Mari Iijima Fan Interview Part 1!
Presenting the first half of Mari's answers to your questions, covering all things Macross and Minmay. Mari also shares some never-before seen personal photos.
Author: Steve Yun
After ADV announced that they had acquired the rights to do an English language dub of Macross, anime fans across the internet were abuzz with the possibilities that this meant. On top of that, ADV announced that they locked in Mari Iijima, the Japanese voice of Minmay in the original Macross to play Minmay again... this time in English!
当美国ADV公司宣布他们将为超时空要塞MACROSS制作新版英语配音后，网上的日本动漫迷们对这一决定的意味充满了怀疑和猜想。最终，ADV公司宣布他们邀请到饭岛真理小姐－当年日本原版《超时空要塞MACROSS》中林明美的配音者再度演绎这一经典人物－不过这次是用英语！
To commemorate this, Mari Iijima agreed to an interview with Robotech.com, except that instead of a regular interviewer, the fans would be allowed to ask the interview questions. 40 of the best questions were sent to Mari, and she replied to most of them after her first recording session with ADV in November. Here is the first half of the interview, in which we cover all the questions related to Mari's music career and personal life.
为了纪念再度演绎林明美，饭岛小姐同意接受我们美国《太空堡垒》官网的访谈。这次访问不设固定提问者，而是向粉丝们征求问题。40个最具代表性的问题入选。在2005年11月录完第一集戏份之后，饭岛接受了访问。以下是访谈的前半部分。主要谈论与MACROSS和明美相关的内容。
- ON MACROSS AND MINMAY:
BlueTrim asks: What drew your interest into taking up the storyline of Macross as a voice acting project? Or if they sought you out, what was it that they picked you for and how many others were interested in the part?
记者：是什么使得您对出演MACROSS感兴趣的？您认为是什么使得他们选中了您，当时有多少人对这个角色感兴趣？
Mari Iijima says: They wanted a strong singer, I think. And I happened to be there as a new talent (singer & songwriter) at JVC Victor when they were looking for a person who could play Minmay.
饭岛：我认为他们想要一位出色的歌者，巧的是，当他们在寻找林明美相关人选时，我刚刚成为JVC唱片旗下的一名创作歌手。
BlueTrim asks: Were other family members involved in the decision and were there other family members with a singing talent?
记者：您的家人对您的生涯选择有影响吗？此前您的家人有没有从事歌唱事业的呢？
Mari Iijima says: My parents are both dentists. :) But they've always been music lovers, so of course, they influenced me while growing up.
饭岛：我的父母都是牙科医生，但他们喜爱音乐。当然。在我的成长过程中，他们给我很大影响。
rhade asks: Do you consider the role of Minmei your starting point in the music and entertainment world?
记者：您认为是林明美这个角色使您进入娱乐圈和音乐界的吗？
Mari Iijima says: For the entertainment world, yes. But for my music career, my debut album “Rosé” was the starting point.
饭岛：林明美这个角色的确是我进入娱乐圈的起点。但是我的处女专辑《玫瑰》才使我进入了音乐界。
BlueTrim asks: What is your all time favorite Minmei line that she said and why did you like the line?
记者：您最喜欢的台词是什么？能告诉我们原因吗？
Mari Iijima says: Ummmmm, ask me that question again when I'm done with all the episodes, so I'll remember all my dialogue.
饭岛：嗯。。。。。。。当我配完全部英文版台词再来问我比较好，那时我肯定会记得全部台词的。。。。。
Apollo Leader asks: In Macross Do You Remember Love? In the opening part of the movie when Minmay ends her performance of My Boyfriend is a Pilot and thanks the crowd for attending, a man yells out loudly “Minmay!!!” Was this Shoji Kawamori?
粉丝：在剧场版本《可曾记得爱》开头，在林明美唱完“我的男友是飞行员”向观众致谢后，有一名男观众高呼“明美！”，那一嗓子是河森正治配的吧？
Mari Iijima says: I don't know, but I don't think so. :)
饭岛：我不知道，但我不认为是他。
rhade asks: Do fans ever approach you and call you by the character name?
粉丝们与您接触时是不是叫您林明美？
Mari Iijima says: At the very beginning, yes. :) But not any more.
一开始是这样，但现在不了。
rhade asks: Macross and Minmei have touched the hearts and lives of so many people. How does it make you feel to know that Minmei has become almost a household name? Did it ever occur to you that this one show would develop such devoted fans?Or that your character would become such an icon? Or that years after the show ended, there would still be so much demand?
记者：MACROSS和林明美曾经感动和影响了那么多人。不知当明美这个名字变得家喻户晓时您感觉如何？您当初接MACROSS这个戏时是否意识到它会给你带来一批死忠粉丝或者意识到您配音的林明美会成为一个偶像？或者预料到在多年之候这个角色仍然会有高人气？
Mari Iijima says: I had no idea that Macross was going to be this huge, when I was chosen to play Minmay, 'cause I didn't have any information about it.
饭岛：我当初并没有料到MACROSS的影响力会如此巨大。当我被导演选定的时候，我对整个戏并无了解
Saouri asks: My questions are...how do you feel every time on stage, when people ask you to sing Ai, oboete imasu ka or another Macross songs? That song have a special meaning to you, or...21 year later, are you tired to sing it again and again?
粉丝：我想问一下.....每当您站在舞台上，台下的人们一次次要求您演唱“可曾记得爱”或是其他MACROSS经典插曲时，您感觉如何？“可曾记得爱”对您有特殊意义。但是。。。。21年过去了，您对反复演唱这首歌是否感到厌倦呢？
Mari Iijima says: I usually don't sing much Macross songs during my shows. But sometimes, I sing Ai Oboeteimasuka. I love that song more than ever now, I truly connected with that song last year. I suddenly felt that (I finally understood...) while singing it with piano at home.
饭岛：在个人演唱会上，通常我是不怎么唱MACROSS里面的歌的，但有时，我会唱起“可曾记得爱”这首歌。现在我比以往的任何时候都更加喜欢这首歌，
直到去年我才真正懂得这首歌的精髓，当我在家里一边弹着钢琴一边唱这首歌的时候，我突然意识到“啊，我终于明白（它的精髓）了！”。。。。。。。。
Saouri asks: What is your favorite Macross song?
粉丝：您最喜欢MACROSS里的哪首歌？
Mari Iijima says: Ai Oboeteimasuka
饭岛：可曾记得爱。
Apollo Leader asks: In the years after you originally voiced Minmay and had started your music career in Japan, did any other animation studios in Japan approach you about voicing characters in other animated series?
粉丝：在您配完林明美并且开始在日本的音乐生涯之后，日本那边有没有动画公司邀请您去为其他动画角色配音？
Mari Iijima says: Not that I know of.
饭岛：据我所知还没有。
Apollo Leader asks: Have you stayed in touch or have had any working involvement with any of your other fellow voice actors/actresses that were part of the Macross cast?
粉丝：您跟MACROSS里的其他配音演员有没有工作或其他方面的接触和交往？
Mari Iijima says: I stayed in touch with Arihiro Hase who played Hikaru (He often came to my shows in Tokyo with beautiful flowers) but unfortunately he passed away, but I feel his spirit around me all the time. Now I'm very close to his Mom. :)
饭岛：我与为MACROSS男主角一条辉配音的长谷有洋（当年他才17岁）有所交往。（他经常为我在东京的演唱会捧场并献花），不幸的是他已经过世（1996年坠楼而死，享年31岁），我觉得他的灵魂从未离开我的身边，现在我和长谷君的妈妈关系良好。
- ON PLAYING MINMAY AGAIN:
Macross2004 asks: How do you feel when you got a chance to do the voice of Lynn Minmei again?
粉丝：当您得知有机会再次（以英语）诠释林明美时做何感想？
Mari Iijima says: I felt it was fate. In a way, I kind of knew it was on its way. I'm not trying to reprise my role, I’m approaching it as a brand new project that I got as an actor.
饭岛：我看这是上天注定。我不会重复我的角色。我是把它当成我作为一个演员
所接到的一个全新的著名项目来对待。
TotsugekiBomber7 asks: How have your children reacted to the news of you being in a new dub. I believe I remember reading an interview where you mentioned coming across robotech through them.
粉丝：当您的孩子得知您将重新演绎英语版本林明美时反映如何？我曾经读过一篇访问，您在访谈中说您是通过自己的孩子得知“太空堡垒”的存在的。
Mari Iijima says: They were watching the Cartoon Network when they were little, and they found “Robotech” :) When I told them that I was going to play Minmay again, they were like “Oh, cool” :)
饭岛：那是他们小时候，当他们在收看卡通频道的时候看到了“太空堡垒”的。
当我告诉他们我将重新重新演绎英语版本林明美时，他们的反应是“Oh，棒极了！”
Hikaru2 asks: In what ways is the production of the voice acting different in Japan in comparison with how it is done in the United States?
粉丝：您觉得日本和美国的动画配音作业有何不同
？
Mari Iijima says: When we were doing the original Macross series in Japan, the actors were all together in one studio, watching others act, waiting for their turns. We quietly walked to the microphone, and did our lines. It was a TEAM work. Now I'm in the studio, having my own monitor screen with completed animation (of course!) and dialogs, working with a director and a sound engineer. I work about 6 hours straight everyday pretty intensely while I'm in Houston. I would like to capture Minmay's innocence and sincerity this time, so people could appreciate Minmay's personality more. She is a bit sexier this time. (It's natural after all. :) I guess the hardest thing for me is to keep Minmay's original high energy, since I'm no longer a teen. ;) But I'm trying my best as always.
在日本录MACROSS的时候，所有配音演员都集中在录音间，看着别人表演，等待着自己的轮次，我们悄悄走向麦克风，然后配音。这是一种团队合作的工作方式。现在（在美国）我是在录音室里，面对着自己专用的荧幕和已经完成的动画和修订好的台本，与录音师和导演一起工作。我每天紧张地工作6小时。这次我要凸现明美的纯洁和天真，使人们能够更多地接受她的性格。这回的林明美听起来更加性感了点。我想最难的莫过于让林明美听起来仍然象当年一样“精力旺盛且活泼”，因为我已经不年轻了。但我仍然会和往常一样竭尽全力。
Thanks to everyone who participated! Tune in next week when Mari Iijima answers your questions about her music career and personal life!
感谢所有参与的人士！下周饭岛小姐将回答大家关于她的音乐生涯和个人生活的问题！
