ANIME Impulse (February 2020)
VIZ Media (February 2020)
Interview Archive
Kotoba (March 2020)
An interview with Phillip Reich conducted by ANIME Impulse discussing his various voice roles, including his roles as Giorno Giovanna and Yuya Fungami. It was posted on their YouTube channel on February 28, 2020.
Interview
Hi, I'm Phillip Reich. I'm the voice of Giorno Giovanna, and I'm here with ANIME Impulse.
How did you get into voice acting?
I always wanted to be an actor as a kid. I think for a lot of people, once they start getting older, it's like, "How am I ever going to make it as an actor? That can't happen! There's too many people out there!" So I went to film school and studied film editing. And it was there, at film school, that I was like, "Well, my friends need actors for their little short film, so, hey... Can I do it?" (laughs). I got to do a couple videos for my friends' student films. It was so great that I just reached out to other actors, like, "Hey, this voice-over thing, how does one get into that as a career?" And they pointed me in the direction of, "Okay, here's some places to take classes," and I started there. It's been a blast, and I haven't looked back ever since.
How do you prepare for Giorno's MUDAs?
Oh boy. So, preparing for Giorno's MUDAs... That's been an interesting one, because you know it's coming (laughs) and to practice for that, all you're given is... At the time, before you even went into the sessions, it was like, "Okay, all I can do is watch the original Japanese and hear him going, 'MUDA MUDA MUDA.'" So my practice was just saying MUDA over and over again and slowly picking up the pace, and trying to go faster and sustain it. So it's like, "MUDA, MUDA, MUDA, MUDA MUDA...", and you pick it up faster and faster and faster. It's interesting enough, but you get to a point where... For some people, maybe the way their mouth works is different from mine. But also, listening to the Japanese, I realized that if I put the emphasis on the "DA," I could go faster. It became a "MUDA," and the "DA" became my downbeat for it, and "DAMU-DAMU-DAMU-DAMU-DAMU" became the faster way to do it. So it's been interesting. "I'll practice that in the car, sometimes in the shower," and you just pick up the pace as much as you can and hope for the best on recording day. But I will say, I've done it a few times recording; it's been a ton of fun. I love it.
Are you ready for the 7-page MUDA?
(laughs) That is the Everest that is looming in the distance for me, the immensely long MUDA. I believe I'm ready for that, but we're still a ways off from recording that one. So I'm practicing still, every day. It's gonna be top-notch when we get to it. I'm confident.
Any hobbies in your free time?
Interestingly enough, gaming, obviously. I'm a huge gamer, so I stream on Twitch and do that stuff, usually a lot of horror games, on there. I like golfing; I go to the driving range a good amount. I have no idea what my handicap is or any of that stuff, but I like hitting the ball (laughs). It's a ton of fun. Theme parks: it's a weird hobby, but I got the season pass to Six Flags, and since I live so close to it, I go there all the time and just ride. I would say I'm torn between Tatsu, Goliath, and Twisted Colossus being my favorite ride over there. X2 used to be, but then it started getting a little loose, and my head gets a little shook from that one. I lean toward Tatsu. It's just incredible, that flying feeling that you wish you could do (laughs).
Strangest drink you ever consumed?
The strangest drink I've ever had to consume was a drink called "the Rainbow Road." And if you know the reference, that's Mario Kart's Rainbow Road, the notoriously difficult track. "Rainbow Road" is this cocktail of seven different drinks, but because of the color and the density of each liquid, they naturally separate into the various colors, so it looks like a rainbow in your cup. And it's freaking delicious. It's so good. That's the bonus, that the strangest drink I've had is also the best drink I've ever had.
In the game Judgment, you play Caneman. If you could be a (blank)man, what would you be?
My quirky weapon of choice is gonna have to be the controller, because I think that would be amazing. You've got the big controller, that one with the cable. You can swing that around, and that's a weapon in and of itself. Plus, I was inspired by the movie Surf Ninjas, and there's a kid in there who plays the Game Gear, and he controls people in the real world. I loved that so much, and I really liked the idea of being able to, "Oh!" (gestures), and suddenly you've got control of someone else (laughs), and that's how you win your fights. Or you can make the environment do what you want to win your fights. I would say "Controllerman."
Any funny moments in recording sessions?
The funniest moment would probably be when I came in for Persona 5, because they didn't tell me what character I had booked. They were just like, "Hey, we want you to come in for Persona 5." I was like, "Awesome! Great." And I get there, and they're like, "So... You're gonna play a d***." Oh! Great! What's he like? Tell me more! And then I found out, "Okay, you're Haru's fiance, and you're a total asshole" (laughs). "Okay. Let's have fun with this." That was probably my funniest moment.
What was your career defining moment?
I feel like that moment has recurred a few times for me. When I first got the email saying I had booked Giorno, I was like, "I gotta sit down. Holy crap. This is the lead in a hugely popular series. That's heavy." Then the next time was when I got in there for the first session and we started recording. It was like, "I'm doing this. It's really happening." And then after the announcement, and seeing all these people who are going wild, "All right! We're getting the dub!" And even you guys, asking me in here to do this interview. This is really happening. Wow. I've been on this journey for four to five years now, of full-time voice-over, and it's incredible to look back to those four years ago and be like, "I could never see myself being here. It seems so far off." And holy crap. Here we are. Giorno (pointing to doll), it's you, baby.
Choose one of the Bucci Gang's outfits that you would rock
Which one of the Bucci Gang's outfits would I want to wear? I'm trying to picture all of them right now. Let's see... If I had the six-pack, I would pick Mista, but I don't know. I don't want to show off the midriff like that. I'm gonna have to lean towards... I feel like Fugo had a pretty nice outfit. I think Fugo's outfit is the one I could probably pull off the best. It looks comfortable. I know some people might think it looks... whatever, because of all the holes in it. I think the holes are nice. Keeps you cool when it's hot out. And that sleek tie! I've gotta go with Fugo.
What would your personal Stand be?
My personal Stand... Oh, jeez. My personal Stand... For my Twitch followers, they would say that my personal Stand would be called "DK," which is short for "Drift King," because I would shout that in video games when I'm driving a car, and then I'd crash it into stuff. So my Stand would be crashing a car into my enemies (laughs). DK, Drift King. That'd be my Stand.
If you could choose an ending song for JoJo, which song would it be?
The ending song for JoJo is so perfect, with "Freek'n You." I don't know how I could top that. The ending song I would choose for JoJo Part 5 would be "Gangsta's Paradise." Enough said.
Funniest/strangest voice direction you've been given in your career?
The funniest or strangest voice direction I've been given so far... I feel like that's gotta be when I was voicing Yuya Fungami from the previous season. Any of you who've watched it know some of his stellar lines, about ass sweat and smelling girls on their period. Delivering those lines, I needed to be just that hair slimier. Just a little bit more slimy, and like, "Ugh, I feel gross! Here we go..." (laughs). I didn't know what I was walking into when I got into the sessions, and we get to those lines, like, "Yes, I can smell you on your period." I'm like, "Tony... What?! What is this?!" (laughs).
Compare voicing Giorno and Yuya Fungami (Part 4)
Giorno is more reserved, more quiet. But funnily enough, Yuya had this sense of honor, and a sense of responsibility, where he even said, "I wouldn't let this happen to my girls, so I've gotta go after Josuke and save him." Giorno's even greater in that regard: he's bothered by the drugs that are running rampant around the city, and he wants to change the mafia for the better. This isn't right, these kids dying from drugs and families being torn apart. So it's nice to be able to jump into that and really feel that sense of duty and sense of justice that Giorno feels. It's been great playing that, and it's interesting trying to keep that reservation in there. He's not what you quite expect from so many anime protagonists we've seen, where some are just so out there and so big and larger than life. Giorno's a lot more down-to-earth than so many of those, so it's been fantastic getting to play as him.
Favorite anime right now?
My favorite anime's JoJo Part 5, because I binged that one when I found out I booked the role. And I'm so glad I did, because it's actually a fantastic show, and a fantastic season within the show. Goblin Slayer; I really enjoyed that one. Death Note! I just watched that for the first time this year, and it's freaking awesome. And then, I have to go old school for my own sake. One of the ones that got me into anime way back when: Trigun. Huge fan of Trigun. I know some people don't like it as much. I loved Gundam Wing and Samurai Champloo. Those are the ones that come to mind as top-tier anime for me, personally.
What's your favorite pasta?
My favorite pasta is angel hair. Angel hair noodles are my favorite. Angel hair pasta and lasagna; I have to put those on equal footing. I go nuts for lasagna.
Strike a JoJo pose!
Alright, the JoJo pose I've learned from Giorno himself. R18; look away, you kids! ...Probably shouldn't bite the lower lip (laughs).
What does voice acting mean to you?
Voice acting is this amazing experience that I've had. It's this wonderful opportunity to get to jump into these worlds, and into these lives of these characters, and really experience other ways of thinking, and thoughts, and other viewpoints, and getting to creatively tell these super interesting (whether they're funny and quirky, or deeply dramatic) stories. And it's a blast. I love everything about it, and I wouldn't give it up for anything. It's amazing. It's incredible.
