Kara no Kyoukai, Anime Boston 2009 Day 3
I’m just going to throw stuff in here for brevity’s sake. This is going to be a TL;DR post… Also, I updated the Kajiura concert report based on a real fan’s low-down. I confess–I am not a Kalafina fan even if I do like their music! It’s probably not a good excuse though, but you should always get your stuff from a real fan who actually waited in line for hours!
Day three started the same way for me as day 2, except with half as much awkwardness because I think we all bonded with each other in that magical, “convention == Neo Venezia” way. If you get what I mean by that, you win a cookie.
At any rate, after we picked up breakfast and ditched our luggage, I hung out with Jabel and kransom again. Joining the line camp are a few NY-area(?) con goers. Or should I say they’re like me and Jabel–con chasers? Anyways, we sat around and talked about random nothings until the group behind us in line (for the Kara no Kyoukai panel) started to talk about those Seventh Heaven promo posters somehow they are now giving out to people who bought from their booth at the dealer’s room. With only 30 minutes till showtime, we just said “meh.”
Whatever.
Only really notable thing that happened before the panel was that somebody went and chased down Atsuhiro Iwakami, who’s the overall producer for the Rakkyo film series from Aniplex, for an autograph. It makes sense, too. He’s a genuine industry guest that has very direct effect on this kind of thing…like putting together the controversial core staff of Kannagi. He had a hand in that…
Should’ve cornered him and ask some questions! But because AB didn’t say a peep about him, all he did was host a couple Aniplex panels and did the intro for the screening earlier in the weekend.
Anyways, here’s a background list of info you should read when Anime Insider interviewed Iwakami last year, as Rakkyo was the bomb then (and still is now I guess, coming together for the grand finale).
Here’s the rough notes from the panel (gee thanks bayoab for not getting it):
Opening stuff–Aniplex PR-san (Ai?) talks about stuff, gets us to say “we love you.”
Showing “oblivious [ufotable~edit]” video on the screen. Really. Off a DVD.
Each of the guests came up on the stage after being introduced. They then say a line or two. First guest is Atsuhiro Iwakami. Then Kajiura. Then Kalafina (and if you care, Wakana is sitting to the audience’s right this time). [As an aside, I am pretty sure Kalafina makes an effort to always sit and appear in public in the same order–Hikaru, Keiko, Wakana, from left to right. However they didn’t during one event this weekend and I only realized later, lol.]
We got straight to Q&A. I asked the first question so I kind of missed the second and third question. I’ll fill it in later. If there’s a new question after a paragraph break it means the same person asked another question.
Q1: How would Americans understand the book? [Long question actually. Uh. Long story to the question rather. If you want to know what it is about you just have to ask me in person.] Producer-san: the books are confusing but fun for otaku to solve it. The anime makes it easier to understand though. [Actually it’s probably better said that they are confusing for the Japanese because it is something mystery fiction fans look for to solve hard stories.]
So we should watch the anime first?
Producer-san: yeah, in Japan people do it either way too.
Q2: [see comments below]
Q3: How did you determine the voice cast
Producer-san: Audition, and we selected Sakamoto.
Did you chase after a particular actor?
Producer-san: No
Q4: How difficult it was to do a dark film?
??? I missed the first part of the answer.
Kajiura: The music and the image has to fit perfectly and they spent a lot of time getting it right.
Producer-san: Kajiura took her time to make the soundtrack perfect, and I appreciate the time she took to make it. We would get the music from her for a piece and make more animation based on that music, and then that next piece will go back to her so she makes more music, etc.
Q5: Have you visited other countries? [I think the fan was trying to ask something slightly different.]
Hikaru: This is the first time I went oversea!
Keiko: Korea.
Wakana: New Zealand.
Kajiura: I lived in Germany, and backpacked in Europe.
Producer: Been to Mongolia because I took a course in Mongolian history(?)
PR-san: Wow, surprising.
Q6: How did you feel about the music after seeing the final product? [This guy had a tough time getting the question out.]
Kajiura: I have not finish all the soundtracks yet! I have 1 song left to finish for the new film. Maybe after I’m done with that I can give you an answer.
Q7: What other bands do you listen to [Reprised and slightly different than last time!]
Wakana: Vanessa Williams
Keiko: Pink
Hikaru: Beyonce
Kajiura: Radiohead, Bjork [I LOLLLLLLL’D]
Q8: Open Your Heart (from .hack): was it written for the anime or was it a song you came up with originally?
Kajiura: Usually I write specifically for a title, but rarely I will use original things that came to me in later works. In Open Your Heart, it was something that I had it in my mind for a long time before. So it was one of those rare cases.
Q9: How do you feel about working in on Rakkyo?
Hikaru: It’s an epic title! 7 movies! Very happy to work with this title.
Keiko: It has a particular image and vibe and world, in each movie we create that theme so we’re happy to be involved
Wakana: We read all the books, it was really exciting to work with it.
Kajiura: After I read the novel, I felt confident that I can compose for it. I can compose the BGM and the theme song too, so I am happy that I can create a consistent feel.
Producer-san: I’m the person who made it go ahead, and I wanted to work with Kalafina and Kajiura, so I’m happy that I can do it.
Q10: Will Re:Oblivion be available in the US? And if you had intention to work with other Type-Moon books?
Kajiura: We would love to release Re:Oblivion in the US.
Produer-san: I like all those Type-Moon titles, but we have no plan. Maybe in the future.
After the last guy in line gave a sentence to thank Kajiura’s music, we got a chance to answer 10 trivia questions to win some autographed posters. Nine out of ten questions were fairly easy (and the answers were all covered by this weekend’s posts, it’s that easy). The one hard one was pretty hard but not so hard that no one got it. On one try. Or maybe we just had some srsbzns Type-Moon types in the room.
A bunch of copies of Faust vol 1 (Del Ray’s) was given to the people who asked questions. I gave my copy away because, lol.
The panel ended with some last words: “Please see the other movies!” “Thank you so much, I’ll be back, etc” x3
Director-san: I’m happy to be able to show it in America, thank you AB.
======
Rest of AB was, in no order:
1. Food. As a side note, I actually ate well on Thursday and Saturday. Friday and today is con food. Having fresh oysters along with fresh Sam Adam’s Summer Ale is p. good!
2. Wandering around the dealer’s room. Armpits.
3. Saying bye. But we’re all going to Otakon…?!
4. Starcraft. Besides this, there was just way too much SC talk at this con. It’s so weird.
5. Charity auction is charitable. And profitible if you want to put down $90 for two (not) autographed tees. Heh. Heh. Heh. Speaking of which I know someone has a nice shirt for sale. Individuals interested in obtaining Kajiura’s autograph should, uh, look out for it. I feel like a true-blooded Ferengi. [SOLD!]
6. There are way too many Alexes that I know who does conventions. Way. Too. Many. They are all helpful, though, so I guess it can’t be helped.
7. Talked to Adam Sheehan some more. Didn’t get much new info really.
8. Random drunk black guy at 3pm! Thanks for the direction mister!
Goodbye Boston!
Day 2 will come down. Shortly.
Thanks for the report !
“I gave my copy away because, lol.”
There’s the first chapter of Kara no Kyoukai translated !
By the way that’s “oblivious” and not “Oblivion” :p
Thanks for your help in getting the Kara no Kyoukai poster!
Kenny: any time! Glad to meet a reader out of the blue like that… See you at some other con soon hopefully!
Kyouray: yes, I gave it away because I already had a copy and read it a couple times ;) Thanks for the typo check. I added a link in the post to link to my review to avoid confusion~~
My bad ! I missed this review.
I WANT MY COOKIE
Thanks for the summary!
That was a really good question you asked there. I was the guy behind the last guy to speak. I never got the Faust book, cuz I was trying to talk to the PR lady about getting my copy of Garan no Dou signed. Not too upset about it, since I have the original novels already. I think we were the guys sitting behind you about the posters (which were for Seventh Heaven, btw). And it was probably me you saw race down the hall 10 minutes before panel start. It wasn’t to chase down the producer, who was already in the panel room. I was running to get my copy of the garan no dou dvd, which I got everyone (Yuki, Kalafina, and Mr. Iwakami) to sign. I wanted to ask about the whole seven KnK directors thing, but I guess he’s answered that already in the past.
I gave my copy of Faust to Ko just before he left >:(
Now he’s got two and I’ve got two Haruhi novels. Guess it’ll balance out sometime.
I noticed Vol. 2’s cover is up, and Nasu’s name isn’t on the front. Wonder if he’ll be in there this time; it was really weird seeing how much the Japanese side loved him vs how boring it was after translation.
It was awesome meeting you! Yes we needs more Starcraft talk!
astrange: I guess someone has to make him give a copy to someone…else. Or something. Nasu’s name isn’t on the front of volume one either IIRC.
Kevin: LOL. Me too.
Mercurius: The guy running off to flag down the producer is someone I know, so that much is as I have written. Thanks for the correction on the poster though. Good to see you got your #4 DVD autographed!
Ah yes, your friend catching the producer was my inspiration to go track down my dvd, so I thank him for that.
I cannot believe AB didn’t mention the fact that he would be there (maybe they didn’t know/weren’t sure). when he was at the screening, I was like, ‘how is he NOT a guest of honor???’
After seeing him at the Aniplex panel on Friday, my friend had been scheming to get Iwakami sign something all weekend long. So it was a long time coming.
I waited in line to ask a question, but I wasn’t able to because time ran out before I had a chance to ask it. I was 4 people away from the mic, too! I still enjoyed the panel even though I didn’t see any of the movies (I was there for Kalafina and Kajiura, anyway). I kept my copy of Faust and the Kara no Kyoukai poster I got is now hanging up in my room.
“convention == Neo Venezia”
There’s something incredibly weird and yet remarkably correct about this comparison. o_0
You’re so lucky. Did you see the group gathering picture with Kalafina yet? You were only one person behind them! Right in front of the picture. How I envy you…
Haha, yes I saw that on Saturday morning. But it’s a rather large resolution image and you can see a lot of people, so it’s hardly just me.
Second question was mine.
It was something like:
“All of you have read Kara no Kyokai because of the movies. Is there any other work by Kinoko Nasu that you have read and enjoyed?”
Apparently the answer was no, but looks iike Iwakami did read Tsukihime and Fate. A lot was lost in translation. Really, the mic was troublesome. I don’t think the translator was able to hear half the questions.
What I really wanted to ask is if the movie format could more appropriate to animate Tsukihime and Fate stay/night, since I found the TV series rather dissapointing (Tsukihime more than Fate). I guess I should have just assumed that Iwakami knows enough of the material.
Indeed, the t-shirt was a very good (and lucky) unintended investment. Thanks to the person who accepted my trade!
VMan of Mana: I am just commenting here to say that if you made that trade at the post-con feedback session, I am the aforementioned person who traded an autographed poster with you for that t-shirt. Sorry that I did not post earlier, but I don’t read anime blogs as often as a lot of you do. Meeting Kalafina and Yuki Kajiura at my hometown convention made my year complete even if nothing else eventful happens this year. I really appreciated meeting you, and I know that you will take good care of the poster (as I will take good care of that t-shirt!)
PS– I can’t wait to get Kalafina’s new Storia CD when it comes out next week in Japan– I have pre-ordered it from CD Japan and I am having it imported through Express Mail to get it quickly. This will be my first international on-line transaction, so I hope that the music CD makes it through U.S. Customs safely.