by The TV anime “Chi. About the Movement of the Earth” (hereafter “Chi .”) is currently airing on NHK General TV. This work is an animated adaptation of the manga of the same name by author Uo Yutaka, who has won numerous awards, including the Manga Grand Prize at the 26th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize, and tells the story of people who risk their beliefs and their lives to prove the heliocentric theory.
The background of Uo Yutaka’s work is filled with a deep exploration of intelligence and violence. The lines of the characters, woven from their unique perspective, have evoked sympathy from many people through the new method of expression known as animation. Before the final episode of this work, we spoke to the original author, Uo Yutaka, about the story behind the birth of the work, his thoughts on the anime adaptation, and the works that influenced him as a student.
“For me, manga is my true feelings.” When you drew the manga, did you imagine it being adapted into a TV anime? Uo Yutaka: Not at all. I didn’t think about anything other than making the manga enjoyable. When I met a manga artist, I was surprised to hear that “this kind of character design makes it easier to create a sculpture” and “I’m conscious of shapes that are easy for animators to draw.”
I thought, “There’s a way to make characters like that,” but simultaneously, I wondered, “What is the purpose of drawing manga?” What was your family’s reaction to the TV anime adaptation? UoToyo: I haven’t told my friends in my hometown that I’m a manga artist. They still think I’m a NEET (laughs). Also, I avoid talking about my work, so people around me are apprehensive about me. Have you always been good at drawing? UoToyo: I’ve always liked it. I didn’t like drawing in front of everyone, so many people didn’t know I enjoyed drawing. Why did you decide not to tell your family you’re a manga artist? UoToyo: For me, manga is my true feeling. Also, many people around me aren’t interested in manga or movies, so I don’t see any benefit in revealing my work.
That’s what I feel comfortable with. I see. What kind of conversations do you usually have with your friends? UoToyo: As a student, I often had a friend named T, who had a very evil personality. He would always say negative things, like, “The people in this town have dirty hearts.” His “frivolous malice that he says just for the sake of saying, even though it’s not what he thinks” also stimulates me.
When he came to my hometown, he constantly said terrible things about me (laughs). He points out flaws one after another, so he’s a stimulating and engaging guy. Is T related to the reason why you chose the subject of “heliocentric theory”? UoToyo: I don’t think it’s related (laughs). I feel that the “intellectual gap” is spreading more than the economic gap in modern society.
As depicted in “Chi.”, it is possible that there are very few people with solid intelligence. What do you think about the “significance of having intelligence”? UoToyo: I can’t say for sure, but it would be nice if intelligence could be used “to achieve peace” or “to live happily.” Conversely, anything that is not connected to these is not intelligence. Furthermore, on a private level, it is unnecessary for people who already think it is “peaceful and fun.” Of course, it is completely necessary to do so publicly.
Music determines the worldview of the work. In this work, the “words” that the characters utter have a significant influence. What were you conscious of when thinking up the lines? UoToyo: I was mindful of lines that sounded logical but were enjoyable. I wanted to make them easy to understand, but I also wanted to make them as cold as possible and show an attitude of not saying things quickly.
I wanted to depict an invisible heat in the coldness of the words that can be heard. To what extent were you involved in the production of the anime? UoToyo: As for the anime, I thought that it was the director’s work, so I had almost no touch. I only told Ushio (Kensuke) that I wanted to ask him to do the music. – Please tell us about your commitment to music in anime.
UoToyo: I am convinced that if the music is well decided, the success rate of the work will increase to 90%. Also, I like Ushio’s music, and when I watched his interviews, I thought he would create great concept art for the work. By the way, Sakanaction wrote the theme song. How did you come to ask them to do it? UoToyo: It was decided through discussion. I was a big fan myself, so I was thrilled. When I first received the rough animation video and the song, I felt the essence of my work in the song.
That alone made me feel like I’d achieved something in
life. –Please tell us if there is a song by Sakanaction that you particularly like. UoToyo: There are so many that it’s hard to choose, but I like “Ame (B),” “Aoi,” and “Document.” I feel like a song like “Aoi” is rare. So when I listened to the theme song “Kaiju,” I was impressed that they had created something with the same sense of speed as “Aoi” but a completely different flavor.
