Masumi is a seasoned musician and an accomplished actor you may have seen in the neon-bathed streets of Yakuza Princess. Her debut videogame role is Naoe in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, the latest triple-A game to face a range of often ill-informed complaints on everything from its inclusion of African samurai Yasuke to Ubisoft’s portrayal of Sengoku period Japan, with ‘historical accuracy’ being weaponized against it. Overall, the latest in the stealth-action turned RPG series has been subject to more online criticism and suspicion than perhaps any other major release in recent memory.
You’d be forgiven for assuming that Masumi has regrets, then, given the challenging lead-up to launch. Yet she’s thankful for the role and the opportunity to embody Naoe, Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ shinobi protagonist. “I’ve never played videogames. I’ve never done motion capture. I’ve never done voice-over. So there were a whole lot of new things,” she laughs. “I’m grateful that Ubisoft was willing to give me a chance.”
But despite her lack of videogame experience, playing Naoe came naturally to her. A survivor of the catastrophic 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, Masumi, much like her virtual counterpart, is no stranger to suffering. Her 2018 track Run Baby, Run has been described as her “fight song,” so I ask how she blended her own experiences with Naoe’s while creating a character still authentic to the time period.
“On the first day of the shoot, I was talking to the development team – [Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ creative director] Jonathan Dumont specifically – and he said that, at that time, 30% of warriors were female and 70% were male. Some of the female warriors were quite prominent and famous, too. For me, that made a lot of sense. In a time when there are constant civil wars and you’re seeing your loved ones suffer, you have to stand up and fight; it doesn’t matter if you’re a woman or a man.
“To know that was a fact empowered me,” she continues. “This is not made up. This is true. I can be that character and channel that power. In general, though, I feel like I’m that person – I’m kind of shy, but once I decide to do something, I go for it. Even through the earthquake, coming out to Japan from America, being a musician and changing to acting, I always had to have that warrior spirit.”
That no doubt comes in handy given the drama that’s swirled around Shadows since its reveal. I ask Masumi how she’s dealt with the levels of criticism directed towards the game, especially in the lead-up to launch.
“I understand that people are passionate about this game. It’s a beloved videogame franchise,” she says. “I feel so grateful that I’ve got to be [involved with] a project where people love it and have so much passion. But, I have to realize that I only have control over what I can do – I don’t have any creative control, I don’t get to say anything about the story; I’m a hired actor.
“It’s a little bit conflicting at times because, when you get to be in a Japanese story when you’re Japanese, there’s so much excitement because you’re like ‘I’m going to do a great job!’ I really poured my heart and soul [into Naoe]. I wanted Naoe’s voice to be honest and authentic and tangible for people when they play. I’m proud of myself for putting all of me [into the character], and that’s the only thing I can stand by.
“Some people might not be happy about what it is right now, but if they play it they’ll feel the love and care that went into it. So right now, I’m excited honestly,” she concludes. “I’m excited for people to see [it].”
As someone with a complex relationship with the Assassin’s Creed series, Shadows is the first new entry I’ve been excited about since Syndicate. Masumi’s enthusiasm certainly helps.
If you’re planning to dive into Ubisoft’s Japan, check out our Assassin’s Creed Shadows review to get a sense of what to expect and, if you feel like channeling Masumi, why not pop Run Baby, Run on in the background, too.
