Interview with Makoto Ishiwata, Mechanical Designer of “Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet” [2/4]

Gargantia, design start

Ishikawa: How long after the project started did the mecha design of Chamber come into the picture?

Ishiwata: How long was it?

Hirasawa: The project started around July 2010.

Ishiwata: I think it was two months after that.

Ishikawa: That’s pretty early.

Hirasawa: That’s because the robots in a robot anime are the face of that work. By all means, I think you might want to ask what things he had in mind at that time.

Ishikawa: You always help me out (laughs).

Hirasawa: Because I’m your support system in this interview (laughs).

Ishikawa: So you play the role of Chamber in this project (laughs). So, with Hirasawa’s help...at that time, what things were you conscious about?

Ishiwata: I was thinking that I wanted to make his silhouette different from already existing robots.

Ishikawa: Yes, he has a more round shape.

Ishiwata: It is because when I was shown the scenario and the plot, he seemed more like a character rather than a robot. I thought that for a design that makes the viewers get attached to him, it might be better to make him a little round and add some cuteness.

Ishikawa: I see. Due to his rounded form, he appears more friendly. Striker, on the other hand, has some sharpness in his roundness. What was the concept for that?

Ishiwata: If you picture Chamber as a child, Striker would be an adult of that image.

Ishikawa: Did you also decide on how old a robot it should look like?

Ishiwata: Well, isn’t it a story about Chamber and Ledo growing up? Chamber is in the middle of growing up, while Striker is at the end, so I made them with childlike and adultlike proportions.

Ishikawa: They showed me pictures of the characters. Chamber looked a little childish because of the roundness, but Striker, even though he has some roundness, gives a very sharp impression, and he looks rather unfriendly.

Ishiwata: That’s right.

What is mecha design?

Ishikawa: Could you tell us what you need to pay attention to when designing mecha? Is there a secret to it?

Ishiwata: Right now, I’m thinking about what mecha design is about, and I could separate it into four fields: fantasy robots, real robots, vehicular robots, and robots as characters. Chamber is a fantasy and character type, Yumboroids are vehicle types and real robots. First, I think about which of these four it will fit into.

Ishikawa: Whether you call it categorizing or classifying, it is very important in the expression of the work.

Ishiwata: In the end, the robots in an anime aren’t made to be real-sized and actually able to move. Hence, there is the act of how much you decorate it, regardless of which section the robot falls into.

Ishikawa: And in Gargantia, the two sections you previously mentioned are connected to each of them. I see.

The movie that led to this job

Ishikawa: As a mecha designer, you must be involved in various activities. How did you end up with this job?

Ishiwata: How? Where should I start...?

Hirasawa: From when you turned into a working adult from a student, if you could.

Ishikawa: You could say I’m also on a job hunt, I intend on asking around the alumni (laughs).

Ishiwata: I see. Well, let’s see... I liked robots ever since I was a child, but rather than anime, I wanted to make real robots. I think I was inspired by Robocop (laughs).

Ishikawa: I see.

Ishiwata: To be exact, the ED-209 robot on the enemy side.

Ishikawa: Oh, that one.

Ishiwata: When I saw that, I thought, “I want to make something like this!,” so I made robot shapes by cutting and sticking cardboard together. I also made magic hands linked with wires to imitate the mechanism that moves the hands; I jumbled a lot of stuff together. I also made a motor. I started to feel that I wanted to make real robots, I wanted to study robotics, but all I did was play around, so I didn’t learn any such thing. However, I still intended to be involved with robots and make machines, and when looking for a job offer, on our company’s site, I stumbled upon something like “Your self-designed robot might be made into a toy”...

Ishikawa: Like a promotion.

Ishiwata: When I saw that, I thought, “This is the place,” and I found my job.

Ishikawa: At that time, did you show the robots you designed to director Kosaka?

Ishiwata: At that point, the robots I designed as original were incomprehensible, and I couldn’t show them to people, really. I went to extremes inside my head. I did show them, though I don’t think he remembers at all (laughs).

Hirasawa: What happened after you joined the company, did you start designing toys?

Ishiwata: Actually, not really (laughs). When I said, “I applied here because I’d like to design toys,” they told me that they weren’t doing that anymore (laughs). I received a small shock, and I was told, “If you work hard, it’s still possible. That area is free,” so I figured if that’s the case, let’s do it. At that time, I was also doing 3D, so I stuck with 3D modeling work for a while. Then, when our company was producing a work called The Cyber Slayer, one of my seniors at that time, Niθ, a mecha designer, said, “Ishiwata, how about you give it a try,” and that was the first time I participated in a work as mecha designer.

Gargantia x Tokyo Otaku Mode Special Site:
http://otakumode.com/sp/gargantia

Source:
http://gargantia.jp/#kaito_1 (Japanese)

© Oceanus / Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet Production Committee