FLCLick Noise - Prologue

TN Note: This book has numerous endnotes and asides, which for ease of readability I have added as actual footnotes here. I do have a few of my own translation footnotes as well - those will be marked with a “TN” to avoid any confusion.

[Table of Contents available here]

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Interviewer:¹ We are planning to watch all 6 episodes of "FLCL" with Director Tsurumaki and character design artist Sadamoto, and discuss them as we go. First, to Director Tsurumaki. You recently watched the series again as part of the Blu-ray production process, correct?

Tsurumaki: Yes, it had been a while since I watched it, and so once I did I thought, "Wow, this is really out there!" (laughs) It's absurd to expect people to understand it all now. But on the other hand, I also thought that it doesn't look outdated even by today’s standards. Even after 10 years, there are still plenty of expressions that make you go "Wow!"

Sadamoto: Rather than saying no one has caught up with FLCL, I think it’s better to say no one else has even tried to (laughs).

Tsurumaki: No, no (laughs). I don't just mean the tricky parts, but there are also parts that would be good for anime to imitate more. Well, maybe I just think those parts are good (laughs).

Sadamoto: For example?

Tsurumaki: Like the overall color of the work.

Sadamoto: You really pay attention to colors, don't you? There's a slightly pale, hazy feeling to the work.

Tsurumaki: I think it's good, but nobody else seems to have gone in that direction. The art of "FLCL" is like classical art. Probably right after this, Makoto Shinkai² blew up onto the scene and his art, including his shooting techniques, moved to the forefront of anime.

Interviewer: It's about things like how to have density and...

Tsurumaki: Density is part of it, but it's easier to understand through the depiction of light. There are ways of drawing light to the extent of incorporating it into the art, like the work Studio Bihou³ has been doing for some time. For example, even in the first episode of "Neon Genesis Evangelion" on TV, multiple exposures were used to start doing such direct integrations via optical photography, but as digital photography became mainstream it became easier to do such things.

The current "Evangelion: New Theatrical Edition"⁴ also belongs to this category to some extent, but the art of "FLCL" is even more classic. Rather than increasing density, the atmosphere is created by simplifying the form and color. It may be that such a style has become more difficult to achieve in current times.

Sadamoto: I feel like we can sense the original flavor of Ogura (Hiromasa)⁵ in the art. When Ogura used to work at Studio Fuga, he worked with the art director Mizutani (Toshiharu), on shows I like such as "Shin Dokonjo Gaeru"⁶ and "Onegai! Samia Don"⁷, and that feeling really comes through.

Tsurumaki: Yes, yes. When it comes to Mr. Ogura, he did "Wings of Honneamise"⁸ and then joined "Mobile Police Patlabor"⁹, so he became known for a more realistic art direction…

Sadamoto: ...That's what people tend to think, but...

Tsurumaki: Although he's famous for being an art director for anime that demands realistic and detailed art using subdued color schemes, when we first asked him to work on "FLCL", we told him to do it like "Onegai! Samia Don" (laughs). We wanted the art direction to have a slightly comedic feel and to be visually interesting with beautiful colors and unique forms. We adjusted the colors of the animation cells based on the colors of the art direction. So, I think it's safe to say that Okura's art direction is what creates the overall tone and atmosphere of "FLCL".

Sadamoto: On the whole, the faded look gives me a sense of the older Tokyo Movie Shinsha style shows¹⁰, or maybe "The Gutsy Frog"¹¹ or the first "Lupin III"¹². It has a white-ish feel to it.

Tsurumaki: It's hard to put into words, but it's like the atmosphere of a time when manga and anime weren't completely separated yet. For example, during the time of "Lupin," I don't know what the people making it were thinking, but as viewers, there wasn't really a difference between the two. There was a kind of feeling that they were the same thing, and that sense applied even to the way lines and forms were handled, how shadows were drawn, the contrast of colors, and such. A sense of stylistic unity was present.

Interviewer: In "FLCL," the backgrounds are expressed in a way that gives them a sense of speed, and this is clearly done with the intention of using a manga-like visual feel. Instead of drawing it with a pencil as usual, it was drawn with a G-pen¹³ and then incorporated digitally. It's not like the flow lines and saturated lines used in normal anime, but instead a more comic-style graphic look.

For you, Mr. Sadamoto, it's been a while since you've seen it, right...

Sadamoto: Well, I just watched the DVD of "Evangelion: New Theatrical Edition" the other day, so maybe I've gotten used to that (laughs). But I do like this kind of simple style. You can really see the lines well; it's interesting how the lines are drawn, I think the comical movements are so well done that maybe even Mamoru Hosoda¹⁴ would be jealous.

I didn't participate in the production (as an animator), but even watching it now, I still think it is wonderful. I just glanced at the first episode before this, and I was impressed at how Nakanashi's flickering¹⁵, comic movements and Tadashi Hiramatsu's¹⁶ sticky, realistic movements could coexist.

Tsurumaki: When we started "FLCL," we were thinking of using Hiramatsu-san and Hiroyuki Imaishi¹⁷ as our weapons.

Sadamoto: Usually, they can't coexist.

Tsurumaki: Hiramatsu-san later participated in the productions of "Re: Cutie Honey" and "Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann"¹⁸, and of course, he's good at doing tricky action sequences like Imaishi-kun. But Hiramatsu-san's original strength is more delicate and subtle, like those of the "World Masterpiece Theater" of Nippon Animation¹⁹. Imaishi-kun is more like Tokyo Movie Shinsha or A-Pro²⁰.

Sadamoto: Like Studio Z5²¹ (laughs)

Tsurumaki: Imaishi-kun is famous as a follower of  Yoshinori Kaneda²², but he doesn't have the graceful style of a Toei ‘theater’ work. He's more like A-Pro or Ajia-Do²³, drawing fluttering movements and extreme jumps without any in-between frames, to create tempo and action. Though when you think more on Nippon Animation and A-Pro, they don't seem so far apart.

Sadamoto: Is it okay to talk about topics like Nippon Animation and A-Pro so casually? (laughs)

Interviewer: It's fine, I'll provide some context in the book (laughs).

Sadamoto:  I don't think people nowadays would understand at all.

Tsurumaki: I was wondering if it would be possible to create a work that had both sides of the two extremes, instead of using one for the character and the other for the mecha.

Sadamoto: In the beginning of episode 1, there is the flashy movement of Haruko swinging the guitar, and the realistic movement of Mamimi pressing herself against Naota. There are slow movements that emphasize the three-dimensional feeling of the scene. It's very satisfying to see both; one sense alone can't do that. If you try to make it too realistic or too comical, they won't be able to coexist. It's the mix of these multiple senses that makes it so great.

1. TN: The book is quite vague on the identity of this interviewer. It is likely the author of the introduction, Shoutaro Miya, but since I am not sure I will keep it abstract.

2. Born in Nagano Prefecture in 1973. While working at a game development company, he independently produced the short film "Voices of a Distant Star" which was released in 2002. The story depicts the separation of a boy and a girl torn between space and earth, and gained a huge response due to its highly emotional portrayal. He continued to release ambitious works such as the feature film "The Place Promised in Our Early Days" (2004) and the short film series "5 Centimeters per Second" (2007).

3. A backgrounds-focused art studio established in 1993. When working on Gainax productions, they have been responsible for art in "Neon Genesis Evangelion" series, "His and Her Circumstances" (1998), "Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi (2002), "He Is My Master" (2005), "Gurren Lagann" (2007), and others.

4. A theatrical film directed by Hideaki Anno (with Tsurumaki as co-director and Sadamoto as character designer). It is planned as a four-part series, with the first installment, "Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone," released in 2007, and the second, "2.0 You Can (Not) Advance," released in 2009, both of which were big hits. While following the settings and characters of the TV series "Neon Genesis Evangelion" (1995), the Rebuild films have a completely new story.

5. The art director for "FLCL". As mentioned in an interview, he originally worked as a main member of Studio Fuga but became independent and established his own art studio, Ogura Workshop. With a long career in numerous works, his first role as an art director was for Gainax's first feature film, "The Wings of Honneamise" (1987).

6. An animated show broadcast from 1981 to 1982. Produced by Tokyo Movie Shinsha.

7. An animated television series broadcast by NHK from 1985 to 1986. Based on Edith Nezbitt's "The Sand Fairy," it depicts Samia-don, a sand fairy who grants wishes only once a day, and the commotion she causes. Chief director Osamu Kobayashi and character design by Tsutomu Shibayama, with Tomomitsu Mochizuki, Mitsuru Hongo, Sunao Katabuchi, and others participating as directors for each episode. Produced by Tokyo Movie Shinsha.

8. A theatrical film directed by Hiroyuki Yamaga, released in 1987 (Gainax was established to produce this film). The story centers around Shirotsugh Lhadatt, an officer in the Royal Space Force of the Kingdom of Honnêamise, who is mocked as a member of the failed space unit. The film depicts the efforts of a group of young people to launch the first manned artificial satellite in human history. Sadamoto participated as a character designer and animation director, and it was also the first art direction work by Hiromasa Ogura.

9. A futuristic robot series created by the production group "Headgear", consisting of Masami Yuki, Yutaka Izubuchi, Mamoru Oshii, and others. The series was developed across various media including OVAs, theatrical films, TV series, and comics, and gained wide popularity. Ogura served as the art director for the first theatrical film released in 1988 and the second theatrical film released in 1991, portraying the city of Tokyo with a realistic touch.

10. An animation production company established in 1966. They have created numerous TV anime series such as "Kyojin no Hoshi," "Perman," and "Kaibutsu-kun," among others. "Lupin III" is particularly noteworthy as it has become a popular series that continues to receive new entries to this day, making TMS one of the long-standing studios in the industry.

11. A TV animation program that was broadcasted twice, in 1972 and 1981, produced by Tokyo Movie. The original work is a manga of the same name by Yoshizawa Yasumi. It is also one of the representative works of animation directors Tsutomu Shibayama and Osamu Kobayashi, who participated as animation directors. The production also gathered an impressive staff such as art director Shichiro Kobayashi and chief director Tadao Nagahama, who joined the project later. It is a masterpiece that still shines today.

12. A TV animation series that started broadcasting in 1971 (based on the manga by author Monkey Punch). Initially, it was planned and produced as an adult-oriented animation under the direction of Masaaki Osumi, but it was canceled due to low ratings (in its first season). However, it was reevaluated through rebroadcasts and became a popular series, leading to the production of a second season and a movie. The production was handled by Tokyo Movie Shinsha.

13. A type of dip pen with a soft nib, it is characterized by its ability to draw powerful lines. It is often used in comics, especially for dramatic drawings. In the field of cel animation, pencils are often used to draw original artwork, and Tsurumaki's comment is based on this difference.

14. Born in Toyama Prefecture in 1967, famous as a film director and writer. After graduating from Kanazawa College of Art, he joined Toei Animation and worked as an animator and director. He gained acclaim for his film "Digimon Adventure: Our War Game!" in 2000. Sadamoto was in charge of character design for his directorial works "The Girl Who Leapt Through Time" (2006) and "Summer Wars" (2009).

15. TN: The term used here is パカパカ, “paka-paka”, which is a somewhat specific animation technique describing strobing color flashes that became widespread to cheaply increase the intensity of scene - until the technique famously induced seizures in the audience during an episode of the Pokemon anime. It is still used, but regulated. However, Tsurumaki uses the phrase multiple times in this section, and seems to be using it loosely - “paka-paka”-like as opposed to specifically paka-paka. As such I have translated it similarly loosely to describe a general style.

16. Born in Aichi prefecture in 1963, works as an animator and director. He served as an animation director for the first time in "Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water" (1990) and was in charge of character design for "His and Her Circumstances". He is one of the core staff members of Gainax, and has continued to serve as part of the studio's backbone. In "FLCL," he was in charge of animation direction for episodes 1, 3, and 6, and also served as a storyboard artist for episode 6 (jointly with director Tsurumaki. Refer to "Episode 6" in this book for information on the scenes he was in charge of).

17. Born in Tokyo in 1971, a famed animator and director. After graduating from Tama Art University, he joined Gainax. Imaishi participated in "Neon Genesis Evangelion" as an in-betweener and subsequently played a key role as a staff member in works such as "Kare Kano." In "FLCL," he served as the animation director for the second and fifth episodes (also the storyboard for the fifth). After directing his first feature film, "DEAD LEAVES" (2004), Imaishi went on to direct "Gurren Lagann." Currently, he is preparing for a new work called "Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt".

18. A TV anime series directed by Hiroyuki Imaishi and produced by Gainax that started airing in 2007. The series is set in a barren and desolate future world and depicts the battles of boys who ride robots called "Gunmen". Tsurumaki was in charge of the storyboard for episode 17 and also participated as an animator. Sadamoto also participated in the series as a key animator for the final episode (episode 27).

19. An animation production company founded in 1975. It is known for its World Masterpiece Theater series, which began with "Dog of Flanders" (1975) at the same time as the company's establishment. The company went on to produce other successful series such as "Future Boy Conan" (1978), "Chibi Maruko-chan" (1990), and "Papuwa-kun" (1999).

20. An anime production company established in 1965. Its official name is A Production. Under a business partnership with Tokyo Movie Shinsha, it was involved in the production of numerous works such as “Lupin III,” “The Gutsy Frog,” and “Tensai Bakabon”.

21. An animation studio established by Satoshi Hirayama, Hajime Kamegaki, and others, after they left Studio Z, to which Yoshinori Kanada belonged, as mentioned below.

22. Born in Nara prefecture in 1952. He started their career as an animator at Toei Animation, and later worked at various animation studios such as Studio Z and Studio No.1. He gained attention for his unique style, which featured action with intense limited animation and deformed characters, as well as a distinct lighting technique known as the "Kanada-style". In the mid-1980s, he played a core role in the staff of Studio Ghibli productions, and later joined Square Enix, where he worked on creating movie clips for games. Unfortunately, he passed away in 2009.

23. An animation production company founded in 1978 by Tsutomu Shibayama, Osamu Kobayashi, and others as an independent company from Shin-Ei Animation. The company has been involved in numerous productions as a subcontractor for Shin-Ei Animation, Tokyo Movie Shinsha, and Studio Pierrot.