In commemoration of the commercialization of "Tamashii SPEC Black Sarena" for the first time in five years, we interviewed director Tatsuo Sato, who worked on "Martian Successor Nadesico-The prince of darkness-" (1998 theatrical release).

"Soul SPEC Black Sarena -FIERCE BATTLE-" is, the normal version, through the clear version, 3 version eyes of this gorgeous color version. Sato The director, along with the latest version of Black Sarena, we were talking about work.

■ Looking at the three-dimensional, the Aestivalis have been hidden in the Barebare!

- "Soul SPEC Black Sarena -FIERCE BATTLE-" or impressions are you feeling you have in front of the eyes?

As I thought when I saw the normal version, my first impression was "Well done" (laughs). It's been years since the The Movie release, so I don't mind spoiling it, but in the final battle, Black Sarena purges (separates) the armor, and Aestivalis appears from inside. . Anime is still a "picture", so there are parts that are vague, including the part where he wears clogs on his feet. I was wondering what would happen to each armor when it was actually made into a three-dimensional figure, but it might be rude to say "unexpected", but it was reproduced in a pretty cool way, so it's amazing.

- As seen from the director, the attractions of the "soul SPEC Black Sarena" is?

Point is I'm the barrel part of the so-called arms. At that time (as is black Sarena contents do not know the Aestivalis) in order to avoid the spoilers of the last, both arms in the play is I've been painted in a dark color different from the Aestivalis. However, since the time of commercialization is longer spoilers, of course, but it is a point high place that is a color ring of Aestivalis. Look good if it is Aestivalis is known to cause do I Do with. And dropped or color in the shadow, and pretty But painstakingly had been or, again (a three-dimensional object) to witness Barebare (laughs).
This version I think I've been also changed the color of the Aestivalis?

- Normal version color ring seems Aestivalis after purging the exterior, in the dark tone of purple when it is covered in armor in clear version, this is the middle of the image. By the way, the exterior of the Black Sarena and High Mobility unit, has become a gorgeous color version.

Do you surface treatment has changed from previous versions? I think you the difference is I feel a little.

- In this version, we have to express the fierce battle of the atmosphere of Black Sarena. Originally, How can damage representation part of the armor has been shaping the set image as a reference, this time has been added to the paint in silver at the wound.

Certainly in the play, I because we are increasingly more and more damage. During the production, becomes the story to say that it would be useless and there is no set of damage, we had to make the setting screen. But drawing was very (laughs).

- At the same, the red part has issued a gorgeous feeling put metallic. Setting of ...... but the difference from the color specified.

Of unique when you three-dimensional, such production would ought there.

- In, in hand actually a commodity, whether there is such a pause to be reproduced?

On the structure, because it is not a mechanism to be too mobile, it is a flight pose fundamentally will be upright, but ...... stoop. In the play, really since the end of last only fight wearing a foot on the ground in the land battle, it basic is still flying pose. Because there is a pedestal, because it is determined to good feeling.
When I received an earlier version of the product samples, it was also reproduce the flight pose.

- It is a reproduction pause of what if there is a pedestal. Even when the "soul SPEC Black Sarena -FIERCE BATTLE-" was released, please try the various display means.

It is fun.

■ Black design concept of Sarena is still "armor"

- Black Sarena, please tell us about your favorite scene in the movie.

It is where you fly around in the colony was purged the High Mobility unit. Composition is simple, I think that it has become a picture making really black Sarena it seems atmosphere.

- In the first half in the play, it is a scene that has been chased by Ryoko machine.

Original picture of the neighborhood is Kise Kazuya Mr. It is (※ current Production IG director / "Ghost in the Shell ARISE" general director). Ryoko machine is subjective, wide-angle camera work was a characteristic. Looks distorted gun barrel, you have black Sarena to its destination.

- I this scene, it was at the time of the previous re-master of saying the "I want you to also watch fine detail."

Yeah. (Aircraft color of black Sarena) Black is also not just a black, but was supposed to be black that looks firmly in space, that's the beginning of mastering technology, there was a limit to the recall. When it was HD re-mastered, it was again adjusted. We mecha are people of good animator I was me really hard the drawing, at the time, because "even hard! Visible in the movie theater," was also like a voice out of them. Now looks perfect in the Blu-ray version!

- Black Sarena is cool mysterious feeling of "black".

If it would have been difficult to realize After that it appeared on TV. Black looks Nakara no good, I like. But TV series also including, mecha was relatively free. So Aestivalis is I'm pink (laughs).

- In the design of the black Sarena also, relatively freely?

"Ze's armor!" After all, as a concept and. In the shoulder of the armor accents, if really to tackle strength likely, that. At the time, it is because there was no shoulder of rugged mechanical. In armor-oriented, mecha has undergone a tremendous evolution ...... "than that it degenerate?" In place to say that, I wanted to put out a last-minute sense of fight in one or bees.

- And say the battle of feeling the last minute, it is a battle scene of the last of the black Sarena and night sky light.

To become a quickly ending blow deadly like a battle, it had decided from the beginning. It even, black Sarena than the battle scene itself, and the depiction of such appearance and purge to darker.

- Scene to purge the armor in the duel was also impressive.

That you have to purge the first of the High Mobility unit, I'm the final of armor in the battle purge, the feelings of each case Akito in each case are muffled. Around here I think that can produce dramatic.

- "No matter Matoo armor, weakness of the heart can not keep" in the Beichen fought Akito was also dialogue that.

But I finally I have won the armor (laughs).

- If the current, if want to again produce a black Sarena, How are you?

So much trouble there is a leg, you want to effectively taking advantage of the leg. However, at that time, but was said to be in Myoju Maeda mechanical Saku監, and "because there is no ankle joint, this is I do not let walk." It even, since the end of combat is also the place that was decided in the moment (laughs).

■Continued to make it feverishly, the culmination of which is this The Movie of Nadesico

--Please tell us about The Movie" Martian Successor Nadesico-The prince of darkness-".

At that time, it was my first mecha work, so I didn't have any theory because I had no experience with mecha. Including that area, I continued to make it feverishly, and the culmination of that is this The Movie of Nadesico. In that sense, it is a very impressive work. Before I knew it, I was being evaluated by people around me, so I thought I could do something about it (laughs).

- So, then, the influence on the ones Sato mecha director has worked?

I agree. While piloting a mass-produced aircraft, it would be strange to say what kind of passion the pilot has, but drama is born around whether he has "feelings". If the mecha plays an active role in the flow of the story, in a sense the mecha will also act. Partly because the younger generation has little interest in robots these days, they have moved away from full-fledged robot works, but the mecha operation in "Moupai" (*"Bodacious Space Pirates") follows the flow of Nadesico. I think I am. There was also "Lagrange: The Flower of Rin-ne", but it was a little different in terms of route.

- Whether it was the revival screenings also the topic of last year December 2013, did you think anew watch?

Looking at the 5.1-channel at the theater of the big screen, I think there was still spread. Picture also you are beautiful. Perhaps HD was poured into re-mastering to large screen, is this is not the first time? It is impressive even as a work of the last period as cell animation.

- It was a 1998 work. In the move it is so mechanical hand-painted, was phenomenal as well as at that time.

Back then, it's animator had really cling to the picture. Because it can not be expressed and not still drawn. Although you can Nari substitute texture now, the texture of the hand-painted cel animation unique is but it is unique. This is a place that can not be in the now of the digital, or rather lost technology (laughs)

- I think there is a difference in movement in the cell and the digital.

Not a movement to calculate the trajectory of 3DCG, the curve of the human senses, or to say that exercise curve, the movement of the cell is unique. Certainly it is hard to work by hand, I think I was able to do anything if Egakere by hand to reverse.
It may be big that it became CG and it became possible to rotate the camera position freely. It's not easy for ordinary people to turn (the camera position) while moving. An animator like Ichiro Itano (*an animator whose representative works include Mobile Suit Gundam and The Super Dimension Fortress Macross; his unique battle scenes are known as the Itano Circus). I was made by nature.

- Do you have difficulty of the current digital sound in reverse?

Fast ones, what light is to be reproduced at a considerable level in 3DCG, but those rugged, looks difficult representation of the heavy ones. Black is such Sarena now, if expressed in digital, I feel that that becomes lighter when compared to the cell. What there is honest to say ...... should I.

- It was in the previous story, but it is difficult in even digital cel unique movement.

How can I close to the hand-painted, even CG, we try every day. It may be reproduced if it is now of digital technology, but there are still of schedule and machine power problem. And software. After all, is limited by the beyond the ability of the people will come out clearly.

- But it was the neighborhood is now challenges.

Because digital is moving fast, or if there is obsession, such as say, "Do not If you do not always move", but it is do too much to move absolutely. Well, Do not if it is like a place "stop and settle for" of cell animation era, and. Further from there, it has been trial and error trying to do that was not possible in the cell animation. Does not put follow the expression to say that quite "Kore each!" .......
If you can do something new, you might change the animation world.

──Thank you very much.

[In March certain day XEBEC]