NEW GAME! is a four-panel comic currently being serialized in Manga Time Kirara Carat. It is a manga set in the game production company Eagle Jump, depicting the everyday working life behind the scenes of game production. Due to the popularity of the original work, it was made into an anime in the summer of 2016. The anime was also so popular that a second season was broadcast the following year. This time we will introduce Suzukaze Aoba, the main character of NEW GAME!, which is very interesting as it gives us a look behind the scenes of game production, which is not often talked about, and conveys both the pain and joy.
What kind of person is Suzukaze Aoba?
Source: NEW GAME! ©Tokuno Shotaro, Houbunsha / NEW GAME! Production Committee
An 18-year-old girl who just graduated from high school. She is short at 149cm and wears her long hair in twin tails. She has a very childlike face and is short, so some people say she doesn't even look like a high school student. Although she has no experience with part-time work, she is very sociable and has good communication skills and is considerate. Although she can be a bit naive, she is basically serious and has a very high motivation for her work. Furthermore, she has the determination to not give up and try her best to overcome the obstacles her superiors give her. The protagonist is very honest, cheerful, and hardworking.
Aoba Suzukaze working as a graphic designer
Source: NEW GAME! ©Shotaro Tokuno, Houbunsha/NEW GAME! Production Committee
After joining Eagle Jump Co., Ltd., Aoba is assigned to the graphic designer team. Aoba works under Yagami Kou, a character designer on a team that creates 3DCG characters. Aoba has no knowledge of 3DCG, and the first task he was given was to go through the reference books. He struggled to make his way through the reference books, and was given the task of creating a mob character at an early stage. However, the completed mob character underwent multiple retakes. Aoba didn't give up, and after making repeated revisions, he finally got the OK, and found the job rewarding and full of a sense of accomplishment.
Why did you choose to work at Eagle Jump Co., Ltd.?
Source: NEW GAME! ©Tokuno Shotaro, Houbunsha/NEW GAME! Production Committee
Aoba joined Eagle Jump Co., Ltd. because he admired them. He was moved by the game Fairy Story that he played as a child, and came to admire Yagami Kou, who was in charge of character design.
High school days to make dreams come true
In order to make his dream of becoming a character designer at Eagle Jump Co., Ltd. come true, he joined the art club in high school and met Hotaru Hoshikawa, who was aiming to become an illustrator. Hotaru's drawing skills were so high that she was entrusted with illustrations for light novels while still in high school. While Hotaru, who had better drawing skills than Aoba, taught him how to draw, seeing Hotaru moving forward towards his dream became a trigger for Aoba to strengthen his own resolve.
Suzukaze Aoba's famous line "I'll do my best today too" is released to the world
Source: NEW GAME! ©Tokuno Shotaro, Houbunsha/NEW GAME! Production Committee
One day, Aoba came to work early in the morning and told herself, "I'll do my best today too," to get herself fired up before starting work. Kou Yagami, who had been listening to this in silence, laughed, "What are you talking about?" This phrase became a hot topic in the public, and in the 2016 Anime Buzzword Awards, it won the bronze award, beating out other strong contenders such as "But I refuse" and "My brain trembles." It also gave birth to the phrase "Zoi pose," which is when two fists are placed in front of the chest.
Introduction to the 2016 Anime Buzzword Awards
Bronze Award: "I'll do my best today too" (NEW GAME)Silver Award: "Garupan is great" (Girls und Panzer the Movie)Gold Award: "I just fell in love" (Sound! Euphonium 2)Special Award: "Bye-bye banana" (Star Child Poron)
Is Suzukaze Aoba wearing a suit? Or a school uniform?
Source: NEW GAME! ©Tokuno Shotaro, Houbunsha/NEW GAME! Production Committee
Aoba always wears a navy blue women's suit to work. He has a very childlike face, and he often wears it in a school uniform style with ribbon buttons on the collar, so it is often mistaken for a school uniform. Yagami once taught him how to wear a suit properly, but it felt very strange to see Aoba with a childlike face.
Aoba Suzukaze has a sadistic side
Source: NEW GAME! ©Shotaro Tokuno, Houbunsha/NEW GAME! Production Committee
Aoba is basically serious about her work, has a good personality, is honest and hardworking, but she also has a dark side. He imagines bullying Hifumi-senpai, and when he goes on a trip to a hot spring, there is a scene where he makes sadistic remarks while bathing a snowman he made in hot water and sauna. He has a sadistic black humor.
Black humor is reflected in the game
Source: NEW GAME! ©Shotaro Tokuno, Houbunsha/NEW GAME! Production Committee
Aoba, who has such a side of black humor, uses his talent for black humor in the game. Aoba proposed the ritual of the Bear-eating Tribe, one of the scenes in Game Peko, and it is a very dark and eerie ritual. The staff was confused when they found out that Aoba had proposed the scene.
Aoba Suzukaze is a poor athlete
Source: NEW GAME! ©Shotaro Tokuno, Houbunsha/NEW GAME! Production Committee
Aoba overslept and prepared to be late. However, on the train, she meets Iijima Yun from the same team. Yun was also late, but she was very calm and had the attitude of "it happens sometimes, so it can't be helped." However, Aoba suggested that they could make it just in time if they ran from the station, but Yun said that she was "slow." When Aoba told her that she was also not good at sports, they decided to try their best together. They arrived at the station and ran towards the company, but Aoba was slower than Yun had expected. And she fell in front of the company.
Aoba Suzukaze is serious about her job and works hard
Source: NEW GAME! ©Shotaro Tokuno, Houbunsha/NEW GAME! Production Committee
After joining the company, Aoba works hard toward her dream despite not knowing much about it. At first, she struggles with creating 3DCG characters and has to undergo multiple retakes. After that, she is entrusted with character design for the first time, and while she realizes the difficulty of creating something from scratch, she finds her own way to overcome the difficulties.
Source: NEW GAME! ©Tokuno Shotaro, Houbunsha / NEW GAME! Production Committee
And in the game Peko, with the support of Yagami Kou, he was selected as a character designer from the beginning. However, when it came time to create the key visual, they had Yagami, who has a proven track record, draw it instead of the unknown Aoba, but the two of them were not satisfied and decided to audition for the key visual even though the result had already been decided. Aoba, who works hard at her job, is very attractive and makes you want to support her.
Voice actor is Yuuki Takada
Source: NEW GAME! ©Shotaro Tokuno, Houbunsha/NEW GAME! Production Committee
The voice actress who plays the voice of Aoba Suzukaze is Yuuki Takada. Her most notable works include Kurosawa Rin in Aikatsu, Elma in Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid, and Onigawarin in Armed Girl's Machiavellism. Although she is still a new voice actress, she is very skilled, so we can expect great things from her.
Summary of the main character, Aoba Suzukaze
Source: NEW GAME! ©Shotaro Tokuno, Houbunsha/NEW GAME! Production Committee
What did you think? I hope you were able to understand a little about Aoba Suzukaze. Aoba is very cute, honest, and hardworking, and when I see her, I feel like I have to work hard too. The way she single-mindedly and directly pursues her dreams is also very dazzling. I think there are other charms and unexpected sides to Aoba, so I hope you will find them. That's all for today. Thank you for reading.
