The Soul of “G” that Transcends Time
The Soul of “G” that Transcends Time
Gundam Really Isn’t Just for Show!!
It is no exaggeration to call “Mobile Suit Gundam” a nationally beloved anime. Naohiro Ogata, the producer in charge of Gundam video works, spoke extensively with us, covering topics ranging from the latest works, lessons learned from Director Yoshiyuki Tomino, to the aspirations of Gundam itself.
TL Note: The first part of this interview deals with Ogata’s introduction and whatnot to Gundam. I’ve omitted it at this time, but if there is an interest, I will revisit it.
So what was it about Gundam that attracted Producer Ogata?
“I think it’s the diverse perspectives. You know, Gundam can be seen differently depending on your age when you watch it. When I was in elementary school, I watched ‘Mobile Suit Gundam III: Encounters in Space’ on TV, but I found the scene with Lalah really boring (laughs). There were swans flying around, and I didn’t understand what was going on. I kept thinking, ‘Bring out Rick Dom already!’ But when I watched it in college, my perspective completely changed. Once you’re part of the working world, your perception changes once more. The brilliance of Gundam lies in its stories that can be viewed from a multitude of angles and perspectives. One thing I realized after entering the industry is that ‘Encounters in Space’ is a perfect masterpiece.”
When asked about his favorite Gundam work, he mentioned a title that shocked him.
“That would be ‘Char’s Counterattack.’ I think the Nu Gundam is the coolest Gundam, and both Amuro and Char were incredibly stylish. There were aspects that felt very grown-up to me, such as the characters sporting different hairstyles and having romantic partners – it was a bit of a grown-up feel, which was pretty big for me. I was in the eighth grade when I watched it, so it may have been a case of my own adolescent delusions*,” he said, laughing.
* Ogata jokes about his chuunibyou (中二病), the stage where teens desperately want to stand out.
SURPRISED BY DIRECTOR TOMINO’S INSATIABLE CURIOSITY
After joining Sunrise, he was immediately thrust into the behind-the-scenes production of Gundam. His first project was the OVA “Mobile Suit Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz” (1997), with his debut as the sole production assistant on episode 9 of “Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team” (1998). After that, he was assigned as the production assistant for “Brain Powerd” (2000) and “Turn A Gundam” (1999-2000), which eventually led him to meet Director Yoshiyuki Tomino. That encounter was quite shocking.
“I was immediately berated for my phone etiquette. Many folks in this industry say they want to be scolded by Tomino at least once, but once they do get an earful, they usually disappear (laughs).”
At that time, Director Tomino was just shy of 60 years old, yet he was working on his projects with staggering energy. What left an impression on him was his voraciousness.
“Tomino is always trying to take in various things. He’d even pick up youth magazines left on the production assistant’s desk, probably keen to know what was trending. He enjoyed variety shows too. He once said he wanted more attention and even wished to appear on such shows (laughs). Being so close to him, I felt that such voraciousness is crucial in creating shows.”
There was no end to what Ogata learned from Director Tomino, especially the approach he felt was crucial in creating works like Gundam.
“He would destroy his previous work and start anew. Tomino in the ’80s produced a new series every year that would run for one year. He probably couldn’t create them any other way. ‘Gundam’ was broken down and rebuilt as Zeta and the tragic ending of Zeta was then shattered and reimagined into the comedic ZZ. To create something new, one must first break down the fixed concepts within oneself.”
It’s tempting to replicate a successful formula, and some often become entrapped in past successes. However, Director Tomino was nothing like that.
“Tomino has a knack for forgetting what he’s done previously. At the same time, he keeps updating himself while looking ahead. I think this is extremely important.”
His approach to work was not the only thing being updated; the content of his work was evolving as well. Director Tomino was creating works with an eye to the world 20, 30 years in the future.
“I often say, ‘Tomino is a man from the future.’ Someone living 30 years ahead. Only after 30 years you’d realize, ‘Ah, that’s what Tomino was thinking back then.’ I had the honor to work with him as a producer on ‘Gundam Reconguista in G’ (2014-15), and there were many parts I struggled to understand. But I suspect it’ll be extraordinarily interesting 30 years from now.”
“Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway’s Flash,” penned by Director Tomino, was a novel published in 1989. Far from becoming outdated, many aspects of it correlate with the current state of world affairs.
“Tomino always keeps his antennae extended, taking into account modern world affairs and youth trends while conceiving his futuristic fiction. When he was writing ‘Hathaway’s Flash,’ the Iran-Iraq War and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan were happening. So, it seems only natural that it connects to the terrorism of the 2000s, considering it was written with a backdrop of state-sponsored terrorism.”
“Mobile Suit Gundam” deals with population issues, while “Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam” discusses environmental problems. However, Producer Ogata points out that these are not the only themes.
“Gundam does not solely tackle population or environmental issues but incorporates them as the foundation of its story. The social issues form the backdrop, leading to a disparity between Earth Federation and Zeon, causing conflict. Incorporating social issues into anime was quite commonplace for those creating anime since the 70s.”
Gundam can incorporate more than just social or current affairs.
“Gundam can incorporate various elements. Like when ‘Macross’ was a hit, it integrated the transformation of mobile suits in ‘Zeta.’ Tomino has created the ‘great vessel’ known as Gundam.”
PRODUCER OGATA’S ‘MISSION’ AND ‘REPAYMENT’ TO DIRECTOR TOMINO
Producer Ogata’s first experience in producing a Gundam project was the anime adaptation of Harutoshi Fukui’s novel “Mobile Suit Gundam UC.”
“At that time, I was told to work on either ‘Mobile Suit Gundam THE ORIGIN’ or ‘Gundam UC.’ ‘THE ORIGIN’ was a bit daunting because of Yoshikazu Yasuhiko’s amazing manga adaptation, but I thought I could manage with ‘Unicorn’ since it was originally a novel. It turned out to be incredibly challenging, though… (laughs).”
“Gundam UC” is set in the Universal Century and was produced as an OVA. Still, it also gained a lot of attention through simultaneous event screenings in nationwide cinemas and paid streaming online. Notably, there were many saying that older generations who had watched Gundam in the past returned to the franchise due to “Gundam UC.”
“That was exactly what Mr. Fukui intended. The theme behind the ‘Gundam UC’ project was to bring back those who had drifted away from anime and Gundam after growing up, despite watching it during their elementary school days. We wanted to create a story and visuals that adults wouldn’t feel embarrassed to compare with other foreign films in a movie theater. As the episodes progressed, I could feel that people were coming back to Gundam.”
While producing Director Tomino’s “G-Reco,” Ogata also produced Universal Century-based Gundam series like “Mobile Suit Gundam NT” and “Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway’s Flash,” with the latter being a dream project.
“I’ve wanted to create ‘Hathaway’s Flash’ since I joined Sunrise. However, at the time, it was deemed ‘unmakeable.’ So I asked Tomino, ‘Is it really impossible to create it?’ to which he casually replied, ‘No, it’s not,’ and that made me determined to do it someday (laughs).”
Along with the”Hathaway’s Flash” trilogy, a new project titled ‘UC NexT 0100’ has started, aiming to expand the Gundam series set in the Universal Century.
“‘UC NexT 0100’ is different from ‘The Witch from Mercury.’ This project is a token of gratitude for those who have supported Gundam so far and aims to delve deeper into the Gundam universe. I’m not sure if I will be part of it, but I do want to witness the end of the Universal Century before I die (laughs).”
“Gundam UC,” “Gundam NT,” and “Hathaway’s Flash” all share the Universal Century setting, various characters, mobile suits, and world-building elements. When I pointed out that it somewhat resembles the sensation of watching the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Ogata explained the fundamental difference between Gundam and the MCU.
“In the case of Gundam, the creators’ desire to ‘want to do something like this’ is more evident. It may look similar due to the commercial coherence, but we are not aiming for a Marvel-like development. It’s okay for directors, scriptwriters, and mechanical designers to express their styles. We aren’t particularly concerned about things like ‘the art style is completely different from one work to the next’ or ‘the story doesn’t continue consistently.'”
Valuing the intentions of creators is a principle that Producer Ogata emphasizes when producing Gundam.
“The most important thing when producing Gundam is not to say, ‘I like things this way, so please do this.’ I’ve been fortunate to have been working under Director Tomino for quite a while, and even if I were the producer, I could never say, ‘Gundam is mine.’ Gundam belongs to everyone. The Gundams that have been made recently are a culmination of creators’ desires of ‘I want to do Gundam like this,’ and I see myself as simply putting all those visions together.”
The very reason why the world of Gundam has expanded so much is largely due to Director Tomino acknowledging other Gundam series directed by others.
“If Mr. Tomino hadn’t acknowledged Mr. Imagawa’s ‘Mobile Fighter G Gundam’ or had decided to direct ‘Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket,’ which was the first Gundam work directed by someone other than him, the world of Gundam wouldn’t be what it is. One of the strengths of Gundam is that Mr. Tomino entrusted Gundam to different creators. He does say things like ‘I dislike everything that isn’t what I made,’ but he also says, ‘I may be angry, but I won’t interfere’ (laughs).”
So, how does Producer Ogata intend to carry forward the Gundam legacy he inherited from Director Tomino?
“We want to share what Mr. Tomino has created with every corner of the world, especially for those who haven’t seen it yet. We hope they’ll realize, ‘There’s such an interesting thing out there.’ Right now, we have strong viewership in Japan and Asia, but our recognition in North America and Europe still has work ahead. However, Gunpla sales have been doing exceptionally well in North America recently, and streaming platforms have made direct connections, so the groundwork is being laid. Like when we were young, lining up at the model store to buy Gunpla, I hope that children in various countries will have the same experience.”
Conveying Gundam globally and to the next young generation is the “mission” that Producer Ogata has assigned himself, and it’s also his “repayment” to Director Tomino, who created Gundam.
“I believe it’s ideal for children to watch what their parents are watching. The underlying theme of ‘Gundam UC’ is ‘The son inherits his father’s Gunpla’ (in the series, there is a scene where the protagonist inherits the Unicorn Gundam from his father). That’s how I want to spread Gundam across generations.”
PUBLICATION INFORMATION
Publisher: Kadokawa
Published: 2021.06.09
Price: 990
Size: —
