Sponichi Annex Gundam Interview

Translated by: gekka_no_neko (@LJ)
Please do not copy, take, redistribute, retranslate or repost this translation without my permission. Thank you~~


1 An anime that puts forth a new concept
G: When I was growing up, my parents didn't let me watch TV because of their educational policy. In my late teens, I got hooked on movies and would watch them everyday, but eventually I ran out of movies to watch. So then a friend recommended that I watch "First Gundam"[1]. At that time, I was like, "Gundam?... I know the name but..." Because up until that time, I had totally ridiculed anime.


Gackt tells us about his encounter with Gundam. Because he is an artist that is the epitome of a Gundam fan, I thought he had surely been hooked on it since he was a kid, but I was wrong.
G: I watched the television version on video, and for some reason I didn't really understand it at first. But little by little, I began to understand. The amazing way the story expanded; its world view... Animes before Gundam all imposed on the viewer "This is good and this is evil." That's an absolute way of brainwashing isn't it. But Gundam raises the question "What do you think?" It may be the first anime that puts forth such a concept. Though it might have been difficult for kids in those days to understand.


Certainly as Gackt says, kids that were used to "rewarding good and punishing evil" type anime were probably a little confused by Gundam. When it was first broadcast in 1979, it met with a poor response and ended earlier than was planned. After the boom in popularity of Gundam, "First Gundam" was rebroadcast many times and it has been accepted by the world.
G: I think interesting and creative things are made because we've become a society that appreciates those kinds of things. Works are created at the same time those kinds of people are born. They are people in synchronicity with their works. That's why I think that the year Gundam was born was the start of a new era where children started raising questions. Even the children who didn't understand it at first could have the question "What do you think?" posed to them through rebroadcasts, and they could become aware of a different way of thinking.


It's said that in order for something creative to be accepted, you have to go "a half step forward". An ordinary person won't understand if you go two or three steps forward at a time. Going one step forward takes a little bit of time. Gundam took that one step forward. It's an artistic analysis.
G: For kids suffering through their teens, it was a philosophy to follow; a bible for becoming an adult. Of course Gundam itself is a mobile suit... it's a robot, and that was a way to attract children to the show. But the background story was extremely well-thought out. Small children will watch it even if they don't understand the story because they like the mobile suits. But as they're watching, they start to take in the thoughts of the characters that are revealed to them one by one. I thought, "It's a really well-done anime."


Gundam can be enjoyed by kids, while at the same time, it can be understood by adults. It has a clever two-fold construction.
G: People who say they love Gundam even when they became adults have realized that[2]. Of course, there are many people who talk about the so-and-so form of the this-or-that mobile suit they like the most (bitter smile), but I honestly don't care about things like mobile suits and robots. It's really the world view (I'm interested in). And also the persuasive power of the dialogue. And then there's the appeal of the voice actors.


2 The truth is inside myself.

Gackt was responsible for the theme songs of the theatrical version of Z, starting with part 1[3]. As a fan of Gundam, the creation of the new Z was something wonderful. I got chills when "Kimi ga Matteiru Kara" started during the scene when Amuro and Char reunite. The concluding movie "-Hoshi no Kodou wa Ai-" is represented by the ballad "Love Letter".
G: "Love Letter" is a song that expresses the kinds of feelings raised when it comes to your most loved one, the one precious person by your side. They are honest[4] feelings. A love letter is something that sends your feelings, right? It's something straightforward. To me this song does not waste one word, one phrase. Tomino-san[5] chose this song to be the theme for the final movie.


As he quietly spoke, I could fully sense his love for Gundam. I wonder if this "Gundam love" seeps into his own world of music.
G: I can't say exactly where I have or haven't been influenced by Gundam, but I also can't say I haven't been influenced by it at all. For example, the word "justice"[6] often appears in Gundam. This is true of society today as well, but who decides if something is absolutely wrong? That's what I wonder. For me, the truth lies within myself and I believe that the thing I am doing, the thing I ought to be doing, is not wrong. Though I can't say it's perfect[7]. I don't want to be judged by anybody.


Certainly justice is something that changes depending on the era. There are dozens of examples where something that was considered "just" is now looked at as "evil".
G: Today's society can't judge what I'm saying as being right or wrong. That's something they can do 50 or 100 years after I'm dead. What I'm feeling right now is significant, and I think that finding the meaning in that which exists within myself is what's most important.


What is it that Gackt wants to do?
G: I want to change the mindset of Asians. I believe it's what I should do; my mission. 60 years after World War II, Japan hasn't been able to shrink the gap between itself and Asia as it was hoped. I believe that countries can be tied together, not through national policies, but through cultural exchange. It starts with relations between people. National policies attempt to abruptly bring countries together, so the "face" becomes lost. That is not right.


I thought he was a cool person, and he started the interview speaking carefully, but he eventually started speaking passionately. His tone became more and more passionate.
G: The Japanese... -How do you see me? How do I see you?- that should be the starting point to bridging the gap between countries. I believe the sum total of all one-to-one relationships can change the "country vs. country" mentality. For example, how much do you think the distance between Japan and Korea has been shortened right now due to the "Korean boom"[8]? Of course, all of the problems haven't been solved, but a big step was made. What the country couldn't do in 60 years was accomplished in one to two years through cultural exchange. This is the power of culture.


3 The things that exist beyond suffering. The question is whether or not it's recognized.

Sure enough, there aren't any hateful people among those who love Gundam... The distance between Gackt and myself quickly closed in. As a lover of Gundam, I asked him some rather unimportant things. Gackt also answered those questions.
G: If I were to compare myself to a Gundam character, I guess I'd be Paptimus Scirocco[9]. The way he calmly approaches everything. Though the fans would say Char. But I'm not determined to be that cool you know. I'm sort of close to Scirocco in terms of cruelty and awfulness (laughs). I'm "the man from Jupiter"[10] you know.

G: My absolute favorite of the Gundam series is "0080 War in the Pocket"[11]. Though it's a story where mobile suits don't appear much. I believe there are no heroes on a battlefield. Because only sadness is borne from war.


...I want to hear more but (or more like, I did hear more but) I'll leave it at that...
In addition to Gundam, his music was also used in "Final Fantasy VII - Dirge of Cerberus". Gackt is even actively participating in the "subculture" by appearing as a character in the game. I asked him what he thought about the present state of Japan's "subculture".
G: Anime, manga, games... These are things that Japan can be proud of and should show off to the rest of the world. I mean, these are the only creative things from Japan that have gained worldwide recognition. It's sad-- these works are so good that a Hollywood director could use them as models for writing their own scenarios, and yet the Japanese themselves look down on them by creating the word "otaku"[12]. I think it's a real shame. As an example, you'd understand if you went to a bookstore in France. The comic book corner is mostly filled with Japanese manga you know. You'd be surprised. The word "sub" itself is disrespectful. In Japan, culture that is new is rather unappreciated, isn't it.

G: Compared with other countries, Japan is very close to having no official religion. Therefore, ideas on morals are not learned through religion. Instead, they are learned through those who came before, like parents and elders... other than that, the truth is that morals are learned through things like anime and manga. There's a lot to learn regarding "what's good and what's bad". For that reason, if material that's full of insane ideas is put out, kids will head towards the wrong direction. I want creators to be conscious of that and to be responsible for what they create.


I was surprised by the deepness of his perspective. And also by the strength of his words in communicating that perspective. Although I'm talking with a top-notch artist, these are things that reach my heart.
The ending of the television show was tragic for the main character, Kamille. It's hinted that the ending for the movie version was changed to "an unknown ending". Perhaps Gackt's song "Love Letter" was chosen as an ending theme to hint at a bright future...
G: I think you can understand more of what Tomino-san wants to convey in the movie version (of Z). The television version expressed the Tomino-san that was as large as his life at the time... it embodied suffering[13]. But the movie version expresses Tomino Yoshiyuki as "one adult". It's like the feelings that a creator wants to convey to the next generation. The things that exist beyond suffering. Whether or not one can recognize that... I can't say anything more than that.


There are many fans who say they like Gundam because it is heavy... and dark. However, because they are fans of the original work, they want the message of Tomino and Gackt in "New Translation" to be conveyed to them.


Notes:
[1] "First Gundam": refers to Kidou Senshi Gundam (Mobile Suit Gundam), which first aired in Japan in 1979-1980.
[2] By "that" he's referring to the preceding comment by the writer.
[3] Part 1: Kidou Senshi Z Gundam -Hoshi wo Tsugu Mono- (Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam: A New Translation -Heirs to the Stars-) Opening theme: Metamorphoze. Ending theme: Kimi ga Matteiru Kara. Part 2: Kidou Senshi Z Gundam II -Koibitotachi- (Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam: A New Translation II -Lovers-) Ending theme: Mind Forest. Part 3: Kidou Senshi Z Gundam III -Hoshi no Kodou wa Ai- (Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam: A New Translation III -Love is the Pulse of the Stars-) Ending theme: Love Letter.
[4] "sunao": amenable; amiable; compliant; graceful; honest; obedient; straightforward.
[5] Tomino Yoshiyuki: Creator of Gundam.
[6] "seigi": justice; right; righteousness; correct meaning.
[7] "tadashii": right; just; correct; honest; truthful; proper; straightfoward; perfect.
[8] "Korean boom": The Korean boom in Japan was sparked by the drama "Winter Sonata", which aired in Japan in April-September of 2002. The lead actor, Bae Yong Joon, became very popular with Japanese women, and more Korean dramas and movies were brought over to Japan. A few tidbits: The Japan Travel Bureau announced that the number of Japanese who traveled to Korea in 2004 increased by 35.6% over 2003. The Dai-ichi Life Research Institute estimated that there was a 122.5 billion yen boost to the Japanese economy due to the Korean boom. The Seoul Plaza Hotel, which was featured in "Winter Sonata," sold 750 "Winter Sonata packages" to Japanese tourists from October 2003 through October 2004, bringing in revenues of 250 million won.
[9] Paptimus Scirocco: As described at gundamofficial.com, "A sinister genius who joins forces with the Titans...Not only is he a gifted mobile suit designer, pilot and powerful Newtype, but Scirocco's keen intellect and overwhelming charisma enable him to easily manipulate those around him - particularly women. Though his goals and ideology are utterly alien to those of the Titans, their leaders recruit Scirocco to bolster their fighting power, foolishly thinking that his oath of loyalty will protect them from this dangerous renegade."
[10] "mokuseikaeri no otoko": Scirocco is known as "the man from Jupiter".
[11] "0080 Poketto no Naka no Sensou": Mobile Suit Gundam 0800: War in the Pocket was a six episode OAV (original animation video) released in 1989.
[12] "otaku": in modern Japanese usage, "otaku" refers to an obsessed fan of hobbies such as anime, manga, idols, games. Wikipedia has some good background on the meanings of otaku, subsets of otaku, and how the word is used outside of Japan.
[13] "kunou": suffering; distress; affliction; anguish; agony; trouble.

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