[Interview Articles] Interview with Sculptor Sugehiko and Painter ayn of "Figuarts ZERO [STARTune] NARUTO UZUMAKI -THE WILL TO HOKAGE-"

*The images displayed are of prototypes under development. They may differ from the actual finished product.

--Could you tell us about your respective areas of expertise, your backgrounds, and item you've worked on so far?

SugehikoI'm Sugehiko, and I'm in charge of creating the prototype data. Originally, in my previous job, I was in charge of designing plastic models using CAD and other software, but my desire to create figures grew stronger, so I moved to my current company, Sparrow Co., Ltd.
Up until now, I've mainly been in charge of creating prototypes for female characters in prize item such as Ichiban Kuji. I also work on prototypes for character-based plastic model kits.

aynHi, I'm Ayn, and I'm in charge of coloring. I went to an art university where I did everything from sculpting with clay and plaster to coloring. Because of that background, when I first joined the company I was in charge of polishing the prototypes, but when the coloring team was formed within the company, I volunteered to join.
Up until now, my main role has been coloring female characters for prize item such as Ichiban Kuji.

—Could you tell us how you came to be in charge of this item?

SugehikoA list of new projects is shared through the company's internal system, and this product project was among them. I'm a huge fan of 'NARUTO,' so I raised my hand and said I wanted to do it.

ayn: When a project is registered in the company's system, there's a moment when everyone finds out, and if you say you want to do it at that time, there's a company-wide trend where that job gets prioritized. There's an atmosphere within the company where people who have a love for the character or a passion for the content are given the responsibility to take on the project.
I also love Naruto. We have three colorists on the team, and I asked if I could do the coloring for Naruto, and they let me.

--How long have you two been doing this job?

SugehikoYes, I've been doing it for about three years.

aynI've been on the coloring team for about two years now. If you include the initial polishing period, it's a little longer than that...

Planning staffYou're both so young, yet your experience, skills, and talent are incredible!

—I understand that there were virtually no changes made to the "NARUTO UZUMAKI" part of the main body, even during the supervision stage.

Planning staffI sent them the original illustration and asked them to create the prototype, but they basically delivered it in this form right from the start (laughs).

—That's amazing in its own way (laughs).

Planning staff: There was just one thing, the arms, which were initially a bit thinner and had a somewhat feminine image, so I think I asked if they could be made to look a bit more rugged.

Sugehiko: That's right. Other than that, we didn't really receive any other significant comments.
When we were creating this, we also studied existing products, and in particular, we thought about how to approach the wrinkles. I think fans have seen a lot of past item. So, we discussed and decided whether to make the wrinkles sharp and tight, or to make them look like the kind of airy wrinkles you see in "Naruto."

Planning staffI was exploring things like whether to insert them in a fairly crisp manner, and what kind of shape would be best.

SugehikoThat's about it for the Naruto figure itself; I'd say we spent more time on the base, especially with the initial balance adjustments and other details.

Planning staffYes, that's right. I remember we went through several iterations of the Hokage Rock, including changing its size. Initially, you created it as a straight line, and then I asked you to add some perspective and round it off, and we finally settled on this shape. Having made that request, I have to say, creating perspective digitally is difficult, isn't it?

Sugehiko: I thought it was really difficult (laughs).
I've always been researching and working on how to create perspectives for vignette-style figures.
Also, I redesigned the faces of each Hokage several times.

Planning staffThank you. Since there are essentially six faces, it's a pretty voluminous prototype, isn't it?

SugehikoYes, that's right. Not just the size, but also the orientation. I remember discussing how each one looked from the direction it was facing.
Initially, I made all the bridge sections the same thickness, but later I incorporated a technique of gradually tapering them. I also lined up identical cylindrical yen, but I learned that to create a perspective effect, I needed to vary the thickness, and I made it while learning along the way.

Planning staff:thank you.

—And once the prototype was finalized, you moved on to the coloring process. Did you have any ideas about how you were going to paint it?

aynWhen I received the request, I was given illustrations, animation setting drawings, and scene cuts, and I was given free rein to work from there.
I felt that I had to do my best to get as close as possible to the atmosphere of the original illustration. I compared it to other "NARUTO" series figures that have already been released, and since the hair color and clothing colors are different in each one, I was thinking about which one would be the closest to the original illustration and the original design.

Planning staff: I believe, at the very beginning, they kindly added shadows to everything for us.
Due to cost considerations, we gradually added shadow around the face, thinning it out as we went down. I specifically requested that they not add any shadow below the height of this handrail.

aynYes, that's right. When I added the brush, I was wondering how much brushing I should do, so I just went all out and added as much as I could!

Planning staffWhen I first saw the painted version, I was amazed at how incredibly close it was to the anime's colors (laughs).

ayn:thank you.
I received a request to make the shadows on the clothes a bit sharper. So I applied the shadows from slightly below to give them a sharper look. I applied them quite firmly, following the shape of the fabric.

Planning staff: Since it's a male character and not a beautiful girl figure, I requested that the skin be painted in solid color.

aynYes, that's right. It's kind of reddish-brown, or rather, it's a unique skin tone.
I proceeded with the design while experimenting, thinking that these were colors that even a typical boy character wouldn't usually use.

Planning staff: That's what you say, but I felt like the coloring came in incredibly quickly.

aynIt was about two days in reality.

Planning staff: That was quick! I thought I'd just requested some adjustments to the wrists and such, but then they brought the painted version along with the output. I was like, "Huh? That was fast!"

aynI did paint the base and other parts as I made them, but I had prepared the colors for the main body in advance, so in terms of the time it took to paint it, it was about two days.
I did a lot of preparation beforehand for the colors of the clothes and hair. They're all quite distinctive colors, but I spent a lot of time thinking about the hair color in particular. I wiped various shades of yellow onto leftover hair parts from other characters, wiped off the brush colors as well, and considered how to balance the overall look.

Planning staff: I see! So the reason it was so quick was because you had given it thorough consideration beforehand.

—Do you share the production process within your company?

aynI don't bring the finished colored artwork in to show anyone, but once it's done, I take a picture of it and share it on our company's communication tool.
People who are involved in the original creations often tell me that their channel is really fun (laughs).
I'm glad to hear that you're looking forward to it.

SugehikoThere's a bit of a gap between when the CG is approved and when the painted prototype is made, and I look forward to it the whole time. I'm excited to see how it will turn out, and that's partly what motivates me.
There's a channel where people share things like "We've finalized the prototype like this," and they share it there.

Planning staff: So, do you solicit people who would like to color this?

ayn: We have an environment where we can check what kind of coloring projects will come in the future, so if there are any requests for what kind of coloring we want to do, I adjust the schedule so that people who want to do it can do it where they want to.

Planning staffIt's similar to when you receive the prototype; you start with a certain level of prior arrangement, like "this person is in charge of the prototype," and "this person is in charge of the coloring."

—What were your impressions of the concept behind the new line in Figuarts ZERO series called "STARTune"?

SugehikoActually, I wasn't told at first that I'd be playing a character on par with SON GOKU from Dragon Ball or Luffy from One Piece. I thought it was just a new series of Naruto or something. Now I'm so happy to be able to play one of the main characters!

ayn: If I had known from the beginning that it was the main character's item, I might have been a little nervous and stiff (laughs).

Planning staff: On the contrary, I'm glad I didn't tell them (laughs).

—Could you tell us about any particular points that you both focused on?

Sugehiko: I put a lot of effort into the base, or rather, the Hokage Rock, so I have a lot of attachment to it. When I was changing it from a straight line to the current curve, I struggled with the lines, or rather, the context and relationships between them...

Planning staff: If that's true, then it's a straight line, isn't it? In the original work, they're lined up side by side in a straight line.
I made a rather difficult request, asking them to curve the shape without ruining that image (laughs).

Sugehiko: I couldn't curve the face, so I had to experiment to figure out what to do (laughs).

Planning staff: It's wonderful how they've managed to create such a perfect balance and height, allowing you to clearly see all the previous Hokage from between Naruto's legs.

SugehikoThank you. Also, the wrinkles in the clothes are a detail I pay particular attention to.

Planning staff: I really like the sense of dynamism, the way the clothes and the strings of the headband are fluttering, not just from the front.

Sugehiko: I'm so happy that you've applied so much eyeshadow; it really makes my wrinkles stand out.

ayn: For me, it's the hair color. While I was coloring it, I kept thinking, "This is so Naruto!" (laughs).

Planning staffIt's amazing how vibrant the colors are, even though there are no fluorescent colors in it. It's very "Naruto-esque."

ayn:thank you.

—Do you have any recommended ways for users to display their items?

SugehikoWe've put a lot of effort into making it so that it can be viewed from various angles, not just from the front, so we'd be happy if you could display it in a showcase where it can be seen from any direction.

aynI usually keep my figures out of the sun to prevent them from getting sunburnt, but since this one is a beautifully finished diorama, I would be happy if you could display it near a window or so that the sky is behind the figure!

SugehikoAlso, the original illustration is from a slightly low angle, so it would be nice to display it in a high place so that people can look up at it from below.

--Finally, could you both tell us again what you think are the appealing aspects of "Figuarts ZERO [STARTune] NARUTO UZUMAKI -THE WILL TO HOKAGE-"?

SugehikoI put a lot of effort into recreating the memorable illustration that I think everyone is familiar with, so I hope you'll take a look at it from various angles.

aynI love "NARUTO," and I worked hard to color it as close to the original as possible, so I think it would be really fun to compare it to the original illustration. In the illustration, you can only see it from the front, so I hope you'll imagine what it might have actually looked like from the side, and I'd be happy if you actually held it in your hands and turned it around to look at it.

--Thank you very much.

"Figuarts ZERO [STARTune] NARUTO UZUMAKI -THE WILL TO HOKAGE-" Scheduled for release in January 2027

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• View the 'Figuarts ZERO' series page.

*The images displayed are of prototypes under development. They may differ from the actual finished product.