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Yamamoto and Shimoda Connected on Twitter

Sakoda

Asobizukuri is a creative unit formed by the two, and today we will be talking with them. First, I would like to provide a brief introduction to this anime team unit called Asobizukuri. Founded in 2018 in Tokyo with the theme "The Extension of Play that Creates Play," the team consists of planner and marketer Akihiro Yamamoto and writer Kentaro Shimoda. They are characterized by innovative ideas and meticulous technical skills, combined with a sense of playfulness and deep thought. Today, we have Akihiro Yamamoto and Kentaro Shimoda with us. Thank you for joining us.

Yamamoto & Shimoda

Thank you for having us.

Sakoda

This radio show aims to delve into the life journeys of our guests, so I would like to go back a bit from the present and ask how the two of you have arrived at this point in your lives. Since there are two of you, I will ask each of you individually, but I believe there will be points where your lives intersect, so I hope to discuss those intersections in detail. First, I would like to start with Yamamoto's profile and delve into his life journey. Is that alright?

Yamamoto

Yes, thank you.

Sakoda

Yamamoto, you hold the position of planner and marketer at Asobizukuri. Your profile states that after graduating from high school, you joined an anime company as an animator, and while you are now a planner and marketer at Asobizukuri, you originally started as an animator, correct?

Yamamoto

Yes, that's correct.

Sakoda

I see. I believe there is a story that leads to where you are now, and we will ask about that in detail later. You mentioned that you were "fired after about a year due to lack of skills," and I appreciate your honesty in sharing that information. After that, you met Shimoda on Twitter and began creating independent anime together, but your first project fell through, correct?

In Mr. Yamamoto's life journey, after joining the anime company, he met Mr. Shimoda quite early on and set sail on the path of independent production. What was the flow like at that time?

Yamamoto

Well, how should I put it? I got fired in January... or rather, at the end of December. Then I met Shimoda for the first time in January, but he was busy, so we didn't meet for a while. We met again around May, and that's when we started talking about making an independent anime.

Sakoda

In Mr. Yamamoto's mind, he wanted to continue expressing himself through anime and video even after leaving the anime company. It seems that the desire to do something on our own rather than being part of a company was something that got excited during discussions with Mr. Shimoda, leading to the formation of the independent production anime team, right?

Yamamoto

No, well, maybe there was some truth to that, but at the time, I was painfully aware of my lack of skills after getting fired and was just lost in life. I was thinking about how to live, and I reached out to Shimoda, who was a creator I admired back then, asking if he could give me some life advice. I wasn't even thinking about continuing with anime; I just went to talk.

Sakoda

I see. At that time, Mr. Yamamoto was observing Mr. Shimoda from a distance. Did Mr. Shimoda share his creative work on Twitter or something like that?

Yamamoto

Yes, that's right. Just before I got fired, I received a follow back from Shimoda, so I thought, "Oh, maybe I can reach out to him," and I did.

Sakoda

Ah, so that's where it all started. As of now in 2023, you are involved in various activities as Asobizukuri, including on Twitter, and it seems like everything is going smoothly. However, I found it surprising that at the start of your career, you faced a bit of a setback, and at the moment of recovering from that setback, you had a new encounter that led you to where you are now.

I would like to switch the conversation to Mr. Shimoda. The relationship began when Mr. Yamamoto discovered you, but according to the profile we have, after graduating from a part-time high school, you were working part-time at a Yamazaki bakery and met Mr. Yamamoto on Twitter during a wandering period. Is that correct? So, during the timeline Mr. Yamamoto mentioned, you were working part-time while sharing various things on Twitter?

Shimoda

Yes, that's right. After graduating from high school, I continued working part-time for a while, and I had been on Twitter since I entered high school. I think at some point, Akihiro recognized me. Then, while I was working part-time, I suddenly received a DM saying, "Shall we meet?" So I thought, "Oh, sure," and went to meet him.

Sakoda

What was the trigger for you to meet? I think many creators are looking for companions, but it's often hard to reach out, and even if someone does reach out, it can be difficult to respond well. I would like to know how the two of you communicated and what the first impression was that led to such a friendly relationship.

Shimoda

This might not be very helpful, but it was a sudden "Shall we meet?" and I didn't really think much about it, just said, "Oh, sure." I think we had some conversation, but I felt like he didn't seem like a bad person, so we just met.

Sakoda

At that time, what was Mr. Yamamoto thinking when he made contact? Was it more of a casual vibe?

Yamamoto

It wasn't so much about thinking; I was lost in life and didn't know what move to make. The only thing I was a bit interested in was reaching out to Shimoda, so I guess it wasn't exactly exciting, but I just made contact because there weren't many interesting options available.

Sakoda

But hearing that, I think Mr. Shimoda must feel quite grateful or happy about it.

Shimoda

I do wonder if I'm really the right person for this.

Sakoda

Mr. Yamamoto, what kind of creativity from Mr. Shimoda made you think, "This is great"?

Yamamoto

Well, Shimoda was drawing a lot of the kind of art I wanted to create. Plus, we were around the same age, and I felt at that time, "Wow, this is real talent," and I thought, "It's not me." I felt like the one who would succeed as an artist was someone like him... Wait, what was the question again? (laughs)

Sakoda

What kind of creativity did you resonate with back then?

Yamamoto

Yes, I definitely resonated with that.

Sakoda

The project "Garakuta Town" that you are working on as Asobizukuri is a concept I really like. I think many people living their lives have dreamed of such a world or story at least once. It feels like a childhood dream. I see that the current creativity from Asobizukuri reflects that sentiment. Was what Mr. Shimoda was drawing back then something similar?

Yamamoto

Ah, yes. It was fantasy-themed illustrations. Also, I liked visuals from Studio Ghibli and similar styles. The world that Shimoda creates is very much in line with that kind of nationalistic world view... That's how it felt.

Sakoda

Mr. Shimoda, I would like to ask you, while listening to that, it might be difficult to analyze yourself, but there are symbols that we as Japanese citizens feel are "nationalistic." I think there are symbols created by Ghibli. What nuances or accents do you think give your creativity that nationalistic symbolism?

Shimoda

Symbolism... I don't know. But I really like Ghibli works, so rather than having discovered it myself, I think I was influenced by those works. I watched a lot of my favorite works unconsciously, and I feel like that accumulated experience comes out in the drawings I create.

Sakoda

Have you been quite invested in input and charging your creativity?

Shimoda

I might not have seen that many, but I really liked Ghibli works and foreign fantasy works. Around the time I graduated from high school, I borrowed DVDs and did some copying. I think the accumulation has come more from fantasy films rather than anime.

Sakoda

For example, what are some foreign fantasy works that come to mind that you feel have influenced you?

Shimoda

One that comes to mind is "Hugo." The title is a bit hazy, but I feel like I've seen quite a few fantasy works, but they don't come to mind immediately.

Sakoda

I see. Right now, I'm cheating on Wikipedia, and it turns out this is Martin Scorsese's first 3D film.

Shimoda

Yeah, oh, was it 3D? I wonder if it used a lot of CG in live-action?

Sakoda

Maybe when you saw it in theaters, you could have watched it with 3D glasses.

Harada

Yeah, I think that was the case.

Shimoda

Oh, I see. Is that so?

Harada

So, it seems there was quite a bit of depth in the artwork that was created with that in mind.

Shimoda

Indeed, it's the first I've heard of it. At that time, I was watching it on DVD rather than in real-time, back in high school when I was around 18 or 19 years old.

Sakoda

I see, I see. Well, while Studio Ghibli is at the center of my anime interests, I really love fantasy genres and adventure fantasy, whether they are animated or live-action, from overseas as well, and I watched a lot of those.

Shimoda

Yes, that's right, yes.

Sakoda

I see. When the things you consumed are projected onto film through Shimoda's filter, it feels a bit strange, like it could be an extension of the current world, but it's a story from a different world, like a summer adventure with a playful spirit, which must excite adults who carry a childlike heart.

Shimoda

That's true.

Sakoda

I've come to understand that your meeting with Yamamoto started when he observed your creativity and reached out to you, and you hit it off from there. But for now, I'd like to wrap up the first half of Episode One, and if you could introduce a song as we head into the second half, that would be great.

Yamamoto

Understood. Please enjoy "The Summer Wars" from the movie Summer Wars.

Creating Anime Without Belonging to the Anime Industry

Sakoda

You just listened to "The Summer Wars" from the movie Summer Wars. I think this song really captures the essence of summer in Japan. You introduced this song, but do you both have any stories related to it?

Yamamoto

When I was in the second year of middle school, I watched Summer Wars on Friday Roadshow and decided to pursue a career in the anime industry. So, it's a song filled with memories for me, which is why I chose to use it this time.

Sakoda

But every time you hear it, those feelings from that time come rushing back, right? Songs like that are important. Do you still listen to it occasionally while creating new things?

Yamamoto

Yes, I listen to it sometimes.

Sakoda

As for you, Shimoda, regarding Summer Wars, I think it must have been one of the influences you absorbed. Do you have any thoughts about it?

Shimoda

I honestly don't remember when I first saw it, but while making anime with Akihiro, I bought some script books to study, and when I watched Summer Wars again, I realized just how interesting it is.

Sakoda

Was it from a script perspective?

Shimoda

Well, I’m not sure if I was looking at it from a script perspective, but I just found it interesting compared to various other works. I feel like it's interesting no matter how many times I watch it.

Sakoda

That's true. I think Mamoru Hosoda has gradually taken on more scriptwriting challenges as he has continued to create works. At that time, the script was written by Okudera, and I had the impression that there are quite a few fans of Okudera's scripts, so I found it interesting that the topic of scripts came up.

What I wanted to ask Shimoda is, when I introduced your profile, I thought it was rare for someone who wants to do anime not to knock on the doors of anime companies from the start. I'd like to hear about that. I live in Kyoto, and there are many students from art schools and universities around me, and I think most of them first knock on the doors of academia. In that context, is there a reason you didn't go straight into an anime company? What were your thoughts while working part-time and sharing on Twitter at that time?

Shimoda

Ah, well, at that time, I was kind of wavering about what to do. I participated in something like a cultural festival at Tama Art University, where a friend was setting up a booth, and I ended up placing some postcards there. I was just casually drawing pictures for those postcards, and I didn't have the intention of becoming an animator. I did apply to Musashino Art University, but since I hadn't gone to a prep school or drawn a lot of sketches or done oil painting, I ended up failing. So, I was just wandering around, thinking about what to do, and I wasn't considering getting a job as an animator at all.

Sakoda

In a broad sense, did you have a vague direction towards creating something?

Shimoda

Yes, I thought it would be nice to be able to draw.

Sakoda

But I think there's a significant difference in accumulation. There are people who just have vague thoughts, and then there are those who actually draw and continue to share their work. The fact that Yamamoto discovered you means you were sharing your work; otherwise, he wouldn't have found you. So, I think that's a huge difference. What was your motivation for sharing at that time?

Shimoda

At that time, it was fun to get reactions, so I would put things out there, and simply put, I enjoyed drawing, so I was happy to get feedback while I was at it.

Sakoda

I had no idea that those actions would lead to the friends I work with now.

Shimoda

I never thought that at all, not at all.

Sakoda

I see, I see. To return to your conversation, it was at the moment when Yamamoto-san approached Shimoda-san that you decided to create an independent animation together. It was mentioned in Yamamoto-san's profile that the first project fell through, but to clarify the current situation a bit, the title of the work being created now is 'Garakuta Town', right?

Yamamoto

Yes, it's still a tentative title, but 'Garakuta Town' is fine.

Sakoda

So, in terms of numbering, what number would 'Garakuta Town' be within Asobizukuri?

Yamamoto

It's quite difficult to say what number it is, but in terms of being a work that we are putting a lot of effort into, I guess it would be the second one. It feels like the second one is almost the third one.

Sakoda

By the way, what kind of work was the first one?

Yamamoto

The first one was a work called 'The Secret Base of Two', which was also a juvenile piece for children, and we were trying to create a short animation about children playing in a secret base.

Sakoda

That work connects to the present, and the fundamental theme seems to be something that has always been consistent within Asobizukuri.

Yamamoto

Indeed.

Sakoda

Regarding the first work, you were trying to create it, and ideas and concepts came up, but at the point of solidifying those, did you think, "I want something different than this"?

Yamamoto

The project fell through due to a disagreement with Shimoda about the length of the animation. I wanted the first one to be short, but Shimoda wanted to do something like a 40-minute short film, and we argued about it. In the end, Shimoda said, "If you want to shorten it, I'll do it alone," so I thought I could only watch over it. After a while, Shimoda said, "I can't do it after all," and we started to think about the project itself, something like that.

Sakoda

I see, I see. There were a few things I wanted to ask about the episode you just shared. I think the point of divergence you both had at that time was expressed in terms of length. When creating something, length is an important factor that represents the expression. It relates to the nature of the work and includes feasibility, so length is quite a significant topic. I would love to hear more about how Asobizukuri plans to develop future works in terms of length in the following episodes, and I also hope to delve a bit into the theme of "play" that was mentioned.

#02 continues