New Softbank CM "Gigakuni Monogatari" & also appeared as Satou! Interview with Marie Uchida, a heavy smartphone user who sympathizes with GigaDeath & report on the recording scene!

Softbank's "Gigakukoku Monogatari" series of commercials. The new commercial was filmed at a certain location in Tokyo. The Akiba Research Institute editorial staff visited the site and met the voice actress, Marei Uchida!

It was like a movie! The "Gigakuni Monogatari" series is gaining popularity for its large scale set and the various interactions between Okada (Junichi Okada), Tao (Tao Tsuchiya), Shiraishi (Mai Shiraishi), Takumi (Takumi Kitamura), and the AI robot Satou.

The latest commercial for the series will begin on April 20. This time, the setting is a karaoke box. The group spends a pleasant time there, but what is interesting to Akiba Research Institute is that the beautiful ...... woman who appears in the karaoke video is the voice actress Mare Uchida!

It turns out that Ms. Uchida is actually playing the role of Satou, the AI robot character.

So, we asked Ms. Uchida, who is the fifth member of the "Gigakuni Monogatari" family to appear in the media, to share her thoughts on appearing in the commercial and playing the role of Sato, as well as her own "Giga Death. We also asked him about his own "Giga Death" episodes!

Please enjoy the photos taken during the filming!

Someday I would like to sneak into the "Giga" country!

--First of all, what was your impression when you heard about the "Giga Country Story" project?

Uchida: When I first heard about the project, I wondered what kind of commercial it would be, but as I was shown the images and recorded the narration, I was excited that a new commercial was about to begin! I remember how excited I was to be a part of Softbank's new commercial series.

I was honored to be a part of Softbank's new series of commercials, and I was really excited about my performance because I wanted to make Satou a beloved character.

--What kind of direction did you receive for playing Satou?

Uchida: I was told at the beginning not to be too human, but to keep a balance as a robot. I tried to keep the robot's character in mind, while also giving it a slightly comical feel. I tried to make him look like he was joking even though he wasn't, and when he was working properly as a robot, he looked like he was doing his job properly. I have an image of Takumi and I as a comical duo (laugh), but I am playing the role with the hope that I can be a lovable character. SoftBank's most popular character is the father of the Shirato family, so I'm trying to match him.

--By the way, have you ever played a robot character before?

Uchida: I have played zombies, heroes, princesses, and many other characters, but I think this may be the first time I have played a robot with such a bare metal body (laughs). (Laughs) I have done humanoid robot characters that were actually robots, but this is the first time I have done a character that is this close to a robot, so it was interesting, and I think it was a challenge for me as a voice actor as well.

--It was a challenge for me as a voice actor as well.

Uchida: I've seen a lot of commercials, and when I open YouTube, I see the commercials, but surprisingly, I haven't been discovered. I thought to myself, "They haven't found out yet. I would like to see the look of surprise on your faces when you find out that I am playing the role.

--Speaking of surprise, I was also surprised to see you in the commercial yourself.

Uchida That's right! That was another surprise (laughs). I thought the worldview and costumes of "Gigakuni" were cool, and the karaoke box had a great atmosphere, so I thought, "I wonder if I can enter this world, too. Someday I would like to sneak into Giga Country too (laughs).

(Laughs.) -- It's not very often that you get to be the person in a karaoke video, is it?

Uchida: No, it is not! And since Satou and I were both on the screen, I was like, "What's that?　Satou is me and I am Satou? I would be happy if people could notice even a momentary glimpse of the images on the screen.

Satou looks a little sad, but he seems to be having fun, and I'm not talking, but he is, so you might be thinking, "Hmm? Which one of us is talking?" (laughs). (Laughs) However, Satow and I both seem to be having a good time! If you listen carefully, you will be able to tell, but I hope you will listen carefully.

--Do you like karaoke yourself?

Uchida: Yes, I do. I don't go to karaoke very often these days, but I used to go to karaoke alone a lot in the past. I used to sing for hours, check my audition, and shout out. So I think of karaoke as a place where I can concentrate on various things. I was deeply moved by the fact that I would appear in such a karaoke video.

I feel a tremendous outpouring of sympathy for "Giga Death!

--By the way, what do you usually use your smartphone for?

Uchida: My smartphone is always by my side; I use social networking services and watch YouTube. I watch videos in the bath, cosmetics and makeup videos, and also read manga.

I am a heavy user of YouTube in particular. When I wake up in the morning, the first thing I do is stop my alarm, and since it takes a while for my brain to wake up, I first play a video that I usually watch. I get up just as that video finishes and start wandering around the house with my phone in my hand (laughs).

(laughs) ─ If you do this every day, you must be reading a lot of data.

Uchida That's right. It was like the amount of data was infinitely increasing, and in the past, I would quickly exceed my monthly limit. That's why I was dying of giga-death all the time (laughs).

--(laughs) - Can't you stand to die a gigabyte?

Uchida: I can't stand it! That's why I joined "Ultra Gigamonster+" right away, so I don't think there were many times when I was dying of giga-death.

--Then, "Giga Death" in the commercial! And the image of him falling to his death...

Uchida: It's a tremendous outpouring of sympathy.

--Is there anything you would like to do or an episode you would like to see in the "Gigakuni Monogatari" series in the future?

Uchida I would like to see an episode in which Sato plays a major role. Satou is broken! What should we do? Then Satou says something like, "Everyone, please take care of the rest. ......" (gasp) and continues on to the next episode, but I'd like to see him appear in the next commercial looking like nothing happened (laughs). Also, the world is cool, so I would like everyone to go on adventures to various places and show the scenery.

I would also like to see everyone going to the beach or to a barbecue. It would be like the swimsuit episode in the anime. I'd like to see Satou and Takumi under the hot sun, and everyone having a great time. and then everyone gets mad at them (laughs).

--Lastly, please give a comment to the audience.

Uchida: I am very excited to have the opportunity to voice the adorable character Satou and also to appear in the show myself! I hope you will all concentrate your eyes and ears and enjoy the "Gigakuni Monogatari" commercial when it comes on!

Ms. Uchida answered the interview with a smile from start to finish, and the shooting of the commercial proceeded in a friendly atmosphere. She showed us various facial expressions, poses, and turns in response to the director's request.