Interview with Director Shigeru Ikeda

Yoroiden Samurai Troopers Story 1 - Interview with Director Shigeru Ikeda (*Yoroiden Samurai Troopers, 30th Anniversary Book*, Tatsumi Publication. Translation provided by The URWWS.)

## Interview

It can take a lot of time between the stages of "production" and "film director".

**Question - What made you get involved in this kind of work? Also, I heard that you became a director when you were in your twenties. That's very cool.**

Director Shigeru Ikeda - As of 2018, I am indebted to Ryousuke Takahashi (a Japanese anime director, screenwriter, and producer and worked on this show), but he recommended Ikeda for the work that Sunrise Planning Department had set up at the time. That's how I ended up getting selected.

The youngest of the directors . . . I think it was a pretty great adventure, but considering the vitality of Director Takahashi, who is still a teacher at the university, by the way, he was new and asked to be. I think.

The first thing I got to work on in this industry was a storyboard for a blue cat-shaped robot. From silly school settings to serious robots, I was able to handle any work I was able to do. However, it took me a lot of time between production and being a film director.

One of the supervisor positions I was in charge of was overseeing “storyboard correction”.

It's a bit of a job in and of itself to unify the creations of different artists in order to make the storyboard art, and to change the other person's view of the world to their own style. Also, taking the time out to retake ('retake' is what correcting mistakes is called in this profession), I couldn't do all of that myself. In addition, I was still in my twenties at that time.

Because I had the drive and energy, I chose to draw all the way because I couldn't tell you how to do it, so I actually drew it myself! However, with this, it wasn't exactally helpful to the other people on the team. I didn't let them have the chance of explaining the style in more detail so the other artists could understand and do it properly. I felt rather guilty about that later on when I realized it.

Drifting and beautiful .. The first scene we see of the boy soldier is brilliantly shown.

**Question - The scene in the first episode where we get to see all 5 of the Troopers is very impressive, but what in the world were you thinking and what inspired you when you made it (especially Seiji's upside down entrance)? I was overwhelmed.**

Director Shigeru Ikeda - Shiranami Five young men's DNA.

(Explained simply, Five Shiranami Men is an old and very popular play that's about five thieves that was based on real life people.) Rather than saying "the enemy waits" for the question, "Yoroiden Samurai Troopers" (for the sake of ease, we'll be calling it simply 'Samurai Troopers' from now on) has various relationships. This is when they were trying to stall for time, getting their enemy to listen to whatever they were going to say and do. I know that this is a very memoriable part of the show that people look back on.

The first part was made by J. Ikeda, the first director. I asked Mr. Ikeda who built the foundations for all of this and who created that “transformation” scene back then.

Seiji's appearance scene is also a "look" that matches the character.

**Question-What are the ideas and background of each pose in the “armed” scene?**

Director Shigeru Ikeda-An armor that transforms into a costume. There was no sense.

I feel like I'm wearing a tradition, formality, and fate: I feel that I have no doubt that there is a "castle" in the landscape where I live normally . However, at most 500 years ago in various parts of Japan, "If I think that the battle for swinging the sword was being carried out, is it actually because the Japanese have a bloody temperament?

I think.

As long as it is fresh, literally "acquire the enemy's neck" as evidence of the handle.

It is a "war" only because there is an innocent and realistic battle world of assault, but it is also fascinated by the world view of the full-fledged ornamental ornament that shows authority and wealth.

I want to send out the boy soldier's “first team” brilliantly. Isn't the tradition undisturbed, drifting and beautiful?

**Question-Impressive images such as the "armed" scene of a fierce fire, flying flying objects and cherry blossoms, etc. are still hot topics. Tell us about making this screen.**

Director Shigeru Ikeda-I can represent anything in an animation, but I thought that it might not be an enemy of "a style beauty that has already been completed."

Kabuki that makes the ocean, with only corrugated sheets and wags on the stage, and pulls the audience into the play with fishing branches and cherry blossoms blowing up to excess.

Even if you are not good at a mirror, you can see it and it has a sufficient impact.

Kabuki has the depth of nostalgia and unlimited possibilities, such as making Kabuki the story of becoming a pirate king. Stylistic beauty, scary ...

Samurai Troopers have their own special maneuvers using their respective weapons, but they are expressed in detail at the stage of the screenplay. Was it?

**Question-What kind of care did you use when drawing as a screen?**

As for Ikeda's Special Moves, I think it was preceded by a painting.

Sunrise was traditionally a studio that was good at action, so a scene to fight at the moment of having a weapon was created, and I think that the idea of ​​"deadly technique" was born as a "stop shot".

To win the battle means to kill the opponent. I was trying to keep my death aside, but I think that the main characters had been in a pinched face for a long time.

**Question-In particular, in the first half of the stage, the cities and scenic spots in Japan that exist in reality are used. Did you have any difficulties or tips when drawing them in the world of fiction?**

Director Shigeru Ikeda-Selected by Sunrise Planning Department and screenwriters. It was a time when local source videos could not be obtained easily, but if it is a scenic spot, I think that the brochure of a travel company might be useful for drawing on it. The more you do it, the more realistic it will be, but you will need to collect a huge amount of materials and interview the site.

I think that it will contribute to the local activity, but I want you to forgive me "It's right" if you are involved.

**Question-I think most of the voice actors who played Samurai Troopers were very young people at the time. Or did you have anything you wanted for acting?**

Director Shigeru Ikeda-I was relying on sound director Chiba Koichi.

It's an embarrassing story, but many of the originals and videos were shot with unfinished motion pictures at the time of dubbing, and it was the cooperation to the dubbing work that I could put on my own even one cut.

From the veteran Chiba, I think that Ikeda, the first director, was more anxious than the young voice actor.

At the time of acting instruction, since Mr. Chiba himself is an actor, I have time to perform sample performances (voices), but I was asked to enhance the work with acting ability and good voice.

"armor" becomes a "painting" even in large groups, and it feels good to fit even if five rabbits are mixed side by side. This "Samurai Troopers" is very rare in animation at that time, "Japanese style" or " We could feel many elements such as "period play".

**Question-What points did you use in your work and production?**

Director Shigeru Ikeda-At that time, besides taiga dramas,

(also known as 'Big River' dramas. It refers to the annual, year-long dramas which are seen as the most significant dramas in Japan since 1963. Taiga dramas are based on historical fiction and are broadcasted every week on Sunday at 8pm.)

there were a lot of period dramas,, and talked on TV. Holding a sword, sword fighting, was the daily life of tea. And if “Western-style armor stuff” is a big hit in anime, “Japanese-style armor stuff” may be.

It may be a personal feeling, but the armor becomes a picture even if it becomes a large group, and I feel that five armors fit well in a row. In terms of sunrise works, the Armored Trooper Votoms also fits well.

However, when it comes to "Mobile Suit Gundam", you feel uncomfortable. Whether it is a world view or a design, a mobile suit.

Size may be a factor. However, there is a sword fighting against time, such as when fighting without a beam saber. It settles in the conclusion that it will be manageable if it is dexterous.

-Mr. Ikeda himself said, "I want you to see here" in "Samurai Troopers"

If you have any scenes or scenes that say “I like this place,” please let me know.

Ikeda I think I'm talking somewhere in the past, but Norio Shioyama of character design told me, "Why is the main character crying at the opening?"

Certainly it looks weak ... but it doesn't feel like fighting bravely.

I was influenced by the opening song. Tears, I did not have any sense of incongruity, but the meaning and existence value of fighting while progressing the story, the mission, the expression of the "confusion," of the protagonists getting caught in fate I thought.

In the middle of the production period, Mr. Shioyama said, “Tears are good!” I was happy to be able to express the thickness of the protagonist Chi.

However, when I thought, “Was this opening, Mr. Shioyama drew a picture with doubts…”, I cannot simply say “I want you to see the tears here”….

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In the middle of the production period, Mr. Shioyama said, “Tears are good!” I was happy that the thickness of the question could be expressed.

However, if you think, "This opening, I was drawing with a question with Mr. Shioyama's decision .....", I can not simply say "I want you to see the tears here"

1. ↑ In the video industry, “correcting mistakes” is called “retake”. Words used in anime production work.
2. ↑ This is a creative play inspired by the paintings of the third generation and Utagawa Toyokuni, and one of the Kabuki performances whose scenes are unique in which five unique thieves cut off the abduction.
3. ↑ Animation work produced by Sunrise in 83-84. Originally directed by Ryosuke Takahashi of the “Yorouden Samurai Looper” series composition. Mr. Ikeda participates in the storyboard.
4. ↑ A generic term for humanoid mobile weapons (robots) that appeared in "Mobile Suit Gundam", a term that continues to be used in subsequent Gundam works.
5. ↑ A musashi for fighting battle that appears in "Mobile Suit Gundam". A sword with a beam as a blade.