Long interview with producer Junnosuke Ito! (The 32nd "Inside Man" of Anime and Games)

Writer crepuscular brings you a series of interviews from his unique point of view and interview network in the series "Inside People" of Anime and Games. In this 32nd installment, we interview the president of the independent anime producer and production company "Qrout," Junnosuke Ito. Up to now, I have introduced the "people in the middle" mainly as creators, but it is the producers who plan the animation, gather the cast, staff, and funds, and deliver the work to the world at the appropriate time. In this sense, they are responsible not only for the business aspect, but also for the creative aspect. Mr. Ito is a producer who advocates "creativity first," and has worked on "GJ Club," "Barakamon," and "Cloudy with a Laugh" for VAP, "Toukendanbu - Hanamaru," "Slaughterhouse Machine," "The Night is Short, Walk away Otome," "Dawn Teller Lou's Song," "Fireworks Yoru wa tanaku ryu no uta", "Hachibanashi. Do you want to see it from the side? and "Uma Musume Pretty Derby". He is now an independent producer and is currently producing "Azure Lane" and "I Think, I Am, I Pretend, I Am". What are the secrets of staffing and casting, and what is required for the future of animation? Why independence now? We asked Mr. Ito about his theory of producing.

A producer who talks closely with creators down to the smallest detail

Thank you very much for taking time out of your busy schedule. First of all, how do you define the job of a producer?

Shunosuke Ito (Ito): I would say that I am a producer who is the standard-bearer of the work, the first fan, the customer, and a good advisor to the creators. There are many different ways to be a producer, depending on who you talk to. My interpretation of a producer's job is to manage the animation business and connect the creators (directors, scriptwriters, animators, etc.) with the customers who watch their works. I think that is the role of a producer.

Mr. Ito has worked as a producer for TOHO Animation (Toho). Toho is famous for being one of the first companies to introduce the American producer system to Japan, and is also known for having produced many producers with a creative flair, such as Tomoyuki Tanaka and Shogo Toyama, who worked on "Godzilla. Do you also actively participate in the creative process?

Ito: There have been several producers with that style in history. (2016) is also a producer with a creative mind. However, I am not that type of person at the moment.

I first joined A-1 Pictures, a production company. Back then, I was able to be in the field of animation production, and I was able to be in the same place with wonderful creators every day, talking and listening to many different things. That is why I do not have a position in the creative team, but I think my way of working is to talk closely with them about the details of staffing and production.

What is the most rewarding part of your job?

Ito: When a client who has seen my work says, "It changed my outlook on life," "It inspired me to do my best," or "It healed me," it makes me happy to know that I am doing work that has meaning.

In this sense, I strongly remember "Barakamon" (2014). If "Barakamon" had been available to me when I was a college student, I am sure it would have been a work that would have helped me in my career and life choices. I felt that this kind of work is meaningful. Thanks to the director Masaki Tachibana, screenwriter Pierre Sugiura, and other motivated staff members, I feel that I was able to grow together with the work.

What works influenced you?

ITOH: My original experience may have been with "Godzilla vs. Biollante" (1989). I love "Heisei Godzilla," and that was the first movie I saw after I was born. I also went to the "Noriyoshi Ikurai Exhibition" held at the Ueno Royal Museum in 2018.

Perhaps the anime that inspired me the most was Hiroyuki Okiura's "Jin-Roh JIN-ROH" (2000). There is a scene where a person is shot with a machine gun, and it looks more painful than in any Hollywood movie (laughs). I was amazed that they were able to express such a painful scene in an animated picture. The other generation is "Neon Genesis Evangelion" (1995-96). I think that today's late-night anime is an extension of "Evangelion.

I think that "Evangelion" is an extension of today's late-night anime.

Ito: I love Shuko Murase's "Ergo Proxy" (2006), so it was a pleasure to work with him. I think creators of that generation have a high spiritual stage or a sense of mastery in their work, and "Slaughterhouse" is one of my favorite works.

A work with "roughness

What kind of projects are you good at?

ITOH: When I look back at my filmography, I have worked on both male-oriented and female-oriented works, and I think that I am particularly indiscriminate in my TV series (laugh). But I think that is one of the good things about me. I think a producer should not be able to say, "I am good at this genre! I think it is better not to be able to say, "I am good at this genre. When there are people who want to make something and there is something they want to make, my idea of a producer is someone who thinks about how to bring it to the world.

I think that if a film has nothing new to offer, or if it has nothing to hook the audience, the audience will not be able to relate to it, so I want to make sure that every film, whether it is for men or women, comedy or serious, has some "creative rough edges. I want to make sure that there is always something "creatively rough" in every work. I am looking for that kind of sharpness in the creators I work with, and I think they are responding to my requests.

Do you submit a proposal for each film at each meeting?　I heard that Mr. Tanaka of "Godzilla" always submitted more than 10 proposals, including some that had been rejected in the past.

ITOH: I think I am also a rather prolific producer. Even at VAP, where I first became a producer, I made five or six projects. I make it a habit to make a paper version of a project when I have an idea.

─ Is there anything unique in your proposal that other producers don't have?　The aforementioned Mr. Tomiyama published the "Violante" proposal in his book, which was interesting even for an outsider to read and made me want to see the video.

Ito: I am copying Mr. Sugiura's "goals for the work. I worked with Mr. Sugiura on "Barakamon," "Toukendanbu - Hanamaru-" (2016), and "Uma Musume Pretty Derby" (2018). He is from a composition writer background and writes very attractive proposals. He always writes a list of "goals of the work" on the first page of the proposal, how he wants the audience to feel about the work.

Uma Musume" is the fruit of collective knowledge

What do you pay attention to in the production of original works?

Ito: The animation business, whether it is a TV series or a movie, nowadays costs more than 200 million yen. Of course, novels and manga also cost a lot of money, but the cost of a film is on a different order of magnitude. Therefore, it is not just one or two ideas by one person, but a combination of three completely different projects, or the work will not be worth the investment.

For example, "Uma Musume Pretty Derby" (2018) is a near original work. It was a scrap-and-build, or rather, many, many ideas were given at the meeting. For that work, the scenario was done by a company called PTA by Mr. Sugiura, and we had a team system. It's a Disney/Pixar way of doing things. There was a crossover of ideas from each of the scriptwriters, even across the storylines. It was fun to make the film because I felt that we were able to get some of the ideas right. By the way, I love horse racing, so I wrote on the proposal, "Make horse racing happy! I wrote "Make horse racing happy! That's not a very appropriate goal for a work, is it?

What do you think about the theme song?　It seems that some producers start working on the song even before the project is scripted.

Ito: There are times when that happens. I think it is very important to synchronize with the work. I think that when it comes to tie-up projects, it is only when we understand the fundamental artistic qualities of the band or artist and the message of the work that we can create something that is good for both parties.

SUPER BEAVER's "Rashisa," the opening theme song for "Barakamon," was a song like that. Each lyric fits the theme of the work, and I think it was a song that raised the bar for the band, so I was very moved by it. Make debut!" from "Uma Musume Pretty Derby" also moved me when I saw the lyrics. The phrase "make the goddess of victory fall in love with you" is aptly put, because a great horse really does have the power to make you feel that way.