

Interview with Kawasumi Ayako (Saber) about the wonderful food adventures of Apron Boy Shiro and his harem. Itadakimasu!

The struggle due to the gap between Heaven’s Feel and Emiya-san

Q: When did you first read the original manga?

A: I was interviewed around the same period as the release of the manga’s Volume 1, so that was my first encounter with this series. Food is its theme, so there was author TAa-sensei, culinary supervisor Tadano Makoto-san and I grouped together. I recall that it was an enjoyable interview where we, together with the rest of the staff members, had the opportunity to eat dishes actually cooked by Tadano-san himself (laughs)

Q: I feel jealous hearing about such an interview… (laughs). At that point, what kind of impression did you have of the series?

A: Sakura and Rider walking around town, Caster cooking meals for Kuzuki-sensei – it’s like the original ‘hollow ataraxia’, minus the parts that happen at night. A happy space where no painful or sad things happen.

Though they weren’t regular occurrences, in ‘stay night’ as well, meals were memorably used as a symbol of contentment. This series however, gives the impression that it was created specifically to emphasize those aspects and even during recording we see ‘warm fluffy time’ written in the script notes (laughs)

Q: Did any of the stories leave a big impression on you?

A: The chapter where Saber, who specializes in eating, is taught how to make pancakes for Shiro, by Sakura. (from Volume 1, extras ‘Saber’s Snack of the Day’ in the comics). It was only an extra chapter, but I really love the feeling of kindness you get from Sakura when it comes to her choice to make pancakes.

Anybody can make delicious pancakes that would make everyone [who eats them] happy, right? The kindness of Sakura, who watches carefully as she’s teaching, and the cuteness of Saber, who is earnest in her cooking attempts – indeed memorable.

From Saber’s perspective, all the other chapters just have her eating, eating and eating (laughs)

Q: In that story, as well as in the first episode of the anime, Saber does exude the aura of a heroine. It can be said that she’s taken a step back of late, like in the Heaven’s Feel movie, so this was refreshing.

A: It’s true that in my mind, I still feel the influence of Heaven’s Feel weighing upon me. During the recording of episode 3, a part of me did start to think ‘Oh Sakura’s here today, does that mean I should yield to her this time?’ (laughs)

Anyhow, I was voicing the role keeping ‘hollow ataraxia’ in mind so there weren’t too many contradictory feelings this time around.

Rather than being the heroine, I think that the essence of the story is that Saber, someone who isn’t too good at communicating with others, gets closer to other people through ‘food’.

Q: I was taken aback when the anime was aired as a surprise Fate Project 2017 New Year’s Eve TV Special.

A: When we were recording, the producers told us to directly keep it top secret, saying ‘You absolutely must not mention this [to anyone]’. If advance notice had been allowed, there might’ve been people who would’ve loved to slurp their soba together [with the characters] in real time. It was heart-breaking that I knew all about it yet could not say anything.

Q: That’s true – there might have been many people who would’ve thought, ‘If I’d known, I could’ve prepared in advance!’

A: During the concluding part of the episode, Saber is stunned for a moment after hearing [Shiro explain] that the meaning behind the soba is that [he wants] ‘to be by her side’, before she gives her delighted reply. It has been a while since I’ve seen blissful moments [between them] so I was quite touched. After all, it’s been, and will continue to be, eternal darkness in Heaven’s Feel (laughs)

Q: The gap in the mood between this and the serious Heaven’s Feel is pretty intense.

A: The first episode was recorded around the same time as we were doing a lot of stage greetings and press interviews for the Heaven’s Feel movie. Because of that, when we were in the studio, the Sound Director [Kondo Hikaru] said to me at one point, ‘You sound like you’re wary of the other Servants. Assassin isn’t hiding in the shadows over there…’

All: (loud laughter)

A: I honestly had no such intentions, but I came to realize that I found it hard to relax when [Saber is] walking around Fuyuki City (laughs)

What, to Kawasumi-san, is a domesticated man?

Q: If Kawasumi-san were to make a meal for Saber, what kind of dish would you like to have her eat?

A: Well, first of all I think we have this strong image of “Saber = someone who eats anything and is always hungry” so in truth she’ll probably eat everything, but she does love the meticulously-prepared food that Shiro makes.

So if I were to cook for Saber, rather than making do with store-bought ready packs, I’d like to make soup from scratch or something that would require a bit of preparation.

Q: In the series itself, Saber is also intently observing how much effort goes into the cooking process.

A: That’s right. So if I were to cook for Saber, I’d have to carefully cut the corners off the ingredients before simmering them – I’d want to put some good work in so that she’ll praise my efforts (laughs)

Q: Do you have any signature dish that you’d cook whenever you wanted to impress someone?

A: I don’t have a specific menu per se, but it’s got to be meat! ‘cos I’ll always hum sounds [of approval] whenever I eat meat. It doesn’t have to be marbled or high-grade stuff, but when I want to put some spirit into it, it’s got to be meat.

Q: From a lady’s point of view, what do you think of a domesticated man like Shiro?

A: It’d be fine if it’s someone like Shiro, but I prefer the type of person who wouldn’t say ‘(what you made) today, it’s a bit lacking’ (laughs).

Personally, I like to keep an eye on the food as I’m braising or stewing it – it’s a form of stress relief for me. I do love cooking itself and even if [my partner] doesn’t know too much about cooking, it would be a joy to have them just eat the food and tell me that it’s delicious.

But if they were truly able to make as many delicious foods as Shiro can, then I will leave all the cooking up to them (laughs)

Q: Please tell us what the appealing points of this series are.

A: This is a series set in a blissful world where wars do not occur, depicting the humble but precious act of ‘sitting around the dining table with everyone else’. The world featured is close to that of ‘hollow ataraxia’’s, but here, there is none of that ‘sadness that cannot be ended’ that you see in ‘hollow ataraxia’.

From the Fate franchise that has its serious side as in the Heaven’s Feel theatrical series, you have a very gentle series like [Emiya-san’chi no Kyō no Gohan] as well, and I hope you can enjoy the different magnitudes of these works.

Oh and above all, the cuteness of Saber when she’s eating something [is a highlight]. I’d also like for you to pay attention to how all the servants, including Saber and all those who departed in the main series, show off a variety of facial expressions as well as live their lives happily.

Q: Lastly, please leave a message to the fans who are looking forward to the broadcast.

A: It is often said that ‘cooking is love’; if you cook with care, then the taste truly will match the amount of effort you put in. On that point, this series is full of stories that will remind you of the most important aspect of cooking – that ‘there is someone who cooks the food, and there will be someone else to eat it’.

This is obviously true of the manga as well, but for the anime we have ufotable, who animated that wonderful mapo tofu in the Heaven’s Feel movie and are serious when it comes to dealing with food, in charge. It may be a little different from the usual Fate, but I hope you enjoy a series that is ‘high-quality, warm and fluffy’.

[Interview & Words: Yonezawa Takashi]