| Mr. Yamaga |
I've been very busy lately, so I was not able to prepare
for today's discussion. Let me explain why I've been so busy lately and
afterwards I would like to accept questions about where Gainax is right
now and where it is going. In terms of animation, we've been emphasizing
Tv animation. We proposed 4 TV series and we assumed that maybe 2 were
going pass and get sponsors and distribution. It turns out that all 4 got
sponsors and distribution. I've been very busy lately. |
| Audience |
{Clapping} |
| Mr. Yamaga |
Thank you very much. The first of the new shows is called
Mahoromatic.
This series is based on an original comic and we made 12 episodes for this
show. Since the comic book series is not quite over... there are going
to be 14 more episodes and that is going to be the end of the anime. |
|
Another series that we are working on besides Mahoromatic
is called Abenobashi Mahou Shotengai. [T: Which I can't even
begin to know how to translate it] |
| Anime Tourist |
Magical Shopping District [Translator: Thank You] |
| Mr. Yamaga |
This was not originally a comic book. In fact, this was
a story that I wrote 10 years ago. This has been sitting around, not turning
into anything. Now it has turned into a TV series. |
|
Originally, it was based somewhere in the deep mountains
of Finland, whether or not there are actually mountains in Finland. It
is supposed to be out in the boonies of Finland and was set about a thousand
years ago. It was about a group of boys who had decided that they wanted
to become magicians and they go around studying [magic]. That was
what the original story was about. |
|
For a TV series, that seemed to be a little bit on the
bland side, so we got a script writer who has worked on a lot of flashy
animation. Since then, the setting of the story became Osaka in modern
Japan, in a place called Abenobashi, which actually exists. |
|
If you know something about Japan, then you'll realize
that people from Osaka speak a particular dialect and it's distinctive.
If you hear it then you know automatically that someone is from Osaka.
For this series, we wanted to portray a true Osaka dialect, so we got voice
actors who were originally from Osaka. So translation is going to be very
difficult. So far, 4 episodes have been aired in Japan. We plan on making
13 episodes and that will be the end of the series. [Ed note: There is
a manga, drawn by Kenji Tsuruta, which is being serialized in Kodansha's
Afternoon.] |
|
There are two more series that we are working on the scripts
for. They are not quite in presentable shape. One of the series is done
by Mr. Akai, here. He did the character designs and it is based on the
Princess Maker game. {one guy clapping loudly} |
| Mr. Akai |
Thank you. I made all the original characters, but Tadano
Kazuko of Sailor Moon has rewritten all the characters so they look
very cute. |
| Mr. Yamaga |
I didn't have much in the way of prepared statements, so I'm done for the moment. Does anyone have any questions? |
| AT |
Can you talk to us about the movie 'Aoki Uru'? Can you
talk about the work being done on that? |
| Translator |
{after a little bit of discussion in Japanese} So you just know the title? |
| AT |
Yes |
| Mr. Yamaga |
So far, there is just the title, that's just about
it. {Laughter} So we can't say much about it. About 7 years ago, right
before Evangelion, it was a project in which Mr. Anno could be the
director of a feature film. |
|
Originally, I was supposed to do the story and the script and produce
this film. However some things happened and it didn't turn into a film
but the momentum turned into the Evangelion series. I have been working
on the project for a long time and even though it has been 7 years, I still
want to continue it. I'm still putting work into it. |
Mr. Yamaga and Mr. Kobayashi
|
|
I would like to create a stable, a more solid system in which Gainax
produces animation. That is the reason why we are working on the Tv animation
series. This way, we could have a system with which we could work with
to do future work. [Ed note: Its our impression that what they are talking
about here is converting their studio to a digital one.] |
|
So far, for 'Aoki Uru', nothing like a complete work has
been presented publicly, but I am currently working on a novel for the
movie that I would like to publish it within the year. |
| Mr. Akai |
Since Evangelion was so successful. Gainax stopped making
animation because.. well .. everybody was getting paid. When they noticed
this, they realized that Gainax could no longer make animation because
they had stopped making animation all together. In order to change the
situation, Mr. Yamaga has come up with the projects for the 4 series. This
is so Gainax can get into shape making animation again. |
| Mr. Yamaga |
Finally, this year, I feel that we are a normal animation company again. Actually I wonder whether Gainax was ever normal. {Laughter} That is up for debate. The last CEO, who was in prison for tax evasion, just got out. That is also good. |
| Mr. Akai |
Gainax as a group became very fat because of Evangelion
and was really not able to move because of it, there was too dead weight.
These projects are designed so that they can loose some of the dead weight.
So they are in better shape to do some work. |
|
Surprisingly enough, the CEO who had been arrested for
tax evasion was very large when he went into prison but when he came out
he was very slim. An ironic twist. {laughter} |
Audience
Question |
I really enjoyed Kare Kano. It is possible that there will ever be more anime made for that series? It just ended. It was supposed to keep going. |
| Mr. Yamaga |
While I feel that the ending is unsatisfactory, there is the original comic book. It is rather difficult to work with a series that is based on an original comic book. We were working from the comic book and thinking that if we did it in a particular way, it would be an interesting
series. However, the author of the original comic book did not agree. |
|
Kare Kano was supposed to be romantic comedy and we wanted
to emphasize the comedy and not the romance. The author wanted to emphasize
them both and that is where the conflict came to be. |
|
We would like to continue to work on it but we have upset the author, so it is very unlikely that there will be a continuation of the series. I am very sorry. |
| AQ |
In terms of the 4 shows, you mentioned Mahoromatic,
Abenobashi
and the new series by Mr. Akai. Did you talk about the
4th one? |
| Mr. Yamaga |
The name of the 4th series is called the Forgotten Melody.
The script is written by Mr. Enokido who worked on Utena and it will run
for 15 episodes. |
| AT |
What was the name of the third series? |
| Mr. Yamaga |
He (points to Mr. Akai) has decided that the English title
is going to be Little Princess U.C. because the Japanese title does
not translate well. |
| AQ |
The Forgotten melody series, what will it be about? |
| Mr. Yamaga |
I just told Mr Enokido the title and he has come up with
15 episodes so far. It was originally a game that we had previously produced
but the story line for the game was rather bland or not flashy enough.
Yet again the game got thrown away and the title remains. There is an ongoing
comic book series published from Kadokawa by the same title. |
| AQ |
Is Mahoromatic cel based? |
| Mr. Yamaga |
It is cel based and it will be the last one. Originally when the project
came to be, I thought that it was still possible to make cel animation.
However, it is getting harder and harder to find people who will paint
the cels and people who will film the cels. It seems like the industry
is going more and more toward computers and it is getting harder and harder
to make cel animation. |
Gainax moves out the cel animators desks.
|
| Mr. Akai |
The first series was on cels and it was filmed on 35 millimeter prints,
kind of like feature films, but the second season is going to be on computers. |
| AQ |
Will this cause a big difference in the look of the series
or is it going to have the same basic style? |
| Mr. Akai |
As long as you are watching it on television, it is not
going to make a big difference. It might actually get slightly better. If you are watching it on a large screen, then you will be able to tell a difference. [Ed note: Large screen=movie screen] |
| AQ |
Do you have any advice for an animator who would like to
create his own company like Gainax? |
| Mr. Yamaga |
I really don't know what the situation is like in the US
so I can't really give any advice, but if you were working in Japan and
starting a company similar to Gainax, I would suggest starting it right
now because it is really easy to pass projects. {Laughter} That won't last.
I am not very knowledgeable about how the business would work in the US,
but if you were working in Japan, I recommend getting in a fight with virtually
everyone. |
| Mr. Akai |
When Gainax originally came to be, they were like skinny
stray dogs and pretty much bit everything that moved. After you bite them,
you start to become friendly with them. |
| Mr. Yamaga |
Well, not really...{Laughter} |
| AQ |
Is there supposed to be a new Gunbuster series going into
production? |
| Mr. Yamaga |
Your information is very fast. In fact, I haven't released
any information in Japan about it. |
| Mr. Akai |
SHHHH.....They are not working on it it. It is a big secret.
Also, the Little Princess U.C. information has not been released
in Japan. It will be released the 10th of next month (May) so you guys
are actually getting the information before it is even released in Japan. |