The world's first 3DCG and cosplay photo book "Doronjo Monthly" is released!　Fusion of CG and live-action, an interview with Nekomu Otogi

Recently, 3DCG has been gaining more and more presence in animation expression, and now we have information about a new character photo book that uses this technology. The book, "Doronjo Monthly," is a cosplay photo book that combines 3DCG, live action, and illustrations of Doronjo, a character from the nationally popular "Yatterman. We spoke with professional cosplayer Otogi Nekomu, who modeled for the book, and producer Kazuhide Miyamoto about how the photo book was created and how it was a world first.

Why did anime characters appear in the popular "Monthly Series" photo book?

─ ─ What was the reason for Mr. Miyamoto, who has produced the popular "Gekkan" series of photo books featuring various actresses and idols, to now work on a series of anime characters?

Kazuhide Miyamoto: The "Monthly" series of photo books started with "Hiromi Nagasaku Monthly" released in November 1998, and we have produced over 150 books to date. However, as time went by, I felt that the relationship between idols and fans was changing. Through handshakes and events, both parties have become closer to each other, and idols have become more accessible. In my opinion, the appeal of photo books lies in the fact that there are things in them that are not normally seen, and that they stimulate the imagination. I wondered where the eyes of those who have continued to yearn for photo collections are turning now, and I thought it might be to anime characters. On the other hand, we had long been asked to create a photo book of anime characters, but there were technical hurdles to overcome in order to make this happen. Over the past few years, we have finally reached a level where we could make it a reality, and that is why we decided to start this photo book.

─ So this photo book is aimed not only at fans of the characters themselves, but also at those who like the expressive form of photo books?

Miyamoto: That is exactly what I mean.

───What made you choose Doronjo from the nationally known character "Yatterman" for this collection?

Miyamoto: When we were considering various anime characters, we went to Tatsunoko Productions for consultation. At that time, Nekomo-chan had just become "Miss Doronjo," Doronjo's official cosplayer, and we were looking for ways to promote her presence in various ways. Tatsunoko had a plan to use this opportunity to create a 3DCG model of Doronjo and put it into operation, and we also wanted to incorporate it into a new form of photo book. This is the reason why we used three forms of expression: 3DCG, Nekomo-chan's actual image, and illustrations. In addition, many people expect Doronjo to have a sexy and racy visual (laugh). However, if the illustrations were to become strangely graphic, it would not be in keeping with the concept of this project, so the illustrations were combined with photographs to create a sense of realism.

─ Nekomu, what was your first impression of taking on the role of Doronjo, a large character, as an official cosplayer?

Nekomu Otogi: I was surprised at first when I was asked to take on the role because Doronjo is a nationally popular character. In addition, Kyoko Fukada played the role in the live-action movie "Yatterman" and I had the same image of the character, so at first I was worried about whether I would be able to handle the role. However, I went to an art high school where I also drew manga and designed, so I decided to express Doronjo in a way that only I could, and not just as a cosplayer.

So, you are not just going to wear the costume and act in it, but you are also going to create the costume yourself?

Nekomu: Yes. First of all, I designed Doronjo's costume. Actually, there have been many variations of Doronjo's costume in the past, so there was a lot of room for creativity. So, even in the cool design, I included elements such as zippers and studs that give a sense of fetishism. We have also created designs for the Reimu Hakurei of the Touhou series, for example. My method is to create a design once and then rearrange it.

─ Earlier, you mentioned that you "admire" the characters. As a cosplayer, is "admiration" for the character an important factor?

Nekomomu: Of course it is. My first cosplay was as Doremi-chan from "Ojamajo Doremi" when I was 4 years old. I think everyone has the desire to be close to the character by wearing the costume. It is a "longing" to be able to really use magic with the stick you are holding. Now, as a cosplayer, I am thinking about how I can express myself in a way that brings me closer to the characters in real life. It's a lot of fun to get close to the characters, thinking about what kind of material is used for the costumes and how the characters move in these costumes, and it makes me admire them even more.

─ ─ What do you find attractive about Doronjo from your point of view?

Nekomo-Stylishness, sexiness, and a little "gap". Like the part where she gets beaten by Yatterman and rides home on her bicycle with her costume in tatters (laughs).

Miyamoto: He is a strong character (laughs). When "Yatterman" was first broadcast, bondage was not yet a civil right. In a way, he was like a character from the underground world, which was a bit of a surprise.