Minami Masahiko is likely one of the founders of Studio BONES and was at Otakon to advertise an upcoming 2027 Okinawa Animation Pageant, scheduled for January 29–31. This interview was carried out on July 31, 2026.
Thanks for this interview. You’re one of many founders of BONES, however you had an extended profession earlier than that as properly.
You—or quite, a model of you—seems within the drama Aoi Honoo. Have you ever seen it earlier than, and what did you consider your depiction?
This can be a live-action drama collection based mostly on a manga, and the creator is Shimamoto Kazuhiko-sensei, a classmate of mine in my school years. I heard from him that I ought to deal with it as fiction based mostly on our time in school, and I believe it must be seen as fiction. Some elements are exaggerated.
The unique Eureka Seven is one in all my favourite anime, and I’ve had the chance to interview each Director Kyoda and Kawamori Shoji. However I needed to listen to your perspective as to what it was prefer to carry this undertaking collectively.
I initially labored for Dawn, which created plenty of authentic robotic animation, and in a while I labored as a producer on Cell Fighter G Gundam. Constructing authentic robotic animation myself is one thing I discover very fulfilling, and in the case of making a year-long collection, I discover it’s extraordinarily vital to collaborate with a lot of completely different folks.
Talking of Dawn, you labored as a producer on numerous titles, and I needed to know what it was like for you working with Director Tomino, Director Imagawa, and Director Takahashi Ryousuke
First, in the case of Director Tomino and Zeta Gundam, I solely labored in manufacturing administration for one episode. For G Gundam, I labored as producer, and for Layzner, I truly labored on manufacturing administration however was additionally rotating that function with completely different groups.
To present somewhat bit extra context, again throughout this era, the important factor about authentic robotic animation was the “plastic mannequin/toy/merchandising” mannequin So it was vital to grasp two pillars/facets, as a toy product but additionally as an authentic work. What’s actually memorable is that each one three of those administrators took this problem very critically.
It appears you labored probably the most with Director Imagawa. Would you be capable to clarify intimately how he handled this steadiness?
Again with G Gundam, this was the period of laser disc and DVD—Blu-ray hadn’t come out but. However whereas we had to consider the enterprise of packaging the present for these codecs, reveals had been produced basically with the tv broadcast in thoughts. G Gundam‘s huge sponsor was Bandai, and when it got here to a piece with the “Gundam” title, it was a matter of when the following Gundam would come out. G Gundam is a Gundam with plenty of Gundams from all around the world, and the timing with which they appeared was tied up with when the merchandise could be obtainable. Inside that, Director Imagawa is a person with plenty of nice concepts, and he was targeted on the right way to insert originality and drama into the story’s setting.
I’ve yet one more query: From a producer standpoint, what’s the benefit of doing an authentic work over an adaptation?
First off, in the case of works based mostly on one thing, originality is derived from the creators So once we work on animated variations of present work we now have to consider how we are able to maximize the enchantment of the work in animation via creative and inventive expressions. That’s our high precedence.
Then again, when it’s our wholly authentic work, the sense of originality lies with us because the creators. We take into consideration the right way to incorporate the enchantment of animation as we proceed with the undertaking planning—how we are able to incorporate the themes and in addition how we because the undertaking creators can extra successfully convey the work via animation.
Thanks!
