Guests of Honor Asaka Morio and Kojima Masayuki are probably best known for their work on CARD CAPTOR SAKURA. Asaka was the chief director for both the TV series and the two CARD CAPTOR SAKURA movies. Kojima's involvement with CARD CAPTOR SAKURA is through the mini-featurettes KERO-CHAN NI MAKASE which plays in the middle of the CARD CAPTOR SAKURA television episodes. Kojima was chief director of these mini-featurettes. Asaka's other credits include animation supervisor for YAWARA, director of MERMAID'S SCAR, PHANTOM QUEST CORP. and a new TV series running in Japan, GALAXY ANGEL. Kojima's other credits include animation supervisor for SAKURA TAISEN and director for MASTER KEATON.

Before the panel got underway, several attendees dressed in CARD CAPTOR SAKURA costumes sat in the very front row. One of them, Janice Marcus from San Diego who was dressed as Kinomoto Nadesiko, Sakura's mother, had this to say:

"I've seen all the CARD CAPTOR SAKURA TV shows and the movies. I'm not happy at all with the version that's playing on American TV (CARD CAPTORS) because they've destroyed everything that makes the original so charming. In the original, Sakura and the other characters are so loveable, sweet and charming. Sakura is sweet without being a whiner. All the characters are so adorable, but none of that comes through in CARD CAPTORS. Pioneer, however, is doing a good job with the subtitled version staying very true to the original. I hope I can get a picture with them [Asaka and Kojima]."

Looking around and seeing that her comments probably expressed the sentiments of the entire room of about 100 attendees, the two Guests of Honor made their opening remarks.

Asaka Morio: Thank you very much for waiting in the hot weather. I was afraid that no one would show up to our panel!

Kojima Masayuki: I will answer any question; so please ask any question on your mind.

Q: In YAWARA, what were your duties?

AM: On YAWARA, there was a chief director, so I was helping him look after some of the episodes.

Q: For SAKURA TAISEN, did you design any of the mechas or backgrounds?

KM: For SAKURA TAISEN I've only been doing the storyboards.

Q: Have you seen the American version of CARD CAPTORS? And what is your opinion?

AM: Yes, I have seen one episode. As for the voices, I'd have to say that I'm satisfied with them. But for the editing, I'd have to say that I'm a bit disappointed. So please watch the original.

Q: How did you create the relationship between Shaolin and Ieran (Shaolin's mom) for the movie?

AM: The original artist had some ideas, but she doesn't appear in the story [of the manga or TV], so I had to dream up myself what the mother character would be like.

Q: What sort of difficulty did you have adapting a CLAMP manga for TV? Are you satisfied with the results?

AM: This goes with other adaptations as well... there are fans of the original manga and they can be critical. Adding the passage of time to CLAMP's manga was the hardest part. But I'm satisfied with how the anime turned out.

Q: Will there be a 3rd CARD CAPTOR SAKURA movie?

AM: There are no plans for a 3rd movie at this moment.

Q: Who was your favorite character from the SAKURA series?

AM: I like all the characters, but Shaolin is active and can do many physical things, so it is fun to direct all that action.

Q: For the first movie, does the Water Mage have a name?

AM: Come to think of it, I don't believe there was a name after all.

Q: Do you like Kero's favorite food?

KM: I love it!

Q: You've seen a lot of people in costumes of the characters from shows you've both worked on here at the convention. What are your feelings about that?

AM: I think it's a good thing to do something you like. And it's obvious that some of you have put a lot of work into making your costumes. May I take some pictures of you?

Audience: Yes! [A short photo session ensues.]

KM: I have pretty much the same feelings as Mr. Asaka. But personally, I think the costumes often look better on Americans than when worn by Japanese fans.

Q: What do you think of the male cosplayers who dress as female characters? And vice versa?

AM: Umm... I think it's okay, but I personally would not do it myself.

KM: Whoever is doing it must be very brave, and I respect their courage.

Q: Does CLAMP approve each TV episode and movie?

AM: For the movie, they wrote the story, so they were very involved. So in that case, yes, they did approve the story.

Q: Does the story for the SAKURA TAISEN TV series come after the OVAs?

KM: I'm not sure of the details, but the TV series does come after the OVAs. There are different story lines and the TV series does have original stories.

Q: Now that the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences has designated an award for animated films, is this something you would like to win? Are you targeting this award at all? Or do you even care?

AM: Right now, it is something too big and far away to achieve, so I don't think much about it.

KM: If it really becomes true [that anyone in Japan] can win it, that would be a wonderful occasion. But I think it is impossible right now. It's not something to chase after. Winning it would be icing on the cake of a job well done.

AM: I'd like to add that for CARD CAPTOR SAKURA, we did win a few awards in Japan, but the purpose was not to win any awards, but to make something fun and enjoyable to watch.

Q: In the TV series and in the manga, the relationship between Sakura and Shaolin ended with a mutual understanding of their friendship (nothing romantic). But in the second movie, Sakura confesses her affection for Shaolin. Why the difference?

AM: The difference between the TV and the movie is how Sakura presents herself. In the TV series, Sakura is portrayed as passive. But in the movie, we tried to do something different. How the story comes to closure was decided early in the beginning of the planning stages.

Q: Do you use yourself as reference for Kero's expressions?

KM: Well, when creating the character, I do try to come up with the design and the look. But after that, it is mostly the personality that determines the expressions. So if there is some of my personality in the character, it must be subconscious on my part! I use my imagination quite a bit.

Q: As this is your first convention appearance, what is the best part and worst part of coming to North America?

KM: This is the very first convention I've attended. In Japan, there is no such place where creators and fans can come together and converse. I think something like this is very meaningful. And concerning the U.S.—I love it!

Q: Mr. Asaka, tell us a bit more about your new series GALAXY ANGEL?

AM: First, let me ask you what do you think GALAXY ANGEL sounds like it's about?

Q: Sounds like something sci-fi, little girl adventures...

AM: Yes! You are absolutely right!

Q: Any details you can give us?

AM: It has a very short format. It is only ten minutes per episode. There really isn't a whole lot of sci-fi themes in it. There are five girls and each week they get into some kind of trouble they have to work their way out of.

Q: Will there be any more Kero shorts?

KM: If another SAKURA movie is made, then I'm sure there'll be another Kero short.

Q: What is your favorite episode or scene from the TV series (or the movie)?

KM: Well, besides the Kero shorts, my favorite is episode 2 from the TV series since I worked on it.

AM: I pretty much check everything that appears on the screen, but when they arrive in Hong Kong in the first movie and Kero jumps up and the whole screen turns yellow, I think I'd have to say that this is my favorite scene.

Q: Now that SAKURA has had more exposure in the U.S., will you ever take into consideration the U.S. audience when making and directing your shows?

AM: Up until right now, I had never thought much of the American audience. But after seeing all of the fans, I think it will be impossible not to think of you!

KM: My opinion is very much the same as Mr. Asaka's. But I feel that if I consider the American audience too much, it may actually hinder my effectiveness. I'd rather direct as naturally as possible without too many conscious distractions.

Q: You mentioned before that GALAXY ANGEL is formatted for ten minute episodes. How can you fit enough stuff into a ten minute format?

AM: KM: I have no real preference between episodes for shorts. In a "thirty minute" episode, there are really only about twenty minutes anyway, so GALAXY ANGEL is only half the length of an ordinary half-hour episode. I see it as a new challenge since it is a new format for me. I think I may have to drop some things or perhaps I'll have to rush the story just to fit into the 10 minute time limitation. I plan on experimenting and seeing what happens.

Q: Why did the Kero shorts stop after the first season of the CARD CAPTOR SAKURA TV series?

AM: There was a complicated problem behind the scenes... At first, the format was going to be a bit different. In the beginning, we didn't know NHK was going to broadcast it, but when we found out, the first episode was too short and so we had some time to fill. So we filled that time with a Kero short. Everyone liked it so much, it just stayed with us throughout the first season. In the second season, the story became more involved and dramatic, so we stopped doing the Kero shorts to focus on the development of the story.

KM: Actually, until this very moment, I was unaware of this situation!

Q: When I went to Hong Kong, I realized that there was a lot detail in the backgrounds of the first CARD CAPTOR SAKURA movie that was quite accurate! Why was there so much attention paid to the details and making it look exactly like Hong Kong?

AM: Myself and the art director went to Hong Kong for pre-production research. We took over 300 pictures and lots of video. So that's probably why it was so accurate. For the 2nd movie, I really wanted to go somewhere else (another foreign country), but there wasn't enough time or money.

Q: You [Asaka] also directed MERMAID SCAR. Do you prefer dark stories or light, happy ones?

AM: I think it changes from time to time. If I work too much with one, I'd probably want to work on the other. Right now, light, happy titles are good for me.

Q: In PHANTOM QUEST CORP., if it had continued, what would we have seen?

AM: PHANTOM QUEST CORP. was an original Mad House production. If there were more, I'd probably want to expand on the romantic relationship between Ayaka and the detective Karino.

Q: In the trailer for the first SAKURA movie, there's a trailer for the CLAMP story CLOVER. Did you have anything to do with CLOVER?

AM: No, I had no involvement with it.

Q: Have you seen the internet parody of the SAKURA intro? Does it scare you?

AM: Actually, I've not seen it. I heard about it from a fan yesterday. Unless I have a real need to see it, I think I'd rather not.

KM: I saw it in Korea accidentally and I thought it was a perfect job!

With that the panel came to an end. Final comments from the Guests:

AM: Coming here and talking to you, I'm very impressed with your knowledge of my works. Thank you. Let's keep the good relationship going.

KM: I've had a great time being here with you at this convention. Thank you very much.