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Gundam's Yoshiyuki Tomino Shares Thoughts on Working with Attack on Titan's Tetsuro Araki

Yoshiyuki Tomino, creator of the Mobile Suit Gundam series and director of the currently airing installment Gundam: Reconguista in G, has an unfortunate reputation for being cranky and difficult to work with. He nonetheless has a large fanbase, among them Tetsurō Araki, director of hit anime series like Attack on Titan, Guilty Crown and Death Note. Araki recently asked Tomino about working with him, and to his delight, he accepted, handing Araki episode directing duties for Gundam Reconguista's tenth episode.

Araki got excited when he found out that Tomino was making another anime series. "As a Tomino fan, I thought I'd like to subtitle one of his works," he explained. "I felt I had a chance." Tomino says that he had seen Episode 1 of Attack on Titan and largely approved. "He keeps a good watch compared to mediocre directors. He captures a worldview. Araki-san tries his best. I happily considered approving all of the young generation instead of rejecting them all. I would've declined to direct Attack, but if I had accepted I wouldn't have been able to make this."

Araki was shocked when he received Tomino's feedback on his storyboards. Over a hundred notes had been attached to the pages, some with brutal comments like "This is nauseating" and "I want them to understand the direction of this scene." But Araki expected this sort of treatment from Tomino, and even says that he treasured the notes. "I stuck them on my desk," he admitted.

"With Araki as its center, a new day is coming for the anime world. That's not flattery. [Gundam Reconguista] may just be a giant robot show, but it's part of our culture. I don't want him to screw around making it." Despite his tough talk, Tomino concedes a certain amount of respect for Araki and his generation. "At my age, it's fine to show off to young people, but for someone of my level all we can do is study. I'm normal. If I had talent, maybe I would've made stuff like Ghibli... [Each time I spoke with Araki] I had to repeat to myself, 'You need to study. You need to broaden your viewpoint.' Also, when I went into the studio for the first time in ten years, I thought there were people with incredible talent, but they're not trying to go worldwide."

Tomino is unaware of the reaction he's gotten about Gundam Reconguista "because I haven't seen it. If I followed it, I wouldn't be able to do my work." He admits that parts of the show may be difficult for the target audience — kids — to follow, but thinks that when they grow older, they can rewatch and understand.

Araki's episode of Gundam Reconguista airs late at night on November 27. Tomino previously caused a stir for his evaluation of the Attack on Titan manga.

[Via Man Tan Web]