The Making of Isshoni Training
Word has gotten out that the insanely successful Isshoni Training: Training with Hinako ecchi exercise OVA was planned, written, & funded by one single man. The creator of Hinako, Muneshige Nakagawa, said in a recent interview that he had to do it all by himself since no one else would. Thus, he started his own anime company titled Primastea Corporation. & the rest, as they say, is history.
I mean think about it. It's such a simple idea, yet no one ever thought of it before. The art & animation are both nice looking, but most of the OVA is just reusing the same small amount of animation over & over again. So it couldn't have cost an extreme amount. The result is that it's selling out everywhere in Japan & is the #1 DVD on all of Amazon Japan. Over 13,000 copies have been sold already, & it hasn't even been out a month yet. Anyway, check out a translation of the interview below:
Nakagawa-san, why did you start a project like this?
It looked a challenging undertaking, and it seemed so ridiculous an idea that no one else had tried it, so I thought I’d give it a go. The project and the title were all my doing.
So, you made it yourself!?
Yes. I financed it 100%. The project started a year ago. The sound and animation took some three months. I was just wondering whether it would sell or not.
So why did it become a DVD like this?
The anime we see are all watched in a one-sided manner, aren’t they? But anime characters are cute. Some even fall for them. So, I wanted to make an anime where the viewer could participate. It may not be direct, but with this DVD the viewer can get a taste of that communication.
Hinako-chan was a girl who became an anime character. What is up with that setting?
It’s not made clear. It’s an anime fan setting. She wanted to be inside an anime, so a mysterious power delivered her there. Because of her love for anime. Sort of like a girl who wanted to become a Morning Musume and had her wish granted.
What was Hinako like when she was a human? Was she like she is in the anime?
She was an ordinary middle schooler. When she became an anime character, she started acting out some the anime roles she had absorbed previously, like the mysterious flimsy white pantsu she wears on the cover.
What’s your recommended scene?
The extra images. Also, the kiss scene.
So, just why is Hinako-chan kissing us here?
Basically, there is no reason for it. Just she’s happy that the user has joined her for some working out, so she offers a kiss.
This is sort of a basis for a fitness programme, is it?
Working out requires strong motivation if you are to keep at it. There are parts of the anime offered with that in mind, but basically this is a joke anime. It’s not intended to keep people excersising. I think anyone really set on that is already doing it with something else… But if this were a foundation for someone, that’s great.
What’s the ideal way of doing it?
The DVD is pretty high tempo so don’t overdo it please! Hinako is a bit of a speed maniac… Please do it at your own pace.
Could you say something for readers interested in the anime?
Thank you for being interested. Please support the anime, as I’d like to go on. Please do enjoy training with Hinako.
Source: http://www.sankakucomplex.com/2009/05/10/the-making-of-hinako