The new anime "White Box", which was launched in October last year, has attracted a lot of attention because of its realistic portrayal of the industry and characters with rich personalities. So for the producer of the work, Keiyuki Nagatani, what exactly does the success of this work come from? Some media have interviewed about this.

★ Quality influences people's evaluation of staff and the mood of guests

Q: The TV anime "White Box" has sparked a lot of buzz because it is set in the animation industry. The protagonist Aoi is in the position of making an animation of zuò, and the scene where she makes an animation with many people is also a highlight of the work, so it has won a wide range of responses.

A: Thank you very much for your compliment.

Q: Speaking of which, in the last episode of the work, Aoi's zuò and her tsuò teams and tsuò groups were scattered to TV stations in various countries, working hard to deliver the work......

A: The reality is the same as in the story, it is delivered on the same day. However, it was already past the time I had made an appointment with the TV station, so I had to ask them to deal with it after that. We couldn't do anything, and we were in a state of mind of "doing our best to obey the destiny of God". Of course, we don't think we won't be able to catch it up. It's just that this is not a good thing after all, so I still keep it in mind.

Q: It's surprising that this is the case. But why is this happening?

A: Actually, the work also shows you the production scene of the animation, and in the last episode, it is said that if you can't catch up with the delivery of the last episode, it will be a shame that the director will not be able to broadcast. After all, there is a gap between the ideal and the reality, so we want to avoid this situation by all means.

As a general rule, we usually deliver the finished product 2 weeks before the work airs, but this time we encountered the same situation as the anime because we were still struggling with the quality until the last minute.

I've never experienced such a tight schedule, but because the entire production scene, including the director, I worked very hard, and I was in a state where I could continue to fight...... In the face of this situation, it is easy to say, "Okay, the work is over", but I always feel that if this enthusiasm can be reflected in the work, it can be considered a professional job, so "I have to go to the TV station to delay time!" (laughs)

Q: What exactly does "procrastination" mean?

A: If you want to be handsome, then it's to achieve the desired effect on the spot, and then go and communicate with the TV station and other organizations. But if you ask me what I do, it's basically like saying "I'm sorry, I'm sorry" (laughs).

Q: Say "I'm sorry" and apologize......

A: For TV people, their top priority is to deliver according to the plan. Especially in the case of the form of a committee, the TV station arranges the schedule to realize the business model, and because there are many TV stations, the ratings cannot be guaranteed. In order to be sure, they want to be delivered faster than quality. However, since we are the makers of the products, we definitely value the quality of the products the most, and we want to present what we think is interesting to our customers.

Q: Why do you strive so hard for quality?

A: One reason is that the only thing I can ask of the on-site staff is to "don't stop until you're satisfied with the work." Although each staff member has a different feeling about "making this work is great", what we strive to do is to evaluate the Amazon rankings that are easy to observe, and then get feedback.

If you have a certain quality, then the people on site will not be ashamed of the work, so we want to be able to provide all kinds of conditions, including time.

And one more, which is also for our guests. To be honest, this is also "to make money for the work". We need to listen to what our guests have to say about an anime and respond to it.

Q: In other words, do you want to improve the quality so that customers can buy plates?

A: Yes. Strictly speaking, "improving quality" is not directly related to "sales", but we need to improve the meticulousness of our works in a direction that makes our customers happy.

I have a criterion in mind, which is, "If it were me, would I pay for this product?" "I'm an anime fan myself, so it's important to see if a work makes me want to buy it from a user's point of view.

The "TV anime" we create can be watched even if you don't have to pay for it. And after watching it, it is actually not very easy to get the audience to come up with money. It's a tough job. The price of discs is high, and many people often think that it is better to collect the entire original comic book than to buy DVDs and Blu-rays in rolls.

In order for them to buy such expensive things, we naturally have to offer the best works that customers think are the best, so we must ensure the best evaluation, so in order to succeed in business, the makers must also be persistent in the place where they are obsessed.

★ I don't think it's easy to set up a project for "White Box".

Q: What kind of work did Mr. Nagaya do in "White Box"?

A: First of all, our company · INFINITE is an animation planning company. In the case of animation in the form of a committee, it is generally the producer of the animation company or the producer of each investor that is the maker of the animation company, but I am from the standpoint of the planning company.

The reason why "White Box" was born this time was also because President Kenji Horikawa told me, "I want to make an animation about the animation industry", so I was busy with the idea of "setting up a production committee", and since it was half a year, I raised about 500 million yen for the production of the product, and I promoted the work, planned events, and made the goods...... That's what I do.

Q: In that case, your job is to make the project of "White Box" a TV production.

A: Yes. However, at first, when Mr. Horikawa told me that he wanted to make an animation that tells the story of the animation industry, I thought it was quite difficult.

Q: What do you find difficult?

A: First of all, we are talking about "portraying people who work in the animation industry". Even the layman may seem like there's nothing to say, and it's even harder for us to portray ourselves.

For example, we may be too good at glorifying the industry. But we can't let the work just be a good bubble, and we can't pass on the self-satisfaction mentality to the guests.

On the contrary, if it is too realistic, because we can't show all aspects of the animation industry, it may lead the audience to have a better or worse understanding of the industry after watching the work.

This balance of reality and fantasy is hard to choose. You can't create something completely realistically, but you can't portray something that doesn't exist in reality completely for the sake of entertainment.

For example, "Ikeha Blossom" tells the story of high school girls at a hotel, but if you remove the entertainment element, it becomes a high school girl who goes to the shower every week. In this way, the theme of the work is destroyed. So how do you choose between reality and fantasy? Facing "White Box", I felt a lot of difficulties.

★ The animation industry was shocked!? "White Box" does not have a proposal

A: One thing that might have shocked the animation industry collectively is that we didn't have a proposal.

Q: Huh?

A: Actually, I verbally explained the whole thing to the people at Warner: "P.A.WORKS wants to make an animation based on the animation industry, and director Mizushima is in charge." "And then showed them something that was kind of similar to a synopsis.

Q: It's been half a year!?

A: If you wait for the proposal to be completed, the participants will get bored. So let's make it clear.

At the end of the day, whether there is a plan or not, whether you want to agree to this work, the final result is a matter of the preferences of each producer. In this way, it is better to ask with the mindset of "I need your strength" than to say it in a serious way, and everyone will be happy (laughs).

Q: That's true.

A: Because of this, I didn't prepare a proposal for almost any of my works, not just "White Box".

Normally, when the committee is almost complete, I will add some more, but in the preparation stage, it will be the same as nothing. Therefore, it only depends on enthusiasm. I thought, "If you do that, then this work will definitely sell well!" (laughs)

★ A "good story" is one in which nothing happens

A: The biggest headache for me is to express everything that Mr. Horikawa said (laughs). Mr. Horikawa is basically a fan of old movies, so he is interested in "refreshing youth group dramas", but it is difficult to turn them into commercial.

Q: Huh? Isn't "White Box" supported because of the "refreshing youth group drama"?

A: From the point of view of me as an animation fan, the so-called "refreshing youth group drama" is actually "nothing happened".

For example, "The Girl Who Leapt Through Time and Space" is basically synonymous with youth group dramas, and this also adds sci-fi elements of time and space travel. In order for a work to become popular, then it needs to be "attractive". Although just watching the characters be happy and then getting happy, this is also a way of making a daily system. However, what Mr. Horikawa wanted to make was a work in which the protagonists overcome difficulties and have a sense of realism and drama. And there should be heavier and thought-provoking content in the plot. And the audience has to be emotionally engaged, too.

But as an animation fan, I also think that the animation of this era should make people feel relaxed to watch. So it's not easy to strike that balance.

Q: It's really hard to think about.

A: Anime is something that is easy to watch. However, Mr. Horikawa always says, "After watching the anime, I hope that the audience will have the idea of working hard tomorrow." This is a contradictory idea. I really don't understand why he has to make it more difficult for the director and our producers (laughs).

Q: I finally understand what makes "White Box" so wonderful. When it comes to portraying the animation industry, people tend to think that it is exposing the darkness. But the reason why there is no dark place in this work is because it follows the refreshing route of President Horikawa.

A: Yes. The essence of P.A.WORKS's work contains Mr. Horikawa's ideas.

Q: That being said, if you want to show your work to customers, a work that fully expresses the theme should also be entertaining and that people will want to pay for it. How do you think this work overcame the difficulty of getting a small number of anime fans to buy it?

A: I did what I could, but it was when the director decided to be Mr. Mizushima. This time, on the one hand, the work asks for "letting the guests know about the animation industry", and on the other hand, if it only depicts reality, it will make the audience feel heavy. And director Mizushima's words are very good, whether it is the development of Yan sù or the display of comedy direction. I think he has a good grasp of the balance of the work.

Director Mizushima is a person who adds slightly toxic content to comedy. For example, this is the case with his works "The Great Magic Pass" and "Scum and Useless Reform". The kind of table xiàn form that makes the characters not hated by the audience, plus the plot that may make everyone feel unhappy, in terms of this balance, Mr. Mizushima can be said to have done a wonderful job.

In addition, when Mr. Horikawa said that he wanted to produce a work for the animation industry, my mind was blank, but Director Mizushima started to execute it, and Ms. Michiko Yokote and Ms. Reiko Yoshida also started writing the script. In addition, Mr. Kohei Kawase from Warner's side joined in. At this stage, I felt that "no matter what, I definitely won't lose." ”

After that, after watching the plot of the finished version, I began to believe: this one will be a big seller!

★ Now I can finally say that the success or failure of "White Box" is a gamble

Q: So, do you believe that the work will sell well?

A: No, I don't think I'm sure I'm going to win. In the animation industry, whether a work can be commercially successful or not has to wait until the last episode is over to draw a conclusion, which is a "gamble". So I don't know if it will work. It's just because of the case of "Flower Bloom Irohata", so in a sense, it's not like taking out all your belongings to gamble.

Q: What did Mr. Nagatani do to win the game?

A: For example, I proposed that Mr. (8) please be in charge of the original character.

Q: What exactly does the style of ぽんかん (8) meet the requirements of "White Box"?

A: Our family is responsible for a lot of original works, so we also took great pains to solve the original characters. My job is to negotiate with illustrators I don't know, and when I look at the illustrator's book, I feel that the work of ぽんかん (8) is very good.

After that,I watched the animation of "My Youth Love Story Really Problematic" illustrated by ぽんかん (8).,Even though the animation is added with a unique color.,But I can still feel the coolness of ぽんかん (8)'s work.。 Because the animation industry is always said to be dark, I wanted to add some refreshing elements.

★ The animation audience is basically reduced, so get the denominator to the maximum at first

A: Under the refreshing style of painting, I want to make the work as realistic as possible, which makes me feel like stepping on a landmine. When it comes to the animation industry, we don't want to idealize or glorify.

Q: "Landmines"? So where do you think the work of "White Box" will step on landmines?

A: For example, in 23 episodes, the original author and director Kinoshita faced off directly. Although it is the same as a blockbuster movie in terms of plot, in the eyes of our producers, it is a cool story behind people's backs.

Q: Musashino Animation's "The Third Flying Girls" is based on the original work of Nokame, and the original plot of the anime was not approved by the author, so I asked to stop making zuò. Subsequently, Director Kinoshita broke into the publishing house directly.

Q: Maybe the audience will think that the original author is very good at looking for trouble. In particular, editor Chasawa appears as a villain who does not tell the author of his intentions. This was necessary from the perspective of the method of storytelling, because we finally wanted to reconcile Director Kinoshita with Notome. But we don't think editors are such people. Now we are serializing the manga of "White Box" on "The King of Electric Shocks", and the reason why we tell about "their high school days" is also due to the editor's Jian yì. I often find it interesting to talk to editors, "I can do this." ”

Q: Why do you think it's going to be a landmine for guests and the anime scene, but you continue to do it?

A: We wanted to show the good relationship between the original and the anime. The original author, Wild Turtle, has the setting of "being animated in the past", so I want to make it clearer about the author's position and mood. For the original author, the work is like his own child, and he must be uneasy to hand over his child to someone else, and he also wants to be able to participate in it.

On the one hand, the animation producers, who have the best understanding of the original work, have to put forward their own ideas in order to present the work that will delight the audience. If it has to be exactly what the original is, then there is no idea of creation.

Even though they have different positions, they often ask each other "how to do this?" "I'm glad that my work has been animated by someone else. This sentence reflects the mutual understanding between the animation producer and the original. It would be nice to be able to portray the gap between the original author and the animation industry.

Although I was nervous before the broadcast, I was somewhat relieved that most of the audience responded well, and Mr. Mizushima also had a great performance.

Q: The editor didn't let the director go to the original author's place, so he ended up playing golf there. This manga-style approach is also Mr. Mizushima's unique skill.

A: I think the director is a bit shy. Director Mizushima is often in charge of the adaptation of the original work, so there are many opportunities to communicate with the original work. It's just that if you portray it according to your usual appearance, you may feel like your privacy is exposed. And in order not to hurt the feelings of the original work, he used a very clever way to balance the situation and construct such a scene (laughs). Of course, this is just my personal speculation.

In addition, there is a sweaty plot that makes people sweat, and there are voice actor auditions in 14 episodes.

★ I hope that child will grow up with "White Box".

Q: It was supposed to be a meeting to select the female voice actors who auditioned. The scene of three people arguing with each other for the benefit of their own company gives people an indescribable sense of oppression.

A: Well, in order to show the tension, we first let the voice actor voice acting, and then draw the picture according to the dubbing.

Although people are talking about selfish topics such as "she's a good fit for the event" and "I want to have tea with her...... But it may be a little hard to say.,Recently, the industry and outside the industry have been talking about the topic of "political zhì voice actors", but in order to tell everyone that "there is almost no such thing", so such a plot is needed.

Of course, the reason why I feel trembling is that I am afraid that this scene will not hit the pain points of some people.

I can't say that voice actors are 100% okay in the industry. It's just that from the perspective of the entire animation industry, there is no such thing, at least in my more than ten years of life as an animation producer, I am lucky not to encounter this kind of case, and there is no phenomenon of political voice actors.

In the work, the sound director Dao Lang said that "the right role is a qiē", hoping to turn the topic to the original audition, but the three people were driven away and the most suitable candidate was chosen. This description is our answer.

We hope that the audience will not misunderstand and understand the true intention of the production of zuò, so I am very worried about ...... voice actors of "White Box", and I believe that everyone has also discovered that the main voice actors led by Miss Juri Kimura have chosen newcomers.

Q: As a "producer who sells discs", didn't you consider choosing a well-known voice actor?

A: When a popular voice actor appears, it's easy to attract fans during an event, but that doesn't focus on evaluating the work. This is what I mean from the heart.

Even if you use a popular voice actor who doesn't fit the role, the audience may complain, "This voice is not suitable." ”

Q: So this time, when the newcomer was hired, there was no dispute on the scene?

A: Not really. To put it simply, this is the work of director Mizushima who is also a sound director, so there is no disagreement.

Especially about the main characters of "White Box", that is, Xiaokui and the five of them, we all feel that they have the most room for growth and contain infinite possibilities. For this reason, the sentence "It would be nice if I could train her" said by the sound director Dao Lang in the work is actually very consistent with the theme of the audition meeting of "White Box".

Miss Juri Kimura, who voiced Aoi Miyamori, had only a handful of Twitter followers at the beginning. And now it's more than 10,000. For us, the character of Aoi Miyamori is very much in line with the child of Juri Kimura. After making this judgment, we hope that she will grow together with "White Box" and cultivate her and her works at the same time. And with this mindset to guide her voice acting.

It's just that if everyone is a newcomer, it is more difficult to manage during the recording, so in addition to the protagonist, we chose to be a powerful or even a master-level character, so as to create a live atmosphere that makes it easier for newcomers to play, so as to maintain balance.

In the final analysis, these are children who are not used to dubbing, and in this sense, "learning" from their predecessors can also reflect the theme of "White Box".

Q: It takes a lot of time for the staff to study.

A: Even so, we need to train our staff. We were also educated by our predecessors. When I was working at Kings Records, my former boss, Toshihiro Otsuki, taught me a lot.

Q: Is that the Otsuki zuò from Neon Genesis Evangelion?

A: That's right. I still vividly remember Mr. Otsuki's words, "If the work succeeds, it is the credit of the on-site personnel, and if it fails, the people will be blamed." ”

Nowadays, I continue to apologize to people in order to improve the quality of the scene, and I also hope that the expression of the work can reflect the efforts of the on-site personnel. And if it fails, then it is a question of "I can't file a project".

Even if there will be a storm of criticism, I hope that the people on the scene will not admit defeat. And this kind of consciousness as a ruler is the teachings of Mr. Otsuki.