1 - The History of BONES Source: Crunchyroll Translator: Editor: Timer: QC: (Please feel free to edit the speaker names if incomplete or inaccurate. Names are handled on a best-effort basis depending on the info on the source file. Dialogue is left as is.) [00:03] NA     It's been 25 years since Bones first made     its mark on the Japanese animation industry. [00:08] NA     Breaking through the limits     of traditional animation, [00:13] NA     Bones has created numerous     original and adapted series [00:16] NA     full of breathtaking action scenes,     creativity, and dynamism. [00:23] OTSUKA     Since before I entered the industry,     Bones was known for its cool action sequences. [00:29] MIMA     Especially the sound effects,     like blood spray or wailing. [00:32] MATSUKURA     I suppose I'd describe it     as stylish and powerful. [00:35] NA     Bones has produced over 80     movies, TV series, and OVA [00:39] NA     including* Cowboy Bebop: Knockin'     on Heaven's Door*,* RahXephon*, [00:47] NA     Fullmetal Alchemist,* Space Dandy*,     Eureka Seven, and* My Hero Academia*. [00:54] NATSUME     They take everything seriously. [00:55] NATSUME     Every series is handled with     a straightforward approach. [00:59] ITO     They produce very detailed art     and high quality works. [01:07] NA     Bones' high technical skills has     produced a wide variety of works, [01:12] NA     which is achieved by providing creators     with a place to think and create freely. [01:18] WATANABE     If I told another studio     I wanted to create freely, [01:22] WATANABE     I doubt anyone else would let me do it. [01:27] MORI     Bones' willingness to boldly produce original     series is one of their best qualities. [01:35] MORI     You can feel the philosophy behind it. [01:36] MONJI     Bones is powerful. [01:41] MATSUZAKI     Bones has worked on a lot of series     with a large core fan base. [01:49] HONMA     FMA. I can't believe they got FMA. [01:53] MINAMI     They must like it.     No, that doesn't do it justice. [01:57] NA     Bones is constantly pursuing     works that transcend genres. [02:04] NA     Metallic Rouge, the series commemorating     the studio's 25th anniversary... [02:14] NA     is a tech-noir science fiction series [02:16] NA     filled with spectacular and innovative     action scenes featuring androids. [02:23] SPEAKER     It began with us talking     about making a proper sci-fi series. [02:28] NA     This four-part program will feature interviews     with founder Masahiko Minami, [02:32] NA     as well as industry members and creators     with deep connections to Bones, [02:37] NA     and stories that get to     the heart of the studio. [02:46] MINAMI     We've been asked to resurrect     memories from decades ago. [02:51] NA     Get to know the creators who have been     providing the world with dreams for 25 years. [02:56] SPEAKER     Here we go! [03:38] NA     The relationship of the core members of Bones [03:41] NA     dates back to the days     they worked at Sunrise, [03:44] NA     one of Japan's leading     anime production companies. [03:46] NA     Sunrise, creator of the popular     series* Mobile Suit Gundam*, [03:51] NA     was known as one of the primary     producers of robot anime, [03:55] NA     but they were also popular     for their works from other genres [03:58] NA     such as* City Hunter and Dirty Pair*. [04:02] NA     Masahiko Minami got involved in anime     production at the historic Sunrise company, [04:07] NA     where his talents as a producer blossomed. [04:11] NA     Eventually he would meet Hiroshi     Osaka and Toshihiro Kawamoto, [04:17] NA     creators with a strong desire     to create, and together [04:21] NA     they produced* City Hunter*,     Escaflowne, and* G Gundam*. [04:24] NA     They would also go on to create     the groundbreaking* Cowboy Bebop*. [04:30] MINAMI     When I joined the Japanese animation industry,     there were only TV shows and movies. [04:41] MINAMI     A lot of TV shows in particular were     created to sell toys or plastic models. [04:53] MINAMI     When I started, the role of producers     was primarily to talk to toy makers [05:04] MINAMI     and handle project planning. [05:13] MINAMI     While working as a producer, [05:16] MINAMI     I frequently had thoughts about     the type of series I wanted to create [05:19] MINAMI     or what I wanted to create     with certain staff, [05:24] MINAMI     so Kawamoto, Osaka,     and I left to make a place [05:30] MINAMI     where we could create in a way     we couldn't at Sunrise. [05:39] MINAMI     It was around this time     that we started thinking [05:42] MINAMI     about making animation to be seen     and not just to sell toys. [05:48] MINAMI     We wanted to make a place where we     could find new forms of expression, [05:56] MINAMI     new genres, and new themes through creation. [06:02] NA     In 1998, during production on* Cowboy Bebop*, [06:06] NA     Minami founded Bones     with Osaka and Kawamoto. [06:11] NA     However, their goal wasn't     to produce anime in order to sell toys. [06:18] JULIA     I'm glad we met. [06:19] FAYE     Me, too. [06:21] MINAMI     We happened to quit while     we were working on Bebop. [06:29] MINAMI     We were constantly working on something,     so there wasn't a perfect time to quit. [06:37] JET     See you later. [06:39] WATANABE     I heard about Bones being founded during the     final stages of production on Cowboy Bebop. [06:49] WATANABE     It was mostly the same group     that had been working at Sunrise. [06:57] WATANABE     It felt like that group had simply     become a new studio called Bones. [07:03] WATANABE     Even Mr. Minami said not much would change. [07:09] WATANABE     Nobody was anxious about     Bones being a new studio. [07:16] WATANABE     Bones' first studio was just a room.     It was a tiny one-room rental. [07:27] WATANABE     We were worried it wouldn't be enough. [07:31] WATANABE     Nobody thought we'd become a huge     internationally famous company. [07:37] JET     Look at all of this. [07:40] JET     Who do they think is gonna fix this? [07:44] AMANO     I love the Cowboy Bebop TV series.     It was one of the reasons I pursued this job. [07:50] AMANO     Even while watching the TV show,     there was something about it that felt really cinematic. [07:57] AMANO     When I learned we'd be making     a movie for theatrical release, [08:02] AMANO     I was excited to come to work. [08:08] NA     Bones was established to produce anime     with an emphasis on creativity. [08:14] NA     After they left Sunrise,     Minami, Osaka, and Kawamoto [08:18] NA     completed the series with Shinichiro Watanabe     and began production on the movie. [08:25] NA     Yoko Kanno composed the music. [08:27] NA     The smooth animation     was uncommon for the time. [08:34] MINAMI     On the Bebop movie, all the staff, [08:37] MINAMI     including Director Shinichiro Watanabe     and Toshihiro Kawamoto, [08:43] MINAMI     continuously pursued a high level. [08:50] MINAMI     They refused to compromise on anything. [08:53] MINAMI     This scene will look like this.     This shot in this scene will look like that. [08:59] MINAMI     The movie is an aggregation of the tremendous     effort they put into every single frame. [09:12] WATANABE     Compared to a TV series,     you have more time and money available. [09:17] ALL     Three hundred million? [09:20] WATANABE     You might only get two minutes     for an action scene in a TV show, [09:27] WATANABE     but you get ten minutes in a movie. [09:29] WATANABE     We ended up with more shots     than originally planned, [09:33] WATANABE     which meant we didn't have enough animators. [09:37] WATANABE     Even while working on the TV series, [09:39] WATANABE     we'd end up being off by a minute     or two in each episode. [09:42] WATANABE     We were producing about five episodes     worth at once, which quintupled the error. [09:49] WATANABE     It became difficult to control. [09:53] AMANO     There were about a dozen or so     main staff working out of the studio. [10:02] AMANO     Things were quite harmonious     when production began. [10:07] AMANO     In the latter half, as the schedule got worse     and worse, things became strained. [10:11] JET     It's an emergency. Can't you do something? [10:14] AMANO     But we had plenty of staff     focused on the movie, [10:20] AMANO     so I'm glad I got to experience all of that. [10:24] SPIKE     Hey. [10:25] ED     Found you. [10:27] WATANABE     The staff were passionate.     That definitely helped. [10:33] WATANABE     People who wanted to animate     the movie had showed up. [10:40] VINCENT     I'm glad I got to see you at the end. [10:45] NA     Both the TV series and movie     were hugely successful, [10:48] NA     and* Cowboy Bebop and its unique atmosphere     established a new trend in anime production. [10:54] NA     Bones also became a beacon for rising     production companies in the anime industry. [11:00] NA     The Vision of Escaflowne was the second     work Bones inherited from Sunrise. [11:06] NA     With the aim of creating a robot     series approachable to women, [11:09] NA     Bones began production on a movie. [11:12] AKANE     People were starting to say [11:14] AKANE     you couldn't produce a hit live action movie     or drama without a female audience. [11:22] AKANE     I didn't understand why anime was the only     medium producing media just for men. [11:29] AKANE     I wanted to create something women would     watch if I had the opportunity to direct. [11:39] AKANE     When we got Escaflowne,     it was planned for a male audience. [11:46] AKANE     I suggested to Mr. Minami     that going forward, [11:50] AKANE     anime would have to tell stories     for women, too. [11:58] AKANE     I convinced him to let me try making     something like that with Escaflowne. [12:08] AKANE     As it turned out, it was watched     overwhelmingly by women. [12:12] AKANE     I personally was really glad about that. [12:17] NA     Abandoning the stereotype     that robot anime are for men [12:22] NA     and leaving production up to the creators     allows a greater variety of stories to be told. [12:27] NA     Bones proved that idea with Escaflowne. [12:30] NA     The robot genre was changing,     breaking away from merchandising [12:37] NA     and bringing in new settings     and compositions. [12:41] AKANE     Drawing mecha requires special skills. [12:45] AKANE     Not every animator can draw them. [12:50] HORI     Only a limited number     of studios can produce them. [12:55] HORI     It takes a veteran animator to get the     action scenes right or express their weight. [13:04] HORI     It has to be expressed carefully. [13:09] OHYAMA     One of Bones' roots—their identity—     can be found in their robot series. [13:25] MINAMI     I really like robot series. [13:31] MINAMI     The robots themselves are interesting [13:36] MINAMI     because they're simultaneously     fantastical and realistic. [13:44] MINAMI     They're massive objects operated     by flesh and blood pilots. [13:50] MINAMI     They're simultaneously weapons and vehicles. [13:55] MINAMI     They're a space and     an extension of your body. [14:04] MINAMI     The appeal of robot anime is that all     these things can be expressed by a robot. [14:12] NA     Yutaka Izubuchi was appointed as director,     and the original series RahXephon was born. [14:20] NA     With credits on Mobile Police Patlabor*,     Kagaku Sentai Dynaman, [14:26] NA     Dengeki Sentai Changeman,     and* Kamen Rider Agito*, [14:31] NA     this lover of tokusatsu     and robots is a legendary figure. [14:32] IZUBUCHI     Minami asked if I wanted to     work on an original series. [14:40] IZUBUCHI     He said I should make something myself     since I'm so quick to comment on others' work. [14:49] IZUBUCHI     That said, I did want to try making     something different from Gundam. [15:00] IZUBUCHI     Something more like Reideen. [15:05] IZUBUCHI     I wanted to take a more occult     or mystical approach. [15:16] IZUBUCHI     I wanted to create a mystical robot series [15:20] IZUBUCHI     that incorporated sci-fi elements     like quantum mechanics. [15:29] AYATO     RahXephon. [15:41] IZUBUCHI     I was inspired by that sort of thing. [15:43] IZUBUCHI     The fossil beasts of Reideen     were like golems. [15:48] IZUBUCHI     Reideen itself seemed     to be made of stone at first, [15:55] IZUBUCHI     but by the third or fourth one,     it had turned into a kaiju. [16:02] IZUBUCHI     It stops feeling like a fossil beast, but that     made it easy for children to understand. [16:12] IZUBUCHI     In that regard, it was doll-shaped. [16:17] IZUBUCHI     The fossil beasts were like kaiju made     of stone, but this felt like a doll. [16:26] IZUBUCHI     An unmoving solid chunk. [16:31] IZUBUCHI     They were treating it like a clay figure. [16:41] IZUBUCHI     It was the Reideen I wanted to see.     It's a little childish, isn't it? [16:47] IZUBUCHI     But surprisingly, sometimes that childish desire     is what drives you to create something. [17:07] KYODA     The series is about what Mr. Izubuchi     had inside him at the time. [17:16] KYODA     I'd known him since we were children, [17:20] KYODA     so I had a good sense of what he     wanted to do and his nuance. [17:27] KYODA     It didn't feel new to me,     but that wasn't a bad thing. [17:34] KYODA     I felt like it clearly expressed     what he wanted to do. [17:43] AMANO     The first key frame system     we first used during RahXephon [17:48] AMANO     was unusual for our company     and the industry as a whole. [17:54] AMANO     In simple terms, the first key frame     is like a rough drawing. [17:59] AMANO     The idea was that our internal animators     would film a bunch of shots, [18:04] AMANO     and a select few would improve the quality. [18:09] AMANO     Then they'd hand it off     to the second key frame group [18:15] AMANO     to proactively ensure a high level of quality. [18:17] AYATO     It's done. [18:21] NA     Later, the staff who received high praise     for* Ouran High School Host Club* [18:26] NA     would suggest the idea that lead to the     production of* STAR DRIVER: Shining Takuto*, [18:31] NA     a high school series     with robot anime elements. [18:38] OYABU     Star Driver is a high school robot series. [18:43] OYABU     Mr. Minami's stance is, "I don't     understand it, but it must be entertaining." [18:52] OYABU     "If you insist that it's     interesting, then it must be." [18:59] MINAMI     At first, I asked what the point     was of robots fighting [19:04] MINAMI     in a setting as small and limited as a school. [19:12] MINAMI     Robots should express something     by fighting somewhere bigger, [19:18] MINAMI     so why would they have these     nonsense fights in such a small place? [19:24] MINAMI     As the story progresses, it moves into     outer space and the rest of the world. [19:35] TAKEDA     Mr. Enokido and Director     Igarashi worked together [19:40] TAKEDA     to create the high school     series they wanted to make, [19:45] TAKEDA     with shaman-like shrine maidens,     a mysterious and fantastical world, [19:54] TAKEDA     and giant robots. [19:58] TAKEDA     Mr. Minami is a very interesting man     for letting them do that. [20:07] NAGASAKI     I was a storyboard artist. [20:10] NAGASAKI     Robot series typically feature     a lot of war, battles, and people. [20:17] NAGASAKI     I thought I'd be drawing those heavy themes,     but it wasn't like that at all. [20:24] NAGASAKI     I heard they wanted to make it     a cheerful high school anime. [20:29] NAGASAKI     I thought it sounded positive and fun. [20:34] GODA     Let's ride, Tetrioht! [20:39] OYABU     There are battles, of course, [20:42] OYABU     but it's a robot series that makes you     want to attend that school, [20:49] OYABU     visit that island, and be     the protagonist of that world. [20:55] OHYAMA     The original title was Ginga Bishonen. [21:04] OHYAMA     Star Driver is a unique combination     of male idols and robots. [21:16] OHYAMA     That may have been the reason     it entered the world [21:19] OHYAMA     as a new kind of robot series     for women, as well. [21:32] HORI     Bones is a studio that carries     on the traditions of Sunrise. [21:39] HORI     They've made traditional mecha anime, [21:44] HORI     but I believe they create works     that feel inspired less by anime culture [21:51] HORI     and more by other cultures,     especially Eureka Seven. [21:54] NA     In 2005, Bones produced* Eureka Seven*, [21:59] NA     directed by Tomoki Kyoda and     screenplay written by Dai Sato. [22:04] NA     Inspired by seemingly unrelated pop culture, [22:09] NA     a unique anime about robot,     surfing, and techno music was born. [22:16] KYODA     Club culture was really taking     off in Japan at the time. [22:20] KYODA     I was in college when Japanese artists     like Denki Groove and Ken Ishii [22:27] KYODA     started selling records internationally. [22:33] KYODA     With that background, I started thinking     about what it meant to surf. [22:40] KYODA     When I realized I had to draw a confrontation     between mainstream culture and subculture, [22:47] KYODA     I asked myself what subcultures meant to me. [22:53] RENTON     Yes! [22:54] AMANO     Mr. Kyoda is seven or eight years older     than me, but they were subcultures I liked. [23:01] AMANO     Not all of them,     but take techno, for example. [23:05] AMANO     I thought the use of Denki     Groove was really cool. [23:09] AMANO     He must have a keen ear, since I didn't     think they'd be a good fit for anime. [23:14] AMANO     When he added robots on top of that, [23:16] AMANO     I thought it was unusual,     like nothing I'd ever seen. [23:21] AMANO     Not only that, but they're surfing. [23:27] SATO     For Eureka, we mixed in music from     techno artists alongside my music. [23:36] SATO     I avoided electronic sounds and opted     for orchestral and acoustic music [23:42] SATO     to create a sound that would contrast     with the electronic music of techno. [23:52] SATO     I think sound director Mr.     Wakabayashi did a fantastic job [23:55] SATO     applying the music to the animation. [24:00] WAKABAYASHI     The music everyone liked so much was the     product of me supporting the director's vision. [24:09] WAKABAYASHI     I handled the music for the Seven Swell, [24:11] WAKABAYASHI     the protagonist's sadness,     and his embrace with Eureka, [24:16] WAKABAYASHI     but the director handled     everything else, like the battle music. [24:20] TAKEDA     Mr. Kyoda and Mr. Sato got to do exactly     what they wanted to do on Eureka Seven. [24:34] TAKEDA     It's a painful thing, but it's also fulfilling. [24:40] TAKEDA     Not many producers are like     Masahiko Minami of Bones, [24:48] TAKEDA     who lenient enough to let them do that. [25:00] NA     Minami's studio Bones preserved     the traditions of Sunrise [25:06] NA     while drawing out the talents of     creators with groundbreaking ideas [25:12] NA     to create novel works. [25:16] NA     In just a few years, they were     providing broadcasting stations [25:21] NA     with unique original anime.