{"id":24439,"date":"2017-01-11T16:32:42","date_gmt":"2017-01-12T00:32:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ourstarblazers.com\/vault\/?p=24439"},"modified":"2018-02-13T23:37:36","modified_gmt":"2018-02-14T07:37:36","slug":"295a","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ourstarblazers.com\/vault\/295a\/","title":{"rendered":"Production Staff Interview, October 2017"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

The Overwhelming Presence of the One and Only Space Battleship Yamato<\/em><\/h2>\n

Published in Yamato 2202 Newspaper 2<\/em>, October 13, 2017. (See it from cover to cover here<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Yamato 2202<\/em> Chapter 3, Pure Love Chapter<\/em>, is finally released. In the broad sense, the story approaches the middle stage, which is the \u201cturning point” part. Chapter 3 also holds an important key to the next chapter, as we hear in this conversational interview with Director Nobuyoshi Habara, Series Writer Harutoshi Fukui, and Scriptwriter Hideki Oka.<\/p>\n

I turned my attention to the \u201cadult” fan layer<\/h3>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> 2202<\/em> has finally reached Chapter 3. Original elements have appeared that are quite different from the original work. Please tell me if there is a point you\u2019re conscious about in the interpretation.<\/p>\n

Habara:<\/em><\/span> 2202<\/em> is a continuation of 2199<\/em>. On top of that, we depicted a global relationship between Garmillas and Earth in Chapters 1 and 2, which is a major premise of this continuation.<\/p>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> So far, Great Emperor Zordar doesn\u2019t feel very different (compared to the original).<\/p>\n

Fukui:<\/em><\/span> For the moment. As you will see after Chapter 3, \u201cGarmillas may be different from the previous work” is an idea in development that is about to blow up.<\/p>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> Are you saying that a story is starting that we\u2019ve never seen before?<\/p>\n

Fukui:<\/em><\/span> Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 are composed of three elements: Farewell to Yamato<\/em> and Yamato 2<\/em>, and the sequel to 2199<\/em>, and we\u2019ve been following a conservative route. But from Chapter 3 onward the story begins to gradually deviate from that conservative route as we aim toward the ending, and that part will be glimpsed for the first time.<\/p>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> The appearance of Saito and the Space Cavalry was cool. Is that part conscious of the original work?<\/p>\n

Habara:<\/em><\/span> Regardless of the original work, I think everyone who sees it will have a similar image of Saito. However, there is a difference in what is appealing about him. Saito is cool, but he\u2019s a passionate man with humanity.<\/p>\n

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

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> Four characters who appeared in 2199<\/em> stayed on Earth at the time of Yamato<\/em>\u2019s launch. Are you thinking about their future\u2026?<\/p>\n

Fukui & Habara:<\/em><\/span> Of course.<\/p>\n

Fukui:<\/em><\/span> First of all, there is the feeling of approaching the old Yamato<\/em> as much as possible in the visuals. What kind of character appears when the camera is turned toward the inside of the ship? What kind of emotions appear when the camera pans across the first bridge? I intend to squeeze in that point. It\u2019s a continuation of 2199<\/em> throughout, and in terms of casting we certainly thought about who to leave behind and who to discard.<\/p>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> I see.<\/p>\n

Fukui:<\/em><\/span> Since we\u2019re talking about a sequel, if you were to ask why was the previous staff was replaced, the simple explanation is to profit from it. In terms of choosing the staff with the expectation of profiting, the previous work is a success on its own terms, but its success fires a bullet into the parts that are unexpected defeats. <\/p>\n

Therefore, I think it will have some things that were unexpectedly lost in the previous work. Yamato<\/em> and Gundam<\/em> have extremely specialized content, and they\u2019re works that people who don\u2019t normally see anime will watch. Of course, a lot of people who do like anime will watch, too. Among them, there is a certain important number who will always \u201csee Yamato<\/em>” or \u201csee Gundam<\/em>,” and for such guests we offer something like a picture of a trendy girl. But conversely the elements that please anime fans become elements that push others away. I came to the idea that the previous work unexpectedly lost that layer. Therefore, I\u2019m aiming at that layer again this time.<\/p>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> When building the story, what are the three roles you occupy?<\/p>\n

Oka:<\/em><\/span> First, Mr. Fukui writes the overall plot. On the basis of that, I go out as a scout and look around, and it\u2019s my job to say, \u201cHow does this feel over here?” And then I\u2019ll rewrite it after Mr. Fukui says, \u201cOK, I understand” or \u201cOK, I don\u2019t understand”<\/p>\n

Habara:<\/em><\/span> And then I just look at it. (Laughs)<\/p>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> Mr. Fukui creates the big picture, and Mr. Oka advances it.<\/p>\n

Fukui:<\/em><\/span> Nonetheless, 2202<\/em> is a work that feels like Yamato<\/em> thanks to Mr. Oka and Mr. Habara. In my case, I wasn\u2019t in the direct-hit Yamato<\/em> Generation. I was a little off. So, like I did with Mobile Suit Gundam UC<\/em>, I can\u2019t sync up 100% when evoking the old layers, and there are parts I don\u2019t understand. It is Mr. Oka and Mr. Habara who understand the Yamato<\/em> Generation, and I work with the feedback I get from them. If I had to make it without Mr. Oka, you might doubt from the start whether 2202<\/em> was Yamato<\/em> or not. It might have been a completely different work. As I interacted with Mr. Oka and Mr. Habara, I gradually began to understand the point of \u201cYamato<\/em> fans will be focused here.”<\/p>\n

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

There is no substitute<\/h3>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> I heard stories from Mr. Habara and Mr. Fukui in the first newspaper. Do you have a special fondness for Yamato<\/em>, Mr. Oka?<\/p>\n

Oka:<\/em><\/span> Of course. It\u2019s part of my life. Yamato<\/em> is my youth. When Final Yamato<\/em> was released in 1983, the history of Yamato<\/em> was over. For a long time, it wasn\u2019t possible to do a new Yamato<\/em> after that, but I kept thinking about Yamato<\/em> all the while. I wondered, \u201cWhy can\u2019t I let go of Yamato<\/em>?” But recently, I finally realized, \u201cBecause there is no substitute for it.” (Laughs) From the presence of mecha in the lead role, to how the story is carried, to the overwhelming music, there\u2019s just no substitute.<\/p>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> The story changes a little, but the composer Akira Miyagawa said that some scenes stick with fans because of the music. Are you conscious of that?<\/p>\n

Oka:<\/em><\/span> When I write a script, the music is definitely ringing.<\/p>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> In your head?<\/p>\n

Oka:<\/em><\/span> It resounds in my head. There were several episodes in which I\u2019d think \u201cWe have to use this music in this episode!!\u201d and then that music just snakes its way through my head endlessly for days as I write the script.<\/p>\n

Habara:<\/em><\/span> In the stage directions of a script, I\u2019ll write \u201cthat song starts here.” (Laughs)<\/p>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> You can tell it from \u201cthat song.”<\/p>\n

Oka:<\/em><\/span> Oh, and when I\u2019m seeing the completed version for the first time I get a feeling that a certain song will start a few seconds before I hear it, and then that song comes up! I\u2019m guessing it unconsciously. When I feel that way, I hear a lot of the songs I anticipate. In 2202<\/em> most of the music is decided in discussions between Mr. Habara and Sound Supervisor Tomohiro Yoshida. They\u2019re both hardcore, so their commitment as Yamato<\/em> fans is wonderful. There must be a common sensibility in those with a love for Yamato<\/em> music. Everyone who sees 2202<\/em> may feel the same way.<\/p>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> I\u2019m a Yamato<\/em> fan, and I\u2019ve felt it, too. Please tell me about scenes in the first three chapters that you are most particular about.<\/p>\n

Habara:<\/em><\/span> For me, it\u2019s Yamato<\/em>\u2019s launch in Chapter 2. Of course, it\u2019s a scene that became iconic for the story, so I made it with great sensitivity.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> When it launches from the undersea dock. How about you, Mr. Fukui?<\/p>\n

Fukui:<\/em><\/span> In Chapter 3 this time, it\u2019s the scene where Kodai and Yuki are forced to make a choice. These two are forced to make the ultimate choice, and choose the unexpected. We all agreed that \u201cthis is a daring choice.” It was pretty difficult, because I had a hard time getting unified agreement. It\u2019s the scene that becomes the overall icon of Chapter 3.<\/p>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> It\u2019s the part that becomes linked to the catch phrase. \u201cChoose that which you love.”<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Fukui:<\/em><\/span> The words in that phrase become very ironic after you see Chapter 3. But it\u2019s also an unwavering proposition that all humans will do so.<\/p>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> It was decided by all three of you.<\/p>\n

Fukui:<\/em><\/span> In Yamato<\/em>, and later in Gundam<\/em>, there is a common point that the hero has realism. People who have watched Yamato<\/em> think it\u2019s inevitable that it\u2019s necessary to give Susumu Kodai a heroic image. To everyone who thinks so implicitly, my thought was to ask, can I please say something raw here? I thought I had to do it this time. <\/p>\n

To begin with, I think the place that touched everyone\u2019s heart so much in Farewell<\/em> was the final Kodai scene where he\u2019s going to give his life for the Earth. Despair overlaps with too much loss, and Kodai becomes weird enough to see hallucinations. The sadness and pain gives him the strange air of a madman. That\u2019s what struck my heart. Because that\u2019s what everyone responded to, I will step into it again this time.<\/p>\n

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

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> This has become a work that takes a considerable step into that territory. How about you, Mr. Oka?<\/p>\n

Oka:<\/em><\/span> I honestly can\u2019t say which is the best. At the time of the big plot written by Mr. Fukui, it all had a tremendous amount of heat and density. It exceeds my capacity to catch everything completely, but I still catch it somehow. Once a script is completed, we release our grip on it and hand it to Mr. Habara. It\u2019s completely packed with content, and I don\u2019t have the slightest idea at that stage how they can visualize it in the given working time. I have no choice but to believe it. It goes far beyond my expectations and reaches completion in Mr. Habara\u2019s hands. That\u2019s how I got to a place where I could deliver Chapter 1, Chapter 2, and now Chapter 3 to everyone. I\u2019m overwhelmed with emotion, so it\u2019s impossible for me to choose only one.
\n<\/br><\/p>\n

We pick up as much foreshadowing as possible<\/h3>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> In Chapter 3 we meet big developments at last. What kind of developments are waiting in the future?<\/p>\n

Oka:<\/em><\/span> As you know, we\u2019re taking a line that zigzags between Farewell<\/em> and Yamato 2<\/em>, but 2202<\/em> suddenly goes off in a different direction. However, we pick up key scenes and impressive moments that everyone remembers as much as possible, so you can expect that because it\u2019s a major policy at the roots. But there are a lot of parts like, \u201cAre you really picking this up, Harutoshi Fukui!?”<\/p>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> Moments meant for maniacs?<\/p>\n

Oka:<\/em><\/span> There were many times when I actually said, \u201cAre you really picking this up!?” (Laughs)<\/p>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> Because the moments came from Yamato 2<\/em> or Farewell<\/em>, right?<\/p>\n

Fukui:<\/em><\/span> Farewell<\/em> is a masterpiece, so everything I take from it is a famous scene. But Yamato 2<\/em> is full of moments. I think they become fascinating if we depict them with present techniques and appropriate narratives. More than anything else, I think it\u2019s important for you to see it and say, \u201cAh, I know this picture.” As a member of the generation that slipped a little from Farewell<\/em>, I saw pictures from Yamato 2<\/em> in children\u2019s publications over the next year. One image that made an impression on me was \u201cYamato<\/em> flying in the midst of lots of fireflies.” Well, I thought the fireflies were necessary, so I had an idea that incorporated them into Episode 10.<\/p>\n

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

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> It feels like stimulating both the new fans and those who loved Farewell<\/em> and Yamato 2<\/em>. Lastly, please give a message and an appeal from you three to the fans of Yamato<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Habara:<\/em><\/span> In a nutshell, this is both \u201cThe Yamato<\/em> I wanted to see” and a Yamato<\/em> that no one has seen before. The subtitle of Chapter 3 is Pure Love Chapter<\/em>, and I think seeing this work will get you thinking about pure love.<\/p>\n

Fukui:<\/em><\/span> Pure Love Chapter<\/em> is a story that goes beyond that. This time you get a glimpse of the White Comet Empire that shows what Gatlantis is like, and this continues to expand in the fourth chapter. You\u2019ll understand the reason it is said that \u201cLove is necessary.” So what is this work trying to depict through the power relationship between Yamato<\/em> and Gatlantis? This means it will gradually brighten up as they approach the core of Telezart, and Teresa.<\/p>\n

Oka:<\/em><\/span> As of now, we\u2019re in the midst of production on Chapter 4. Everyone\u2019s humanity intensifies every time you see them, and I\u2019m spinning the story as I pour my blood into it. Based on the story of Yamato<\/em>, I think the appeal of this work is that the characters are depicted as if they truly have flesh and blood. Furthermore, ideas and visual spectacles appear one after another that are appropriate to succeed the history of Yamato<\/em>. In the future, both the elements of story and picture get increasingly bigger, and all I can say is that this will continue to the end. I think it will be something of that magnitude.<\/p>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> At this stage it\u2019s a feeling of high expectation. Thank you for today.<\/p>\n

<\/br><\/p>\n

Return to the index<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24439","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ourstarblazers.com\/vault\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24439","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ourstarblazers.com\/vault\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ourstarblazers.com\/vault\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ourstarblazers.com\/vault\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ourstarblazers.com\/vault\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24439"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.ourstarblazers.com\/vault\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24439\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24768,"href":"https:\/\/www.ourstarblazers.com\/vault\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24439\/revisions\/24768"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ourstarblazers.com\/vault\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24439"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ourstarblazers.com\/vault\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24439"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ourstarblazers.com\/vault\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24439"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}