Interview with Director Tatsuya Oishi and Producer Tatsuya Ishikawa of 'Kizumonogatari -Koyomi Vamp-': Their goal was to create 'the definitive version of Kizumonogatari'
The anime movie ' Kizumonogatari: Koyomi Vamp ' will be released in theaters from Friday, January 12, 2024. This work is a re-edited version of 'Kizumonogatari I: Tekketsu-hen', 'Kizumonogatari II: Nekketsu-hen', and 'Kizumonogatari III: Reiketsu-hen', which were released from 2016 to 2017, based on the novel 'Kizumonogatari' by Nishio Isin. However, when it was made, there was a new request to make a 'simple vampire story', so we spoke to director Tatsuya Oishi and producer Tatsuya Ishikawa about the production.
'Kizumonogatari -Koyomi Vamp-' Official Website - Monogatari Series
GIGAZINE (hereinafter, G):
In the pamphlet for 'Kizumonogatari I: Tekketsu-hen' released in 2016, there was an interview with Director Oishi and producers Mitsutoshi Kubota and Atsuhiro Iwakami, in which they said, 'Because the response to 'Bakemonogatari' was so great, we decided to make 'Kizumonogatari' into an anime as well.' Also, in an interview with Director General Akiyuki Shinbo, he said that although the format for the announcement had not been decided at first, the scenario meetings were divided into three, so a TV series was not envisioned. In the case of this work, 'Kizumonogatari -Koyomi Vamp-', how did it come to be made?
Aniplex Producer Tatsuya Ishikawa (hereinafter, Ishikawa):
Oishi-san directed the previous 'Kizumonogatari' trilogy, which was released in theaters from 2016 to 2017. After that, when I had a chance to talk with Iwakami, who was the first producer of the Monogatari series and is now the president of Aniplex, we once again discussed how 'the trilogy is a good work, but is there a way to go back to the origin and deliver it as a single movie?'
I think that was the first time I consulted with Oishi about this, saying, 'Why don't you make this into a movie? A simple vampire story, different from the trilogy.'
G:
The total length of the trilogy was about 3 hours and 30 minutes, but this time it has been condensed into just under 2 hours and 30 minutes. Was this a figure you decided on from the beginning, or was it a point where you realized it was difficult to make it any longer after cutting and trimming?
Ishikawa:
I remember that when I first had a meeting with Iwakami, we said, 'It'd be great if we could do it within two hours,' and he replied, 'No, that's impossible.'
Director Tatsuya Oishi (hereinafter referred to as Oishi):
When Iwakami-san asked me to 'change the taste a little and put it together,' he ordered a serious vampire story. I had just finished making three episodes, but when I tried to tackle it again, I thought it would be interesting to edit it with the intention of making it a new 'Kizumonogatari' from a different angle. So I didn't have much hesitation about cutting the long length.
G:
Oh, is that so?
Tailstone:
I put it together once and they said, 'A little longer,' so I chopped it up even more. If you exclude the ending, it's actually around 2 hours and 10 minutes.
Ishikawa:
It's about 2 hours and 16 minutes.
G:
Mr. Oishi is credited as 'director' in the trilogy and 'director and scriptwriter' in this film. I think that the nature of the work itself is very different between the trilogy and this film, which was produced as a compilation of the three. Was there any change in your approach?
Tailstone:
In combining the three works into one, I wanted to create a newer taste and make the 'definitive edition of Kizumonogatari.' So, I think I worked with the awareness of creating a new 'Kizumonogatari' that I could be more satisfied with after completing the trilogy, and raising the level of completion.
G:
Mr. Ishikawa was involved in the trilogy as an assistant producer, and became producer from 'Owarimonogatari Zoku' which aired in 2019. What role is he in charge of in this work?
Ishikawa:
The Monogatari series is a project launched by the previous president, Iwakami. Iwakami is now the company's representative, and of course, his love for each and every work has not changed. However, due to his position, it has become difficult to play the role of interacting closely with the production site. I joined the company because I really love the Monogatari series, and I have also been working with Shaft, the production studio, on other works, so I have taken on the role of producer and am in charge of the so-called 'normal producer duties,' such as how to deliver the work with Oishi and Shaft, and what kind of sound to create.
G:
Since you reconstructed the 'Kizumonogatari' trilogy to create a new work, I had wondered if you had struggled with how to shorten it before I spoke to you. You said that you worked with the awareness of improving the quality of the work, but were there any areas where you struggled or worried, or were there any points that you felt 'went well like the definitive version'?
Tailstone:
That's right... In terms of difficulties, I think it was probably harder for Kanmae than it was for me.
G:
Is this Kanzaki Satoru, who was in charge of the music?
Tailstone:
'Kizumonogatari' was film scored, a style in which music was added to match the finished footage.
G:
Oh my!
Tailstone:
So, by editing the video, I had to ask Mr. Kanzaki to make new music and re-attach it to the video, so I think it was much harder for him than for me. For me, it was just really fun (laughs).
G:
(Laughs) Is it the joy of being able to create the definitive version again that makes you seem so happy?
Tailstone:
I felt a sense of accomplishment after making the three, but I never thought I'd be able to make another one after that, so I'm really happy. Also, the order to make them with different tastes was interesting, so it was a really fun and rewarding job.
G:
Compilation films of TV series are sometimes made, but making one again with a different feel is probably quite rare...
Ishikawa:
For example, it's like putting together the 'Star Wars' trilogy in a different style, and I think it's rare to make a movie in a trilogy like 'Kizumonogatari' in the first place. Previously, 'Mardock Scramble' was made into a trilogy with 'Compression', 'Combustion', and 'Exhaust', but that was because the original work was originally composed of three volumes.
G:
Certainly, it is a unique case that a trilogy of films was made from one novel, and then a film was made based on the three novels. Stills and other images have been released on social media in preparation for the release of this film, and the key visual features Koyomi standing on an escalator. In the trilogy, Kiss Shot was the main focus, so the impression is quite different, but how was this decided?
Tailstone:
I think it turned out really cool in the end. I really like it.
Ishikawa:
Originally, I had a lot of ideas, but I thought this kind of visual would be best in order to convey the worldview of 'Kizumonogatari' and Oishi-san's purity.
Tailstone:
I was hoping it would be something like a cool poster for a Western movie, and it turned out to be something really great.
G:
Along with the poster, a preview trailer has also been released. It shows scenes that would be pretty gruesome if you just look at the pictures, such as the scene where Koyomi's arm gets kicked off during the fight against Dramaturgy, and then when Kiss-Shot tears Koyomi's head off and spawns, but the footage is accompanied by music and a comical tempo. This scene where the arm gets kicked off was also in the trailer for 'Kizumonogatari II: Nekketsu-hen,' but it left a completely different impression. What were your impressions when you saw it, Oishi-san and Ishikawa-san?
'Kizumonogatari -Koyomi Vamp-' Preview | Released in theaters on January 12th - YouTube
Ishikawa:
In fact, this 'official trailer' was directed by Oishi-san. Promotional materials are generally made by other video creators, and this time the 30-second trailer, commercials, character PVs, etc. are of that type, but this 'official trailer' is 100% Oishi-san's work.
G:
Oh! So that's the case. So Oishi-san created the scene with the intention of having people watch it with this music.
Tailstone:
This work is a reconstruction, but I want to surprise the viewers. I tried to do it with that meaning in mind.
G:
Well, I enjoyed it exactly as intended. In that scene, is it okay to laugh and say, 'His arm is blown off, ha ha ha'?
Tailstone:
I really want people to laugh. I edited the film hoping that it would pique people's interest, so that's my wish.
Koyomi's body is burned by the sunlight. In any case, Koyomi in this work often seems to suffer painful experiences.
G:
Speaking of music, the ending song is
Tailstone:
It was a big deal for me that Kanzaki-san wrote 'étoile et toi,' and I wanted to end the series with this song. The song used in the In Cold Blood arc was created with the image of an adult Kiss-Shot and a young Kiss-Shot singing a duet, and I told Kanzaki-san about it. This time, I think I asked for the image to be a duet between Kiss-Shot and Koyomi. I wanted to have a dialogue between a man and a woman like in 'The Umbrellas of Cherbourg.'
Iron-blooded, hot-blooded, cold-blooded vampire 'Kiss-shot Acerola-orion Heart-under-blade'
G:
I think the image of Kissshot and Koyomi singing a duet is exactly what this work focuses on. Because there are so few characters in 'Kizumonogatari' to begin with, the appearances of other characters are inevitably kept to a minimum, but the fact that Hanekawa's service scene was left in is probably because 'this has to be left in.'
Tailstone:
I feel a little sorry for Hanekawa in the trilogy, but I wanted to focus on Kiss-Shot and Koyomi in this film, so I made it with the hope that even people who have never been exposed to the Monogatari series would start watching from here. I hope that Hanekawa fans who haven't seen the trilogy will watch this first.
G:
In the Kizumonogatari trilogy, there are only seven characters, and Senjougahara and Nadeko do not appear, so I have seen opinions that the story is cohesive and easy to watch even for people who are not familiar with the original work, but this work gives the impression of being even more refined.
Tailstone:
That's right. I hope that even people who have seen the trilogy before will watch it with the mindset of watching a new work.
G:
By the way, I think about an hour has been cut from the trilogy, but it was connected in such a way that you wouldn't know what was cut unless you looked closely. I thought that this was because Mr. Kanzaki added new music for the film scoring, but how much of the music was re-written?
Tailstone:
About half of it is new. The songs are new, and when you consider the editing, remixing, and arrangements, it's almost the entire length.
G:
Almost everything....
Tailstone:
Saying it was the entire length might be an exaggeration (laughs), but it was really a considerable amount of footage.
G:
I didn't realize that it was connected by a new song, so I'll check it out again at the theater.
Ishikawa:
Kanzaki-san's influence was huge, but Oishi-san had made clear guidelines like 'I cut this scene like this, but I want to use this song like this.' These were sound memos that we call 'Oishi memos' (laughs).
G:
Oishi Memo!
Ishikawa:
We followed that guideline and Kamisaki-san told us he had fun doing it, so I think that was great.
G:
When editing, do you already have an idea in your mind of how you want to add music? Or do you create a scene first, and then imagine what kind of music you want for that scene?
Tailstone:
Sometimes I have a clear image in my mind, and other times I put everything together and then decide in consultation with Kanzaki-san and sound director Tsuruoka-san, so it really depends on the case.
Ishikawa:
Using Oishi's notes as a guide, he would give advice such as 'It would be better if this part was like this,' or Tsuruoka would say, 'Wouldn't it be better to go for a dry one there?'
G:
It wasn't just Oishi-san or Kamishi-san who created it, but the result of the whole team working together. Finally, could you two please tell us what you would like us to pay attention to in this film, or anything you would like to say to viewers about this film?
Ishikawa:
There are a lot of anime out there these days, but I think that Kizumonogatari plays a very big role among them. I think it's a very epoch-making, very new work. Of course I want people to watch it as a basic education in entertainment, but even if it's not in such a serious way, it's also the story of the beginning of Kiss-Shot Acerola-Orion Heart-Under-Blade, a popular character in the Monogatari series, so I definitely want people to watch it. And I'll close with a very nerdy comment that the strongest heroine, Hanekawa Tsubasa, is indeed the strongest (lol).
'Kizumonogatari -Koyomi Vamp-' Character Introduction Video 03 | Tsubasa Hanekawa - YouTube
G:
thank you.
Tailstone:
This film is a compilation, but it has been heavily reworked, and there were many parts where the actors performed again. I think those parts are really worth seeing. I think those who have seen the trilogy will enjoy it, and I hope those who are watching it for the first time will also enjoy it.
G:
There are also new voice recordings! I'm looking forward to watching it again at the cinema, sharpening my eyes and ears to the images and sounds. Thank you for today.
Oishi/Ishikawa:
thank you very much.
The movie 'Kizumonogatari -Koyomi Vamp-' will be released nationwide on Friday, January 12, 2024.
'Kizumonogatari -Koyomi Vamp-' Preview | Released in theaters on January 12th - YouTube
© 西尾維新／講談社・アニプレックス・シャフト
The following are messages from Kamiya Hiroshi, who plays Araragi Koyomi, and Sakamoto Maaya, who plays Kiss-Shot Acerola-Orion Heart-Under-Blade.
'Kizumonogatari -Koyomi Vamp-' Message from Hiroshi Kamiya, who plays the calendar, and Maaya Sakamoto, who plays Kissshot, to GIGAZINE readers - YouTube
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