The Fate/stay night 20th Anniversary Celebration brought fans from across the United States together for one momentous occasion. We had just finished with a talk show reminiscing about the past being regaled with tales and insights into the game.

For us here at The-O Network, we had the opportunity to spend some additional time with the stars of the show, Ayako Kawasumi, Kana Ueda, and Noriko Shitaya. They are the voices of the heroines Saber, Rin, and Sakura, respectively. In a way, we've grown up with each of them, watching and listening along to their careers. The Fate franchise has been a big part of their lives, and much like the heroes in Fate have become legendary, so have these voice actresses.  The talk show may have whetted our appetites, but there's always more room for knowledge.

_{Interview was constrained to a round table format with two other outlets. Questions and answers have been edited for clarity.}

All three of you have been to Los Angeles but not all together. Do you ever talk to each other about the popularity of Fate overseas?

Ayako Kawasumi: Yes, we talk about it. We talk about where we've been and what the reactions (of fans) are like. We've had two people together before but this is the first time we've had all three of us in LA at the same time. It's great to finally experience it as a group.

Kana Ueda: I come to LA every year and this is actually my second time this year. The last time all three of us were together in Japan was FGO Fes, and the last time overseas was in 2019 so it's been a while and we've been looking forward to it. At every event, people come up and talk to us about Fate. We really feel the love from overseas fans.

Noriko Shitaya: Each of us goes to events on our own and afterward we talk about what we've experienced. We go to a lot of FGO events but there are not so many Fate (specific) events so we're really happy to be able to do this.

The English version of Fate/stay night has only been out for a few months which means that a lot of folks are experiencing it for the first time. Can you tell us about your first involvement with the series?

Kawasumi: I knew it hadn't been released in English but from seeing all the fans cosplaying servants, I could tell people were enjoying the Japanese version along with the anime. I think it's different for players to be able to play the localized version and I want people to enjoy it.

My first involvement was with the Fate/stay night anime and looking back, it's amazing how far Fate has come.

Ueda: My first involvement was also the Fate/stay night anime, and the Fate/stay night Playstation version (Realta Nua). The first time the fans heard my voice was in 2006 and they had a cast announcement. They played a trailer with my voice in it and I could hear the fans' surprise at it. I thought, "Ah, this is what I'm going to be a part of."

Shitaya: The anime audition was also my first time. I knew it was a very popular game. I remember feeling a lot of pressure and I was nervous during the recording. I had no idea I'd be a part of Fate for so long and I want to show the me from 20 years ago what I'm doing now and how far the game has come.

Sakura is known for her quiet resilience. How does portraying this aspect of hers influence your approach to other roles?

Shitaya: So as an actress, I'm trying to bring out the different characters from within myself. Playing Sakura has had a big impact on my career as an actress because I've gotten a lot of opportunities to play a girl who you "want to protect" after portraying her.

This event is celebrating the 20th anniversary of Fate/stay night. How do you feel about voicing your characters now compared to the original anime adaptation?

Kawasumi: Actually, I haven't been the Fate/stay night Saber recently. I've been doing a lot of different versions of her in FGO and in Heavens Feel it was the Dark Saber (Saber Alter). I can't compare my recent experiences to the Saber route back then. If the Saber route was animated now, I would be able to compare the different sides of Altoria over the last twenty years. That's something I would like to see.

Ueda: Well, first there was the Fate/stay night anime in 2006, and then the Unlimited Blade Works movie, and then the Unlimited Blade Works anime series. With the later titles, some of the staff said, "Oh, you can still do it," as it had already been eight years. In those years I've progressed in age but Rin hasn't. That's something I've had to pay attention to, being able to play that same role. When I had to scream, I was told, "Your screams might show your age, so be careful." Until now I've tried to make sure my age doesn't show. Rin is a high-schooler so I'm trying to stay true to her age.

Shitaya: I haven't been able to just play the normal Sakura recently. There was the original anime, Unlimited Blade Works, and then Heaven's Feel in 2017. Since those years since I first auditioned for Sakura, my understanding of her has really deepened. I've gained a much better understanding and it's very different from what I knew in the beginning.

What do you miss about the early days of the franchise?

Ueda: When it's been 20 years there have been a lot of things that happened and I can't remember all of it. I wish there was a Fate timeline to reference for interviews like this. Even just watching the footage shown during today's event made me feel really nostalgic.

Kawasumi: I remember clearly the studio and how it was, and things we talked about back then. Maybe it's because we've always been involved with Fate during those twenty years, not just for anniversaries, but actively working every year. Even when we're not recording it's on my mind.

Rin has a complex relationship with her ideals and her responsibilities. Have there been any surprising ways you’ve grown to understand or connect with her character over time?

Ueda: Rin is the eldest and she has to take over the Tohsaka household. That path was already laid out for her when she was born. She doesn't reject that and has a determination to be the head of the household.
Fate/stay night Rin is like that. But over the twenty years and many Fate series, there have been different kinds of Rins with different backgrounds and different roles, but they all have the same goal. For example in Prisma Illya, it would be saving the world. Every Rin is different but every Rin is correct in their own way. With each of those, I've been able to better understand her as time goes by.

The Fate/stay night voice actors and actresses interact with each other frequently. Do you discuss the other Fate series outside of Fate/stay night?

Kawasumi: It's usually about FGO.

Shitaya: When we were recording Today's Menu for the Emiya Family we would talk about that a lot and about the things we actually cooked (in real life).

KU: For many many years there has been a Prisma Illya anime or movie released every year. Every time they released one it was like, "OK, I guess it's that time of year again. I wonder what they're going to do this year?"

Your characters Rin, Sakura, and Saber have been portrayed in various forms throughout the years whether in Fate/stay night, Prisma Illya, Today's Menu for the Emiya Family, and games like FGO. Which version of your character stands out the most? Not necessarily your favorite, but who and why?

Kawasumi: Fate/Zero Saber for me. Fate/Zero was about a past Holy Grail War, which while (in universe) was chronologically before Fate/stay night, came (in production) after Fate/stay night. I had to really think about how to act like Saber and act out the character. Fate/stay night Saber really affected Fate/Zero Saber and I thought a lot about the past and the future.

Ueda: Unlimited Blade Works Rin has been the most impactful for me. In the TV series Unlimited Blade Works, with Episode 0 it was from Rin's point of view. The war is starting again and Rin is experienced but feels like something is different about this one, like it's heavier this time, like the stakes are higher.

On a tangent, I usually don't feel jealous towards other characters, especially when it is a heroine on her own route, but with Prisma Illya, even though it is a different Shirou in a different world, he kept saying this other girl's name, Miyu, and I felt jealous because of that. I just couldn't accept it.

Shitaya: Same for me. When all of us were recording together, Shirou, Miyu, and Sakura, I'd be watching Shirou and Miyu interacting and I also felt jealous.

Of course, for me, it is Heaven's Feel Sakura. But besides that, it would have to be Carnival Phantasm Sakura. After Heaven's Feel ended, Sakura has been more of a main character in other series. Well, she has always been the main heroine, but she always felt kind of insecure. That explains how she is treated in Carnival Phantasm.

In a past interview (almost 10 years ago now with us!) you mentioned that each iteration of Saber has her own unique qualities, yet they all share a core essence. Looking back over 20 years, how do you feel about Saber’s journey and the way she’s been portrayed through each version of her?

Kawasumi: Ten years ago, FGO hadn't started yet, but there was Fate/Zero Saber. I'm often asked, "There are so many Sabers, how do you act them out?" Craft-wise, techniquewise, it's difficult to act out the different Sabers, but feeling-wise, there's nothing I had a hard time with. Emotionally, it wasn't difficult. For example, Altoria Pendragon Alter comes from the main Altoria Pendragon. Her anger comes out stronger in her Alter version but the base is the same. And for the swimsuit Archer version, I think about the more excited Hollow Ataraxia Saber. From the blue Saber, to the basic Saber, I branch out from there. I'm always surprised that she can branch out even more than she has. It really makes me feel that the first Saber is a perfect character.

Are you still interested in having Saber Lion as a playable character?

Kawasumi: Yes! Thank you for remembering! It's a different side of Saber. And with FGO there are so many versions of Saber so I think Saber Lion would be special for me.

Would you be able to share any thoughts on each other's characters and their dynamics? For example, Sakura/Rin, Rin/Saber, Sakura/Rider, Rin/Archer, and with Emiya.

Ueda: Earlier today there were a lot of scenes with Rin and Sakura. Even with the same two characters, there are various ways to express the characters and play them in each series. In Realta Nua there is one scene that is similar to one in Heaven's Feel. In Heaven's Feel, she hugs Sakura but it's not that kind or gentle, she's more tired, she really tried to protect Sakura but wasn't able to and she's giving up. In Realta Nua she was kind to Sakura and nurturing to her. The lines that follow are really different.

Kawasumi: In the different routes, Rin and Saber, sometimes they're working together, and I'm always looking at Archer and thinking he looks cool. In Heaven's Feel, Rider finally reveals that Sakura is her master

Kawasumi: With the Fate route, this is the only one where Saber has romantic feelings with Shirou and vice versa. But with Unlimited Blade Works and Heaven's Feel, it's completely different, Saber acts out her duty as a Servant and she puts all her strength into protecting. It's fun to play that kind of Saber who acts for the people. She does become Alter in Sakura's route but I really like acting out the different types of Sabers.

Do you have any final messages for the fans who have supported Fate for 20 years?

Kawasumi: We kept saying, "Twenty years, twenty years" today. When you think about it, over that much time there are so many fans who watch so many series and today we were able to meet them directly. It helps you realize that there are so many fans on the other side of the screen, and people are still posting about Fate all the time. There are going to be many more series that are coming out so please keep on loving Fate.

Ueda: Whether you're a voice actor or actress, there's not a lot of opportunities where you can play a role that you want to play. Being able to play Rin Tohsaka has been a miracle over the past twenty years. I think the reason that I've been able to do this for twenty years is the fans like those who came today. Those who read the visual novel, played the game, and supported all the different versions of Fate. I can't thank you all enough, even if I were to say it a hundred or a thousand times. The twentieth anniversary is by no means the end and things are just getting started. Over the years, there have been a lot of times when I've had to say goodbye to something. I don't know how long I'll be able to keep playing Rin but I'd like to keep being involved with Fate for as long as I can. Thank you for your support.

Kawasumi: Over the past twenty years, I really feel like you've all been supporting me. Being able to keep on playing Sakura, being able to have people hear my voice, and being able to come to America and other countries, I really feel the love. Having so many people enjoy the series is something not to be taken for granted. It's really a miracle to be able to do this over and over again. It's something to be proud and happy about. We'll keep putting out new content and working hard to act out our roles, so please continue to support us and keep loving the series.

Sadly, our time together came to an end.  It was short and sweet, and doubtless, each of us in that room, both seiyuu and press alike, could have gone on for hours more. Here's to another twenty years of Fate.