In this short article from the September 1985 issue of Newtype magazine, Saeko Shimazu (voice of Four Murasame) asks Director Yoshiyuki Tomino a few questions about the character she plays and her role in the series as a whole.
**Note that at the time of publishing, Zeta was still airing, probably around episode 25-26. Four’s later appearance in the show (when she reunites with Kamille at Kilimanjaro) would not air until November of that year.
Four is not “Kamille’s Lalah”!
The sad Cyber Newtype Four Murasame. Through his love for her and the conflicting feelings he experienced, Kamille, the protagonist, has grown a lot. Let’s think about Four’s reason for existence and her future.
VA Saeko Shimazu interviews Director Yoshiyuki Tomino
What if an artificial being (Four) and a natural being (Kamille) acted out a love story?
Shimazu
I played the role of Four in Zeta Gundam, but throughout the dubbing I kept thinking, “This sure is a difficult role.” So today, I’d like to clear up some of the questions that were left unanswered during my appearance, and that’s why I’ve decided to do this interview.
First of all, I’d like to ask you about what inspired you to create the female character named Four.
Tomino
One thing I thought was that since Zeta is a story about Newtypes, wouldn’t it be okay for an artificial Newtype like Four to exist? Another thing is that five years have passed since the previous Gundam, and we can really see how biotechnology has advanced rapidly in that time. We can now artificially create twins in livestock. In particular, the technology to arbitrarily separate fertilized eggs, cause cell division, and create identical individuals is already at the practical stage. Therefore, in the future, we may see “Cyber Newtype” experiments that incorporate the field of biochemistry.
Four is a character that came about as a theoretical conclusion, rather than something that I just “thought of.”
Shimazu
I haven’t seen the previous Gundam, but is “Four to Kamille” what “Lalah is to Amuro”?
Tomino
That is still unclear. The aim is to see if the difference between artificial Newtypes and naturally occurring Newtypes can work as a kind of drama.
Shimazu
During the recording, you once told me, “It’s okay to act cute.” You said, “I want to include a cute love story.” I wonder if it’s something different from that element.
Tomino
They’re no different. The drama starts with a love story, you know.
Shimazu
So, will Four be appearing again in the future?
Tomino
She will. That’s because Kamille and Four’s drama hasn’t concluded yet. That might be when “Kamille’s Lalah” appears.
The “pain” of death is what kept Four alive
Shimazu
So that’s why Four’s disappearance in episode 20 was so ambiguous.
Tomino
That’s right. Similarly, it hasn’t been decided whether Rosamia, the Cyber Newtype they experimentally deployed before Four, is dead or not either. There are various reasons why we kept them alive, but the biggest one is that it’s not good to kill them for the creator’s convenience…so we thought why not try keeping them alive instead. The characters themselves put pressure on me, as I wondered if I could create drama by keeping them alive. It was as if I was given the theme of whether I could use them effectively or not. The only time a creator feels like they have created a character is at the very beginning. After that, the more realized the character becomes, the more it becomes necessary for us to pick up on how he or she will act once they are given the chance to live… that’s the only way to create a character.
Actually, there was a character that I failed with in Zeta. She was a female soldier named Lila who appeared at the beginning, and she was originally meant to be more of a fanciful character. But as the animation was completed and her voice was added, she gradually gained volume and became a strong character. At that time, we weren’t able to change Lila’s death, as it had already been decided that it would happen in a few episodes. Therefore, the impression that the character was killed off solely due to the creator’s plan for the plot came across strongly. For this reason, the issue of life or death for Rosamia and Four, who has been portrayed more effectively, is not touched upon. That’s the kind of pressure the characters put on me. The intensity of the pain I felt from killing Lila, who I only thought of as a guest, was the reason why no characters died after that. Of course, there are still characters who are meant to be killed in Zeta as of now. But strangely enough, if those characters die, it’s all they end up being. There are all kinds of creators of course, but in my case, the death of a character feels quite harsh.
Shimazu
I heard that Four will make a significant appearance in the new opening for Zeta.
Tomino
Well, I don’t know if that is Four. It could be someone similar to Four, and even in the final drawing stage, they only appear as “someone who resembles Four, but is not Four, but they could be Four.”
Shimazu
No way (laughs).
Tomino
Nothing has been decided yet about Four’s future. There are various interpretations as to how she will live her life. It’s an era where it’s not unusual to create a perfect “look-alike”.
Shimazu
It would be a problem if the face was the same but the voice was changed (laughs).
Tomino
I guess it all depends on how you feel about me, Saeko-san (laughs). But, joking aside, your enthusiasm to play Four may have a big influence on it. I think you’re an actress who puts me in motion, and the characters you play naturally inspire me. In that respect, you’ve helped me a lot.
Shimazu
Thank you. Finally, could you say one last thing to the many fans who have wondered, “Why did Kamille spend so much time confessing his true feelings to Four in episode 20?”
Tomino
There is only one answer. You can’t fall in love if you don’t understand that feeling!
Shimazu
That’s right (laughs).