Assassin's Creed Shadows’ Masumi on surviving earthquakes and living life

For the first time in the series, Assassin’s Creed Shadows takes us to Feudal Japan, a setting that fans have longed for.

At the heart of its story are two characters, Fujibayashi Naoe, played by Masumi Tsunoda and Yasuke, played by Tongayi Chirisa. I had the opportunity to chat with Masumi not only about Assassin’s Creed Shadows but also her incredible journey of what led her to star in one of the most popular video game franchises.

Born in Los Angeles and living too and from the USA and Japan, Masumi is a Japanese singer, songwriter and actor. However, before Masumi made it in the world of cinema and music, she was caught up in the devastating 2011 earthquakes in Tokyo, trapped in a local cafe while performing music, fearing that she might not make it out alive.

“That moment had changed my life. I had recently gotten into a great university in Japan, and that made my parents proud. When I was 14, I developed a polyp from singing too much, and I had to have surgery,” Masumi recalls.

Check out the Assassin’s Creed Shadows trailer below!

“It had taken about nine months to be cured, and during that time, I was not able to speak at all. So I had to use a notepad that was hung around my neck to communicate with people.”

“When I finally got my voice back, I started university. So, remembering what it was like not to have a voice and being trapped in the earthquake, it taught me how to make the most out of my life. Those moments gave me courage because I realised I could die at any moment, and I soon began my career in music and acting.”

Having already landed roles in NCIS: Hawaii and the mini-series Naruto: Climbing Silver, arguably Masumi’s largest role to date is as Naome in Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Delayed on more than one occasion, the game was finally released on 20 March 2025.

“It’s been an incredible but also an overwhelming experience to finally have Assassin’s Creed Shadows released; it feels surreal at times,” says Masumi. “I’m still finishing up the game, there are still bits that need recording but it’s great to be able to finally share this with fans.” While Masumi wasn't able to share what she’s recording for Assassin’s Creed Shadows, I assume it may be for its upcoming Claws of Awaji expansion.

Ubisoft

Going from TV and movies to video games is no doubt a big transition and with it comes a whole host of learning experiences.

“Not being able to interact with your acting partner is very different when working on a video game. On TV and movie sets, you’re able to see and touch that person, feel their energy and create chemistry as if something is happening in real life,” she tells me. “But with motion capture, there’s usually no set. I can be in a white empty room, and sometimes, you can’t even move that much because you have cameras all over your body.”

“I had to change the way I approached acting with Assassin’s Creed Shadows because you might not be able to connect with another actor to form chemistry. There might be times when recording voiceovers, the other actor is not there with you. It can be difficult to create chemistry, so you have to rely heavily on your imagination. Those are the biggest differences working on a video game compared to TV and movies, I think.”

Masumi recalls a funny moment during motion capture with the actor playing Oda Nobunaga, a historical Japanese figure in Assassin’s Creed Shadows.

“The motion capture actor playing Oda Nobunaga was delivering a very dignified and serious performance, but he sat on boxes made to resemble a horse, and he had to kick the side of the box for the ‘horse’ to move. Then the crew members would move it along. It’s very comedic to watch, but as an actor, you have to be fully invested in that scene. It’s really interesting how motion capture comes together.”

Ubisoft

While loosely based on historic moments, the Assassin’s Creed series has always had real figures at the heart of its story whether it’s Leonardo da Vinci in Assassin’s Creed II and Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood, Mary Reed of Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag or Cleopatra of Assassin’s Creed Origins, to name a few. Assassin’s Creed Shadows is no exception.

“It was an absolute honour,” says Masumi as she begins to explain what it means to play a character surrounded by many important figures in Japanese history. “We were taught about these figures when we were at school, but learning about them in Assassin’s Creed Shadows made them feel more human. We learned about their lives and what their personalities might have been like.”

“Some of these figures went through so many emotions and turmoil during Civil War. They must have gone through a lot of suffering, pain and grief. Some of our ancestors did go through that. It helped me understand their place in history. Sometimes it felt therapeutic and emotional to learn about these real people. Learning about samurai was also an honour.”

Being a big fan of the Yakuza/Like a Dragon series, I always prefer to choose Japanese actors over English-speaking ones. To me, it feels more authentic and having a strong American accent for a native Japanese character feels out of place.

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“I once auditioned for a character that was a Japanese ninja in a TV show. I won’t name it but it’s a famous show. I was called back to do a shoot, but I couldn't make it because I was already booked for another movie,” she explains.

“So instead, they cast another actor. I think she was half-Japanese, but she couldn't speak our language at all. She butchered all the Japanese lines. I was new to acting, but to be replaced by someone who couldn't speak Japanese hurt because our language carries our culture, it’s our history.”

“At that point, I understood the importance of a language being authentic to the character and carrying an ancestral weight. In Japan, we have a word called ‘koto dama’, which means a word that carries the soul. When you truly understand the meaning of a word and not just mimic it, it gives that word soul. A language should be honoured.”

“I’m not saying that a person needs to be 100% Japanese for the role, but being able to speak the language should be important. Since that time, I’ve been offered roles for Chinese and Vietnamese characters, but I just can’t accept them.”

Playing the role of Naoe in Assassin’s Creed Shadows would surely open up even more doors to play leading roles in other video game franchises.

Ubisoft

“To be honest, I'm itching to get back to movies and TV. I got to feature in a movie called The Weight of Darkness, and I’m also in a new Apple TV sci-fi show that’s releasing later this year. I can’t speak the name of the show right now, but I enjoy the chemistry of being alongside other actors.”

“But I’m so thankful that I had this opportunity with Assassin’s Creed Shadows. It was a long journey, but I feel I’ve learned not only how to be better at voiceover work but also motion capture,” she continues. “I’m incredibly grateful that I got to look at this art from a different perspective. Right now, I’m looking forward to getting back into movies and TV, but if the right video game opportunity presents itself, I’m always down to try. So we'll see what happens.”

It’s no doubt been an interesting time for Masumi during the development of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, so to conclude the interview on even more of a positive note, I asked whether it's professional or personal, what over the last 12 months has given her the most joy.

“I'm most proud of being able to take care and stand up for myself. For example, if I'm too tired and I need to rest, I’ll take that time away, or if I have done my best, I give myself some credit. I don’t know if this is a Japanese thing, but I feel there’s a pressure to achieve perfection. Over the last 12 months, I’ve been able to step away a bit from the pressure of achieving perfection to appreciate what I’ve achieved and to take care of myself. I'm very, very proud of that one. Thanks for asking.”