![[EX-CLUSIVE]](images/section_feature.gif)
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A Conversation With Minami Masahiko (continued)
Past and Future Projects
EX: Which of your projects are you the most
satisfied with?

Minami: This is very difficult... For TV series, I've done three works:
IRON
LEAGUER,
G GUNDAM, and
ESCAFLOWNE. There isn't any particular I like
the best. I am satisfied with all of them. In my case, when we first start
a project, I discuss with the director about the project, the story, and what we
will make. If the results show on the film, I am pretty much satisfied. In
the technical sense, since I go for the all-new techniques, I am pretty
satisfied with ESCAFLOWNE as the newest work up to now. However,
personally, IRON LEAGUER is my favorite. (laughs) It was a very pure type
of story. There are plenty of robot stories with warfare, but as a sports
story, this was different. All of the [television] series I've done were
geared to childrenexcept ESCAFLOWNE, of course. G GUNDAM was fun with
the indulgent director, "Mr. I." I worked on the GUNDAM 0083 video series,
so I've done work on regular GUNDAM. Because of that, I was able to enjoy
doing a different kind of GUNDAM.
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Shots from IRON LEAGUER. |
EX: Besides COWBOY BEBOP, what
are some of the anime projects that Sunrise is working on now?

Minami: We are doing several projects. The WATARU 2
series, a new series, will be released for television broadcast this October.
EX: WATARU 2?

Minami: Oh, that's right, WATARU already has
series 1 and 2. (laughs) Also, there is OUTLAW STAR, a
space story based on an Itoh Takehiko work [in ULTRA JUMP].
The broadcast time hasn't been decided yet, but it will be the end of this year
or beginning of next. [Since the interview, OUTLAW STAR
has been scheduled for January 1998.] There are various robot shows being made.
EX: Including one directed by Tomino Yoshiyuki
[creator of GUNDAM]?

Minami: Yes, it should be next year or later. And of course, I will be
taking care of some theatrical anime next year. (laughs) I'd like
to produce at least one more TV series by the end of the century.
[Ed. Note: read Tomino's
Counterattack in the EX 2.2 news column for more info on Tomino's
upcoming show]
EX: Are there plans for more GUNDAM projects in the future besides the conclusion of
THE 08TH MS TEAM?

Minami: THE 08TH MS TEAM, the series that will not
end... Between next year and the following year, we are planning to create some
kind of project for the 20th anniversary of the first GUNDAM.
But we're still thinking about it. Also we will finish THE 08TH MS
TEAM (laughs nervously).
State of Anime and International Fandom
EX: In your opinion, what is the state of Japanese
animation today?

Minami: This year, with late night and morning time slots, CS
[Communication Satellite] and BS [Broadcast Satellite] channels, and such,
television slots for animation have pretty much grown. We also have many theatrical
animation films with increased audiences like EVANGELION. But I wonder if
the current situation is a good one or a very difficult one. Because
first of all, there aren't that many creators at this point. Also, they are
usually working with low budgets and short schedules, which might lead to
lower quality. The resulting situation is that productions don't do too
well; in fact, a lot of them are in a pretty precarious situation. It's all
a matter of how we take the story between the creator and the audience.
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Left: the Sunrise logo. Right: animators
hard at work. |
I have an interesting story. When we were airing ESCAFLOWNE
on television, a person called me on the phone and told me, Minami, you can't do
this kind of thing on television, because it makes other series look bad. But
then I asked him, why don't you call the people who create terrible anime then?
I
think it would be best if the audience can choose their favorite anime
among many kinds of works. Anime is becoming very popular overseas.
However, the overseas market system is not established very well, although
it is getting better. It depends on the creators' thoughts and values.
EX: How do you see computer animation being used
in the next ten years?

Minami: It may not be true CG, but ReTAS and animation systems using
computers [to composite or color] will grow a lot in the next ten years.
Some say we might not produce too many cels by actual paints anymore in the
future. But as for animation using actual computer graphics, there are some
in America such as the one with dinosaurs turning into robots.
EX: TRANSFORMERS BEAST WARS?

Minami: That's right, BEAST WARS. However, I
still think there won't be too much animation with all computer graphics. The
current style of animation and manga will not cease in the near future. It's
all two dimensional. That's the whole idea. But as a way of expression, CG is
very attention-grabbing and attractive. As far as using it as the background or
a stage, I think is a good idea, with characters two-dimensional as they
are right now.
EX: What would you like to say to American fans
of Sunrise?

Minami: I've heard that Japanese animation is getting more popular overseas
from Yuuki (laughs) and others. I personally believe I am creating
something very interesting. For IRON LEAGUER, I actually
had fans overseas in my mind when I was creating it. For example, we made the
stage of the anime with no nationalities. The audience wouldn't know which country, or
even if it takes place on another planet. I still get criticism when there
is too much violence which can't be shown on tv overseas. Basically, I would
like to target towards children who can understand [regardless of violence]
and have fun. If you have a chance, please watch our works and have
fun. In the next year or the year after, Sunrise will be producing many other
interesting works, so please look forward to them. As I mentioned before,
I would like to spread the overseas popularity of animation, so
I can get a larger budget (laughs) and create more interesting works.
Sidebar: Sunrise, Inc. (homepage) |
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Established: |
|
September 1972 (under the name Sunrise Studio, Ltd.) |
Incorporated: |
November 1976 (under the name Nippon Sunrise, Inc.) |
President: |
Yoshii Takayuki |
Current number of studios: |
10 |
First projects it
collaborated on: |
Hazedon (1972-73), 0 Tester (1973-74),
Brave Raideen (1975-76), Star of La Seine (1975-76) |
First project it oversaw: |
The Unchallengable Zambot 3 (1977-78) |
"Breakthough" project: |
Mobile Suit Gundam (1979-80, 1981-82) |
Current projects
in production: |
(partial listing) Mobile Suit Gundam: The
08th MS Team (1996- ), King of Braves GaoGaiGar (1997- ), The Silent
Service: Voyage 2 (1997), Super Mashin Hero [Legend] Wataru (1997- ),
Cowboy Bebop (1997- ), Outlaw Star (1998- ) |
Percentage of
Sunrise-related
series featured in
Neo Super Robot War: |
67% (8 of 12) |
Cowboy Bebop |
 |
Creator: |
|
Yadate Hajime |
Director: |
Watanabe Shinichiroh (Gundam 0083, Macross Plus) |
Series Script Supervisor: |
Nobumoto Keiko (Macross Plus) |
Script: |
Nobumoto Keiko, Yokote Michiko,
Yamaguchi Ryohta (Escaflowne), Murai Sadayuki |
Character Design: |
Kawamoto Toshihiro (Gundam 0083,
Golden Boy, Gundam: The 08th MS Team) |
Mechanical Design: |
Yamane Kimitoshi (Escaflowne, Silent Service,
Bubblegum Crisis) |
Music: |
Kanno Youko (Macross Plus, Memories'
Magnetic Rose, Escaflowne) |
Producer: |
Minami Masahiko |
Animation Production: |
Sunrise |
© Sunrise, Sotsu Agency, TV Asahi, TV Tokyo, Takachiho Haruka &
A.A., NTV, Kawaguchi Kaiji/Kodansha,
Morimatsu Shinji, Kikuda Yohno / Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV
Special thanks to: Richard Kim for the photography; Ogawa Yukiko
of Sunrise, Inc., Takachiho Haruka, and Karahashi Takayuki for initially arranging
the visit; David Van Cleef for accomodations; Senoh Yufuko (The Vision of
Escaflowne Fanbook) for locale-scouting; and Scott and Maria Rider for Jack
Daniels |
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