What can be depicted only in animation? Commemorating the release of "GODZILLA: Crusade in Mobile Cities"! Interview with Mamoru Miyano as Haruo Sakaki!

The second chapter of the "GODZILLA" animated film series, "GODZILLA: Crusade on Mobile Multiplex City," has finally started screening today.

In the first chapter, Haruo and his friends seemed to have narrowly defeated Godzilla. However, a far more massive <GODZILLA EARTH> appeared. ...... The shocking ending of the second chapter deepens the drama, and we spoke with Mamoru Miyano, who plays Haruo Sakaki, the main character who throws himself into the increasingly fierce battle against Godzilla.

After reading this interview, dash to the theater immediately!

--The first chapter of "Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters" was released in November 2017. It is the first animated film in the "Godzilla" series. How was the response?

Mamoru Miyano (MAMORI MIYANO): Boys have been exposed to the "Godzilla" series in some form or another. But many of my fans, especially girls, have never seen the "Godzilla" series. When I heard that they had been exposed to "Godzilla" in a new way, I was happy to think that my participation in this project helped to spread the word about the "Godzilla" series, even if only a little. It seems that "Godzilla" fans also enjoyed "Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters" as a new "Godzilla. I was very happy to receive feedback that the fun of "Godzilla" has been expanding.

--I heard that the recording of the pre-scoring was completed about two years ago. How did you feel when you saw the completed video in the first chapter?

Miyano: The video was not ready at the time of the prescreening, so I am sure that the excitement I felt when I saw the video was the same as all the fans. I was overwhelmed by the size of the first Godzilla that Haruo and his friends fight, but then the even bigger "Godzilla Earth" came out (laughs). (Laughs.) After all, it is the largest "Godzilla" ever. As a fan, I was very moved. During the prescreening, I kept asking the director what the Earth would be like 20,000 years from now, but there were still many things that were beyond the realm of my imagination. I was very moved when I saw the actual footage.

--Have you seen the video of the second chapter yet?

Miyano: I haven't seen the final version yet, but I was shown a part of the scene where the images were being produced. There were many surprises. The best is the "Vulture" that Haruo and his friends ride and fight on. I was surprised by its cool movements. It looks like a super robot!　I didn't know I was riding on something like this!　(laughs). (Laughs) I think the boys will be thrilled by that.

--The existence of Mechagodzilla was hinted at in the last part of the first chapter.

Miyano: As a "Godzilla" fan, just the mention of that word is enough to get me excited!　I was wondering how Mechagodzilla would appear in the first chapter, and I thought, "Wow, so this is how it's going to be! I thought, "Wow, that's how it's going to be! I was wondering how Mechagodzilla would appear in the first chapter, and I thought, "Wow, that's how it's going to be! I'm very happy to finally be able to show what Mechagodzilla would look like in the world we created, and I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of response we'll get.

--I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of response we will get. What kind of existence is Godzilla from your point of view as Haruo, who plays the role of Haruo who confronts Godzilla?

Miyano: Especially in the second chapter, Godzilla's eyes are depicted in a striking manner. I feel that Godzilla is something that has been deified, and I think this is a way of creating visuals that is possible only in anime. I feel that Gojira is an entity that gathers the will of the world. Since ancient times, human beings have praised disasters as gods and tried to somehow quell them. Gojira is just such an existence. I don't think Godzilla has a clear intention to do something about humans. That is why, in confronting Godzilla, both the good and bad aspects of human beings are brought into relief.

--So, Godzilla is a being that brings out the human being.

Miyano: In the first place, Gojira is a product of the sins committed by humans. And yet, in a sense, we humans have negative feelings toward Gojira and confront it on our own. But Gojira is the result of sins committed by human beings. ...... So there is a great contradiction there. Haruo himself has hatred for Gojira from the past, but even that is from his childhood. While there are many generations growing up on the immigrant ship who have never heard of Godzilla, the perception of Godzilla as an absolute terror, an absolute disaster, has been passed down through the years. The abhorrence of Godzilla, the feeling that it would be hell to wander around in space forever, those who try to escape and those who try to fight ....... I think these are the kind of suffering that can only be depicted in anime, and I think they are the good and bad parts of humanity.

Another interesting point is that different species, human, Exif, and Bilsalud, come together to fight against Godzilla. From this second chapter, a species called "Hutua" is added to the mix. I think this is another expression that can only be achieved through animation. By introducing a species with a completely different way of thinking, it makes us think, "Then what is a human being?

--In the first chapter, Haruo and his friends were defeated by "Godzilla Earth" and suffered extensive damage. In the second chapter, which begins there, Haruo's anguish is strongly depicted.

Miyano: Since the first chapter, Haruo has made various choices and has led the people as if he were a revolutionary. And at the end of the first chapter, he faces hope and despair. Godzilla has been defeated. But there was a greater being, <Godzilla Earth>. On top of that, I made so many sacrifices ....... You are troubled by your own actions. I see so much of the human side of Haruo. Still, he has to make choices. It is the same for other species with different ways of thinking. I can't go into detail about the content, but the choices Haruo makes to confront Gojira in such a situation are very moving. I simply thought it was cool. He has something that attracts people, and I think that is an important part of this story. In this second chapter, Haruo's relationship with Yuko is very significant for him. The human drama and the beauty of emotional connections will be highlighted in the second chapter, so I hope that you will pay attention to the human drama in the second chapter.

--In the second chapter, the "Hutua" people, who are considered to be the survivors of the human race, make an appearance.

Miyano: I am sure that everyone is curious about what kind of existence the Hutua are. For Haruo, the existence of the Hutua is a very big deal. He is a person who is very particular about the earth. The earth is 20,000 years old, and everything has changed since the time when Haruo and his friends lived there. Finding a species there in its human form is very special for Haruo. On top of that, there is the fact that he was saved from his own near-death. The story of him and "Futua" is an interesting one.

--How was the atmosphere during the presco recording?

Miyano: It was fun to go out for lunch with everyone. During the recording of the second chapter, we had yakiniku (grilled meat) (laughs).

(Laughs) -- Is there someone to liven things up at such times?

Miyano: I guess Mr. Sugita (Tomokazu Sugita). When Sugita-san meets me, he praises me a lot. Then he makes a joke. Then, I would butt in, and that's the basic exchange (laughs).

(Laughs) In this work, I was able to face new challenges with a group of friends who I knew well and had fought with as voice actors. Especially with the prescoring, I think we were able to take the lead and show the other cast members who were unfamiliar with it how it should be done. It was encouraging to be able to fight an "animated Godzilla" that no one had ever seen before with everyone I trusted.

--Please give a message to those who are looking forward to the second chapter.

Miyano: In the first chapter, I was able to best introduce myself, saying that this is what the world is like. I think the production staff must have had some difficulties with the second chapter of the trilogy. ...... A lot of very interesting things are included in this film. There are a lot of words that Godzilla fans will love, including Mechagodzilla, and there is a lot of human drama. In terms of graphics, Vulture is exceptionally cool. The second chapter is a great way to raise the bar for the third chapter, and I hope that everyone will enjoy it!　I think everyone will enjoy this second chapter.