For voice actor fans, Masaya Sakamoto should be a very familiar name. When it comes to Nasu mushrooms, fans of "Fate" will not feel strange. Due to Sakamoto's relationship with the theme song of "fate/grand order", the Japanese media recently invited the two to have a dialogue, let's take a look. (Excerpt available)
q: Could you please ask Mr. Nasu to talk about how you realized your plan to have Ms. Sakamoto sing songs?
Nasu: Actually, when I was conceiving the game, I was listening to Ms. Sakamoto's songs all the time. So after the framework was set, I said to myself, "I hope to make a theme song." As a result, Takeuchi asked me, "How about simply asking Ms. Sakamoto to sing?" "I thought it was unlikely, but Takeuchi asked me to try. In fact, I am a fan of Ms. Sakamoto myself, so I feel sincerely afraid to put forward such an idea. Of course, Takeuchi's enthusiasm is greater than mine (laughs).
Sakamoto: Thank you both for your kindness (laughs).
Nasu: So I carried out the idea of breaking the jar and breaking it, but I didn't expect it to be able to be realized.
Sakamoto: Because I starred in "The Realm of Emptiness", I also dealt with Nasu-sensei. At that time, there were many opportunities to talk about the works carefully, and I also expressed some of my own opinions without permission. And when I heard that there was such a project, I was very happy as a creator. So I had the idea of "please let me try it".
Q: So what did several people talk about when communicating songs?
Natsu: Initially, I didn't think about creating a new song, but I just thought I could pick one of Ms. Sakamoto's albums, so I didn't know what to communicate with (laughs). It was also the first time I had communicated with a singer about a song, and for me and Takeuchi, Ms. Sakamoto was a very noble person (laughs), so I always felt that we would be excited to death in the process of communication. But since Ms. Sakamoto gave such an opportunity, we must also show our real skills.
Sakamoto: When making an anime or a theme song for a game, I would ask the director and staff directly what they needed to determine the direction of the song. But at that time, I thought, "Actually, Nasu Sensei is planning to write her own lyrics."
Nasu: Where there is, which is too exaggerated!
Sakamoto: Since this is a mobile game, it is different from the songs that make other works. Mr. Nasu verbally introduced me to the game. Then I thought FGO should be a work like reading a long novel. For this reason, I felt that I should make a song that made people feel that it was worth remembering after the fact.
Nasu: The song called "Color" was written on the theme of Matthew. Because Matthew is the protagonist of the game, I would like to see her feelings shown in the song. And Ms. Sakamoto responded to us in a doubling of ways.
Q: So what was the response to the song when it was released?
Sakamoto: The response was overwhelming. "Color" was released as a single in 2015, and with the popularity of mobile games, more and more people have expressed their feelings about this song. I think that singing a song for a work, in addition to enjoying the fun of the song itself, can also contribute to the work. And when I found out that this song was known to so many people, I was also very happy.
Nasu: Actually, at that time, because the game was not yet in full swing, I boasted to Takeuchi, "A lot of players don't understand the charm contained in Color, they haven't noticed the charm yet!" But I... But I know! As a result, Takeuchi also complained, "You guy is really disgusting." [Laughs]
Q: Later, Ms. Sakamoto also performed this song at concerts many times, and Mr. Nasu seems to go to Ms. Sakamoto's concerts as well. So how do you feel after hearing this song on the spot?
Nasu: Ms. Sakamoto's concerts are really energetic, and every time I go to see it, I feel like I'm free (laughs). Because her songs tend to be gorgeous, "Color" may be a more alternative song in it.
Sakamoto: In my opinion, "Color" is a very fresh song. The first is that it's very difficult to sing (laughs). This is probably the hardest song I've ever sung. However, when I performed at the concert, I felt as if I was racing in the world of "fgo", and the work gradually came to me.