Popularity Contest Questions (Etc.)
In the third popularity contest held by Kawahara Reki as Kunori Fumio, back during the web novel period (to be more exact, in 2005), he figured,
“There’s not that many new characters, thus I was worried there won’t be much difference from the first and second times. Hence, if I ask for questions… if I were to do that, the much-more-unknown sub-characters might just get more votes as the main characters already have quite a bit of information on them.“
Hence, it turned into a Q&A session with the characters.
Spoilers alert. This was held some time after he started writing Alicization.
Spoilers this time are up to volume 9 of the light novel. Anime-only viewers are advised to not read this unless you’re fine with reading about stuff you have no idea about.
*-s are links to notes. Click on them.
The number within the brackets is when the non-question (invalid) votes are added in.
11th – Sakuya
13th – Kikuoka Seijirou
14th – Recon
15th – Alice
16th – Red-eyed XaXa
16th – Sasha
16th – Kirigaya Midori
19th – Eugeo
19th – Yuriel
19th – Shiien
19th – Eugene
19th – Thinker
19th – Nishida
19th – Oberon
19th – Yuuki Couple
27th – Pina
27th – Kuradeel
27th – The Woman Who Reminds One Of Narcissus
27th – Alicia Rue
27th – Agil’s Wife
11th – Sakuya – 9 votes (15)
Q. What job did you choose to be in reality?
A. I’m a graduate student.
Q. What was your first impression of Leafa and Kirito? Also, do you mingle about in the real world as well?
A. That there are still many, many strong swordsmen around… I do dabble in that in the real world as well.
Q. What are your hobbies in reality?
A. Driving, I suppose. I tend to go on trips everywhere with Alicia.
Q. Te… Tell me your three sizes (anticipa-
A. 88, 62, 85.
Q. Does Kirito suit your tastes? If he didn’t have someone he loves (Asuna)… would you be competing with Rue-san for him? (haha-
A. We are already competing over him in terms of his combat potential, though.
Q. You really are beautiful in reality, I guess?
A. I’ll leave that to your imagination, but I do find it annoying how we get approached whenever I’m out with Alicia.
Q. The greatest goal of ALO, conquering the World Tree, may be now gone, but what is your current objective?
A. I’m making progress on the second grand quest, “Conquering the Floating Castle Aincrad”.
Q. It seems that your three sizes have already been asked about (haha), so please tell me a story of your bravery in Alfheim Online.
A. No, to be honest, I’m quite moderate with my actions, so I don’t really do anything flashy. At most, it would be sneaking into the capital city within the Salamander territory and taking Mortimer’s head. It failed though.
Q. A comment of your thoughts on Leafa and Asuna from your viewpoint as a swordsman, please, Sakuya-san.
A. I wonder about what exactly is the true meaning of strength when looking at them.
13th – Kikuoka Seijirou – 5 votes (7)
Q. How many sweet things do you eat every month?
A. It’s delicious because you eat it once in a while. Averaging it out, I guess it would be around five thousand yen a month?
Q. Frankly speaking, do you tend to not attract the ladies?
A. It’s simply how I rarely get the chance to meet them in my line of work, yes.
Q. Please tell me the best and worst among what you’ve eaten so far.
A. The best was the cake I ate in a certain hotel in Akasaka, I guess. The worst was ration from a certain PLA; that was terrible. *
Q. Good job on your work. (haha) By the way, have you actually tried Kiviak and Surströmming? Please give a comment on that time when… (haha)
A. I did try out Surströmming. It turned an entire large tent for camping useless. It held more power than I expected. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem possible to get ahold of Kiviak in Japan. *
Q. Do you see Kirito-kun as a tool?
A. Of course not, I think of him as one of the most valuable individuals in this world.
14th – Recon (Nagata Shinichi) – 4 votes (4)
Q. You were really cool when you used that self-destruction magic! By the way, how has it been with Suguha since then…?
A. There’s been load of progress. We even went into Mac with just the two of us the other day.
Q. Please tell me how you felt when you found out Kirito was Suguha’s brother.
A. Of course, I thought, “oh crap”; first impressions are important, after all.
Q. To be frank, have you ever tried targeting Kirito with your proficient assassination skills?
A. No way, no way! Bro’s searching techniques are on par with wild animals, you see.
Q. How did it go after that decisive battle? Or rather, what did you do?
A. I went to look at the World Tree with Leafa-chan. I got slapped when I tried to hold her hand.
15th – Alice – 4 votes (4)
Q. Where are you being confined in the Underworld right about now? Also, do you know about the condition outside?
A. I believe myself to be in the middle of Central, likely at the very top of a huge tower called the Central Cathedral. It is a real pity, but I am unfortunately unable to view the outside.
Q. What is your best dish?
A. Er… erm, right, I’m good at stews.
Q. You were taken to quite a place… You were aiming for it, weren’t you?
A. I wonder when will I be able to make my entrance.
Q. Between Kirito and Eugeo, who do you like more?
A. The answer, “I like both of them”, is one of the privileges that belong to children.
16th – Red-eyed XaXa (Shinkawa Shouichi) – 3 votes (3)
Q. Please give another comment for Kirito-kun from behind bars, lol.
A. My friends with real orange-names are scary, you know.
Q. How were the people in Laughing Coffin? Were you on good terms with them?
A. Well, those guys weren’t anyone to be ashamed of, as a professional murderer. There were many who I wouldn’t meet in reality, though.
Q. This is a serious question, how many have you killed?
A. Hmph, I don’t even want to think about that.
16th – Sasha – 3 votes (3)
Q. You may be an adult, glasses-wearing female, but unlike those students, would you be able to rehabilitate back into society?
A. I’ve returned to university and will be a teacher for an elementary school from this year onwards.
Q. Did Kirito contact you?
A. Yes, for that party to celebrate the clearing of SAO.
Q. Your three sizes are?
A. ……………………They are 87-65-84.
16th – Kirigaya Midori – 3 votes (3)
Q. How was your impression of your future daughter-in-law, Asuna?
A. She’s such a good girl, I worry if she will drift apart from Kazuto.
Q. If Kazuto and Suguha were to get together, how would you react?
A. It would be reassuring in a certain sense, but…
Q. What are your thoughts on your brother-loving daughter as a mother?
A. I believe having good relations to be a positive thing. The future should be free to let itself run its course.
19th – Eugeo – 2 votes (5)
Q. Do you have confidence in a spar with Kirito using swords?
A. At the current moment, I don’t really think I’m a match for him in terms of techniques.
Q. Do you want to win against Kirito in sword fighting? If you really do, how would you feel if you really won? Aside from that, how about a little comment on that too, please.
A. Rather than fighting with him, my desire to find out more techniques is stronger. At any rate, I didn’t know how to hit anything aside from a immobile tree. Right now, even if we fought, I probably wouldn’t even be able to get a hit in.
19th – Yuriel – 2 votes (2)
Q. Totally lovey-dovey?
A. Totally lovey-dovey.
Q. Your three sizes are?
A. I’ve just went into the seventh month, so that question is a little…
19th – Shiien (An Shiien) – 2 votes (2) *
Q. It’s not exactly a question directed specifically at you, but have the members of the Sleeping Knights yet to continue their adventures after that?
A. We took part in ALO as our last and haven’t participated in VRMMOs since, but we tend to meet Asuna-san and co. in relaxation-type worlds.
Q. Please tell me if your friends have given you any nicknames, like Asuna’s “Berserk Healer”.
A. I’ve gotten several nicknames recently, but it’s simply embarrassing to state them myself, so…
19th – Eugene – 2 votes (2)
Q. Are there times you feel like resigning from being the general of the Salamander territory?
A. It does come to mind whenever I see Kirito, but… I still have my responsibilities.
Q. I’ll get straight to the point! Do you have anyone you love? …It would be bad if you were to say that you fell for Kirito as a guy, you know?
A. I would certainly want that guy as a deputy, though. If I were to pick a partner… it would have to be a woman with a way with swords at the level of the Sylph lord.
19th – Thinker – 2 votes (2)
Q. Some details of your newlywed life…
A. I’ve been at her beck and call, as expected…
Q. Have you decided the name for your new homepage?
A. I’ve decided to go with MMO Today in the end.
19th – Nishida – 2 votes (2)
Q. How have you been getting along recently? Have you gotten any large game?
A. I really did intend to spend my remaining time fishing though… it’s been tough getting used to my new workplace…
Q. You’ve been away from reality for over 2 years, so how has your life been nowadays?
A. Fortunately, I was invited to a company raised by a previous co-worker and I now enjoy my work, though the studies required have been quite the hardship.
19th – Oberon (Sugou Nobuyuki) – 2 votes (2)
Q. What type of woman do you like?
A. I suppose it would be the type that surrenders to me and become obedient.
Q. How were those that supported you in your plan dealt with?
A. They seem to be making up unsightly excuses and appealing to the court, but that’s of no matter to me.
19th – Yuuki Couple – 2 votes (2)
Q. What are your thoughts on the relationship between Kazuto and Asuna?
A. Mr. Shouzou: If my daughter is happy, I wish for nothing more. | Mrs. Kyouko: I have no complaints as long as they keep it within healthy boundaries.
Q. How do you feel about Kirigaya Kazuto-kun as a marriage prospect for your daughter? Do you have any misgivings?
A. Mr. Shouzou: He’s a good man. He is the benefactor of our daughter’s life, after all. | Mrs. Kyouko: I’ll put my trust in the man chosen by my daughter.
27th – Pina – 1 vote (1)
Q. Have you ever thought of teaming up with other people?
A. (shaking its head from side to side)
27th – Kuradeel – 1 vote (1)
Q. Is this voice reaching you?
A. (you seem to hear faint laughter, going “hyahahahaha…”)
27th – Woman Who Reminds One Of Narcissus – 1 vote (1) *
Q. I may not know your name, but… since how many years ago have you been cooperating with Kayaba-san on his plan? Have you really been in love with him, as expected?
A. I first heard of the plan in the third year of university, so… that would make it close to ten years. As for him, I did love him, but there were times when I hated him enough to want to kill him as well, but now…
27th – Alicia Rue – 1 vote (1)
Q. Now, a commercial for the Cait Sith territory. ♪
A. I promise everyone here can have their afternoon tea and a siesta!
27th – Agil’s Wife – 1 vote (1)
Q. I believe you have a good, sensible and reliable husband, but where did you meet and if it’s possible, the tale of how the two of you met and such…
A. He’s all that, but he was a total cry-baby back when he was a kid, so I must have really done well, hahahaha.
Notes
Kikuoka-1: PLA probably refers to the People’s Liberation Army of the People’s Republic of China.
Kikuoka-2: Kiviak is a traditional wintertime Inuit food from Greenland that is made of auks preserved in the hollowed-out body of a seal, while Surströmming is a northern Swedish dish consisting of fermented Baltic herring.
Shiien-1: Corrected to Sieunee (An Si-eun) in the light novel after consultation with the official Korean translator. Assumes the name, “Shiune (An Shi En)”, in the Baka-Tsuki translation.
WWROON-1: In the web novel, at the end of Fairy Dance, the woman who accompanied Kayaba was described as thus, in the part where it was mentioned what happened to him.