EX: So what can you tell us about the new BUBBLEGUM CRISIS?

WK: The power suits are still being designed; a lot of thought is being given to the look and feel of the suits. The character designer for the series is Matsubara Hidenori, who did the character designs for the AA! MEGAMISAMA OVA series.
The story itself is rather simple--the bad guys are beaten by the good characters.

EX: Will there be any new main characters added?

WK: The story is undecided at the moment, so they still don't know. (Editor's note: Rumor is that the writer of the television series is against the additions of any more main characters.)
And since this is a network series, there really can't be that much blood and gore. Even though there are crimes, they won't be that gory.

EX: What do you think is the appeal of anime?

WK: Japanese animation has its own sophistication. Timing, special effects, and camera work are all very different from other media and other forms of animation as well.

EX: Why don't AIC shows have a stronger presence in the European market?

WK: Little market research has been done in Europe, I think. Also, we (AIC) don't handle distribution. It is not our job to find the markets for our products.
Foreign markets vary and are dependent on the affluence of society in each country. Perhaps people aren't sure if there is a real business opportunity there or not.

EX: Are you pleased with the success of your shows in America?

WK: Yes. For example, ARMITAGE III was not a major hit in Japan, but it is doing much better in the United States. Usually, we don't have long-range plans for anime markets, but for the United States, we do. We definitely want to expand in the U.S. market. What's important now is to regulate pirated versions of anime. The internet is crucial in that role.

EX: Where do most of your animators come from?

WK: Lots of them come from the animation schools. These schools are an established business in Japan. Some people even go to these schools before they're sure that they really want to work as an animator for a living! But there is a gap between what they learn in the schools and professional training. As for specific schools, it doesn't matter where you come from if you have the talent. Several famous animators and character designers, for example, all went to the prestigious Tokyo Design School, but none of them graduated.
If you're going to be in the anime business, you can't be one of those people who needs to adhere to a very strict schedule. Animators aren't salarymen. They work lots of hours, but if they are too serious, then they can't do their job.

EX: What is your role as a producer?

WK: I've worked in the anime industry for fifteen years. My job is to talk. (Laughs). I don't draw. I draw people together and make them work together on projects.

EX: How do you feel about the recent trend towards incorporating more CG (computer generated animation) in anime?

WK: I think that use of CG will only increase in the future. Both CG and traditional animation haves good and bad points--the right balance has to be found. We could go to CG completely right now, but not everyone likes it that much, so it wouldn't be worthwhile.
The production hierarchy is also a limiting factor. Larger companies farm out some jobs to smaller companies; this system is very entrenched, and the cost to switch to CG at this point would be too prohibitive.

EX: That's all the questions we have, thank you for your time.

WK: You're very welcome. If you're ready, let's begin the tour.

Thanks to Mr. Watanabe for taking so much time out of his busy schedule to meet with us, and to Bill MacPhee for making this possible. Special thanks also go to Hasegawa Hiromi for acting as our impromptu interpreter!