Interview with Ryuichi Kimura, director of the TV anime "Kemono Friends 2! I respect the previous series, and I included everything I thought was interesting.

The "Kemono Friends Project" has been developing in various ways, including anime, games, stage performances, and zoo collaborations. The second season of the TV anime "Kemono Friends 2," one of the main pillars of the project, will be broadcast from January 7, 2019.

In this work, new characters such as "Kodomo" and "Caracal" will be introduced. In addition, details of the new unit "Gothic x Luck," which was created through an audition, have been announced, and the anticipation for the broadcast is growing even more intense.

Akiba Research Institute has interviewed the staff members who are working on the production of "Kemono Friends 2. For this interview, we spoke with director Ryuichi Kimura about his impressions of "Kemono Friends" and the particulars of its production.

Director Kimura's Reason for the Popularity of "Kemono Friends

--The previous series "Kemono Friends" was a huge social sensation. What was it like when you were approached to direct a sequel to a much talked-about work, and what were your honest impressions?

Ryuichi Kimura (Kimura): I had worked with TV Tokyo producer Nobuyuki Hosoya on "Aikatsu! I had been working with TV Tokyo producer Nobuyuki Hosoya on "Aikatsu!" for a long time, so we had already talked about how happy we were that "Kemono Friends" had become so popular. I told him that I was looking for a director for "2," and as a joke over drinks, I said, "I'd be happy to be the director," and he really called me (laughs).

--So it was a light-hearted remark that led to the call.

Kimura It was a drinking party, you know (laughs). (Laughs) After that, I checked if it was physically possible to do it in conjunction with other projects I was working on, and I accepted the offer. Or rather, I told him that if there was someone else, that person would be fine (laughs).

--Did you feel any pressure to direct the second film after the popular "2"?

Kimura: There was no pressure. In the making of a film, it doesn't matter if it was a popular film or not, we just do our best in each film. Of course, in making a film, I don't make it exactly as I think it should be made, but rather, I make it with the opinions of the producers and various other people, so naturally there are differences from the previous series. But that is the same with any work, so there were no major differences in the production itself.

--Did you watch the previous series when it aired?

Kimura: I watched it.

--What was your impression of the work and what did you feel were the reasons for its popularity?

Kimura: This may be my own analysis, but I thought it was interesting that they were trying to do science fiction with anthropomorphic characters, and that the approach of searching for one's own identity was interesting. I also thought that the structure of the story was in a style that could be enjoyed by both adults and children, and I think that this made it easier for the audience to understand.

--I think that the story structure is in a style that can be enjoyed by both adults and children, and I think that this made it easier for the viewers to understand the story.

Kimura: Basically, I try to keep everything that I found interesting in the previous series. For example, the heartwarming feeling you get when you come home from work and watch "Kemono Friends," the science fiction elements, and the structure that makes the story simple but also makes solving the puzzles fun.

--I would like to keep these elements as much as possible.

Kimura: We need a new main character. You can see what kind of character the "child" will be when you actually see it. There was a request for "Caracal" to be included. In the previous series, the two main characters were Serval and Kaban-chan, so we wanted to add Serval, the main character, and one more character so that we could do something different from the previous series in terms of the picture and conversation.

--Of course, the characters from the previous series will still play an active role, won't they?

Kimura That's right. In addition, there will be many new characters, but characters from the previous series will also appear, so please look forward to both. At any rate, the characters in the visuals will appear (laughs).

Kemono Friends" is a work in my area of expertise.

--How is the production going?

Kimura I don't think there is any such thing as a smooth animation (laughs), but I am working hard to make it interesting.

--(laughs). -What do you focus on in terms of artwork?

Kimura The character models are supervised by Ms. Yoshizaki (concept designer Mine Yoshizaki), so they are quite cute. Also, there are places (chiho) that have not appeared in the previous series, so I think you will enjoy the new challenges, such as the expression of water.

--How did Mr. Yoshizaki supervise your work?

Kimura: Once the 3D models are completed, we hand them over to Mr. Yoshizaki, and he checks the details. For example, if it is a serval, I would suggest that the details of the pattern should be a little more random. Mr. Yoshizaki's design is based on his observation of the original animal, so I ask him if he has not missed any conceptual aspects.

--What do you find attractive about Mr. Yoshizaki's designs from your point of view?

Kimura It's hard to say, but it's cute (laughs). (Laughs.) We made the 3D model so that Ms. Yoshizaki's cute lines would come out. Some of the production staff originally liked "Kemono Friends," so we made sure that they would find it cute as well.

--Kimura: I would like to say that we try to make the entry point as wide as possible.

Kimura: I try to create a wide entrance, so that people from all walks of life can easily enter. That is the same for this production. I always keep in mind that I want to make a work that people who don't usually watch anime will find interesting even if they watch it.

--In the previous series, you mentioned "Aikatsu! Kimura: Yes.

Kimura: After all, when you create a work, you want as many people as possible to see it. Of course, there is also the commercial aspect. However, we are making a work for entertainment, so while we are looking out for our core audience, we also try to provide an entry point for those who are not interested in seeing the work to enjoy it. We try to make every production enjoyable from various angles.

--The previous series was also popular for its songs. What will it be like this time?

Kimura: We are going to take a slightly different approach to the opening and ending songs from the previous series, while still maintaining the "Kemono Friends" style.

--The series composition and script are written by Takuya Masumoto. What is your impression of Masumoto-san?

Kimura: I have the impression that he is a very smart person who can handle a variety of things. He also performs on the comedy stage, so he is able to use that to his advantage. He is from the Kansai region, so there are some interesting conversations using the Kansai dialect.

--By the way, what about you, Director Kimura, do you have a background in comedy?

Kimura I don't know (laughs). I don't know (laughs), but I like gags.

--What kind of films does Director Kimura like? I heard that you once said that you liked "everyday" films.

Kimura: When it comes to making films, I like films with everyday dramas. As a viewer, I watch a lot of action films, but when it comes to my work, I like to make films that depict everyday life. I am the type of person who enjoys directing episodes, even if the episodes are very simple (laughs).

--(laughs) - In a sense, "Kemono Friends" is interesting in the way it depicts everyday life.

Kimura That's right. I think the base of the series is everyday life, so I watched the previous series thinking that "Kemono Friends" was a work in my field of expertise.

I have a good feeling that it will be an interesting work.

--Kimura: Is there any difference in the production of an animation that uses 3DCG compared to a normal animation?

Kimura: There are no major differences. For this project, we used the same method as for a normal animation, and we hand-drew a large part of the "layout work," which involves deciding the composition and the general play of the characters. From there, moving the colored characters and creating the detailed performances are done in 3D. Since the fundamental design is hand-drawn, there is no major difference in workflow. However, 3D takes much longer from preparation to completion.

--What do you find interesting or unique about 3DCG?

Kimura: I feel that changing the composition within a single cut is a little freer than with 2D. In this case, the background is hand-drawn, so there are some restrictions, but by using 3D models, it is easier to change the composition within a single cut, so I took on this challenge.

--I understand that this is a stimulating job for you as well.

Kimura Yes, it is. I enjoy it.

--I'm having fun doing it. on Twitter.

Kimura: It's entertainment, so frankly speaking, it doesn't matter who the director is (laughs). I think the basis of entertainment is for everyone to enjoy an interesting work without thinking about who is making it, and I think everyone is happier that way. I always want to make interesting works.

--How do you feel about the current situation?

Kimura: I think we are making interesting things. Basically, when I make a film, I make it with the idea that it will be interesting (laughs). (laughs) I don't know what the audience will think when they see it.

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

Kimura: I respect the previous series, so I think that people who liked "Kemono Friends" will find it interesting. I have taken over the best parts of the series, so I would be happy if you could watch it with peace of mind.

(Interview, text, and photography by Kenichi Chiba)