Where we talk about Aaron’s personality and his love of gaming, among other things.
G: Which character have you done that’s the most like you?
A: Urushihara [aka] Lucifer in [The] Devil Is a Part-Timer! He starts out like, really sadistic, and that’s not like me, really. Yeah, I got a streak, but not as strong as his. Then again I can’t shoot lasers from my hands. That changes a man, I think.
He was really fun. So he starts out, like, [a] sadistic villain and this is a trend in my life. I’ve always wanted to be a real villain, and every time I do it they start out seeming like a villain, and then like (sighs), somebody beats them up, and then they just, turn over on their bellies like a little puppy and they’re like, “Oh, I’ll be your friend instead. C’mon!”
So he did that, only like, not really. He was like, “Yeah, screw it. I guess I’ll stay at your house, eat your food. Buy me a computer? Cool. Yeah, we’re good.”
So yeah, we’re very similar in that…if it weren’t for the fact that I, nepotistically ended up getting into FUNimation I think I would probably be as much of a [nerd] as him. I’d spend most of my spare time on my computer or gaming, or yeah, looking stuff up.
G: What games do you like to play?
A: Undertale. I’m really into that. I’m trying to beat up a certain skeleton. (Sighs) I’ve put 30 hours into this game. At least fifteen of them have been on him. (Sighs) He’s a real…I started out feeling bad and I don’t anymore. I don’t feel bad about massacring all of these sweet people I was so close to anymore. I’m just pissed off that it’s this difficult.
So yeah, I guess I am like Lucifer.
G: Which character have you played that’s the least like you?
A: Alphonse.
G & A: (Laugh)
A: Okay, I’m gonna bring that back into Undertale. I spent so long really pissed off at Alphonse for all the times that he would say, “Revenge is wrong. Don’t kill this person.” It made me so mad as a kid. As I was recording it, I was like, “Don’t kill the mass murderer because revenge is wrong? I’mma let this guy go free — like he’s actually, he’s an escaped convict, describing how much murder he plans to do, and Al’s like, ‘Revenge is never right.'” And he’s like, “Don’t do it, Marla*!” And then, Kimblee gets away, and then what does Kimblee do? He mass murders Ishbal and so many of them! If you could, like, put all the blood in this room it would be FULL. Because Al wants to feel good in that moment. What a little, self-righteous, stupid turd nugget! That’s how I felt.
And then, I’m playing through Undertale. And, I’m just gonna spoil it. You can decide if you want to mark it if you even end up using this.
**WARNING: UNDERTALE SPOILERS AHEAD**
I’m playing through it and I’ve done my neutral run, it’s my first time playing it and I accidentally kill Goat Mom. I didn’t even know, but I stuck with my choices. And then all the characters, they were like, popping up and talking to me as I go through the house of Goat Mom. And they’re like, “Yeah. Y’know, we’ve been stuck down here a long time and the king, his son, had a friend, a little human friend, and the human friend got sick and died, and he took him out, and the humans killed him because they thought that he was the one who killed the human son, the little boy, but he didn’t do it, and he didn’t fight back, and he dies through his wounds” and stuff, and it was so sad.
And at the end, I finally get past Asgore, and then Flowey pops up. I don’t remember if that was the neutral pass, but Flowey, I’ve beaten him, and he’s like, “Go on. Finish it. Kill me.” And I’m like, “Oh buddy. I can’t do that.” And this is after the Al thing, and I’m like, “Spare,” and he’s like, “Why? Why won’t you” — and at first I’m doing it because I’m sure that he’ll turn good. And he’s like, “If you don’t, I will come back. I will kill you.” And I’m like, “Spare.” And he’s like, “I’ll kill everyone you love.” And I’m like….”I won’t do it. I won’t! Spare!”
G: (Laughs)
A: (hits the table three times in rhythm to the words) No! It’s bad! Don’t! Even if it makes sense to. It does make sense to kill him, but I couldn’t, and I finally understood Al. Ten years later. I…I got it! I can’t go down to that level. I’ve gotta be good.
G: Seguing into Al, if you were Al –and I asked [a similar question] of Vic — would you have done anything differently in the quest to find your body?
A: Nope. Not anymore.
G: (Laughs)
A: There was a time. (Chuckles) I would’ve not tried to bring my mom back to life.
G: Yeah, that would’ve made sense.
A: (Laughs) I’m trying to think if there’s anything else. [Pause] Yeah, I still would’ve killed Kimblee. I mean, I wouldn’t have done it. I would’ve let Marla* do it. I would’ve been like, “Ahhh, are you sure about this, Marla*?” Like I would’ve talked to her, but I wouldn’t have physically stopped her, y’know?
G: Right.
A: So my conscience is clean? That’s what matters.
G: Yeah. “Oh, she did it.”
A: Yes (Laughs) That choice just ends in Marla* getting blown up, doesn’t it? It’s a bad choice.
G: If you weren’t doing what you’re doing now, what type of career would you be doing?
A: Weeping. I don’t know. I’d probably like, work at a restaurant as a waiter. I hope as a waiter. Maybe fast food. (Chuckles) No. I was thinking about doing law school whenever I first got out of college. So I guess I’d be like, y’know, try to help people get out of parking tickets. Negotiating down..
G: [N] could use help with that.
A: Yeah?
N: Yeah.
A: It seems like a bad city to park in.
G: Last question: What are you working on now?
A: The show that I’m about to start directing and writing I don’t think has been announced yet, so I can’t say that**, but I just finished Nanbaka, which I was a small character in, wrote it, directed it. That’s still coming out, so it’s fairly current.
I just finished recording Fuuka for Caitlyn Glass, she’s directing that. It’s like a romance, mixed with some comedy, mixed with “they’re starting a band?” Light on the romance, honestly. It’s a major theme, but…it actually doesn’t beat around the bush as much as a lot of anime does. There end up being couples in it. People actually date. It features a kiss, so, y’know, be advised. Don’t let the youngins, y’know, hush them out of the room…before you start.
I’ve done a little recording for the next season of RWBY [pronounced “Ruby”]. We’re still in the process on that. I’ve really enjoyed that cuz it’s my first pre-lay work. Normally, y’know, I’m trying to match flaps, and in this, they’re drawing to what I do, which is so cool.
Also, I was in A-C-C-A [ACCA], which is a Chris Bevins show. He directed Drifters. He’s a cool guy. Aaand, that’s about it, right now.
* I think he’s referring to Marta, though he clearly says “Marla” on the recording.
**He’s most likely referring to Radiant, which has since been released.
Murmurs from the Balcony 