Staff Interview #02: Kazuhiro Furuhashi

THE GREATEST CHALLENGE WAS ADAPTING THE NOVEL’S EXPRESSIONS INTO ANIMATION

――First, could you tell us how you came to be involved with UC?

Furuhashi: Sunrise contacted me around spring 2008. Since I had only drawn storyboards for mecha series once before, receiving this request felt rather unusual.

――What were your impressions of the previous Gundam series?

Furuhashi: I watched Mobile Suit Gundam, Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam, and Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ as they aired. When I watched the original Mobile Suit Gundam, I felt that unlike previous robot anime, its setting and dramatic elements had a depth that could appeal to a wide age range.

――How did you begin the production process for UC?

Furuhashi: First, I read the novel and was shocked by its sheer volume. I wondered how we could possibly adapt this into animation. Since the final chapter hadn’t been completed yet, we received the plot outline for the ending, and I had several opportunities to discuss concerns with Fukui-san. During this process, Fukui-san helped us make some major cuts, and we made very detailed decisions from the scenario stage. Since we basically had to reduce the volume, our biggest challenge was figuring out how to properly convey the novel’s expressions through animation. We meticulously worked on trimming content while maintaining the strength of the characters and story. For instance, while we initially cut Dagza’s scenes in the script, we later reintroduced them in different places to maintain his presence.

――Were there any particularly challenging aspects regarding the visuals?

Furuhashi: The presentation of battle scenes was particularly challenging. It almost feels like we used all our cards in the first volume. For instance, once we decide on what seems like the best way to show Kshatriya’s funnels moving, it becomes difficult to find time and energy to develop new approaches. Still, with five more volumes to go, while we might not create entirely new methods, we hope to at least experiment with different camera angles. I think it’s important to maintain contrast – not just making everything flashy, but showing restraint at times and then delivering clear, impactful scenes when tension builds.

NO PLANS TO USE NARRATION OR TEXT OVERLAYS UNTIL THE END

――I understand UC’s concept involves avoiding typical anime-style direction in its visuals?

Furuhashi: That’s also about balance. If we made everything completely realistic, the movement would become too heavy and lose its impact. There are certainly still elements that feel like robot anime.

――The CGI used in the scene where Banagher boards and activates the Unicorn Gundam was particularly impressive.

Furuhashi: One of Unicorn Gundam’s selling points is its “transformation.” We used CGI to express this visually. Rather than creating dramatic, anime-style visuals, our intention was to accurately show the toy-like gimmick’s movement. While we had concerns about handling the character (Gundam) in CGI, hand-drawn animation couldn’t achieve quite the same effect.

――There’s no narration or text overlays – what was the reasoning behind this?

Furuhashi: I’d prefer not to use them at all through to the end. When information is explained through narration or text overlays, it creates an objective distance between the information sender and receiver. It’s like forcing understanding. By removing such enforcement, we want viewers to enter the world of the visuals with interest, curiosity, and questions, discovering information from every corner of the screen.

――Having completed the first volume, what are your thoughts?

Furuhashi: Since this was essentially my first time directing mecha, I was surprised by how complex it was to combine mecha and character elements. We had to check each cut two or three times while finishing it. But when looking at the completed images, they don’t seem that dense – I think the process was more about verifying whether the composition and placement felt instinctively right rather than logically correct. Also, since production took a year this time, we need to find ways to shorten that.

AIMING TO CREATE A WORK THAT STANDS EQUAL TO, NOT JUST A DIGEST OF, THE NOVEL

――Finally, do you have a message for fans who purchased the series?

Furuhashi: As director, my hope is that those who bought the first volume will continue to purchase the following ones. The work itself is the message, so I’m hesitant to put it into words… However, with all six volumes, I’d like the final impression to differ somewhat from the novel. I hope we can present an ending unique to the visual medium. Through this, I want to create a work that stands as an equal to the novel rather than just serving as a digest version.