The 22nd theatrical version of "Crayon Xiaoxin" "The Robot Father of the Movie Crayon Xiaoxin's Counterattack" is being screened. The theme of this work is "The Father Regains His Authority". Wataru Takahashi, who is the director of this film, is the first time he has been the director of the theatrical version, what kind of behind-the-scenes story does this work hide for him? Let's take a look!

New theatrical version synopsis: In the work, one day, Xiaoxin's father went to a massage parlor to treat his low back pain. But when he returned...... Turned into a robot! Xiaoxin's father, who became a robot, made Xiaoxin's mother very confused, but Xiaoxin herself was very happy. The father, who has become a robot, not only cleans the house spotlessly, but also can perform various tasks through manipulation, which is very convenient. But in fact, there is a huge secret behind Daddy's transformation into a robot. This is a conspiracy hatched by the "Father, Courage, Courage" Alliance, which was established to allow Japanese fathers to regain their former power at a time when Japanese fathers are gradually losing their voice in the family.

In the official promotional slogan, we can see "The most bloody battle of dads in the history of the Crayon Xiaoxin theatrical version." Fathers from all over Japan and around the world, as well as their families, will be crying for this love on the screen! Such hilarious but touching words can be said to be suitable for audiences of all ages.

However, Wataru Takahashi, who is the director of this film, is the first time he has worked as the director of the theatrical version, so what kind of behind-the-scenes story does this work hide for him? Recently, a Japanese media interviewed him, let's take a look!

Q: You used to be working on storyboards for TV anime series for many years. But this theatrical version is your first feature-length work, so are you nervous?

Takahashi: I was nervous at first, but I realized that during the production, the staff around me who often worked with Crayon Shin-chan were all old acquaintances. As a result, there was a kind of "let Takahashi get this piece?" in the entire production space. I really can't help you~". Although the production staff of this work changes every year, the people who are responsible for the core work can be said to be experts who have been involved in the production of "Crayon Shin-chan" for many years. As a result, I gained a sense of peace of mind and trust from them, and I thought, "If you have any problems, just ask them for help." In this way, my mood becomes relaxed.

Q: How did you get to the point of directing this film?

Takahashi: Because I always have the aura of "I want to be a director". This has been the case since I first started in the company. And one day, my dream finally came true. At that time, the two producers, Yasushi Wada and Yuki Yoshida, called me out and asked, "We've been thinking about it for a long time, do you want to try to be a director?" "At that moment I was ready to come to my senses and I felt like I had an inspiration in my head.

Q: It seems that the idea of turning Hiroshi (Shin-chan's father) into a robot was proposed by you, Director Takahashi. So how did you start from this point and set the theme of the whole work on "father"?

Takahashi: The idea of setting the father as the theme was decided by Mr. Kazuki Nakajima, who was in charge of the script. At the beginning, I just had the idea of transforming Hiroshi into a robot. But the final product was done in a very good form.

Q: So where did you get the idea for robots?

Takahashi: I just had an idea, "When do I really want to make a robot anime~" (laughs). To this day, high-quality robot animations such as Mobile Suit Gundam continue to be released. I'm still looking forward to this type of work, and since I'm in the animation industry, I naturally want to try robot animation! So when I first started as a feature-length animation director, it was a natural fit. Robots have also appeared in the theatrical version of "Crayon Shin-chan" before, but it is the first time that robots are portrayed as the main content. Unlike before, the robots in this movie are closer to the realistic style, so the transformed Hiroshi has become such a setting. However, in the face of his father becoming a robot, Xiaoxin still ...... He still behaves so differently (laughs).

Q: What were your thoughts when you first read the script?

Takahashi: I have the impression of a Hummer. It's fast, powerful, and doesn't listen to people at all (laughs). I don't know how many times I felt like I couldn't keep up with the pace when I was drawing the storyboard, but this unhindered way of progressing the story also gave me a refreshing feeling for the first time. Kazuki Nakajima's script has such a style. Even so, he also incorporated the theme of "father" into the plot, so that "Father, pluck up courage, ally" in the world of the work. contrasts the stubborn old man-like father image with the father image of Xiaoxin's side, and also reflects the subtle depth. Now I can only describe it as "worthy of Mr. Nakajima's creation".

Q: In response to Mr. Nakajima's submission, did Director Takahashi add anything to the script?

Takahashi: Speaking of add-ons, it's not just about this work, but I can say that throughout the production of the Crayon Shin-chan series, the staff continued to add inspiration to the work. If you think of something funny, you'll definitely put it in the script. In addition, if the voice actor has a suggestion, we will take it into account. During the discussion of painting, everyone also wondered, "Wouldn't it be interesting to include this?" "In short, the entire production team will work hard with the hope that the audience will be able to enjoy it. In fact, the work is not completely under the control of the production team, so that everything goes according to plan. Although it may seem like a derailment, after all, this work has the foundation that Mr. Nakajima laid for us - the script, so in the fun place, we also spread the crazy play.

Q: But those hilarious daddy-style jokes that appear in the movie, I'm afraid you can't just think of them, right?

Takahashi: That's right. Sometimes we think of a joke and ask other people, "How's this joke?" And if the other party answers: "Hmm~ not interesting", then you have to think about it for three days, and finally suddenly come up with it when you go to the toilet. When I said "not being able to control" earlier, I basically meant that.

Q: What kind of impression does Director Takahashi have when he hears the word "father figure"?

Takahashi: My father was a taciturn and very serious person. Although it is not as exaggerated as the stubborn dad in the work...... But there are times when you suddenly get angry, and sometimes you even drink so hard that your body collapses. It can be said that there are both strong and weak places, and the gestures are full of human characteristics. In fact, he would suddenly flash to his waist, and when he was a child, he wrestled his wrist with me. However, my father died relatively early, so I didn't have a chance to defeat him until the end of the day.

Q: In your work as a performer, are there any plots that make you feel difficult to produce?

Takahashi: The plot of the first face-to-face encounter between Hiroshi the robot and Shin-chan and Miya (Shin-chan's mother) made me pay special attention. Miya is scared, Shin-chan is happy, and Hiroshi is full of confusion and sadness. On top of that, we also have to show the usual characteristics of the Nohara family, otherwise we won't make the audience happy. So it's very difficult. Until now, I've been wondering, "Is it a good production?" ”

Q: There's another plot that impresses me. It's a high-[H] tide scene with huge robots.

Takahashi: Regarding the plot, we asked Mr. Masaaki Yuasa in the storyboard. At first, I was going to let him be in charge of the other parts of the plot (about 1 minute), but if I really want to do it...... It's not good (laughs). We just handed over the summary of the contents to Mr. Masaaki Yuasa and asked him to play freely on this basis. Although we also set the weight question at the beginning, after all, the other party is Mr. Yuasa, so we don't care about this aspect. Eventually, he brought us the "this is what animation is" content. If you haven't seen the work yet, be sure to go to the cinema to get a glimpse of the truth.

Q: In this movie, you invited Mr. Coke Cake to appear as a guest voice actor, which also had a great impact on the plot.

Takahashi: Back in the previous film, "The Great Escape of the Super Delicious B-Class Food of Crayon Shin-chan", Mr. Coke used to voice the character of "Shitamachi Coke Cake Bowl", but we felt that it would be a waste to let him run the trick only once! Mr. Coke was my hero when I was a kid. His voice acting skills are genuinely excellent. He also gave us a lot of ideas during the recording process. Mr. Croquettes has made countless contributions, but he still strives for new jokes. We were deeply touched by this gesture. Being able to have a real artist like him in a work is a great incentive for both the film and for me.

Q: It has been nearly 23 years since "Crayon Shin-chan" was broadcast on TV in 1992, and the theatrical version has also launched its 22nd work. I think it's a classic that has been supported by the audience all year round. So what do you think is the secret to the book's continued popularity, and what is the effort required to achieve it?

Takahashi: Actually, when I was a kid, I watched "Crayon Shin-chan" on TV, and when I saw that the children in the neighborhood were imitating Shin-chan's stinky tone of speech, I thought, "This anime is too unhealthy!" (laughs) I never even dreamed that now I would become the director of the theatrical version of "Crayon Shin-chan". In addition, the TV series that are currently airing are the same, and we will incorporate popular elements into the works and the social issues that occurred at the time. In our discussions, we believe that this work "cannot be left behind the times", "cannot be divorced from reality", and "cannot be held high". Therefore, whether it is undisciplined or greedy, these things will be put into the story. And the original author, Mr. Usui Yiren, should also be of this type, perhaps the secret of the work's longevity lies in this.

Q: In other words, this work uses the modernity as the basis for the creation of the story.

Takahashi: That's right. A funny work that can be both elegant and vulgar can have strong vitality.

Q: Is it difficult to turn the work into a masterpiece that children can accept and enjoy watching?

Takahashi: I often hear people say, "Children can't understand this," "It's hard for children to understand this," and things like that. But children are a combination of curiosity and inquiry. Although we need to be careful when we represent the work, some stories that are a little more difficult can also be interpreted in a childish way so that they can understand. In fact, if the content is too simple, the child will find it boring, right? Of course, since this work is called "Crayon Xiaoxin", then we also have to give children a feeling of "playing with Xiaoxin". There are many places in the work that we have added to the content that can be complained about, which is also because our production staff are all children who like to play pranks like Xiaoxin.

Q: Is there any big difference between the TV version and the theatrical version?

Takahashi: The TV version is basically set in everyday life, but the theatrical version has a larger backdrop. That's the difference. Of course, for the maker, this difference can also bring a different kind of fun. It can be said that during the holidays, the children of Edo in Shitamachi suddenly become excited. Every time I make a theatrical version, everyone thinks, "Well, it's time again this year." Do it! "And then hey, After the production is over, I sigh again, "Ah~ This year is also over!" "Sure enough, it feels like a holiday.

Q: What could you tell us about the last one?

Takahashi: I've always had my own ideals in mind when it comes to entertainment films. It is a work that turns children into adults and rejuvenates adults. I think this movie achieves exactly that. It's a really good anime, and I'd be very happy if you could bring your kids along to watch it. Maybe in the movie theater, there will also be a situation where parents and children are infected by the plot, as if their identities are reversed. It would be great if that were the case.

Q: Thank you so much for your time today!