Long interview with Takashi Sakurai, animation producer! (The "inside man" of animation and games, Vol. 2)

In this series, we interview creators active on the front lines of the animation and game industry to get a closer look at their work styles and personalities. In the second installment of this series, we interviewed Takashi Sakurai, editor of "School Days," editor and animation producer of "Persona4 the ANIMATION," "PERSONA3 the Movie," and "Digimon Adventure tri. We interviewed Mr. Takashi Sakurai, who is currently the representative of Typhoon Graphics, a video production company, and asked him about his debut in the industry, his commitment as a professional, his future plans for anime production, and many other valuable things you cannot hear anywhere else.

From the Live Action Industry to the Anime Industry

──Was your debut in the animation industry in 2003, when "Disk Princess Warukyure SPECIAL" was released?
Sakurai: I started editing animation in 2002, when the Japan-Korea World Cup was held. At the time, my colleague from vocational school, Tsuyoshi Imai, was overseeing the live-action and animation editing department at a production company called Tokyo Kids, and when he became too busy editing live-action films and could no longer handle animation, I joined as his support. After that, I was given the overall responsibility of editing animation at Tokyo Kids, including editing TNK's "Warukyure. (Editor's note: Live-action films that Mr. Imai was involved in as an editor include "Crying Out Love, in the Center of the World" (2004), "GANTZ" (2011), "Library War" (2013), and "Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Daihi Arc / Legend of the Last Days" (2014)).

─ ─ What kind of work did you do before?
SAKURAI: I worked for about 10 years in a job that had nothing to do with animation. After working in CG production at a company called Future Pirates, I was involved in the production of TV programs, music videos, and movies at TV Man Union, and was also the chief producer of Hirokazu Kore-eda's theatrical film debut, "Phantom Light" (1995). After that, I moved to Basque, where I worked as an editor for the TV program "Quiz $ Millionaire" for two years.

Differences between animation and live-action from an editor's point of view

─ So you are from the live-action industry. How did you feel when you edited an animated film for the first time?
SAKURAI: To be honest, "I had no idea how to edit. Usually, TV programs such as dramas and variety shows have 3 to 4 hours of material prepared, which is edited to make an hour-long program, but with animation, we only receive material that is just barely within the time frame. So, in the beginning, I only received very simple instructions from the director and the producer, such as "cut a few frames at the beginning," which left me feeling unsatisfied.

─ How about after you got used to the work?
Sakurai: In the live-action industry, it is the job of the editor to think about the structure of the images and the flow of the story. After I became accustomed to the animation method, there were times when I would consult with the director about changing the flow or structure of the film, which was different from the storyboard, to make it easier to convey the story and make it more exciting. For example, I would suggest methods such as cutbacks that alternated between two scenes, or the effective use of close-ups and close-ups.

─ ─ How about the way you handle the pauses in the dialogue?
SAKURAI: Regardless of whether it is live action or animation, it is an extremely important part of the editing process. For example, the dubbing for "Digimon Adventure tri." (2015-), which we are currently working on, and other animated films I have been involved with over the past few years are not recorded at a fixed length. We leave more time during postrecording, and during editing, we adjust the timing by taking a breath before important lines, or matching the lines to the flow of the music.

Using my experience in the live-action industry for animation production

─ ─ What do you think your experience in the live-action industry has been used for?
SAKURAI: Location scouting. For example, "Persona4 the ANIMATION" (2011-12) begins with the main character Yu Narukami getting off at an old train station. Also, the shopping mall that appears in the film, called "Jeunesse," is based on location scouting of an actual shopping mall for parts of the exterior that are not depicted in the game.

──Do you also cover locations for your recent works?
SAKURAI: Yes, we do. Digimon Adventure tri." is set in Odaiba, Tokyo, and the entire staff, from the production staff to the storyboard man, went to the location frequently to investigate. Also, in the production of the film's packaging, we gave the photos taken on location to Atsuya Uki, the character designer, for him to draw.

Your love of a wide range of visual works, from animation to Asian cinema.

─ ─ Are there any works that have influenced you?
SAKURAI: When I was a child, I often watched anime such as "Muteki Choujin Zambot 3" (1977-78), "Lupin III: Cagliostro's Castle" (1979), and "Urusei Yatsura" (1981-86). I especially like the times when director Mamoru Oshii and screenwriter Kazunori Ito worked together on "Urusei Yatsura." It is the best when Oshii's sharp direction is combined with Ito's interesting stories. I like the messy human drama in Yoshiyuki Tomino's works, and I love "Zambot 3" as well as "Legendary God of Ideon" (1980-81). As for Hayao Miyazaki's films, they are impeccably entertaining and can be enjoyed by everyone.

─ What about live-action films?
SAKURAI: I like the works of directors such as Ridley Scott, Terry Gilliam, and David Lynch for Western films, Nobuhiko Obayashi, Shinji Somai, and Shunji Iwai for Japanese films, and Hou Hsiao-hsien for Asian films. I sometimes learn how to show and connect stories from their live-action works. I recently went to see Iwai's "The Rip Van Winkle Bride" (2016), which is very cinematic and has no unnecessary explanations, and it was a good reference for my filmmaking.

The Challenge of Becoming an Animation Producer

─ ─ Since "Blessing Campanella" (2010), you have sometimes worked as both editor and animation producer.
Sakurai: Editing is the final step in the animation production process, but there were many times when it was difficult to gather the materials and work as we wished. I believe that the scenario, editing, and music are very important in enhancing the quality of the work. In order to get these three things right, proper schedule management is necessary, and the producer is the one who does that job. That is why I started my own business.

─ ─ "Campanella" is an adult game.
SAKURAI: The story itself is a nice, moist work, so I didn't really have any resistance to it. I have known Shinji Ushiro, the director, since he made his debut as a director, so we were able to communicate well. I asked him to direct the film after we both had a good understanding of what we wanted to achieve in the film. (Editor's note: Ushiro is also the director of "Yokai Watch" (2014-).

───What are some of the difficulties in working on both projects at the same time?
SAKURAI: It is more difficult for the staff than for me. I am often asked, "Are you speaking as a producer or an editor?

─ ─ Who are the people in the industry that you have been in contact with for a long time?
Sakurai: I have worked with directors Seiji Kishi and Keitaro Motonaga for a long time. (Editor's note: Director Motonaga and Sakurai-san have worked together on "School Days" (2007), "Date A Live" (2013), "PERSONA3 THE MOVIE #3 Falling Down" (2015), and "Digimon Adventure tri.)

─ So you have been working with Director Kishi for 10 years now?
Sakurai: I first worked with Director Kishi on "Majikano" (2006) for Tokyo Kids, and then after I moved to AIC, we worked together on a film called "Seto no Bride" (2007). Thanks to the success of this work, we later worked together on "Tentai Senshi Sun Red" (2008-10) and "Persona4 the ANIMATION". For "Jinrui wa Suitaishimashita" (2012), I thought that director Kishi and screenwriter Makoto Uezu would make a good team, so I offered to work with them. (Editor's note: Director Kishi and Mr. Uezu also worked together on "Bride of Seto")

─ ─ "Persona4 the ANIMATION" is full of love for the original work.
Sakurai: Director Kishi is a fan of the original game, so the starting point was to "dare to do something difficult that would be avoided in a normal anime production. For example, the most difficult task was to identify the enemy's weak points and change personas during the battle. In addition, we were instructed to include all of the character interaction episodes from the game in the anime. (Editor's note: For interviews with staff members other than Mr. Sakurai, please refer to the official website.)

─ ─ What was your most memorable work?
Sakurai: I put my all into every work I was involved in. I don't talk about the artwork or direction, I leave that to the director, but I think it is one of the most important jobs of a producer to make sure the scenario is finished properly, so I take the time to check it until I am satisfied with it. An interesting example is the animated feature film "AURA: The Last Battle of Koga Maryuin" (2013), which I worked on with Director Kishi. In this film, we took a more live-action approach and dared to confront anime fans with a reality they did not want to see (laughs).

Typhoon Graphics is more than just an animation production company

─ ─ Your company is unique in that you not only produce animation, but also live-action films.
Sakurai: We love creating visual works. We believe that animation is one of the best ways to express ourselves, so there are some works that are better done in live-action or full 3DCG.

Speaking of Digimon, "Butter-Fly

───The taste of the new Digimon series is a bit different from the previous works, isn't it?
Sakurai: The previous "Digimon Adventure tri." was completely aimed at children, so this time we made it for a slightly older audience. Therefore, we tried not to explain too much with dialogue, and tried to convey the message through the pictures, music, and atmosphere of each scene. The scene in Chapter 2, "Determination," where Takeshi Kido walks in the rain, is an example of the kind of work I created with this in mind.

─ You also used Koji Wada's "Butter-Fly" as the theme song for your new work. What is the reason for this?
Sakurai: Toei Animation and I agreed from the beginning that "Digimon means Butter-Fly, and we couldn't miss it. Butter-Fly" by Mr. Wada is such a historical classic that even people of the generation who do not know Digimon sing it at karaoke, and since this is a sequel to the first Digimon Adventure, we could not change it.

─ ─ Mr. Wada, you took a break from performing in 2011 due to nasopharyngeal cancer treatment, and just returned in 2013, right?
Sakurai: I myself had not seen you since August 2014, when I saw you at the launch of the Digimon Adventure 15th Anniversary Event held at the Odaiba Cinema Mediage.

───Did you attend the "Farewell Party for Koji Wada" on April 26, 2016?
Sakurai: I was able to attend. I am very sorry that I could not express my gratitude in person.


I have a question for you. Will "Butter-Fly" be the theme song for the third chapter "Confessions" (scheduled to be released on September 24, 2016) and beyond?
Sakurai: I don't think Toei Animation has any intention of changing it, so we will continue with "Butter-Fly" until chapter 6.

─ ─ As an animation producer and editor, what would you like to try in the future?
Sakurai: When Director Kishi released "Arpeggio Ars Nova" (2013) in full 3DCG, I was frustrated and wondered if it was possible to go this far with CG, so I would like to make a high quality animation in full CG. I would also like to work with creators outside of the animation industry to make animation.

─ ─ Do you have a message for animation fans?
Sakurai: Typhoon Graphics is a new company, but we are doing everything we can to make sure that fans are happy with "Digimon Adventure tri. After that, we will continue to aggressively challenge what other animation companies cannot do, and continue to create enjoyable visual works that are not limited to animation alone.

Typhoon Graphics Corporation Profile

Typhoon Graphics is a video production company launched by Takashi Sakurai on May 1, 2014. In addition to animation production, the company also produces live-action works such as dramas, commercials, and music videos. Major works include "Digimon Adventure tri." series (production cooperation), "PERSONA3 THE MOVIE #4 Winter of Rebirth" (finishing, shooting, grading), and in live-action, TV dramas "Majisuka Gakuen 5" (editing), "High & Low season 2" (editing), CM "It's Communications Ieuchi Mamoru Arc" (editing), music video "NMB48 4th Anniversary Live @ Grand Cube Osaka Main Hall" (editing), and many others.
For more information, please visit the official website of Typhoon Graphics.

(Interview and text/crepuscular)