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W-welcome to "Interview with the Alien!" I'm Mikuru Asahina, and here's your host, famous alien Yuki Nagato!.


YUKI.N>　 ．．．


Yuki-san? We're filming now...


YUKI.N>　Ａｌｒｉｇｈｔ．　　Ｉ　ａｍ　ｈｅｒｅ．


So today we interview FNN owner and producer, as well as candidate for Congress Sophia Forrester!


Sophia: Glad to be here.


YUKI.N> Ｔｈｅ　ｆｉｒｓｔ　ｑｕｅｓｔｉｏｎ　ｗｈｉｃｈ　Ｉ　ｈａｖｅ　ｐｒｅｐａｒｅｄ　ｉｓ　ａｂｏｕｔ　ｙｏｕｒ　ｈｉｓｔｏｒｙ．　　Ｃａｎ　ｙｏｕ　ｔｅｌｌ　ｕｓ　ａ　ｂｉｔ　ａｂｏｕｔ　ｙｏｕｒｓｅｌｆ，　ａｎｄ　ｈｏｗ　ｌｏｎｇ　ｙｏｕ　ｈａｖｅ　ｂｅｅｎ　ｉｎ　ｅＪａｐａｎ？


Sophia: Sure! I originally joined the game as a citizen of the eUS. I joined a party and voted in my first election. After that, there was a lot of controversy, regarding awar, and an impeachment, and I really didn't like the atmosphere there. So I found out that my party had an exchange program with a sister party in eJapan, and I came over here to see if it was any friendlier.

Immediately I was welcomed in, with people messaging me in the game and helping me get set up in the forums. So it was very different from the eUS, where no one contacted me until about one week in. I stayed in that party, the TFC, until it lost its Top Five standing, and then I moved to a newer party, the ULJ. At that point, the ULJ was a lot more full of excitement and interest, so I ended up staying even after the TFC was restored.

And for years since then, I have enjoyed being part of eJapan. I've had more active times and less active times, times I enjoyed the game and times when it seemed like a chore. But even when I felt tired and had to drop the game for a while, I kept coming back because of how I felt about eJapan. This was a family, or a second home for me, and especially in the harder times, I just couldn't let my family be divided or alone.


YUKI.N>　　Ｉ　ｓｅｅ．　　Ａｎｄ　ｙｏｕｒ　ｎａｍｅ，　”Ｓｏｐｈｉａ　Ｆｏｒｒｅｓｔｅｒ，”　ｉｓ　ｆｒｏｍ　ａｎ　ａｎｉｍｅ，　ｃｏｒｒｅｃｔ？


Sophia: That's right. It's from the anime Last Exile, and the character is a real role model to me, a strong woman who is chosen to lead her country through a desperate war. By making peace with their kingdom's longtime enemies, they are able to unite against a common threat. Some day, I hope that I can live up to her example.


YUKI.N>　　Ａｎｄ　ｙｏｕｒ　ｃｕｒｒｅｎｔ　ａｖａｔａｒ　ｉｓ　ｆｒｏｍ　Ｐｅｒｓｏｎａ　４，　ｒｉｇｈｔ？


Sophia: Yes, it's Yukiko Amagi from Persona 4, a game for the Playstation 2. Ever since I joined the ULJ, I've chosen younger characters to be my avatars, and I picked Yukiko because a lot of her story, and her personality, really resonates with me.


YUKI.N>　Ａｎｙ　ｏｔｈｅｒ　ｃｈａｒａｃｔｅｒｓ　ｔｈａｔ　ａｌｓｏ　ｒｅｓｏｎａｔｅｄ　ｉｎ　ｔｈｉｓ　ｗａｙ？


Sophia: A big one was Cloche from Ar Tonelico II, who is a strong female lead who, like the Sophia Forrester character, led her country in a time of trouble. I ended up using Cloche as a co-anchor for FNN, though, so it didn't make sense to use her picture for my own anymore. Chishiro Fushimi from Persona 3 and Kiryuu Moeka from STEINS;GATE had some of the same doubts about themselves or social awkwardness that I've had myself from time to time. So by feeling some of the same emotions as the character, I can move from their negative traits to their positive traits, and use that doubt or awkwardness as a source of strength.


YUKI.N>　　Ｎｏｗ　Ｉ　ｈａｖｅ　ａ　ｑｕｅｓｔｉｏｎ　ａｂｏｕｔ　ｙｏｕｒ　Ｃｏｎｇｒｅｓｓ　ｃａｍｐａｉｇｎ．　　Ｉｓ　ｔｈｅ　Ｃｏｎｇｒｅｓｓ　ｔｏ　ｙｏｕ　ａ　ｗａｙ　ｔｏ　ｇｅｔ　ｉｎｖｏｌｖｅｄ，　ｏｒ　ｉｓ　ｉｔ　ａ　ｒｅｓｐｏnｓｉｂｉｌｉｔｙ？


Sophia: I see it as a responsibility, and an opportunity. Recently, eJapan has in my opinion been moving in the wrong direction. We cut off all legal immigration, supposedly for national security concerns, but this does not in the end enhance our security. I want to change our direction and move back towards the old ideal of the Righteous Nation, that cultivates strength to defend the weak.

Years ago, eJapan came together and agreed on a Constitution. This sets out basic principles for us to live by. It gives specific responsibilities to government officers. It puts ultimate authority in the hands of the citizens, which makes it the responsibility of each citizen to make sure the government does what it should.

Lately these responsibilities have been forgotten, and I think it's largely a loss of communication, where many players just don't see how the Constitution is relevant to our country as it now exists. Others might not even know we have a Constitution, with how little attention it's been paid lately. So to restore this communication, to restore these interconnecting mutual responsibilities, is why I hope to rejoin Congress this winter.


YUKI.N>　　Ｗｈａｔ　ｉｓ　ｙｏｕｒ　ｍｏｓｔ　ｉｍｐｏｒｔａｎｔ　ｇｏａｌ？


Sophia: Most of all, I want an eJapan where people can trust one another, and have fun playing the game together. At some point, the game became more about competition than about joining together. I want to bring that spirit of togetherness back. If I can do that, it won't matter whether I am in the government or not -- but I am running for Congress because I think it will help. That's all I have to say.


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