Kazunori Ueno and Yasuo Miyakawa interview

Nikkei BP Part 1 - Bandai Prez/CGO Kazunori Ueno interview
Part of the interview in Gundam for Adults 3. Ueno talks about the current/future market and makes a comment regarding the next Gundam series. Later in the weekend, an interview of Yasuo Miyakawa, Sunrise board member, will be up as well.

Q: Your thoughts after the launch of SEED in 2002.
Ueno: I became the CGO (Chief Gundam Officer) in 2003 and I believe fans have continued supporting me. Back then, I carefully developed a schedule for Gundam's future. Gundam may be a single word, but there are many Gundams inside. Including the associated merchandise, how should I sort them out? After summarizing and sorting, I developed a 10-year schedule for Gundam.

Q: The current parallel expansion of First and SEED was planned at that time?
Ueno: At that point, a new fanbase had been created with SEED. We wanted to take care of those fans. DESTINY hadn't started yet, but we were thinking of bringing about a sequel. With the sequel, the SEED fanbase grew, creating a new Gundam generation. However, just making it bigger isn't the important thing. We have to follow the needs of fans. The result is the currently-in-production SEED movie.

Q: At the same time, the traditional First fans are also a huge presence.
Ueno: Of course. The base of SEED fandom is middle and high school students. First fans peak out at around 36 or 37-years old. The release of the MSG DVD is in response to the First fans.

Q: A much anticipated release.
Ueno: First had been the only series not released on DVD. It is an important mission to prepare something for the First fans like the Zeta trilogy movies last year. Gundam fandom is like a 2-humped camel. We have to take care of both the First and SEED fans.

Q: The two fanbases differ not only by age but also gender.
Ueno: You are correct. First fans are male. In contrast, there are a lot of female SEED fans. Creating merchandise for the female fans will be one of our future tasks.

Q: The merchandise enjoyed by males isn't necessarily well-received by females.
Ueno: Currently, female fans mainly buy the DVD releases and CD's by artists like TM Revolution. There is a need to provide other types of merchandise, which is difficult for a company like ours. We're still becoming aware of the SEED boom's present course.

Q: Future plans for First fans?
Ueno: The main backbone is Gundam: The Origin by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko. How does one visualize or personify that story? The Origin is a standard for First fans. Yasuhiko is re-telling the 30 minute episodes by himself and it is important for Bandai to nurture new business.

Starting Dec. 2006, Harutoshi Fukui's Gundam Unicorn will begin in Gundam Ace. We are carefully working with the project. We believe it will capture the hearts of the fans in the their late 30's.

Q: This might be too early, but there are hopes for an animated version.
Ueno: Regarding that, we would like to evaluate the most suitable media and the timing. Based on the plot I have read, I don't know if it will benefit greatly from a 30-minute anime program format. If we are going to animate it, we would like to do it in the most appropriate way.

Q: Are you going to continue expanding the Gundam world centering on the First and SEED fandoms?
Ueno: Another thing is we would like to create a 3rd fanbase. While still taking care of the current fans, it is important to capture another fanbase. I cannot reveal the exact details, but we are currently working with Sunrise on a new Gundam series targeted towards middle/high schoolers.

Q: I've heard the Bandai Channel's net distribution has been doing well.
Ueno: Stargazer was an experiment of sorts for us. It was SEED's first-ever OVA and we're interested in whether distributing productions over the net would work as a business. We wanted to test a business model that doesn't rely on TV. However, the series targeted for the 3rd fanbase will be based on your standard TV broadcast. Our model will still center around TV, but we will be continuing to look at other opportunities.

Q: With the domestic market on solid footing, next comes the foreign market.
A: We acknowledge there are Gundam fans and that there is a demand. However, we still don't have a foundation in America like we have here with MBS (Mainichi Broadcast Station). We do have a route opened by Power Rangers and we could use that. If we are going to commit, I want to commit on the same scale we have done with Japan. We need a local partner who is interested in Japanese robot anime and can create their own ways of expression. A hit like Power Rangers will not happen without a collaboration.

Source: http://aeug.blogspot.com/2006/12/#116679862810055653

 Nikkei BP Part 2! - Sunrise Board Member Miyakawa interview
Again from Gundam for Adults 3. Interview with Sunrise Board Member Yasuo Miyakawa, who joined Bandai in 1981. He worked in sales for the Gunpla division, then as a game producer, and, lastly, joined Sunrise in 1999. He became a board member there and is the producer behind the SEED series.

Q: Things have gotten more exciting for First Gundam fans in late 2006
A: After starting SEED 4 years ago, we had created 2 big categories: First's Universal Century and SEED's Cosmic Era. For a long time, we didn't have a new story for UC. This is where Harutoshi Fukui's novel, Gundam Unicorn, comes in. Gundam normally begins with a visual production. This time, it will start with a novel. We are providing something very worthy without having to rely on visuals. People in their 30's have the desire to read a Gundam novel. This is not a novelization of an anime, but a brand new story. We think this is our new way of proposing to the First fans.

Q: I heard it was a project in the works for a long time. What kind of drama are we in for?
A: The project was started long ago. We are finally able to announce it. It is a story within the UC timeline, but it is not First or Zeta. Amuro or Char won't appear. It is a drama built from scratch. We are not filling in a story between series. This is a new Gundam created by Mr. Fukui. Yoshikazu Yasuhiko is the character designer and Hajime Katoki is in charge of the mecha.

Q: So it will be centered around Fukui's novel for now.
A: Yes. Other kinds of exposure will come after the novel has started. It will probably be a long novel. Before we decide to animate it as a movie or TV series, we need to thoroughly investigate it. We would like the fans to enjoy the novel first.

Q: Why are you taking a different approach towards the First fans?
A: We have created many types of Gundam. Fukui's Gundam is aiming for the atmosphere First Gundam created 27 years ago. We would like the fans now in their 30's to read it. It is like wanting to read a novel sequel of a movie you saw as a child.

Q: A different type of medium for each generation. Meanwhile, a comic like Yasuhiko's Gundam: The Origin is must-read material for First fans.
A: Yes. Mr. Yasuhiko retelling First and Fukui's new UC Gundam novel. Those 2 are our gifts to fans in their 30's.

Q: What about for the SEED fans? The production of the theatrical version was announced.
A: SEED is supported by many people. We are emphasizing quality for the new production. We don't want to bring the TV series to the movie theater without changes. I want SEED to become something like First 20 years from now. Therefore, I want to create something like today's UC. It would be great if SEED fans still supported us 20 years later like today's First fans. In order to achieve this, we need to provide something solid to the fans now.

Q: SEED was a work that captured many female fans. Do you think those fans will still continue to support SEED? Do you have any uncertainty about this?
A: Of course we do. We did create something like Stargazer, but there are not many CE stories yet. First, we need to work on that. Along with the final Special Edition airing next year, we need to introduce more stories from here on.

Q: Bandai President Ueno told us a new Gundam is being planned. Anything on this?
A: A few days ago, we had company entry exams and many people came in for interviews saying they liked SEED. SEED fans are now entering the work force. Fans like them are important. However, maintaining the current status quo won't allow Gundam to survive another 10 years. We have to create new fans. The new Gundam is for that. We think we will gain new fans with a new Gundam that is neither UC nor CE. Constantly introducing new elements is what makes it Gundam.

Q: Creating a new identity within Gundam.
A: To begin with, there is First Gundam and the many sequels which followed it. And now there's the creation of the new Gundam Unicorn. Using the subject matter of Gundam, new people are creating a new story. Gundam is a unique character that lends itself to this. It's like Linux in the IT business. Gundam has existed for 30 years and different types of people have enjoyed Gundam in its various forms. Which is why we don't dwell on the past and introduce new ideas. This is reason why I think Gundam has able to continue on for 30 years.

Q: When you look at it that way, there's a chance for Gundam in foreign markets.
A: The North American market is difficult. Gundam depicts war through the eyes of characters like Amuro and Kira, who are against fighting. These types of characters and the cruelty of war lend themselves to anti-war themes. But a protagonist like Amuro isn't acceptable in the North American market. It has to be a type of character who fights for his country. If we end up creating a Gundam for the North American market, it will be entirely different from the anti-war Gundam of Japan. I doubt if we could call that Gundam. Instead of introducing the anime to the North American market, we want them to know the story. For example, knowing about Gundam through video games, then going to watch the animated series.

Q: What about Internet distribution?
A: Domestically, the Bandai Channel is doing well. We sell over 2 million episodes a month. The next step is to figure out how to bring this format to Europe and North America. We must try an approach with a different style than traditional TV. For example: First Gundam has not been shown in the Korean market. However, sales for First merchandise are increasing. This is because of illegal peer-to-peer sharing. Instead of allowing the illegal material to continue, we would like to officially provide material meeting that country's unique culture and pricing.

Source: aeug.blogspot.com/2006/12/#116679862810055653