The Mysterious Joker Booklet, which was released exclusively with the 2020 Miracle Campaign Blu-ray box set, has been scanned and uploaded. Feel free to view and download here:
Archive.org | Google Drive | Mediafire | Mega
Always completely free to use and reupload, no credit needed.
A cleaned up machine translation of a late 2018 interview. Please note that due to the nature of machine translation, though the blog runner has attempted to make sure the core message was kept, might not be wholly accurate in all places.
(Near the end of the interview there is a brief, slightly suggestive topic, for those who might like the warning)
Joker, the main character of the very popular manga/anime "Kaitou Joker," celebrated his birthday on December 11!
To commemorate Joker's birthday, CoroCoro Online invited the director of the anime, Yukiyo Teramoto, the character designer and chief animation director, Miho Shimogasa, and a manga artist, Miki Aihara, who is a big fan of the work, to join us for a special round-table discussion!
The content of the discussion is a must-see for fans of "Kaitou Joker," including secret production stories that will be revealed for the first time, recommended characters, introduction of favorite scenes, and more!
(List of interlocuters)
Yukiyo Teramoto (Director)
Major works include "Doraemon the Movie: Nobita and the Steel Troops: The New Age" (director, storyboard).
Miho Shimogasa (Character Designer, Chief Animation Director)
Major works include "Demashita! Power Puff Girls Z" and "Battle Spirits: Shonen Toppai Bashin" (Character Design, Chief Animation Director).
Miki Aihara (Manga Artist)
Currently serializing "5:00 to 9:00" (dramatized in 2015) in "Cheese!" (Shogakukan); a live-action film of her book "Hot Gimmick" is scheduled for release in 2019. She is a big fan of "Kaitou Joker"!
--Please begin by introducing yourself.
Director Yukiyo Teramoto (hereafter, Teramoto): My name is Teramoto, and I was the director of the animation "Kaitou Joker". It has already been two years since the broadcast ended. I look forward to working with you today.
Miho Shimogasa (Shimogasa): My name is Miho Shimogasa, and I was the character designer and supervising animator. I have been working on Joker-related projects until recently, so it doesn't seem like much time has passed.
Miki Aihara (Aihara): I am Aihara, a fan of "Kaitou Joker". I am ashamed to say that it was right around this time last year when I saw the work for the first time. I started watching "Countdown Television (Episode 33)" on Kids Station, in which a boy in a wheelchair (Kyotaro Hayami) confronts Joker, and I was shocked to see so many good-looking boys in this anime! I was shocked. From there, I was hooked and watched the entire season on Amazon. The kids in the show are really cool!
Teramoto: Thank you very much. I am glad to hear that.
--I had the impression that the staff of the anime "Kaitou Joker" was assembled with a great deal of love. Could you tell us how the decision to make the anime was made and how the staff came together?
Teramoto: I was invited by the producers and other people I worked with on "Doraemon the Movie" and other projects. To be honest, when I heard about the project, I was nervous about what would happen. But when I saw the characters drawn by Shimogasa-san, I thought, "They look cool, this could work, this animation is going to be great!" I was really impressed. I was won over by her drawings. I am very grateful to have been invited to such a happy place.
--How did you feel when you were first asked to work on it?
Shimogasa: I had never heard of "Kaitou Joker" at the time, so I immediately read the original story. The original work was really interesting, so I thought I could make this with confidence. The original design was unique and very good, so I took advantage of Hideyasu Takahashi's design for the original work and added my own taste for the anime. If you take off the back cover of the comic book cover, you will find a lot of stuff, and it is fun to find important information written on the edge of the comic panels♪
Teramoto: Animation is not a stop-motion picture, it has to move, so at first the people on the drawing site said there were too many lines, and it looked like a lot of work. However, as we continued, the people on the production side were attracted to the work and the number of fans increased, and they came to us and said, "Please let me draw!" Everyone drew with love.
Aihara: I really feel that when I watched the animation.
Teramoto: For our part, we were really happy to see the scene getting more and more exciting. Incidentally, there is also an animator who took part in Takahashi-san's autograph session because they liked it so much.
--How was Takahashi Sensei involved in the project?
Teramoto: Takahashi-san is a very open-minded person, and he allowed us to work freely. Of course, the original work is very interesting, but we tried to make the most of it by asking him, "Is it OK if we do this a little bit here? He would say, "That's totally OK." As a creator, I really appreciated it, and when we were allowed to do what we wanted to do, the excitement at the site increased. That is why everyone was so enthusiastic about making the show.
--I'm sure that the love put into the work was also felt by him, and that's why he approved of the project.
Teramoto: That's right. I have already put a lot of respect and love into this work!
--What was your impression of the work from the viewpoint of the anime viewer?
Aihara: In addition to the underlying goodness of the characters, I thought the animation had a great tempo and the scenes moved from one to the next in a great way.
Teramoto: Thank you very much.
Aihara: I was amazed that you were able to fit so much fun into 30 minutes.
Teramoto: Actually, there was a scene where we had to cut the ending because we couldn't fit it all in.
Aihara: Yes. If you cut out the end animation sequence, it's going to be a long extra animation of about 90 seconds, so it's hard work. Still, it's amazing that you didn't sacrifice the story, or more that you prioritized the quality of the work. Also, the last episode of season 4 is memorable. The characters and production were really cool, and the content was jam-packed. Teramoto-san was in charge of parts other than directing, right?
Teramoto: Yes, that's right. I was doing the storyboarding and directing, and I was thinking, "Oh, I can't make it in time, but I don't want to lose quality…" and I remember working really hard on the production.
Aihara: It was a very cool episode!
--What do you think is the reason for the large number of female fans?
Teramoto: After reading the original work, I wondered what kind of people were the fans, so I asked around. Then I found out that there were also other female fans, and I thought, "I see!" So I made it so that female fans would like this part of Joker, while at the same time keeping the goodness of the shonen manga in mind, so that everyone would be happy. I think the reason why the female fans liked it so much was because Shimogasa's drawings are so cute
--Shimogasa-san, do you have a favorite character in your mind?
Shimogasa: I love them all! I love them all - !!!! I can't choose one.
Aihara: They're all cool, aren't they?
Shimogasa: What I enjoy drawing are the 'bad' expressions on each character's face. Oh, there was also this idea of Professor Clover having blond hair, which I wanted to draw.
Aihara: By the way, did you create the original anime character, President D (leader of the mysterious organization "Devil Fang"), from the beginning of the design process? I was really surprised to see that Dump, originally fat, appeared incredibly handsome.
Teramoto: Although I had asked for a handsome design, when I actually received the first rough sketch (of President D) from Shimogasa-san, I thought, "Wow! I didn't expect it to be this beautiful!" I was stunned.
Shimogasa: I drew 4 patterns of President D. I kept the lingering effects of the old dump in his eyes and clothes. One of them was chosen by the staff. Actually, I wanted to include the missing teeth of Dump, but that was too much, so I dropped it. However, I wanted to add the freckles that were on Dump, so I added them to the President D so that they were barely visible in important scenes.
Teramoto: You can see them when he is crying, can't you?
Shimogasa: Yes, when he was crying.
Aihara: Great rare information. I see.
Shimogasa: I also think the best part of Dump was the scene where he cries and says, "You're the only person I had to talk to!" …… I had dared to draw that crying face in President D and hoped the director would realize it, and she did just that.
Teramoto: Perfect.
Aihara: The crying scene was really cute!
--Do you have a favorite character, Aihara-san?
Aihara: Joker-san, I think. I like Phoenix (a phantom thief who manipulates flames. He is aiming at Hosshi, a mysterious creature, and comes after Joker), but I think Joker is really cool. The opening scene when he comes down from above and flips his cape is really cool. I tend to fast-forward through anime openings when I want to watch it in one sitting, but I couldn't do that with this one.
Shimogasa: I couldn't either.
Aihara: That's right, the notices change every time, too. (In the opening, the contents of the notice that appeared in the middle of the show changed each time.)
Teramoto: That was fun, even for those who were involved in making it.
Aihara: It was really a very nice production. It included lines related to that particular episode. It was also cool to go to the chorus one more time.
Teramoto: There used to be an anime called "Aoki Ryusei SPT Layzner," and in the middle of the opening episode, there was a digest-like line for each episode. I liked that direction and thought it was interesting. I think "Layzner" was the inspiration for this piece.
Aihara: I didn't expect Layzner. So that's how it was.
-- So, which character is Director Teramoto's favorite?
Teramoto: I like Silver Heart (Joker's mentor. He appeared in the first episode as a commentator). It seemed to be difficult to come up with a story for the commentary section each time, but all the scenario writers enjoyed coming up with ideas, and the scenario meetings were very lively.
Aihara: I was expecting Silver Heart's commentary, but instead, "What? This time we got Spade!" I was sometimes surprised.
Teramoto: It was also interesting to have a different person in the room every once in a while.
Aihara: It was really very detailed.
Teramoto: Also, although he may not be popular as a character, I loved Mr. Kaneari (a wealthy man who repeatedly challenges Joker).
Aihara: Great! Around Mr. Kaneari, I was surprised that Kaneko, the beautiful secretary, was transformed into a super-tall commando killer (a powerful woman who participated in the "Bride Grand Prix" to determine Mr. Kaneari's wife).
Teramoto: Actually, Commando Satsuko was not in the original work when we started working on the anime. So we gave Kaneari a secretary named Kaneko, who was original to the anime. Then, that strong character (Commando Satsuko) suddenly appeared in the original work, and she married Kaneari. I was so surprised. I wondered what to do with Kaneko's position. So, out of sheer desperation, Commando Satsuko emerged from Kaneko.
Aihara: No, but it is wonderful.
Teramoto: Rather, Takahashi-sensei is wonderful for allowing that.
--Did Takahashi-sensei give you an immediate OK at that time as well?
Teramoto: He said, "That's interesting."
Aihara: That's amazing, isn't it?
Teramoto: He's too open-minded, isn't he?
Shimogasa: Conversely, there were times when Takahashi-sensei would reimport elements from the anime.
Teramoto: Yes, that's right. Like the design of the Sky Joker (*a large airship and one of Joker's vehicles).
Shimogasa: When I saw his work, I was surprised and said, "Oh my gosh!?"
Aihara: Was the original Sky Joker originally designed differently?
Teramoto: Yes, it was. But Mr. Takahashi liked the anime design very much, and during the serialization, the previous airship was seriously damaged, and the design was changed to the same as the anime one the following month.
Aihara: Sensei's really cool.
Teramoto: I was surprised when I was reading the original work. I was like, "It's the same as the anime!" (laughs).
--Then I would like to ask everyone, are there any times that are particularly memorable?
Teramoto: There are too many.
Aihara: All times were good, weren't they?
Teramoto: Yes, of course. The first episode, which set the initial direction, is of course memorable, though.
Shimogasa: When I saw the first episode I thought "this is good !!!!" I was impressed.
Teramoto: Thank you very much. I'm glad to hear it.
Aihara: In the events of the first anime (in the manga), I thought that Hachi (Joker's assistant) was a bit dry. But in the anime, he is "Joker, you are cool!" I felt the same way as Hachi in the anime. Also, as the story progresses, I like the fact that Hachi's cooking skills make Joker fall in love with him.
Teramoto: It's cute how Joker gradually becomes unable to be without Hachi. As for the other episodes, "Traveling Jokers (Episode 20)" was really cool.
Aihara: I understand. It is a story about Joker and Shadow (a phantom thief who looks just like Joker) who go back in time to the Edo period. The drawings were on par with those of a film version.
Teramoto: I was on the production side, but I was really impressed.
Shimogasa: I like "Traveling Jokers" too. The boiled flounder looks delicious.....
Teramoto: Also, "Idol Stage" (*Episode 22 "Clash! Idol Stage") was also interesting. Silly stories are fun.
Shimogasa: Then there was the final episode.
Teramoto: It was great to end the episode with everyone happy.
Aihara: It was really wonderful.
--What is the most memorable scene?
Aihara: There are many, but… the scene where Phoenix is captured and dressed in a tight black suit is really cool.
Shimogasa: That scene makes your heart pound, doesn't it?
Aihara: Yes, I don't know if I'm allowed to say this, but …… it's very erotic.
Shimogasa: When I saw the scenario or the storyboard, there was a scene where Phoenix was taking off (his mask and some part of his costume), and I was really happy when it was decided to draw that setting.
Teramoto: No, I really like that scene.
Shimogasa: I really like to apply it based on the basic settings. I can draw new costumes, but I also like to take off or remove something that is already on. I also really like jackets on the shoulders, or in the middle of putting it on, or just the shirt, or with the tie off, etc. I'm always waiting for a chance to draw that (laughs).
Teramoto: Joker as a character is not very revealing, so just taking off a little bit of his clothes is sexy, isn't it?
Aihara: Yes! It makes me a little excited.
Shimogasa: By the way, I also wanted to draw Spade (*Joker's rival) without his coat. …… I never had a chance.
--The voice cast was also outstanding, wasn't it?
Teramoto: I used to think that female voice actors were supposed to voice young boys, but when I heard Ayumu Murase's voice during the audition for the Joker role, I thought, "Oh, that's him!" I felt it was the right person. The staff around me also agreed that Murase would be a good choice, and the decision was made. Incidentally, Hiro Shimono, who plays the role of Spade, was chosen because he and Murase's voices would not be in the same tone when they interacted, and it would be easy to tell that he is Spade just by hearing his voice.
Aihara: Wow, I didn't realize that.
Teramoto: As for other roles… I had a very strong image of Hachi, and when I said, "I'd like to ask Yumiko Kobayashi," it was decided.
Aihara: So she was your choice.
Teramoto: I'm very grateful.
Aihara: It's a perfect fit.
Teramoto: Miyuki Sawashiro, who plays the role of Queen (a female phantom thief who trained as a phantom thief with Joker and his friends and is the granddaughter of Silver Heart), is a very busy person so her schedule did not match at first, but something happened to open up and she joined.
Shimogasa: That's really great.
Teramoto: Misaki Hisano, who plays the role of Roko-chan (a phantom thief dog who likes Queen), actually came to audition for another character, but when I heard her voice, I thought, "Maybe this is Roko-chan." So I asked her to play the role of Roko with the lines from the original story. Then, the staff around me said, "Oh, that's Roko-chan," and we decided on her for the role.
Aihara: Wow. That's how the role was decided.
--If there were enough episodes to animate, is there a story you would like to work on?
Teramoto: Of course there are. There are still many interesting stories left. If I were given the opportunity, I would like to do it. In the first place, there was talk of a Blu-ray version coming out, but it never came out, so I thought there was no chance at all. I was about to give up on it but then it finally came out, and I'm really happy.
Aihara: And the number of pre-orders will increase the number of benefits!
Teramoto: The cover illustration of the box is also very cool. They put so many characters on the box cover.
--Lastly, please give us a message to your fans on the release of the upcoming Blu-ray and DVD.
Teramoto: It might be a bit of a stretch for me to say this, but I think it's an anime that makes people very happy when they watch it. We also felt happy when we were making it, and it is a work that all the creators worked on with great love. I am sure that the enjoyment will be conveyed to everyone who watches it. It is definitely an enjoyable and fun work, and I would be delighted if you could enjoy it as many times as you like.
Shimogasa: I think it is a very enjoyable work as an animation. Recently, there are many works that are too rigid, or do not allow the characters to be broken down, but I was able to freely draw a wide range of characters for Joker. It is a great feeling for me to be able to do such a work. I hope that the audience will enjoy the movement of the characters and the direction that only anime can provide.
Aihara: Oh, um! Does it end on me? Then, let me make a slightly creepy otaku-like comment ……. The animation is fluid, and as Shimogasa-san said, the characters move a lot, so I want people who have an oblique view of children's animation to watch it and think, "This is how children's animation is supposed to be done." I want people to enjoy the animation because "Kaitou Joker" is so amazing and different. Adults can really get into it and be hooked. That's why I want not only children but also their parents' generation to watch it. I will continue to watch it. I'll watch it a lot!
--Thank you very much!
I haven't been up here in a while. I was working really hard on finishing my next Full Length play and working on my new company Interim Writers. All you playwrights out there check us out www.Interimwriters.com!
Now, as Hannukah is approaching I have been thinking a lot of a funny thing called "Christmas Spirit." I know what you are thinking... But Jewbana! You're Jewish! Yes! of course I am, which is why I feel like I need to say this. Glee totally missed an opportunity to do their Jewish characters justice this time around, and this year for Hannukah I feel like all of us Jews out there should get into the "Hannukah spirit," and no I don't mean eating tons of jelly donuts and latkes, getting drunk on manischewitz, and arguing... I mean giving gifts, and more importantly potential miracles.
Last year my younger brother did the most courageous thing I think he ever did. A few months after his cheek was swabbed for Gift of Life he was called, and told he was a match. My brother then made the desicion and go ahead with a transplant and gave a "part" of himself to a stranger, with the chance of saving this persons life. We don't know what the results are and if we gave this person the miracle he needed, but to me, my brother (a college student who never asks anything of anyone, other than letting him play on his computer in peace) participated in a miracle.
Now look. I'm not telling you what to do with your money this Hannukah, or Christmas, or Festivus, but just now I donated to The Miracle Campaign , and I've also had my cheek cells swabbed! I also want to give a shout out to The Maccabeats who are promoting this campaign with "Hannukah Spirit!"
Happy (early) Hannukah everyone! Love, The Jewbana
