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●ILLUSTRATED ESSAY● OYAJISHU (親父衆) #28


OYAJISHU (親父衆) #28

Published in Shueisha's Jump X (ジャンプ改) #1
2013-XII-10 | 2 pages | B&W

Magazine available in Amazon Japan:

Read it for free in the official Jump X website:
http://jumpx.jp/sp/oyaji/028.html

COLLECTED IN THE BOOK:
OYAJISHU (親父衆)


●ILLUSTRATION● CASIO RANGEMAN



Katsuhiro Otomo has collaborated with his son Shohei for the printed commercial of the CASIO G-SHOCK watch RANGEMAN GW-9400. Otomo was in charge of the characters while Shohei drew the hyper realistic watch.

The official web site of Casio Computer Co., Ltd. (http://goo.gl/IOT4CT) will open a special site in the following days with interviews with Shohei and Katsuhiro Otomo. Check http://g-shock.jp/rangeman

Check Shohei's artwork in his official website:
http://www.hakuchi.jp/ http://shoheiotomo.com

Casio has also made a video commercial for the occasion:

●AWARD+INTERVIEW● Japanese Medal of Honor with Purple Ribbon


The Japanese Ministry of Education (文部科学省) awarded Katsuhiro Otomo this 2013 autumn with the Medal of Honor with Purple Ribbon. He received the honor for "his unparalleled skills in illustration, composition, storytelling and acute visual sense that went into the many excellent works he produced as a manga artist and animation film director over a long period of time, which resulted in garnering international attention and contributing to development of our country's fine arts and culture." The Medal with Purple Ribbon that was given to 16 individuals in 2013 usually goes to individuals who have contributed to traditional arts, crafts and performing arts. Previously, the medal was given to only three animation artists: Yoji Kuri (久里 洋二), Taku Furukawa and Isao Takahata (高畑 勲). The composer Joe Hisaishi (久石 譲), who collaborated with Otomo in the Robot Carnival Soundtrack was awarded with this medal back in 2009. Katsuhiro Otomo together with the other recipients had an audience with the Japanese Emperor in the Imperial Palace. This is the second time an anime film director receives the award after Isao Takahata (高畑 勲) in 1998


TRANSCRIPTION OF THE INTERVIEW


I am Katsuhiro Otomo

Q1: Please give your thoughts on receiving the Purple Medal of Honor

I am very surprised and don't feel I deserve this. It's a bit confusing, as I'm not that old and yet, feel old at the same time.

Q2: how have the people around you reacted to this?

Everyone was happy for me. It's very hard to tell if your own work is good or not. When I'm alone, I'm always confused if what I'm doing is ok. I guess that's what has been recognized in this award. I'm happy, it's like I've been told that I can continue on proceeding with my work.

Q3: Among your cartoons and animated/live action films, hat is your most memorable work?

I should say AKIRA. It was my first long-term serial publication, and I also directed the animated film adaptation. The international version was released with the collaboration of US Marvel Comics. AKIRA was probably the first Japanese cartoon released overseas. There were many aspects, which made AKIRA very memorable, such as the translation, and creating western comic books which open up totally opposite, from right to left.

Q4: What message are you trying to convey though your work?

It really depends on each piece such as the era in which the story takes place, and on how old I was when I wrote it. I search for themes to project in the story and the characters by getting hints from events occurring in society and my thoughts at the time. I'm always searching to arrive somewhere though my work. More than having a theme and writing for the sake of the theme. I try to arrive at that place using various methods.

Q5: What kind of place did you arrive at in your work AKIRA?

AKIRA first started with a very small issue, which rapidly evolved into unimaginable directions. Such phenomenon is human culture, technology and the way humanity develops. The theme AKIRA explores the gap between humans and development. I thought isn’t there something to lessen the gap between humans and their creations.

Q6: AKIRA predicts the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

I totally forgot about this. A bar owner told me that I was in the news. Don’t worry, since it was just by mere coincidence.

Q7: Where does your drive to create come from?

It goes back to cartoons and novels I read when I was a child. I loved these books and still do. I still think about how a story should develop. I just love writing stories. I’m not exactly sure where this desire comes from. But I have been immersed in such stories ever since my childhood.

Q8: Many of your works surprise people. Where do your ideas come from?

It must be from going outside. Although there is a point in time when I create stories in my head, the initial idea comes from going outside, whether it be a bookstore, a CD shop, or a bar, and to just go out people-watching. That’s where I get my inspiration from. A city can really change when you don’t visit it for a while. These are sources of inspiration. Like how a city suddenly changes without you realizing it. I was in shock when I recently visited Shinjuku. Places you haven’t been to for a while become totally different. I’m inspired by a certain period of time and myself being in that place.

Q9: What kind of works do you wish to make in the future?

There are some already in the planning stages. Production may start soon if the budge is secured. In this sense, there are currently up to three works in the planning stages. But is also depends on if people like the movie or not. There are still other stories I want to make, so we must try planning each work one by one. This is a difficult process, but I will work hard.

Q10: After your work AKIRA, Japanese cartoons and animated films became highly regarded worldwide. How do you feel about this? 

I have been watching US and French films ever since I was a child. We create art by viewing the works of our predecessors. We exist on top of this, and then the next generation succeeds. So I feel stories continue on in this way. So I must further devote myself to my work, to be able to have a positive influence on those succeeding me.

Q11: Specifically what kind of impact do you wish to have in the future?

Although I do have thoughts about how I wish to create a piece, the end product is a totally different matter compared to mere thoughts which just in your head. So it’s difficult to know what I am having an influence on… Perhaps people’s sense of the world.

Q12: How do you think Japanese culture should be disseminated?

There are some strange forms of dissemination now. For example, I do feel the otaku culture is a little twisted. I hope to correct this image a little more. I won’t say its bad, but I do feel this aspect has gone slightly out of control. It would be nice if we can transmit something a little more calmer. This is something we must do.

Q13: Do you plan to develop your current work overseas?

This is undecided. We may possibly work with someone overseas. There may be issue of how to attain funding. It’s still up in the air.

Q14: You’ve been active in various fields. What are the differences between Japan and overseas?

I’ve known that it’s tough working in the movie-related industry in the US. For publishing, it’s easier to work in Europe than in the US. I would love to go. I did try to a long time ago, but always end up not going from being too busy with work. It would be pointless to go for a short term period of just one month. I did seriously consider it once, but never had the chance.

Q15: Please give a message for young people aiming to become a cartoonist and director like you.

If you want to make a piece, I think it’s important to know the vastness of the world. The world is vast. You should expose yourself to novels, culture and art. Try to see and read as much as you can to be able to store this information in yourself. Although this requires effort, it’s very difficult to reach an individual form of expression if you don’t do this. So please work hard.


●ILLUSTRATION● MICHI AFURERU SAKABA (満ち溢れる酒場) book



To commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Yamitarō (闇太郎) tavern in Kichijōji in Tokyo. A book that collects a bunch of illustrations by local artist has been published. Katsuhiro Otomo has collaborated with a portrait of the owner dressed as a ninja in the kitchen of the bar.


BOOK DETAILS

Publisher:-
Release date: 2013-X-15
Language: Japanese
Number of pages: 96
Size: A4
Retail price: ¥1.000






AVAILABILITY

The book was only sold in the tavern.

●ILLUSTRATED ESSAY● OYAJISHU (親父衆) #25



OYAJISHU (親父衆) #25

Published in Shueisha's Jump X (ジャンプ改) #10
2013-IX-10 | 2 pages | B&W

Magazine available in Amazon Japan:

http://amzn.to/15PRqds

Read it for free in the official Jump X website:
http://jumpx.jp/sp/oyaji/025.html

COLLECTED IN THE BOOK:
OYAJISHU (親父衆)


●BOOK●『SHORT PEACE』 SETTEI SHIRYOOSHUU (『ショートピース』 設定資料集)




This Book collects the character designs and model sheets of the last animation project by Katsuhiro Otomo: SHORT PEACE. It icludes sketches, conceptual drawings and storyboards by Koji Morimoto's (森本 晃司) opening sequence, Katsuhiro Otomo's (大友 克洋) HI NO YOUJIN(火要鎮), Shuhei Morita's (森田 修平) TSUKUMO (九十九), Hiroaki Ando's (安藤 裕章) GAMBO and Hajime Katoki's (力トキ ハジメ) BUKI YO SARABA (武器よさらば)

BOOK DETAILS

Size: A4
Number of pages: 176
Retail price: ¥2,100
Ref number: 2507302

AVAILABILITY

Amazon JP: http://amzn.to/1nKmxtU

●CD● SHORT PEACE ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK (ショート・ピース オリジナルサウンドトラック)


The album contains the music featured in the last animation Project by Katsuhiro Otomo, SHORT PEACE.

Music by:
Minilogue
Reiji Kitazato (北里玲二)
Makoto Kubota (久保田麻琴)
Hikaru nanase (七瀬光)
Ishikawa Tomohisa (石川智久)
and others

ALBUM DETAILS

Label : Lantis co., Ltd. (株式会社ランティス)
Distributed by: Bandai Co., Ltd (バンダイビジュアル株式会社)
Release date: 2013-VII-20

Duration: 46 min
Retail price: ¥2,500
Catalogue number: LACA-15310

AVAILABILITY

Amazon JP: http://amzn.to/1bpS1Vd
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/19FiAi0
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/1yhGfIn
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1cEZAqT
Amazon DE: http://amzn.to/19FMtVd
Amazon FR: http://amzn.to/19FMubR
Amazon IT: http://amzn.to/1cEZuj1
Amazon ES: http://amzn.to/19FMl8n

TRACK LIST

01. Minilogue – Short Peace
02. KAERU
03. 九十九 ENDING 1
04. 九十九 ENDING 2
05. 木遣り〜「江戸木遣り」より抜粋〜
06. 火要鎮 壱
07. 火要鎮 弐
08. GAMBO
09. ONI
10. INOCHI
11. CHIKARA
12. Motorcycle(Theme for KÉNTAUROS)
13. GIMLET'S PLATOON
14. TAKE THE FIELD
15. FAREWELL TO WEAPONS
16. SHINJUKU STATION
17. DETECTION
18. CQB
19. COLLAPSE
20. A SURVIVOR
21. GONK-18
22. "FAREWELL" FX01
23. "FAREWELL" FX02
24. 夢で逢いましょう〜SHORT PEACE Arrange ver.〜

●BOOK●「SHORT PEACE」GEKIJOO PUROGURAMU (「SHORT PEACE」劇場プログラム)







The SHORT PEACE THEATER PROGRAM was distributed during the theatrical release of the film in Japan. The cardboard box set includes a 68 page booklet and a fold-out with a 2.7 meters long panoramic image of Katsuhiro Otomo's film HI NO YOUJIN (火要鎮).

BOOK DETAILS

Release date: 2013-VII-20
Language: Japanese
Number of pages: 68+32
Size: 
Retail price: ¥1,500

AVAILABILITY

Amazon US:-
Amazon CA:-
Amazon UK:-
Amazon DE:-
Amazon FR:-
Amazon IT:-
Amazon ES:-

●ANIMATION FILM● SHORT PEACE (ショート・ピース)







Today has been released in Japanese theaters Katsuhiro Otomo's last animation project: SHORT PEACE (ショート・ピース) that collects 4 short animation films by renown Japanese directors

●Opening sequence directed by Koji Morimoto (森本 晃司)
●Katsuhiro Otomo's (大友 克洋) HI NO YOUJIN(火要鎮)
●Shuhei Morita's (森田 修平) TSUKUMO (九十九)
●Hiroaki Ando's (安藤 裕章) GAMBO
●Hajime Katoki's (力トキ ハジメ) BUKI YO SARABA (武器よさらば)

Oficial site: www.shortpeace-movie.com
Oficial Facebook site:www.facebook.com/shortpeacemovie
Oficial Twitter: www.twitter.com/shortpeacemovie




MAIN FILM CREDITS

HI NO YOUJIN (火要鎮)
Written & Directed by
Katsuhiro Otomo

Music: 
Makoto Kubota(久保田 麻琴)

Character Design & Visual Concept:
Hidekazu Ohara (小原 秀一)

Animation Director: 
Tatsuya Tomaru (外丸 達也)

CGI Director: 
Shūji Shinoda (篠田 周二)

Animation:
Hidetsugu Ito
Hiroyuki Horiuchi
Koji Watanabe
Kouichi Arai
Mari Tominaga
Masaaki Endou
Shuichi Kaneko
Takahiro Tanaka
Background Art:
Junichi Taniguchi
Yoshiaki Honma

Effects Animation Director: 
Takashi Hashimoto (橋本 敬史)

TSUKUMO (九十九)
Written & Directed by 
Shuhei Morita (森田 修平)

Music: 
Reiji Kitazato

Original story & conceptual design: 
Keisuke Kishi

Character Design: 
Daisuke Sajiki (桟敷 大祐)

Art:
Goki Nakamura (中村 豪希)

CGI Director: 
Ryūsuke Sakamoto

Animation:
Hiroyuki Horiuchi (堀内 博之)

Production:
Bandai Visual
Dentsu Inc.
Bandai Namco Games
Shochiku Co., Ltd


GAMBO
Directed by
Hiroaki Ando (安藤 裕章)

Screenplay:
Katsuhito Ishii (石井 克人)
Kensuke Yamamoto (山本 健介)

Music:
Hikaru Nanase (七瀬 光)

Original Concept & creative director:
Katsuhito Ishii (石井 克人)

Original Character Design:
Yoshiyuki Sadamoto (貞本 義行)

Character Design & Animation director:
Yusuke Yoshigaki (芳垣 祐介)

Art Director:
Yoshiaki Honma (本間 禎章)

CGI Director:
Masashi Kokubo (小久保 将志)

Animation:
Hirofumi Nakata
Yoh Yoshinari
Yusuke Yoshigaki

CG Animation:
Ryūsuke Sakamoto

Color Coordination & color design:
Yuichi Kuboki

Composite Chief:
Kodai Sato

Backgrounds:
Totonyan
Y.A.P. Ishigaki Production

Finish Animation:
RIC
Wish

In-Between Animation:
RIC

BUKI YO SARABA (武器よさらば)
Writen & Directed by: 
Hajime Katoki (力トキ ハジメ)

Storyboard:
Hajime Katoki (力トキ ハジメ)
Kazuyoshi Katayama (片山 一良)

Unit Director: 
Shuhei Morita (森田 修平)

Music: 
Tomohisa Ishikawa (石川 智久)

Original creator: 
Katsuhiro Otomo

Character Design: 
Tatsuyuki Tanaka (田中 達之)

Art Director: 
Hiromasa Ogura (小倉 宏昌)

Animation Director: 
Hiroyuki Horiuchi (堀内 博之)

Mechanical design:
Hajime Katoki  (力トキ ハジメ)
Kimitoshi Yamane (山根 公利)

CGI Director: 
Makoto Wakama (若間 真)

Director of Photography: 
Jiro Tazawa (田沢 二郎)

Color Scheme:
Akiyo Yamaura

Editing: 
Takeshi Seyama

Key Animation:
Hirofumi Masuda
Hiroyuki Horiuchi
Keiichirou Honjou
Koji Sugiura
Koji Watanabe
Kouichi Arai
Mari Tominaga
Masayuki Ozaki
Shuichi Kaneko
Takashi Hashimoto
Yumenosuke Tokuda

Backgrounds:
Baku Production
Studio Easter

CG Animation:
Transistor Studio

Finish Animation: 
Studio Elle

In-Between Animation:
8 Bit
Angle
BEEP
Oriental Light and Magic
Pierrot Plus
RIC
Studio Gimlet

Key Animation:
Artland
Seigasha
Studio Cosmo
Studio Kuma

Photography:
T2 Studio

Broadcaster:
Bandai Channel

Production:
Bandai Visual
Sunrise

●INTERVIEW● OTOMO at ZIP!



Katsuhiro Otomo appeared in Japanese television's ZIP!(ジップ!)  program where he was interviewed about his last animation project SHORT PEACE and he denied to be interested in making a sequel to AKIRA.

●ILLUSTRATED ESSAY● OYAJISHU (親父衆) #22


OYAJISHU (親父衆) #22

Published in Shueisha's Jump X (ジャンプ改) #7
2013-VI-10 | 2 pages | B&W


Magazine available in Amazon Japan.
http://amzn.to/1cduFgD

Read it for free in the official Jump X website:
http://jumpx.jp/sp/oyaji/022.html

COLLECTED IN THE BOOK:
OYAJISHU (親父衆)


●TRAILER● SHORT PEACE



SHORT PEACE ninety seconds trailer has been released. One of the five short films featured in SHORT PEACE that is coming to theaters on July 20 in Japan is Katsuhiro Otomo's (大友 克洋) COMBUSTIBLE (火要鎮).

●ILLUSTRATED ESSAY● OYAJISHU (親父衆) #20


OYAJISHU (親父衆) #20

Published in Shueisha's Jump X(ジャンプ改) #5
2013-IV-10 | 2 pages | B&W

Magazine available in Amazon Japan:
http://amzn.to/10ktrjL

Read it for free in the official Jump X website:
http://jumpx.jp/sp/oyaji/020.html

COLLECTED IN THE BOOK:
OYAJISHU (親父衆)


●PRESS CONFERENCE● SHORT PEACE (ショート・ピース)



Katsuhiro Otomo and the rest of the directors involved in the SHORT PEACE omnibus project have attended the press conference that took place in Japan before the release of the film.

●SIGNATURE● SHORT PEACE Press Conference




Katsuhiro Otomo made this signature drawing in the press conference announcing the production of SHORT PEACE, the omnibus project where he collaborated with various renown Japanese animation directors.

●TRAILER● SHORT PEACE


Short Peace trailer has been released. Four short films and an opening sequence directed by five directors will be included in this SHORT PEACE project coming to theaters on July 20, 2013. Here a list of the directors and their works.

●Katsuhiro Otomo's (大友 克洋) COMBUSTIBLE (火要鎮)
●Shuhei Morita's (森田 修平) TSUKUMO (九十九)
●Hiroaki Ando's (安藤 裕章) GAMBO
●Hajime Katoki's (力トキ ハジメ) BUKI YO SARABA (武器よさらば)
●Opening sequence directed by Koji Morimoto (森本 晃司)

●ILLUSTRATED ESSAY● OYAJISHU (親父衆) #18


OYAJISHU (親父衆) #18

Published in Shueisha's Jump X (ジャンプ改) #3
2013-II-10 | 2 pages | B&W

Magazine available in Amazon Japan:
http://amzn.to/15kk6t4

Read it for free in the official Jump X website:
http://jumpx.jp/sp/oyaji/018.html

COLLECTED IN THE BOOK:
OYAJISHU (親父衆)


●CATALOG● COMME des GARÇONS





Each year japanese fashion house, Comme des Garcons, collaborates with an artist to celebrate the coming fashion season. This Spring/Summer 2013 catalogue consist on 25 issues that when collected and compiled they read as a traditional comic. Designed by CDG founder Rei Kawakubo, the publication showcases Otomo’s  artwork together with Joseph Crocker in a series of collages. Otomo is the first Japanese artist to feature in the brand’s publication.

CATALOG DETAILS

Publisher: CDG 
Date of Edition: 2013
Text: English/Japanese
Pages: 8 (each issue), 25 issues
Size: 22.4 x 29.8cm Softcover

●COVER DESIGN● CHIJŌ NO KIOKU (地上の記憶)




Katsuhiro Otomo has designed the cover of this book that collects various short stories by Noboyuki Shirayama (白山宣之). Otomo and others have also written an introductory message to the book.


BOOK DETAILS

Publisher: Futabasha (双葉社)
Release Date: 2013-I-12
Language: Japanese
Number of pages: 195
Size: 20.8 x 14.8 x 2 cm
Retail price: ¥1,260
ISBN-10: 4575943738
ISBN-13: 978-4575943733


AVAILABILITY

Amazon JP: http://amzn.to/1sYTSI0
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1HaPJEN
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/1BdjQae
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1FMBurD
Amazon DE:-
Amazon FR: http://amzn.to/1FMBmIC
Amazon IT: http://amzn.to/1FMBhou
Amazon ES: http://amzn.to/1ARcGsP

●ILLUSTRATED ESSAY● OYAJISHU (親父衆) #17


OYAJISHU (親父衆) #17

Published in Shueisha's Jump X (ジャンプ改) #2
2013-I-10 | 2 pages | B&W

Magazine available in Amazon Japan.
http://amzn.to/YAtAck

Read it for free in the official Jump X website::