{"id":26983,"date":"2019-07-01T22:17:44","date_gmt":"2019-07-02T05:17:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ourstarblazers.com\/vault\/?p=26983"},"modified":"2019-07-15T00:34:23","modified_gmt":"2019-07-15T07:34:23","slug":"401a","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ourstarblazers.com\/vault\/401a\/","title":{"rendered":"Nobuyoshi Habara interview, February 2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"1907icon\"<\/p>\n

From Hobby Japan<\/em> #599, March 2019: in his final solo interview for Yamato 2202<\/em>, Director Nobuyoshi Habara spoke passionately about his time with the saga, which he began as a fan of the original TV series. He also shared previously-untold stories about the making of Chapter 7 and some of his favorite moments in the series.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

From Hobby Japan<\/em> #599, March 2019: in his final solo interview for Yamato 2202<\/em>, Director Nobuyoshi Habara spoke passionately about his time with the saga, which he began as a fan of the original TV series. He also shared previously-untold stories about the making of Chapter 7 and some of his favorite moments in the series.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Space Battleship Yamato 2202, Soldiers of Love<\/em> completion commemoration!<\/h3>\n

Director Nobuyoshi Habara Special Interview<\/h2>\n

Yamato 2202<\/em> has finally reached its conclusion with Chapter 7, New Star Chapter<\/em>. While this work inherits the genes of Farewell to Yamato<\/em> and Yamato 2<\/em>, it surprised fans with a completely new direction and ending. In commemoration of this conclusion, we heard stories from Nobuyoshi Habara, who served as the director.<\/p>\n

Interview by Hiroyuki Kawai<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Thoughts on fulfilling the entrusted role<\/h3>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> The first thing that was impressive in Chapter 7 was the chance encounter between Kodai, Keyman and Miru, all from a young generation. The scene of their relationship felt like it symbolized 2202<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Habara:<\/em><\/span> In the original works Farewell<\/em> and Yamato 2<\/em>, Dessler was positioned as Kodai\u2019s rival, but when considering it from the present-day point of view, I was worried that, “Perhaps there hasn’t been enough built up between them…” That\u2019s why Kodai pushes peace toward Zordar in Chapter 7. It was also an important action that showed the character of the hero.<\/p>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> Unfortunately, peace didn\u2019t materialize despite the glimpse of hope in the action of Miru handing over the gun.<\/p>\n

Habara:<\/em><\/span> If Miru is the next generation of Zordar, that action seems impossible, doesn\u2019t it? When I read about the choice to hand over the gun in the script, I was shaking. \u201cCan we do it this way?\u201d (Laughs) There\u2019s a sense of tension in this scene, switching between closeups and wide shots, and I struggled with the timing of the lines.<\/p>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> I get the impression that the relationship with Dessler is still in the future.<\/p>\n

Habara:<\/em><\/span> Based on the flow of Yamato 2199<\/em>, we kept it on a level of suspense. \u201cIs the feeling of rivalry with Kodai finally deepening?\u201d Dessler is the king of his country despite the current change of government, and he\u2019s someone who is in a position to lead the people. But he doesn\u2019t know everything about Kodai yet in 2202<\/em>, so our judgment was that it was still too early for him to have any feeling toward a young Earthling.<\/p>\n

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

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> If he were too cooperative, it would be difficult to maintain that balance of character.<\/p>\n

Habara:<\/em><\/span> It\u2019s still surprising in Chapter 7 when he gives them the Neu Deusler<\/em> for the Transit Wave-Motion Gun, isn\u2019t it? When depicting Dessler in particular, his dignity is the most important element. If you don\u2019t depict him based on the essence of \u201cI let my guard down for no one\u201d then Garmillas itself looks smaller. In terms of positioning, Keyman is closer to the original Dessler.<\/p>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> Keyman played an important role in the climax.<\/p>\n

Habara:<\/em><\/span> Keyman takes up Sanada\u2019s role in Farewell<\/em>. As the writer Harutoshi Fukui thought, \u201cYou can\u2019t play an important role if it isn\u2019t depicted properly,\u201d so it was built up very carefully. Therefore, a lot of people were shocked at his death.<\/p>\n

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

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> He also spoke his thoughts about Yamamoto on the verge of his death.<\/p>\n

Habara:<\/em><\/span> Many people may be surprised to find out about the relationship between those two, but in fact we touched upon it over a long time in the script stage. Given the flow of 2199<\/em>, there was concern about whether Yamamoto was seen as a woman suited for grand romance\u2026so for the sake of those who take the \u201cpro\u201d stance on that we switched to a form were the feeling emerged gradually. <\/p>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> Looking back at the original, it seemed like Yamamoto would be the one to die\u2026<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Habara:<\/em><\/span> But thanks to her surviving, she became the last witness, the character who created a chance to rescue Kodai and Yuki. And since in a way she will inherit the will of Keyman, I think she\u2019ll play an important role in the future.<\/p>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> Elements of both Farewell<\/em> and Yamato 2<\/em> were captured in 2202<\/em>, so the issue of \u201cwho will die?\u201d was a point of anxiety.<\/p>\n

Habara:<\/em><\/span> That\u2019s right. I was quite concerned about the fate of each character. In particular, I talked with Mr. Fukui many times about the scene where Saburo Kato dies. According to the original work, Saburo dies and his younger brother Shiro appears. If possible, I wanted Saburo to live because the Saburo of 2202<\/em> has a family, and even if Shiro were to appear it wouldn\u2019t feel like,
\n\u201cThat\u2019s OK, then.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> Kato built up a lot of drama between 2199<\/em> and 2202<\/em>, didn\u2019t he?<\/p>\n

Habara:<\/em><\/span> That\u2019s right. But I wanted to end it in such a way that even if his death was unavoidable, it wouldn\u2019t be a meaningless one if he insisted, \u201cI\u2019m going to survive.\u201d That was my feeling. In the last battle he would be in a terrible state if he was shot through the abdomen. He wouldn\u2019t be able to breathe. But he fights through it and shouts at the top of his lungs and plays his role. And in the end he\u2019s wrapped in light rather than an explosion. It feels like, \u201cSaburo\u2019s thoughts are being sent to [his son] Tsubasa.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The impact of the original work is challenged by a new approach<\/h3>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> Golem, the Ark of Destruction, finally appears. In the original, this is the scene where the giant battleship appeared, but the image changed a lot, didn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n

Habara:<\/em><\/span> I was concerned about the handling of the giant battleship from the start of 2202<\/em>. The White Comet is the same size as Saturn, so if you think about the battleship coming out of it, that wouldn\u2019t be a surprise. But when I thought, \u201cHow is it made, and who is moving it?\u201d it wasn\u2019t limited to a battleship\u2019s framework. There was also a suggestion from [Assistant Director] Makoto Kobayashi, \u201cLet\u2019s move away from the battleship,\u201d and that became the direction. The finished Golem looks like a symbol of the devil, and I think it became a design that suits the worldview.<\/p>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> Even if a strong impression was left behind [by the original], when I think about the city empire as \u201cA group of buildings in that size\u2026\u201d I can feel the trend of the times.<\/p>\n

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

Habara:<\/em><\/span> Yes, that doesn\u2019t have the same sense of scale any more. However, the shock of Farewell<\/em> had a wonderful effect because it remains strong in everyone\u2019s mind, so it was a difficult decision not to use that visual. The breakthrough was seen in the design for the city empire in 2202<\/em> with planets inside of it\u2026the idea of it containing Zemuria was very shocking.<\/p>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> From that you could imagine how huge it is.<\/p>\n

Habara:<\/em><\/span> It\u2019s a success if we can get you to think, \u201cBIG!\u201d In Yamato 2<\/em> there was an impact in the visual of it coming down to Earth, but the size changed this time, so that became NG. [No good]\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> I could not imagine how they would get inside.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Habara:<\/em><\/span> That\u2019s where the Galman Wolf comes in. He wasn\u2019t originally in the script, but I personally wanted him to appear by all means. Consultation with Mr. Fukui and Makoto Kobayashi moved it forward, and he appeared in a role to lead Yamato<\/em>. Of course, Yabu also appears, but without showing his face at first. He shows up only in the salute when parting with Yamato<\/em>. His method of saluting is different from the rest of the crew, so please look closely.<\/p>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> Ultimately, Yamato<\/em> gets battered like never before, and I got the impression that its fight was over.<\/p>\n

Habara:<\/em><\/span> Since it\u2019s the war against the city empire, there was a feeling of, \u201cwe have to go all the way.\u201d The tip of the first gun battery was bent as much as possible according to the image in Farewell<\/em>. Actually, I also wanted to punch a round hole in the antenna as shown in the original, but there wasn\u2019t time for it. I regretted that, so I put a round hole in Yamato<\/em>\u2019s antenna on the poster. (Laughs) Please check out the poster for Chapter 7.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

A deep-cut surprise that acknowledges all of Yamato<\/em>.<\/h3>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> Instead of sacrificing their lives like in Farewell<\/em>, and also not following Yamato 2<\/em>, a suitable story was needed for the couple to return, wasn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n

Habara:<\/em><\/span> That\u2019s right. I was personally committed to the scene where Kodai decides to return. First Yuki comes to Kodai and he refuses to return, but he finally makes the decision when the baby\u2019s hand comes out\u2026that\u2019s how it developed. That baby is Miyuki, who appeared in Yamato Resurrection<\/em>, one of two future children.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> So in the instant that hand appeared, it was Miyuki, right?<\/p>\n

Habara:<\/em><\/span> The way it developed was, first the baby clearly appears\u2026and when Kodai smiles, that\u2019s the start of his decision to return. I wanted to make it a story about just Kodai and Yuki if possible, so by showing the baby\u2019s hand for only a moment, for all intents and purposes it included both Yuki and the children, and it flowed into the image of Kodai returning. I made adjustments right up to the last minute in the editing stage, including switching scenes, connecting shots, and timing when the hands appear.<\/p>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> Various ideas are elaborated in the final episode, aren\u2019t they?<\/p>\n

Habara:<\/em><\/span> That\u2019s right. When Kodai is wavering about going back, Teresa presents him with new possibilities. There\u2019s the scene filled with balls of light. In fact, various scenes from the original Yamato<\/em> series are depicted in those balls. They were newly drawn. There are also scenes from Yamato 2<\/em> and Yamato 2520<\/em>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> You did something that extravagant?<\/p>\n

Habara:<\/em><\/span> Yes, drawn by animators in the industry who like Yamato<\/em>. I asked them to \u201cPlease draw just one of your favorite Yamato<\/em> scenes!\u201d and some interesting scenes came together. There\u2019s a Yamato<\/em> with only four windows from Episode 2 of the first series, the Balanodon is shown, and there\u2019s also one of Aihara trying to steal the glass [from Be Forever]<\/em>. (Laughs) If you\u2019re someone who\u2019s really into Yamato<\/em>, please check!<\/p>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> It was a big surprise for fans, but why did you make such a scene?<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Habara:<\/em><\/span> What was important about this scene was to acknowledge all of Yamato<\/em> and give it a feeling of, \u201cEveryone loves Yamato<\/em>!\u201d Even if you just mention Yamato<\/em> in passing, there\u2019s a wide range of fans with passion for various works. It\u2019s also important what age you were when you first encountered Yamato<\/em>, and I think that can affect someone\u2019s favorite accordingly. It was a declaration that there is a favorite Yamato<\/em> for every generation. I was in the first generation and the Farewell<\/em> generation, but when I consider the entire saga, I\u2019m reminded of Yamato<\/em>\u2019s many charms.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The existence of 2202<\/em> as a memorable monument<\/h3>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> Looking back on all seven chapters, please tell me which mecha scene you have a special feeling about.<\/p>\n

Habara:<\/em><\/span> The one I really wanted to do was to move Yamato<\/em> around while it was under renovation in Episode 1. I really wanted to move the unfinished Yamato<\/em> around while it was full of holes. It would be difficult to draw by hand, but it was possible to somehow do it in CG. A Yamato<\/em> cutaway model was released back in the old days, right? The image is close to that.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> You wanted to reproduce the \u201ccutaway Yamato<\/em>\u201d with current technology, huh?<\/p>\n

Habara:<\/em><\/span> That\u2019s right. I wanted to make an in-story version of a three-dimensional Yamato<\/em> that had that cutaway image. In addition to the Yamato<\/em> under renovation, the climax Yamato<\/em> was also good.<\/p>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> Which particular battleship do you have a special fondness for?<\/p>\n

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

Habara:<\/em><\/span> Andromeda-kai<\/em>, the Yamanami special. At the stage when Andromeda is repaired, I said, \u201cI want it to get Yamato<\/em>\u2019s colors.\u201d Yamanami would have a special consideration for Yamato<\/em>, and I think he\u2019d want to follow that color scheme.<\/p>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> Since Yamanami becomes Yamato<\/em>\u2019s captain in Be Forever<\/em>, it gives you a feeling of foreshadowing, doesn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n

Habara:<\/em><\/span> I want you to imagine all sorts of things.<\/p>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> A variety of products has come out of 2202<\/em>, but which one made an impression on you?<\/p>\n


\nWith Harutoshi Fukui at Yamashiroya modeling event, April 2018<\/em><\/p>\n

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

Habara:<\/em><\/span> They\u2019re all generally cool. The model kits are easy to make and they\u2019re just fun to assemble. I built my first model kit in decades at an event, and it feels like putting a puzzle together. The latest one is striking, the 1\/1000 Yamato<\/em> final battle version. The thickness of the main guns has increased, and it\u2019s similar to their shape in Episode 2 of the original series, where Kodai fires the main guns for the first time.<\/p>\n

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> The GX-86 Soul of Chogokin Yamato 2202<\/em> comes out in March.<\/p>\n

Habara:<\/em><\/span> There are lots of sound and gimmick items, and there\u2019s actually a hidden mode where the Wave-Motion Gun firing sequence changes to the Transit Wave-Motion Gun firing sequence. It\u2019s the same as in Episode 18 where the sequence gets about halfway, but in the end it can\u2019t fire. At one of the meetings about this, the joke was, \u201cLet\u2019s just reproduce it like in Episode 18.\u201d (Laughs)<\/p>\n

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

Interviewer:<\/em><\/span> You\u2019ve been involved in Yamato<\/em> for a long time, ever since Resurrection<\/em>. What thoughts do you have now that 2202<\/em> has reached its conclusion?<\/p>\n

Habara:<\/em><\/span> Yamato<\/em> is special to me. When I first heard that I might be able to join the staff on Resurrection<\/em>, I was really happy. And 2199<\/em> was the reason I was able to participate in 2202<\/em>. It was tough, but it was my favorite part. (Laughs) Thanks to the staff and all the fans who supported me, I was able to finish it without collapsing. Our company Xebec and I will graduate from Yamato<\/em> in March, and I think it has become a monumental work of my anime life.<\/p>\n

(Tokyo, February 2019)<\/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":[119,123,135],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26983","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-others-interviews-essays","category-yamato-2202","category-yamato-2202-interviews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ourstarblazers.com\/vault\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26983","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=26983"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.ourstarblazers.com\/vault\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26983\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27129,"href":"https:\/\/www.ourstarblazers.com\/vault\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26983\/revisions\/27129"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ourstarblazers.com\/vault\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26983"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ourstarblazers.com\/vault\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26983"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ourstarblazers.com\/vault\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26983"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}