(no subject)
Whoooa awesome interview with Watanabe. Kind of old, but still making me shiver =)
DT: You said in your lecture that the characters you relate most to are Mugen and Spike. Care to explain?
W: First, I'm often shooting people and slashing them up with a sword ... It's a joke. [Laughs] Spike and Mugen aren't very straightforward in expressing themselves. For example, even if there's a girl they like standing right in front of them, they don't pursue her directly - in fact, they do the opposite, they ignore her almost. I think that part is kind of like me. If I was to sum it up, it's kind of like being a little contradictory or rebellious.
DT: Are you talking about Spike's relationship with Faye?
W: Of course. Sometimes I'm asked the question, 'What does Spike think of Faye?' I think that actually he likes her quite a bit. But he's not a very straightforward person so he makes sure he doesn't show it.
DT: Episode five of "Bebop," "Ballad of Fallen Angels," seems to be foreshadowing the events of the final episode. Is there a connection?
W: Actually all of the episodes that contain Vicious that come out in "Cowboy Bebop" are directly related to the ending. Even before I made the first episode, I already had the ending in mind. Even though I had the ending in mind by myself, I was opposed by my staff. They were upset because they were saying that we wouldn't be able to make a continuation. So I told them I'd think about it a little more, but ultimately I decided to go with my original idea.
DT: Have you received any negative feedback for Spike's death?
W: I've never officially said that he's died. At this point, I can tell you that I'm not sure if he's alive or dead. I think probably rather than being yelled at for killing Spike, I think ... people are more upset that I might make a continuation.
DT: I'm sure you've heard the next question a thousand times, and I apologize for asking again.
W: Then I pass. [Laughs]. I'm joking.
DT: When are we going to get to see more "Bebop"?
W: Someday ... maybe, someday.
DT: How was working on a movie different from the series?
W: One thing is that with a TV series, you only have 20 minutes, so you can't convey a long story. I feel like I was able to convey a longer story in the movie. For example, in the movie there is a 20-minute mecha scene. If I were to do that in the TV series, it would take up an entire TV episode.
DT: It's common to hear animators remark about how long it takes them to be offered a solo directing opportunity. How were you able to do this so quickly?
W: The animation industry is one that doesn't really rely on age or educational background. Rather, it depends more on a person's skill and on luck. So for myself, the first TV series I directed, "Cowboy Bebop," was a hit, and as a result of its success, I was offered the opportunity to direct a film. It doesn't really matter have much skill you have, if you don't have a hit work, a popular piece, you won't get any offers to make a film. In that respect, I consider myself lucky.
DT: You said in your lecture that the characters you relate most to are Mugen and Spike. Care to explain?
W: First, I'm often shooting people and slashing them up with a sword ... It's a joke. [Laughs] Spike and Mugen aren't very straightforward in expressing themselves. For example, even if there's a girl they like standing right in front of them, they don't pursue her directly - in fact, they do the opposite, they ignore her almost. I think that part is kind of like me. If I was to sum it up, it's kind of like being a little contradictory or rebellious.
DT: Are you talking about Spike's relationship with Faye?
W: Of course. Sometimes I'm asked the question, 'What does Spike think of Faye?' I think that actually he likes her quite a bit. But he's not a very straightforward person so he makes sure he doesn't show it.
DT: Episode five of "Bebop," "Ballad of Fallen Angels," seems to be foreshadowing the events of the final episode. Is there a connection?
W: Actually all of the episodes that contain Vicious that come out in "Cowboy Bebop" are directly related to the ending. Even before I made the first episode, I already had the ending in mind. Even though I had the ending in mind by myself, I was opposed by my staff. They were upset because they were saying that we wouldn't be able to make a continuation. So I told them I'd think about it a little more, but ultimately I decided to go with my original idea.
DT: Have you received any negative feedback for Spike's death?
W: I've never officially said that he's died. At this point, I can tell you that I'm not sure if he's alive or dead. I think probably rather than being yelled at for killing Spike, I think ... people are more upset that I might make a continuation.
DT: I'm sure you've heard the next question a thousand times, and I apologize for asking again.
W: Then I pass. [Laughs]. I'm joking.
DT: When are we going to get to see more "Bebop"?
W: Someday ... maybe, someday.
DT: How was working on a movie different from the series?
W: One thing is that with a TV series, you only have 20 minutes, so you can't convey a long story. I feel like I was able to convey a longer story in the movie. For example, in the movie there is a 20-minute mecha scene. If I were to do that in the TV series, it would take up an entire TV episode.
DT: It's common to hear animators remark about how long it takes them to be offered a solo directing opportunity. How were you able to do this so quickly?
W: The animation industry is one that doesn't really rely on age or educational background. Rather, it depends more on a person's skill and on luck. So for myself, the first TV series I directed, "Cowboy Bebop," was a hit, and as a result of its success, I was offered the opportunity to direct a film. It doesn't really matter have much skill you have, if you don't have a hit work, a popular piece, you won't get any offers to make a film. In that respect, I consider myself lucky.