I translated the interview with the anime’s producer, Uryuu Kyouko, from this issue of LisOuef.
IMPLIED SPOILER WARNING: PLEASE SKIP THE ANSWER TO THE FIRST QUESTION IF YOU ARE ANIME-ONLY AND TRYING TO STAY COMPLETELY SPOILER-FREE.
Producer Uryuu Kyouko has longed for the anime adaptation of BANANA FISH, a famous work long considered to be impossible to animate.The thing that supported her in her passion was the “never give up” way of living that Ash taught us. I asked her about behind the scenes on production and her feelings.
--Please tell me again about the path you took leading up to the anime adaptation of Banana Fish.
I first encountered the manga when I was a college student, when I borrowed it from a friend and ended up reading almost the whole thing in one sitting. At the time, it had already been quite a while since the series had come to a conclusion, but the title was still famous, and I imagine it was in the home of anybody who had an older brother or sister. I really loved detective stories and mysteries like Kaoru Takamura's "Fly with the gold," so I got totally sucked into Banana Fish as a mystery, wanting to know how things would unfold and enjoying how it developed. But in the end, what really moved me was seeing the instant of Ash's blaze burning out, or should I say it was seeing how his way of living seemed to be a single, shining moment. Banana Fish was a big hit in my class, too, with boys and girls of all ages, and it gave the strong impression of being a work of art that could move anyone.
I first started to make moves towards turning it into an anime right after I was transferred into the production department, so I think it must've been in 2013. I managed to catch someone from the publisher during a meeting for something else, and I told them that I absolutely wanted to do this, no matter what. First, they were really surprised that I immediately went for Banana Fish. It had already been so long since it was in publication, and it was something that had never been turned into an anime or movie of any kind. But I told them I was determined to do it and asked them to at least let me write a proposal. What I put out ended up basically being a love letter to Banana Fish explaining how I'd come across it, what made it so spectacular, and what I wanted to express by turning it into an anime. And I thought that Yoshida-sensei probably isn't someone who really watches anime, so I put together a compilation of the company's latest anime to show her that all kinds of things are possible in modern animation. I was desperate just to have her become even a little bit optimistic about seeing Banana Fish turned into an anime; that would've been enough to make me happy.
--I admire your passion from the bottom of my heart. I also heard that you rather like Yue-Lung Lee.
I think that I really like people who keep struggling toward things that they can't hope to reach, people who refuse to give up. Ash is like that, too. But Ash is searching for things like freedom and unconditional love, things that put him closer to something higher. Yue-Lung is closer to being a spoiled brat, and I think it makes him feel more human. He's smart like Ash and lives in a similar environment, but Ash has something that he doesn't, and it makes him both jealous and resentful. That's all the more reason Yue-Lung can't stand Eiji. Yue-Lung has all kinds of skills himself, but maybe I kind of get the feeling that he's close to what the rest of us are like despite that. There are a lot of scenes where he's angry, so the director is always checking in with me about the nuance involved. In contrast to that, there are times when her direction is like, I want this to feel like more of a harsh anger. (laughs) On the other hand, we're always talking about things like how we want Yue-Lung to approach Sing with a different kind of energy.
--The characters definitely show different sides of themselves depending on their relationships with others.
That's the main focus in directing, too. All of the staff have a solid grasp of the core characters, so there's hardly ever any talk like, "Ash isn't like this" or "Eiji isn't like this." The kind of things that get discussed are more like, "I want him to sound a little more gentle when he's talking with him," "I want him to talk like he's acting like a big brother," or "this makes them feel too close, so I want them to have a slightly more reserved atmosphere."
--Do you have any stories from when you were deciding on the cast?
We spent the most time on Ash and Eiji, of course. And we were really picky about the auditions for Shorter, too. For Max, after the director had seen some footage, she suddenly said, "We've got a Max." At the recording studio, whenever Hirata-san talks it puts everyone at ease. And the process of seeing him grow closer to Ash--or should I say Uchida-san-- is similar to Banana Fish. Hirata-san told me that at first, he didn't really talk much with Uchida-san, and Uchida-san himself was rather prickly, like he'd been possessed by Ash, but as they go out to eat together and see each other week after week on the job, you can feel them growing closer in their exchanges in front of the mic, too. In Banana Fish, there are scenes where the 2 of them are pretending to be father and son, but seeing them interact really brings that picture to mind.
--I'm looking forward to seeing Toshiyuki Morikawa make his appearance as Blanca after this, too.
Morikawa-san was specifically requeseted for the role, and this was part of the director's image for things, too. Just the other day, we had the recording session for the episode when Blanca appears. We had him do takes emphasizing adult sexuality, but the performance that Morikawa-san created of someone who still has something that he's hiding was just perfect. There are still a lot of things that I can't say about Blanca, but I want you to look forward to seeing him appear.
--The combination of Yue-Lung and Sing is nice, too. I really get the feeling that Fukuyama Jun-san (Yue-Lung) is looking forward to seeing Shoya Chiba's young talent develop.
We did auditions for the role of Sing as well, but he's the youngest character out of the main cast, so we wanted to give importance to the feeling that although he can't hope to beat Ash, he's someone who will one day bear the weight of the Chinese mafia and has a bright future ahead of him. Chiba-san's straightforward attitude was really the perfect fit. He left a big impression with how hard he was trying among all these veteran performers. Uchida-san thinks the same thing. The earnest way he does his best to push aside the pressure makes him look like Ash, which is strange. They're getting closer, too, which is interesting.
--When it comes to recording, you and the director Utsumi Hiroko-san are basically put in the same role.
Yes. The sound director, Yamada Haru-san, will take our really nuanced requests for something like "say it more sweetly," and break it down for the cast. Even when it comes to requests that aren't by the book at all, he's flexible in how he deals with them. There are tons of discussions based on the director's visual image for things, so Yamada-san is challenged in a lot of ways, too. Even when it comes to picking music for a single scene, there are times when he'll have all these different possibilities ready for the director and she instantly goes, "This is all wrong." (laughs)
--How did Shinichi Osawa come to be picked for the music?
When we went to pick a composer for the score, we decided we wanted someone who wouldn't give off a really strong impression that this was for an anime. Osawa-san was picked as the person closest to the image the director wanted after he showed her examples of music in a variety of genres. The director is the type who has images come to mind first. First she has a scene that she wants to see, and then she starts to gather things for that. I think the sounds come into play during that, too.
--Do you have a particular song or setting for music that you like?
I have to say I really like the violin songs done in Yue-Lung's image. I particularly like the song "Lunar Shackles" that's for Yue-Lung and Shorter. Just like in the scene in the OP where Yue-Lung is getting involved with Shorter, it's a song in the image of him getting involved in his life.
--You said that Osawa-san and the director had a lot of discussions. Including Yamada-san, where there any parts of your team that went through changes?
I think there are quite a few. First, in the beginning we were talking about the music and discussing whether or not it fit a scene or feeling. There are scenes that are serious, but the characters are having fun in it, right? For example, when Eiji is doing a high jump in the 2nd episode. The music that Yamada-san first brought for the scene was a normal, serious song because it was an escape scene. If you look at it objectively as a scene, that would've been a good choice. However, the director said that during that scene, Ash was feeling excitement. In the end, we ended up using the song "Leaper" that's like the sun pouring down. Although it's probably a song that Osawa-san made while thinking of LA. (laughs) And for the scene where Shorter dies, the director said that she wanted to have a beautiful waltz playing, so Osawa-san made "The Last Waltz" for her. Now Osawa-san isn't making music for a broader concept, but for each and every specific order.
--So there are getting to be more songs than what's included on the soundtrack.
There are. I've never personally ordered so many songs for so many little separate things, so I was worried if it would really be OK, but Osawa-san was kind enough to say, "It'll help me come up with an image if I have visuals, so even if I have to break up my work, let's do it that way." We were so grateful to him. I seriously don't even know how many times we dragged him into a meeting. We've really been saved by how many people were willing to take things on in a positive way. And we're using the opening and ending songs inside the show itself, but I think it's because we had everyone's cooperation that we were able to express things in a good way.
--It really gets you fired up to see a special ending like in episode 1 and 10.
Even from the scripting stage, we'd decided on the music to some extent, so from the very beginning we explained that to the music artists for the OP/ED. In particular, the ending on episode 5 was an acoustic version. The director didn't want a lot of music during that scene, and she said she wanted the sadness of the guitar, so she had the artist work with that. Right now the music artists for the second season are in the middle of production, but we're getting more great songs.
--I can sense everyone's love for the project. Now that you've come this far from your feelings about the original manga, what do you think it is that you want to give the most importance to and convey to people?
I know I started off talking about Ash's way of life, but I always wanted to depict the way he never gives up on the things that he wants and the way he faces his problems. So I basically want to depict Ash. I want to show him as he continues to struggle. There are things that Ash can't get even as someone who has everything, and I'd love if it comes across just how much he's saved by Eiji's existence. We're extremely particular about Ash and Eiji's time together and their interactions, from the script to recording. The story is packed with content, so we know the anime is too short to cover it all. But we just can't cut down on their scenes together, and that balance is the one thing we're very careful about. I get the feeling that the staff as a whole was always talking about what they could do to preserve that. In the anime, there are more scenes where we have to show explanatory text as a visual, but they're a result of trial and error to make sure the scenes are accurately depicting Ash and Eiji's time together and their state of mind.
In the 2nd half of the anime in particular, there are going to be more scenes that happen sooner or later than they do in the original manga. But if you think an important scene has been cut, there are times when it'll unexpectedly come up later, so I hope you can put your mind at ease and watch to the end.
--What do you think of the reaction of new fans and the younger generation?
This is quite timely, but when I was on my way to the office today, I heard from an old underclassman from college asking, "Are you involved with Noitamina? 'Banana Fish' is totally interesting." I'm happy to see that reaction from people who've never read the manga. Banana Fish is an overwhelmingly famous work, so I thought that everyone had already read it, but of course that's not the case. That's all the more reason I want young people to see it now and take a look at the original manga, too. Even if you know the manga, there are new emotions with the anime. The angel statue in episode 9, that wasn't in the script, it was the director's original staging, but when I saw it in the storyboard I almost cried.
--The anime broadcast is about to reach a turning point. Please tell us some standout points in the upcoming developments.
In the second half, you have Ash and Eiji having heart-to-heart talks, and their faith in each other grows deeper and deeper. There are more scenes digging up Ash's upbringing and feelings, but we're putting a lot of power into it, so we want everyone to really savor it. And then there's Blanca. Please look forward to seeing this new character appear. And then the battle scene with Arthur in episode 13 is really something. The visuals in the OP for the first season were made with the image of episode 13 in mind. There are a lot of scenes that link up, and I think it's fun to spot where different parts from the OP fit in. And then I hope people can watch and get a feeling for why Arthur is so fixated on his hatred for Ash. Hosoya Yoshimasa-san's Arthur is really popular with guys, and all the male staff are always talking passionately about him, and that love has been included. (laughs) Banana Fish is a work that you can best understand the brilliance of only after you've seen it through to the end. There's a full season left now, so I really hope that people will stick with it to the end.
