Report on "Ghost in the Shell" and "Knights of Sidonia: Battle of the Ninth Planet" collaboration screening event!　Live conversation with both staffs

A collaboration event between the anime film "Ghost in the Shell: The New Gekijoban" and the TV anime "Knights of Sidonia: Battle for the Ninth Planet" was held on June 24, 2012.

→The event was held in collaboration with "Ghost in the Shell: The New Movie" and "Knights of Sidonia: Battle of the Ninth Planet! 　Talks by the directors of both films were also held.

The event was held at TOHO Cinemas Nihonbashi, and was attended by Kazuya Kise, general director and character designer, and Tow Ubukata, screenwriter, from "Ghost in the Shell", and Hiroyuki Seshimo, director, and Tsutomu Nibe, original author, from "Knights of Sidonia: Battle of the Ninth Planet". After showing episodes 10 to 12 (the final episode *previous screening) of "Knights of Sidonia: Battle for the Ninth Planet" and the full-length version of "Ghost in the Shell: The New Movie," a talk session was held. The following are their comments.

Q First of all, what did you think of "Ghost in the Shell: The New Movie"?

S (Seshita) It was great. I am really a hardcore fan of "Ghost in the Shell", buying the comics and watching it in real time. My first impression is that this work really connects to the original world of "Ghost in the Shell" in a very neat way. As a fan, I was delighted to see the connection in that scene! I thought it was a joyful work.

N (Nibei) I liked the original work, so I enjoyed the atmosphere of this production because it was very close to the original work. I liked the scene at the cherry blossom viewing.

Q: Next, what did you think of "Knights of Sidonia"?

K (Kise) Photosynthesis is good. I don't want to see a man photosynthesizing, though.

N I don't think there will ever be a scene like that.

U (Ubukata) I was wondering how you would put it in this way. Nibei's works are so different just by adding color. What did you think of the way the colors were used in "Sidonia"? I thought it was perfect for my image.

N It was perfect.

U The coloring of Tsumugi is like that of an insectivorous plant just before it becomes grotesque. I didn't expect such a combination of cuteness and creepiness to be visualized. It's like the birth of one of the greatest heroines of all time. She's cute, she's kind. Also, it was very innovative to have only one cast member, Hoshihaku, Tsumugi, and Koutenmoth. It was groundbreaking.

Q. What is the definition of SF for you?

K I don't think about it too much, I don't draw a line between science fiction and contemporary. Animation is often considered science fiction just because there are robots in it, and I was involved in such works as part of my work, so I don't really think about the definition of science fiction.

U: Personally, I think that science and technology have really caught up with the modern world. Maybe the word "science" itself is getting old. I think that the future of science fiction will probably be the depiction of the Singularity Foundation, that is, a new civilization that will emerge when we break through the limits.

N What I am aiming for in my creations is to depict situations and worldviews that would never be possible in reality, and to place human beings in them. I want to draw situations and worldviews that would never happen in real life and put people in them. I have always avoided the near future. Ghost in the Shell" is several decades in the near future, but "Sidonia" is a thousand years in the future.

K (I don't think reality will be like the world of "Ghost in the Shell" in a few decades.

N I especially like far-future works, so I wanted to do something like that. I wanted to depict cultures and peoples that would never exist in everyday life.

S My starting point was "Star Wars," a story from the distant past, or in Japanese terms, once upon a time. I just want to depict the distant future or the distant past, the extraordinary everyday life. It is easier to depict the extraordinary future or the extraordinary past if I ask people not to take it as a common sense of the present. I don't want the story's interest to be hindered by the scientific logic of today. I want to detach it from reality. I enjoy that kind of enjoyment in creating.

Q. What do you think should be the future of SF expression in Japan?

S In the world of hard science fiction, the more chemical and physical evidence is required, the less enjoyable it becomes, and the more it becomes, the more it becomes a constraint. So, in order for everyone to enjoy the possibilities of science fiction, I think it is good to be a little more flexible and have a variety of options. If we can strike a balance in this area, I think the enjoyment of science fiction in Japan will increase.

K I have been making grounded works, so I personally prefer the slightly mysterious works of Fujiko (F. Fujio). It's like, "This is everyday life, but it's not everyday life.

U: What is needed is honesty. The basis of science fiction is to say, "If this happens, this will happen. For example, if you don't like the idea of having a life span, then what kind of society would it be if all human beings lost their life spans?

Q One last word each on the future of science fiction.

U Recently, the borders of works are coming off and beginning to interact. So now, new things are being created, and as a creator, I have to keep up with what is being created. This movement, this wonderful movement is happening, and I hope that it will reach everyone, even if only a little, that science fiction has a tremendous appeal to humanity.

K I don't know what kind of work I might be involved in in the future, but first I would like to go home and read the rest of "Knights of Sidonia".

N As for SF, I would like to continue working on something like photosynthesis. I would like to think about what kind of setting I should make in order to take it off.

S Since reality has become closer to the world of science fiction, I think we are in an age where it has become difficult to detach oneself from reality and have fun.