STEEL BALL RUN: Atsushi Imaruoka Talks Fritz von Stroheim in New The Other Sides Interview

A new installment of STEEL BALL RUN - The Other Sides - has been released, featuring an official interview with Atsushi Imaruoka, the voice of Fritz von Stroheim in STEEL BALL RUN JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. Imaruoka previously voiced Rudol von Stroheim in Battle Tendency and spoke about his surprise at being cast again, as well as the challenge of bringing a familiar "Stroheim" energy to a completely different character in Episode 6.

Atsushi Imaruoka on Returning to the Stroheim Name

The interview is the fourth installment in the series' villain cast relay interviews. Imaruoka said he was extremely happy when he learned that he would play Fritz von Stroheim, though he had previously convinced himself that the role would go to another actor.

His doubts began after Kenta Miyake, who voiced Muhammad Avdol in Stardust Crusaders, was announced as Steven Steel. Imaruoka assumed that if Miyake was playing Steven Steel, Urmd Avdul would likely be given to a different actor, and that the same would happen with Stroheim.

Several months later, however, Imaruoka received the offer to play Fritz. He later learned that Miyake was also voicing Urmd Avdul.

Imaruoka also reflected on playing Rudol von Stroheim in Battle Tendency, describing the role as an important turning point in his career. He said that playing Stroheim continues to give him confidence when approaching new works and characters.

Although Fritz is a separate character, Imaruoka ultimately chose not to move too far away from the performance style associated with Rudol. He felt that viewers would expect a recognizable sense of Stroheim from him and said he practiced extensively despite Fritz's relatively short appearance.

Episode 6 Performance and Imaruoka's Message to Fans

Imaruoka highlighted Fritz's defeat as one of the scenes that left the strongest impression on him. A short cry from the original manga was extended considerably in the anime script, giving him an opportunity to bring more of his familiar Stroheim-style energy into the scene.

During the recording test, he performed the line at full force beside Shogo Sakata, the voice of Johnny Joestar, and said Sakata's reaction gave him confidence in the performance. Imaruoka also added an improvised rolled vocal sound during the moment when Fritz is struck repeatedly by stone balls, which was retained in the finished episode.

Asked to rate Fritz across several categories, Imaruoka gave him a C for danger, B for coolness, A for cuteness, E for mental strength, E for intelligence, and D for how much he would want to be friends with him.

Although Fritz's role in the race has ended, Imaruoka encouraged viewers to look forward to the many characters still to come and to follow Johnny and the others through the remainder of the race. He also joked that after reaching the finish, he would be happy if fans occasionally returned to watch Episode 6 again.

Source : Official Website