IT SHOULD BE SAID THAT IN THIS YEAR'S JULY NEW EPISODE, "ALDNOAH. ZERO is an original work that is definitely a big hit on the popularity list. This work has a positive rating of more than 90% on NICONICO delivery, and related derivative topics continue to appear. Recently, some Japanese media interviewed the director of this work, Aoki Hide, and learned about the charm of the work and the director himself from his mouth.

The first theatrical version of the animation - "The Empty Realm"

Q: Next up is the first chapter of the "Empty Realm Series" (2007), "Overlooking the Landscape". It's also your screen debut. So what did you experience with this work?

Aoki: When I was working on storyboards and performances for Ufotable's "Star Pirates" (2006), I became friends with Hikaru Kondo, and he invited me to join "Empty Realm". But because it's the first chapter, I can't decide a lot of things on my own, and there are many situations that happen in the future, and I'm more like a "performer of a single episode" than a "director". For example, the character design was led by Takuya Nonaka and Tomotoku Sudo, and I also negotiated with the directors of other chapters to create a unified style of art. The photography is basically done by ufotable's insiders, and the atmosphere of the work is determined by the director of photography, Yuichijun Terao. So I didn't decide the direction of the series.

Q: What do you think of the original novel by Nasu Mushroom?

Aoki: To be honest, there are some things I don't quite understand (laughs). Of course, the premise of Qiē is to be interesting, and Mr. Nasu himself once said that "looking down on the landscape is difficult to understand from the conception", so the chronology is a bit confusing, and there are pitfalls hidden in the narrative. Mr. Nasu himself prepared an outline with a clearer direction for the theatrical version. But judging from the final result, I think it would be better to also reflect the difficult content in the original work. Of course, these difficult parts can't be a burden on the audience, so I also pay attention to the balance of the plot and then reconstruct it.

Q: Judging from the results, this work has also received absolute praise from fans of the original work.

Aoki: I was surprised by that, too. After all, both the plot and the timeline have been modified, and there are some original plots. Compared with the original work, the theatrical version has also changed very much. For example, the action scene on the rooftop was not in the original game, but I thought that adding this scene would make the story more exciting, so I did it. A week before the release, we held a preview screening. However, this preview screening will not be an exclusive event, just a questionnaire, and I hope you will feel after watching it. At that time, I also stood in the back and watched the last. And when the screening was over and the theater was lit up again, no one in the audience spoke, and the whole scene was filled with the sound of pencils writing on paper — and they began to desperately fill out the questionnaire. Because this state lasted for so long, I suddenly felt uneasy. "Is it possible, messed up ......?" However, when I read the results of the questionnaire and found that everyone was enthusiastically writing "It was so interesting", I was relieved.

A work that changes the direction of the theatrical version of the animation

Q: Since it is a work for movie theaters, do you have any special ideas?

Aoki: Since Mr. Kondo wanted to "make the work as full as possible", I was very careful about the background and the photographic treatment. Even so, compared to some of the most famous animated theatrical versions, we were only so-so in terms of budget and personnel, and we kept making mistakes in order to make the work show the characteristics of the theatrical version.

Q: For Director Aoki, what exactly does "the characteristics of the theatrical version" refer to?

Aoki: Director Mamoru Oshii often says, "What is a movie?" What about doubts. I've seen his performance notebook "Methods" before, but to be honest, it didn't resonate much (laughs). Because there was no video recording of Mr. Oshii's youth, if he missed the theatrical release, then he would never have the opportunity to see the work again. So he concentrated his attention and watched a work many times in the cinema. And his concept of cinema was also born because of such conditions. However, I ushered in the heyday of video rental when I was in junior high school, and I didn't have to go to the cinema to watch a movie. Therefore, even if you want to absorb Mr. Oshii's film concept, you can't actually do it. In the end, until now, I still don't know exactly what the "theatrical features" are.

Q: Despite this, this work has won a lot of popularity, and it has also brought a huge change to the direction of animated films. Since then, there has been an increase in the number of small-scale serials.

Aoki: I guess this is also Mr. Kondo and Atsuhiro Iwakami, who have fully achieved their goals.

Q: It's nice to have a rich story in a short period of about 50 minutes.

Aoki: I was also watching intently, and I felt that it was a good length. "Overlook" was released in 3D again last year, so I watched it again after a long time. I feel that this work is still very suitable for watching in the cinema.

Condensed painstaking efforts, not buried "Soul Eater-Zero-"

Q: Next, you worked as the director of the TV series "Soul Eater-Zero" (2008).

Aoki: The script discussion for this work was held at the same time as "The Realm of the Void".

Since Mr. Takayama has created a high-level script in "SHUFFLE!" , I asked him to be the leader of the series this time. We discussed with Atsushi Ito of Kadokawa (**) and polished the plot.

Q: The anime is a prequel to the original manga. Was this direction decided from the beginning?

Aoki: At that time, the original work was still being serialized, so I didn't know where the story would end. Originally, we wanted to animate Volume 1~2 just right, but if we did that, the audience might complain when it was broadcast, "Just animate the content?" So I asked, "Why don't you just do a prequel?" Everyone thought it was interesting, so they decided.

Q: The fact that the first episode was set in a completely different setting from the other episodes caused quite a lot of talk at the time.

Aoki: Mr. Hatsu Segawa, who is now a popular manga artist, had just serialized the ** work "Food Spirit" at that time, and at that time, there were a lot of new anime screenings every quarter, so if Zuò was made in a regular manner, then this work would have been buried as an ordinary anime. Therefore, when we think about "the need to give the audience an impactful hook", we feel that if we improvise the first episode and set up the plot of Huang Quan slashing everyone with "Wushuang" at the end of the first episode, then her character image will be impressive, and in terms of image effect, it will also be able to bring impact to everyone.

Q: I watched the premiere at the time, and I panicked (laughs).

Aoki: I know that glaciers were a lot of buzz at the time, and it wasn't easy. It seems that the uppercut had a great response, and everyone became interested in the plot. I feel very happy.

Q: That's where it matters. A work can't just be scary, and the characterization of Huangquan and Kagura in this work, and the connection between the tragedy are perfectly portrayed.

Aoki: Mr. Takayama has always told me that he hopes to make a tragedy, that is, "Huangquan and Kagura become intimate, and soon a showdown will begin." And Miss Kaoru Mizuhara and Miss Minori Chihara also fully integrated their feelings into the performance, and they both developed in a great direction.

Takako Shimura's work "Wandering Son", an animation that has been obsessed for a long time

Q: "Wandering Breathe" (2011) is based on the original work of Takako Shimura, and the anime was broadcast on the "Noitamina Program". And this work is the same as today's "ALDNOAH. ZERO also has a certain connection.

Aoki: For a long time, I always said to President Hiroshi Miura of AIC, "I want to make zuò 'Wandering Son'", which is why this work was animated later. Personally, I like Takako Shimura's work very much, so I'm really happy.

Q: What attracted you to this work?

Aoki: I guess it's incredibly attractive. Although there are not many lines, the character image is very distinct. In particular, "The Prodigal Son" was originally a heavy story, but the author portrayed it very crisply. The contrast is intriguing. And the characters look very cute, but they calmly do something heavy. And this heavy taste is infused with humorous elements, which makes people smile when they look at it. Also, the unique watercolor brushstrokes are worth writing about. When we were making the zuò animation, we also took on the challenge of a new form of expression while making use of this style of painting.

Q: The way you use the ethereal shades of color really makes a difference.

Aoki: The color setting was entrusted to Ms. Aya Ouchi. She also participated in ALDNOAH. ZERO. However, if you use watercolor on the photographic film, the beautiful color will change from the color of the surface of the animation. However, if the photographic processing method was changed, Ms. Ouchi would have to recolor. We repeat such mistakes, and it is very hard in the process of pursuing the extreme. But once you get the hang of it, there's no need to reshoot. Ms. Ouchi's coloring and Ito's art create a wonderful picture. However, at the time, Noitamina asked for all 11 episodes, so it was broadcast with some modifications. The video products and online distribution were broadcast according to the original plan of 12 episodes.

Bringing the theatrical quality of "The Empty Realm" to the TV series "Fate/Zero"

Q: Next up is your masterpiece "Fate/Zero" (2011). Because of the popularity of "The Empty Realm", I feel that you are also full of fighting spirit in this work.

Aoki: I also got involved with the idea of "please let me make zuò". And for ufotable, it's also a long-lost TV series, and everyone is saying: "Use the quality of "Empty Realm" to make this TV series! "The people at the scene were full of fighting spirit.

Q: When it comes to talking about the conversation with ALDNOAH. ZERO", then "Fate/Zero" is a response to the Void Abyss (ALDNOAH. ZERO) is a work that has been visualized as a novel. What are your thoughts on this?

Aoki: On the premise of visualization, we made some changes to the plot structure of "Empty Realm". "Fate/Zero", on the other hand, needs to "maintain the status quo" from a planning point of view. Therefore, we are animating Mr. Xuyuan's novel "according to the original".

Q: The image of this work did not disappoint everyone, and the fullness of the plot was surprising.

Aoki: We used all the techniques we discovered in "The Realm of Emptiness" in this work. And all the staff worked together to achieve this result. ufotable's CG team grew rapidly, so we used CG storyboards in many places, and this practice of making things as they wanted without anyone interfering with them ended up in this extremely extravagant work.

Q: I feel like you're still very good at interpreting the characters in depth.

Aoki: In Mr. Kubuchi's works, the articles are easy to understand, and the characters are very attractive. I'm sure that if it's imaged according to the original, then it's enough to show the charm of the character. In addition, Mr. Sudo's character setting is also very good, and it should be said that the power of the original work and the power of the staff have come together to achieve today's results. I am keenly aware that this work was made by all of us working together. And the staff, including me, are all moon cooks, which is also very good.

Q: Which episode of the work impressed you the most?

Aoki: The one that touched me the most was episode 21, "The Knight of the Two Wheels". I worked on the storyboard myself, and the motorcycle chase scene in the first half was fun, and the collapse of the wild goose house in the second half was very enjoyable.

Q: The stage Fuyuki City was created based on Kobe, so what happened during the filming?

Aoki: I didn't go to Kobe, but the assistant director Kei Tsunematsu did. And I took a lot of amazing photos. The old streets are lined with the latest equipment, and this is a nice city. I really like to depict cities, but it adds to the burden on the art side. Although it is possible to use digital texture technology, the production of urban warfare is still very difficult, and we are careful when making zuò, for fear of overdoing it.

"ALDNOAH. ZERO》

Q: So it's finally time for the latest work "ALDNOAH. ZERO (2014). It's also your first original work as a director. The original story was written by Mr. Gen Kubuchi, the series was composed of Mr. Katsuhiko Takayama, and the original character was Ms. Takako Shimura. It makes you feel like you can see the trajectory of your work.

Aoki: That's how it turned out. At first, I was discussing the plot with Mr. Iwakami and Mr. Xubuchi, but Mr. Xuyuan was a little inconvenient in terms of schedule, so I recommended Mr. Takayama. And let Mr. Xuyuan continue to participate in the production of the work as the original case. And Ms. Shimura was also recommended by Mr. Iwakami a long time ago, so I, a super Shimura fan, naturally have no reason to refuse (laughs). It just so happens that the long serialization of "Wandering Son" and "Blue Flower" has come to an end temporarily, and the timing is also very good.

Q: It's really a kind of fate. The tentative title of the work at the time was "Princess Mars", which is the same name as the classic novel by American science fiction writer Edgar Rice Burroughs.

Aoki: From the very beginning, we decided on the story of "making the Martian princess appear", but of course "Martian Princess" is only a tentative name after all. I had previously considered setting the planet that was fighting the Earth as an original planet, but in this case, the work would be too fantastical. PERSONALLY, I WOULD LIKE ALDNOAH. ZERO can have some practical significance, so it chose Mars, a physical planet that may become another Earth. Although we were worried that the material such as "Mars vs. Earth" had been used many times by countless media, I still obsessively thought, "Let's use the royal way to structure the work!" ”

Q: You're also the first director of an animation for the first time.

Aoki: Mr. Iwakami asked for "to make a work that has no precedent for a machine." I hadn't done this myself before, so I was very interested. After Gundam, the two main types of super machine qì people and real machine qì people were established, and I think the difference between them is also very obvious. Of course, it feels like this dividing line has become blurred in recent years. 《ALDNOAH. ZERO also contains an attempt by me, that is, "What would happen if we made a work again according to the line of the real machine?" ”

Q: The design concept of the Earth side and the Martian side are completely different. This is also to reflect the characteristics of real machine people and super machine people?

Aoki: Yes. On the earth side, there is a type of industrial machine with a straight line as the main body and very rough lines; The Martian side, on the other hand, is designed with curves as the main body because of the super technology obtained from ancient civilizations.

The fierce battle between the real machine qì people and the super machine qì people

Q: This work is a reference to the setting of "Hades Project Zhi Reima", so what other animations do you like?

Aoki: Not only "Mobile Suit Gundam", but also "Mobile Suit Gundam", "Mobile Cop" and other real-life works that tell the story of the machine's sense of human existence and expression are also very good to my taste. Although the machine qì people in "Hades Project Zhi Lei Ma" are close to the super machine qì people, the depiction method is still realistic style. That's what attracted me.

Q: In the composition of the work, there are protagonists on both the enemy side and our side, which is also very interesting.

Aoki: These two characters face off like mirrors, and sometimes they work together, but they soon face a farewell...... I can't get enough of this type of story. Huang Quan and Kagura in "Soul Eater-Zero-", and Kiritsugu and Kiri in "Fate/Zero" are examples of two characters condensing the story. Therefore, in this work, the protagonist is also set on the Earth side and the Martian side, and the princess is stored in the center of the two. That's how we build our story.

In addition, the overall concept was put forward by Mr. Takayama, that is, "How can the real machine qì people on the earth side defeat the super machine qì people on the Mars side?" "Strike the enemy with an iron fist, cut off the enemy with a sword, and open the shield...... These are all powerful weapons for the super system qì people. However, we have redefined powerful weapons on the Martian side. The earth side uses wisdom to think that "this powerful weapon must have weaknesses in characteristics" and respond in a real way. And this opposing structure forms the framework of the story.

Q: And the protagonist Ina Fan is not a "hot-blooded type", but a calm character.

Aoki: I'm a big fan of Mr. Araki's "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure", and the protagonist in this work observes the opponent's tactics, thinks about how to deal with them, and wins. "Whether the characters' actions are logical" is something I attach great importance to when creating a story. So, I don't really understand things like "go through guò to win". If it is a work like "Tian Yuan Breaks Through the Eye of the Red Lotus", which says from the beginning that "as long as it burns is enough", then it is a different matter, but if you take a realistic route, when you encounter danger, you will get "Oh~!" He yelled, then received a mysterious burst of energy and turned the tide of battle in one fell swoop...... If there is such a plot, even if I understand that it is necessary for the plot, I still feel that there is a contradiction.

《ALDNOAH. ZERO is a story of people who, with wisdom and courage, challenge "enemies who don't have what they shouldn't have". Therefore, in the face of one event after another, I hope that the protagonist can deal with it calmly. And out of this idea, a character named Ina Sail Kaizuka was born. Indeed, from the perspective of the protagonist of the machine qì human animation, maybe he is also a relatively rare storage zài.

Q: Is there anything you are particularly obsessed with when it comes to video depiction?

Aoki: The realism of the machine qì people. At this time, I still refer to "Hades Project Zhi Reima". Decide on the shooting location, place the camera in a relatively low position, and use the light under the feet of the camera to reflect its huge scale and the feeling of "saving here". 《ALDNOAH. ZERO also took framing photos to achieve this effect, and built the set on which it was built. Tong guò vividly depicts the contrast between the mecha and the landscape, fully showing the huge sense of existence of the mecha. This requirement has brought a lot of burden to the scene, which makes me a little scared, but after all, this is not an overhead world, but I hope that everyone will feel that "the characters are fighting in a world where there are real machines and people". If this kind of setting can make the audience happy, then I will be very happy.

Q: What are your future highlights?

Aoki: The plot is slowly moving towards the last episode of the first quarter, and there will be a large-scale battle plot in it. The machine qì people on the Martian side not only have the "machine qì people iron fist", but the final boss also has the special ability of "this is the real super machine qì people", so how to defeat this enemy? I hope you will be able to look forward to it.

Q: Do you have any ideas for the second quarter?

Aoki: What's the plot for the second half of the season...... Right now, we're working on the script with all our might (laughs). That said, the first quarter will end at a very good place, so please look forward to it.

Q: In other words, we enjoy the first quarter of the first quarter of the drama, and on the other hand, we look forward to the second half of the season. For director Aoki, this is also the third work with a "0".

Aoki: It's amazing (laughs).

Q: In the future, you may still have the impression of being a "0 director".

Aoki: The reason why I used the word "0" in the title of this work was also the idea of Mr. Kenichi Hayashi of A-1 Pictures. When the title was decided, I also had a feeling that the dust had settled.

Q: What does this "0" mean?

Aoki: According to the plan, the meaning will be reflected in the story of the second quarter.

Q: So, let's enjoy the work with the mystery of "0". Thank you for your time today.