JoJo’s Stone Ocean Voice Actor Fairouz Ai Jolyne Interview 2022-10-12

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‘integrity is why the brand suits me!’ Fashion sense and memories learned from Jolyne

The TV anime “JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean” has been airing since Friday, October 7, 2022. Jolyne succeeds in handing over Jotaro’s Star Platinum disc to the Speedwagon Foundation. From episode 13 onward, the past of Hermes and others is depicted, and the battle with Pucci intensifies.

Animate Times conducted an interview with Fairouz Ai, who plays the role of kujo Jolyne, to commemorate the broadcast. He spoke passionately about his love for “JoJo,” his time during recording sessions, his wonderful memories, fashion as an identity, enemy characters, and more.

Citation. アニメ！アニメ！

Challenged to aim for coolness with Jolyne’s “character

Jolyne has become even more powerful since the 13th episode. You haven’t dubbing in about 6 months. Have there been any changes in the way you play the character?

Fairouz　The director told me beforehand that the character design of Jolyne would change more powerfully after episode 13, so I had a period of time to reflect on Jolyne and myself before the postrecording. I read the original story in depth and conditioned myself.

Thanks to the waiting period, I think I was able to play the cool Jolyne without any difficulty. Up until now, I have been conscious of speaking in a low voice and sounding cool like Jotaro. Although Jolyne is Jotaro’s daughter, she is still just Jolyne kujo, a “one person” cool woman, so I tried to play her in a cool way that was uniquely Jolyne .

What did you do during the period of self-reflection?

Fairouz: It is something I do as a hobby, but I tried to train my physical body since my voice comes from my body. I also read the original work aloud repeatedly to deepen my understanding of the work.

You read a lot of the work and took on the challenge of this animation. How do you feel about the completed film?

Fairouz: I watched it all at once when it was distributed. I turned on Netflix as soon as I got home (laugh).

Even though I knew how the story unfolded because I had done the recording, I felt strangely fresh when I watched it. I was like, “What’s going to happen next? I was thrilled and nervous, as if I was watching it for the first time.

Even those who have “read the original story thoroughly” will be able to enjoy the anime with a fresh feeling when they see it.

That’s really ! When the anime was distributed, you watched it with　Jolyne stuffed animals on Twitter.

Fairouz: Yes, that is part of Jolyne’s merchandise, but after collecting and placing the house stuffed animals, I put a drink in Jolyne’s glass (laugh). After I tweeted it, I turned off my phone and watched it carefully, all ready to go.

　Fairouz:Everything is ready. I’ll watch it! ▲

Did you see it alone?

Fairouz:I watched it alone. I cried so hard my head hurt.

After episode 13, the enemies have become much stronger, but has there been any change in Xu Lun’s “Ora Ora Ora”?

Fairouz: After we finished watching up to episode 12, we recorded the off-the-record recording for episodes 13 and after. We had a period of time to reevaluate　Jolyne’s “Ora Ora Ora,” so I think it has grown somewhat.

The staff and co-stars around me encouraged me, so I believed in myself and played my part.

Did you receive any direction on Jolyne’s tone of voice at that time?

Fairouz: Like the “a” in “jya-nai”. I thought I was emphasizing it, but when I put it through the microphone, the “a” was not long enough. I realized once again that it is just right to overdo it a little bit.

Is there anything you kept in mind regarding fine pronunciation?

Fairouz: Rather than trying to be mindful of pronunciation, I grew up watching “JoJo” my whole life, so in a sense, I am bilingual in Japanese and “JoJo” (laugh). Like a bilingual person, the “JoJo” language comes naturally to me (laugh).

Also, I am asked to join the seniors in their acting rehearsals. I also value the power of the moment when we exchange words.

So you are recording with wonderful seniors.

Fairouz: I have fought together with Tamura Matsumi who plays Hermes and Riya Ise who plays F.F. in anime roles, and they are wonderful older women who are kind to me in private as well. We became good friends at the recording studio and hang out in private. I get extremely excited when the three of us work together on a recording!

It’s like a “jojo girls’ club.

I agree. I play with three people again next time.

What do you do in the “jojo girls’ group”?

Fairouz: The “jojo girls’ group” is just a name, but we eat and chat (laugh). When we hold it at my house, we drink drinks from tumblers of each character that I won in a raffle at a convenience store. I say, “You say cheers next,” and you two say, “Kanpai!　Ha!” and there is a series of clichéd shouts (laugh). It’s so much fun!

I got my never-give-up spirit from Jolyne.

Now that the post recording is over, how do you feel about playing Jolyne ?

Fairouz: All kinds of emotions overflowed, and I was already sobbing as I checked the recorded footage. My reliable colleagues supported me until the end, so I was able to keep my feet on the ground during the postrecording, and I have no regrets because I gave it all I had!

I really cried so much that Mr. Namikawa took a photographed of me (laugh).

It looks like a very happy postrecording studio!

Fairouz: I’m in the middle of crying right now! Quit that kind of thing! I was like that (laugh). But it was fun.

When I get up in front of the microphone, I get all fired up with fighting spirit, hating my nemesis Putch, but since Mr. Tomokazu Seki, who plays Putch, is friendly and kind, I sometimes get confused (laugh).

That is why I try to relax during the breaks and be sharp and sharp during the performance.

So you all switch on and off during the recording sessions.

Fairouz: The scene of “Stone Ocean” is a harmonious and enjoyable postrecording. I talk about “JoJo” every time (laugh).

From you, I can feel your strong love for “JoJo”. You also visited the “Anime 10th Anniversary Exhibition”, what was your impression of the exhibition?

Fairouz: I cried a lot when I saw the opening film of the exhibition (laugh).

That video, which reminded me of everything about jojo, was very good.

Fairouz: Even though I should have already known it myself, I was so moved that “jojo really exists as an anime” I was so moved to see my voice in 10 years of history. …… I had some bad times as a student, but I’m really glad I didn’t give up.

Did you learn from Jolyne to never give up?

Fairouz: Yes, that’s right. I learned it from Jolyne.

I felt the strength of spirit in Xu Lun when she entered the ultra-security punishment cell in episode 13. Weren’t you surprised when you first read about the insect scene and other scenes?

Fairouz: That’s exactly the scene that took me by surprise. I was so confused and angry. “Where’s the prison?　I’m going to storm in!” That’s how much I couldn’t forgive him (laugh).

While I was burning with anger, Jolyne controlled her mind without panic or hysterics, reaffirming and inspiring herself to do what she had to do. That strength of hers was so amazing that it made my worries seem small.

At the time I was reading the comic, I was having a hard time going to school. Even if someone said something bad about me, I would say, “It’s just stupid stress! in my mind, and Jolyne gave me the strength to change my mind.

Even if I am exposed to attacks, I must be able to maintain my own spirit! I think so myself.

Fairouz: Yes. Because the stand is mental energy!

It is also “Jojo” that constructed my identity.

In “ora ora Radio S,” where you are a personality, you talked about your love for Yoshikage Kira and Akira Otoishi. Ms. Fairooz, who likes enemy characters, what is the appeal of Father Pucci from your point of view?

Fairouz: Father Pucci is nice!　There are many different manga, but actually in all of them I like the enemy characters. I never liked the main character, but only “Jojo” I like the main character very much too. In my ranking of favorite “Jojo” characters, Jolyne comes first, and the enemies dominate the rest (laugh).

Jolyne is a character that I unexpectedly fell in love with and is the cornerstone of my life, so at the time when I was reading the manga, I thought to Father Pucci, “What an unnecessary thing! （I thought, “That’s unnecessary! But when I changed my point of view, I found Father Pucci’s own aesthetics and consistent arguments very appealing.

The character of the clergyman is also a point of interest; Pucci may think he is righteous, but in the eyes of others, he is evil. I really like the distorted and ambivalent nature of Pucci, who blurs the line between right and wrong.

My personal favorite scene of Pucci is when the white dove brings back the Star Platinum disc in Operation Savage Garden in episode 12, “Torrential Rain Warning Issued. The Christian priest Pucci is deceived by the white dove, a symbol of peace. …… I think the satire is good and Pucci’s contradictions are picturesque.

You mentioned on the radio that “Jojo” was the inspiration for your love of painting and clothing. Who is your favorite character in Stone Ocean in terms of clothing?

Fairouz: Hmmm… I’m torn. …… (seriously). Of all the “JoJo” series, it would be Chocolata (“Golden Wind”). ……

For Stone Ocean, I still really like Jolyne, but I like Gwesu even more now that he has color. When I was reading the black and white manga, I was imagining the colors, but the blue “base” attire in the anime was a surprise to me personally. That blue was stylish and eerie at the same time.

I think the blue of Gwesu is so nice that I want to imitate him in a stylish way.

You always wear anime T-shirts and other colors related to the works of art in your fashion coordination. Do you have any sense of fashion that you adopted from “JoJo”?

Fairouz: When I find a mesh fabric, I think, “Ana Sui! (laugh). Also, when I see a dress with a belly button, I think, “It’s Jolyne! (laugh).

I’m really happy that jouetie, X-girl, glamb, and other fashion brands that I originally liked very much have collaborated with “Stone Ocean”!

Stone Ocean” and collaborating brands are a perfect match!

Fairouz: Yes, it is!　My interest in fashion was sparked by “JoJo”, so I have always been looking for clothes that are “JoJo” like.

I think the brand has a very good balance between eccentricity and casualness like “JoJo”. I’ve been wanting to get them to collaborate with us for a while, and now it’s come true (laugh). Animation is the best (laugh).

It’s amazing to dream come true!　Which of the brand’s items do you wear most often?

Fairouz: I still wear it now, but it’s an American-style Stone Free T-shirt from glamb. I wear it in all seasons, and if I roll up my arms, I can wear it in the summer as well, and it looks cute when layered. The size is loose so it doesn’t bulk up, and it’s very useful.

These American-style shirts are cute, aren’t they? You mentioned earlier that “JoJo” sparked your interest in fashion.

Fairouz: When I was in high school, GUCCI and the original “JoJo” collaborated. Jolyne was prominently displayed in the show window, and the store was decorated with visuals of the characters. I was a student, so I only had a one-piece dress for about 3,000 yen. But I really wanted to see it, so I picked out some of the most beautiful clothes I had at the time and went to look around the store.

Of course, I couldn’t buy it, but when I saw the high-brand products and the characters proudly wearing the brands, I realized, “It’s not about the price, but the quality! The characters are integrity, so a classy brand suits them!” I decided to become a person of integrity who looks good in high-end brands, and I have since explored many different fashions.

What a wonderful discovery!　The integrity of Jolyne and the others you saw in high school still leaves a lasting impression on you.

Fairouz: Yes, I’ve been trying to become a classy woman since then. I mean, Jolyne is in that GUCCI store!　It was powerful enough to make even people who didn’t know “JoJo” stop and look.

It was also “JoJo” that constructed fashion, which is one of my identities, so it really is my life itself.

I am really happy to have played Jolyne , and it links me to my memories of my school days.

You have really lived your life with “JoJo”, haven’t you? Once again, is there anything that made you happy to play Jolyne?

Fairouz: When I went to see the “video” at Shinjuku Wall 456, a parent and child, a junior high school girl and her mother, approached me. The girl was a student preparing for an entrance exam and loved “JoJo,” and when I saw her crying because she was so moved, I felt like myself back then.

I was very happy that a girl at an impressionable age who was struggling with life met Jolyne and that I myself could become someone who could influence others. I was truly happy to be able to play Jolyne because I was able to meet in person a child like myself who had admired Jolyne and get feedback from her.

I feel so much destiny when I hear that story. What did she say to you?

Fairouz: The girl cried for a long time, so I told her, “Just be strong and work hard yourself like Jolyne, and you’ll be fine. There is not much I can say. ……

ーThe girl will be cheered up if the realJolyne talks to her.

Fairouz: No, no, I am Jolyne’s actor, so …… I am the older sister who uses the stand withJolyne‘s voice (laugh).

Thank you very much for sharing your memories of “JoJo” with us, it was a lot of fun. Lastly, do you have a message for the fans who watch the anime?

Fairouz: We have had fascinating characters until the 12th episode, and from the 13th episode onwards, the backgrounds and purposes of each of these characters will be more deeply depicted. You can’t take your eyes off any of the characters, and Ana Sui finally speaks, so please pay attention!

Thank you for watching. See you soon.

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure　Hirohiko Araki

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