Yoshiyuki Tomino, often hailed as the "Father of Gundam," holds an incredibly esteemed position in the anime industry. At 83, he's still going strong, with no retirement plans in sight. While he's hinted that his creative energy might not last forever, he remains deeply invested in the Mobile Suit Gundam franchise.
In a recent interview with the Asahi Shimbun, Tomino delved into the theme of "War and Fiction" within his Gundam works, sharing insights into his creative approach for the series and his perspectives on the real world and modern anime.
The burning question many fans ask is whether Director Tomino still wants to create a new Mobile Suit Gundam series. His answer? "Of course!" He elaborated, "Wouldn't it be amazing if, one day, I could create a work where everyone in the world simultaneously became a 'Newtype'? But that's something only possible to imagine in animation." He acknowledged that creating such a work now would be incredibly difficult, and the concept remains just an idea in his head.
A director deeply concerned with politics, Tomino also shared his poignant observation that "real-world dictatorships are harder to end than those in anime."
Tomino mused, "Lately, I've been pondering a question: How do you stop a dictator like Gihren Zabi of Zeon?" He continued, "In the series, he's ultimately killed by his sister, and the dictatorship crumbles. But how simple is that in the real world? This gap between reality and fiction is precisely the essence of Gundam."
He originally intended to depict such power structures purely in fiction, yet new dictators continue to emerge in reality. "Look at the current situations in America, Russia... I feel that real-world international politics is even more absurd than anime. True politics unfolds in ways so unpredictable that even fictional works can't conceive such stories."
The interviewer then posed a question: "Everyone hates war, yet people still find weapons and battle scenes cool. Isn't that a contradiction?"
Tomino replied, "I don't see it as a contradiction, nor is it strange. Armies exist because they have public support." He continued, "When soldiers stand tall in sharp uniforms, that's essentially the posture of a 'shroud.' While it symbolizes going to one's death, we still find it cool. To portray death in battle as grand or noble, one must show respect for the fallen. And when the critical moment truly arrives, the populace itself becomes part of the fighting force."
Shifting to modern anime, Tomino offered a critical assessment: "Today's battle manga lack realism," he stated. "Most shonen manga and action series now are devoid of a sense of reality. This generation of viewers has grown accustomed to plots where characters 'get beaten to near death but never actually die,' so when they encounter works that truly depict the brutality of war, they can't stomach it."
Tomino concluded, "I'm not asking people to accept war; rather, I hope that through fictional works, people can learn to contemplate reality. When anime confronts 'death and power' more honestly than reality itself, perhaps that's the very reason Mobile Suit Gundam continues to be discussed."
This clearly highlights Director Tomino's deep concern for society and his belief in the stories anime needs to tell, especially those related to war, aiming to foster connections and reflection between audiences and reality. Such a mindset might be increasingly rare to find in the future.
via： 朝日新聞日新聞