Turn A Gundam Episode 27 Audio Commentary

Turn A Gundam episode 27 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 Park Romi (Loran), Hochu Ootsuka (Gavane), and Akino Murata (Sochie).


--

0:00
Turn A Gundam, episode 27, “Sunrise at Midnight.” Audio commentary!

[Clapping]

Romi: Hello everyone.  I am Park Romi and I play Loran Cehack.

Akino: I’m Murata Akino and I play Sochie Heim.

Ootsuka: I’m Houchu Ootsuka and I play Gavane Goonny.

Fujitsu: My name is Ryouta Fujitsu and I’ll be keeping the dialogue going.  The four of us will be hosting the commentary for episode 27.

All: Thank you for having us!

Fujitsu: Well, let’s start with Mr. Ootsuka.  When you voiced over for Gavane, I’m sure you had first impressions about the character...

Ootsuka: First impressions...sure.  I actually wasn’t sure if the character was young or old from his portrait.  He looked young at first, but he also has a mustache.

Romi: That’s true.

Ootsuka: I really wasn’t sure how to approach acting him out.  According to his profile, he’s supposed to be...

Fujitsu: 27 years old.

Ootsuka: 27 years old.  At the time I was in my late forties.

1:00
Romi: Wait, in your late forties?  Really?

Ootsuka: Yes.

Romi: But...you were in your forties?

Ootsuka: Huh?

Romi: At the time...

Ootsuka: Yes, I was in my forties. And in my late forties.

Romi: Wow.  When I met you for the first time then, I really believed that you were much older than me.

Ootsuka: You mean elderly?

Romi: No.  Older.

Ootsuka: Oh.  Older.

Romi: I didn’t say elderly.

Ootsuka: Older.  Got it.

Romi: But you seemed so much older! I had no idea that you were in your forties.

Ootsuka: Oh, I see.  You were so young then, Park-chan.

Romi: Yep.

Ootsuka: You too, Eri-chan.

Romi: Yeah....wait.  Eri-chan?

Akino: I’m not Eri-chan.

Romi: She’s not Eri-chan.  She’s Akino-chan.

Ootsuka: Akino-chan.

Romi: Yeah, she’s Akino-chan.  I was like, “who the heck is Eri-chan?”  Wow, I really thought about it for a second.  And then I realized there was no one named Eri-chan.

Ootsuka: It just slipped out.

Romi: She seems like an Eri-chan though.

Ootsuka: Yeah, that’s true.

Fujitsu: It’s been 15 years, you know.

All: That’s true.

Romi: You were kind of a big deal for us though.

2:00
Romi: Gavane was so cool.  Your Gavane was just so cool, and you were a buzz word for us at the studio.

Ootsuka:  I had no idea.

Romi: Yes.

Ootsuka: I’m always working without paying any attention to what’s going on around me.

Romi: Don’t say that!

Ootsuka: It really doesn’t matter.  I don’t know.  Even if I knew what other people thought about me, I’ll forget about it five seconds later.

Romi: That’s cool. You’re cool.

Ootsuka: No, that’s not cool.  Stop.

Romi: It is though.

Ootsuka: It’s not a good attitude to bring to work though.

Romi: No, I think it’s okay.

Ootsuka: You think it’s okay?

Romi: Yes.  I think it’s wonderful.

Ootsuka: Ah.

Romi: We should look up to him and be more like him.

Ootsuka: The two of you are so youthful.  I was so envious of how young you two were and still are. Park-chan, you would sit on the director’s lap and just hang out.  What was up with that? Really though, like.  What was that all about?

Romi: Stop it!  But you’re right.  That’s true, that did happen.  I would sit on his lap.

Ootsuka: You were on his lap all the time.  You’d just sit there.  What were you doing?

Romi: I think I was into him like a pet is to its owner.

Ootsuka: That’s what it was?  I think the director was into it too.

Park: You know, I still have that habit.

Ootsuka: Still?

3:00
Ootsuka: You still do that to this day?

Romi: Yeah, I do. If you asked me to sit on your lap, I totally would.  Naturally. I’d do this commentary on your lap.

Ootsuka: No way. I would never ask you to do that.

Romi: But you should ask me.

Fujitsu: So speaking of the director.  Ootsuka-san, as far as Tomino’s other works go, you’ve also voiced Yazan Gable from Zeta Gundam.  I think a lot of Gundam fans would remember that, but few are actually a fan of the character.  In contrast, Gavane is a much more sensitive character.

Ootsuka: That’s true.  I think he’s also got some noble blood in him.  Yazan was just...Yazan.

Romi: Just Yazan.  That’s harsh.

Ootsuka: No, Yazan has his soft spots too.

Romi: Wait.  How far back do you go with the director, Tomino-san?

Ootsuka: Well.  Let’s see.  The first one was...uh...

Fujitsu: Heavy Metal L-Gaim.

Romi: Are you okay?

Ootsuka: L-Gaim was probably my first anime.  It was one of my first ones in this industry actually.  I hadn’t done much else, as far as work goes.

4:00
Ootsuka: Pretty sure that it was the first anime I acted regularly in.

Fujitsu: I believe so too. It was one of your first big roles.

Ootsuka: At the time, Kenyu and Ken were around too.

Romi: Ummm.  I mean, who knows!  They probably were around!

Ootsuka: I mean, I feel like they were.  I met some punks then. And we became good friends because of that show.

Romi: How far back ago was L-Gaim?

Ootsuka: Probably 20 years.

Fujitsu: 20 years...It’s a series from 1984.  So a little over 20 years.

Ootsuka: Zeta Gundam is older, right?

Fujitsu: Zeta Gundam came out the year following L-Gaim.

Ootsuka: Oh, the following year? I mean, that’s a similar time.

Fujitsu: Yes.  It’s from a similar time.

Romi: Wow.  That means that Zeta Gundam is younger than L-Gaim.

Ootsuka: L-Gaim came first, and then Zeta Gundam came out second. And Ootsuka-san here was in both.

Ootsuka: That’s right.  I was really popular then.

Romi: Popular...I mean, you’re still popular.  How much do you want to sell out?

5:00
Ootsuka: That’s 20 years ago.

Romi: 20...No, it’s further back than that.

Ootsuka: Oh, right.  Older than 20 years.  I mean, God knows if you guys were even born then.

Romi: Actually, a funny thing.  I was a really big fan of Akina Nakamori.  When I was in elementary school I went to go buy her CD.  A CD by Akina Nakamori.  And I bought one, and brought it home. I was so excited for Akina Nakamori, and I opened the package, and there was L-Gaim.

Ootsuka: Wait.  What do you mean?

Romi: I don’t know! I have no idea, but there’s this fairy, flying like this!

Ootsuka: Oh! I know what you’re talking about.

Romi: Right! And I was so confused, and I was like “What happened to Akina Nakamori!”  I had no idea, that I made a mistake.  So I listened to it, right?  And it turns out that she did the ending theme song.  I couldn’t return it either, so I just kept it, because, well, it’s the first CD I ever bought.

6:00
Romi: So that’s the first CD I ever bought in my entire life.

Ootsuka: Wow, what are the odds. What a big mistake.

Romi: It was a big mistake, but it was my first CD.  So the point is, I was in elementary school.  So I was around back then.

Ootsuka: Right.  You were so young, you didn’t even know how to return something you’d purchased.

Romi: That’s true.  I’d heard it already too, so.  How old were you, Akino-chan?

Akino: Oh, I wasn’t that much different.  Just about the same age.

Romi: Wait.  You and I?  No way.

Akino: No, we’re probably a similar age.

Romi: How old are you?

Akino: I’m 40 years old.

Romi: Huh?

Akino: I’m 40.

Romi: Wow!  We’re really around the same age!

Ootsuka: Wow.  When you’re the same sex, you can just be open about things like that.

Romi: That’s true. Hochu-san, how old are you?

Ootsuka: No, no, no, no.  Well, I’ve reached the age of 60.

Romi: Congratulations!

Akino: Congratulations!

Ootsuka: There’s really nothing to be that happy about.

Romi: You get to wear the red jacket that says you’re old!

7:00
Ootsuka: I do get to wear the red jacket.

Romi: Wow.  So this man in front of us once played the character Gavane.  Even though Gavane’s not on the screen right now.

Ootsuka: I know, right?  It’s such a funny feeling, to look back and think about this point in my life. It makes me think about things.

Romi: You haven’t changed though.

Ootsuka: Really? I don’t even remember what I used to be like.

Romi: You were so cool!

Akino: Dandy.

Romi: Reiko Takahashi [Dianna's VA] said “He’s so cool”.  I remember that so well.

Ootsuka: I would never know these things unless they said it to my face.

Romi: I’ll let her know.  It’s never too late.

Ootsuka: Please do. I’m looking forward to the response.

Romi: But you really are my type.

Otuska: Type, eh?  I mean.  You can be someone’s type, but that’s not real life.

Romi: Um.  Why do I feel like I’ve been turned down?

Fujitsu: I wanted to ask you something, Murata-san.

Akino: Yes?

8:00
Fujitsu: Sochie had a marriage proposal from Gavane.  She accepts, somewhat.  And in the end, she’s seen in a wedding dress.  At the time, did you have any opinions about the romance with the character Gavane?

Akino: Truthfully, I always wanted Sochie to be with Loran.  So I was curious as to how Sochie would respond.  Ultimately, I don’t think that she accepted because Loran wasn’t good enough, or anything like that.  I don’t know.  I think she doesn’t really think before she acts.  She feels emotions and then acts on them.  I’m sure she had a lot of thoughts.  I mean, these characters are at war.  I think she was going through a lot, before she accepted.

9:00
Akino: For fans who were following Sochie’s actions leading up to this, I’m sure they were shocked, like “What?  What about Loran?”

Fujitsu: Gavane’s a very passionate character.

Akino: That’s true.

Fujitsu: Loran’s kind of on a receiving side.

Akino: I’m sure it was one of those...it’s better off to be loved than be the one loving.

Romi: Wait, what?  What happened to you, Akino-chan!

Akino: I mean, that’s my adult reflection.  Looking back.

Romi: I bet it’s one of those, “Gone with the wind,” kind of...I mean...what’s her name...

Akino: Scarlett?

Fujitsu: Scarlett.

Romi: Scarlett O’Hara was so into that character.

Fujitsu: Ashley

Romi: Right! How she ended up with Rhett Butler, instead of Ashley?  She chose Gavane, like that.

Akino: I know, but...I just.  I really can’t tell if she really liked him.

Romi: Gavane?

Akino: I mean, you know.

10:00
Akino: I can understand that Gavane was special. I don’t know if that was love.

Romi: He was always a character that she could have fallen in love with at any point.

Akino: That’s true.  When I watch it now, it’s like...Gavane’s actually a decent guy.  Way better than Loran.

Romi: Yeah, his mustache is awesome.

Ootsuka: Wait, he sent the wedding dress though.

Akino: Right, she receives it.  She wears it too at the end.

Otuska: She mourns him, wearing the wedding dress.

Akino: Mourning, and...I don’t know.  She was so confused about Loran, and then she accepted it.  Maybe she was sorry, or guilty.

Ootsuka: People are like that.

Romi: Are people like that? Are people always guilty?

11:00
Ootsuka: No, people are supposed to be confused, and have choices.

Romi: That’s true.

Ootsuka: You think so hard at the moment, and you go with how you’re feeling.  It’s just human nature.

Romi: Do you regret a lot of things?

Ootsuka: I do live with a lot of regrets.  Only with regrets. C’mon.

Romi: I know, me too!

Ootsuka: I just walk through regrets.

Romi: I’m 42 and I’m really feeling it right now.

Ootsuka: I’m sure you don’t have too many regrets.

Romi: I sure do. I look back, and I wonder why I sat on the Tomino’s lap.

Ootsuka: It’s okay though.  He was into it. He was petting your head.

Romi: Oh wow, really?  Did that really happen?

Ootsuka: I was watching, and I was impressed.

Romi: Wow, what was wrong with me?

Ootsuka: I just watched, and thought that you were that kind of girl.

Romi: I think it was the way animals are - like monkeys.  You know, when monkeys meet humans for the first time in their lives, and they’re confused.

12:00
Ootsuka: Monkeys...

Romi: I’m the monkey!

Ootsuka: Oh, wow.  I thought you meant the director was like a monkey.

Romi: Of course not!  I’m the monkey, and Tomino-san’s the human.  He saw me for the first time, and he was perplexed.  He just wanted to touch me a little.

Ootsuka: Wow, you are such a people-person.

Romi: Wait, are you slandering me?  Is this an insult?

Ootsuka: No, I’m reminiscing.

Romi: Oh, right.  Reminiscing.

Ootsuka: Right.  Reminiscing.  Those were fun times.

Romi: I’m sweating, because I’m nervous.

Ootsuka: So, Park-chan was always like this.  Akino-chan’s like this.  Rie-chan’s really soft-spoken too.  She was so...different.  She had such an aura.

Fujitsu: Yyou were such a pro then.  What were your impressions of the studio during recording?

Ootsuka: Park-chan was running around alone.  All over the place.

Romi: I was desperate! I didn’t know what to do!

Ootsuka: That’s one way of putting it.

Romi: Of course I’m desperate!

Ootsuka: I’d listen to her lines, and I’d think,

13:00
Ootsuka: Listen to that kid going off again.

Romi: That kid!

Ootsuka: You were just a kid. I remember thinking, “look at this new girl”.

Romi: Almost like a new human race.

Ootsuka: Yeah, you were so different from everyone else. I’d never seen anyone sit on the director’s lap.

Romi: How many times do you have to bring it up! This is just slander!

Ootsuka: No, it’s not like that.  Again, I’m reminiscing!

Romi: You don’t say...

Ootsuka: I’ll keep my mouth shut from now on.

Romi: No, don’t do that.

Fujitsu: Ootsuka-san.  As the character Gavane, I’m sure you thought that Sochie was cute.

Ootsuka: Of course. But it’s during war.  Who knows when the characters would die?  I’d think that, but I don’t know if the character did.

Romi: You know, Gavane actually didn’t show up in so many episodes.

Ootsuka: Not too many episodes, and

14:00
Ootsuka: I don’t think he had too many lines.

Romi: Right.  I thought so too.  But he really is memorable.

Fujitsu: He really stands out.

Ootsuka: You think so?

Romi: I think it’s because you played him.

Ootsuka: You think so?  But really though, if you listen, I sound so young.

Romi: You think you sound young?

Ootsuka: Yeah.  My voice is really young.  It’s been 20 years.

Romi: But like...oh, you’re talking.

Ootsuka: Oh. Listen.  Really young.

Romi: Oh....but there isn’t that much of a difference.

Akino: Mhm.

Ootsuka: I think I paced that one too quickly.

Fujitsu: Wow, 15 years later.  Harsh.

Ootsuka: Yeah, I think I was rushing.

Romi: You think you were rushing!

Otuska: I totally was rushing.

Romi: Wow. I want to rewind and watch that part again.  I’m totally going to watch it later, to listen for myself. Jeez, you are too good.

Ootsuka: Nah, it just means you have to work hard and always do your best.

Romi: I mean, what happens to us, if you think you made mistakes.

15:00
Ootsuka: Yeah. The director didn't even bother to stop me. He’s just like “Good, good.  Keep going.”

Romi: That’s not it.  He just totally had faith in you.  He figured that you wouldn’t make any mistakes.

Ootsuka: Yet I was rushing, just now!

Romi: Right.  So there’s some rushing here and there.  And you only find out 15 years later.

Ootsuka: It’s scary how things just stick around.  It’s so permanent.

Romi: It IS scary.  But did you two ever talk during recording?

Ootsuka: No.

Akino: No, that never happened.  I would’ve been so nervous.

Ootsuka: I really couldn’t just hang out in the studio, and talk.  I would just stand still.

Romi: That’s true.  You did just...keep to yourself.

Ootsuka: I’m sure it’s because Park would just be too loud for me, and...

Romi: Wow.  You went from “running around” to “being loud”.  How?  So you’re finally getting into the good stuff, huh?

Ootsuka: There was no way for me to come out.

Romi: Why you...

Ootsuka: I’m reminiscing.

16:00
Akino: Sitting on the director’s lap must have been a powerful memory.

Ootsuka: You remember too, right?  Akino-chan?

Akino: Yeah.  I do...

Romi: Are you ganging up on me?

Akino: No, it was fun.

Ootsuka: It was fun?

Romi: Like I said, I was really desperate.  Towards everything.  I didn’t know what to do with myself.

Ootsuka: If only you had that passion now. Wow it got quiet all of a sudden.

Romi: Wait a second! I’m still really working hard.

Ootsuka: I’m just kidding.  I’m reminiscing, remember?

Romi: Wow, you’re so sadistic. Despite everything you say. I should just go home.

Ootsuka: I say this because you’re cute.

Romi: Thank you very much.

Ootsuka: Okay, now what do I do?

Fujitsu: Ootsuka-san, what scenes stuck out to you from Turn A?

Ootsuka: Wait, that’s what you’re asking me next?

Fujitsu: I mean...yeah. I guess it’s unfair.  It’s been 15 years.

Ootsuka: I barely remember what’s happened yesterday.

17:00
Romi: You know, I know Gavane wasn’t there in the episode, but I think I remember that part when Sochie is wearing the wedding dress the most.  And she’s on top of Loran’s Turn A’s palm too.

Ootsuka: I wasn’t around then, was I?

Romi: You were already dead.

Ootsuka: Oh.  I was already dead. Is this my last episode?  Do I die?

Fujitsu: This is the episode.  And the wedding dress comes up in episode 30.  Coming up.

Ootsuka: You know? After this? When I left the studio after my part, Park-chan and Rieko-chan came rushing after me.  And then the two of them bowed down to me, and they were like “Thank you for all of your hard work!” Do you remember that?

Romi: I told you! Gavane was really popular between me and Rieko! We were like, “Hochu-san is so cool!”

Ootsuka: This really happened.

Romi: Wait.  Have you been lying up until now?

Fujitsu: That’s a good story.

Ootsuka: I just remembered.

18:00
Romi: Why now?

Ootsuka: At the time I was like “Park can be a good girl”.

Romi: Wait a second! I always am.

Ootsuka: It got me all quiet.

Romi: Really?  It didn’t inspire you, it made you quiet?  Please. That’s so scary.

Ootsuka: This actually happened.

Romi: We really were big fans.  And I mean, we didn’t really think that Gavane had died.  We just went to see him.  We didn’t think we’d see him again.

Ootsuka: You didn’t think you’d see me again?

Romi: Yeah, we didn’t.  At that time...I mean, this might be true for you too, Akino-chan.  At the time, for me and Rieko, we never thought that we’d be able to continue voice over jobs for so long.  I always thought that the people I’d met would be hard to see again.  That’s how it felt, at least.

Ootsuka: I see. So you were really into the job, like a last gig.

Romi: You could say it like that too. Sure.  C’mon though!

19:00
Ootsuka: I shared that story because I thought it was a good one.

Romi: Thank you.

Ootsuka: It’s probably a thing of the past though.

Romi: No! I still say hi and bye to people now.

Ootsuka: That’s good.

Romi: I haven’t changed too much.

Ootsuka: I know.

Fujitsu: I feel like this is the most tame I’ve seen Park-san.

Ootsuka: Oh really?

Romi: It’s true.

Ootsuka: I came here without meaning to say anything, and look where we are.

Romi: No way. You are way sadistic.

Ootsuka: I know.

Romi: This is your second or third time saying that you’ll keep your mouth shut.  You know though, these commentaries are brought to the fans, because they wanted to hear them.

Fujitsu: Fans asked for this cast to speak during this episode.

Ootsuka: Oh, really?

Fujitsu: I think the episode where Gavane is taken out by the nuclear explosion is really powerful.  For everyone.

20:00
Fujitsu: Something horrible had occurred. It really makes me think that Gavane is a very beloved character.

Ootsuka: That’s true.  What a great episode.  I got such a great role, even if I only showed up here and there.  This is the nuclear explosion, right?

Fujitsu: Yes, it is.

Ootsuka: It’s almost foreshadowing of the future of Japan.

Romi: Isn’t it right after this? They almost stopped airing the show, because of current events at the time.

Ootsuka: Oh, really?

Romi: Right?

Fujitsu: It was towards the last episode.  There was an accident.

Romi: There was an accident, right?

Akino: They did almost cancel airing it.

Romi: I really felt like, there were serious events happening in real life, parallel to the show. I can’t remember it very well though.

Fujitsu: Speaking of which, here’s the nuclear explosion.

Ootsuka: Oh, you’re right.

Fujitsu: It’s happening as we speak.

21:00
Ootsuka: It’s really scary to watch right now.  It’s a little too realistic.  It was something so far-fetched and removed back then, but now...

Romi: Right.  This line, “It’s practically daytime.” is so realistic.

Ootsuka: I bet there aren’t any anime besides this one that deals with nuclear explosions.

Akino: That’s true.

Fujitsu: I don’t think there are too many anime that handle nuclear explosions with such fear, as this one.  To actually see the explosion, if anything, and not just referencing to one.

Ootsuka: It’s really realistic.

Romi: I think it’s coming up.  I really like Dianna’s line...but with everything happening with Fukushima, watching Turn A Gundam is so surreal.

22:00
Romi: It really is a powerful lesson.

Akino: It’s the title too, isn’t it?

Romi: Hm?

Akino: “The sunrise at midnight”?

Romi: Right, right. It’s such a pure, honest line.

Fujitsu: I mean, as far as the black history goes.  It’s the human history that’s been buried, and dug up.  It’s truly terrifying. So that’s the end.

Romi: Oh, it ended.

Fujitsu: So the ending theme is coming up.

Ootsuka: That was so fast.

Akino: It’s like “Ahhh Gavane...” I mean.  Why!

Romi: What’d you think?

Akino: I mean, he was told not to go, and he still went! I don’t think Sochie really understood though...

Fujitsu: You mean, in terms of what’s happening?

Akino: Sochie doesn’t understand what’s going on, because it’s revealed later.

Romi: Sochie was trying to go towards Gavane.

Akino: Right, right...

Romi: I feel like I’m gonna cry.

23:00
Fujitsu: It’s such good story telling, to not explain and just leave you hanging.

Ootsuka: Right.  You’re even more invested, because of that.

Akino: It’s so sad.

Romi: It is so sad.

Akino: It’s so sad.

Ootsuka: It really is.

Fujitsu: Ootsuka-san, I wanted to ask you...watching this 15 years later, what do you think?

Ootsuka: I mean...I’m still working, and I know that everyone else is too.  It’s really nostalgic. Everyone who’s somewhat active now is in this series.  Nothing’s really changed.  I think that’s what it’s like, to keep working and working hard.

Fujitsu: Thank you very much. We’re running out of time now, and so I’d like to end the 27th episode’s audio commentary on that note.  Thank you very much!

All: Thank you very much!