Final drama CD is going to be EPIC
So, the official blog reported on October 31 that recording of the "Otoko-gumi Dayo! Gurren Lagann" drama CD was done.
Today, Kazuki Nakashima went into more detail on his blog about what went into the creation of the drama CD:
In order to entice people to buy it, there will once again be a considerable volume of extras in the limited edition.
Well, the T-producer from Aniplex who's in charge of the DVD apparently loves bonus features by nature, and I've heard that he also went to crazy lengths for the bonus features for "Gintama," which he's also in charge of. When we were planning the movie DVDs, what T-san requested of us was newly written drama CDs. On top of that, he requested "If possible, I want you to make it a two-parter."
With the movies "Gurren-hen" and "Lagann-hen" being in two parts, if we also make the drama CDs into two parts, it would increase the feeling of a two-in-one set.
For "Gurren-hen," we included a considerably ridiculous spin-off drama CD called "Otoko Do-Ahou! Gurren Lagann."
Using Gurren Lagann's main characters, we made it a story with a different setting. You might call it an official fanfiction.
Its sequel will have the title "Otoko-gumi Dayo! Gurren Lagann." To tell the truth, we once included a drama CD with a TV series DVD, and that was "Otoko Ippiki Gurren Lagann."
I've taken a few motifs from "Otoko Ippiki Gaki Daisho," "Otoko Do-Ahou! Koushien," and "Otoko-gumi," manga that I read in my childhood that all had "otoko" in their titles.
When I said "the drama CDs are the Otoko Series," GAINAX's Manabe-san said with eyes sparkling, "I get it. The third one is Otoko Zaka, isn't it?", but Masami Kurumada's cancelled work is a generation off from what I had in mind. For my generation, three works that first come to mind are those masterpieces with "otoko" in their titles. Well, it's really just a trivial detail.
Now, as for "Otoko-gumi Dayo! Gurren Lagann," I heard that we would be recording at the end of October, so I began writing from the beginning of October. However, no matter how much I wrote, it just wouldn't come to an end.
By the way, this time Anti-Spiral's actor Takaya Kamikawa is also going to participate. Previously, he'd said himself that he hoped to be able to appear in the drama CD, and this will probably be the last time we will be recording with the whole Gurren Lagann team, so I wanted him to be in it if possible. As a result, while adjusting it, I ended up losing time in between the Tokyo and Osaka performances of "Banyuuki."
Then I thought, why not also put in as many characters as I can, so I was able to include a majority of the regulars.
This makes me happy. I'm happy, but with more characters that I include, the longer the story.
In the middle I was already worrying, "Oh no, will this story be able to fit onto one CD?"
When I called Manabe-san to tell him that it was looking bad, he answered, "If there's not enough recording time, we could make it the industry's first ever drama DVD. A DVD, but with only sound. If it's Aniplex, if it's T-san, I'm sure they can make it happen." Now that's the World's Manabe for you. He's strict about his own work, but when it comes to others' work, he suddenly pulls stuff like this.
In the end, the script turned out to be 400 characters per page, 89 pages long.
In a play, 400 characters per one page would equal approximately one minute. So that would be 89 minutes long. That couldn't possibly fit onto one CD. Or rather, if it was an anime, it would be long enough to be a feature film.
And yet, I'd already finished editing it, so it would be impossible to make it any shorter.
Merely writing, "Ah well, I'll just leave the rest to you, T-san," I ended up sending the email with the script attached.
Afterwards, I got word from T-san that after confirming with the recording staff, they might be able to somehow make it about 70 minutes long. So it looked like it might fit onto one CD, and I was relieved.
The recording itself was very fun.
It's been a long time since we last recorded, so we thought it might take some time for the voice actors to remember their characters, but that was a needless worry. From the moment we began, everyone just flew through it. Just what you would expect from the great teamwork of the Gurren Lagann cast. Kamikawa-san, Narushi Ikeda-san, and of course all of the voice actors, were all in high spirits, and they were able to perform a considerably ridiculous story with considerable enthusiasm. I look forward to the finished product.
Yet, what still worries me is that, as I thought, it ended up being very long, and as a result we won't know if it will fit onto one CD until we've done the dubbing.
Now, will it safely become a drama CD, or will it be the industry's first drama DVD? Look forward to the release date to find out.
Though, if that does happen, it would cause trouble in various places, so it's not a laughing matter.
Somewhat related- Koutarou Mori, who does the manga, was also sitting in on the recording.
On her blog, Yukari Fukui (Nia's VA) wrote about the recording, saying she had a lot of fun, and kept receiving encouragement from Nakashima and other voice actors.
She also showed off her birthday presents: one, white!Nia drawn by a drunk Imaishi, has a mention of "yakisoba," which according to Koutarou Mori on his Twitter, is a reference to something in the drama CD.
Another, "With Absolute Despair...Happy Birthday" written by Nakashima along with gray!Nia drawn by Mori...possibly also related to the drama CD?? It will have black!Nia, after all...
Phew. Annnd that's about it for drama CD news.
Today, Kazuki Nakashima went into more detail on his blog about what went into the creation of the drama CD:
In order to entice people to buy it, there will once again be a considerable volume of extras in the limited edition.
Well, the T-producer from Aniplex who's in charge of the DVD apparently loves bonus features by nature, and I've heard that he also went to crazy lengths for the bonus features for "Gintama," which he's also in charge of. When we were planning the movie DVDs, what T-san requested of us was newly written drama CDs. On top of that, he requested "If possible, I want you to make it a two-parter."
With the movies "Gurren-hen" and "Lagann-hen" being in two parts, if we also make the drama CDs into two parts, it would increase the feeling of a two-in-one set.
For "Gurren-hen," we included a considerably ridiculous spin-off drama CD called "Otoko Do-Ahou! Gurren Lagann."
Using Gurren Lagann's main characters, we made it a story with a different setting. You might call it an official fanfiction.
Its sequel will have the title "Otoko-gumi Dayo! Gurren Lagann." To tell the truth, we once included a drama CD with a TV series DVD, and that was "Otoko Ippiki Gurren Lagann."
I've taken a few motifs from "Otoko Ippiki Gaki Daisho," "Otoko Do-Ahou! Koushien," and "Otoko-gumi," manga that I read in my childhood that all had "otoko" in their titles.
When I said "the drama CDs are the Otoko Series," GAINAX's Manabe-san said with eyes sparkling, "I get it. The third one is Otoko Zaka, isn't it?", but Masami Kurumada's cancelled work is a generation off from what I had in mind. For my generation, three works that first come to mind are those masterpieces with "otoko" in their titles. Well, it's really just a trivial detail.
Now, as for "Otoko-gumi Dayo! Gurren Lagann," I heard that we would be recording at the end of October, so I began writing from the beginning of October. However, no matter how much I wrote, it just wouldn't come to an end.
By the way, this time Anti-Spiral's actor Takaya Kamikawa is also going to participate. Previously, he'd said himself that he hoped to be able to appear in the drama CD, and this will probably be the last time we will be recording with the whole Gurren Lagann team, so I wanted him to be in it if possible. As a result, while adjusting it, I ended up losing time in between the Tokyo and Osaka performances of "Banyuuki."
Then I thought, why not also put in as many characters as I can, so I was able to include a majority of the regulars.
This makes me happy. I'm happy, but with more characters that I include, the longer the story.
In the middle I was already worrying, "Oh no, will this story be able to fit onto one CD?"
When I called Manabe-san to tell him that it was looking bad, he answered, "If there's not enough recording time, we could make it the industry's first ever drama DVD. A DVD, but with only sound. If it's Aniplex, if it's T-san, I'm sure they can make it happen." Now that's the World's Manabe for you. He's strict about his own work, but when it comes to others' work, he suddenly pulls stuff like this.
In the end, the script turned out to be 400 characters per page, 89 pages long.
In a play, 400 characters per one page would equal approximately one minute. So that would be 89 minutes long. That couldn't possibly fit onto one CD. Or rather, if it was an anime, it would be long enough to be a feature film.
And yet, I'd already finished editing it, so it would be impossible to make it any shorter.
Merely writing, "Ah well, I'll just leave the rest to you, T-san," I ended up sending the email with the script attached.
Afterwards, I got word from T-san that after confirming with the recording staff, they might be able to somehow make it about 70 minutes long. So it looked like it might fit onto one CD, and I was relieved.
The recording itself was very fun.
It's been a long time since we last recorded, so we thought it might take some time for the voice actors to remember their characters, but that was a needless worry. From the moment we began, everyone just flew through it. Just what you would expect from the great teamwork of the Gurren Lagann cast. Kamikawa-san, Narushi Ikeda-san, and of course all of the voice actors, were all in high spirits, and they were able to perform a considerably ridiculous story with considerable enthusiasm. I look forward to the finished product.
Yet, what still worries me is that, as I thought, it ended up being very long, and as a result we won't know if it will fit onto one CD until we've done the dubbing.
Now, will it safely become a drama CD, or will it be the industry's first drama DVD? Look forward to the release date to find out.
Though, if that does happen, it would cause trouble in various places, so it's not a laughing matter.
Somewhat related- Koutarou Mori, who does the manga, was also sitting in on the recording.
On her blog, Yukari Fukui (Nia's VA) wrote about the recording, saying she had a lot of fun, and kept receiving encouragement from Nakashima and other voice actors.
She also showed off her birthday presents: one, white!Nia drawn by a drunk Imaishi, has a mention of "yakisoba," which according to Koutarou Mori on his Twitter, is a reference to something in the drama CD.
Another, "With Absolute Despair...Happy Birthday" written by Nakashima along with gray!Nia drawn by Mori...possibly also related to the drama CD?? It will have black!Nia, after all...
Phew. Annnd that's about it for drama CD news.