Welcome back to the I Am Anime website
This is Hongo Mitsuru. I’ve been working in animation for over 40 years now. I started my career with a company called Asiado. I started working in animation production at that company and met the president, Shibayama Tsutomu. When I was there, Shibayama was also the director of Doraemon, Chibi Maruko-chan, and Nintama Rantaro at the same time. I directed theatres every year for “Doraemon,” and did the storyboards alone. The overwhelming quality and quantity of work is absolutely amazing. It has been a while since he retired from the field, but the impact he has left behind in future generations is immeasurable. However, he is not the type of person who likes to come forward, and I have even heard people involved in the industry say, “Shibayama-san was amazing.” So, this time I started this project, with the hope of interviewing animators and directors I know and passing on Shibayama’s greatness to future generations. I don’t know how many times it will last, but please.
The first episode I spoke to was Otake Masae. He is a veteran with over 45 years of experience as an animator, but he learned that he was involved in the movie version of Lupin the Third, which was released in 1978, as a video check, so I asked him to interview him.
Animation director Hongo Mitsuru
HongoWell then, thank you for your cooperation.
Dawuyes.
HongoIs it okay if Otake entered the animation industry from working part-time at Studio Furumi?
Dawuthat’s right.
HongoIs this the first time I’ve worked with Shibayama in the movie “Lupin the Third” (hereafter referred to as “Mamo”)?
DawuYes, that was the first time.
HongoI wonder how many years Otake had joined the industry at that time.
DawuI started working part-time at 18 and couldn’t make money, so I quit once and entered a regular job, and I’ve been working at Ito-Yokado for a year and a half. I quit and became an animator.
HongoIs Studio Furumi the first one?
Dawuthat’s right. Then I became an animator at the end of May, and I was asked to check the videos from the beginning of July.
HongoHuh, two months after starting the video, you’ll be working on video checking?
DawuYes, please run the theatre.
HongoDid you say this to Kagishima Yoshio, the animation director for Mamo? Since when did you start working with Mr. Kagishima?
DawuMy anime teacher is Kagishima. Kagishima quit Shinei Video and transferred to Furumi, creating an artwork club. I was looking for a studio to work as an animator, and when I learned that Furumi would be creating an animation club, I took the exam.
HongoWow, so check out the theatre videos two months after passing the exam?
DawuI had been finishing it for a year and a half, so I had the bare minimum knowledge about reading sheets.
HongoSo were you a few who started checking videos?
DawuI was 21 years old.
HongoWas that so? So this time I would like to ask about Shibayama Tsutomu at the time, but did there be a staff room when it was Mamo?
DawuThere was a theater-specific building in Asagaya to make “Mamoo.” Maybe there was a telecom next door.
HongoIn addition to Shibayama, did director Yoshikawa Soji and animation director Kabashima come to the site?
DawuThere was also Aoki Yuzo, the animation director.
HongoOtsuka Yasuo too?
DawuOtsuka-san was not there. There was a time when Kagishima-san became ill halfway through and took a break, and when it turned out that he had to proceed with the theatre, Otsuka-san helped out.
HongoIt was Otake’s first meeting with Shibayama. Did you know about Shibayama?
DawuI was doing “The Adventures of Gamba” to finish off, so I knew a bit.
HongoIncidentally, the staff room was large.
DawuIt was spacious.
HongoWhen I went to the staff room, I found out that Shibayama did the layout.
Dawuthat’s right.
HongoAt the time, there was no position in Japanese theatres up until then that was just the layout?
DawuThere wasn’t. The original artwork was published in various studios, but it was released in December and there was no time, so I think Shibayama was in charge of everything because it needed a good layout.
HongoDid Otake enter the staff room with Mr. Kabashima?
DawuI’m doing videos at Furumi and it’s been in July. Kagishima-san was in the staff room at the beginning of June.
HongoI see.
DawuI couldn’t imagine what would happen either, but I decided to give it a go.
HongoSo, do you remember the impression you had when you first met Shibayama?
DawuWell, I was sitting at my desk all the time, just like a clerical job, at 10am, working all the time, and at first I had nothing to check, so I was told, “I’m checking videos, so just do videos,” and I was doing videos of “Mamo.” I guess Shibayama-san, Kabashima-san, Aoki-san, and I were in the staff room the whole time. I was watching Shibayama do his job calmly.
HongoDid Shibayama-san not talk to Kakishima-san?
DawuI was doing it. When Kagishima came, he didn’t work right away, so he smoked a cigarette and when he saw Shibayama, he said, “I thought Shiba was amazing.”
HongoShibayama-san was always at his desk. How many hours did you do it?
DawuI shouldn’t have done it that late at first. Around October, when the release approaches, I’ve been living until the morning, then go home a little in the morning, take a nap, come back again, and work again for about a month.
HongoI wonder if Shibayama was excused after updating the layout of all the cuts.
DawuUm, oh, you were there.
HongoDoing original drawings?
DawuThe original drawings haven’t been done.
HongoHowever, he laid out all the cuts on his own (editor’s note: It is said that only the parts that Aoki Yuzo was supervised by, and Aoki himself drew the layout).
DawuThere were over 1,000 cuts, and I think I’ve been able to raise it in about four months since I started in June.
Hongo4 months!? Looking at the existing layouts, it seems to have been a detailed layout that would be valid in the original drawings when you write them down.
DawuSince the storyboards for director Yoshikawa were created, I continued to create layouts.
HongoAh, the storyboard wasn’t complete.
Dawuthat’s right.
HongoDo you remember anything after you joined the job and talking to Shibayama?
DawuWhen I asked him why he could draw such an amazing layout, he said, “No, no, watch the movie, Kurosawa (Akira) and others.”
HongoIs it Kurosawa after all?
Dawu“The Kurosawa screen fits in, licks it in front of you and there are mountains…” “It’s good to watch, it’s educational.” I’ve seen Kurosawa’s works quite a bit after that.
HongoIt was said that Shibayama had been working for a long time, but we also had some small talk. Was it during lunchtime when we chatted?
DawuThere was lunchtime. Also, at 10am and 11pm, the chef bought Yoshinoya’s beef bowl for dinner and ate it. About a month and a half.
HongoShibayama was there at that time.
DawuWe all had a late-night snack.
HongoThe four of us always have dinner.
DawuI think there were two other backgrounds. Like Kadono Mariko.
HongoI was a two-month animator and how did you see Shibayama’s layout?
DawuI guess it’s just goosebumps, but what is it for professionals? I thought, “If I can’t do this, I won’t be able to become a professional.”
HongoShibayama is also said to be “clever,” but he’s surprisingly “quickly.”
DawuHe’s skillful, quick, and his characters are great too.
HongoIt’s a “good picture.”
DawuIt seemed that this layout would be decided. Shibayama decided on how many cuts per day.
HongoDid you remember any memorable episodes that you remember when you were playing Mamo? I’ve heard that Shibayama has a prank-loving side to him.
DawuThat was there, right? In “Mamoo,” the children who were produced were those hired for this work, and Shibayama-san taught them while doing it. Everyone was good friends. He said, “Shibayama-san, Shibayama-san,” and admired him.
HongoNot manager Yoshikawa, but Shibayama-san.
DawuShibayama-san was in the staff room with no hesitation. Aoki sniffed out at his own pace and quickly headed home. Aoki was a part-time worker, so it wasn’t like he was doing a lot of stuff. Also, there was a time when Kagishima-san didn’t come, and I was dispatched by Furumi, who was invited by Kagishima-san, so I wondered what would happen.
HongoSo, there were two free desks, and it was just Shibayama-san and Otake-san.
Dawu There were quite a few. Shibayama said, “Kabashima-san is quite naive, so maybe he’s under pressure this time?” and tried so hard to calm the situation down.
HongoHe is said to be able to do an incredible amount of work with carefree care, and has the time to spare.
Dawuyes. When I asked him, “Can I watch it?” he said, “Please come on,” and he drew it with a squeal.
HongoAt that time, Shibayama was riding as an animator after setting up and layout the screen throughout the series in Gamba’s Adventures. When Otake was watching, he was wondering how to draw it.
DawuThere wasn’t. When I sat down I started drawing and I kept drawing.
HongoWas there a holiday or something?
DawuAt first, Sunday was closed and it disappeared halfway through.
HongoIt’s a promise from the old anime industry.
DawuOtsuka, who came along halfway through, was also carefree, and from the stacked cuts that were not there, he plucked out the original before the correction, and looked inside, and said, “Yes! OK.”
HongoIs it true?!
Dawu“It’s okay, it’s okay.”
HongoAs I’ve heard before, I don’t think that Kagishima-san has made any corrections to all of the cuts.
DawuAoki was there too, so he should have kept the things he was trying to hold back.
HongoWhen did Otake’s video check work finally finish?
DawuI think it was the end of November.
HongoIt’s just the last minute.
DawuIt’s just the last minute.
HongoAt that time, what about Shibayama-san?
DawuThere was. There were also retakes. Until they’re all done and then they’re disbanded.
HongoIt’s been a few years since I saw Shibayama’s job, but I was surprised to see how skillful and fast animators are. After a while, I realized that not everyone was. Shibayama-san may have been the best time as an animator when he worked with Otake.
DawuI think I was in my late 30s, but when I sat there I drew it. He didn’t seem to have time to worry about it. I wonder if he came at Asiado at 10am.
HongoHe came at 9am. Fastest than anyone else (lol). If there is anything else that Shibayama said to me at the time and remembers, please let me know.
Dawu“If you follow Kakishima, you’ll definitely be able to draw it.”
HongoThere was no doubt about it.
DawuMr. Otsuka also said this. “For now, just steal the paintings of someone who has decided on this person.”
HongoShibayama’s presence had a big impact on Otake, who had just become an animator.
DawuIt was big. You were told that you won’t get better unless you draw the amount. I’ve been carrying what I was told to me in my mind.
HongoHe’s Otake’s “teacher.” Thank you very much for today.
Dawuthank you very much.
Interview date and time: 2024 Interview and composition: Hongo Mitsuru
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Otake Masae. animator. He has participated in various works, including the “Atashinchi” series, “Black Witch Passes!,” and “Tonari no Seki-kun.”
