Animedia June 2020 Daiki Yamashita Interview

Dogasu's Backpack | Features | Animedia June 2020 Daiki Yamashita Interview

The June 2020 issue of Animedia (on-sale May 9th, 2020) included an eight-page feature on the Pocket Monsters (2019) animated series that included interviews with members of both the show's cast and crew.

Below is a translation of the interview they ran with Daiki Yamashita, the voice actor who portrays Gou.

Daiki Yamashita
Born September 7th. From Shizuoka Prefecture. Belongs to Arts Vision. His main roles include Izuku Midoriya in My Hero Academia and Sakamichi Onoda in Yowamushi Pedal, among others.

Gou's inexperience is part of his charm

Animedia: Please tell us if there's anything you two keep in your minds or pay special attention to in order to make Satoshi and Gou the strong duo that they are.

Daiki Yamashita: Our individual personalities and goals aren't really the same but I think those differences actually help us get along with each other. But also, the parts of us that love Pokémon are exactly the same and so whenever we make new discoveries or experience new things we have a good friend to share them with and so our feelings of awe and wonderment are multiplied that much more. I think that's probably connected to their growth as well.

Animedia: Adult Trainers like Dande and Kibana keep showing up, one after the other. While they are certainly formidable opponents, what do you think Gou and Satoshi have that they don't?

Yamashita: Future potential. Gou is a young boy who's really always thinking about what's next. What kind of Pokémon will we come across, what will we feel, what choices will we make, etc. The world is their oyster, you know? And since they're still just kids they get to have a bunch of challenges, a bunch of losses, and a bunch of tears and laughter. I really hope they take full advantage of this special time in their lives. Of course they still don't really know what they're doing half the time but that inexperience is just a part of their charm.

"Lots of different experiences have shaped Gou and made him who he is" (Yamashita)

Animedia: Gou's personality has really blossomed since the beginning of the series. Which of the current episodes have shown off Gou's growth and change?

Yamashita: I've always felt like Gou's constantly learning and growing. Going around with Satoshi and all these Pokémon is something that's completely new to him and I think his days are filled with things he didn't get to do in his ordinary, everyday life. Because of this I think Gou feels, learns, thinks about, and takes in the experiences he has and makes them all part of who he is, and he does this in each and every episode. I always really look forward to this.

Animedia: If you, Mr. Yamashita, became a Research Fellow in the world of Pokémon, where would you want to go and what would you want to do?

Yamashita: Satoshi and Gou rode on the back of a Lugia in Episode 2, and it was a super fun and sparkly, so I'd want to do that again, going around from region to region, from Kanto to Galar, all on the back of a Lugia! I also wanna eat the tasty delicacies of each region!

Animedia: Could you please send us off with a message to Animedia's readers that includes what we have to look forward to in the future?

Yamashita: Satoshi's and Gou's journey keeps on going and going! Even I don't know what's going to happen next or what adventure lies ahead of them. I get so excited whenever I'm handed a new script and think "Oh wow! They're going to meet that Pokémon!? And he's going to get it? I'd better do my best!" I hope everyone is as excited as we are and will head out into the world of Pokémon together with us!

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