want to cry, but I cannot.”

Romi: I literally can’t cry!

Koyasu: It really is a good ending.

Romi: There was never any way of knowing that the series was going to end.  Until the very last second. So it felt so surreal, like “Is this really the end though?  Really?” I think we were all talking about it too, at the recording studio. But it ends air tight.

Rieko: I KNOW!

Fujitsu: It is such a peaceful ending.

Koyasu: I’m so impressed.

Romi: And you see that?  It’s just so deep.

Koyasu: Think about it though.  Such an epic battle scene.  I mean, endless battles.  And then this ending.  This ending just keeps going and going and going.  You really have to be impressed by how seamless it is!

Romi: I think so too!

Koyasu: It’s almost eerie.

Romi: There’s everything in this last episode!  The rocket punch! Everything!

Koyasu: Everything’s neatly packaged!

Romi: Everything!

Koyasu: All in thirty minutes!

Romi: I KNOW!

19:00
Koyasu: It’s just so great.

Romi: I’m sure it doesn’t feel like thirty minutes too.

Rieko: Yet, you know what all the characters are thinking, and where they all end up in this last bit.

Romi: They take their time with every little cut. And the characters...it’d be wrong to say that they go back to their daily lives, but...you really feel an appreciation for peaceful and simpler living.

Fujitsu: It really is detailed, with every little character.  Even Anise Bell, just now. Every last one of them.

Romi: You’re so right. This line is so wonderful too. It’s such a humbling line. It’s hard not to get really into this.

Koyasu: Yeah, you do get into it a lot.

Romi: And Sochie!

Rieko: Sochie, whyyyy.

20:00
Fujitsu: Yeah, it does get really awkward around here.

Romi: Rieko-san really gets into Sochie as a character. Why? What do you think, about all of this?  With the goldfish and everything.

Rieko: I know it started with the goldfish.  You have to let it go.  I just feel SO badly!

Romi: Are you gonna cry! Oh man, watch this, with Guin!

Koyasu: These two...why!

Romi: It’s a great couple.

Koyasu: It’s fascinating.

Romi: But I just heard this...

Fujitsu: There was some potential for a second part in the Gallia continent, so they left it open-ended.

Koyasu: Wow.

Romi: I heard that, and thought...”So do it.”

Koyasu: So do it! Ha! They should! They should stop the one they’re doing now, and do this instead.

Romi: Silence.

Rieko: Hey, watch it.

Romi: Who knows.  Maybe next year. Silence.

21:00
Koyasu: “They should watch me- way better acting than then” [impersonating Romi]

Romi: Silence.

Fujitsu: Now that the episode is ending.  I wanted to ask you about your thoughts, looking back on the entire series.  Koyasu-san, do you mind going first?

Koyasu: For me, I was only in the second half, after they went to space.  I only got to partake in the first half as an audience member.  And participating was such an honor, for a series with such a fantastic ending.  It was so special to act with such young actors, and it was inspiring.  I know that for Park, it was the beginning of some kind of change in her life.  And for me as well, it was another work that allowed me to grow.  It was an very meaningful and valuable experience for me.

22:00
Fujitsu: Thank you very much.

Romi: That makes me so happy.

Fujitsu: Takahashi-san, please.

Rieko: I know that this project was a year-long.  Yet, it felt so short.  For me, the ending made so much sense.  Because of the way it ended, the fighting, and other parts fell into place.  And I remember feeling so relieved.

Fujitsu: Okay. Park-san, looking back, what are your thoughts and feelings?

Romi: I really can’t say everything in one breath.  It definitely was a work that impacted my life entirely.  Nothing could change that.  The fact that I was able to meet Tomino-san through this series, and...

23:00
Romi: To have met Tomino-san through this project...to have even been a part of this project...and the amount of people I met through this project, is just...it really grabbed my heart and wrenched it.  I’m only here now thanks to Turn A Gundam.  I’m so full of gratitude.  I want to cherish this work, forever, and work even harder on future works, after this.

Fujitsu: Thank you very much.

All: Thank you very much!