Gundam G, the latest work directed by Yuki Tomino, is also a TV series released for the first time in 15 years since Inverted A Gundam, and it is also one of the works to commemorate the 35th anniversary of Mobile Suit Gundam. This time, director Tomino will be tasked with "breaking away from Gundam". Before opening this historic curtain, the Japanese media conducted an exclusive interview with him, let's take a look~

"Let Mobile Suit appear and 'break away from Gundam' at the same time. I'm probably the only one in the world who can challenge this problem. ”

――"Gundam G Restoration Campaign" is the first TV release in 15 years since "Inverted A Gundam".

Tomino: If you want to make something new, you have to get rid of the shadow of Gundam completely. On the one hand, Mobile Suit will appear, and on the other hand, it will be necessary to "break away from Gundam". I'm probably the only one in the world who can challenge this problem, and although it is difficult, I think I can do it well. If you want to say "out of Gundam" in a work like this with Mobile Suit and "Gundam" on the title, will you complain, "Don't underestimate us viewers" (laughs)?

――Why did you have to leave Gundam?

Tomino: I don't know exactly what the lineage of the previous Gundam series was from Mobile Suit Gundam UC, but you can imagine that Qiē's works are all extensions of the original Gundam. No matter what looks great, no matter what is done, it will eventually reach a ...... Think about what NEWTYPE is and whatever. No matter how deeply studied this aspect is, in the end, it will be like the modern literature of the 20th century. I was aware of this fact when I was making Z Gundam, and I was completely convinced when I arrived at Inverted A Gundam. So I'm not interested in Gundam at all anymore. I think that the discourse of the story, the development of one's own doctrine, and the idea of letting the audience understand what you want to do were originally in the field of literature. But I don't know when the medium of literature and animation began. Animation is a more or less popular medium, and considering how entertaining it is, I think the most suitable works are not "Attack on Titan", but "ONEPIECE" and "Dream Eater". Gundam, for better or worse, has achieved a high level of growth anyway. I think this "high growth" is the same as the "high growth" of the Japanese economy. Is the high and lagging economic development bringing prosperity to the world? But in fact we are the politicians we are today, and we are living in this kind of world that is not rich. I'm afraid this is the so-called "society where people create zào". What dreams and hopes are there? And this mentality is no different from Gundam, right? Anime is not like this, and although there are still good works such as "Doraemon" in the works, Gundam, which symbolizes "high development", is not one of them. After I was convinced of this through "Inverted A Gundam", I never had the idea of making a Gundam again. But others are throwing themselves all into the series. If you ask why, the answer is simple: it's a business, it's the work of adults. And I want to give up this kind of adult work. Hence the idea of "breaking away from Gundam".

――So, instead of thinking that "G Restoration Movement" is closer to "ONEPIECE", it is closer to "ONEPIECE"?

Tomino: No, I'm just interested in the structure of ONEPIECE, not that it's the same as the manga. For this reason, I can only use the world view of Gundam, and of course I have the right to do so. However, when you look at it, you can see that you want to break away from Gundam but use the Gundam worldview, which is also full of contradictions. But I think it might still work. Why do I think I'm successful? Because it's animation. Although none of the previous animators or science fiction writers have discovered this new perspective, I think it also proves that animation is a field of infinite possibilities.

――I think this new perspective can only be found by director Tomino, who created Gundam.

Tomino: But in order to achieve this goal, it is not enough to rely on the power of any one author. Commentator Tsunehiro Uno once commented on Mobile Suit Gundam UC and pointed out that in the final analysis, the writer was just playing with Gundam. As for the G Restoration Movement, I wrote about 5 or 6 episodes of the script for the first two years, but I had to add elements of Gundam. Gundam is so ubiquitous that it makes me think, "Quit!" It's just that at that time, it was just the title of the "G Restoration Movement" that was decided. And it is defined as the main theme: Gundam restores its own status, that is, a movement to regain the land. In this way, it is not possible to carry over the previous Gundam. The so-called restoration of status is worth it, but it is a complete negation or reverse conquest.

――What do you need to do about it?

Tomino: Gundam isn't a real-life machine. But I rethought some of the "realistic" parts, and the place where I found inspiration was the cosmic elevator. I don't think the cosmic elevator is something achievable at all, and I'm in a position of total denial. However, this deliberate contact with the space elevator is also to prove that the practice of developing this kind of technology in the real world is fundamentally abnormal. It's not just the cosmic elevator. There is hardly a normal person among the technology developers. Why? Because without special talents, it is impossible for a person to be a discoverer or an inventor. If you just make a discovery, it will not cause harm to society, but invention is to obtain a new technology, and you need a strong sense of ethics to do so. But does it really exist with such an enlightened inventor? To give a simple example: when Nobel invented nitrate, he never thought that this thing would be used in war. Nobel genuinely believed that if gunpowder with powerful destructive power could be used safely, then there would be no war. But this ethic of technology developers has disappeared as the technology has been passed on. Nobel's prophecy was shattered in less than a decade, and nitrate was used in the war. In other words, even if the technologist invents something with good intentions, the moment the invention is handed over to ordinary people, some incomprehensible uses will appear. There are countless such examples after nitrate, so it has become a major problem in technology development. I want to apply this concept to animation. But Gundam tried to do this, but he couldn't.

――Why didn't it work?

Tomino: Cosmic Colony is an overly ideal story setting. And this is also a story bracket of Gundam, so compared to the previous machine Qì works, people "always feel" that Gundam is more realistic, and because the mobile suit is very good-looking, it has gained enough mass base. In the past, people supported Gundam in the same way as "ONEPIECE", which was a kind of conceptual support. But concept is not reality after all, and if I can't get closer to reality, then I can't do it. If you want to get closer to reality, wouldn't it be possible to achieve a kind of "Detachment from Gundam"? After all, I was only interviewed by the "G Restoration Movement" today, and I was able to explain this concept very clearly.

――In other words, by adding the Space Elevator to the setting, we will be able to create a world view that is separate from Gundam.

Tomino: Yes. In "G Restoration Movement", we depict the space elevator in the form of a huge building like the Capital Tower. This kind of architecture is also animated through guò to show the truth that the setting of the cosmic elevator can only be realized in animation, which is impossible in reality. I've referred to some real works that use a cable 100 meters above the ground to make the cockpit travel back and forth. And if the space elevator also connects these cockpits to form a structure like a train car, then it is impossible to build a huge building like this. I feel this very much. In the "G Restoration Movement", the elevator is connected to a number of crown-shaped vehicles with a diameter of 60 meters called Crown, and is lifted and lowered by ropes. If you explain it in terms of the Gundam worldview, the Space Elevator can also be explained simply by saying "this is a means of transportation". But can this thing become a real means of transportation? In order to build a space elevator, it is necessary to launch a satellite into geostationary orbit and then drop a cable from the satellite. However, in order to maintain balance, the satellite itself needs to be secured with cables. There are almost 36,000 kilometers from the ground to the stationary orbit, but we can only use a single cable to connect it. And if it's higher than the stationary track, you have to provide a double of the cables. This is the cosmic elevator. You can imagine how long it would have to be to connect the "globe" under our feet with a rope. If so many resources are invested just to make a cockpit move, then there is no point in achieving it from the perspective of transportation. It's even impossible for anyone to invest.

-- It's a terrible distance.

Tomino: But so-called scientists and technologists use things like computer pictures and theoretical numbers to speculate that it is possible, and they think that it is possible. However, even if among the group of the Space Elevator Association, it is possible to "drop the cable from the stationary orbit in a straight line without hindrance?" Then no one will argue with you. The Earth is autobiography at a speed of 500 meters per second, and at the same time it is orbiting at a speed of 30 kilometers per second. At such a high speed, it is impossible to connect the earth and the elevator with just one cable, right? Besides, there is also the sun and the moon, so there is a shaking of the gravitational field, can they take all these factors into account? The Capital Tower is controlled by 145 man-made satellites. It takes 5 days to get from the ground to the end, so why don't you set up some platforms or something like that on the way? So this thing is nonsense, and if it weren't for the Gundam worldview, there would be no way to talk about it. Without the support of Minovsky's theory, it would have been impossible to maintain such a huge building. So back to reality, it is impossible for the universe elevator or something to exist. So, if you use the "G Restoration Movement", people will have the idea of "don't do that".

"Technology is a double-edged sword". This is also the theme that director Tomino has been talking about for many years

- "Technology is a double-edged sword." This is also the theme that the director has been talking about for many years.

Tomino: There's something that surprised me lately. IN THE NEW WINDOWS SYSTEM, YOU CAN'T READ ANY KIND OF EMAIL. Then I tried it with XP and it worked. Why is that? Because the text jiàn is in txt format. That's a big question, right? Nowadays, don't ID cards, household registers, and documents all be digitalized? If something can't be reproduced because of the replacement of hardware, then we can still solve it through legal proceedings, right? But now that we are even the official text of the article, we are under control of Microsoft's software, so we simply cannot file such a lawsuit. When technology comes into contact with society, or when technology spreads, the problem will not change because of the idea of a particular company. And don't developers realize this before they develop the technology? Is there really no drawbacks to the development of technology? Haven't we experienced it many times for ourselves? I think you're almost aware, right? "The G Restoration Movement" reflects the evolution of technology on a single tower. Why? Because if I didn't talk about the above concepts in this work, then people would think that "Mr. Tomino is already old, don't listen to him", right?

――Use the space elevator to create a connection with real technology, and then derive the path to reality from the "G Restoration Movement".

Tomino: I incorporated this idea into my work, and if I could make a small impression on the minds of children around 10 years old, what would it be like to change it in the future. However, this kind of thinking was never triggered in the previous works of Gundam UC. What I made is not a work of "real system of machines", but a work that fully guides the realism of the "G Restoration Movement" and is born. As for photonic cells, the basics are also nonsense settings to talk about energy theory. Photonic cells compress light and pack it into the battery. Conversely, without this technology, space development would not be possible. While I put these things into the work, I considered that the work itself is for 10~12-year-old children, so the story should not be a dark plot like the Doomsday War, but should tell the adventures of Belley and Ada. And to further increase the entertainment, I also tried to use some routines of Korean dramas. Belley and Ida are siblings, and the story begins when the two grow up in different places and meet. Although the protagonist likes the heroine who is older than himself, the heroine is actually his sister...... This kind of setting has been used in my work. I've also added some memory loss. This is embodied in Lalaya. Animation is also a kind of entertainment, even if I use Korean drama routines, do you dare to have an opinion (laughs)?

――In other words, in terms of plot, you are going to make a royal entertainment work.

Tomino: That's right. There is a cosmic colony on the far side of the Moon, and the Earth has limited old technology, and photonic cells provide energy to the Earth. The photonic cell itself was created using the ring of Venus, the ring of Venus, on the moon of Venus. Every year the space colony uses the guò spaceship to transport photonic cells, and the spaceship setting is also very interesting. This time I talked about a new perspective, so the setting is also ridiculous, and it is not at all the same as the previous Gundam spaceship. The colors are pink, red, and pure yellow (laughs). In this regard, I will also consider the idea of breaking away from the real system, but at the same time, in order to make this kind of spaceship appear, there must be a convincing enough plot. To do this, we had to create the adventures of Belley and Ada. I realized this for the first time when I was drawing the storyboard. "G Restoration Movement" is actually a roadpicture. From the Earth to the Moon and then to Venus...... The protagonists almost always start their journey in a straight line and return. But even though it's a roadpicture journey, it's not okay if the plot isn't interesting. This also reflects an important issue: animation can be entertaining.

――Are there any other subtle settings that only "The G Restoration Movement" can do?

Tomino: If you look at it, you won't find it. But it's actually a very important place. The zipper of the driver's suit extends from the butt all the way to the waist. Why? This is because all of the Mobile Suits have toilets attached to them. In fact, if we didn't have a toilet, we wouldn't be able to use a mobile suit. Space is a very special place, and if you are not careful, you may be locked up for 2 or 3 days. I realized this 20 years ago, but if there was such a zipper on the spacesuit, it would be a hassle to open it. And the theory of adults generally thinks that animation doesn't need to let the audience see these things, and I lost to this theory, so I haven't implemented it. But if you add this kind of setting, the story will be interesting, right? And if the children watch this scene, will they be attracted by this kind of plot?

-- In "G Restoration", technology is restricted, even deified, and becomes a religion. What does director Tomino think about this?

Tomino: I don't think it's time to make everyday life easier, then there is no need for technology to advance. It is only necessary to limit technology as a taboo, and then it is difficult to achieve it by theory alone. So if technology is elevated to the realm of religion, it will be feasible, right? The operation of the space elevator is a Tsunzài called the Capital Tower Commune, and in the world view of Gundam, we have set up a religion called the Squad Sect, and this religion is the backing of the Capital Tower Commune. Using the authority of religion to maintain the technology of the cosmic elevator, the story world can be further expanded. And the addition of the Squad setting through guò makes it easier for us to tell religious stories. After all, if you read the existing religion in a positive way, then there will be trouble. Therefore, it makes logical sense to maintain the Squad religion of the capital tower, and in this way, it can also be used to talk about religion in the "G Restoration Movement".

Creating a worldview of "not caring about details" - I have met different people and listened to them

-- The setting of "G Restoration Movement" can all be explained by many problems in reality, which makes us have to sigh: it is too powerful. I don't know how photonic cells are made, but as long as they are easy to use, it seems that people don't care too much. This idea is similar to the common people's perception of nuclear power.

Tomino: It would be nice if you could think of this vaguely. Actually, I don't know if photonic energy can be used at all. There is no infinite energy in the first place, and even in order to emphasize the dangers behind this technology, it is necessary to arrange a "defense lawyer" to make some defenses. When designing the G-self, Mr. Yasuda felt that photonic cells were symbolic, so he gave me strong support. Imagine if there were enough photonic cells to pile up a G-self, then it would not be a problem for each family to have the energy to support 1~2 months of life. As for the description of cutting off energy, it is also possible to replace photonic cells with a table xiàn, which is very convenient. Also, in order to show how powerful photonic cells are, I would also like to have a plot of creating a moon on the Venus ring if I can. An object the size of the moon is stuffed with photonic cells. So how do you use such a huge amount of energy...... The Earth will now be able to fly into the Milky Way, which has not been formed long ago.

――What a fantastical story (laughs). And the Venus rings that make photonic cells are also remarkable.

Tomino: It's a ring with a diameter of 100 kilometers, and there is an ocean with a depth of 150 meters. It's also very similar to the Earth in this respect. And if the natural environment does not meet people's needs, then it is impossible for people to live in space. However, this problem has been ignored by previous SF works. So that's the minimum standard for me. If you want to embark on a roadpicture adventure at the same time, it would be empty talk if you don't have energy reserves of this size. You can't find such a premise in a Gundam spin-off. In order to do this nonsense, you have to get rid of the Gundam world completely. Since Gundam is also a type of SF, it is impossible to discuss these issues in such a down-to-earth manner. Once you are bound by the Gundam, all you can imagine is the horizon of reality.

――If you do this, you won't be able to talk about any real work......

Tomino: Yes. So I didn't want to do that kind of work. It was very easy to come up with the idea of the "far side of the moon". But it took me about a year to get to my new destination. It was only at this point that I felt for the first time that the "G Restoration Movement" would definitely succeed. In this way, even if the photonic cell is the size of the moon, it will not be a problem. So what's the purpose of doing this? Where is the exit? When I think about this, I feel like I can make the earth itself move and make a leap. If there is no outlet in the self-design, you will fall into self-contradiction. It's just that if you want a photonic cell to have the size of the moon, it should be the world of the "G Restoration Movement" in the past four or five hundred years, right? How do you move the earth during this time? It's up to the people of that era to consider. Now I have to humbly say that I haven't thought about that yet. Sometimes I don't feel that kind of humility from some of the people who are science subjects. And those of us who know how far our imagination can go are self-aware. So I don't care about the details. This time I'm just doing a brick-throwing job, and this is the work "G Restoration Movement".

――It took a long time to create such a worldview of "not caring about details". During the time when the director was away from the production site, he met different people and listened to them tell the story. I think that the qiē obtained by the director during this period is condensed in this "G Restoration Movement".

Tomino: That's right. Because I am not a great genius, my imagination has a limit. I'm just a mortal, a fool, so I can only understand what different people think, and find something out of it. Anyway, I've finally come to where I am today. If you want to show the world in the plot of the two quarters, then some deficiencies will definitely be exposed. I also understand the shortcomings in this regard. But as long as I am conscious and believe that "G Restoration Movement" is a work that throws bricks and stones, then even if there are some problems, I will laugh it off.