Satsuriku no Tenshi: 6th Anniversary Q&A, Part II – [Translated]
Part One
Interviewer: All right, next question. This person didn’t enter his/her name so I will just read the question: “Makoto Sanada-sensei, what did you enjoy the most while making Satsuriku no Tenshi?
Sanada: I think this applies to every episode, but with game development... When you’re near the final stages of development, for example in the final stage of development of episode 1, and you start to see the general structure of the story, you can start to tweak things.
Sanada: “Let’s do this” or “Let’s do that” or “Maybe we should change this expression,” you can start to see things like that very clearly. And everything is fun to do in those stages of the development process. It's just so fun to work towards the final build.
Sanada: In episode 1 we entered that fun period when we were trying to figure out what to do in the bathtub scene. It was also when we were trying to decide what to do with the rest of the game. It was so fun. We were like children playing in water. We had a lot of those kinds of moments.
TL Note: I have no idea what scene she’s referring to here because I don’t recall any bathtubs featured until Rachel’s floor in episode 4 of the game. If anyone has any ideas, please let me know.
Interviewer: While we were chatting away, Nazuka-sensei kept drawing.
Nazuka: It would have been bad if I messed up, so I was drawing very carefully.
Interviewer: Thank you for the beautiful illustrations.
Sanada: Thank you very much.
Interviewer: With that being said, those were half the questions. The last questions will be asked after the live script-reading. I heard you wrote the scripts and even edited the video for this script-reading.
Sanada: Oh, yes. I got to write the script and edit the video this time around. But with a script like this one, which will be read out loud, you have to use different expressions and methods that don’t come up in games or anime to tell the story. So I had to change some missions and I also added some scenes. And I hope you guys enjoy it.
Sanada: Oh, right, as for the video editing... I also did the video editing this time around. It was quite difficult, but the acting of the voice actors was so great.
TL Note: After the script-reading...
Interviewer: As we enter this second part of the Q&A I still can’t shake off this feeling of excitement.
Sanada: Did everyone enjoy it? The voice acting is amazing so I wanted to bring my... Oops I just stuttered. I wanted to bring my A game. But It would make me really happy if everyone enjoyed it.
Interviewer: Nazuka-sensei, how was it?
Nazuka: I’ve never seen a “play” like this. The acting, voices and gestures of the actors... They were giving it their all. We also had Sanada-sensei’s illustrations, appearance and music. It felt like everything had come together in a completed work. It brought back memories of when we were making the manga.
Sanada: I was also able to jump back in with a new and refreshing perspective, so I really made sure to spend as much time as I could on the script and the editing process. It was very refreshing for me. I’m so glad you guys enjoyed it.
Nazuka: You were able to handle all the script writing, the video editing and music editing by yourself. Sanada-sensei, you really can do anything!
Sanada: No way, not at all. I was very desperate while making it.
Nazuka: I think you’re amazing.
Sanada: I was really desperate. I was just thinking “Aaaaaah!” the whole time. “Aaaaah!” I’m really glad you liked it.
Interviewer: Now, let’s resume the Q&A with our last 10 questions before ending with the autograph session. Now, from the username Sui: “This question is for both of you. What floor are you most attached to?”
Sanada: What floor am I most attached to? Let’s see, episode 1 and 4 are the first and last so I had a lot of energy when I was making them. But I had the most fun while making episode 2’s B3 floor. The story is bolder and it also has some silly elements. We get to delve into Zack's past and we also get to see some signs of growth from Rachel. It’s the most memorable section of the story. I also tried to include some of these elements in the live script-reading we just did.
Interviewer: This floor also embodied a whirlwind of Cathy’s resolutions as a character. This question was for the both of you.
Interviewer: Nazuka-sensei, what was the most memorable floor for you?
Nazuka: I mean, I have good memories of all of them, but the one that stuck to me the most after we finalized the manga adaptation of the original story would be Floor B1.
Nazuka: I have good memories of every floor. Even with Cathy’s floor... I just remember how happy I was while drawing B1. Every floor was truly wonderful, so every single one is memorable to me.
Sanada: The floors in the manga were also amazingly fascinating. Every time I got to see the script and the drawings I would go like: “Wow this is amazing! Amazing!”
Nazuka: It was possible because of how amazing the original game was. And because of its inherent power. Adapting the manga was a challenge. I was frantically fussing over each little panel. haha. I really was.
Sanada: Thank you very much.
Nazuka: No, thank you. Interviewer: Let’s move onto the next question, it’s from the username Hinatan: “What scenes did you find most difficult to make while working on the game or drawing the manga?” This question is also for the both of you.
Sanada: I guess I have mentioned this in other places but I think I'll stick with it. Episode 3 was really hard to make. It gets really dark at that point in the game and the difficulty also shoots up. It also gets progressively hard to understand the overall story. Also, I ran into some problems in the middle of it and had to rewrite most of the dialogue.
Sanada: We also get to experience some hallucinations so I had to change gears and create a different aesthetic. Like with the witch trial, I had a really hard time making that. But what finally got me through that “slump” was rewriting the dialogue.
Sanada: Previously, Zack and Rachel would not have had any dialogue at the start of the episode. I had actually planned on having a really silent Zack at the beginning of the episode, and we would go from there, but that was too gloomy. It got much better once I decided to add dialogue there and I decided to change most of the lines.
Sanada: Actually, Gray’s dialogue was the one I had to change the most. This might sound a bit weird, but it took a while before Gray’s character opened up to me. I mean, I kind of knew Gray’s way of thought and what he wanted to achieve. I mean... how should I say this...?
Sanada: I knew it in my brain, but understanding was hard. What was he thinking? What was he feeling? Those were the hardest things to explore. Conversely, I was recently thinking of Episode.0 and I realized that Gray’s thoughts and feelings were not as complicated as I had pinned them out to be. I finally felt that I had understood him. Even to this day I’m still making new discoveries about this character, but I had a really tough time with him back then.
Interviewer: I guess that even as the creator, you can never really know how deep the rabbit hole can go.
Sanada: He’s extremely, well... I guess he’s not that old. But he’s older, a senior, if you would say. What do you call them? It’s not a “dandy” man, what do you call old people? Wasn’t there a good word for this in English?
Interviewer: A “nice middle.”
Sanada: That’s it! He’s kind of like a nice middle.
TL Note: I’ve never heard of this slang before, but it’s a Japanese slang word that refers to attractive or nice middle-aged men.
Interviewer: What about you Nazuka-sensei? What was the most difficult part of drawing the manga?
Nazuka: I also drew lots of fan books but... I also struggled the most with Gray’s floor. This applies to the whole game, but when you’re playing the game you get to move Zack or Rachel around. That movement is something you can only get from the game, and I struggled on how to convert that point of view into the manga pages. Gray’s floor is full of hallucinations and fantastic elements. It had many such elements and converting that scenery into a monochrome manga was the most difficult thing for me.
Sanada: A lot of games just assault your eyes with shiny things and stuff like that.
Nazuka: That’s right.
Sanada: But thank you so much for drawing the manga.
Nazuka: No, thank you. But I did struggle and I had to ask a lot of advice from my supervisor with Gray’s floor. Sanada: If I remember correctly, you drew that scene in the with trials with the water where Rachel received her punishment. It was drawn amazingly. In the game, the water is actually really shallow but you drew it deeper.
Nazuka: Right, in the manga I tried to show how dangerous that scene was. And how much of a pinch the characters were in. I was thinking of how to relay that tension on the page. I did my best to reflect those emotions.
Interviewer: Thank you both for your answers. Now let’s move onto the next question from the username Upiko: “Hello Makoto-sensei and Kudan-sensei. This is my question: What kind of job would you have wanted to do if you didn’t choose your current professions? I love everything, the game and the manga alike, thank you for hosting this wonderful event.”
Sanada: Let’s see... What job would I have wanted to do? I was still working in my previous company while I developed Kirigame ga Furu Mori. But before that, I had another job that I really liked. I liked the people and the work itself. I actually wanted to keep working there, but one day the company actually went under. And Game Magazine had contacted me around that time. Of course, at first I didn’t intend to quit my job, but the company went under and I remember that after several meetings at that company, they told us they were going under and I was like: “What?!”
Sanada: Of course, I went to “Hello Work” and they showed me some advertising jobs.
TL Note: Hello Work is the Japanese Public Employment Security Office.
Sanada: I was thinking of doing some photography-related work so I looked around for a while. But I wouldn’t have had the time once the serialization of Satsuriku no Tenshi began. Now that I think about it, it just worked out this way. But I do have a lot of interest in different jobs.
Interviewer: Just like in Satsuriku no Tenshi, before you could even realize it, you were already in the basement of the building.
Sanada: Haha, you’re right, now that you say that, I think you’re right. I was like: “What?!” But I do feel like I was suddenly thrust into it.
Interviewer: Kudan-sensei, what about you?
Nazuka: Let’s see... I’ve always liked drawing, ever since I was little. And I actually began writing manga later in my development... Development? I mean, when I wasn’t a child anymore, so I’ve always wanted to do something related to drawing. I haven’t really thought of doing anything other than that.
Sanada: That’s amazing.
Nazuka: I got a chance to do just that, so I’m really happy that I’m able to do this. I have never wanted to do anything else.
Interviewer: You wanted to do something related to drawing even if it wasn’t manga.
Nazuka: That’s right.
Sanada: I think you found your calling.
Nazuka: I think you also found your calling.
Interviewer: All right, our next question is from the username Haru: “Good evening Sanada-sensei, Nazuka-sensei. (Although a bit early) Congratulations on the 6th anniversary of Satsuriku no Tenshi. This is my question: Recently I have much more free time at home, so I wanted to ask what the both of you have been getting hooked on recently. Please let us know if you have any recommendations. I am looking forward to the new official webpage (Sanada’s new blog) and Episode.0. I’m rooting for all of you. Good luck to ZackRay!
Sanada: Let’s see, free time at home... I guess everyone’s time at home has recently increased. Personally, I watched a lot of movies, dramas and anime that my friends had recommended. I was actually watching a lot of older stuff, like Akira Kurosawa movies. I hadn’t seen a lot of the most famous ones. On the other hand, I was also watching some popular dramas. Korean dramas were also hot last year, like Crash Landing on You, so I also watch those. Sanada: I also watched some overseas series on Amazon Prime that my friends had recommended. Other than that, I watched some documentaries, like the Ghibli documentary. I also like penguins.
Interviewer: Penguins?
Sanada: Yes. I also watched some penguin documentaries. And regarding the penguin documentaries, there is one called Penguin Town and there is this town overseas full of penguins.
Interviewer: A whole town?
Sanada: Yes, it’s really like a town of penguins, the penguins are living inside the town.
Interviewer: Does it really exist?
Sanada: Yes, it’s an actual place and there are a ton of penguins. The documentary shows you how the penguins live within the town, but it’s jam-packed with drama. You really go like: “Is this for real?! What’s gonna happen?!” You just can’t wait for the next episode. It’s really addictive. They even have divorces.
Interviewer: Between the penguins?
Sanada: Yes, between the penguins. Or they show you how the penguin that goes to get food doesn't come back. Or what happens if the egg gets swept away by the sea. And you really go: “What?!” You really get hooked on it. I binged it in one sitting; it was so entertaining. I may have just spoiled some stuff, haha. Please forget what I just said. That’s what I’ve been watching recently.
Interviewer: It’s an interesting and addictive penguin documentary.
Sanada: Yes, it’s really interesting. It’s also really emotional because they are filming the penguins in their child rearing season so you end up rooting for them. I really recommend this one.
Interviewer: By the way Sanada-sensei, what about games?
Sanada: Games? I like to think that I play plenty of them. But what I basically always end up playing is... What was it called again? Like The Sims. Games where you get to build your own town. Those are the kinds of games I play whenever I get some free time.
Sanada: I also play some online multiplayer games with my friends. Like Apex Legends.Or Dead by... Dead by... I can never say this correctly.
Interviewer: Daylight?
Sanada: Yes. Dead by Deadlight... (she doesn’t correct herself). I’ve been playing a lot with my friends recently. I also play some free games if I get interested in them.
Interviewer: For example? What kind?
Sanada: Well, I play a lot of different ones. I really like one game where you play as a wheat farmer. Playing with friends is really fun.
Interviewer: Nazuka-sensei, how about you?
Nazuka: What do I do in my free time at home? I’ve always been a shut-in, so I’ve become a master at this whole free time at home ordeal. I also love games and I’ve been playing a lot of Switch lately. Like Monster Hunter and I recently bought Mario Kart. But I’m really addicted to Among Us right now.
Sanada: Yes, it’s very popular.
Nazuka: I also love watching live streams. So I watch some Among Us livestreams and do my research on the game. I really like games where you get to play and talk to other people simultaneously. I’m really hooked. Sanada: Let’s play Among Us together. Nazuka: Yes, yes! Let’s!
Interviewer: All right, next question. This one is from the username Lion Jiro: “I really love “Pray,” the ending theme song performed by Rachel’s voice actress Haruka Chisuga. The melody, lyrics and vocals perfectly encompass Rachel’s character. What did the both of you think when you first heard “Pray”? Please let me know your thoughts.”
Interviewer: Sanada-sensei, what do you think?
Sanada: Yes, DECO*27 was the composer of the song. I had actually listened to DECO*27’s songs before and we had a meeting where we were discussing the kind of composer we wanted. It wasn’t so much as deciding on someone, rather, we were just talking about who we thought was good and at the time I suggested DECO*27. In the end we ended up going with DECO*27.
Sanada: I remember thinking how silent and beautiful the melody was. But it also has a melancholic tone. I was surprised at how much it sounded like Rachel’s character. But what really shocked me was afterwards, when she put up the lyrics. It really felt like Rachel herself had materialized into song. I was impressed already, and on top of that, there were many unforgettable phrases in the lyrics. Especially the line that goes: “Can I pray for a dream that keeps falling up?” That was really memorable. It was obscure but delicate and I think that at the same time it had some power to it. I’m really grateful for that.
Interviewer: Isn’t it amazing how it described Rachel with one phrase?
Sanada: No other phrase can describe her better.
Interviewer: Nazuka-sensei, what did you think of “Pray”?
Nazuka: I’ve also always loved DECO*27, so when I heard she was doing the ending I went like: “What?!” And Chisuga-san’s clear voice was really perfect for it. You get defeated by that voice. She’s got a crisp whispering voice. Just by hearing that you go: “It’s Rachel!”
Sanada: Yes! You get chills.
Nazuka: It tightens your chest. It’s a wonderful song.
Interviewer: Let’s move on to the next question. This one is from the username Warabi: “Once again, congratulations on the sixth anniversary. Like myself, I think there are many people that look up to Sanada-sensei and want to make games. I would be very happy if Sanada-sensei could send us a message or give us some advice.”
Sanada: I don’t know if you will find what I say useful, but I’m really glad that you sent in your message. I think that having the opportunity to create something in this world is really wonderful. After all, we’ll be getting more and more games.
Sanada: But let’s see... What advice should I give out... Well, for me creating something and expressing that to the world is really fun. So I would advise you to―I mean, there’s also times when it’s really hard, but I would tell you to have fun where you can. Just have as much fun as you can with it, and there’s also another thing that many people struggle with: it is the fact that there are many unfinished games. By the way, I also have many unfinished games―many games that I gave up halfway through.
Interviewer: Is that so? Sanada: And sometimes your hands will stop because you’re struggling with the game or because you got busy with something else. But... How should I say this... You shouldn’t force yourself to finish it and don’t beat yourself too much because of it. I actually abandoned Kirigame ga Furu Mori for about a year so... Inspiration might come to you suddenly, and then you’ll have that feeling of wanting to finish the game. So please keep in mind that feeling of wanting to complete the game. And as a player, I’m looking forward to all the different games that will be coming out in the future. Good luck.
Interviewer: All right, here’s our next question. We only have 4 questions left. This one’s from the username Latte: “Thank you for all your wonderful games. I was in high school when I first learned about the Satsuriku no Tenshi game, but I still love the game now that I’m an adult. This is a question for Sanada-sensei. Where do you start when you’re coming up with a character? There are many places to start, like the personality of the appearance, but I wanted to know what choices you make at the start so I asked this question.”
Latte: “I also have a question for Nazuka-sensei. I personally love the transparent look of your illustrations. And I always look at your art for reference whenever I”m drawing, but I can’t seem to get the lighting right. I would love to know if you use any kind of resources when you draw light and I would really appreciate it if you could tell me what those are. I’m so grateful to get the chance to ask these questions. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I will keep cheering you on.”
Sanada/Nazuka: Thank you very much.
Sanada: Right, so what do I do first when I come up with a character... I mostly come up with the characters as my story progresses. I think of what kind of role this character will have within my story and what their purpose is. And well, the character will not progress within the story if they don’t have a purpose, so I always try to determine the purpose of the character first and then build a backbone on top of that.
Sanada: For example, I come up with the story of how they appears in the story and their life... Well, I say that, but I don’t have everything mapped out in the character's life. But I do have a general idea. From then on I move onto the personality and appearance. At the beginning I only think a little bit about these things. I think one of the last things I decide is the character’s age and appearance. Of course, sometimes I come up with the appearance early on, but I generally do that at the end.
Sanada: For example, with Eddie I was really struggling until the last minute on whether to make him a young adult or a teenager. I clearly remember hesitating over that decision, but I knew I wanted him to be close in age to Rachel so he could be closer to Rachel. I guess I wanted them to be the same age or at least close in age so it would be more likely that they became friends.That's the kind of character I wanted him to be.
Sanada: Right, also... With Zack I didn't really have a clear picture of his burnt appearance. His appearance changed after I had already built the backbone of his story. That’s how it was.
Interviewer: So he wouldn’t have had this appearance if his childhood wasn’t like that, right?
Sanada: Yes. If he was born into a different environment, his family would have also been different. So he wouldn’t have become the Zack we all know. Nazuka: Regarding my illustrations' sense of transparency and how to draw light... And what I use as a reference, right?
Interviewer: That’s right.
Nazuka: I just use my everyday life as a reference. Whatever crosses my eyes, like the scenery. If I find a moment that I like I usually take a picture. There are certain types of light that pull at one’s heartstring. I make sure to take a picture of those moments so I don’t forget them.
Nazuka: I also look at various pictures on the internet and save them in my mind’s drawer. Then I can open up that drawer to see and remember. And I can use it as a reference whenever I’m drawing. Please search for some of those moments in your daily life.
Interviewer: All right, this is for our 18th question from the username Reizoko@shukusatsuten6shunen: “There was some additional information in the fanbook about each character, but how did you come up with the childhood version designs?”
Sanada: Well, for example, Cathy has a ribbon tied at the back of her head. And Danny has his eyepatch and I made his expressions more timid. As for Zack, I had him wear shorts. I relayed those rough concepts to Nezuka-san and Negiyan-san, but aside from that, the more detailed design work is mostly up to the artists, so that would be up to Nezuka-san and Negiyan-san.
Sanada: I really just gave them a rough idea of how I wanted them to look and they managed to get it almost perfectly right, so I was quite surprised by that. Didn’t we come up with the childhood design of most characters like that?
Nazuka: Yes, that’s right. The three of us, including Negiyan-sensei, had a very similar view of what the characters would look like.
Sanada: We had the same concepts in mind. So we would just discuss things with each other.
Nazuka: Right, I would bounce my ideas around with both of them and they would then modify things. We had a really great time. We elevated each other’s work.
Sanada: In Episode.0, some characters appear very often and sometimes I would write out what I wanted in the design. But more often than not it was just a rough image that came up during the plot, so we mostly just had conversations of what we wanted it to look like. And of course we also had to get the editor’s approval.
Interviewer: Now, we only have 2 more questions left. This is the 19th question. It’s from the username Gosen: “This question is for the great Sanada-sensei. You have made many games, from Satsuriku no Tenshi to Kirisame ga Furu Mori to your newest game which is about to be released. And you have already released a new character for your newest game. But does the great Makoto Sanada-sensei have any plans to start development of any new games aside from the previously mentioned games? I’m really curious about what is going on in the great Makoto Sanada-sensei’s mind.
Sanada: Thank you very much. That made me blush.
Sanada: I actually said this before, but I have already announced 2 new games and we’re currently in the making of the third one. But apart from that, I’ve been thinking of making a Japanese style horror game where you encounter yokai.
TL Note: Yokai = Mythical monsters from Japanese folklore.
Sanada: I think I mentioned it somewhere before, so I’ll be working on that too. The character and overall story are pretty much done so I want to pursue this more proactively. And some small characters will appear in this horror game.
Interviewer: Some small characters?
Sanada: Yes, small characters. It’s a horror game, but I want to make the characters cute. So I’m working really hard to make it happen.
Interviewer: The question mentioned your third game, and there was a mention of a new character which is a magician.
Sanada: Yes, that’s right. We are done with most of the plot and we thought of releasing it in the game itself, but the more we worked on the plot the bigger it got.The story became too ambitious. So we’re thinking of releasing the original work as a novel first.
Interviewer: Please look forward to the novel with all its ambitious developments.
Sanada: Please look forward to that too. I’m also giving it my best to get it done.
Interviewer: All right, we have finally arrived at the last question. This one is from the username Fumi: “Congratulations on the 6th anniversary of Satsuriku no Tenshi! If you could leave a message to yourself before you started working on this game, what would it be? This question is for the both of you.”
Sanada: A message? To myself? Before I started working on the game? Well, I would say something like: “You will encounter more trouble than you had initially thought with Rachel and Zack, so keep going and don’t lose your strength. Hang in there!” Something like: “Always be positive and hang in there!”
Interviewer: Nazuka-sensei, what about you?
Nazuka: It’s been six years, so I probably didn’t think I would still be involved with this project when we first started. I actually thought we would have finished the manga adaptation by now but it really has been a long time. And we’re also currently adapting Episode.0 after finishing the main story. I think this is the longest I have ever worked on a single project, so I would say something like this to my past self: “We’re still going after 6 years of drawing Satsuriku no Tenshi and we’re still very energetic!” That’s what I would like to say.
Sanada: Being energetic is important.
Interviewer: Now that I think about it, 6 years is the time it takes for a kid to go from 1st grade to middle school. That’s how old the game is. Sanada: I’m sure many of you experienced this game in all kinds of stages in life. I’m sure there are many people that have grown up and some people’s environments have completely changed. But I’m happy that everyone is still enjoying all the content. Interviewer: Yes, Satsuriku no Tenshi has now graduated form primary school and will be advancing into middle school next year. I hope it lives a long and happy life.
