mercoledì 5 luglio 2017

Sensei - Junji Okubo: the interview!


Dear friends, today We are very proud to have the unique opportunity to make an interview with the creator of the “Industrial Design” for mecha: sensei Junji Okubo!
And many thanks to the Bilbros guys for the translation and to all of the Giagun fan club for the kind cooperation.

Fantascienza&Co: Was it hard to work on a Gundam project (novel “For the Barrel”)?
非常に辛かったです。今だったら引き受けません。若さと反骨精神だけでやりました。革新的な事に挑戦したかったのです。
È stato molto duro. Se dovessi farlo ora non ne sarei in grado. L'ho fatto solo grazie alla giovinezza e ad uno spirito ribelle. Ho voluto affrontare la sfida di una cosa innovativa.
It was really hard. I woudln't be able to do it now. I made it only thanks to youth and a rebellious spirit. I wanted to accept the challenge of an innovative thing.



F&Co.: I’m interested also in your job on Tekki (aka Steel Battalion). How was working on Vertical Tanks?
こちらもそれまでのアニメスタイルのロボから逸脱する事が目的でした。プレッシャーも大きく本当に大変でした。
Anche qui c'era l'intenzione di allontanarsi dallo stile degli anime robotici. Ma ancora una volta la pressione era grande ed è stato veramente difficile.
Here also the purpose was to depart from the robot anime style. But pressure was big and it was really hard as well.



F&Co.: I really like your “Industrial” design that is an inspiration for many other scifi artist, so what’s your ideas about mechas (as We call real robot)?
日本アニメのロボットよりも、80年代のハリウッドムービーからの影響が大きいです。日本のアニメはAKIRAGhost in the Shellが好きです。テレビアニメはほとんど観ません。
Sono maggiormente influenzato dai film di Hollywood degli anni '80 che dagli anime robotici giapponesi. Fra gli anime giapponesi preferisco AKIRA e Ghost in the Shell. Non guardo praticamente alcun anime televisivo.
The influence from the Hollywood movie of the 1980s is larger than the Japanese robot anime. As for Japanese animation I like AKIRA and Ghost in the Shell. I hardly see TV anime.

F&Co.: Are there some other Mecha Designers or Modellers that inspired your art?
Ralph McQuarrieJoe JohnstonなどStar Warsのアーティストから強く影響を受けています。Ron Cobbも大好きです。最近はGeorge HullBen MauroAaron Beckの仕事が好きです。
Ho ricevuto una forte influenza da Ralph McQuarrie, Joe Johnston e altri artisti di Star Wars. Apprezzo molto anche Ron Cobb. Recentemente mi piace anche il lavoro di George Hull, Ben Mauro, Aaron Beck.
I was strongly influenced by Ralph McQuarrie, Joe Johnston and other Star Wars artists. I also love Ron Cobb. Recently I like the work of George Hull, Ben Mauro, Aaron Beck.

F&Co.: How do you work? What’s your inspirations?
シルエットが全てです。そこにインダストリアルな要素をコラージュします。シルエットはシンプルかつ印象的であることを心がけています。
La silhouette è tutto. Poi c'è un collage di elementi industriali. Cerco di mantenere la silhouette semplice e di grande effetto.
Silhouette is everything. Then there's a collage of industrial elements. I try to keep silhouette simple and impressive.