AX08: Hideyuki Kikuchi and Saiko Takaki
Ahhh, my last Anime Expo post for the ‘08 con (not including the pending roundup). And what a doozie it’ll be– I got to sit down with the legendary sci-fi/horror novelist Hideyuki Kikuchi, most famous in the US for his Vampire Hunter D novels (although his list of works published in Japan is incredibly long, including Demon City Shinjuku and Wicked City) and with Saiko Takaki, who is adapting his novels into a manga that is being simultaneously released in the US (by Digital Manga Publishing) and Japan! (And a quick thanks to DMP’s Duke Takuma Yanagi for translating.)
Hit the jump for the interview!
GM: I hear they’re planning a birthday party for you (Kikuchi-sensei) at New York Anime Fest. Do you have any particular presents you want?
HK: It’s very embarassing, so I have no requests, but I’m very happy that they will celebrate.
GM: Takaki-sensei, were you nervous about doing a manga based on a novel series that is so popular in both the US and Japan?
ST: There’s definitely pressure. I’m currently drawing volume three, and there’s definitely a lot more pressure now, and it’s a big challenge.
GM: You’re also doing the adaptation work on the manga. How do you decide what to keep and what to change? Do you talk to Kikuchi-sensei a lot about it?
ST: Definitely to pack everything into one volume, there’s a lot of story that couldn’t go into it. I did my best to keep the main plots and stories in there, but I wasn’t able to put in some small incidents and side stories. But I had Kikuchi-sensei helping out, and she was very careful to bring all the main important parts of the story in.
GM: (to Kikuchi-sensei) Are you involved in the new western comic from Devil’s Due at all? How will it be different from the manga?
*He doesn’t really know anything about that, he’s not involved in it. But after they work out the storyline, every step will be approved by Kikuchi-sensei. So he’s not in the actual process of writing or anything, but he’ll be asked for approval each step of the way.
GM: What are you working on right now?
HK: I’m working on the newest Vampire Hunter D novel.
GM: Of the novels that haven’t been brought to the US, what would you most like to see get released here?
HK: There’s one series called Makai Toushi Blues– that’s just a sub title, the main title is Yashakiden.
GM: And Takaki-sensei, what are you working on now? Just D?
ST: Only volume three!
GM: Do you think when you’re done with all the D manga, will you work on more of Kikuchi’s works or do something different?
ST: The Vampire Hunter D novels are up to 30, and he’s still going on writing, and his editors tell him he has to write two novels every year. So for me to catch up on the novels would be an extremely long and by the time I finish it I’ll be dead!
GM: I noticed that the covers of the manga are different in Japan in the US. Why is that, and did Takaki-sensei do both of them?
ST: Yes, I did. That’s what the Japanese publishers requested.
GM: (to Kikuchi-sensei) Do you think we might get to see Demon City Shinjuku and Treasure Hunter and other works of yours come to the US?
HK: Wicked City has already been approved and it will come out in June of next year. Demon City Shinjuku, we’re still in talks and trying to get them published.
GM: Yoshitaka Amano said once that he wasn’t happy with how the first D movie came out, how did you feel about it? How about Bloodlust?
HK: Bloodlust was a lot more closer to Amano’s vision. As for the first anime, it was somewhat not up to appeal.
GM: Have you had a chance to work with Amano-sensei since he did work on Bloodlust? Are you looking forward to seeing him at NYAF?
HK: In Bloodlust we didn’t really have any contact, because the anime studio was basically doing everything, so there were no encounters. And yes, I’m looking forward to it.
GM: I noticed that you’re a big fan of H.P. Lovecraft. This is kind of a silly question– but did you see Ganime’s claymation anime of Dunwich Horror? And if so, did you enjoy it?
HK: No, I haven’t seen it.
ST: I have it!
HK: I want to borrow it.
GM: What did you think of it?
ST: I haven’t watched it yet…
GM: What are you guys reading these days in terms of novels, manga?…
HK: I don’t really read a lot of novels but I’ve always been a fan of manga. I can’t remember the title of the one I’m reading now, but it’s a western and it features gunfighters and I’m very fascinated by how detailed the “fast-draw” cut-scenes are. But I don’t know the title.
ST: I like Berserk, Hellsing, Trigun, that kind of manga. All published by Digital Manga!**
GM: Is this your first time to America?
HK: No, my first time was when I was 30.***
ST: When I was 10 years old I came with my family, and the next time after that was two years ago, for Digital Manga Publishing. This is my third time.
GM: Are you enjoying the convention? I know it’s a bit different from how things happen in Japan…
HK: I think it’s very interesting. It makes me feel very energized.
ST: Over here the cosplay is very elaborate and colorful. Watching people cosplay is very interesting and fun.
GM: Have you been doing anything outside of the convention, sight-seeing or anything?
HK: Not really, I’m still working.
ST: I had a half-day of sight-seeing. Santa Monica, Rodeo Drive…
HK: Sounds nice…
GM: Do you have plans for after the convention? Maybe Disneyland?
HK: I’m going home!
ST: I’m going to Petco.
GM: Last question: what do you think about the American fans you’ve seen here, compared to the Japanese fans?
HK: Over here everyone is very friendly. In contrast, in Japan they’re very cautious. Like they’re looking at us like we’re something evil. If they get something autographed they pull it away very fast. At autograph signings people here shake hands and smile and are friendly, but in Japan they kind of grimace and have sort of a grim smirk.
ST: The fans over here are very open to everything and they accept every kind of anime even if they don’t like it. They don’t put it down in really demeaning ways…basically they’re very open as opposed to Japanese fans, who are very passionate about the kind of anime they like, but when it comes to anime that they don’t like, they’re very negative, as if they look at the manga they don’t like and would throw it away as just trash.
* This wasn’t answered directly by Kikuchi-sensei, but by DMP’s VP of Japan Relations, Yoshiko Noda.
** Before you get confused: DMP works with Dark Horse on Hellsing, Trigun Maximum, and Berserk.
*** That would be 1979, but Kikuchi-sensei didn’t mention if he’d been to the U.S. between then and now.
Tags: ax08, hideyuki kikuchi, saiko takaki
July 7th, 2008 at 12:14 pm
wowza you got to interview them!? Lucky you =D
It was a nice, simple read.
September 24th, 2008 at 12:34 pm
[...] Give me questions for these! I want to know what YOU want to know. Here’s my interview with Kikuchi-sensei and mangaka Saiko Takaki, who is creating the manga [...]