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"Ultraman Tiga", "Ultraman Dyna" and "Ultrama Gaia" broadcasted in the 1990s are commonly called "Heisei Ultraman Series Trilogy". The third installment, "Gaia," is a story depicting the battle against the primordial destruction, with the conflict between two Ultraman, Gaia and Aguru, as the vertical axis. Also, the special investigation team XIG (Sig) was organized by unit, and the world view that pursued reality was suitable for the Ultra series of the 1990s.

Such "Gaia" has one more thing that should be handed down. It was a launch and battle scene of a container vehicle that made full use of miniature photography. For the first installment of Interview Articles Ultrama Gaia, we interviewed director Hiromi Muraishi, who directed the opening film that detailedly depicts the launch of the XIG fighter, and the container vehicle's success in the main story.

■ XIG fighter that was the pinnacle of miniature special effects

- Please give me the impression when you first became a container vehicle to visit.

MuraishiVarious mechanisms have appeared in Ultraman so far, but I think that it was the first variable module with such a high degree of perfection. Especially when I saw the XIG Fighter SS, which has X-shaped wings, I felt an unprecedented novelty. It's interesting that various hexagonal prism containers are transformed into different mechanisms. I thought Bandai's idea was amazing.

- Will the process of going to the idea of ​​container vehicle in the video was what kind of flow.

MuraishiFor different out ideas from Bandai-san, we video staff, first, you will be referred to an opinion from the standpoint of shaping. Design that assumes a three-dimensional, I really often smooth lines, such as curves and aerodynamic. For miniature, I as it can make, if you make around the 1/1 cockpit, I'm hard I streamlined. So, I want to design that take advantage of the straight line as much as possible the field. That talked about those sections remembers. Bandai's also sprinkled, went decided shakes a lot of opinion.

――When I saw the first episode of "Ultrama Gaia", I was overwhelmed by the opening scene of XIG Fighter SS and SG.

MuraishiFor the piece carry (※ 1) and XIG starting scene of fighter, want to finely take the starting part from Sagawa (Kazuo) 's feats coach, we were there is a demand. Because every time the story is better to go step-by-step drama becomes the main, fine starting sequence up to this point and will not take. Was Once, I but it is better to show every time at the opening.

--XIG Fighter of special effects does not intensive computer graphics (below CG), it seems almost was miniature.

MuraishiI guess is about deformation scene are using CG in XIG fighter tangling. Since this time of the CG was not so developed, XIG fighter of special effects is a thing of there all miniature modeling. Aerial base of the hangar is now made in the studio of Toho built (※ 2), it was quite large. After all, piece carry you are in there was about one meter. Of course, the background does not mean that CG, all have been actually shaped as a miniature.

――I think Gaia was one of Ultraman Series with a particular love for mechanics.

MuraishiI think the reason why the special effects of the XIG fighter got excited was that it was inspired by the design of the container vehicle. If you provide us with a variety of high-precision products up to this point, you'll be worried that the site will respond. Also, the timing was good at the time of "Gaia". It was a time when my budget was reasonable, so I was able to take the time to carefully take pictures. Nowadays it may be difficult to make special effects using miniatures. It will be CG due to various reasons such as budget constraints. I think that "Gaia" was a happy work in which the goodness of "analog special effects" was taken into consideration.

※ 1 XIG large transport fighters. It can be installed at the same time the container vehicle up to a maximum of three aircraft. Was released at the time 1998 "DX piece carry" is a hit product in the same way as container vehicle of Popinika.
*2 A studio that existed in Setagaya Ward, Tokyo. It was used for filming most of Ultraman Series, not to mention "Gaia". Unfortunately it closed in 2008.

Muraishi HiroshiMinoru (Muraishi HiroChika)
1947 Born Born in Tokyo
Directors Guild of Japan member

Became a freelance assistant director in 1970 after working for yen Tokugi Production Optical Photography Department (first generation Ultraman, etc.). In 1973, he made his directorial debut with the independent film "OH! Kao". Since then, he has directed "Ultraman Tiga", "Ultraman Dyna", "Ultrama Gaia" (TV), and "Ultraman Tiga THE FINAL ODYSSEY" (movie). In 2011, he was in charge of directing the stage performance "Ultraman Premier 2011". Following the Nagoya performance in May, we plan to perform in Tokyo in the fall and Osaka in the winter.

 

UMW
UX-02 XIG fighter SS

Price (including tax): 5,040 yen
Release Date: June 18, released
Target: 15-year-old -


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[UMW] ULTRIDE MECHNICS WORLD is a high-quality, high-tail mecha series that reproduces the shape, coloring, transformations, and various ver. A.N.I.M.E. of the Ride Mecha that are used in the Ultra Series as closely as possible to the miniature versions, without compromising the image of the actual ride mecha used in the Ultra Series.

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