Why is Gundam Aerial not 3DCG?

The latest TV animation of the Gundam series, "Mobile Suit Gundam: Witches of Mercury" ("Mercury Witches"), airs every Sunday at 5:00 p.m. on the MBS/TBS network of 28 stations nationwide.

This is the first new TV series in seven years since "Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphens" ("Tekketsu no Orphens"), and has attracted attention for its first female protagonist in a TV series and its world view set in a school. In addition, numerous topics, including a tie-up with PARCO, had anime fans in an uproar even before the broadcast began. The prequel "PROLOGUE" ("PROLOGUE") also raised everyone's expectations even higher as to what kind of story would be spun together with high-quality images.

Following on from the first part of this interview, we spoke with the production producer about this highly anticipated work.

This time, he focused on the design concept of the mobile suits that everyone is interested in.

Please also refer to this article!
⇒ " Gundam is not for us" - Shocked by the realistic words of a teenager - "Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch of Mercury" producer Takuya Okamoto interview Part 1

The GUNDAM format and physical expansion are major elements of the story.

--When I saw "PROLOGUE", I was interested in the "GUND format" and "gambit". Please tell us as much as you can about the inspiration and what you wanted to express in those areas, although I know they are important elements of the story.

Okamoto: The "GUND format" is a necessary setting for depicting Gundam in this world. I can't talk about the details yet, but I am sure that it is a setting that is tied to one of the important elements we are trying to depict in this work. The MS and Gundam using the "GUND format" were denied their existence in "PROLOGUE," but I hope you will follow the story and see what happens in the world of this film.

--I will leave the details for you to enjoy the story. The GUNDAM format seems to be a technology developed from medical technology, but did you also take into consideration that it is easy to imagine from reality?

Okamoto: In this work, we call it "body extension," but we had the idea of extending consciousness, or rather, extending the human being. I remember that the original idea for "Mobile Suit Gundam" was based on this concept, and I am not sure to what extent Director Kobayashi was aware of this when he came up with the idea, but in terms of human expansion, I think it was connected to medical treatments such as prosthetic arms and legs. Mobile suits and robots are difficult to connect with reality, but I think we were able to make them a little more accessible by making them medical technology. I am glad that you felt that way.

--By the way, how widespread is the Gund format in this world?

Okamoto: At the stage of "PROLOGUE," there were a few people using that technology, but it still feels like a start-up. We were working with Ox-Arce to expand the possibilities.

What is your commitment to hand-drawing mobile suits?

--What is your commitment to hand-drawing mobile suits? In "Mobile Suit Gundam: Senko no Hathaway" ("Flashlight Hathaway"), 3DCG was mainly used, and I thought that future Gundam would go with CG, but this time they came up with a lot of hand-drawing. The details were also very detailed. Please tell us about your commitment to hand-drawn mobile suits.

Okamoto: I still think there are advantages to hand-drawing, and although it is not as easy as it used to be in the TV series, my personal desire is to go as far as I can.

--Did you have a discussion about whether to use CG or hand-drawing this time?

Okamoto: At first, we were considering moving toward 3DCG, but there are still people at Sunrise who draw robots by hand, and I thought it would be a good idea to blend their charm into the work.

From a more detached perspective, if Sunrise were to stop doing hand-drawn robot animation for TV series, I think there would be few other places to do it. I also wonder if this culture should be allowed to die out.

--Do you yourself have feelings about the flavor and charm of hand-drawn animation?

Okamoto: Yes, I do. Since I joined this company, I myself have been involved with robots more often than not, and there are some works that I have done mainly with 3DCG, which I find very appealing, but perhaps the fact that I was surrounded by people who draw hand-drawn robots is also significant.

This time, Gundam is muscular and a body builder!

--JNTHED, who is responsible for Gundam Aerial and other works, has also drawn games such as "Metal Gear," and this work also features YOASOBI for the theme song and a tie-up with PARCO, giving the impression of being conscious of youth-oriented art and street culture. I also get the impression that this work is conscious of art and street culture for young people. I have the impression that this work is conscious of young people's art and street culture. It is a bit different from the context of the past anime and Gundam. What was your intention behind this?

Okamoto: It's not as if we are extremely conscious of art and street culture, but we are aiming for a different approach than the previous Gundam works. I wondered if a chemical reaction would not occur in a good way.

As for the staffing, I am conscious of bringing in new blood little by little. I think that having people who come from different contexts will be a good stimulus for the work. I wanted to make it possible for the younger generation who had not been exposed to Gundam before to come in without barriers. We are conscious of expanding Gundam to the younger generation with the help of people who are in charge of today's culture.

--JNTHED: Your Gundam Aerial has a mysterious nuance to it, with a muscular body shape, but also a bit feminine.

Okamoto: I am often told that it is feminine, but I am not really conscious of it. If anything, I am more muscular or a bit like a bodybuilder.

--I have great thighs, but they are tight in places.

Okamoto: Yes, that's right. His waist is also tight and thin. The overall image is that the muscles are packed. The director and JNTHED were playing catch with each other.

--Did JNTHED-san have the "Gund format" in mind from the beginning?

Okamoto: I was working on the mechanical design in parallel with the story, but it was decided that all-range weapons would appear. At the time, I was talking with people in the Hobby Division about what kind of gimmick would be interesting as something that could be used both offensively and defensively, not like boondoggle (a game in which plastic models and figures are held in the hand and made to fight).

At first, we talked about whether we could make the bits more detailed. There is a line between fantasy and reality, but we came up with a variety of ideas, which eventually led us to the current form.

───This Gundam is filled with many different ideas, isn't it? I look forward to seeing how it plays out in the full-length anime. Thank you very much for your time!

(Reporting and writing by Kenichi Chiba)