>>279994160
>Q: What were your initial impressions of Poppy-chan, and how did they change after you got to truly know the character by playing her?
Takagishi: My initial impression was something along the lines of "Oh my God she's so cute!!! How can such a cute little girl be an Elite Four member?! What's going on here?!" (laughs).
>Q: (laughs)
Takagishi: When I learned I had been cast as a member of the Elite Four, I imagined her to be a strong, silent type with a commanding presence, so I got really shocked when I learned she was pretty much the exact opposite of that!
What I noticed as I kept playing her, though, was that behind that cuteness she had the exact kind of knowledge and passion for Pokémon battles and love for Pokémon that you'd expect from an Elite Four member. She became part of the Elite Four for a reason, and that reason is plain and simply because she loves Pokémon and battling so much. The show has lots of other characters, like Nemo, that likewise love Pokémon battles, and I truly feel that Poppy-chan is just as passionate about battling as them beyond all that cuteness. That contrast is what surprised me most of all, and that's why I wanted my portrayal of her to not only get across how cute she is, but also how much she loves Pokémon and how much fun she thinks it is to battle. That tiny little body contained enough passion to make that possible!
