DX Don Oni Taisin Special! Commemorating the appearance and release of DX DON ONITAI JIN! Producer Shinichiro Shirakura and Masami Ohari special talk!

In the 46th Super Sentai series, "Goutarou Sentai Don Brothers" has been the talk of the town for its furious development. The five combined robots that finally appeared in "Don Brothers" are Don Onitaijin.

The five Don Brothers change avatars and take the form of Robotaro. The five Don Brothers change avatars and take on the form of Robotaro, and then combine as is, an unprecedented formation. The "unprecedented" is still there in the toy form, and the size of the first robot in the Super Sentai series is one of the largest ever (over 36 cm!) ), the largest robot in the Super Sentai series to date.

How was such a Don Onitaijin completed?　We will ask Shinichiro Shirakura, producer of the "Don Brothers," about the whole story, and also have an "unprecedented" guest appearance by director Masami Ohari, creator who has taken over the soul of robot animation!

How did Don Onitaizin appear in the eyes of Director Ohbari?

In the presence of Akira Terano, who is involved with the Super Sentai series toys at Bandai, we asked him about the differences in robot expression in tokusatsu and anime, his impressions of each type of work, and other valuable topics that can only be heard here.

Please also refer to this article!

⇒[ DX ONITAIJIN Special] Opening a new era with the strongest size, proportion, and mobility in Sentai Robo history! The fastest review of the "DX Don Onitaizin," the combined toy of the "Goutarou Sentai Don Bros!

Don Oni Tai Jing breaks the rules of Sentai Robots!

--First of all, a simple question. What kind of idea did you have for the Don Oni Tai Jing, the combined robot?

Shinichiro Shirakura (Shirakura): For many years, the Super Sentai series has been based on the two pillars of "hero battles" and "giant robot battles. While calling this "twice the taste of once," I have had the internal dilemma of saying, "Maybe I don't need two of them. ...... We thought about how we could make the two work seamlessly, and in our previous work, "Kikai Sentai ZENKAIJAR," we created a flow in which the heroes combine as robots. By doing so, we thought we could go from life-size battles to giant battles while keeping the characters intact. However, the design and design of the toys is considerably ahead of the production of the program due to the toy schedule. So even if I had realized something during the "ZENKAIJAR" broadcast, it was already too late. So I created Don Onitaigin for "Gyotaro Sentai Don Bros." as a way to get revenge.

What I was particularly particular about in the design was that the faces of the five heroes, including Don Motaro, could be recognized at a glance. I had to push the design team quite a bit to get this right, but I made sure that all the faces faced forward. That way, it is easy to see who has merged where without having to separate them.

Shinichiro Shirakura

--Mr. Ohbari, when Don Onitaizin was released, you immediately responded to it on Twitter.

Masami Ohari (Mr. Ohari): When I saw it on the Internet, I honestly thought it was a robot that looked like my drawing (laughs). (Laughs) It had proportions that looked like I had drawn it, and it was a three-dimensional object, and it was a squadron robot!

I tweeted my surprise just like that. When I think of Sentai Robots, I immediately think of the "neat and tidy" look that we have come to associate with Mr. Katsuji Murakami (*1), but Don Onitaijin is an epoch-making design that is different from that. The proportions are ideal for animation, and the height of the head is ideal as well. I think it is a combined robot that is both strong and cool.

Mr. Masami Ohari

--I like the fact that all five heads face forward, as Mr. Shirakura mentioned earlier.

Shirakura: On film, Don Momotaro, Monkey Brother, and Onisister's Robotaro alone appear in suits, so we had to design them to be able to move. I think it was quite difficult for the design team because of these restrictions.

Ohbari: I felt that the shape of the robot, which is purposely bracketed off the human joints, was similar to what I was drawing, so it didn't seem like a stranger to me. I felt as if they were creating a three-dimensional version of what is commonly referred to as "Ohari-zutsu," and I was surprised that what I wanted to see came out just as I wanted it to.

Akira Terano (Terano): I and the designer, Takuya Tsurumaki (*2), are from the generation that directly experienced Ohhari's works. We had seen many of the works that Mr. Shirakura and Mr. Ohari were doing on Friday and Saturday evenings. Perhaps that's why I naturally got the essence of those works.

--What was your impression of the Super Sentai series?

Ohbari: Special effects require people to be in suits, so the method of expression is different from that of animation. Among them, I think the Super Sentai series is the one that properly expresses images that cannot be done without live-action. Among them, I like the merging sequence. Especially the first episode of "Hikari Sentai Masked Man. The timing of the cut and background music is exquisite, and as a gadget moe, I can't get enough of it. I have been watching the Sentai series for a long time, and there are quite a few things that inspire me. It was because of my admiration for tokusatsu that I was able to create "Fight! I feel that it was because of my admiration for tokusatsu that I was able to create animations like "IXER 1" (*3). There were people like Mr. Moriki (Yasuhiro) Moriki (*4), my senior, who was involved in Sentai nearby, but I had no connection to it and felt that I was a bit distant. So I am happy to meet Mr. Shirakura in this interview.

Shirakura: Thank you very much!

--What is your impression of robot animation?

Shirakura: I have always admired them. In tokusatsu (special effects), we can't change the proportions so much because the suits are designed as a prerequisite. Even if the design has changed from the previous year's robot, or from Robot No. 1 and Robot No. 2 in the same series, the proportions are still the same. With animation, however, the proportions can be changed, and even if multiple robots appear, they can be depicted in different ways. I am very envious of this.

Ohbari: Recently, 3DCG has been on the rise, but with hand-drawn images, you can freely draw the characters while making calculations in your mind, so it is certainly easier to draw different characters compared to live-action. However, even in live-action, there is a sense of weight and cool lighting that can only be achieved with suits, isn't there?

Shirakura: Recently, some robots use CG even for special effects, so we are conscious of using CG as a tool for different purposes. But we have been inconveniencing the design team quite a bit, haven't we?

Terano: That's exactly what happened with Don Robotaro (laughs). But it was those twists and turns that led to these proportions with the pointed legs.

1 Katsuji Murakami...... industrial designer, who has worked in product planning and design at Popy (now Bandai) since the 1970s. He has been involved in many design proposals for the Super Sentai series, from the first "Secret Sentai Goranger" to aerial fortresses and robots.

2 Takuya Tsurumaki is a designer at ......plex. He has led the design side of the Super Sentai series items in "Kaito Sentai Lupin Ranger VS Police Sentai Patranger" and "Kikai Sentai ZENKAIJAR.

3 "Fight! Ixar 1" ...... is a three-volume OVA work released from 1985 to 1987. It depicts the battle between the artificial human "Ixar 1" and Cthulhu, an organization that created Ixar 1 and plans to invade the earth. Ohbari was in charge of mechanical design and animation direction for this work.

4 Yasuhiro Moriki...... is a mechanical designer. Since his debut with "Bismarck the Star-Musketeer," he has been active in mechanical design for animation, special effects, toys, etc. For the Super Sentai series, he designed "Supernova. In the Super Sentai series, he was involved in robot design for "Supernova Flashman" and "Torijin Sentai Jetman.

What Director Ohbari would like to do for Super Sentai is ......!?

--The Don Onitaijin toy is now in your possession, Mr. Ohbari, what are your impressions of it when you actually touch it?

Ohbari: The face is nice. I like the way his chin is pulled back, and I think it will look good on display. It is a toy that has the three key words "big," "awesome," and "cool. The clear parts are also eye-catching.

Shirakura: It was already big when we saw the prototype. It was bigger than last year's ZENRYOKU ZENKAIO. The box is also large, so I think it will stand out in stores.

Ohbari The illustration on the box is also nice. The pose of him sitting poised on the throne is also wonderful.

--Ohbari, what is your impression of the "Don Brothers" so far?

Ohbari: It's interesting to see how things develop without knowing what will happen. I'm also excited with Mr. Terada (Takanobu) (*5) of "Super Robot Wars" fame, with whom I have many opportunities to work together, and it's great to see how things go in different directions even when you expect them to. I really like the opening video, and I like the cut-and-paste. I watch it over and over again, and I listen to it over and over on CD. The lyrics express what kind of person Don Motaro is and what he wants to do, and I get a strong feeling from them.

Shirakura: It is wonderful how Ms. Someko's lyrics pack so many elements into such concise words. As for the development, no one on the staff really knows what is going to happen next. We are making it as an interesting program, but we are trying to restrain ourselves to some extent so that it doesn't escalate (laughs).

Ohbari: I am looking forward to seeing when we will all strike a definitive pose together.

Shirakura: The "Don Brothers" scene continues to drift along, droning and droning, but we will never make it a work that fits into the popular image of the Super Sentai series, so I hope you enjoy it. Only Don Onitaizin will not drift along, but will remain overwhelmingly cool and appear until the end!

--I'm looking forward to seeing what happens in the future!　By the way, is there any combined robot or development you would like to see in the future Super Sentai series, Mr. Ohbari?

Ohbari: I would like to see a development in which trained people ride on a robot that was created by the wisdom of mankind. Also, although it may be anime-like, I would like to see a trend in Super Sentai in which mergers fail and unfinished products are pulled out.

Shirakura: The Super Sentai series is based on the "Nagahama Roman Robo Series" (*6) as a program framework, so there are robots in the series. They began to transform and combine, and five-body combinations were not uncommon. It has been a continuous process of trial and error, and we have not yet found the right answer. While following the trend of robot animation, we have yet to come up with an answer that is unique to live-action in terms of visual expression, so I would like to challenge such developments in the future.

Ohbari: Personally, I would like to try my hand at storyboarding the Super Sentai series' merging sequence. I have written nearly 40 opening storyboards for animated films, but I have never done one for a special effects series, so I would love to give it a try. I don't want to make it look like an anime, but I want to challenge myself with expressions that are possible only with Sentai robots.

Shirakura: Thank you very much. When you do, is it okay if I send an e-mail to the contact address on this business card? (Laughs)

Ohbari: We will be waiting for you (laughs).

--I am looking forward to that day.

5 Takanobu Terada...... game producer. His love of robot anime has led him to produce from "The 2nd Super Robot Taisen G" to the latest "Super Robot Taisen 30". He laid the foundation for the "Super Robot Taisen" series, which continues to this day.

6 "Nagahama Roman Robot Series" ......This is the collective name for three giant robot anime series ("Super Electro-Magnetic Robot Con Battler V," "Super Electro-Magnetic Machine Vortez V," and "General Deimos") directed by Tadao Nagahama that were aired from 1976 to 1978. All works are planned by Toei Television Division.

(Reporting by Koji Igarashi and Shohki Ota; Composition by Shohki Ota [TARKUS])

Product Information]

■DX Don Onitaizin

A giant robot that makes a full-fledged appearance in "Ryotaro Sentai Don Bros. With Don Robotaro at the center, five Robotaro combine into one. The item was designed stylishly, with each joint movable and loaded with challenge. The figure stands approximately 36cm tall, giving it a huge size as well. A Kizin Sword is included as a weapon. A special Robotaro Gear will be distributed in stores as a first purchase bonus (the bonus distribution will end as soon as it is gone).

Retail price: 9,350 yen (tax included)

Scheduled for release on Saturday, May 28, 2022

To be released on May 28, 2022 (Sat.) ・Sold by Bandai Co.

Masami Ohari Art Collection OBARISM

An art collection containing the works of Masami Ohari, a creator active in multiple fields such as animator, mechanical designer, and animation director, is now available!　Focusing mainly on robot animation, the book also includes newly drawn copyrighted illustrations, illustrations for product packages, storyboards, and other artwork materials. The book also includes three-dimensional works supervised by Ohhari, providing a bird's-eye view of his work from a variety of angles.

Retail price: 4,950 yen (tax included)

Now on sale

On sale now.

Official site: #

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