Voice Bishounen Igarashi x Enokido Interview

Thanks to Aurelia’s scans (as always), we have the whole Voice Bishounen interview now too! This took forever because lol distractions, also it’s like 4000 words. I’ll get around to the glossary thing at the end later. Too lazy to repost the relevant scans right now (I’ll do it later), but they’re around if you want to check my shit.

Highlight of the interview (imo): “When you say sparkly, the first thing I think of is Director Igarashi!” – Enokido. Lol, why are these two so moe? They all sound like they’re having so much fun working on this show too…

IGARASHI
The foundation of “Star Driver – Takuto of the Radiace” is the phrase “Galactic Pretty Boy.” There’s no doubt about it! Everything in the work was inspired by this phrase Enokido thought up, and the world was developed around it.

ENOKIDO
The second you hear the phrase “Galactic Pretty Boy,” there are some people who get really fired up and some people who think, “that’s sorta embarrassing” (lol). I think it’s more fun when the reactions are varied. Well, the best one was when I first brought it up with Igarashi––”How about ‘Galactic Pretty Boy’?”––and he got really really fired up.

IGARASHI
Hahahahaha, I didn’t think it was embarrassing at all, but I guess that’s just what you’d expect of me. The word “galactic” makes me think of “something sparkly.” Everyone holds in her or his heart a most attractive part––the time when that person shone the brightest, or when they captivated an audience––that’s the sort of feeling the sparkling of the galaxy has for me.

ENOKIDO
When you say sparkly, the first thing I think of is Director Igarashi!

IGARASHI
Why!? (lol)

ENOKIDO
(lol). I think Igarashi’s someone who makes “sparkling films[1].” They’re the most elegant in the industry. Like back during Sailor Moon, you might call it crystal night[2], where a mysterious world is depicted with visuals like glittering stars and lakes––that’s Igarashi’s calling card, I think it’s charming.

Since it was decided that I’d be working with Igarashi on this from the start, I wanted to make something that really showcased his distinctive style. And I also wanted to make a robot anime with Igarashi.

And so, the phrase “Galactic Pretty Boy” was born out of the [desire to make] “a sparkling robot anime.”

[1]- k, this “film” term has come up before and I still don’t know how to handle it more eloquently, so I’m sticking w/ “film” until I can think of a better, more generic term for VIDEO STUFF

[2]- nfc what he’s talking about here, every reference I can find to 水晶の夜 has to do with Nazis not Sailor Moon, so I’m assuming he means it more literally but idk

IGARASHI
So that’s what it was.

ENOKIDO
And on top of that I had the image of “the sparkling feeling of the good old days of anime” in mind. The kind of stuff I watched when I was a kid––like the very first anime, “Astro Boy”––all had a certain sparkling quality to them. When you turn on the TV, outer space and the starry sky are right there… sparkling galaxies have always been a part of anime.

IGARASHI
The “boy” [part] came from the same concept, didn’t it.

ENOKIDO
Yeah. There are a lot of classic anime with titles like “Space Boy” and “Meteor Boy,” lots of “something Boy” series. The protagonists in those classic anime were sparkling boys from outer space with mysterious powers.  With that mood as the foundation, I decided I wanted to make a modern sparkling boy story…. but, if I just put both key words together, it’s “Galaxy Boy” and that gives off the impression of a kind of retro work.

IGARASHI
Surely upon hearing “Galaxy Boy” most people would think “it must be in black-and-white! (lol).

ENOKIDO
Something like “It comes with Galaxy Boy Menko![3]” (lol) But, I really wanted to do it. I wanted to take that “sparkling feeling” I had when I was a child and present it as a “modern series,” that would also showcase Igarashi’s particular brand of sparkle.
So, I wrestled with what to do… until [I thought], “How about ‘pretty’?”

[3]- Apparently it’s an old card game/thing that vaguely resembles Pogs, lol.

IGARASHI
(lol)

ENOKIDO
If you make it “Galactic Pretty Boy” it gives it a modern feel. Though to be perfectly honest, I’m not really confident that it makes it truely modern (lolol). At the very least I don’t think it seems retro.

IGARASHI
It’s okay! Surely once you/they see the film, they’ll be overcome with the feeling of old and new mixed together in a dazzling sparklyness. {I’m not just throwing in extra “sparkly” words to troll btw, they really are saying shit like キラキラ輝き}

ENOKIDO {copypasta from excerpt TL a while ago}
Later, when I was thinking up another “Galactic Pretty Boy”-like phrase, I was suddenly reminded of Saint-Exupéry’s “The Little Prince.” It was a story that had a simply sparkling world, and also words like “star / galaxy” and “prince / pretty boy” have really similar feels somehow (lol). So, that’s why “apprivoise” was the word that established the naming motif. [Note: the Little Prince is called "The Prince of the Stars" in Japanese]

IGARASHI
“The Little Prince” is a fairytale just about everyone’s come in contact with at least once. I remember reading it when I was little, but I don’t remember much about it. But when Enokido mentioned it, I went back and read it and it was really interesting.

Speaking of which, ever since the series was announced, I got asked “What is a Galactic Pretty Boy?” so many times, but since I have so many images mixed together, like we’ve just been talking about, if I were to answer now, [I could only say] A sparklingly glittering person! (lol)

ENOKIDO
(Lol). Let me just add one thing, that sparkling isn’t just about “aesthetics,” “spirit” is a big part of it too.

IGARASHI
That sort of beautiful, spirited, sparkling glittery boy is, in a single phrase, a/the “Galactic Pretty Boy.” And that’s our protagonist, Takuto Tsunashi, he’s a genuine Galactic Pretty Boy.

But, why is he a Galactic Pretty Boy? And why is it just him? Further, if there are other Galactic Pretty Boys, what capabilities and requirements do you need to be called a Galactic Pretty Boy?––And finally, just what is a Galactic Pretty Boy? In other words, this is where the story began, it’s the [narrative] core.

ENOKIDO
It begins with “Galactic Pretty Boy” and ends with “Galactic Pretty Boy.”

IGARASHI
When planning started and the two of us tried to explain it to the producers et al, we had several meetings[4] but they were always discussing that.
“Maybe a ‘Galactic Pretty Boy’ is like this?” and they’d keep going on about it for 10-20 hours. {lol these guys are hard core}

Right now, we’ve decided how we want to end it, and we’re discussing how to get there as we go. At any rate, it’s probably better to make “Galactic Pretty Boy” the theme and just shrug it off in a sense. {lol sorry this sentence is bad}

[4]- 合宿: it’s like “training camp” or “lodging together” so I assume this means some sort of super intense overnight meeting/whatever (made more sense to me in the other interview, but idk really)

ENOKIDO
Yeah, be careful not to separate the series from “Galactic Pretty Boy.”

IGARASHI
Once we got that sorted, the scenario continued to develop. When we were working on getting “Galactic Pretty Boy” down just right, it was kind of like “I wonder if we’re sparkling right now” (lol). {Igarashi and Enokido, moest anime creators or moest anime creators?}

ENOKIDO
(Lol)

IGARASHI
To put it in my own words, I wanted to depict a brilliant location and the figures of the sparkly, glittering youths, bathed in the spotlight. On the other hand, the concept of a “school robot story” should be able to appeal to both men and women, and presenting it in the “classic anime mood”  Enokido described isn’t too terribly polarizing, so I have to wonder how broad an audience we’ll pull in. That’s another one of our objectives… Well, I say that, but since it’s me and Enokido I have a feeling it’ll turn out weird somehow (lol).

{there’s a section break here}

IGARASHI
The idea to make it a “school robot story” was decided early on.

ENOKIDO
School’s the most natural place to depict the drama of youth, and it’s easy for the viewers to understand. Also, during Utena Igarashi and I helped out (with direction and storyboarding), and we tag-teamed Ouran as director and series organizer[5]. I think school stories are our signature move.

With that in mind, this time we’re getting one foot wet in robot stuff, while the other is still firmly planted in something safe and familiar.

[5]- dunno what a better term for this is, from what I understand it’s like, the guy who’s in charge of developing the story and keeping it in line even if s/he’s not writing individual episodes––head writer maybe?

IGARASHI
Ahahahaha (lolol).

ENOKIDO
….of course I’m half joking (lol). Even though it’s a robot story, it wouldn’t really make any sense if it was pure fantasy, but having said that, it’d be really dull if it was just a normal school story. If it’s a  “school robot story” I feel like we can create a balance that’s never been done before.

IGARASHI
I kept thinking about making the school the kind of school the audience would want to attend.

ENOKIDO
First of all, it’s a normal high school, but it’s on a southern island full of nature. And the sea is beautiful too.

IGARASHI
There are lots of cute girls and cool boys too. There are dorms too… Living in the dorms sounds fun, doesn’t it (lol).

ENOKIDO
Moreover, for some reason the beautiful RA hiding in the bath (lol).

IGARASHI
Then, what are the students to do, I wonder––”School work, duh!” you might say (lol)––but if you think about the way high schoolers feel these days, “love” is first and foremost after all. So, of course, there’s love too!

ENOKIDO
Yeah, school stories mean love. An interesting love-pattern is a necessity for a school. And so, with this show, “kisses” will feature throughout. (lol)

IGARASHI
There are all sorts of kisses. Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, through the glass, and so on.

ENOKIDO
All the director and I could think about was coming up with variations on kisses that were more stimulating than anything that had been depicted in anime before, including ones that would make people go, “You’re calling that a kiss!?” (lol).

IGARASHI
Kissing is an extension of holding hands––it’s communication, and at the same time, just before lips touch, there’s this nice feeling of trembling excitement. But, this “feeling of trembling excitement” isn’t limited to kissing, it’s a big factor throughout the story. On this open southern island, there are beautiful men and beautiful women, and love… and on top of that robots and even enemies! When you put them all together you get an exciting school life (lol).
Robots called Cybodies sleep beneath the island in what looks like ancient ruins, and a secret organization called the Glittering Crux is operating. And then, the members of the Glittering Crux are also living their lives as regular students.

ENOKIDO
The girls sitting all around the main character are really the the leaders of the Glittering Crux (lol). It’s like, they’re always talking about trivial nonsense, but after school they fight with robots. Many characters have a “public face” at school and another face for their activities as members of the secret underground society.
When I was thinking about the “school robot story” [concept], this is where I didn’t want to partition the drama between “school” and “robots.” The story gains a sense of unity from having the same characters at school and fighting robot battles,  I thought it’d keep the story stable. Moreover, the dual quality of their “public” and “shadow” faces creates some even more interesting drama.  In the end, it’s precisely this two-faced quality that forms the basis of the thinking about this attempt at the new “school robot” genre. {sorry, this last sentence is pretty derp}

IGARASHI
Everyone has problems and worries that they can’t tell strangers about, but you don’t notice it much in everyday life. It’s in the areas that they themselves don’t notice where that mentality and the double nature of school and the underground world meet. Then actually, all of Takuto’s friends in the drama club are also related to this duality.

ENOKIDO
Yeah. I figured they should have something to do after school since it is a school story, if they’re in a sports club seriously practicing swordsmanship or something, there’s no time for drama, so I eventually settled on the drama club. Generally speaking, this whole series has a theatrical feel to it to begin with. The dual nature of the “public” and “shadow” faces I was just talking about are a [major] component of theater.

The Crux’s activities are somewhat theatrical side to them, or perhaps they’re soaked in a theatrical atmosphere. In other words, both the enemies and allies are acting (lol). I think this is probably [another] peculiarity of [our/my] narrative style.

IGARASHI
It sort of feels like all of the [characters] are actors on the giant stage that is Southern Cross Island. The stage can switch between two sets: school and the underground world––what are they all thinking and how are they going about their lives in the midst of that?

Furthermore, in the underground world set, the Cybodies sleep and [people] reveal their usually hidden “selves.” It’s a place where people can manifest their hidden desires.

ENOKIDO
This is where the “mask” keyword comes from. The people leading double lives wear masks during Crux activities in order to conceal [their identities/whatever] from the other students. And furthermore, in the alternate dimension where the Cybodies fight called Zero Time, you can’t move if you don’t have a mask.

IGARASHI
On that point, the “Galactic Pretty Boy,” Takuto, doesn’t wear a mask. He can even move in Zero Time without one. In short, he doesn’t have a “public” and “shadow” face, he’s living as a single “self.”

ENOKIDO
The islanders see the underground world as “[their] shadowy mission,” if I had to say, I might liken it to a negative. {derpy sentence, sorry} But, even though Takuto knows about the underground world, when asked why he came to the island he just says, “I came to enjoy school life!” He’s not lying or bluffing when he says that, he really wants to enjoy everything.

IGARASHI
Hidden secrets, and things like mental trauma, can all be considered part of “adolescence.” He’s an extremely tolerant boy.

ENOKIDO
….Speaking of which, I guess you could call him, “outrageously stupid(lol)” too. I think it’s interesting  to depict how everyone reacts to Takuto through their school life.

IGARASHI
We didn’t intend to depict Southern Cross Island as an isolated place, but even so, the people who were raised on the island are trapped by the “knowledge” passed down on the island, no matter what they do. And that’s why when Takuto, an outsider, gets involved, things start to change. I guess you could say it’s that sort of story.

{section break}

IGARASHI
The underground world that was discovered is a space that seems like it’s existed since long, long ago. The Cybodies seem to be surrounded by ancient ruins too. And that’s where the Crux has brought in modern technology to research it.

ENOKIDO
In order to apprivoise and pilot a Cybody, one needs a “mark.” The Crux researched how to create artificial “marks” and, in the first episode they were finally ready to make their move, well, the story begins at the point where they’re [wondering] whether they should go ahead and break the seal they’ve got or not.

But, while the Crux has the shared goal of bringing the Cybodies out of Zero Time, the members all have different reasons for wanting to do that. In other words, it’s a gathering of people with disparate ideologies [working toward the same goal].

IGARASHI
Among them there are those who want to use this super technology for world peace, but on the other hand, there are those with more personal motives––which is to be expected with almost magical power (lol). At first glance the organization seems to be tightly organized, but really they’re not organized at all. They’re always trying to outwit each other.

They say school is “important for encouraging individuality,” but they also say “following the rules is important” and “act as a group.” So, students all have “how I want to be” and “wanting to fit in,” and they strike a balance between “self” and the “group.” So while the Crux is a secret organization, it still has that sot of atmosphere about it.

ENOKIDO
There are quite a few secret societies in the real world that were born out of alumni organizations. It’s probably a sort of extension of college life––the famous secret societies in America have pretty silly beginnings, like “you can only join if you tell us something embarrassing about yourself” and such. But, from those ridiculous practices you get presidents and the like; they have a lot of power. I think the existence of such [organizations], which are both childish[6] and have the power to influence the rest of the world seem almost “terrifying.”

{copypasta from the excerpt post} A Cybody in the real world would probably outclass any weapons we have presently. In order to conceal a power that could change the world, naturally, many nations agencies and companies and so come together, and money is poured into the school––it’s something going on behind closed doors. The normal students don’t know anything about it, but, at the same time, it’s an academy where the members of the secret organization and people who know of its existence, could even change the future of the Earth, but, school life continues normally. Southern Cross Academy is that sort of place.

[6]- lit. “student-ish”

IGARASHI
On the other hand, while Zero Time is the alternate dimension that becomes a stage for the Cybodies to fight, rather than a “space to fight” it’s more of a prison that locks the Cybodies away.

ENOKIDO
When the Cybodies are moved normal time stops automatically. In other words, it’s like a safety device to prevent the Cybodies from moving in normal time/space. The Crux wants to remove this “safety device,” and in a sense liberate the Cybodies from their prison––even though they don’t really understand what will happen as a result.

IGARASHI
By the way, the Cybody fights in Zero Time are really awesome! They’re magnificent and radical (lol).

ENOKIDO
The fights are usually one-on-one. Zero Time is a battle stage stylized sort of like a ring. I think the single combat in it nicely synchronizes the drama [with the action].

IGARASHI
Those who posses marks, including artificial ones, in a sense become one with and move [Cybodies]––in other words, the Cybodies are a physical and mental extension and reflection of their pilots. So, there’s a link between the things happening in the story, the characters controlling the Cybodies, and the way the Cybodies’ abilities and fighting styles are presented. That way you get a good impression of the pilot’s feelings and thoughts.

But, well, if it’s just that no one would think “how cool” (lol), anyway, please watch and enjoy the real thing. The SFX director Muraki Yasushi’s skills are top notch among the staff!

ENOKIDO
The triangular relationship between Takuto, Sugata and Wako is enveloped in drama from the start.

IGARASHI
The atmosphere of our triangular relationships probably differs from those that have been depicted in other works so far. Sugata and Wako were engaged by their parents, and then Takuto appears and jumps into that relationship––and they go on as a trio. But, muddy triangles are really boring.

The foundation is a refreshing adolescent drama. One of the main points there is what kind of place Takuto takes between Sugata and Wako. The most important thing in our depiction of Takuto is a sense of purity. Words alone are insufficient {I think I mangled this phrase}, of course, there are other components too, but that [sense of purity] is the biggest one. It’s not just simple “purity,” but the refreshing feeling the word “adolescence” has, I think that nuance is important.

Also, regarding the reason we cast Miyano Mamoru, in my head I had this vague image of “Takuto Tsunashi,” I could kind of hear his speaking voice, and the second I heard Miyano in the audition I knew “this is it!” I guess it’s always like that when casting the main characters, it’s intuition.

ENOKIDO
To be honest, after I came up with the word “Galactic Pretty Boy” I told the director, “the main character seems like Miyano” (lol)

IGARASHI
So that’s it (lol).

ENOKIDO
So I think we/I kind of had Mamoru’s voice in mind when I/we were creating the character.

IGARASHI
On the other side of things, in one word, Sugata is “subtle.” He seems perfect, but he’s really trying hard, but he just plays it cool without showing how hard he’s trying. Fukuyama Jun was the most appropriate to portray that situation.

ENOKIDO
By all rights, the protagonist of this world is Sugata. Since Southern Cross Island is an island that revolves around Sugata. But, that’s where “another protagonist” ended up appearing.

IGARASHI
And that’s Takuto. Takto creates a disturbance and changes the situation––what sort of influence will that disturbance exert on the atmosphere [of the island]?––that’s the frame of the story.

ENOKIDO
The other person central to the story is the South Maiden, Wako. I wanted her to sing. Naturally Maidens sealing something away on a southern island have to sing (lol).

IGARASHI
Since “Wako’s song enchants everyone” I thought we had to get someone who could sing well. Hayami Saori was selected because, during the audition, when she was asked to sing her voice fit the image perfectly.

ENOKIDO
With Wako, I didn’t want to make her your usual Maiden character who’s mysterious and deep. Rather, someone whose stomach is always growling, and muching on food––a girl overflowing with life. Even though she’s shouldering a terrible fate, she’s a character who, while being a Maiden, acts as a girl first and foremost.

IGARASHI
That’s because she’s accepted the burden she has to shoulder. And on top of accepting her fate, now, she’s singing out as best as she can{this sounds awful}. That’s the kind of girl Wako is.

ENOKIDO
Of course, the Crux is targeting Wako to break her seal. Will Takuto and Sugata be able to protect her? That’s the dramatic high point.

IGARASHI
Wako wanted to leave the island and become a singer. But, if a Maiden leaves the island a seal on the Cybodies breaks[8]. On the other hand, if the seal is broken, she can leave the island, but it might mean the end of the world as we know it. So, that’s why I can never leave the island––this is something Wako is [acutely] aware of. Now, what will you do, Takuto!?

[8]- This sounds a lot like there’s a causal link here. Leave island = seal breaks. Maybe he’s just trolling since this was before the show started so idk. The way Wako phrases it in ep 4, it’s more like ‘Maidens can’t leave the island while [their] seal is intact’ His next sentence sort of contradicts the causality implied here though, so idk.

ENOKIDO
….so, I wonder if we’ll get confirmation that it’ll air soon (lol). I made this series out of things I like and things I wanted to see. This is what I like, so sorry (lol), that sort of feeling. I hope everyone likes it.

IGARASHI
I’d be very happy if the audience enjoys and can connect with this world that Enokido, the staff and I wanted to create. Since this is my first attempt at robot anime, it should be kind of new. I’m always looking for new things. So, in a sense, even though I’m this old (lol), I feel like I can sing out my youth like Takuto through this series!