Via Newtype USA: [inside] Xebec (October 2004)

Posted on June 13, 2014 by torisunanohokori

Along with an understanding of the broader context of the subject, the most vital ingredient to good anime coverage is a reliable source. So when US journalists actually interview people on the production side in Japan, it’s generally worth noting unless the interview consists entirely of fluff. This is the latest of what will hopefully be a couple more posts archiving articles from Newtype USA’s [inside] series of articles written by Amos Wong. In this feature on Xebec, President Yukinao Shimoji describes how friendship with Mitsuhisa Ishikawa (President of Production IG) led to his founding his own studio and Director Nobuyoshi Habara talks about building architecture and setting in DN Angel.

Note: Pictures are scans of the article made on my crappy scanner, which cover the article text but not the entire page. They’re also in greyscale, because I’m interested in archiving interview text and color scans make the process more of a headache than it needs to be. Apologies for that. Scans after the jump, along with comments on the contents of the article.

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Via Newtype USA: [inside] AIC (December 2004)

Posted on June 11, 2014 by torisunanohokori

Along with an understanding of the broader context of the subject, the most vital ingredient to good anime coverage is a reliable source. So when US journalists actually interview people on the production side in Japan, it’s generally worth noting unless the interview consists entirely of fluff. This is the latest of what will hopefully be a couple more posts archiving articles from Newtype USA’s [inside] series of articles written by Amos Wong. In this feature on AIC, president Toru Miura discusses starting up during OVA boomtime and how the studio landed the original Ah My Goddess job in a 3 studio race, while Hiroaki Goda discusses his taste in music and getting a chance to do Ah My Goddess again with more development.

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Via Newtype USA: [inside] Madhouse

Posted on April 25, 2014 by torisunanohokori

Along with an understanding of the broader context of the subject, the most vital ingredient to good anime coverage is a reliable source. So when US journalists actually interview people on the production side in Japan, it’s generally worth noting unless the interview consists entirely of fluff. This is the latest of what will hopefully be a couple more posts archiving articles from Newtype USA’s [inside] series of articles written by Amos Wong. This studio Madhouse feature includes Masayoshi Kawajiri and Kazuo Koike talking about their mentor-student relationship (and the differences between movies and TV), Producer Yuichiro Saito talks about the merits of doing all types of projects, and Hiromichi Masuda talks production-side differences between eastern and western animation.

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Via Newtype USA: [inside] 4C (June 2003)

Posted on April 20, 2014 by torisunanohokori

Along with an understanding of the broader context of the subject, the most vital ingredient to good anime coverage is a reliable source. So when US journalists actually interview people on the production side in Japan, it’s generally worth noting unless the interview consists entirely of fluff. This is the latest of what will hopefully be a couple more posts archiving articles from Newtype USA’s [inside] series of articles written by Amos Wong. This article on studio 4C includes President Eiko Tanaka talking about global markets and the technical aspect of continuous takes, Koji Morimoto talking about his work on the Animatrix and the producer who got him involved in the project, and Shinichiro Watanabe talking his issues with tight schedules.

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Via Newtype USA: [inside] Gonzo (March 2003)

Posted on April 18, 2014 by torisunanohokori

Along with an understanding of the broader context of the subject, the most vital ingredient to good anime coverage is a reliable source. So when US journalists actually interview people on the production side in Japan, it’s generally worth noting unless the interview consists entirely of fluff. This is the latest of what will hopefully be a couple more posts archiving articles from Newtype USA’s [inside] series of articles written by Amos Wong. This one talks about what-if superstar studio gonzo, years before bankruptcy filings forced their biggest talents to split off into David Production and Studio Sanzigen.

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Via Newtype USA: [inside] Bones (February 2003)

Posted on April 14, 2014 by torisunanohokori

Along with an understanding of the broader context of the subject, the most vital ingredient to good anime coverage is a reliable source. So when US journalists actually interview people on the production side in Japan, it’s generally worth noting unless the interview consists entirely of fluff. This is the latest of what will hopefully be a couple more posts archiving articles from Newtype USA’s [inside] series of articles written by Amos Wong. In this one (the first chronologically in the series) President Masahiko Minami talks about the studio’s origins and namesake, Hiroshi Ousaka talks about research trips to Morocco, and Toshihiro Kawamoto talks about using digital effects to produce more effective POV shots.

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Via Newtype USA: Yutaka Izubuchi and Ichiko Hashimoto on Rahxephon (February 2003)

Posted on April 14, 2014 by torisunanohokori

Yutaka Izubuchi jokes about the length of the Eva manga, goes over designing his preferred style of face-bearing robot, mentions his Sunrise Production Planning Division connection with the director of Gundam SEED, and talks about getting gently nudged into the director’s chair by Masahiko Minami (President of Bones). Also, he get a pretty hilarious congratulatory card from Mamoru Oshii; “I don’t know why you don’t just quit… and don’t come crying to me when you fail!” More refuse for my “Is Mamoru Oshii just affecting that cranky demeanor he always has in interviews, rather than being legitimately bitter?” pile.

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Via Newtype USA: [inside] Gainax (July 2003)

Posted on April 8, 2014 by torisunanohokori

Along with an understanding of the broader context of the subject, the most vital ingredient to good anime coverage is a reliable source. So when US journalists actually interview people on the production side in Japan, it’s generally worth noting unless the interview consists entirely of fluff. This is the third of what will hopefully be a couple more posts archiving articles from Newtype USA’s [inside] series of articles written by Amos Wong. This one features Gainax president Hiroyuki Yamaga on beating game companies in their own arena to stay afloat financially, seeing Eva mentioned in pop culture, and his opinion on the best way to target overseas fans.

Note: Pictures are scans of the article made on my crappy scanner, which cover the article text but not the entire page. Apologies for that. Scans after the jump, along with comments on the contents of the article.

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Via Newtype USA: [inside] Toei (December 2003)

Posted on March 30, 2014 by torisunanohokori

Along with an understanding of the broader context of the subject, the most vital ingredient to good anime coverage is a reliable source. So when US journalists actually interview people on the production side in Japan, it’s generally worth noting unless the interview consists entirely of fluff. This is the second of what will (hopefully) be several posts over the next couple of weeks archiving articles from Newtype USA’s [inside] series of articles written by Amos Wong. It contains comments from President Hiroshi Takahashi and Director Daisuke Nishio on researching how to best portray action sequences, overseas sources of income, and the pluses and minuses of the transition from analog to digital animation.

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Via Newtype USA: [inside] Satelight (September 2003)

Posted on March 30, 2014 by torisunanohokori

Along with an understanding of the broader context of the subject, the most vital ingredient to good anime coverage is a reliable source. So when US journalists actually interview people on the production side in Japan, it’s generally worth noting unless the interview consists entirely of fluff. This is the first of what will (hopefully) be several posts over the next couple of weeks archiving articles from Newtype USA’s [inside] series of articles written by Amos Wong. It contains statements from President Michiaki Sato and Director Kazuki Akane on how the studio went from subcontractor to full-time anime studio and how they handled the increased demand for female casts in the millennial anime boom.

Note: Pictures are scans of the article made on my crappy scanner, which cover the article text but not the entire page. Apologies for that. I have also transcribed the article after the jump to make for easier reading (though I probably won’t be doing so for other articles due to the time involved). Also note that each part of the article is a two-page spread, so page 19 comes before 18, 21 before 20, 23 before 22, and 25 before 24.