{"id":24224,"date":"2017-11-10T00:40:21","date_gmt":"2017-11-10T08:40:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ourstarblazers.com\/vault\/?p=24224"},"modified":"2018-02-13T23:49:19","modified_gmt":"2018-02-14T07:49:19","slug":"264a","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ourstarblazers.com\/vault\/264a\/","title":{"rendered":"2202<\/em> Scriptwriter interview, October 2017"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"1711icon\"<\/p>\n

From Animate Times<\/em>: scriptwriter Hideki Oka discusses his first contact with Yamato<\/em>, his entry into 2202<\/em>, the process of writing a script, what it was like to see Farewell to Yamato<\/em> in 1978, and his personal observations about the characters and themes of the new series.<\/p>\n

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Interview by Shuichi Oguro, published by Animate Times<\/em>, October 12, 2017. See the original article here<\/a><\/p>\n

Tokusatsu and Yamato<\/em> crossover!? We asked Hideki Oka, director of the Ultraman<\/em> series, what is Space Battleship Yamato 2202, Soldiers of Love<\/em>?<\/h2>\n

Chapter 3, Pure Love Chapter<\/em>, finally premieres in theaters October 14. The staff and cast members represent the best in Japan. Did you know that Hideki Oka, who is involved with the Ultraman<\/em> series, writes the scripts?<\/p>\n

As a genuine Yamato<\/em> fan, it\u2019s a great feeling to participate. Here, we interviewed him about that feeling! We discussed various topics, from his first encounter with Yamato<\/em> to his own personal worldview. He talked with an earnest expression even while being funny. Of course, this is must-read content for both Yamato<\/em> fans and tokusatsu fans!<\/p>\n[Translator\u2019s note: tokusatsu<\/em> = live action special effects programs]
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A sudden route to open Yamato<\/em><\/h3>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> First of all, you\u2019ve been mainly involved in live-action works such as the Ultraman<\/em> series so far. Please tell us how you came to be involved in 2202<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Oka:<\/em><\/span> The trigger for that was a single email from the director, Nobuyoshi Habara. The wording was quite simple. \u201cWe will produce the sequel to Yamato 2199<\/em> at Xebec. It\u2019s a remake of the White Comet story. Please write a proposal.\u201d (Laughs)<\/p>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> That was quite a straight invitation, wasn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n

Oka:<\/em><\/span> Yes. However, at the time he sent me that email, Director Habara didn\u2019t know that Harutoshi Fukui would also participate, and he was actually already on standby. It was a \u201cfateful mistake.\u201d (Laughs) Anyway, I received the offer while I was working in Indonesia.<\/p>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> Meaning that you were still in the middle of making the Garudo Warrior Bima<\/em><\/a> series, right?<\/p>\n

Oka:<\/em><\/span> That\u2019s right. I\u2019d finished shooting everything and ordering the CG, and was just waiting for completion. By chance, there was one month left, and it was a gaping hole in the schedule. Even looking back on it now, it was exquisite timing. Was God around there somewhere? That\u2019s what it felt like. (Laughs)<\/p>\n

Weird things like that have happened several times in my life. When I was entrusted to direct Ultraman<\/em>, it felt like a punch came flying in from beyond my imagination. Since it was specifically an anime work this time, I thought, \u201cdid I really just get this email?\u201d (Laughs)<\/p>\n

Of course, I like Yamato<\/em> very much, and I already knew Director Habara well. I watched the Resurrection<\/em> Director\u2019s Cut with him, and I enjoyed his one-man commentary as the animation director. Isn\u2019t that great? I was very fortunate to have him as my friend.<\/p>\n

However, I was also confused. Why would an anime work be assigned to a guy in the live-action film field? But I thought, \u201cI can be useful for something.\u201d I happily and freely wrote up a story for a proposal book and sent it to Japan.<\/p>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> Your main career has been as a director, but did you write scripts for the first time on Bima?<\/em><\/p>\n

Oka:<\/em><\/span> That\u2019s what it says in the credits. But as a director, there are many things I\u2019m deeply involved in while in the process of writing a screenplay. I did various things like practicing screenwriting from before Bima<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> So how did you make use of that experience?<\/p>\n

Oka:<\/em><\/span> Well, I think I gained some valuable experience, but \u201cI\u2019m no Harutoshi Fukui.\u201d (Laughs) When I returned to Japan, he was there, and I was asked to assist in various places. And then I thought, \u201cWhy do you think I\u2019m fit to be Harutoshi Fukui\u2019s assistant?\u201d Isn\u2019t that natural? So I wasn\u2019t immediately able to strut my stuff on the spot.<\/p>\n

Then Mr. Fukui and Mr. Habara said, \u201cLet\u2019s go for a drink\u201d and we talked about it for four or five hours. During that time, I was able to get Mr. Fukui thinking, \u201cThis person may be useful in some way.\u201d That was the flow in which my participation was finally settled.<\/p>\n

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The great impact of a first encounter with Yamato<\/em><\/h3>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> I\u2019d like to hear about your original experience with Space Battleship Yamato<\/em>. Did you see the first 1974 broadcast as part of the real-time generation?<\/p>\n

Oka:<\/em><\/span> I did have that experience. But whether or not I could say that I \u201csaw\u201d it\u2026to be honest, as a result of hesitation, I chose to watch Monkey Army<\/em>, which was on at the same time! I certainly saw the opening of Yamato<\/em> and then just a little at the start, around a minute and a half. If I changed the channel quickly after listening to the theme song of Yamato<\/em>, I was in time for the middle of the theme song for Monkey Army<\/em>. (Laughs)<\/p>\n[Note: Monkey Army<\/em> was a 26-episode live action series from Tsubaraya productions, broadcast in 1974, inspired by Planet of the Apes<\/em>. It was an authentic SF work with an emphasis on science, but it fought a tough ratings battle against Yamato<\/em> and Girl of the Alps Heidi<\/em>.]
<\/p>\n

During the commercials, I flipped back and forth between Monkey<\/em> and Yamato<\/em>. Anyway, I wanted to see both. But as a result, it was 90% Monkey<\/em> and 10% Yamato<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> In a way, that choice set you up for the Ultraman<\/em> series later. (Laughs)<\/p>\n

Oka:<\/em><\/span> Since Monkey Army<\/em> was never given the opportunity for reruns, that might be the right answer. I watched that on a small TV in my grandmother\u2019s room. My parents all watched Yamato<\/em> together on the big TV. They were in their mid-30s at the time. What kind of work was Yamato<\/em> to get adults watching like that? I was always curious about that after the broadcast was over. So I was really happy when reruns started up after a while.<\/p>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> Back in those days, there was a lot of content that got popular in reruns, wasn\u2019t there?<\/p>\n

Oka:<\/em><\/span> In my class, there was a very small group that watched Yamato<\/em> in reruns. One guy watched while he studied. He had a slightly peculiar sensibility for it. As third graders, I wonder if our impression was \u201cthis is slightly too good for us.\u201d But every time it was rerun, Yamato<\/em> became the central topic in class more and more.<\/p>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> Yamato<\/em> became a big movement as a feature film afterward. How did you see Farewell to Yamato<\/em>, which is the basis for Yamato 2202<\/em>?<\/p>\n

Oka:<\/em><\/span> I saw Farewell<\/em> during the summer before seventh grade. Star Wars<\/em> had already been released in Japan at the time, and I became aware that \u201cI like Sci-fi movies!\u201d and I was attacked with the fever of, \u201cI\u2019m definitely going to become a movie director in the future!\u201d (Laughs) It was in that state that I went to see Farewell<\/em>.<\/p>\n

I couldn\u2019t see it on the premiere day, but I did the story in an anime magazine about how the white comet gets peeled off in front of the heroes to reveal a city empire, and I heard a rumor from those who saw it before me that \u201cYamato<\/em> performs a suicide attack.\u201d So I watched it calmly with the sense that I was tracing information I\u2019d gotten in advance. However, when it got to the end of Yamato<\/em> flew toward the giant battleship with only Kodai and Yuki on board, the TV theme song was sung by a male chorus, and it got very serious. The moment I heard that, my blood boiled at once.<\/p>\n

Farewell, Earth, the ship we\u2019re traveling in is Space Battleship Yamato<\/em>\u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the true meaning of that song!\u201d<\/p>\n

From there, I shed tears non-stop as I watched it to the end. You could say it was a sense of \u201cdespair\u201d along with farewell.<\/p>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> If you had a deep fondness for the movie version, were your thoughts about Yamato 2<\/em> complicated by the different ending?<\/p>\n

Oka:<\/em><\/span> Yamato 2<\/em>? My feeling was, \u201cYamato 2? 2??<\/em> What is THIS?!\u201d And even as I was thinking that, I also thought about somehow skipping cram school, which I was going to at the time, in order to see it. I stopped my own development to see Yamato 2<\/em>. That was reckless. But it was a feeling of, \u201cI can\u2019t not see it.\u201d<\/p>\n

But even to my junior high school student eyes it seemed like, \u201cSomehow the picture is rougher this time, and doesn\u2019t it seem diluted?\u201d On the other hand, there were a lot of exciting situations in Yamato 2<\/em>. As a result, my entire commitment to Yamato<\/em> deepened.<\/p>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> As for deep digging, I think there were things in it they couldn\u2019t do in Farewell<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Oka:<\/em><\/span> Yes, exactly! I think there are many fans who like Zordar, but don\u2019t the Zordars of Farewell<\/em> and Yamato 2<\/em> mix together in your mind? It\u2019s not just me. I\u2019m thinking there\u2019s still a secret love for the great emperor.<\/p>\n

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Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> If you only watch Farewell<\/em>, Zordar is purely a villain. His image is almost always laughing, right?<\/p>\n

Oka:<\/em><\/span> That\u2019s right. I think about half his popularity comes from the nuance of being \u201ca man who knows the wisdom of a warrior.\u201d That character was obviously spun out of Yamato 2<\/em>, wasn\u2019t it? Of course, his logic was crystal clear when he said, \u201cI own every drop of blood in one whose life belongs to me.\u201d If such a thing was said to me, I couldn\u2019t help but think, \u201cI want you to squeeze me dry.\u201d<\/p>\n

(All Laugh)<\/p>\n

Then at the end, what a miserable scream he made. I think a lot of people didn\u2019t find the end of Zordar to be convincing, but as for me both characters seem \u201cregrettable\u201d in my mind.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> Aside from that ending, there were many unforgettable lines.<\/p>\n

Oka:<\/em><\/span> And they weren\u2019t limited to Zordar. \u201cEvery drop of blood is mine\u201d and \u201cyour chest, your heart, and your soul.\u201d There were phrases that pierced your body like a needle. I think that\u2019s one of the factors that makes Yamato<\/em> unforgettable. Yamato<\/em> wears the trappings of SF but isn\u2019t stiff at all. It shows a story with an earnest power that isn\u2019t at all embarrassing. So I continue to find it fascinating.<\/p>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> Did Yamato<\/em> have an influence on you even when you made it to the production side?<\/p>\n

Oka:<\/em><\/span> Oh, yes, of course it had an influence. For example, when it comes to how to depict an enemy, I want that enemy to be overwhelming. I digress a little, but there are the White Comet Empire, the Emperor of Darkness and the Seven Legions from Great Mazinger<\/EM>, and the Tiger\u2019s Hole in Tiger Mask<\/em>. For me, these are \u201cthe three most absolutely evil and unbeatable organizations.\u201d (Laughs) In addition to attacking the main character with an infinite amount of resources, they have a firm logic behind their invasion. That\u2019s what makes them overwhelming. So when I was entrusted to direct the Ultraman<\/em> series, there was the feeling of following in the shadow of such enemies.<\/p>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> When I hear that, there is certainly a place in Ultraman<\/em> Saga where I understand how a convincing enemy is depicted.<\/p>\n

Oka:<\/em><\/span> I blurred it a bit at the time, but the line and laugh of the Bat aliens in that were a perfect Zordar. (Laughs) Like Zordar, I wanted it to have the feeling of \u201ca barrier so powerful that even the will to resist it crumbles.\u201d In our generation, you can\u2019t escape being influenced by Yamato<\/em>, and I went with longtime Ultraman<\/em> director Abeuichi to see 2199<\/em> together all the time. I didn\u2019t hear this directly, but if you look at his work there are certainly a lot of shots that look like they came out of Yamato<\/em>. (Laughs) The imprinting from Yamato<\/em> is strong.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

Being a member of the 2202<\/em> \u201ccrew\u201d<\/h3>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> That reminds me, the term White Comet appears for the first time in Chapter 3, doesn\u2019t it? This may sound harsh, but since it doesn\u2019t meet the astronomical definition of a comet, I wondered if it would be unified with \u201cImperial Star Gatlantis\u201d this time.<\/p>\n

Oka:<\/em><\/span> No, no\u2026isn\u2019t the sound of \u201cWhite Comet\u201d still important? It\u2019s familiar to everyone\u2019s ears. Wouldn\u2019t everyone be upset if it was thrown out? There are many ways to refer to the green-skinned people. Their most common name in books related to Farewell<\/em> at the time was \u201cWhite Comet Empire Gatlantis,\u201d but that wasn\u2019t actually used in the movie. There were five proper names used in the story: White Comet, Comet Empire, Comet Empire Gatlantis, Imperial Star Gatlantis, and City Empire. <\/p>\n

Mr. Fukui suggested that in 2202<\/em> we focus on White Comet and Imperial Star Gatlantis. A new name will come out in the end, so there will be three kinds. In 2202<\/em>, the form is that the comet and Yamato<\/em> confront each other on the route from Earth to Telezart, and as the comet approaches the actual situation will gradually become known. There might be a reason that the term \u201cWhite Comet\u201d is heard for the first time in Chapter 3.<\/p>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> I see. Well then, since the flow of the script becomes the form, I\u2019d like to ask specifically about your role in 2202<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Oka:<\/em><\/span> First of all, there was a document called a constitution memo that Mr. Fukui wrote, and after reading it carefully I broke the long plot down into half-hour story segments. At that time there was also something like a \u201cnovel,\u201d and though each story was divided up, their lengths varied. Mr. Fukui said, \u201cI wrote a lot with the presumption that some of it would be cut.\u201d But in order to understand the characters\u2019 feelings and the background circumstances, a lot of information was put into it.<\/p>\n

In other words, it\u2019s not the sort of thing where \u201cit\u2019s all in the script.\u201d It\u2019s difficult to sift through it and choose where to pick up and go. I had a hard time until I grasped his sense of intuition. (Laughs) <\/p>\n

I submit the written plot to Mr. Fukui and Director Habara, and if the OK is given we have a general meeting. I get various opinions there and the next step is to write a script. First, I make what is called the \u201czero draft.\u201d This is the one I write, which becomes a springboard for the \u201cfirst draft\u201d to be written by Mr. Fukui.<\/p>\n

Of course, the \u201czero draft\u201d also includes various opinions given by Mr. Fukui and Mr. Habara, and it\u2019s rewritten several times. When I get the OK on that, we have a general meeting again and get opinions on each part, then Mr. Fukui takes it home and rewrites it thoroughly. When his work is finally approved in a general meeting, it finally becomes the \u201cfirst draft.\u201d If necessary, he will go on to write a second draft. Meanwhile, I\u2019ll start on the next long plot and it repeats from there.<\/p>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> There are also a lot of homage-like elements to Farewell<\/em> and Yamato 2<\/em>, which are the basis for 2202<\/em>. These are highlights for the fans who say, \u201cI wanted to see this!\u201d Is that also a reflection of the opinions of various people?<\/p>\n

Oka:<\/em><\/span> One big policy that Mr. Fukui decided on at the beginning was, \u201cThings referred to as \u2018cameos\u2019 will appear as much as possible.\u201d That\u2019s why Yamato<\/em> has to launch by breaking through the sea, and the crew must be forced into a state of rebellion to reach that point. Because that policy is a premise, there are naturally a lot of homage elements.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

Speaking of homages, I cautiously said, \u201cIs it all right if we use the asteroid belt?\u201d There was a feeling among the staff about elements that hadn\u2019t been depicted in 2199<\/em>, and everyone was excited like, \u201cOh, good, whew!\u201d and \u201cNow we can show what we can do with an old concept.\u201d Everyone\u2019s reaction at the time was \u201cthe practical application of old-fashioned technology,\u201d which lead to the concept of \u201ca souvenir from the Izumo plan.\u201d<\/p>\n

A script isn\u2019t everything, and additional action and visuals come from Makoto Kobayashi, the assistant director, which are reflected in the storyboard. Some elements in the script are reorganized in that process. The scripts for 2202<\/em> were written way at the beginning and there was a general agreement among the staff that they were good. But since production choices for each episode are made at the storyboard stage, that means as many ideas as possible are put in. On top of that, if a new idea comes out, it will be incorporated in a dynamic way. That\u2019s what you see in the completed visuals.<\/p>\n

Because of that, Director Habara said in a previous interview that 2202<\/em> has the strong feeling of being made by many people. It gathers the wisdom of many and builds it all into 2202<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> I see. There are a lot of elements built into fan-friendly visuals, and they feel very convincing.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

Oka:<\/em><\/span> For example, in Chapter 1 when we see the large battleships of the \u201cGaisengan Weapons Group,\u201d for some reason it appears from the inside of a rock and we spend quite a long time on it. If it was an ordinary program you\u2019d see that and say, \u201cWhy are you spending so much time on this?\u201d But looking back on past experiences, that\u2019s a Yamato<\/em> way of showing it. Even if it stops the progress of the story, we emphasize the appearance of the enemy. The music and sound pound away. By daring to do that, I feel like we\u2019re seeing the Yamato<\/em> worldview after a long absence. I think that was accomplished thanks to the strong commitment of Assistant Director Kobayashi. From this point onward, I think highlights we didn\u2019t think of will be introduced more and more as the story proceeds.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve been granted the role of playing a part in the production of the script, and in a way I\u2019m a member of the crew for the story of 2202<\/em>, which is shaped by a lot of people. One of a large number of people. I\u2019m truly happy. The basics of script work are solitary, but there are a lot of people\u2019s ideas and hard work ahead. It becomes part of a legacy. When I see the names of so many people flowing through the end credits, it doesn\u2019t seem such an important thing to be the person who knows the first solitary moment.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

Watch Chapter 3 all the way through the end credits!<\/h3>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> In closing, please talk about the highlights of Chapter 3.<\/p>\n

Oka:<\/em><\/span> What I\u2019d like to say more than anything else to those who will see it in a theater is, \u201cDon\u2019t leave your seat until the end!\u201d They\u2019re all passionate viewers, so it may not be necessary, but please watch it all the way through the end credits. The moment I first saw the finished visuals, I couldn\u2019t stop myself from gasping. Now I know what\u2019s going to happen.<\/p>\n

(All laugh)<\/p>\n

Oka:<\/em><\/span> This ending was Mr. Fukui\u2019s idea. When I wrote it, I wanted it to end with Makoto Kato and her son, but Mr. Fukui said, \u201cThat\u2019s good, but if we\u2019re going to do something at the end, let\u2019s do this.\u201d And I said, \u201cThat\u2019s it!\u201d<\/p>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> By the way, for the fans of Farewell<\/em>, I\u2019m glad Kato is depicted deeply, but on the other hand I can\u2019t help but thinking about the so-called \u201cdeath flag\u201d\u2026<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Oka:<\/em><\/span> Is it a death flag? That\u2019s what you see? Well, what about it? Mr. Fukui said such a thing once. At the time we watched Farewell<\/em>, we became adults. There are a lot of people with families, so there must be something that can resonate with them. That is \u201ca thing we must protect.\u201d I want to create a story people can agree with. I also sympathized very much when I heard that. It was consolidated into Kato\u2019s family in 2202<\/em>. That\u2019s all I can say for now. (Laughs)<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> You shared your thoughts about Zordar earlier. I think that\u2019s also a highlight that is strongly reflected in Chapter 3.<\/p>\n

Oka:<\/em><\/span> I\u2019m no Harutoshi Fukui, but because I\u2019m a writer, I feel that something that doesn\u2019t find a \u201ctheme\u201d has nowhere to go. It seems like the writer caught the scent of something in Farewell<\/em> and responded to it. <\/p>\n

About the word \u201clove\u201d again, we\u2019ve created a story that takes that head on. It\u2019s one of the big themes Mr. Fukui chose for 2202<\/em>. Zordar was nominated as the embodiment of the theme. I\u2019ve been entrusted with a new aspect of him, \u201ca person who knows more about love than anyone.\u201d Those who only know the original Zordar may be confused. After Chapter 3, this new Zordar will be depicted more deeply.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m also at the personal plot stage, in the process of returning Susumu Kodai to being the hero again. We thought that confronting Zordar was essential. So please pay close attention to Zordar from here.<\/p>\n

Of course, the relationship of Kodai and Yuki is a big element in Chapter 3, since it\u2019s called Pure Love Chapter<\/em>. I hope you\u2019ll watch what happens with these two on the big screen in a theater.<\/p>\n

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