Kia Asamiya: “I am who I am today because of Space Battleship Yamato“
Thoughts on returning to work as an animator and retiring, and the remake series
Posted December 1 on Mantan Web.
See the original article here.
The illustrations below are production drawings from the end title for the TV broadcast of 2199. They were posted on Twitter by Kia Asamiya in June 2021.
Kia Asamiya, a manga artist known for Silent Mobius and The Great Steam Detectives, has a deep connection with the Yamato remake series. Asamiya is known not only as a manga artist, but also as an animator. He took a break from his work as an animator after drawing the key animation for Gekiganger 3 in Martian Successor Nadesico (broadcast in 1996), but returned to animating for Yamato 2199, broadcast on TV in 2013. Since then, he has worked on storyboards, layouts, and visuals for the remake series, and has also drawn the teaser visuals for the latest remake series, REBEL 3199, which has been a hot topic.
We asked Asamiya about his thoughts on Space Battleship Yamato and his involvement with the remake series.
The first Space Battleship Yamato TV anime began broadcasting half a century ago, in 1974. It became a major movement and had a huge impact on subsequent anime. Asamiya was one of the people who was greatly affected by it. The remake series was not Asamiya’s first time participating in Yamato; he also participated in the animation of Final Yamato (released in 1983) as an animation director.
“I was in the fifth grade when it started broadcasting. At that time, there were only two commercial TV stations in my hometown. After Samurai Giants finished, I saw the preview of Yamato and was shocked. I was so hooked that I thought I had to watch it from next week! It was different from the anime I’d been watching until then. However, not many people around me were watching it. I think a lot of people were watching Monkey Army (a competing program). Yamato was the trigger for the creation of anime magazines, and it was through those that I learned about the job of an animator for the first time. I thought, ‘if I can make a living by drawing pictures…’ and decided to become an animator. My first job as an animator was on Final Yamato.”
Mr. Asamiya was active as an animator under the name “Michitaka Kikuchi”, but he stopped to concentrate on manga. However, he received a direct offer from Director Yutaka Izubuchi, who worked on 2199, and returned to work as an animator.
“I think the last key animation I did was for Gekiganger 3 (character design by Nobuyoshi Habara), an anime seen in Martian Successor Nadesico, for which I did the character design. I also do manga, so I went to talk with my senior Mr. Izubuchi about doing creature design for Kamen Rider Fourze (2011-2012). In that conversation, he said, ‘Actually, I’m working on Yamato now. Do you want to see the designs?’ Of course! When I did, he said, ‘Why don’t you get on board this ship?’ (laughs). Since it was Izubuchi who asked, there was no reason for me to turn it down. After all, Yamato is special, and I am who I am today because of Yamato.”
He participated in 2199 as an animator, but looking back, he says that at first, he was like Urashima Taro. [A man from another time.]
“It had been about 15 years since I last did key animation, so there were a lot of things I didn’t understand, and I asked the production manager to give me a glossary. At first, it was a scene of mecha fighting on the floating continent of Jupiter. Nowadays, I would leave it all to CG, but at that time, I drew rough key animation to use as a timing reference for the CG production. After that, I did a lot of things, such as correcting layouts, key animation and layout for the ending. The producer, Shimoji Shigenori, was the first person I worked with after becoming a freelance animator, and I basically never turn down work from people who have helped me. I’ve known him since I worked on Transformers for Ashi Productions. I’ve been in the industry for a long time, but I think I’ve been able to continue because of the timing and the connections.”
An animator “retires”
He also participated in Yamato 2202, a sequel to 2199 which was screened in theaters from 2017 to 2019. 2202 was directed by Nobuyoshi Habara. Asamiya and Habara have a connection through various works such as The Great Steam Detectives, Martian Successor Nadesico, Shurato, and Sonic Soldier Borgman.
“For 2202, I first came up with the concept for the opening title with Mr. Habara. As we were talking at a family restaurant, I drew something on a napkin I found nearby, saying, ‘I think it’s something like this…’ and created the basis of the storyboard. I do layouts, key animation, storyboards, and illustrations for copyright. I’ve also started illustrating box art for plastic models.”
Next, he took part in Age of Yamato, a compilation of 2199 and 2202, released in 2021.
“I did all the storyboards for the new scenes in the compilation, as well as all the new shots for the mecha, all by myself. Also the layouts and key animation. By participating in the compilation, I realized my limitations as an animator. Because anime is a comprehensive art form created by everyone, I thought I was causing trouble for other people, so I decided to quit being an animator. I’m not doing it anymore. I’m retiring.”
Although his retirement announcement is disappointing for fans, he also participated in Yamato 2205, The New Voyage and the latest work, Be Forever Yamato REBEL 3199.
“For 2205, I did the illustrations for the video sleeves and the teaser visuals for the latter chapter, and for 3199, I drew the teaser visuals. I also did detailing for the main story, two storyboards, and drew other things like image boards. The Yamato in the last shot of the first chapter is my drawing. I drew references for the storyboards and the like, and I hope I’ll have a chance to show it somewhere someday.”
The teaser visual for 3199 Chapter 2 shows Yamato about to depart.
“I did the storyboard for Episode 4, and it was a visual of the launch scene from the asteroid in that episode. It’s a bird’s-eye view, with the bridge area blacked out and only the windows backlit. It may be rare to see a visual of Yamato from the front.”
What he teaches as an instructor
Although he is “retired” as an animator, he has also worked on storyboards for Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury, Gundam Seed Freedom, and High Speed Etoile. He also teaches young animators at Bandai Namco Filmworks.
“Since last year, I’ve been working as an instructor for new animators every Wednesday, but since all the other instructors are active animators, I teach in a slightly different way. I don’t really teach movement (laughs). I teach methodology, layout, camera, etc., and we watch a movie every time. I tell them the key points before showing it to them.”
It’s a luxury to be able to receive direct instruction from Asamiya, and we wondered what kind of movies he shows.
“I recently had them watch Poppoya (1999). It was one of the turning points for Japanese cinema, and I told them they should remember the name of the famous cinematographer, Daisaku Kimura. I’ve also shown them Aim for the Ace and Back to the Future, as well as Farewell, My Lovely Lupin, and Fleischer’s Superman: The Mechanical Monsters and other live-action films. Animators should study the performances of real people. I’m the type of person who doesn’t need to watch that much anime.”
The appeal of the remake series
Half a century has passed since Space Battleship Yamato began airing, but Yamato still has an enduring appeal.
“While retaining the Battleship Yamato‘s large-ship, large-gun style, it also has a spaceship feel. Up until then, most spaceships were rocket-types, and the impact of a ship flying in the sky was huge. Yamato is so great that it’s difficult to design other space battleships. Yamato‘s impact was so great that it can’t be imitated.”
What does Asamiya, who is from the “Yamato generation,” think about the appeal of the remake series?
“I think it’s a big thing that new Yamato works are still being made. Long-time fans are supporting us, and with 2202, the number of female fans has increased significantly. I’ll do anything for Yamato because it’s Yamato. That’s all there is to it. The remake series has a different tone depending on the director, and that’s something I look forward to.”
The general director of 3199 is Harutoshi Fukui, who was in charge of the series composition for 2202 and 2205.
“Fukui’s work contains a lot of information. I have to digest all that information, so it can be difficult. When I’m storyboarding, I feel like there’s a lot of amazing things behind this amount of information. I’ve finished all my storyboarding and drawing work for the main story, but I’m looking forward to seeing what happens.”
The remake series includes staff members who are passionate about Yamato, including Asamiya. We hope you can feel that passion in REBEL 3199 Chapter 2, now showing.
