The Sneaker, June 2003 Issue
Yoshiyuki Tomino Speaks! A Complete Guide to Gundam Novels

Mobile Suit Gundam – Aiming for “Literary Fiction”

Back then, I was intensely focused on helping TV anime gain social legitimacy. It might be hard to believe now, but that was the era we lived in, and that’s why I wrote novels – to seek that legitimacy. Gundam had already begun showing small signs of gaining this legitimacy through its anime form. In this context, author Haruka Takachiho had already published an SF work called Crusher Joe through Asahi Sonorama publishers. Through his introduction, I got to pitch the idea of novelizing Gundam to an editor.

The editor was Susumu Ishii, who would later nurture the Asahi Sonorama Bunko imprint. I clearly remember his reaction: “…So it’s about robots?” His reluctance was palpable. I had thought TV anime, even robot anime aimed at children, was starting to gain a modicum of social acceptance, so Ishii’s negative response was honestly shocking. After reading my manuscript, he said, “So this is the level it reaches.” While partly pleased, I was also shocked. I knew I wasn’t capable of writing pure literature, and I knew I’d never win the Akutagawa or Naoki Prize. But I hadn’t intended to write juvenile fiction either – I was aiming for “general fiction” that was neither juvenile nor SF. I felt I had to carve out my own space there, but Ishii’s evaluation was harsh. However, for better or worse, that first volume sold well, which meant I had to write sequels. Even though the Gundam novel should have ended with the first book (laughs). I wrote volumes 2 and 3 thinking “This is great, but come on…” While thinking “So this is what professional work is like” (laughs). This first book taught me both the joy and pain of commercial success as a writer.

Between “Work” and Pride – Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam

After writing the Gundam novel, I got to write Ideon for Asahi Sonorama, and I started to understand my “level” as a novelist and writer. I became aware of my lack of talent for novel writing and faced the fact that I lacked the fundamental education needed for writing novels. It was truly harsh, and I thought I couldn’t write novels anymore. Yet when we started Zeta for TV, I had to write novels while simultaneously directing the TV series, purely for the anime production company’s business reasons. Still, since people were asking me to write, I thought it was my professional duty to do it, no matter how busy I was. It was really painful. Because for little Yuuki who wanted to be a novelist, each book was a reminder that I couldn’t get novels published without being in the position of anime director for Gundam. That was painful. That’s why I barely remember how many Zeta novels I wrote – I recently wondered, “How many Zeta novels did I write? I did write them myself, right?” The reason I wrote five volumes? Well, to put it bluntly, I just churned them out. But it’s also true that I had the pride to think, “I’ll write them anyway.”

Two Hands Extended During the Decline – Char’s Counterattack

When we started Zeta for TV, I somehow knew that Gundam would continue far into the future. Not through individual effort, but systematically. I felt intense revulsion about that. But since there was no point in just hating it, I thought I might as well ride along with it. I knew I lacked ability as a novelist, so I had to approach it as business. That was my resolution at the time. But when the five-volume Zeta series didn’t sell particularly well, the sense of failure was especially acute because of that business-like approach. That’s why there’s a gap after Zeta, I just didn’t want to write anymore.

When we started work on the Char’s Counterattack movie, I was aware that I was on a downward slope. At that time, I received novel offers from both Tokuma Shoten and Kadokawa Shoten, and I felt I had to write them properly as work, regardless of whether I could write well or not. When you’re on a downward slope, you have to make one more push. Those feelings became two different novels: High Streamer and Char’s Counterattack. What I did with High Streamer was just writing out my feelings at the time, so it’s scattered and doesn’t reach what I consider a “novel.” The sense of defeat was huge there, too. I remember thinking it was truly masturbatory in the real sense.

Finally Approaching True Novel Writing – Hathaway’s Flash

I don’t remember the circumstances of Hathaway, and I don’t think there was anything particular about it. There wasn’t any tie-in with animation or anything like that. The one thing I can say now, after ten years, is that I wrote it as a kind of personal indulgence, thinking “if there’s even a small element of a writer in me…” Using the word “indulgence” sounds terrible, but what I mean is that it wasn’t business-like. The result turned out to be a decent novel, which made me think maybe I wasn’t completely worthless. People call the story shocking, but don’t you need at least that level of impact to make a proper novel? In that sense, I feel I finally got close to writing a real novel. Making Bright’s son the protagonist and leading to that conclusion – there wasn’t any particular personal philosophy or belief behind it. I was just focused on writing something that could be considered a proper novel. Sure, it might have been an indulgence, but if I’d done it business-style, it wouldn’t have turned out like that. The sales were decent, too, which was a relief. So, it’s probably one of my favorite works. I actually hate that Char’s Counterattack ranks higher in sales (laughs).

F91 – A New Gundam Prepared for the Next Generation

Writing Hathaway was really significant for me internally. It felt like I could catch my breath after that, like maybe I could do something more. So I started thinking, if I have to keep making Gundam until I die, maybe we could launch a new series (the F91 series). We tried with the theatrical Gundam F91, but that kind of thinking itself was a mistake. This coincided with Sunrise’s transition from a smalltown production company to a major corporation, and things didn’t work out. The reasons became clear later with V Gundam. Originally, we planned to make F91 the first work, followed by Crossbone Gundam for TV. But Sunrise decided it wasn’t necessary, and everything ended there. In that sense, this novel was purely business, nothing more. That’s the reason it was written.

V Gundam – Personal Anger Directed Outward

When we started V Gundam, I was summoned by Bandai – something that hadn’t happened even during Zeta. They told me “This time we want to create something with stronger toy tie-ins, so please follow our direction.” Everything was decided in that single meeting with the executive in charge, and I was physically and mentally exhausted at the time, so I decided to comply with everything regarding the TV series. However, as someone who had managed to write something resembling novels until then, I decided to write novels that Bandai couldn’t interfere with. I have a tendency where I need a concrete target – something like “Defeat X!” – to become outward-focused, and at that time, it was that Bandai executive. I wrote thinking “That bastard will never understand the meaning of this content.” Five volumes written purely out of feelings toward him. I thought this would be the end of Gundam, and I was aware that I personally, as a working person, would probably end up in a desperate place. That’s how intense it was. Though now I can think, “Of course you’d snap after doing something like that” (laughs). And I did snap after V Gundam. I really hate the idea of talent theory – it’s a huge mistake to think you can write if you have innate talent. I want everyone to realize that even idiots can write this level of work if they try hard enough. Even someone with my limited talent and capacity can write this much if they properly understand the balance between systematic work and individual performance. I want people to realize that’s much more interesting than just creating what you like.

Gaia Gear – Attempting to Wean Off Gundam

Gaia Gear… that’s weird (laughs). I don’t remember it at all. (Regarding it being the most anticipated book for republication) No one’s waiting for it (laughs)! Both High Streamer and Gaia Gear are a bit crazy (laughs). But I really don’t remember… I think I started it wanting to make the Newtype magazine format a bit more refined. Was the editor Ryoetsu (Sato, first editor-in-chief of NT)? Right, Ryoetsu quit Kadokawa right after launching Gaia Gear. I remember being worried about whether Kadokawa would be okay. I definitely had ulterior motives of wanting to distance myself from Sunrise and get closer to Kadokawa Films. But nothing worked out… What? It’s five volumes worth? Oh my (laughs). You’re kidding, right? What did I write? What could it be? I can only remember what I just said. You can tell from the title Gaia Gear that I wanted to break away from the rights to Gundam and from Sunrise, and it’s true that I wanted to incorporate the analog nuances of the word “Gaia” that was used at the time into robots. But that was just intellectual thinking, and since you can’t create works just with your head and ideology, I have a vague memory of feeling strongly defeated with Gaia Gear. In the end, because it used a Gundam-like world, I couldn’t break away from Gundam or Sunrise, and all I got was the feeling that I couldn’t wean myself off.