John UM
From July 5th to 8th, 2018, “Japan Expo” was held in Paris, France. The venue was invited to the main team of “Cowboy Bebop” (Star Trek), which celebrated its 20th anniversary this year. The old mechanical designer Shangen Gongli, who was the main mechanical designer of the main ship Bebop and Spike-driven spaceship swordfish II, was also invited by the parties to accept the interview. The Swordfish II designed by Yamane also appeared in the film “Top Player” directed by Steven Spielberg, and successfully won the eye of overseas favorite animated audience. Why is the Bebop and Swordfish II so popular overseas? How was this highly popular design born? The freelance writer Hirota took the opportunity to make a conversation with Shangen Gongli from the French triumph. .
Shangen became an opportunity for mechanical designers. On the one hand, it was inspired by the Japanese animation in the 1970s. On the one hand, he directly realized that the concept of machinery was the debut of the movie “Strategic Combat”. Tiger I chariot. Although he knew that the Tiger I was actually rebuilt with a T-34 tank, he completely grasped his childlike heart. As a stage device for movies, the quality is amazing, and I deeply admire these adults who make mechanical devices for movies. As the mechanical design of “Space Battleship Yamato 2199”, Yamane has also painted the Yamato painting in the past, but it is not directly based on animation, but prefers to draw his own favorite angle according to his own ideas. It was from that time that Shan Gen began to learn about relevant knowledge. Under the wrong condition, Shan Gen entered the mechanical department of industrial high school. What he wants to do is not the work of engineering drawing. What he really wants to do is design, which is the mechanical design of animation. .
.
Bebop number.
Yamagen is a native of Shimane Prefecture and is very envious of Tokyo where the Comic Market is held regularly. After graduating from high school, regardless of the three seven twenty-one, in short, to know how to become an animation-related mechanical designer, he went to Beijing to enter the animation discipline of the Chiyoda Engineering Art Academy in Ueno. In order not to trouble the home, half-work and half-reading, Yamane claimed that “like “The Future Conan”, in order to find a surviving partner on the desert island and embark on a trip.”
However, although there are recruiting original artists in the Academy, there is no option to recruit mechanical designers. While being confused, Shan Gen’s classmates took the setting book of “Wireless Zone 23”. The set painting in the book actually printed the name and phone number of the person in charge of the design and design of “Wireless Zone 23”. .
It is the behavior of the printing plant, which is the “dough-leaf”, and the roots are linked to ARTMIC. With his own design, he became a frequent visitor. It was there, and I met the priests and the Kumamoto trees, and helped them to work on the OVA works of mechanical design. Until 1993 and 1994, Yamane finally had a work that could be done on his own, that is, OVA, a consultant from Kumamoto Hideki. The mechanical design of the OVA “GATCHAMAN” designed by CASSHERN and Meijin Taichen. “Shan Genjun is an interesting person.” Through the introduction of Yukihiro Yu, he participated in the mechanical design of “Mobile Gundam G Gundam” and met the producer of “G Gundam” at that time, which is now the representative of BONES. Later, he was also drawn into the deformation robot crater of “The Aspen Kony of the Sky”, which was run by Hesen Masaharu. .
Mountain thinks that “The Aspen Kony of the Sky” has the original draft of the original work by Kasei Masaru. As long as it is changed into an animation design, I did not expect that Hesen actually proposed to change into a dragon. “The idea, because just a simple armored robot is not interesting enough. After all, if you want to make a toy, you don’t need to care about certain restrictions, you can freely deform it. This is also the consistent practice of Hesen Robot. At the same time, I also let Yamagen feel the persistence of Hesen’s deformation. Even though Yamane has completed the manuscript, Hesen always has to tangled, and there seems to be some places to change. Yamane also learned a lot from the side of Hesen. .
.
Asgarconi
In the second half of the 1990s, the second studio of SUNRISE, which belonged to Nan Yayan at that time, set off a wave of “subverting the SUNRISE tradition and creating new mechanical works”. Yamagen said that this is a studio with strong resistance. Moreover, performances, color designation, medium cuts, and even mechanical designers are on the same floor, to facilitate communication, this environment is very satisfied with Yamane. .
Shangen said that Nan Yayan is a strange person, even the team he brought is also a weirdo, such as Watanabe Shinichiro, such as himself, everyone is a weirdo. After “Cowboy Bebop”, in the first studio, he cooperated with Taniguchi Goro for the first time and created “Infinite Livias”. Yamane also cherished his acquaintance with Taniguchi. Yamagen, like Nanyahiko and Taniguchi, are people who don’t follow the crowd. They only want to design original works with strong originality and individuality. .
.
Black Livias.
“Cowboy Bebop” is a work led by Bandai Hobby’s business department at that time. As the name suggests, it is a model premise. The reason why Yamane participated in this mechanical design was because he was given a draft, but Yamane did not realize the concept of modeling when designing, and he was extremely free to paint. Although it can’t be deformed, it is not a special design with a strong toy. Therefore, it was selected by Watanabe Shinichiro. At the “Japan Expo” in Paris, France, Yamagen had the opportunity to communicate with the audience and reporters. In the exchange with them, “this design is too consistent with the world view of this work, and it is perfect.” Industrial design “Shangen heard these sharp analysis and expressed great pleasure. .
.
Swordfish II’s independent cockpit.
In line with the world view, Yamane is naturally considered when designing. For example, the swordfish II’s independent cockpit (monopod) is designed to replace the usual spacesuit. Of course, if the independent cockpit is broken and leaking, you will eventually have to wear a space suit, but the setting of the independent cockpit itself is very convincing as a facility or a machine. In addition, it is especially romantic when a submarine with a glass exterior swims in the sea. .
Like the “X-wing fighter” and “Y-wing fighter” in “Star Wars”, the main machinery has a common mark. The main machines in “Cowboy Bebop” are named after the fish. “Swordfish II” is named after the shape of a swordfish. The beam of the “abdominal” is based on the swordfish-type torpedo bomber (Fairy Swordfish). Inspired by the swordfish in the “Old Man and the Sea” by Ernest Miller Hemingway, the favorite of Yamane, and Yamagen believes that the atmosphere of Hemingway’s novels is also consistent with Spike’s lofty personality. .
.
Swordfish II.
Philip Valentin’s car “Redtail” is named after Redtail catfish. The squid has a cute shape but is poisonous, which coincides with the Philippine. .
.
红尾 .
Jet Black’s Hammerhead is taken from the hammerhead shark (Hammerhead shark, Chinese literary name: hammerhead shark). Yamagen originally ruled out the shape of the fish when designing. After the swordfish and the squid, if the “hammerhead” is not designed into the shape of a fish, it is a bit unreasonable. As the work itself is biased towards the hard faction, each body has joined the concept of a locomotive. Jeter’s body was more burly, which reminded him of the hood of the American car, so he added this element to the shape of the original hammerhead shark. Shan Gen said that each machine’s design inspiration comes from two or three elements, which also makes the character’s personality more rich. .
.
Hammerhead
I am not born in a metropolis like Tokyo, but Yamane does not think that she is a Shimane prefecture and has limitations in design. In Tokyo, headed by the “Gundam” series, Yamane participated in many excellent animation works, and naturally it will be infected with some common sense in the industry, but Yamane believes that it is extremely necessary to occasionally return to his hometown. The last is to maintain his own “initial heart.” When Shan Gen just got married, he also felt that he was too young and undecided. He also thought that “the profession of mechanical designers does not enjoy the fragrance in the animation industry, or change it.” However, Yamaneki lamented that fortunately, he insisted on the industry of mechanical design, otherwise he would go to participate in various exhibitions, probably other identity. .
For the same-person culture like Comiket, Yamagen said that he was squatting when he was still a student. Even the big brands such as “Space Battleship Yamato” and “Mobile Suit Gundam” are supported by these secondary creative cultures. He also hopes that everyone can cherish it. But the enduring hot work like Cowboy Bebop has been replayed overseas for 20 years. Why is “Bebop” successful? Shan Gen said that this work has gathered a variety of talented people. It can be seen how much effort everyone has put into this work, and they have racked their brains and are not trapped by the routines. It is precisely because of these people with different styles. The mutual cooperation, the chemical reaction produced by the mixing of these knowledge makes this work more and more interesting. .
Shangen recognizes that “the formation of group culture relies on repetition”, but he believes that people who have good brains should try to create a second time. A group of people with various values, brainstorming, they will not stick to a color, do not argue, but stand in different positions to learn from each other and learn from each other’s strengths. .
Shangen thought about it. Nowadays, there are more works for the younger layer. Just like Pixar, the works for the public are becoming less and less, and the mechanical-centered animation will become less and less. But just thinking about not taking action, there will be no change. If you are still in Shimane County, which is insulated from the animation culture, you may also say without care, “Is it impossible to do these things?”
.
Shank Gongli’s “Cowboy Bebop” 20th Anniversary Color Paper.
[References].
- .
- アキバ総研: . 「カウボーイビバップ」から20年、山根公利が語るメカニックデザインの醍醐味【アニメ業界ウォッチング第47回】