A new innovation in Bushiroad's productions: a hard and profound historical "if" story. Interview with Hiroshi Omatsu, producer of "Disturbance THE PRINCESS OF SNOW AND BLOOD" and Takaaki Kitani, chairman of the board

The TV anime "Joran THE PRINCESS OF SNOW AND BLOOD" will be broadcast from April 2021.

The story takes place in a parallel world where the last shogun of the Tokugawa Shogunate, Yoshinobu Tokugawa, is still alive and well in the year "Meiji 64". The story takes place in a parallel world where the last Tokugawa shogun, Yoshinobu Tokugawa, is still alive and well in the year "Meiji 64. The words "Kuchinawa," a dissident organization, and "Zuwa," an organization of dark executioners, give the film a heavy and profound atmosphere.

The animation is produced by BAKKEN RECORD, a new studio established by the long-established Tatsunoko Productions based on the concept of continuing to take on new challenges while carrying on tradition. We interviewed BAKKEN RECORD producer Yutaka Omatsu and Bushiroad Chairman Takaaki Kitani from the production committee of this work.

The stage for both the anime and the play is scheduled to be performed at the Meiji-za Theater.

─ ─ "Disturbance" is a completely original new anime with a rather profound setting. Could you tell us about the background of its production?

Ohmatsu: It started out as a planning competition within our company. The project we submitted there fell in line with the timing of NTV's call for a new vision in animation. Kuwabara, the president of Tatsunoko Productions at the time, also wanted to apply a different kind of ball to the project. Rather than starting all at once, we approached our partners as we prepared the script.

KITANI: We were approached by NTV about doing this kind of work, and it sounded interesting, so we said let's do it. When we heard about the project from NTV, we felt that we would be able to produce something of high quality from the sense of temperature. After seeing the project and the PV, I thought it would be suitable for the stage as well, and in fact, we have decided to stage it this year. The location will be at the Meijiza Theater, in keeping with the color of the work. I hope to combine the anime with the stage, so that both the two-dimensional and three-dimensional aspects of the work can be enjoyed.

KITANI: The cast includes Suzuko Mimori, Shota Aoi, Raychell, Ayasa Ito, and Chikahiro Kobayashi, all of whom have experience on the stage.

KITANI: The voice casting was also done with the stage in mind. Raychell sings the opening theme song and the ending theme song as "RAISE A SUILEN" (hereinafter referred to as "RAS"). I saw the PV with the opening theme song, and I think it fits the image of the work well.

─ I have the impression that it is a little different from Bushiroad's recent works.

KITANI: It is unusual for us to have a 50-50 split between men and women in our works. I hope to express both male and female characteristics.

Ohmatsu: We were looking for a partner company through NTV, but we didn't think Bushiroad would be interested. I was actually not expecting Bushiroad to be interested. Aku no Gudan! I had visited Bushiroad several times because I was involved in the production of "Aku no Gudan! I think they were looking forward to a chemical change in my work, since it often has a different color than the type of work I produce. I am from Production I.G. and I am a bit too work-oriented, so I was hoping that many people would accept my work as a project. In that sense, I think having RAS sing the open-ended song this time gave the work a major impact.

Kitani I think the balance of directions is just right. I think there are two axes in a work, the artist's style and the entertainment style, and our works are very much on the entertainment side (laughs). (Laughs.) So I thought I would like to do works that have a strong auteuristic quality from time to time. I am happy to be able to work with Tatsunoko this time, because it is a work that makes use of their creativity.

Ohmatsu: Bushiroad's works include "Bandolieri! Girls' Opera Revue Starlight" and "D4DJ" have a very glamorous image. Recently, there was "Assault Lily," in which various girls come together in one episode and open a page of their youth. I have always thought that this is one of the ideal forms of anime. However, I had never done anything like that before, so I was surprised and grateful that a company with such a strong entertainment background was interested in my work.

─ ─ What is Bushiroad's role in the production committee?

KITANI: Our primary role is to publicize this work. I am also in charge of the stage adaptation. I also hope to help convey the appeal of the work in different ways, such as through merchandise.

─ ─ From your point of view, what kind of expansion do you expect from Bushiroad becoming your partner?

Ohmatsu: I think we will leave the stage to them, but I am genuinely looking forward to seeing what will happen. We are also looking to expand "Disturbance" overseas, and I am aware that RAS is well known overseas, so I wonder if we can ask them to carry the work on their backs in such an arena as well.

Kitani: RAS is also an artist from "Bandolier! but I think they are the most open to the public. I also appreciate Raychell's overwhelming vocal ability as a voice actor in "Disturbance". I think it would be a great live performance if she sings against the backdrop of the "Disturbance" video.

Ohmatsu: For the theme song, I told RAS that I wanted them to respect the world view of the film, so I left it to them, and they added Japanese instruments to the song with the work in mind. The ending theme is also very wonderful, and I am wondering if we can play it somewhere in the work over a longer period of time. I hope that the music and live performances will broaden the scope of the production, so that people who see the play will also see the anime. I hope it will reach a wide range of people, not only in Japan, but around the world as well.

Kitani I have a feeling it will be well received overseas.

Ohmatsu Yes, it's a Japanese story, so I hope it will be of interest to people overseas as well.

Kitani I don't think there are many people who come to see the stage without seeing the anime. So I personally think that the stage should be based on the anime script to some extent. Naturally, the leading roles will be played by the same cast as in the anime.

Chairman Takaaki Kitani (left) and producer Yutaka Omatsu

Elaborately constructing the historical if of the 64th year of Meiji

─ ─ What are the highlights of the work from your point of view?

Ohmatsu: I think the elements that make up a work can be roughly divided into a story, characters, and worldview. In terms of prioritizing these elements, I think that in general, in animation, we tend to start with the characters. For "Disturbance," we focused on the cutting-edge concept of drawing out the story well. I also wanted to emphasize the speed of the script. We live in an age where there is an abundance of works and stories, so I tried to keep a fast pace, with the final episode usually coming once every four episodes. I also kept the number of main characters small. I wanted to create a rich drama with a limited number of characters.

─ Regarding the worldview, phrases such as "Meiji 64" and "Yoshinobu Tokugawa is alive and well" are very intriguing.

Ohmatsu: There are a lot of things in the worldview that will make history buffs smile. As for the characters, after listening to the voice performances of the voice actors, I had a good feeling that we could go for it, so in the end I hope that the audience will enjoy it from all perspectives (story, worldview, and characters).

Kitani: I want to create the stage so that the audience feels as if they are in the world of Meiji 64. How long would the year "Meiji 64" be in real life?

Ohmatsu It would be about 1932. I imagine it to be around 1930 to 1931. It will be a fictional history, but I want to make it a period drama.

Kitani In reality, the 5th year of the Showa era is not a bright time, is it?

Ohmatsu Yes, 1931 was the year of the Manchurian Incident, and after the Taisho era ended, the world was a bit gloomy and headed toward war. In this world, the Tokugawa Shogunate is still in power, and I want to keep the atmosphere of the eve of the revolution. Ah, it might be more accurate to call it the Tokugawa government, since it is not a bakuhan system.

Kitani I wonder if it is similar to the reconstruction of a government centered on Yoshinobu Tokugawa that was envisioned at the time of the Meiji Restoration.

Ohmatsu That's right. There are various backstories around that (laughs).

Kitani If it were simply a ridiculous fake history, I think history buffs would be resistant to it, but I think it would be interesting because it is an "if" for an option that might have really existed.

Ohmatsu Tokugawa Yoshinobu often appears in historical dramas, but the way he is portrayed is very different depending on the work. I personally think he is an interesting key person.

Kitani The evaluation of history changes depending on the era.

─ ─ As a result of the different histories, what do you think of the level of technology in the world of your works?

Kitani Modernization has progressed, hasn't it?

Ohmatsu: Yes, it has. In addition to real technology, there is a fictional energy source called the "Dragon Vein. The Tokugawa government controls the Dragon Vein, like the Shizuma Drive in "Giant Robot" (laughs). (Laughs.) I feel that I am putting one big lie in reality in relation to energy.

─ ─ I heard that one of the themes of your work is "revenge drama. Could you tell us why you chose this theme and what you feel about it?

Ohmatsu: I graduated from university in 2000. At that time, it was the "super ice age" of employment, and it was very difficult to find a job. After that, there was the Lehman Shock, and temp cuts, and so on. When I entered the animation industry, while sleeping on cardboard on the floor of my office, I always had the urge to express my depressed feelings that something was different about this and why I was being subjected to such a situation. I think this is connected to the theme of wanting to depict an individual who is moving toward the system. You were born in 1960, right?

Kitani: (Immediately after I started working) the bubble era came, and I was working as a securities manager.

Ohmatsu I know you and I are 15 years apart, but I was wondering if your work reflects your experience of living in that glamorous era.

Kitani: In terms of my work, my experiences in elementary and junior high school are probably more reflected in my work. I am of the "sporty" generation. I like stories where I grow up with my friends and accomplish something. That's why all of my works follow that pattern, although I don't think that's all that good (laughs). I can't make dark stories. But I am the kind of person who doesn't like days without change, so I guess I wanted to take on this kind of project once in a while. Also, we are a company that makes trading card games (TCG), so there is a definite part of me that says that we need a lot of characters to make a TCG (laughs).

───It seems to me that your experience and creativity are at the root of the creative process for "Disturbance".

Ohmatsu: First, I write the proposal. The scriptwriter for this series is Rika Nezu, who is basically from the live-action field. I have wanted to work with Ms. Nezu since I was at A-1 Pictures (Ms. Rika Nezu wrote the script for the anime "Saint Oniisan" produced by A-1 Pictures). ) Basically, Ms. Nezu, myself, and director Susumu Kudo took the lead, with occasional input from NTV, as we worked to take the project from zero to one.

Kitani You really worked from zero to one, didn't you? It must have been very difficult.

Ohmatsu I myself am a history buff, so I did a lot of research, going to talk to people who were familiar with the period, reading documents, etc. Period dramas that include historical events are a treasure trove of projects, and by changing the period, you can create a bit of an otherworldly atmosphere. I like that kind of thing, it's like a hobby of mine (laughs).

Kitani: Creating an original work is really difficult and demanding to reconcile the images in each person's mind. That is why I think it is good if a core person like you, Mr. Ohmatsu, can make decisions with gusto. In fact, it is best if the producer is also the creator.

─ ─ I have the image of you as a producer who also writes screenplays, but what about this film?

Ohmatsu: This time I will not write the script. Mr. Nezu is a very powerful screenwriter, and although he is small and slender, what he writes is very powerful. I felt that I was working with a real scriptwriter, and I decided that it would be better to leave it to Mr. Nezu this time.

───What made you choose director Susumu Kudo as your partner, and what are his strengths as a creator from your point of view?

Ohmatsu: Director Kudo directed "Majikku Kaito 1412" and we have been working together since "BLOOD+" (2005). I had a strong impression that he is capable of directing adult films, and I thought he had the ability to draw out stories woven by adult men and women. I also really like the storyboards he draws, and they have a good sense of rhythm. I feel that he has a musical sense.

─ Recently, I have the impression that Tatsunoko has been putting a lot of effort into digitalization, and many of Bushiroad's recent works have utilized 3DCG. What about that in "Disturbance"?

Ohmatsu I think there was an effect in the PV that looked like it was drawn with a brush, but here it is done digitally all the way through to the animation. I am thinking of changing the feel of the lines in the action scenes.

Kitani Is the video for the PV made digitally? It looks like a normal drawing.

Ohmatsu Yes, there are quite a few cuts that are completed digitally up to the animation. In animation, the impression of the lines is very important, and various studios are experimenting with it. The brush-like lines that we are digitally creating this time are very time-consuming, but we are working on it as one of the challenges for this project.

─ ─ Any final message?

KITANI: I would like to repeat that I am very happy to have been involved in this wonderful work called "Disturbance. First of all, the development will be centered on the visual aspect of the anime, so I hope that people will enjoy every bit of the "Disturbance" worldview.

Ohmatsu: The original project will start with two or three people, and the outline will be defined as more partners and friends are added. I realize that the content is going to be much stronger and more appealing as entertainment than I had thought. I hope that history buffs, anime fans, RAISE A SUILEN lovers, and many others will enjoy this work, and I hope they will see it.

(Interview and text by Kiri Nakazato)