Kinda Funny Gamescast: Ghost of Yotei's Erika Ishii Interview

Date: August 26, 2025
Host: Greg Miller (Kinda Funny)
Guest: Erika Ishii (Lead, Ghost of Yotei)

Episode Overview

This special episode of the Kinda Funny Gamescast features an in-depth, candid interview with Erika Ishii, the lead actress for the upcoming PlayStation exclusive, Ghost of Yotei. Host Greg Miller dives into Erika’s journey from sneaking into the video game industry to starring in a major first-party PlayStation title, her background in voice acting, reflections on her fandom, representation, and her experiences working on Ghost of Yotei. The conversation is unfiltered and heartfelt, providing inspiration and behind-the-scenes insight into both the creative process and the evolving face of the industry.

Main Discussion Topics & Insights

1. Erika’s Origin Story: Industry Break-In

• Early Days ([00:57]–[06:49])

  • Erika recounts her introduction to Greg at E3 2015 and her early career sneaking into events before landing legitimate gigs—“I was just a huge gamer nerd.” [04:38].
  • Started out hosting for Indiecade at Geek and Sundry, reflecting on humble beginnings and forging connections in the LA nerd scene.
  • Erika’s parents worked below the line in film; growing up around Hollywood influenced her curiosity, not direct entry—“They couldn’t open doors for me, but they knew which doors to knock on.” [06:07].

• Finding Her Passion: Shift to Voice Acting ([07:41]–[14:20])

  • Acted since childhood, but playing The Last of Us was the catalyst for focusing on games voice work—“Playing the last of us was sort of the last straw to where I said, okay, I have to get into voice acting for video games specifically.” [05:18].
  • Invested in demo reels and equipment at personal cost to pursue the dream.
  • Navigated early days post-graduation combining method acting classes and local improv (UCB, Tournament of the Nerds) to build confidence and skills for performing.

2. Building a Career: Voice Acting and Fandom

• From Fandom to the Booth ([13:01]–[23:12])

  • Mentions support systems: “A lot of the incredible famous women of voiceover… would get together, like a voiceover workout group and we’d bring in auditions or just like sides and sort of critique each other’s performances and provide support.” [13:03].
  • Transitioned from YouTube/hosting to auditioning—often for indie games—before getting an agent.
  • Importance of practical support (living rent-free for a year, supportive relationships) in an unstable industry: “I think that’s a thing that sometimes people leave out.” [14:20].
  • Stresses the ongoing imposter syndrome, feeling like “just a little guy on the Internet” despite increasingly prominent roles ([16:52]).

• Skill Tree Metaphor: Multi-Disciplinary Career ([17:10]–[18:41])

  • Erika likens her career to a branching “skill tree”—balancing hosting, tabletop gaming, and voice acting.

• Representing Fandom Inside the Industry ([18:41]–[23:12])

  • Coming from the YouTube/host/fan background helps her connect with both developers and the audience: “Being a professional fan I think is…something…because you are too.” [22:21].

3. Ghost of Yotei: From Fan to Main Character

• Relationship with the Franchise ([26:29]–[28:54])

  • Erika was already a fan of samurai films (Kurosawa) and the original Ghost of Tsushima.
  • “2020 was a rough time for all of us, but I played the game, I played, I loved it…there was a really devastating moment in that game that really haunted me…” [27:08].
  • Candidly jokes about chastising the game’s director, Nate Fox, in person: “I will say it to their face instead.” [28:27].

• Casting Process and Approaching the Role ([28:54]–[33:01])

  • Elaborates on the anonymity of auditioning for secret, code-named projects (“They are all code named. Sometimes you don’t even know the company.” [29:10]).
  • Navigating the “yips” of auditioning for a franchise she cares about; the pressure to live up to its legacy.
  • Felt “a character like no other main character I’ve ever read before” in the sides she received for the role ([31:09]).
  • The audition/callback process spanned months, with more waiting due to contract negotiations and industry uncertainties ([32:07]).

• Production Experience ([33:01]–[36:01])

  • Sucker Punch’s supportiveness: “A lot of times…you just walk in and they give you a spreadsheet of lines…But they gave me scripts, they had writers like be able to discuss the story with me. I had a dialect coach.” [33:01].
  • Erika felt genuinely included in the creative process, a rare experience in the field.

4. Themes, Representation & Player Experience

• Complexity of the Lead Character and Narratives ([39:48]–[43:29])

  • Erika addresses fan assumptions about the game's story being a “standard samurai revenge tale”:
    • “She’s not a samurai. It was not as much the story…what I got was a character who was really complex and just really different than I’ve gotten to see a lot of main female characters...” [40:35].
    • Discusses the difference between archetypal “hot assassin” tropes and the “really grounded feeling of a character” in Ghost of Yotei.
    • Emphasis on the influence of classic and modern samurai stories.
  • “That was something I was so fascinated by…yes, like stories, there’s oldies but goodies for a reason…and I will never get tired of a really well-told classic story.” [42:44].

• Pre-Launch Reflections and Player Advice ([43:29]–[48:26])

  • Balancing ongoing projects with the looming game release—“It’s been ever present in my life…” [45:00].
  • Advice for players: “Know about what your gamma adjustment should be like on your tv—this is a hotly contested topic and I’m going to say, yes, it does matter.” [46:40].
  • Sincerely wants fans to appreciate the care and love poured into the project by the whole development team.

5. Community, Impact & Lasting Legacy

• Worlds Beyond Number & Community Support ([52:37]–[59:26])

  • Discusses her D&D actual play podcast, Worlds Beyond Number, and what it means to see it grow so unexpectedly—“Suddenly…they had to napkin math it for me…Oh my god. It is life-changing…” [56:27].
  • On fan connection: “Having people say that I affected them is always going to be a surprise and truly an honor.” [62:39].

• Approach to Language, Representation, and Sub/Dub Debate ([59:32]–[61:55])

  • Not offended if fans play with Japanese voice acting—“The voice actress who’s doing my dubbing is…such a phenomenal job…It’s still going to be my face and my performance, which hers is based on, so I’m not going to be insulted.” [59:58].
  • Delighted by the technical achievement of lip sync and cultural authenticity.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

“Playing The Last of Us was sort of the last straw to where I said, okay, I have to get into voice acting for video games specifically.”
— Erika Ishii, [05:18]

“My parents…couldn’t open doors for me, but they knew which doors to knock on.”
— Erika Ishii, [06:07]

“I feel like my skill…Let’s look at it like a skill tree, if you will.”
— Erika Ishii, [17:10]

“Being a professional fan, I think is…something…because you are too.”
— Erika Ishii to Greg Miller, [22:21]

“She’s not a samurai. And…what I got was a character who was really complex and just really different than I’ve gotten to see a lot of main female characters…”
— Erika Ishii, [40:35]

“Having people say that I affected them is always going to be a surprise and truly an honor.”
— Erika Ishii, [62:39]

“I feel like Cinderella, you know…I was just a little guy and I got chosen to be part of this incredible narrative in this industry that I specifically wanted to be a part of.”
— Erika Ishii, [47:35]

Audience Questions (Super Chats) & Fun Asides

• On dream D&D video game: Erika wants a game capturing the Jumanji-like experience of role-players becoming their D&D characters and exploring character growth ([49:07]).
• On kindness of her character: “No spoilers…but Atsu is…not the classic kind and gentle” [51:33].
• Feelings about fans' love for her performances: “I don’t think I’ll ever be able to take it for granted…” [62:39].
• Dub vs. Sub playthroughs: Erika is a fan of her Japanese dub actor and supports players enjoying the game however they prefer ([59:58]).
• Invitation to co-stream gameplay or join Kinda Funny content: Open to collaboration, joking about the “jump scare” factor of seeing her own face in the game ([65:58]).

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:57] – Erika’s start in the industry & early memories with Greg.
• [05:18] – The Last of Us inspires shift to video game VO.
• [13:03] – The support of women in voice acting.
• [29:10] – Auditioning for Ghost of Yotei and deciphering code-named projects.
• [31:09] – First impressions reading for the main character in Ghost of Yotei.
• [33:01] – On being genuinely included in the creative process at Sucker Punch.
• [40:35] – On the uniqueness of the main character and avoiding stereotypes.
• [46:40] – Erika’s pre-launch message and advice for players.
• [56:26] – The explosive, unexpected success of Worlds Beyond Number podcast.
• [59:58] – Her perspective on sub vs. dub and Japanese voice acting.
• [62:39] – Speaking on fans' reactions to her work and never taking it for granted.

Conclusion & Final Thoughts

Erika’s journey is marked by persistent fandom turning into professional mastery—from sneaking into E3 to being immortalized as a PlayStation main character. She emerges as a multidimensional artist, unafraid to address industry realities, complex representation, and her own ongoing “imposter syndrome.” Her connection to fans, genuine love for the craft, and respect for her collaborators shine throughout.

Ghost of Yotei launches October 2, 2025, and is positioned as a passion-fueled evolution of the Ghost of Tsushima legacy—one Erika promises is both classic and wholly new.

Where to Find Erika

• Instagram & Blue Sky: @ErikaIshii
• D&D Podcast: Worlds Beyond Number—available wherever podcasts stream
• Dropout: Frequent cast member
• Live Events: D20-sided Tavern show in Chicago, October 8

For more interviews and game coverage, subscribe to Kinda Funny on your platform of choice or support them on Patreon.