Dempagumi Inc. superstar Mirin Furukawa talks to us about her love for Apex Legends, and specifically Pathfinder!
This week we had the pleasure of speaking to J-Pop Idol and Twitch Streamer Mirin Furukawa about what has made Apex Legends such a runaway success in Japan, her favourite characters, and why Revenant is so moody all the time.
When did you start playing Apex Legends?
I’ve been playing since it came out, but I only started playing seriously from the second half of Season 5. I got really hooked in by the whole Battle Royale genre, and the character role system too. Because the game can be played with only 3 people, it’s easier to just pick it up and get into a game than other team-based games.
Who is your favourite character and why?
Pathfinder! I’ve always liked talking robot characters, but I really like that he’s so humble. His zipline lines are really cute in English and Japanese so I like them both. His finisher is also really funny. Although actually, I mostly play as Bloodhound or Revenant.
Who do you think is the coolest character and why?
Probably Revenant? I was so shocked by his reveal trailer. I couldn’t believe the new character was the killer! I was also shocked that he thought he was a human and didn’t know he was a robot. He’s a villain, but I think there must be something sad in his back-story, right?
Why do you think Apex Legends is so popular in Japan?
I think there are two main reasons. The first is the characters and how unique they are. The characters play so differently from each other in-game, so you can play a variety of roles. You can go on offense with a character like Wraith, or revive your allies with Lifeline. I’m not so confident, so I usually play Bloodhound because she can scan the surroundings, and Revenant so I can use Death Totem.
The other reason is speed. The movement in the game is so exhilarating. You don’t get injured falling from high places so you’re free to run around without thinking too much about it. When it came out there weren’t any other games with that kind of pace. Every game changes often and quickly, so it's never boring.
Do you have any favourite voice lines?
I like Caustic’s line, "I feel most alive when rapidly approaching my death!" that’s pretty cool right? It’s kind of like “what are you saying?!” but I can totally imagine that he thinks that way. I like Bloodhound’s "I am Bloth Hoondr!" line too. I really wanted to know what it meant but it turned out to just be her saying her real name. Pathfinder's "Remember me, friends. I may kill you" is also really cheeky and really sums up his character. I often play Revenant, and the way he says thank you is pretty scary. When Pathfinder asks Revenant “Thanks! Let's be brothers!” and Rev replies with “…ugh” I often think like, “Come on, Rev! Try to be nice!” haha
Interview conducted courtesy of Dear Stage
Follow Mirin on Twitter at @FurukawaMirin and on Twitch at FurukawaMirin