There is a short interview on the insert of the first OVA's DVD, and there's longer one in the artbook. I wonder if any of them available translated anywhere?
- Teisuu
Monday, February 16, 2004
Howdy,
Not that I know of. But if they somehow get scanned (300 dpi), I'll take a look at them.
Best,
Dave
- dDave
Monday, February 16, 2004
Thanks. Unfortunately I don't have a scanner at the moment, but I typed the first interview from the DVD's insert, here's the link:
http://animelochi.nm.ru/tmp/svwb7040_ashinano_interview.html
- Teisuu
Monday, February 16, 2004
Howdy,
What encoding are you using? I can't view this properly using any of the regular encodings.
Best,
Dave
- dDave
Monday, February 16, 2004
It seems to work fine if you select unicode encoding.
- silver
Monday, February 16, 2004
Howdy,
Fixed my encoding problem. I'll take a look at it.
Best,
Dave
- dDave
Monday, February 16, 2004
Original work: Ashinano Hitoshi Interview
?DVD SVWB 7040 insert?
Q: Before debuting YKK, you were involved in anime, weren't you?
A: I did a bit, but that was more than 10 years ago now.
Q: Did you ever think at that time that your own work would become anime?
A: I thought, "wouldn't it be great if YKK was to be made into an anime?" But now that it's actually so, there's a different feeling of happiness.
Q: What kind of feeling - now that it's being made?
A: In the beginning, it was my "Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou". But now after talking with everyone [the animation studio staff], almost as if I'm one of the staff, it feels like I'm participating in the creation.
Q: It seems like you have known of the director, Anou-san, for a long time. When did you first become aware of Anou-san?
A: I did a little anime a long time ago, so from about that time. At the time a subject of conversation among my friends was Anou-san's "Semishigure (The sudden sound of crickets chirping)". Up to that that time there wasn't very much like it. The usual anime of that time was the "don pachi don pachi" style, which was gaining in popularity. [I believe "don pachi" means something like "boom pop", and describes the action/explosion oriented style of anime.] Movement took precedence over everything. However Anou-san carefully internalized the impression of spaces, pauses, and elements like that. So now I believe it's my good luck to have him as director.
Q: Gontiti-san is in charge of music. What you you think of his opening music/song?
A: Gontiti-san has been a fan from way back. It's like I'm melting when I hear it (laughter). When I think about how "Yokohama Kaidaishi Kikou" is using his music, I'm happy - more like a feeling of "amazing".
Q: Can you tell us how "Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou" came about?
A: I often walk aimlessly around. One day, while doing so, I was thinking about how it would be nice if someone would run my life. At that moment, the story for chapter one popped into my mind.
Q: Do you ever have problems coming up with the story?
A: Instead of having problems, when inspiration comes, it comes out in a deluge. I earnestly wait for those moments.
Q: Is it like you just wait for the characters to just form in your mind?
A: "Waiting for the characters to just form in your mind," that has a cool sounding ring to it, but... mmm... I wonder. I don't struggle with it, though. "This character should go here." It just comes naturally.
Q: Like a cedar tree seasons naturally?
A: Rather than thinking it out, it feels like I'm just recording what would happen in this or that situation. Even under pressure, that's how it feels.
Q: Do you still just wander around aimlessly?
A: I want to, however I don't draw very fast. So I try to remember the places I went on my motorcycle before my debut.
Q: What are your thought on near-humans but not-quite-humans such as Alpha and Kokone.
A: I don't have anything like a plan. I just think "it's gotta be this character here." Alpha's not human, but has an individuality that's more human than human which came about naturally.
Q: Has there been anything that you have thought you would like to do recently?
A: I want to take walks. Nothing related to work - the actions of my life seems to unexpectedly end up being "Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou".
Q: When is the era of "Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou"?
A: I wonder. Could be now. When I draw pictures of today, I'm told they look nostalgic. I haven't decided what things look like years in the future. It's like I always end up drawing the world I see.
Q: Lastly, do you have any message for your fans?
A: I think this work is going to be something like you have never seen before. Please enjoy.
* This interview was taken from the original VHS
- dDave
Tuesday, February 17, 2004
Quoting dDave's translation:
"I often walk aimlessly around. One day, while doing so, I was thinking about how it would be nice if someone would run my life. At that moment, the story for chapter one popped into my mind."
I am curious about the "run my life" phrase. I am not sure exactly how to take that in relation to YKK. I think we all feel that Alpha acts with human freedom of will. Who or what is "running her life" I wonder? Her programming? Hatsuseno-sensei?
Anyway, I don't speak much Japanese so I wondered about the nuances of that rather revealing phrase. But OTOH, what do you all think? Does Alpha have free will? Or have I totally missed the boat on this... *-_-*;
- Ian Darrow
Tuesday, February 17, 2004
Howdy,
>"I often walk aimlessly around. One day, while doing so, I was thinking about how it would be nice if someone would run my life. At that moment, the story for chapter one popped into my mind."
My mistake. It turns out to be a mistranslation. I just checked it with a native speaker and it should read:
"It was when I thought about how nice it would be if someone could express my thoughts for me that the story for chapter one popped into my mind."
A free translation in the bush is worth two in the sand. Or something like that.
Best,
Dave
- dDave
Tuesday, February 17, 2004
No, no, thank you very much for taking the time and trouble to translate it for all of us.
But how typically cryptic of him. And how typical of me to latch on to something and make an issue where there isn't one...heh, oh well.
Thanks again, dDave.
- Ian Darrow
Tuesday, February 17, 2004
Dave, thank you very much!
- Teisuu
Wednesday, February 18, 2004
Thanks, Dave! That was interesting.
"It was when I thought about how nice it would be if someone could express my thoughts for me ..."
Hmmm... I don't get it. I will have to think about that one.
- Loran Gayton
Wednesday, February 18, 2004
Yes, that was great to read that. ^_^
"It was when I thought about how nice it would be if someone could express my thoughts for me ... "
I don't see that as even remotely what YKK is about. : (
I wonder if it was just something he was thinking about, and the story to YKK just appeared (not related to what he was pondering).
But if that's the case, why would he remember what the random pondering was before the mighty important YKK storyline was thought up?
O_o
o_O
O_o
hmmmm....
-k
- Kempis Curious
Wednesday, February 18, 2004
"It was when I thought about how nice it would be if someone could express my thoughts for me ..."
I think he means that Alpha and YKK was created so he could share the feelings and experiences his journeys have given him.
Hitoshi Ashinano likes to wander around, and he does mention that he tries to remember the places he went on his motorcycle.. makes sense to me! :)
- Brad
Wednesday, February 18, 2004
um I should have typed "Alpha and YKK were created"
sorry, it was bugging me :)
- Brad
Wednesday, February 18, 2004
Hi!
I guess it means he can express his feelings and recordings through an avatar, such as Alpha and Kokone. Some traditions in japan often use the female as a model for representing and a model as beauty.
(NGA)
- (NGA)
Saturday, March 13, 2004
Howdy,
Funny enough, the historical model of femininity since the edo period has been the onna-gata - the male actors who specialize in female parts in the kabuki theater. There has been a lot written about how much it sucks to be a Japanese woman and never able to attain the "ideal" of womanhood since it's represented by men.
The Japanese were never very good to their women. Not like they had a monopoly on that kind of bad behavior or anything.
Best,
Dave
- dDave
Saturday, March 13, 2004
Hi!
Yeah. Kind of frustrating to have men teaching women how to behave. Loving Alpha means we are loving Ashinano for his childhood, since he decided to "live" this model. Disturbing, huh?
(NGA)
- (NGA)
Wednesday, March 17, 2004
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