Shuichi Ikeda in 2013 C3 in Hong Kong

Image from C3 in Hong Kong website

C3 in Hong Kong event occurred just over last weekend. As with the previous years, various people were invited for talks or concerts on stage. For this year's C3 in Hong Kong event, the seiyuu (voice actor) of Char Aznable, Shuichi Ikeda (池田秀一) was invited for a staged interview. This time it's mainly on his performance as Full Frontal in Gundam UC OVA series, of which the 6th episode was released worldwide this month.

The pictures in the post are from those with press passes, as the programme specifically mentions no photography or film recording allowed for normal attendees. >_<;
Left to right: Host, Ikeda, Ikeda's translator, and Hong Kong's voice actor for Amuro Ray 林保全 (Lam Po Chuen).


Watching excerpts of Gundam UC featuring Full Frontal and the character's voicework


Lam Po Chuen, the Hong Kong voice actor for Amuro Ray. He is perhaps much more well known for voicing Doraemon, a role he is still performing from 1980 to this day!

When asked whether there are differences between voice acting as Char Aznable and Full Frontal, Ikeda replied briefly that there are actually none. Afterall Full Frontal is also known as the "Second Coming of Char", but is he really Char? We will have to find out later (or you may already know if you have read the novel beforehand).

This is Ikeda's first visit to Hong Kong, and his first impression is that the wines and abalone here are good. He sure is into some fine cusine!

The author of the Gundam UC novel Fukui Harutoshi left a video message for Ikeda. Fukui wishes Ikeda to have a nice time in Hong Kong, but also warned him not to overindulge in drinking XD

Ikeda's favourite mobile suit is Char's Zaku, though he said he likes the Sinanju very much too.

There were rumours that Ikeda is a big fan of Gundam UC's music, and he does admit that he really likes it, which he gets to listen to when working together with the musical team.

On his final message, Ikeda mentions that next year 2014 will be 35th anniversary for Mobile Suit Gundam, and that there is a possibility for anime adaptation for GUNDAM THE ORIGIN to air then. This is interesting, as we are getting more speculations on GUNDAM THE ORIGIN, and this time it's from a prominent person.


Ikeda's responses are brief and concise compared to Toru Furuya, the seiyuu for Mobile Suit Gundam's protagonist and Char's rival, Amuro Ray. He also takes a more serious demeanor in contrast to the more lively Furuya. It has been a pleasure to see Ikeda and his voice acting as Char / Full Frontal on the stage, and his final message sounds like an interesting teaser. We shall see if his words are indeed true in the future!

Images are from Cybergundam and JPBETA