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Ayacon Haruko Momoi Interview Part 2

Ayacon Haruko Momoi Interview Part 2

Written by Russell Phillips on 07 Sep 2009



Welcome to the second part of the interview with Japanese voice actress and singer/songwriter Haruko Momoi from Ayacon. If you missed part one you can find it here. Fellow Ayacon guest, American voice actor as well as co-creator, director and one of the stars of the comedy web video series “There Will be Brawl” Matthew Mercer handed over to the audience to ask Haruko Momoi their own questions.

CROWD: Is there anyone that you’ve meet in the anime industry or you’ve really, really wanted to meet – kind of an idol, whether it’s a director or producer or voice actor or actress?

MOMOI: I look from a very different viewpoint – I watch anime and I perform in anime but there are people that I would like to meet. I recently saw the movie version of Evangelion and I thought it was very interesting.

MERCER: to expand upon that, Out of curiosity, are there any non Japanese celebrities that you’re interested in meeting at some point?

MOMOI: The Simpsons! [Laughs] I really want Bart and Homer to meet Japanese otaku and go “whoah!” because I noted  a lot of musicians appear as characters in the Simpsons and I’d like to see a lot more otaku culture appear in the series. So if you know anyone involved in the Simpsons.... [Laughs]

CROWD: Do you think that there is any particular problem, say, with particular areas of fandom, for example I read that recently one of your fellow seiyu, Nana Mizuki, recently had a potential murder plot foiled by the police. My question is do you think that there are particular problems in some area of fandom, not just in Japan but world wide as well?

MOMOI: I’d never really thought of there ever being any real problems with Japanese fans. There’s not that many who are really that strange and that twisted. With my fanbase even if I’m asked to sign anything they are all very appreciative of the work I do in anime, although I speak from the perspective of my own fanbase – but the more popular you become the more weird fans you get.

CROWD: Soultaker was, in my opinion, a fantastic anime that never got the recognition it deserved. Why do you think it wasn’t as successful?

MOMOI: I don’t think that just because something is good, it’ll necessarily become popular. I think that an important part of being an otaku is to search out for great things in things that aren’t necessarily popular. I recommend doing more cosplaying, do more activities to make it popular.

CROWD: What’s the funniest or oddest thing you’ve ever experienced at a convention in Japan or elsewhere?

MOMOI: The most interesting things that’s happened to me at a Japanese event? Well, firstly we don’t have conventions in Japan. There’s an FX competition, there’s Comiket, but that’s more a place for selling dojinshi. Now that you mention it this sort of convention doesn’t really exist in Japan. There are live Japanese voice actresses who make appearances. And there’s the Tokyo Expo which is all based on companies rather than fans. There are also cosplay events around the Tokyo dome but no conventions - someone should do something about it. I guess while the fans are the centre of the convention there aren’t any conventions in Japan where this is the case. [Laughs] I think it would be a good idea.


Russell Phillips

Author: Russell Phillips


Russell hasn't written a profile yet. That's ruddy mysterious...

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