For a start, please tell us the story of how you became the director of Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu Die Neue These.

I’ve been a fan of Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu since I was in school. The official poster in an anime magazine made me interested, so I went to watch the first theatrical movie, My Conquest is the Sea of Stars, and it was beautiful. From the theater, I went straight to a bookstore in Shinjuku and bought the original novels as many as possible and went home. Ever since I became a director, I have always wanted to try producing a work that’s set in an expansive universe like Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu. I also told Production I.G.’s CEO Ishikawa (Mitsuhisa), “I want to try making a work set in an expansive universe even for only once.” (laughs) At that time, I wasn’t expecting that Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu would be adapted into anime again, I just thought I wanted to try being involved in the production of a work like that, even only as an episode director. Later, that day, CEO Ishikawa asked me, “Do you want to direct Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu?”

Things escalated quickly!

I was really surprised and felt pressured about becoming the director for Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu, but if I missed this opportunity, there would not be another chance to make Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu for at least 20 or 30 years… Thinking that I don’t mind being a director or whatever as long as I’m involved in Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu, I immediately replied, “I’ll do it!”

What’s the charm of Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu that made you feel so passionate about it?

It’s set in an expansive universe, but basically it’s a work that depicts an ensemble performance of human drama. Each character is depicted as having their own charm. I think that’s the work’s number one appeal.

You were also involved in the production of the third side story Asa no Yume, Yoru no Uta (Morning’s Dream, Evening’s Song) that was directed by Ishiguro Noboru. As a fan, how did you feel about being involved in the work?

I thought it’s another ordinary job offer, but when it arrived, I got so excited because “I’m going to work on Gineiden!” However, at that time I was only a newbie, and the pressure was quite strong. Even until now I still remember thinking “What to do if the episodes I’m taking charge of turn out very bad?” while working on it.

This time, as the director of the new anime adaptation of Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu, what things are you especially concerned about?

I said that I love it as an ensemble performance, so the most important thing for me was properly producing it with my own approach. Because I really love the anime directed by Ishiguro, if I’m not careful, I might just reproduce it. However, because Die Neue These is not a remake, I’m always aware that in directing, although I keep the dialogues of the original novels, I can neatly put my favourite elements into them—that’s the first thing I thought.

And your favourite elements are?

Surely I love the simple style of the conversation, but if I had to pick, maybe it’s “atmosphere”… For instance, a scene when it’s only a man standing alone, but somehow it looks picture-perfect; it’s something I like, but also something I’m good at. I fussed over the way Reinhart sits on the captain seat in the trailer. I asked an animator who could draw the atmosphere the way I wanted it to do it. Also, I pay great attention to the energy of the young characters. Reinhart and the other characters are actually in their 20s. Although of course I respect and love the solemnity of the anime that Ishiguro directed, I want Die Neue These to have this feeling of the walking speed of a man in his 20s. I think that’s where my strength lies.

Since I believe there will be more characters (the interview was made when only Yang, Reinhart, and Kircheis had been announced – translator), could you please tell us the direction of the character designs of Die Neue These?

So far we’ve had the designs of the three main characters. Kikuchi Youko, who designed the characters that have been announced so far, has designed characters for many works, but whichever character she draws, they bear this particular charm that we can call ‘Kikuchi touch’. I’ve known her since I was still a newbie, and I’m a fan of that ‘Kikuchi touch’. For this work, when I was choosing a character designer, the production house recommended Kikuchi, and I felt relieved for being able to ask her to do it. I thought, She must be able to provide that ‘Kikuchi touch’ even in Gineiden. Those amazing characters with the youthful atmosphere were thus designed by Kikuchi-san.

Please also tell us about the other character designers, Teraoka Iwao and Tsushima Kei.

Teraoka Iwao-kun is a Sunrise animator, but I’ve known him since I was still a very beginner production assistant. At any rate he’s very competent. I asked Teraoka-kun to design the rough-looking middle-aged and older characters from the Empire and the Alliance. Tsushima Kei-san is an I.G. staff, and he’s very skillful. He could draw what I told him very precisely, so he designed the so-called supporting characters. The characters are young, but they’re drawn in a different way from the main characters designed by Kikuchi-san. However, the characters need to have individuality. Each of the three character designers have their personal style, and they provided us with totally awesome designs. I really want to show them all to everyone soon.

Of all the many characters designs so far, is there any that made you feel surprised in a good way?

For the characters with physical look clearly described in the original novels, we decided to use designs that are not too different from those in Ishiguro’s adaptation. On the other hand, for characters without specific descriptions, the three character designers are free to design with their own personal style, and they went all out designing characters that look different but could match those in Ishiguro’s adaptation. When I saw the results, I felt excitedly surprised, “Oooh, that’s the way!”

Three people have also been announced as the mechanical designers. Please tell us the direction of the mechanical design.

Since the three of them are renowned designers, first of all, everyone is free to design however they want, then develop it by brushing it up according to the logic (the setting) of Gineiden. Takeuchi Atsushi, who’s in charge of the mecha of the Empire, has done mecha designs for many I.G. works. His designs, which employ a lot of curved surfaces, are very attractive. While Usui Shinji-san and Tsuneki Shinobu-san, who do the designs for the Alliance side, are designers whose charm lies in their linear designs, opposite to Takeuchi-san. Each of them designs according to what they’re best at.

Moriyama Yuujirou joined the main staff as assistant director. How do you split responsibilities with Moriyama?

Usually, we do the same things like an episode director, such as editing the storyboard, directing… but if I had to say then I guess his main job would be drawing the images I share with him… Moriyama was originally an animator, while I’m in production. That’s why, when I want to add some more cool things into the storyboard I’ve edited, Moriyama-kun would draw them for me. Also, he also does parts within the story where if we don’t construct (the setting) even for just 1 or 2 cuts, it wouldn’t feel like the world of Gineiden. However, since Gineiden uses a lot of background arts, it’s difficult to order background art just for 1 or 2 cuts. When that happens, I would tell Moriyama-kun, “I actually want a setting like this”, and he would really draw it for me.

Moriyama also took part in one of your keyworks, Star-myu.

I got to know him when Moriyama-kun was still a key animator. It feels like I always drag him along whenever I’m working on a program. (laughs)

When you start on a new work, in what way Moriyama-san, who’s worked together with you for a long time, has a great importance?

That’s certainly my reason for having the assistant director system. My way of producing a work might seem peculiar… I’m not the type with an established rigid logic, and I like to put things that look like fetishism in my films, so when I start a new work, the first thing I said to the staff is “I don’t know what and how to do.” However, as I repeatedly deliberate one-on-one with the animators and the directors of each episode, over time my ideas become more solid. During that period, with Moriyama-kun as my assistant director, I basically could trust the work to Moriyama-kun. Furthermore, by talking with Moriyama-kun about what I want to do, I can organise my own thoughts, and I can share my production plans with him. In working on a program with complicated content, assistant director is a very important position.

Next, let’s talk about the cast. So far, the voice actors of the three main characters and the narrator have been announced, but what were you looking for in the casting?

Needless to say, acting skills are required, but like I mentioned earlier, because the characters are actually young, I wanted people who could exude youthfulness. Basically we looked for the main cast through audition.

What caused you to give the role of Reinhart to Miyano Mamoru?

Like I’ve said many times, since I’m a big fan of Ishiguro’s adaptation, honestly, when speaking of Reinhart, what comes to my mind is the image of Horikawa Ryou-san. However, Miyano-kun was able to set aside that image and convinced me that “This is also Reinhart.” The same thing goes for Yang Wen-li’s actor Suzumura (Kenichi)-san. When speaking of Yang, Tomiyama Kei-san’s voice would appear in my head, but Suzumura-san was able to make me think “He’s no Tomiyama-san, but that is Yang right there.”

Was Kircheis’ actor, Umehara Yuuichirou-san, was chosen for the same reason?

Actually it’s a bit different with Umehara-kun. Although age-wise Kircheis is the same, since the stage of character designing, I firmly wanted Kircheis that’s completely different from the Kircheis in Ishiguro’s anime. That’s why we looked for someone who truly fit the current description of Kircheis, and we decided to ask Umehara-kun to take the role.

Why did you wanted Kircheis to be designed in such a way?

Kircheis has always been following Reinhart since they were children. If he’d never met Reinhart, he could probably be a leading figure himself. I wanted to create a situation to depict why such an impressive man would on purpose follow Reinhart. But if he had never met Reinhart, probably he would become a florist, influenced by his father’s hobby of growing flowers. (laughs)

It seems that a few days ago the voice recording of the first episode has already been done. What were your impressions?

Since the first episode, I certainly experienced Gineiden as an ensemble performance. It’s because, only a few characters in the first episode will continue appearing afterwards. There were about 20 actors called up for the voice recording (laughs). Besides, for instance, in a certain work I’ve previously done, the fight is between 5 people against 5 people, which means all 10 are protagonists. However, in Gineiden, the fight is between the characters like Reinhart that we label as protagonists, and middle-aged characters who in other works are mobs who’d never appear again.

Because within the work, they would be of the same status, and would clash on an equal footing.

That’s right. Miyano-san and the veteran seiyuu who voiced this middle-aged character exchanged dialogues like each of them was a leading character. I thought, Well, this is Gineiden.

Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu is a work with many passionate fans. What kind of work do you want Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu Die Neue These to be for those fans?

For me, again in terms of animation, because we use modern technologies such as CG, probably we could upgrade the visual side of director Ishiguro’s adaptation a little. Well, we could only do minor upgrades. Because there were many highly skilled animators working on director Ishiguro’s adaptation too. However, I wonder if fans who have watched director Ishiguro’s adaptation would enjoy that upgrading. Then again, since it’s a new work we’re making, it would be meaningless if we don’t get new viewers from people who’ve never experienced Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu before. I realize that the hurdle is so high, but I want to make the people who love director Ishiguro’s Gineiden enjoy the new designs and the new cast, and I also want people who didn’t know Gineiden before to think “Tanaka-sensei’s Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu is interesting!”My goal is that more people, men and women of all ages, experience and enjoy Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu.

So although serving as an entrance for new fans to Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu,this anime also aims to please the core fans.

Although aiming for both are difficult, but that’s what making another adaptation of Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu means. We’re aiming for it.

For you, what kind of work Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu Die Neue These would become?

I like drama serial like TV series. Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu is a very long tale, and there were already 110 episodes directed by Ishiguro. Which means, if I can produce it until the very end, I can make 110 episodes of the serial story that I really love. (laughs) Thus, I’m really looking forward to it, and I’d be happy if I could produce it until the end. I cannot spoil this yet to people who’s new to Gineiden, but I’ve always been thinking of how to do that scene. (laughs)

Lastly, please give your message to the people who are waiting for the broadcast of Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu Die Neue These.

This is a fascinating story with its vast expanse of ensemble performance, and I think we would miss the real charm of Gineiden if we skip some of the stories. That’s why, when the broadcast starts, please make sure you watch it in whole (laughs). Until you can finally see the long drama… the ensemble performance of Gineiden, please stay updated.

Original interview here.

Corrections, suggestions welcome.