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1994

Newtype Magazine Interview

Date: September 1994
Published in: Issue of the magazine "Newtype"

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Source: http://ayase.blog4.fc2.com/blog-entry-803.html

Raw:

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Translated by: not yet translated

1997

Detective Conan's Mystery Museum Interview

Date: June 10, 1997

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Raw:

Translation by: Yunniechan

Aoyama Gosho-sensei talks about Conan passionately!!
The first person whom we’ll interview is the author of ‘Meitantei Conan’,
the one who creates Conan’s brilliant deduction, Aoyama Gosho-sensei!

He just saw Conan movie, [Meitantei Conan, The Time-Bombed Skyscraper], so he’ll surely speak about it!

(I loved the movie!! I was really moved by it)

I created the last scene when I was in middle school.
Thank you, it’s Aoyama. [Meitantei Conan] became a movie, and I have to share a word or two of my happiness. When it became an anime, I thought that someday it could became popular. I loved movies since the very childhood.
I love detectives, of course, but the works of Kurosawa Akira are my favourite. His samurai works, for example. He kind of influenced my previous work before [Meitantei Conan], [YAIBA]. When I think about manga compositing, I look at it from filming angle. I draw thinking about camera positioning.
The last scene of [The Time-Bombed Skyscraper] was my idea I came up when I was a child. Around middle school age, or something like this, I imagined it after seeing a scene like this with spies. I come up with a lot of scenes after watching movies or TV. Especially when I watch something boring, I think something like 'I would’ve made it like this’. Though recently I’m not quite free to watch movies :)
Try to find a cell I drew!
Right-right, I just saw this movie… Whole movie :) I want to talk about the last scene. Like I just said, I had this idea since the very childhood. Connected by a red string… I wanted to make something like this. I wanted to use it in [Magic Kaito], but I didn’t get a chance. And it was not an idea that’ll suit [YAIBA]. Thus I put it off, but now had a chance to use it in a movie. Well, I came up with it when I was a child, but to tie this to Shinichi’s birthday… and other small details I thought off after getting a chance to use it in a movie. I want you to search key frames I drew for the last scene. 9 key scenes at all. I drew line art and it was filled by the incredible anime staff.
That’s why I really wanted to see the last scene. I really couldn’t wait for it. And

I’m extremely grateful to anime staff!
Anime staff has incredible people… About seiyuus, Conan could only be Takayama Minami-san. She’s the best for him. I really love OP and ED themes. [Mune ga Doki-Doki] is my favourite. Utoku Keiko-san’s [Hikari to Kage no Roman] also differs from everything that were before and it’s a really nice feeling. I also really like [Happy Birthday].
I was a real fan of Kyoko-san’s husky voice since BARBEE BOYS :) Oono Katsu’s band’s music is also great. I loved them since they wrote the music to [Taiyou ni horoe!]. I always draw CD covers with all my might, as a way to say 'thank you’ to them :) Kodama director work was also cool. Anyway, I am really grateful to everyone if anime staff!
Anime’s benefit is that it has sound. Well, of course it is :) Especially it was great at Moonlight Sonata’s episode. When I drew the manga, I listened to 'Moonlight Sonata’, to be honest. Moonlight Sonata 2nd Movement is especially great! And it came up just like I thought.
Anime has a lot of benefits but… Manga will not surrender! Anime can’t show, for example, two-paged spread of Shinichi’s sudden appearance. Manga’s benefit is also that it helps reader to make their own deductions.

The anime became really good, so I’ll try my best for the manga not to be defeated!!

4 secrets of Aoyama Gosho!
According to Puppeteer-Detective, Yama-chan’s manga, Aoyama-sensei really enjoys staying at home. While investigating whether this is true, we found it that he doesn’t go outside except for convenient stores and family restaurants! He usually goes to the places that are in 50m radius around his home/studio. When we found out what was the longest distance he went for recently… It was a press-conference for [Meitantei Conan, The Time-Bombed Skyscraper]. Looks like it is a 'record length Aoyama Gosho went out for’. When we invaded Aoyama-sensei’s studio/home, it was a really a really nice mansion with an incredible night view! Of course you wouldn’t want to go outside of such a nice place!
He doesn’t play games?
Aoyama-sensei loved games since childhood… that was a rumour we heard, but turns out, according to Alco-Detective’s Tani Yutaka’s manga, he doesn’t play games at all recently. Is it true? After invading Studio/Home, we found it! A mountain of games, which weren’t even open! We also found a lot around his TV! The manga was true! According to the interview, Aoyama-sensei [Has to play everything since Dragon Quest VI~]. This game came out in 1995… That means he didn’t play his favourite game for a year?! That’s horrible…
You’re so busy, do you eat properly?
Aoyama-sensei is so busy he can’t even play his favourite games. If he’s that busy, we’re worrying is he eats properly. Fatty Detective’s yonkoma shows that he’s eating well… Aoyama-sensei’s daily schedule is to create a storyboard once in 4 days, and the next two days lining it down with assistants, and only one free day. What does he do at 5 days without the assistants? After a week investigation, we found out which family restaurants and convenient stores he uses. There’s a rumour that when his favourite convenient store was closed due to remodelling, he was about to starve…
He’s really serious when it comes to work?
And the last investigation was about his work! Bravo Detective’s yonkoma shows that he’s really strict at manga… looks like it, at least. But he doesn’t go anywhere, he can’t play his favourite games, eats in convenient stores and family restaurants… Didn’t he ever thought [I can’t stand [Meitantei Conan] anymore!]　We decided to ask Aoyama-sensei himself!
[I still have a lot I want to draw in [Meitantei Conan]. It doesn’t seem like ending (TN: It was 1997. I’m translating it in 2016 AND STILL GOING). [Kaito Kid] just appeared in it too finally… Wonder if I’ll see it in anime soon <3 Besides, I want to use Heiji’s hometown, Osaka as a stage more often… And I want to draw a Woman in Black too!!]… looks like our worries were for nothing.

Well then, next people we’ll interview are people who created [Meitantei Conan] anime. Kodama Kenji director, Yomiuri TV producer Suwa Michihiko-san amd Tokyo Movie producer, Yoshioka Masahito-san. You have different opinions about [Conan]? But they are the same in one - everyone loves it and had a lot of fun creating it, that’s why anime [Conan] is so great!

(We put in film a lot of stuff we were not able to put in TV anime)

First: Kodama Kenji

Which anime did you wanted to create?
I wanted to create a piece that would be enjoyed by adults. But I also wanted children to enjoy it too.
What is special to anime?
Conan’s mystery solving is pretty easy to understand, I think. In manga it’s explained only by Conan himself, but in anime details are shown onscreen. Besides, characters can move.
This film is love romance?
[Conan]’s world’s love romance can be created only by Aoyama-sensei. If we’ll make something, we could break original manga’s world. That’s why we usually base everything on what was shown in manga. (TN: Cough. KaitoKid. Cough). In the film Aoyama-sensei planned a love romance subplot, so we started without second thoughts. What do you want to note in this film?
It enjoys all your senses. You watch you hear, your brain works out deductions, and your heart is moved by love romance. At the 5 minutes after beginning my heart started to beat quickly. The screen is so wide, so we can drew even smallest details, and that, I think, leaves a different impact than TV anime. That was the greatest work and I doubt I’ll be able to create something like that… said I, but guess what I’ll do if there would be another movie adaptation :)

Three main points of anime [Meitantei Conan]?
Suwa: Maybe the fact that the anime is a big lie. It’s not real, but talks about reality a lot. And the deduction. That’s the best. TN: I didn’t get it. Maybe I’m wrong.
Yoshioka: Three, huh. First is the deduction that even adults can enjoy. Second one is slapstick action with the Detective Boys. And the third one is love romance, which Aoyama-sensei spoke about.
TV anime continues while using all three.
[Conan] movie had a lot of strong points
Yoshioka: The movie had those three main points I just spoke about.
Suwa: Felt like a big amusement park… With a jet coaster, beautiful night view and a lot of attractions. Of course we enjoyed creating TV anime too, but this movie was something extra special. We hope that viewers had a lot of good experience with it.
What you tried to achieve with this movie?
Yoshioka: We want to make a lot of action we can’t do because of usual TV episode time limit. And on familiar scenery. Conan didn’t went overseas, and incidents and crimes happens nearby, with Detective Boys dealing with it.
Suwa: I wanted to tell a long story. Since the movie is something you can dive into and it has a long running time. But I wanted to make it with breathtaking speed.
Yoshioka: I wanted to create a movie with compilation of action and deduction.
Suwa: That was a movie like a takoyaki with red pasta.
Yoshioka: That was really great till the very end. Like a jet coaster ride, where you can’t leave your seats.

We’re proud of our team work.
Seiyuu-san, devoting their lives to anime [Meitantei Conan]. What do they think about characters they are playing? What is the atmosphere in the studio? Afrec (after recording) just ended, let’s hear them live! What is Conan’s charm?
Takayama: Conan has that self-devotion trait of his, you see. He’ll never cheat, and he will try to protect the one and only girl for his whole life. That’s his charm. I played a role of main character in Aoyama-sensei’s previous work, [YAIBA], and he’s such type.
I wonder if Aoyama-sensei himself is a man like this… Women should be very happy (TN: My heart melted, they married after, sadly divorced though ;v;)
What was like recording for the movie?
Takayama: Even if it was a movie, it wasn’t really different from the usual.
Kamiya: As usual, we acted according to the director.
Takayama: But the story really made me nervous. That was not random bombing? If you don’t solve it soon, everyone should be in danger!.. like this.
Director said that his heart was beating after first 5 minutes, and I felt the same.
Kamiya: But it was a nice story. Really. I was about to cry. Especially at the last scene.
Takayama: Looks like there was a person who really cried.
Horikawa: Who?
Takayama: Not here at the moment, but Megure-keibu.
Horikawa: Chafurin-san?
Kamiya: Yep
What is Ran’s good side?
Yamazaki: Ran is really strong, she’s doing karate, but when Shinichi is around, she becomes really worried.
Takayama: She always tells [Come back quickly, Shinichi!] at the phone..
Yamazaki: But she can’t say anything in front of a real Shinichi.
Kamiya: Yeah. Feels kind of off. Yamazaki-san plays her perfectly, but it is kind of strange.
Yamazaki: When it comes to Shinichi, shows a brilliant deduction, but…
Kamiya: …soft on the inside.
Yamazaki: That’s also Ran’s cute trait :)
Do you see Kogoro as father in this movie?
Kamiya: I really like Kogoro. He has human weaknesses, like he can usually go astray, loves to drink, runs away of his own wife, and his child had to care about him… But sometimes he can be really cool. At the Kogoro’s Class Reunion Murder Case, for example.
Takayama: He was really cool at that time. And strong too.
Kamiya: At the movie, he showed that he really cares about Ran.
Horikawa: Kamiya-san has children too, do you understand Kogoro at that point?..
Kamiya: You can say that too.
Is Ayumi a girl in love?
Kamiya: Ayumi feels like a boss.
Iwai: Usually she is, but when Conan drank sake and could’ve returned to Shinichi, when she saw Conan leaning, she thought [I feel like I’ll never see him again], right? When Shinichi was leaving Ran in the very first chapter, Ran thought exactly the same.
Kamiya: Do you have episodes you like?
Iwai: [Detective Boys Survival Case]. I really love such adventures.
What is the atmosphere in the studio after finishing recording lines?
Takayama: Conan and Heiji are really alike. They even act the same. Horikawa: They both love mysteries.
Takayama: After today’s recording (Holmes Freak Murder Case), I feel like Heiji was really cool. And Shinichi is in pinch?! :)
Horikawa: That’s my second Conan afrec (TN: No, third. You played an AO victim killed by chocolate), but it’s surprisingly easy to act.
Kamiya: Because everyone even breath in sync.Takayama: We’re on good terms here.
Kamiya: Every week I expect to meet everyone, that I work with pleasure and after that everyone goes eating. What a great work :)
Takayama: Today we’ll also go to eat after that <3

The magic of sound playing in the Mystery World.

And the last ones on the backstage are people who create Conan’s Sound, musicians with Music Life Show! They stir up [Meitantei Conan] famous scenes, and write songs and music!
Kyoko: Conan and Ran are always close, but they can’t say they love each other. That’s heartbreaking.
Thinking about people I miss… [Happy Birthday] is a song that tries to convey feelings for those who are dear to you but far away. When I was recording it in London, I thought about my friend and ex boyfriend… That is a song that will be played in the movie ending, after the incident is resolved. Last scene that makes you chuckle a bit (TN: after credits I believe) I saw at the cinema by myself.
They are below different skies and can’t tell ‘I love you’ to each other. It’s really sad not to be able to convey such feelings, but Conan-kun and Ran are always together, and yet they can’t tell their true feelings. I think that this is much more hard and sad situation. When I watched it, I thought [Why can’t you just understand he’s Shinichi?!] :) This song is sad, but it has optimistic subtext too. Goes well with Conan and Ran’s love.
Utoku Keiko: A singer of anime’s current (3/51 :D) ED [Hikari to Kage no Roman]. Warm, heartwarming sound and Keiko-san’s sweet singing voice is starting to sound after the incident. It has a like [I understand everything but still continue to love you]… Sound a lot like Ran’s loving heart!
Oono: It’s important to create music that goes with the story.
I created a lot of music for TV animes and movies, but that was my first time creating music for Conan. I was totally okay with that. I don’t care whether it’s drama or anime. Same with movies. I created it thinking about how it will suddenly change going in sync with story. Conan is really interesting, don’t you think? Even when adults are reading it, sometimes it’s hard for them. When I first read it, I read everything till the end in one breath.
So both adults and children can enjoy it, so I created a lot of different types of music.
Conan, Ran and Kogoro are a great team. He fits in. Always going after them when there’s an incident. They are starting to become a nice team. I guess it’s the same with music. It’s starting to be familiar to Conan series. I like Conan more than Shinichi. And Ran is cute too.
What music would you recommend?
I created a music for Conan movie in around 10 days. 2 days for recording. It’s usually 5 days for TV anime. Movie sound has a thing called Dolby Sound, so we had to record it in a unique way. Because of that we had to record not only new music, but also old music, changing it a bit. Movie’s melody is half-new, and I felt some kind of familiar while creating it. Besides, it was an action movie, right? So it was different from TV, with a more intense rhythm. Music I can recommend? I don’t want to say it. I want you to listen to it and then decide.
[Time bombed skyscraper] has connections with Dolby Sound, so there were two different versions for CDs and for movies. Please listen to in in the cinema theater, you will be really excited.

Detective Conan's Mystery Academy Interview

Date: September 10, 1997

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Source: Raw

Raw:

Translation:

1999

Gosho Aoyama's favorite movies of the 90's and before

Date: Shonen Sunday, #21 1999

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Source: Raw and more info

Raw:

Translaion:

1. Back to the Future (1985)
デビュー作『ちょっとまって』は、あの大ヒット作『バック・トゥ・ザ・フューチャー』（'85年/M・J・フォックス主演）から来てます。あっ！！ あえて言わせてもらうけど、これシリーズ3作物だけど、オレが認めてるのは “パート1” だけ！！他はダメ ！！(笑)
“My debut work Wait For Me sprang from the blockbuster Back to the Future (’85, starring Michael J. Fox). Ahh! Last I saw, it was at a whole trilogy – but I’ve only got eyes for Part 1! Sequels need not apply! 😛”
[Poster Caption]
タイムマシン映画(？)の最高峰！続編には言いたいことある先生も、この第一作には『完璧！』の一言。
“The absolute peak of time-machine movies! Sensei may have Certain Things to say about the sequels, but Part 1 is, in a word, Perfect.”

2. Superman (1978)
さて、ここまで来ると、みんなが気になるのは『名探偵コナン』を生んだ、映画は!? でしょ。はっきり言うけど、ないよ (笑)。でも、1アイテムだけ頂いた映画がある。毎週かかさず “コナン” を読んでくれてるコは、もう気づいてるかな！？ “めがねを取ったあなたは、スーパーマンて訳！？"って、場面が出てきたの覚えてる？そう、コナンのめがねは、『スーパーマン』（'78年/C・リーブ主演）から頂いたの。正体隠すためのアイテムは"めがね！！"これっきゃない！って、決めてたんだ。
"Well, now that we’ve come this far, you all want to know if Detective Conan popped out of a movie. Isn’t that right? Well, in a word: no 😛. But I did take one thing from a movie. Weekly Conan readers, do you know what it is? Do you remember that scene going, “What are you without the glasses? Superman?” Yep, Conan’s glasses are straight from Superman (’78, starring Chris Reeve!) If you need to hide a secret identity, nothing better than a pair of specs! I decided.”
[Poster Caption]
元祖ヒーロー映像化決定版。主演C・リーブは、先生いわく『ホントにスーパーマンみたいな顔してる(笑)』
“Still the definitive picture of the Original Hero. All Sensei can say about Chris Reeve is, “He’s really got that Superman face.” (😂)

3. A Big Hand For the Little Lady, aka Five Pals in Texas (1966)
あの『スティング』の原型とも言われる映画。ポーカー勝負でのダマし合いがたまんない！
"They say this movie was blueprint to The Sting. All I know is, I can’t get enough of all that card-sharping!”

4. Top Gun (1986)
このノリのよさがめちゃ好き。バイク乗ってウォーって叫ぶ後ろに戦闘機が飛ぶトコとかね。
“Absolute Vibes on this one. Like howling on a motorbike with fighter jets at your back.”

5. The Shinning (1980)
ホラーの1位はコレ！見せ方が怖いね。うまいね。J・ニコルソンは元々怖い顔だけど(笑)。
“First-place in horror! Every shot’s breathtakingly scary! And just plain breathtaking! Jack Nicholson’s one of those guys born with a nightmare face! 🤣”

6. True Romance (1993)
ここじゃバラせないけど、ラストが最高！殺伐としてるのにウキウキしちゃうんだよね。
“Not gonna spoil it, but that last scene is Divine! Brutal and bleak, but it made my heart sing.”

7. Dirty Harry (1971)
イーストウッド映画は無差別に好き。本物よりも本物らしい(？)山田康雄の声もコミでね！
“I’ve always been wild about Eastwood movies. They seem realer than reality(?) And to think – Yasuo Yamada voices comedies, too!”

8. Rebecca (1940)
今後、漫画に活用したいのは、『レベッカ』（'40年/R・オリビエ主演）。あの、怖～い女召し使い、いつか描きてぇ～！
“I’d like to use Rebecca in some future manga. Someday, I’ll put that terrifying kept-woman to my pen…!”
[Poster Caption]
大金持ちの再婚相手が、古い豪邸で出会う恐怖！ヒッチコックならコレ！最初退屈しても、早送り厳禁！
“A rich man’s remarriage; an old mansion of terror! Purest Hitchcock! Might seem slow at the start, but for the love of God don’t fast-forward!”

9. The Escape Artist, aka Magic Boy (1982)
例えば、40周年記念で今回描き上げた『まじっく快斗』は、大学生の頃に観た『マジック・ボーイ』（'82年/G・オニール主演）から始まってるって言ってもいいね。主人公は、16歳の天才マジシャンで、カッコいいなぁ・・・・・・って思ってて。映画の中の男のコはね、誰の力も借りずに、ひとりで悪い奴をやっつけて行くんだけど、それもまたカッコ良くてさ。"こいつを怪盗にしたらどーだろう"って思いを巡らせてたら、"快斗"の誕生となった訳。
“For instance… this Magic Kaito I’m doing for the magazine’s 40th? You could say it all began with The Escape Artist ('82, starring Griffin O'Neal). Saw it in college. The main’s a 16-year-old magic prodigy: cool. He beats the bad guys without needing to ask anyone for help: even cooler. I thought to myself, 'What if I made this guy a phantom thief?’ - and that’s how Kaito was born.”
[Poster Caption]
亡くなった父親ゆずりの天才手品師ダニーが、たった一人で市長の陰謀に立ち向かう！青山先生、とにかくオススメの一本。
“Danny Masters, a genius magician following in his late father’s footsteps, must face a crooked Mayor’s machinations alone! I’m Aoyama-sensei, and I give this my highest recommendation.”

2003

Complete Color Works Interview Aoyama x Takayama

Date: May 1, 2003

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Raw:

Translated by:

Conan Drill Official Book Interview

Date: May 1, 2003
Published in: Conan Drill Official Book

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Raw:

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Translated by: justwantanaccount
T/N: Interview in Conan Drill from 2003 translated! No spoiler on the plot here, though there are a lot of interesting tidbits.
I took a lot of liberty with the English this time, since I wanted to focus more on making the English sound natural and readable. I usually try to translate as directly as possible, but I realize that the weird English probably turns off a lot of people – let me know if I've taken too much liberty, though.
Also, Gosho says a lot of things here that he mentions in future interviews, like how he was told to change Conan's name to Doyle since there was a work called Future Boy Conan, directed by Hayao Miyazaki. You kinda realize that interviewers keep asking the same questions, maybe because they don't bother looking over past interviews, ha ha.

Highlights:
The plot for Conan was planned in two weeks
Gosho is not "high-strung / neurotic" - he seems pretty laid back
Apparently, in File 125~, the dude pays the gal to be his lover
Gosho has an editor who is from Kansai, and looks at DC's Kansai-ben – this makes sense, I've read people on 2chan talk about how young Kansai people these days don't say "ame-chan" (Files 778-780), but since Gosho gets coached on Kansai-ben by an older guy, the Kansai-ben in DC is rather dated.
Gosho has two younger brothers, one who's an engineer and another who's a doctor. The engineer helps Gosho with tricks related to cars, and the doctor helps Gosho with medicine-related topics, like APTX. The doctor is also an anime otaku who advices Gosho about which voice actor should voice whom.
Gosho also seems to have connections who are former police detectives, people working at banks, CSIs, etc.
Gosho decided when he started that Conan won't cry
Gosho only draws characters with names, leave backgrounds and characters without names to assistants - does that mean that the forensics dude who wasn't Tomo-san in File 756-758 will become important someday?! Lol I dunno.
Maybe you guys knew this already, but apparently Paikaru/Baiganer isn't a real brand of alcohol – the name comes from a character in Lupin III.

Interview
Q: Aoyama-sensei became a manga artist after graduating from college, right? Have you decided to be a manga artist from your student days?
A: I was studying manga since my college days, but I entered the university while vaguely thinking that I will become an art teacher someday. Apparently I wrote "I will become a manga artist in the future" in my elementary school's graduation anthology, but I don't remember it. Although, I did like drawing pictures and manga and such from childhood, and I drew flip books and such into my textbook. My parents scolded me when I drew manga, though, so there was a sneaky quality to it. I submitted manga for the first time when I was a fourth year university student, but when I told my parents that I will become a manga artist after graduation, my parents opposed me. Being a school teachers is fine, but being a manga artist is, after all, an unpredictable, Yakuza-like business. Of course you would worry if you were a parent.The direct cause behind becoming a manga artist for me was when a senpai, who was already a manga artist, asked me, "Hey, Aoyama, do you want to try submitting?" Then, I sent one to a certain shonen magazine, and the work received a kasaku*. This wasn't at Sunday, though. After this, I thought that maybe I could possibly be good. This was when I was a fourth year university student.
[T/N: *佳作 (kasaku) directly translates to 1. well executed work or 2. second best work at something like an art/literature contest (source); however, given the context, it seems that if you receive this then you debut as a manga artist, so I left the original Japanese term since I'm not sure how to translate it. Some people translate it as an "honorable mention", but I don't know how accurate that is.]

Q: Back then, were the people around you already searching for permanent jobs?
A: Yes. For me, I trained to be a teacher, just in case, since I still had the option to become an art teacher at my hometown's high school. Although, when I received the kasaku, I think I lost the urge to continue down that path. I drew the background for Ponkikki and such for part time jobs, so I wasn't searching for a permanent job at all.

Q: How did you live as a university student? The characters in the manga that sensei draws are all unique - I suspect this might be due to influence from human relationships during student days.
A: Yes, though I think I was influenced not only during my university years but throughout my life, accumulating from my childhood. As for my university years, I did Mahjong - a lot of Mahjong (laughs). I used to live first in Egoda, which is along the Seibu Ikebukuro Line, then in Senkawa. The distance was the longest here, but it was close to the university so we met up for Mahjong and such. We met up at someone's house many times, since we didn't have money. I was pretty strong back then. Right now, not so much - I don't have time to play, and even when I do play I think that we should just have fun, so I aim for a high hand. If you do that, you lose. If you play thinking that you'll lose, then you really will, as you'd expect (laughs).

Q: Even if you say you didn't have money, it wasn't such a period back when sensei was a student, right?
A: Nah, I was pretty poor. I couldn't put in meat into curry. I would eat such an indigent curry for five days straight. Curry day after day. But I was sent rice from my hometown, so I did always have something to eat. If you have rice, you manage, don't you? I ate nothing but curry everyday and I played Mahjong at someone's house - I think I was the very picture of a poor college student.
December 31, 2002, nighttime. The interview took place, since sensei's schedule was apparently only open on this day. I could imagine that sensei was considerably tired; I thought that it couldn't be helped that sensei might be ill-humored. However, you couldn't tell that he was tired, even though he must have been. My impression was that he was upright as a human being and as an adult, though he was of course aware that he was first-class as an artist.

Q: In truth, I thought that it couldn't be helped if Aoyama-sensei had a difficult temper, until I met you like this. It is the truth that mystery writers often have complicated personalities, to say nothing of their difficult schedules. I'm surprised that you are far more cheerful than I've imagined you to be.
A: Did you imagine someone who was stress personified? I have stress, of course, but I've never been the type to be highly strung. I think that that's why I can endure difficult schedules. I, too, think sometimes that some writers are highly strung when I read their work – the type who are good at searching people from scratch, and such. For me, I'm not that type of person at all. I haven't inconvenienced the editor* much, either . . . or at least, I'd like to think so (laughs).I haven't quarreled with the editor, either. Even if there's a quarrel, it's not about manga, it's about something really trivial. The editor is a Hanshin fan, and I'm a Giants fan; when Hanshin won consecutively against the Giants in the match where the Giants' championship was at stake, I happened to have promised to draw the illustration for the movie poster. But I was in a bad mood, so I said, "I'm not drawing!" (laughs) Since the editor was understanding, he didn't contact me anymore that day (laughs). This isn't really a quarrel, is it?
[T/N: *Strictly speaking, the term could be plural, but I've left it as singular here since Aoyama seems to be talking about his editor.]

Q: You got an kasaku with a submission to a magazine other than Shonen Sunday, right? Did you not want to continue at that magazine? Why the move to Shonen Sunday?
A: At the manga magazine where I was kindly given the kasaku, the editor kindly advised me, "I personally like your art, but you'll probably be told to change your style sometime soon, so it'll be better for you if you went elsewhere." If so, I like Mitsuru Adachi, and the picture is cute overall, so I thought about moving to Sunday. Then, I was told that I could go sooner than I'd thought, and things went smoothly after that.But then, a senior manga artist told me, "You should visit the editorial department many times until they memorize your name," so I visited the editorial department whenever I could. When I received the Newcomer Award with Wait a Minute, I already had an editor, in my case. There are many newcomers just like you, so to stand out you must bring in the name (roughly sketched manuscript) often. I did that intentionally. For about half a year, I visited quite insistently, saying "I fixed the name again!" Almost everyday. It's not like I had anything else to do, and I wanted to serialize as soon as possible.

Q: Magic Kaito's serialization started in that environment, didn't it? In Sunday's Special Edition?
A: Yes. I was allowed to draw from time to time, but you're basically jobless during that time, aren't you? You can't eat as a manga artist, yet. I was eating with the money I saved through part-time jobs as a student, and with the prize money from the Newcomer Award. Although, you might think that this was a difficult time period the way I talk, but those days were actually really fun for me (laughs). In the end, I was doing what I liked, since I like manga. I also had a lot of time when I was a newcomer, so I could play my favorite games. Back when I used to draw manga while playing Dragon Quest, I had a promise to meet with the editor. Then, when the editor called since he was at a cafe near Egoda's train station, I replied, half asleep, "Uuuum, I can't gooo, since I don't have the gold yeeet" (laughs). Then I hanged up, and when I got a call again after thirty minutes, I vaguely thought, "I said something weird, didn't I?" (laughs).The editor back then was a good person, too. Things were fun back then, in many aspects. Now, I don't quite have the time to play games as I used to.

Q: Did you realize that you could continue as a manga artist, that you could eat as one with Magic Kaito?
A: Yes, I think so. The editor-in-chief back then didn't like Magic Kaito very much, and he said, "I'll treat you something if this gets sold as volumes and sells 100,000 copies." Then the number was passed in the blink of time - I thought, it's profitable to sell volumes, isn't it? After that, YAIBA started at the magazine, and since the magazine is weekly, volumes came out quickly, too. Things became much easier after that, not only in terms of livelihood but psychologically, too. I did become busy and lost time to have some fun, though. Conan was decided when I met up with the editor to discuss what to do next after YAIBA ended. At the time, Kindaichi (from Kindaichi Case Files) started at Shonen Magazine, and since I like mysteries and it seemed interesting, I wanted to have a go at it. At first, I/we thought about a hardboiled-esque comedy with a title like "Tale of a Detective" or something similar. But Conan is the royal road to shonen manga, isn't it? Becoming small, and then getting threatened by bad guys. The plot was finished in about two weeks, but it's not something I/we thought neurotically about. Conan turned back to a first grader, since Shinichi is 17, so I thought that turning back exactly ten years would be easy to understand. I get asked if why I chose first grade, but that's pretty much all the reason (laughs). Although, there also was a bit of an aspect that, since first graders are completely children, someone that age will be laughed at and then forgiven for doing anything.

Q: Did you decide the characters' appearances along with the plot?
A: Almost at the same time. I don't think that the pictures took more than a minute.

Q: The idea for Conan's glasses was decided at the time, too?
A: I like Superman, you see. Superman wore glasses as Clark Kent, right? That was what was in my head at the time. No glasses when he's Shinichi, but glasses once he turns into Conan. I just remembered, I wanted to make a rule-breaking manga. In shonen, Arare-chan is about the only one who is a protagonist and who also has glasses. Strictly speaking, Nobita-kun isn't a protagonist. Also, names (characters/letters). In shonen, there was a rule that manga with a lot of names in it don't become popular. There was another rule I tried to break – hmm, what was it? Was it about the name, Conan? Since it was the same as Future Boy Conan, the editor-in-chief didn't make a very good face. I think I was told to change the name to Doyle-kun (laughs). My editor was excited about breaking the rules, though.

Q: Going back to what you have just said about shonen manga's royal path – your work also has an element of love comedy; childhood friends are also royal-path material, aren't they?
A: That's true. You could say that it's my preference to use childhood friends, though (laughs). The setup becomes really easy. It's easy to develop the story when the characters are childhood friends who have known each other for a long time. I liked Mitsuru Adachi-san's Touch, after all. As for dramas, I like The Tale of Seven Men and Women*. Though most young readers now probably don't know about this drama, I think that this is the masterpiece of love comedy. I wanted to bring out such an atmosphere in my work. Although, despite the presence of love, neither Shinichi nor Hattori chases after women, do they? They're a little different from a normal high school boy. In the end, detectives are fairly different, whether you're talking about Holmes or Seishi Yokomizo's Kindaichi. That's the appeal of detective-type people, though. *There's a Japanese Wikipedia page for it, but that's about it. Apparently it ran from July 25 to September 26, 1986 on TBS, and was so popular that its ratings exceeded 31% at one time.

Q: Have your names ever been disgarded before?
A: In the case where the female illustrator gets killed by her lover, who is an artist (File 125~ "Falling Corpse"), I wrote, "I give you money. You give me satisfaction. That sounds like a fair deal to me," and they told me that this was not good. I do agree that it was too raw for Sunday (laughs). In the end, I changed it to something light like "I'll do my job so don't meddle with the family." That's about it.

Q: What about collecting data? I'm often surprised about how firm the factual areas on police relations, crime knowledge, and such are.
A: The editor has friends who does CSI or are working at a bank, and the assistants' relatives turn out to be former police detectives, so I ask them. For example, what do you need if you want to open a safe at night? I get to use some police terminology, too, though of course there are secret ones that I can't use. On car-related subjects, I ask my brother, who is one year younger than me. He's an engineer. I ask him things like, if you insert ice between the front wheels and the ice melts, what will happen? The radiator's water will probably drip if the cooler was kept open – then, where would the water drip from? Things like that. (File 221) On medicine-related subjects, I have another younger brother, who is a doctor. He and I came up with the APTX. To be rejuvenated . . . you can't get your bones back to the way it was, so that aspect is fictional, but maybe it's possible to rejuvenate cells, and such. This younger brother is also knowlegeable about anime, so he advised me on who to pick for voice actors. Also, on Hattori and Kazuha's Kansai dialect, the editor, who is from Kansai, looks over them carefully for me. On site research, I've rode the sleeping car train Hokutosei with the editor before. We had a meeting around dusk once, and suddenly decided to make this case center on Hokutosei. By chance, I/we managed to obtain the ticket(s) for next morning. Unfortunately, we didn't go up to Hokkaido and got off at Utsunomiya, so it was a bit of a waste. The train conductor surprised me. I said, "I have to get off in the middle?"

Q: What do you struggle with the most in Conan's story?
A: The culprit's motives. People often think that coming up with tricks is troublesome, but for me, I always struggle with the motives. Grudges pop up a lot, but if it happens too often, then it's not interesting anymore. But then, I don't like indiscriminate murder, either. For example, someone kills people because it was hot outside – that leaves a bad taste, doesn't it? I don't want to do things like that. I also don't let the culprit die. The culprit commits suicide in the end only in the Tsukikage (Moon Shadow) Island story, right?

Q: On the characters, is there something you decided the characters won't do?
A: Conan doesn't cry, but that's about it. He might have tears in his eyes from yawning, but he won't wail, he won't cry from empathy. I decided this at the beginning. There are other things I decided, but it's better not to say them, isn't it? It'll be more fun for the readers to search for themselves.

Q: Do you decide the story with the editor?
A: Yes, I first discuss with the editor and decide. When the previous case ends, I take a nap, then I discuss within that day. With a free-talk-like style, we discuss from the trick, the flow of the story, to the conclusion, and we decide one case at once – in another words, we decide what will happen for the next 3~4 weeks. So the overall schedule goes like this: one case ends, I take a nap, I meet with the editor within that day, then I finish the name (pre-manuscript) in three days, then I meet up with the editor again, and then I ink it, then I add the finishing touches in the next four days. This is my week.

Q: You can't rest at all, can you? You must have other things to do within that period, too.
A: No, I can't rest. I rest only about the time when I sleep after finishing the manuscript. I might travel when Conan doesn't print, but even then I think about Conan so it's not truly a rest at all. I relax only about when I watch baseball.

Q: Everyone is curious about how Conan will develop in the future.
A: It's probably more fun to not say much about that (laughs). I am thinking about a development that will surprise the readers, but for now there are more things that I can't say.
Even if sensei does take a few weeks of vacation, no one forgets about Conan, and the popularity doesn't go down, either (though this will trouble the editorial department). Even though sensei climbed up to that point, he continues writing Conan amid an even more difficult schedule. I wonder about where such an energy come from. One more thing, sensei never said the word "job". Though writing manga is undoubtedly a job for sensei, it seems to be completely different from the what is called "labor".

Q: What is important for a manga artist? What would you advise people who want to become manga artists, for example?
A: I wonder . . . I never had a moment where I had a strong sense that I am a manga artist.You might say that, at the core, you have to like it. You can't continue if you don't like it. Also, you must have a sense of inquisitiveness. These might be common, but that's all that I can think of. On inquisitiveness, say you see a boring movie. Don't say "Boooring!" and be done with it, for me I would think about how this part should be like this, how if this is done then it will be come more and more interesting – things like that. Interesting movies are fine the way they are, but what are you doing to think when you see a boring one? That's why boring movies are surprisingly better for me results-wise (laughs). Also, there are a lot of things that you don't know about in this world, right? In a story related to anime, when I heard of the terminologies "F1, F2" for ratings, I end up thinking if I could make something out of them or not.* It's important to think about what you can do with things you've never heard of before.
[*Symbols representing TV viewers' age groups. F1 = female, 20~34; F2 = female, 35~49; others are as follows:
F3 = females 50 and above; M1 = male, 20~34; M2 = male, 35~49; M3 = males 50 and above; C1 = children, 4~12; C2 = children, 13~19.]

Q: Your head constantly turns toward creative work, doesn't it? Creative brain, perhaps.
A: That's true. That's why you have to like it, in the end. You're usually carefree without any thoughts if you travel, and I try to do that, too, but I end up thinking about if I can find material to work with out of habit. At the core, there's an aspect of diligence (laughs). You shouldn't strain your nerves too much, though.

Q: Are you all right from tendonitis? They say that being a manga artist means a fight against tendonitis.
A: There was one time when I almost got it. I always had strong pressure on the pen, so I'm the type who easily gets tendonitis. I've changed my drawing style since then. I use a thin marker and trace over the same line many times to make it thicker. I use the PIGMA 0.1mm pen. That way, I don't have to put much pressure on the arms. Except for background and unimportant characters, I draw everything. Meaning, I leave things like backgrounds with cars, CSI's and police people without names to assistants, then draw the characters who have names myself.<

Q: On the art, which manga artist did you receive influence from?
A: Monkey Punch, of Lupin III. There's a time when Conan drinks some alcohol and reverts back to his former body, right? The alcohol called Paikaru comes from the name of a magician that appears in Lupin III. I would also say Mitsuru Adachi-san, and surprisingly a shojo manga artist named Akemi Matsunae-san, I think. And people my age all received influence to some degree from Katsuhiro Otomo-san, I think. (Ha ha, I wonder if Miyano Akemi's name comes from Matsunae Akemi's . . . it sounds like it does, doesn't it?)

Q: Sensei is single, but if you marry you can't continue living like this, can you?
A: No, I can't. If my lifestyle changes, I can't continue the current pace anymore.* When I started Conan, I thought that this would be a lot of work. When I actually started, it was truly so much work that I don't do what my superiors say. I even said that I won't do anything unless they let me do whatever I want to do. This way, I can continue because I'm doing whatever I want in life and in my work. I was told to change the name from Conan to Doyle, to make Hattori into an absolute rival, things like that, but that's different from what I'm thinking. In that aspect, I insisted on my way as the artist. So I've been doing whatever I want. You should do what you like, as you like . . . This may be quite troublesome to both mind and body, but in the end I think that I want to be consumed there. Therefore, I'm happy, after all, because I'm living this way. I think I want to continue being a manga artist until ideas run dry, or readers tell me that they don't need me anymore. Though I might say "Aaaah, stooop!" from time to time.
[T/N: *There seems to be a typo here - I can't find the meaning of 維待anywhere – so I guessed at what it meant.]

2004

Love Conan Interview

Date: March 31, 2014

  Show spoilers »

Source: https://conan-4869.net/post-19909

Raw:

Translation by: Yunniechan

Our magazine is for women, so forgive us for such a sudden question, but can we ask what is sensei’s favourite girl type?
What?! (laughs) Okay.

Judging from the characters that are appearing in your work, which one is your favourite?
If I have to chose from girls, it’s Ran. And Conan’s mother, Yukiko. Yukiko was modelled after Fujiko Mine, and, to be honest, I borrowed her hair style.

That’s why her chest is so big.
Hahaha. Her chest is big, yeah, and she also can disguise herself. She also rides Harley and wears leather jackets. The whole disguising technique came from Lupin the Third.

Do you have any favourite actresses?
Right… Some time ago it was Kikuchi Momoko. Now… Hirosue :) And Yūka, I guess.

Looks like you like women with sweet and comforting personality.
I like women most people like.

All girls appearing in sensei’s works have a great sense of style.
Right. Nakamori Aoko, a character from the manga [Magic Kaito], where Kaito Kid first appeared, has a small chest, and she’s the only one. And she’s not [Momoko], but [Aoko].

I see. By color. You drew her when you were a fan of Momoko-chan?
Yes-yes. At that time. And she is Nakamori, because I liked Nakamori Akina. I liked her more than Matsuda Seiko.
There were Seiko-chan fraction and Akina-chan fraction, yeah…

You have a lot of childhood friends sweethearts in your works, is it because you had one?
Nope. I didn’t.

Really? You played detective a lot when you were a child, you didn’t have girls as friends?
Yeah. Nope. I didn’t have, but at the elementary school I was taken camping to the mountains, it was a lesson, so I had to, I was the last and I lost… And came to girls’ group. When we met, I left the cave with them.
There was a girl I liked in there :)

Sounds really funny! How old were you?
Elementary school student. So I were able to get the direction from tree stump… But still I really was lost, and girls started to cry. We kind of made a long way around, and returned. We thought everyone would be angry at us, so everyone started crying before we reached the meeting point. I called it fake tears :)

That’s cheating :) And? Everyone were angry?
They weren’t. We said [it was scary], but it wasn’t scary at all. It was really fun.

Which couple sensei wants to support?
Of course Shinichi and Ran. Shinichi became small, so it doesn’t go well for him.

Readers should also love not just Shinichi, but also Ran, and I want them to support them both! Right?
Yeah. It was like that at the beginning, see? It’s because you understand it’s mutual feeling, right? It’s not like when characters pretend to hate each other and then, at vol. 8 or something you just [oh, so they loved each other?]. You know it from the very beginning. But since he turned small, it’s a bit hard for them.

It’s even sadder because of that, I think everyone will support them. Every character is, so to speak, slow.
Ah, yeah-yeah. Seiyuu Hayashibara Megumi-san said that too! [Kind of too slow] :) I believe she thought [It’s because they think about themself].

That’s a really irritating feeling, but I bet readers find it amazing.
Yes-yes. So I’ll probably make them more irritated :)

A lot of people say [We want Conan-kun and Ai-chan to have something]
Yes-yes. A-a… Impossible, just impossible :)

Impossible after all? Which one Ai-chan prefer - Kudo-kun or Edogawa-kun?
Smaller one, I think? Conan. Hayashibara-san also said that [big one is nice, but give me a smaller one] :)

Speaking about adults, Satou-keiji and Takagi-keiji are also leading? They have a lot of fans. Saying things like [Please let them marry!]
Hahaha. So they want them to marry… Wonder what should I do…

Don’t you think it’s time? Their relationships developed a lot… (TN: COUGH 2004 year COUGH)
Right-right (big laughter) I look forward to drawing it. Comparing to Shinichi and the others, Satou and Takagi didn’t have much obstacles.

If only there wasn’t Shiratori-keibu.
Aa. Shiratori :) Right-right.

Ah, that tailing at Tropical Marine Land was so funny. All their hearing errors…
[Heroin]’s became [hirouen (reception)] and blood’s [kekkon (stain)] - [kekkon (marriage)], that? To be honest, I really liked drawing it.

And Satou-keiji is really popular, right? Everyone but Megure-keibu and Chiba-keibu love her!
Right. She’s great :) When a woman takes a job full of male workers, of course she’ll be popular.

Is Satou-san the only one woman in the first division of Criminal Investigation Bureau?
Right… I never drew it, but I guess there are others? If they are there, I bet they are quite pitiable. Hahaha.

Sensei, you said earlier [I see Kogoro-san as Jinnai Takanori], if you were to make a live action, what would you do? There are a lot of fans who are against life action, you see…
I would like to see Matuda Yuusaku as Shinichi’s dad. I really like him. I would’ve wrote Takizawa-kun as Kudo Shinichi, but even if I’ll say saw, fangirls will go like [no waay~ not Takki!], you see :)

In the survey, we thought there would be more Heiji-playing candidates, but, surprisingly, there weren’t.
Weren’t? Not much dark-skinned, you see.

When sensei just started to draw the very first chapter of [Meitantei Conan], did he expected a lot of fangirls?
Yeah… But I didn’t expect that many. The love comedy aspect wasn’t really strong. When I look through fan letters, all male fans are around middle school, and everyone older are all female fans. Looks like I’m popular among housewives :)
Especially a lot of cases where a mother watches it with her child and becomes interested herself. When I go to cinemas, there a lot of women of mother-like age. I don’t think children and mothers number is equal.
:) [When I started reading it, I was a high school student, but now I am a mother] - fan letters like this came to me. That’s going pretty wild.

What criminal left the most big impression on you, sensei? Like, even if they committed a crime, you really liked them.
Of course Tsukishima Island’s Asou Seiji. But he died. A criminal who can’t kill people easily. That’s the impression left of him.

Did you decide to kill him in the end of the story right from the beginning?
Yes. That has been decided. And there was a foreigner… what’s his name, Harold. At the Karakuri Spider Mansion. I pitied him too…

[SHINE] that was read as [die]?
Yes, that was pitiful too. After I drew that, I thought that he really is pitiful… :) If it wasn’t for that, I would’ve probably made him commit suicide, murdering someone just for that… Assistant also asked me [why? why did you drew that?]

Your assistants can say such things?
They can. If something’s boring, they’ll say it’s boring. And they can say something like [That was kind of great that time].

Kaito Kid is a guest from another manga, but he’s becoming famous. Sensei, what do you think about it?
When I was about to enter Kaito Kid, I thought [Should I make that egoistic thing?] :) Matsumoto Reiji-sensei makes that a lot, don’t you think? In 999, Harlock and Queen Emeralds appear, for example. I liked that feeling. I always wait eagerly for the pain plot, but when a guest appears, I think it’s nice.
Recently, when Kaito Kid appeared, when I read internet, Magic Kaito fans went nuts. [He won’t lose to Conan!], a lot of comments like that :) That became kind of fuss. But, different from [Magic Kaito], I drew only Kaito Kid himself. Not Kuroba Kaito. And I don’t show what Kid thinks, only Conan’s POV. And Kid uses really pompous phrases….

Really pompous. He’s a good rival to Shinichi-kun.
Yeah… He really became kind of pretentious. :) My main character. It’s hard to think of his lines.

Have you taken some cool lines from books or films?
No… They just come to me, while I’m relaxing.

To be honest, in readers survey the most popular opinion is [we want complete profiles for characters]. Like, a lot want to know Heiji’s birthdate.
Heeh. When Heiji born, huh… I want to know it myself, but he acts like a Leo.

Yes, and him being dark-skinned… That’s an August kind of thing. You’re planning to reveal it eventually?
Hm. I really want to think of birthdays. I did Agasa-hakase’s birthday. That took me 10 years :) 53 years… When I started drawing it, I thought [That’s quite a grandpa], but when I think about it right now, he’s not that old. Maybe I should’ve made him 63? Fail~

Everyone call him [jii-san], and he looks like a ojiisan.
Yep. I failed :)

He looks like a professor from Ocha no Mizu.
Right. It even looks like I’ve stolen Ocha no Mizu’s professor :)

Speaking of birthdays and blood types, people really [want to know about their loved one]. Especially blood types, Ran said [My blood type is the same as this child’s], and everyone got curious.
If I’ll say it, I think girls with other blood type would be sad. Just think of it as anyone you like. That’s why I probably won’t reveal it.

What is Sharon Vineyard’s age? Chris is 29, so being her mother… Have you thought about it?
Hee. Hehehe.

Gin knows her age? We’re worried :) At least relatively?
Hehehe. Right. That’s pretty much a core question.

A lot of people want to know how it’ll end. I won’t ask about that, so I’ll make another question. Shinichi lived alone 3 years, right? How did he managed his housework?
He made his meals my himself, sometimes Ran made it for him, professor too. I don’t think he’s skilled at cooking.

When he was back, he had only a toast for breakfast, so I guess he didn’t cook anything?
Hahaha. Yeah, that’s true.

Ran standed in line for Fusae Campbell’s branded goods, so what did she buy in the end? Because it is Ran-chan, maybe it was a purse?
What did she buy hmm… Well, let’s think she did buy a purse. When I’ll draw her purse next time, I’ll tell assistant [here, ass some leaf pattern]. And readers would be like [a-a, so that is what she bought]. Hahaha.

It doesn’t look like she bought a big bag. Ran doesn’t have that much of allowance.
Aa, right. Right. That was not expensive. Nice good with reasonable price.

You really need to draw after making a big research. At that sphere there are a lot of things you can’t draw without understanding technical details, I guess it’s hard to research?
That’s more of [please ask about…] and searching in internet kind of thing. When I drew a story about fishing, I became really knowledgeable in fishing sphere. And when I drew the story about bears, I learned a lot of details of bear behaviour.
I also know a lot about dogs.
That’s interesting :)
Like, about dog breeds. But I’m starting to forget by now.

You have a lot of animals appearing. Sensei, do you like animals?
Hmm… I guess? Haibara loves animals. I had a dog when I was a child, and was really sad when it died…
I can’t get another one because I think it’ll die someday too. I bought a robot dog once…

But you lost interest in it?
Yep. I gave it to a friend :) Robot dogs really grow. By stages. At first it starts walking around the house slowly… So when I thought [it’ll start to walk soon], it tried to stand but couldn’t. That was a bit revolting. It was too much ‘real’. I was scared.

A lot of places appear in series. When you want to draw it, do you go there to gather material?
The story that’s going on right now is in Okinawa, but I never been there. Camera people made photos of Naha airport for me.

I see. You can’t go, right? Having no time…
I went to NY. There’s [author takes a break in order to gather materials] message a lot, but that time it was not a non appearance because I missed deadline, I actually went to gather material :) Other than NY, just being in Tokyo is boring, so Conan and others travel a lot.

Would you be happy if another prefectural police officer appears?
?! Yes. Totally. I thought about it a lot. Gunma, Shizuoka, Kanagawa… And Saitama’s Yokomizo-keiji stopped appearing. To be honest, police officers don’t actually transfer. At the beginning, I made him being transferred a lot to whole of different places, and had him said [you too have come here!], but then I was told that [there’s no thing as job transfer in police]

You were scolded by a police-related person?
Not exactly, I have a fan who’s really fluent in police relations. [In WEB Sunday’s next preview there was [Takagi-keiji is going to transfer to Tottori?] written, so I thought [there’s no transferring!], went to inquire about to Joint Security Investigation Center, and there is actually, so good job, Aoyama-sensei!]
That was close~ :)

How much people are inside the BO?
Aa… I guess a lot.

A lot of people want to know who is [Anokata]. They wrote an e-mail/text message in Japanese, is they Japanese?
Well… I wonder. Everyone see even smallest details, huh.

If you’ll come up with it, will Gin’s or someone else’s nationality be shown?
Heh, Gin’s concept name was [Kurosawa Jin] :) Hahaha

Ehhhhh! Gin has a name?! Then Vodka’s is [Uokka Saburou]? That name was in registry book!
Aa~ I drew a registry book! You can’t see it, but there’s [Kurosawa Jin] written next to Uokka Saburou. Really! Hahaha. :)

It can’t be that they came up with their code names because of that puns! I think :)
Before vol. 42 people thought that Akai Shuichi is suspicious. And because of that everyone went [eeeeh?!]
He’s a good man. Hahaha :) He is a little gloomy. But this has a reason. Hehehe. :)

We was like [He’s too suspicious!] Because of his cold eyes.
He was the only one character of mine whom I added a slant line to the eyes :) I usually do that only to dead people. I really like this character. His voice is Ikeda Shuichi-san after all.

There is a rumour that sensei requested this seiyuu-san by himself.
Right-right. When NY special was out, I said [he’s cool. too cool]. That was great.

What was Araide-sensei doing in America?
Hm. He was a doctor, right? I don’t know. Maybe something different? You see, when everyone saw that Araide-sensei was Vermouth, Araide-sensei’s fans became really sad about it.

I thought he won’t appear again, I’m really happy he returned.
He’s back~! I think he is pretty interesting character.

He’s a tender person and everyone understand it.
Araide-sensei is going to have a bad time after all of that… kind of.

Eehhh?! Why? I don’t want to hear it, to be honest :)
Because of the place Vermouth lived in. Maybe she left a lot of stuff, don’t you think? It would be bad if he’ll find some.

Conan-kun wears Shinichi’s old clothes, and Ai-chan buys her by herself?
Ha~ Yes. Hakase can’t buy it after all.

She is really like a small adult. Her clothes feels like one onee-san would wear.
Right-right. Haibara reads magazines like CanCam. Such magazines are brought to me too. Sometime ago I went to buy by myself, but people in store made strange faced. Because I was buying a lot of women magazines. Thus I stopped buying it by myself.

You draw their clothes by looking at such magazines?
I took one I like and that look easy to draw. If there’re swimsuits, I look through fashionable swimsuits. Usually when it becomes an anime episode, a year passed and by the time it comes on screens, that clothes are not fashionable. I managed to catch a moment when ganguros were trending. Hahaha :)
At the time anime episode was out they nearly stopped trending at all. When I drew the case, they were really popular and by the anime episode time only village girls were doing that.

Time difference is harsh for fashion.
It is. That’s why I didn’t draw things like loose socks. I didn’t draw it because I thought they’ll go out of fashion, but. Until this very day (2004) they are remaining. [What. I should’ve drawn them].

Are there towns that became models for Beika and Haido?
Names come out from Baker street and Hyde park but I wonder where town structure came~

PAPCO surroundings really look like Shibuya Park’s PARCO, is it somewhere in Shibuya?
Hmm… I never thought of it :) That’s random. I drew the atmosphere of the place I live in. Like, when I lived at Kita Senju, I drew surroundings having it in mind. A place that’s just of some distance from the city centre.

But it has a lot of stuff. An amusement park, a cinema, a shopping centre…
It grew bigger, huh.

You had to have that in town :) Beika-city has only 5 town blocks?
Maybe? You ask even about this… :) You see, at the case with a series of arson I had to say which town block had it. I was asked [How about making it in 5 block?] So I did.
In a previous book I was asked to draw a map, but I can’t. It doesn’t come together.

Like… You draw that street, you draw another street… And those two are connected?-feeling?
They don’t. Tohto tower is Tokyo tower. It’s like a mix of fiction and reality.

That would be the least question. What is the future place you want to make a case in? Is there a place you want to go to?
That’s of course London. Although I heard the food there is really bad. I need to make cool incident in London.

Then please go there to gather material. But speaking of London, that’s a place where Holmes lived, maybe that’ll become a place for [final battle]?
Hahaha :) Noo. London would be served for love comedy. Ran and Shinichi’s. Love comedy’s final battle.

Love comedy’s final battle! What will be there? I really want to read it! I’ll be waiting!

EXTRA:
I want to ask about Ayumi-chan’s house and family!
At first, Mitsuhiko was the one who looked like 'a young master’, but in the movie [The Last Wizard of the Century] Kid stopped by at Ayumi-chan’s place. That’s why I quickly made Ayumi-chan living in multi-stored condominium . I never even dreamt about it. And then I suddenly realized that Ayumi-chan is the richest! I think it’s because Ayumi-chan’s father is a pilot. Like Himitsu no Akko-chan’s father, who is a captain, you see.

Conan Vs Kaitou Kid Perfect Edition

Date: April 2, 2004
Published in: Detective Conan vs. Kaitou Kid Perfect Edition pg 169

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Raw:

Translation by: Yunniechan

Hello, it’s Aoyama Gosho. Speaking about a book that’ll have Conan VS Kid battles, I was unsure, whether would people actually buy it, but at least people who are reading it right now have bought it. Thank you.

When Kid first appeared, I drew him thinking of him like special guest for one time, I never thought he’ll appear enough to compile a book, what a shock :) At first I only wanted Conan to have a strong rival. Hattori Heiji is his deduction rival and detective pal. But I wanted a rival that was an arch nemesis to detectives, natural enemy, to appear. Then how about an elusive daredevil thief, like Arsen Lupin and Lupin III? I was their fan since the very childhood. So, I thought a lot about a rival, who’s smart as Conan and can oppose him….

Wait a second! I knew someone who is exactly fit for this… And he’s right next to me! :)

I was unsure about a main character from my other work appearing, so I went to consult with that time Shounen Sunday’s Editor in Chief. He readily said me that it’s okay. So I happily created a showdown between Conan and Kaito Kid.
They even have a beginning, in [Magic Kaito]’s [Black Star chapter] Shinichi appears, which of course wasn’t an original thought :) Of course right now I think a lot about Conan and Kid connections.

But the reason of Shinichi’s appearance in [Magic Kaito] is that I wanted to draw him acting in his Shinichi form, it doesn’t have any deep meaning. Kid/Kaito’s rivals are Nakamori-keibu and Hakuba-kun. Shinichi is, so called, special guest.

So you can expect to read Shinichi’s important activity before he became Conan in this book. And I’ll comment it for [Magic Kaito] fans, Nakamori-keibu wasn’t assigned to police HQ at that time, that was back in time where he worked at Minato Police Station.
I think that Conan and Kid relation as ‘the one who chases’ and 'the one who runs’ will continue in [Meitantei Conan]. Well, I don’t know who’ll win in the end though :)
I will draw it with great pleasure, so please wait for it!!

2005

Unknown Fan Gathering

Note: In a later interview (Gosho Aoyama Interview about the Boss 2017), Gosho denied ever saying this and his editor too said that such an interview never happened. This turned out to be a hoax.

  Show spoilers »

Translated by: justwantanaccount

From Q&A in a gathering between Aoyama Gosho and Conan fans in 2005

Q. On the Black Syndicate/Organization?
A. A formal name exists. If mentioned, the boss' name will be exposed so I can't say.

2006

Anime 10 Year Anniversary Interview #1

Date: January 6, 2006
Published in: NTV's website

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Source: https://conan-4869.net/post-19657

Raw:

「ここまで続けてこられたのも、読者や視聴者の皆さんのおかげ」と話す原作者の青山

日本テレビ系の人気アニメ「名探偵コナン」（月曜後７・３０）が、今年で放送開始から１０周年を迎えた。９日には、これを記念して２時間半のスペシャル「ブラックインパクト！組織の手が届く瞬間」（後７・００）を放送する。原作者の青山剛昌（ごうしょう）に、１０周年の感想などを聞いた。(福田淳)

高校生探偵の工藤新一が、「黒の組織」の開発した毒薬を飲まされ、体が縮んで子供の姿になってしまう。彼は「江戸川コナン」と名乗り、変わらぬ頭脳で難事件を解決していく——。

原作の漫画は、１９９４年１月に週刊少年サンデー（小学館）で連載が始まった。すぐに人気を集め、９６年１月からアニメ化された。放送回数は昨年末までに４２４話、平均視聴率は１６・７％（ビデオリサーチ調べ、関東地区）を記録している。

青山は、「スタート時は、こんなに続くとは全く思っていなかった。もって３か月かな、と」。「『コナンと同じ年だったのに、新一に追いつきました』というファンレターも来ますが、自分ではあまりに忙しくて、そんなに年がたった感覚がないんです」と感慨深げに話す。

主人公が小さくなるという発想は、赤川次郎の「三毛猫ホームズ」から。「一つだけ大きなうそをついているが、それ以外のトリックや謎解きはリアリティーを追求している」という。「全然子供向けと思わずに描いています。平気で『絞殺』なんて出てくる。だから、親が読んで夢中になることもあるんでしょう」

テレビアニメには、今ではあまり関与していないが、年１回の映画版には脚本や絵コンテなどにとことん口を出す。「本当はアニメが好きで、アニメーターになりたかった」と言うだけあって、自ら原画も描く。「やはり自分が考えたシーンやいいせりふの部分は、自分でやりたくなるんです」。映画第１０作の「探偵たちの鎮魂歌」は、４月１５日から公開予定だ。

コナン役の声優・高山みなみと、昨年５月に結婚した。「家に帰って仕事のことを忘れたい時でもコナンの声がするんですよ」と苦笑いしつつも、「たまに『こういう時ってコナンはどういう感じでしゃべる？』と聞いて、やってもらうこともあります」と明るい笑顔で語った。

アニメ化を企画した読売テレビの諏訪道彦チーフプロデューサーも、「ストーリーもののアニメで１０年も続いているのは珍しい存在。今でも新番組という感覚で作っている」と話している。

2006年1月6日 読売新聞 Online

上戸彩が、「名探偵コナン」１０周年のスペシャル・サポーターを務めることが決まった。９日の放送から１０週にわたってクイズを出題するほか、ＣＭでコナンと共演したり、情報番組でＰＲしたり、様々な形で番組を応援していく。

小さいころからコナンの大ファンだという上戸は、「父と毎週見ていた思い出深いアニメ。小学生だった私が見ても楽しかったし、大人も楽しめる。すごく分かりやすい反面、事件は難しくて、犯人捜しは大抵当たりません。劇中でコナンと共演してみたいですね」と語った。

Translated by: Startold

I want to thank every reader and viewer who reads the manga or watches the anime, stated the original artist, Gosho Aoyama.

NTV's popular anime, Detective Conan (Monday, 7:30 to 8:00), celebrates this year its 10th broadcast anniversary, by broadcasting this Monday a two-hour special called Black Impact! The Moment the Organization Reaches Out (starting 7:00 PM). The original work's author, Gosho Aoyama, gave us his feelings on this anniversary (article by Jun Fukuda).

Shinichi Kudo was a high-school detective until a mysterious criminal organization made him drink a poison which shrank his body to the state of a child. He now calls himself Conan Edogawa and solves any kind of cases thanks to his mind. The original work began on January 1994 in the Shonen Sunday magazine (from Shogakukan). It became an instant hit, and was animated in 1996. 424 episodes have been broadcasted to this day, and the average rating is of 16.7% (in the Kanto area).

Aoyama told us: At the beginning, I thought I wouldn't draw the manga for a long time. I thought it would last three months, give or take. A few years ago, a fan told me in a fan-letter that he had thought Conan would become Shinichi before the end of the year. But I told myself that the story wouldn't have any meaning if I did something that quick.

The idea of a little hero comes from Mikeneko Holmes no Suiri, created by Jiro Akagawa. He lives in a big lie, he must understand murder tricks, and he in a quest for the truth, he told us. I don't draw for kids. There are scenes where people strangle other people with cold blood. That's why older people like the series.

While he is not involved in drawing the anime, he has written and drawn some scenes of the annual movies. Actually, I've always enjoyed animes, so I wanted to become an anime artist., he told us, even though he already draws the manga. I've written and drawn one scene of the movie, because I wanted to do it. The movie The Private Eyes' Requiem, the tenth movie of the franchise, will be released on the 15th of April.

He got married with Conan's voice actress, Minami Takayam, in May. When I go home after my work is finished, I want to forget my job, but I still hear Conan's voice in my house., he told us, a grin on his lips. Sometimes, people tell me Conan says what I feel, and it's sometimes the same for me !, he also told us with a smile.

The director of Yomiuri TV, Michihiko Suwa, stated that he hadn't thought that the anime would have lasted so long, since 10-year old animes are very rare.

Asahi Newspaper Interview

Date: January 13, 2006
Published in: Asahi Evening Newspaper
Key Plot Point: Boss's name has already appeared.

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Raw:

• 

Translated by: Startold

Asahi Newspaper of January 13th, 2006 "Detective Conan" celebrates its 10 years on NTV

An anime that creates a "good intellectual stimulation"

The voice actors of the series have never changed since the beginning of the anime: "Conan is like their home", told us the artist, Aoyama.

The popular anime of Nihon Television, "Detective Conan", celebrates its 10th anniversary in January this year. The ratings are on an average of 10% among teenagers, and the tenth movie will be released in April. The sales for the 51 first volumes have reached 100 million units, and the series still goes on. "I thought an anime wouldn't go well with a deduction-themed manga. But the anime is still being made thanks to the team's hard work," told us Gosho Aoyama.

Shinichi Kudo was a high-school detective until a mysterious criminal organization made him drink a poison which shrank his body to the state of a child. He now calls himself Conan Edogawa, and lives at his childhood friend's house, in order to solve all kinds of cases, while waiting for the Black Organization to make a move.

An anime adaptation began to air on television one year after the first chapter's release in Shogakukan's 'Shonen Sunday'. "The murders are drawn, and people die frequently. So I first thought "It's impossible, are they really going to do an anime?"," Aoyama told us.

When he was in college, the author wanted to become an anime artist. That's why Aoyama works together with the movie production team for the Detective Conan movies. He is very involved in everything related to the Conan anime.

I was already drawing the manga, so when the anime team began the creation process of the anime, I told them "I'll also do my best". It became one of my main motivations. Even better, I found ideas for the manga while talking to the anime production team."

A 10-year Special episode was realeased on the 9th of January. It's a battle between the Black Organization and Conan, where both of them have to attack and defend themselves. Since the episodes are released, the gap between the anime and the original work has been shortened. Are the final confrontation and the end of the series near?

Everything we talk about during our meetings is kept secret. Actually, the boss's name has already appeared in the manga. Try and find it."

The veteran voice actor of the clumsy detective Kogoro Mori, Akira Kamiya-san, gave a certain charm to the anime thanks to his vocal performances. "Her voice is exactly what I had in mind," Aoyama-san told us when speaking of Conan's voice actor, Minami Takayama-san, a woman. He's married with her since last year.

After I create a case, I like to ask myself "How would Conan say that?", or "Is it good like that?". Moreover, I always have Conan at home. When I go home after my work is finished, I want to forget my job, but I still hear Conan's voice... in my house."

Comic-Salon Erlangen, Germany Interview

Date: June 17, 2006
Held at: Press conference at Comic-Salon in Erlangen, Germany

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Source: Video (may cause you to wait 45 secs to view) Text (in German)

Raw:

Wie viele Bände soll Detektiv Conan insgesamt haben?

Es steht noch nicht fest, wie viele Bände es insgesamt werden.

Steht schon fest, wie die Serie enden wird?

Die letzte Szene hat Gosho Aoyama schon im Kopf, aber er wird sie natürlich noch nicht verraten.

Wird es ein Happy End geben?

Auch das verrät Gosho Aoyama noch nicht.

Wann hat Heiji Geburtstag?

Das steht noch gar nicht fest, er dürfte aber im Juli oder August geboren sein.

Wird Conan im Lauf der Serie auch mal älter, wird er beispielsweise in die zweite Klasse versetzt?

Nein, Conan wird nicht älter werden. Außer vielleicht am Schluss, aber wie gesagt, der ist noch geheim.

In einem der Kinofilme legt sich Sonoko eine andere Frisur zu(siehe Film 5). Wird sie diese Frisur auch in Manga bekommen?

Die Filme und die Manga sind völlig getrennt. Im Manga wird Sonoko also ihre alte Frisur behalten.

Will Gosho Aoyama nicht den letzten Band schon schreiben und in einem Safe einschließen?

Nein, das wird er nicht machen.

Hat das Gegenmittel für das Schrumpfgift etwas mit Nekrose zu tun?

Das ist noch unklar.

Werden weitere Kinder die Detective Boys verstärken?

Zur Zeit sind keine weiteren Mitglieder vorgesehen.

Stehen den japanischen Fans in der nächsten Zeit größere Überraschungen ins Haus?

Ja, es wird einige Überraschungen geben. Dabei wird der Name Haibara eine Rolle spielen.

Möchte Gosho Aoyama Kinder haben?

Im Moment ist kein Nachwuchs geplant.

Wie gefällt es Gosho Aoyama in Deutschland? Wird Conan vielleicht mal einen Fall in Deutschland lösen?

Gosho Aoyama findet Deutschland sehr schön, insbesondere die Würste haben es ihm angetan. Ein Fall für Conan im Ausland wird es allerdings wohl nicht geben, denn woher sollte der kleine Detektiv einen Reisepass bekommen?

Aber in einem der Filme hat Conan einen Fall in London(siehe Film 6) gelöst?

Er war ja nicht wirklich in London. Aber vielleicht besorgt er sich einen gefälschten Pass... An dieser Stelle wirft Steffen Hautog ein, wie gut er es findet, dass die Fans für die Kinofilme extra nach Japan fahren, denn in Deutschland sind die Filme ja noch nicht veröffentlicht worden.

Woher nimmt Gosho Aoyama die Ideen für Conans Fälle?

Diese Frage bekommt er oft gestellt. Seine Inspiration findet er oft im Alltag, beispielsweise bei einer Toilette: Wenn der Deckel aufgeklappt ist, hat zuletzt ein Mann die Toilette benutzt. Ist der Deckel unten, war es eine Frau. Solche Kleinigkeiten können in die Fälle einfließen.

In den Manga finden sich oft kleine Extra-Comics. Sind das reine Gags, oder nutzen seine Assistenten das schon mal, um ihren

Chef etwas zu ägern?

Das sind reine Gag-Strips.

Kann sich Gosho Aoyama einen Cameo-Auftritt in Conan vorstellen?

Nein, er wird nicht selbst in Conan auftreten.

Welches Ergebnis tippt Gosho Aoyama für das WM-Fußballspiel Japan gegen Kroatien?

Er wünscht sich ein 2:0 für Japan. Aber die Kroaten sind sehr stark, deshalb wird die japanische Mannschaft es schwer haben.

Gosho Aoyama betreibt aktiv Sport, beispielsweise Kendo. Spielt er auch Fußball?

Beim Fußball ist er nur Zuschauer. Seine Lieblingsmannschaft ist übrigens Juventus Turin.

Wie groß ist Conan?

Gosho Aoyama zeigt mit der Hand auf etwa 1,30 Meter. Steffen Hautog wirft die Begriffe ABC-Schützengröße und Dreikäsehoch ein.

Warum sind alle Mitglieder der Schwarzen Organisation nach alkoholischen Getränken benannt?

Weil das cool ist.

Wieso hat Gosho Aoyama einen Detektiv in den Körper eines Grundschulkindes gesteckt?

Die Serie ist für Kinder gedacht, deshalb sollte auch die Hauptperson ein Kind sein.

Warum sind fast alle Charaktere in Conan blauäugig, obwohl in Japan nur wenige Menschen blaue Augen haben?

Blau ist bunter.

Möchte Gosho Aoyama Kaito Kid fortsetzen?

Er möchte schon, allerdings hat er im Moment nicht die Zeit dazu. Also wird sich der Meisterdieb erst mal auf gelegentliche Auftritte bei Conan beschränken. In Japan ist gerade ein Band erschienen, in dem die Entstehung von Kids Namen erzählt wird.

Wird Conan erfahren, wer hinter Kid steckt? Wird Kid gefasst, von Conan oder von der Polizei?

Das steht noch nicht fest.

Wird Yusaku Kudo wieder einmal einen Auftritt haben?

Gosho Aoyama zeichnet gerade an einer Geschichte, die vor etwa zehn Jahren spielt. Dort wird auch Conans Vater vorkommen.

Als Gosho Aoyama mit Conan begonnen hat, hat er da mit diesem überwältigenden Erfolg gerechnet? Nein, mit einem so großen Erfolg hat er nicht gerechnet. Er hätte eher geschätzt, dass die Serie vielleicht drei Monate im japanischen Magazin laufen würde.

Unterrichtet Gosho Aoyama in Japan Nachwuchszeichner?

Nein, er unterrichtet nicht.

Welchen Teil der Arbeit an Conan erledigt Gosho Aoyama selbst, welchen Teil seine Assistenten?

Gosho Aoyama selbst zeichnet die Figuren, seine Assistenten kümmern sich um die Hintergründe, malen größere Flächen aus.

Wird Sonoko mal einen festen Freund haben?

Sie hat schon einen festen Freund, und mit dem wird sie auch zusammenbleiben.

Wird es weitere Verwicklungen zwischen Kaito Kid und Conan geben?

Nein, sonst würde die Geschichte zu schwer zu verstehen.

Warum trägt Makoto Kyogoku immer ein Pflaster?

Weil es cool ist.

Warum gibt es in Conan so viele Paare, die aus einer Sandkastenliebe hervorgegangen sind?

Eine Sandkastenliebe ist ein einfaches Motiv, das jeder nachvollziehen kann, deshalb wird es oft verwendet.

Wieviel Stunden in der Woche arbeitet Gosho Aoyama, und was macht er in seiner Freizeit?

Gosho Aoyama behauptet, dass er drei Stunden pro Tag schläft. In seiner Freizeit spielt er Computerspiele, schaut Fernsehen und Filme, liest gerne

Kriminalromane und schaut natürlich auch Fußball.

Wie schafft es Kogoro, von einer Sekunde auf die nächste nüchtern zu werden?

Das ist Gosho Aoyama noch gar nicht aufgefallen.

In einem Film wird die Trennung von Kogoro und seiner Frau gezeigt(siehe Film 2), wird das auch im Manga vorkommen?

Gosho Aoyama zeichnet gerade an einer Episode, in der die beiden noch zusammen sind.

Wie heißt Professor Agasas erste Liebe mit Vornamen?

Sie heißt Fusae.

Warum ist Ran so gewalttätig?

Das müsste man Ran selbst fragen.

Wer ist Gosho Aoyamas Lieblingscharakter aus Conan?

Der kleine Meisterdetektiv selbst.

Warum hasst Shuichi Gin so sehr?

Das wird bald im Manga klar werden.

Hat Gosho Aoyama vor, nach Conan eine neue Serie zu starten?

Eine neue Serie ist bisher nicht geplant.

Wie alt ist Gosho Aoyama?

Er wird am 21. Juni 43 Jahre alt.

Wie lang wurde schon insgesamt an Conan gearbeitet?

Da muss Gosho Aoyama seinen mitgereisten Redakteur fragen. Die Arbeit an Conan läuft seit 1993.

Wer ist der Boss der Schwarzen Organisation?

Das steht bereits fest, und der Oberboss wird auch noch enttarnt werden.

Welche Musikrichtung hört Gosho Aoyama gerne?

Er hört eigentlich kaum Musik, bevorzugt keine bestimmte Richtung.

Hat Gosho Aoyama noch Vorbilder unter den anderen Mangaka?

Ja, beispielsweise ist der berühmte Filmregisseur Kurosawa eines seiner Vorbilder.

In welchem Alter hat er seinen ersten Manga veröffentlicht?

Auch hier muss der Redakteur aushelfen, Gosho Aoyama war damals etwa 24 Jahre alt.

Wann hat sich Gosho Aoyama seinen ersten Manga gekauft? Als er im Kindergarten war, hat er sich einen Manga gekauft, den hier aber bestimmt niemand kennt. Sein Vater hat ihm übrigens "Peter Pan" geschenkt.

Hat Gosho Aoyama Kontakt zu anderen Mangaka?

Er besucht Partys, auf denen er seine Kollegen trifft.

Würde er Deutschland nochmal besuchen, auch ohne dass die japanische Nationalmannschaft hier spielt?

Gosho Aoyama ist von den deutschen Würsten so begeistert, dass er gerne wiederkommt.

Welche Manga liest Gosho Aoyama?

Er ist beispielsweise ein Fan von Vagabond.

Welche Krimi-Autoren sind die größte Inspirationsquelle für Gosho Aoyama?

Er ist ein großer Fan von Arthur Conan Doyle und Sherlock Holmes.

In welchem Alter hat Gosho Aoyama mit dem Manga-Zeichnen angefangen?

Bereits im Altern von etwa drei Jahren hat er gezeichnet, das war aber noch eher Gekrakel.

Im Internet geht das Gerücht um, Gosho Aoyama plane eine zweimonatige Pause. Stimmt das?

Nein, das stimmt nicht. Wenn jemand ihm so einen langen Urlaub anbieten würde, würde er ihn gerne nehmen, aber das tut leider niemand.

Interessiert sich Gosho Aoyama auch für europäische und US-Comics?

Ja, zu seinen Favoriten gehören unter anderem Superman und Batman, aber auch die Arbeiten von Moebius.

Wie viele Menschen arbeiten an dem Manga?

Gosho Aoyama arbeitet mit sechs Assistenten zusammen.

Würde Gosho Aoyama auch Leserbriefe aus Deutschland, geschrieben auf Japanisch, lesen und beantworten? Lesen würde er sie, aber anstelle einer individuellen Antwort gibt es eher eine Neujahrskarte.

Inwieweit ist Conan autobiographisch?

Es gibt immer wieder Ereignisse aus Gosho Aoyamas Alltag, die sich im Manga wiederfinden.

Kann Gosho Aoyama sich einen Tag für Conan ohne Mord vorstellen?

Eine solche Geschichte würde er gerne einmal schreiben.

Gibt es in Japan tatsächlich so viele Morde wie in Conan?

Nein, Gott sei dank nicht.

Es heißt, die japanische Polizei habe einmal Conan in einer Anti-Drogen-Kampagne verwendet, stimmt das? Das stimmt. Die Kampagne richtete sich an Kinder. Viele Kinder schauen gerne Conan an und bekommen dann die Botschaft mit.

Translated by: Aki-kun

This interview was given on 22nd July 2006 during a press conference at "Comic-Salon" in Erlangen (Germany).
[TN: Actually, the interview was given on 17th June 2006.At this time, volume 54 was published in Japan, while there were 44 volumes obtainable in Germany. So the events in Japan were 10 volumes ahead in comparison to the German ones.Part of this interview was published in the German version of volume 50, but only a few of the questions/answers. I guess the other questions just weren't written down there for some reason, but were asked and answered during that convention.]

Q: How many volumes is Detective Conan going to have?
A: The amount of volumes is not certain yet.

Q: Does Gosho Aoyama already know, how the series is going to end?
A: He does already know what the last scene is going to be, but of course he won't reveal it yet.

Q: Will there be a happy end?
A: He won't reveal it, either.

Q: On which day is Heiji's birthday?
A: It's not certain yet, but it should be July or August.

Q: Is Conan going to grow older over the course of the series, e.g. becoming a second grader?
A: No, Conan is not going to grow older. He may be at the end of the series, but that's still a secret.

Q: During one of the movies Sonoko got a different hairstyle (see movie 5). Is she also going to get this hairstyle in the manga version?
A: The movies and the manga version are completely separated from each other. So Sonoko will keep her old hairstyle in the manga version.

Q: Does Gosho Aoyama plan to write the last volume already and to keep it in a safe for now?
A: No, he does not plan to.

Q: Is the antidote of APTX related to Necrosis?
A: It's still uncertain.

Q: Are there going to be new members of the Detective Boys in the future?
A: For now, no new members are planned.

Q: Are there going to be big surprises for Japanese fans in the near future?
A: Yes, there are going to be some big surprises. The name of Haibara [TN: could be either her name or Haibara herself; probably Haibara herself though] is going to be a big part of it
[TN: referring to the surprises].

Q: Does Gosho Aoyama plan to have children in the future?
A: For now, he does not.

Q: How does Gosho Aoyama like Germany? Is Conan going to solve some case in Germany sometime?
A: Gosho Aoyama really thinks Germany is very beautiful. He especially likes the sausages.
There probably won't be a case for Conan in a foreign country since he wouldn't been able to get a passport.

Q: But in one of the movies Conan has solved a case in London already (see movie 6).
A: He wasn't really in London. But maybe he will get a faked passport... (At that time Steffen Hautog interjects how nice it is that the German fans are traveling to Japan just to see the Conan movies as the movies weren't published yet in Germany at that time.)

Q: Where do the ideas for the cases come from?
A: He has to answer this question a lot of times. He gets his inspiration from everyday life, for example from a toilet:
If the lid is up, a man has used the toilet. If it's down, it was a woman. Such details can become part of the cases.

Q: In the manga version there often are little extra comics.
[TN: Not sure what they are referring to, here] Are they just little jokes or are the assistants using them to annoy their boss?
A: They are just little jokes.

Q: Does Gosho Aoyama plan to have a cameo in Detective Conan?
A: No, he's not going to appear in the series himself.

Q: What is Gosho Aoyama's bet for the WC soccer game between Japan and Croatia?
[TN: of the soccer WC 2006 in Germany]
A: He hopes for a 2:0 for Japan. However, he thinks the Croatian team is very strong, so the Japanese team won't have it easy.

Q: Gosho is actively doing sports, e.g. Kendo. Does he also play soccer?
A: He is only a viewer when it comes to soccer. His favorite soccer team is Juventus Turin.

Q: How tall is Conan?
A: Gosho shows with his hand that it's at about 1,30 meter.

Q: Why are all members of the BO named after alcoholic beverages?
A: Because it's cool.

Q: Why did Gosho Aoyama put a detective in the body of an elementary school pupil?
A: Since the series primary audience are children, the protagonist should also be a child.

Q: Why are almost all characters in the series blue-eyed, while blue-eyed people aren't very common in Japan in reality?
A: Blue is more colorful.

Q: Does Gosho Aoyama want to continue Kaito Kid?
A: He wants to, but he has no time to do so at the moment. So the master thief is only going to appear occasionally
in Detective Conan for now. In Japan a volume recently was published, which tells the story of the origin of Kid's name.

Q: Is Conan going to find out who's Kid? Is Kid going to be captured, by Conan or police?
A: It's not certain for now.

Q: Is Yusaku Kudo going to reappear in the future?
A: Gosho Aoyama is drawing a story which plays ten years before the current storyline. Conan's father is going to appear in this case, too.
[TN: Obviously referring to volume 55 chapter 6-9]

Q: When Gosho Aoyama started Detective Conan, did he expect his series to get so successful?
A: No, he didn't expect it to get so successful. He estimated that it would be only published for three months in a Japanese magazine.

Q: Does Gosho Aoyama teach talented young manga artists?
A: No, he does not teach.

Q: Which part of Detective Conan is done by Gosho Aoyama himself and which part by his assistants?
A: Gosho Aoyama himself draws the characters, his assistants draw the backgrounds and painting big areas.

Q: Is Sonoko going to have a boyfriend?
A: She already has a boyfriend and they are going to stay together.

Q: Are there going to be further entanglements between Kaito Kid and Conan?
A: No, because the story would become too complicated, otherwise.

Q: Why does Makoto always wear a plaster on his face?
A: Because it's cool.

Q: Why are there so many pairings in Detective Conan between old childhood friends?
A: Childhood friends becoming lovers is an easy concept to comprehend for everybody. That's why it's used so often.

Q: How much hours in a week does Gosho Aoyama work and what is he doing when he's not working?
A: Gosho Aoyama claims that he sleeps three hours a day. When he's not working, he plays computer games, watches TV and movies, reads crime novels, and - of course - watches soccer.

Q: How is Kogoro able to get sober in an instant?
A: Gosho Aoyama didn't even notice that before.

Q: In one movie, the divorce of Kogoro and his wife was shown (see movie 2). Is it going to be shown in the manga series, too?
A: Gosho Aoyama is drawing a story, where they are still together.
[TN: Probably again referring to volume 55 chapter 6-9]

Q: What is the first name of Professor Agasa's first love?
A: Her first name is Fusae.

Q: Why is Ran so violent?
A: For that you have to ask Ran herself.

Q: Who is Gosho Aoyama's favorite caharcter from Detective Conan?
A: The little master detective himself.

Q: Why does Shuuichi hate Gin so much?
A: It is going to become clear soon in the manga.

Q: Does Gosho Aoyama plan to start a new series after Detective Conan is finished?
A: As of yet, there's no new series planned.

Q: How old is Gosho Aoyama?
A: He is going to be 43 years-old on 21st June [TN: 2006].

Q: For how long has Gosho Aoyama worked on Detective Conan?
A: For this, Gosho Aoyama has to ask his editor, who traveled along.
He has worked on Detective Conan since 1993.

Q: Who is the boss of the BO?
A: It's already decided and it is going to be revealed sometime.

Q: Which style of music does Gosho Aoyama prefer?
A: He doesn't listen to music very often and he prefers no particular style.

Q: Does Gosho Aoyama have some role models among other mangaka?
A: Yes, for example the famous movie director Kurosawa is one of his role models.

Q: How old was he, when he published his first manga?
A: That has to be answered by his editor as well. Gosho Aoyama was 24 years-old at that time.

Q: When did Gosho Aoyama buy his first manga?
A: When he was in kindergarten, he bought his first manga, which probably isn't known by anyone in Germany.
By the way, his father bought him "Peter Pan".

Q: Does Gosho Aoyama have contact to other mangaka?
A: He visits parties where he meets his colleagues.

Q: Would he like to visit Germany again, even if the Japanese national team doesn't play there at that time?
A: Gosho Aoyama really likes German sausages, so he would like to visit Germany again in the future.

Q: Which manga does Gosho Aoyama like to read?
A: Among other things he is a big fan of "Vagabond".

Q: Which crime story authors did inspire Gosho Aoyama the most?
A: He is a big fan of Arthur Conan Doyle and Sherlock Holmes.

Q: When did Gosho Aoyama start to draw manga?
A: He began to draw manga when he was three years old. However, those drawings could only be called scribbles.

Q: On the internet, there is a rumor that Gosho Aoyama would be on a two month-break. Is it true?
A: No, it's not. If someone would offer him such a long break, he wouldn't decline, but, alas, no one does.

Q: Is Gosho Aoyama also interested in European and US comics?
A: Yes, he is. His favorites are "Superman" and "Batman" among other things. But he also likes works from Moebius.

Q: How many persons work on the manga?
A: Gosho Aoyama works together with six assistants.

Q: Would Gosho Aoyama read and answer fan letters from Germany, if they are written in Japanese?
A: He would read them. But instead of answering each of them, he would send a new years card.

Q: To what extend is Detective Conan autobiographic?
A: From time to time, there are events of Gosho Aoyama's daily life, which are represented in the manga.

Q: Is Gosho Aoyama able to imagine one day in the life of Conan without a murder?
A: He would like to write such a story one day.

Q: Are there really as many murders as shown in Detective Conan in Japan?
A: No, thankfully not.

Q: The word is that the Japanese police has used Conan for an anti drug campaign in the past. Is it true?
A: It's true. The campaign was directed at children. Many children watch Detective Conan and while watching it catch this message.

[TN: That's it ~
I'm sorry for my bad English.
Feel free to ask if some parts do not make sense in Englisch or to correct any mistakes.
Also, my translation may not be 100 % literal all of the time since it isn't really possible at some parts with how the German sentences are worded.]

Anime 10 Year Anniversary Interview #2

Date: ?? ,2006
Published in: Yomiuri Television (YTV) website

  Show spoilers »

Source: https://reiarashi.wordpress.com/2006/09/10/aoyama-10th-anniversary-interview/

Raw:

―アニメ「名探偵コナン」が10周年を迎えましたが、振り返ってどうですか？
「長いなぁと思いますけど、僕にとってはあっという間でしたね」

―スタート当時と違いはありますか？
「（コナンの）等身が伸びていますね（笑）。やっぱり最初はかわいく３頭身くらいに描いていたんです。だんだん4等身に近くなってきましたね。実際の子供はもっと等身が長いですから」

―アニメで印象に残るエピソードは？
「『ピアノソナタ『月光』殺人事件』。漫画だと音は聴こえないじゃないですか。やっぱりアニメだと音が聴こえるのでいいなぁって感じですね。あとは佐藤刑事と高木刑事の爆弾事件のスペシャルとか…」

―アニメ化したいという話がきた時のお気持ちは？
「コナンは推理モノですから、やっぱり会話劇になるじゃないですか。アニメーションっていうのは動いて、楽しいものじゃないと受けないというのがありまして、多分アニメ化されても受けないなと思いましたね。すぐ終わるなと思っていました（笑）」

―10年続くとは思っていなかった？
「思っていなかったです。びっくりですね」

―コナンを描く上で大切にしていることは？
「アニメ化になる時、コナンを少年探偵団の（江戸川乱歩の作品の）小林少年ではなく、明智小五郎にしてくれとスタッフの皆さんに言ったんです。事件を全て上から見ている人物にしてくれと言いました」

―実際にアニメを見た感想は？
「コナン君の声はウチの嫁さん（高山みなみ）なんですけど、アニメ化になったら『やってね』って言っていましたし、声はもうバッチリイメージは合っていますね（笑）」

―コナンを描く上で難しい点は？
「難しいのは死体を描く時。あまりエグイとまずいですし、あまりちゃちいとまたそれはそれでつまらないですし、その辺のバランスが難しいですね。あまり子供向けにしちゃうと子供はやっぱり頭が良いですからね。本当に大人向けにいろいろな事を描いています」

―アニメの放送が原作に追いつく怖さは？
「僕はないですね。アニメのスタッフにオリジナルを入れて頂けるので全く気にせず描いています」

―そのアニメオリジナルの作品を見た印象は？
「漫画だと、コナン君は僕が知っている事とか、調べた事とか、誰かから聞いた事しか喋らないので、『ふぅ～ん』と思うんですけど、オリジナルは僕が知らない事を喋るので、『ほ～ぅ、お前結構頭が良いなぁ』『すごいなぁ、こんな事知っているんだ』って（笑）。そういうのはありますね」

―アニメを考えながら原作を描くことは？
「します、します。アクションのところですね。蘭の空手のシーンとか。アニメで動いた方がおもしろいですからね。サッカーを蹴るシーンとか。ほとんどアクションがありませんから」

―コナンが長い間、ファンに支持されている理由は？
「そうですね、正直よくわかんないですけど、やっぱりみんなミステリーが好きっていうことと、あとはラブコメが好きなのかなぁと思います。小さくなっちゃって好きだと言えない男の子がいて…、みたいなのが受けているのかなぁ」

―先生にとってコナンとは？
「日々の苦しみでもあり、楽しみでもある。楽しいですよ、描いていて。でも大変なんです（笑）」

―10年振り返って、どんな事が大変でしたか？
「う～ん、やっぱりセリフが多いですから、話を作るのに時間がかかっちゃいますね。皆さん、読んでいて長いなと感じると思いますけど、あれは全部書いていますから（笑）。そこが大変ですよ。字ばっかりで埋め尽くされるページもありますからね」

―他の作品と描く時間は違いますか？
「大分違いますね。『YAIBA』の頃はうまくすると4日、5日で終わっていたんですよ。コナンは１週間か１週間ちょい過ぎますから。週刊なのに（笑）。やっぱり頭使っちゃって…」

―今後何年くらい続けたいという目標は？
「もう10年という感じですから、考えていないですよ。オチは考えていますけど。オチを考えていないと伏線を張れませんからね」

―来年４月公開の映画10弾「名探偵コナン・探偵たちの鎮魂歌」とこれまでの9作品の違いは？
「違いですか…。そうですね、探偵がいっぱい出てきますね。（たくさんの探偵が描かれたポスターを見て）えっ、この人出てくるのっていうのもありますけど、結構出てきますね。１番は僕のもう１つの作品『まじっく快斗』の主人公の黒羽快斗とライバルというか、白馬探君が出てきます。平次とコナンと白馬君、スーパー高校生探偵3人が一緒になって活躍しますから」

―映画のストーリーは？
「時間制限の中でいかに事件を解決して、いかに犯行を止めるか。人質がいっぱいとられて…。あまり言えないなぁ（笑）」

―最後に視聴者へメッセージを？

「今回は映画10弾ということで10年の間に出てきた名探偵たちをほぼ全員出しました。ですから、コナンの集大成じゃないですけど、10年目のスペシャル版という事でお楽しみ下さい」

Translation:

Q: The animated version of “Detective Conan” is welcoming it’s 10 years anniversary. Looking back on these ten years, How do you feel?
Gosho: Even though that is a long time, to me… it feels like a blink of an eye.

Q: Are there any differences between now and then?
Gosho: (Conan) grew taller. *laugh* In the beginning, I was drawing him at the cute size of three head sizes. Now I’m slowly drawing him at 4 head size, because kids in real life are taller now.

Q: What’s your favorite moment in the anime?
Gosho: “The moonlight sonata case”. In the manga, there was no sound so it felt better with music in the anime. Other ones, are like the bomb case of Sato-san.

Q: How’d you feel when they decided to make an anime?
Gosho: Conan is based on logical deduction, so I thought it was better to make it into a play. As an anime, if there’s no action, if it can’t make people happy, it wouldn’t be accepted. At the time I felt even if Conan was made into an anime, it won’t be accepted so… I thought it would be over very soon *laugh*

Q: You never expected that it would last ten years?
Gosho: Never… I’m surprised myself.

Q: What’s the most important thing to take note of when drawing Conan?
Gosho: When it was made into an anime, I told the artist not to draw Conan like the edogawa detective group’s Rin-san but draw him like Kogorou, a person who looks like he’s overseeing the whole case.

Q: What do you feel when looking at the anime?
Gosho: Conan’s voice is my wife’s voice, but in the anime she’ll say “yatte ne” in a voice more fitting of her beautiful attitude *laugh*

Q: What’s hardest to draw in Conan?
Gosho: The corpse, if you draw it too scary, too ugly, or too rough… people won’t find it interesting. It’s very hard to find the balance in this area… but still fit for kids to watch because kids are really smart these days. In truth, I’ve drawn a lot of content that’s just more fitting for adults.

Q: Were you ever worried about the possibility that the anime might be more popular then the original work?
Gosho: I never worried about that before, I don’t mind the anime originals that the anime staff came up with.

Q: What do you think of the anime original?
Gosho: Conan in the Manga says only stuff that I know, stuff that I researched, and stuff that I heard and sources like that. Anime Original is different, I’ve got no idea of the plotline. Sometimes I’ll let out a “Ho~o, you’re so smart!” or “Wow, you even know things like that” remarks.

Q: Did you even think about drawing the anime and the manga at the same time?
Gosho: Of course, of course, especially when I’m drawing action scenes like Ran’s karate because if you see it in anime, it is very interesting. Like Conan’s kicking scenes. There wasn’t any sort of continuous action in the manga.

Q: The reason Conan is so loved by fans over this long period of time?
Gosho: Yeah, to tell you the truth. I’m not really clear on it. I guess it’s because everybody likes to see detective shows and drama shows. The man who was shrunk and can not confess his love, everyone seems able to embrace this.

Q: What does Conan mean to you?
Gosho: Painful days and happy days. I’m very happy when I’m drawing Conan, but at the same time… it is very tiresome *laugh*

Q: What is the most tired period within these ten years?
Gosho: Well, because there are so many lines… it took a long time to produce it. If anybody feels that the lines are too long, that’s because I wrote it that long. *laugh* This is a really tiresome work. I have a few pages full of lines in tiny letters.

Q: Compared to your other work, is the production time the same?
Gosho: It’s completely different. When I was drawing Yaiba, if I’m lucky, I can be done in 4 to 5 days. Conan needs at least 1 week or a bit more then 1 week. For a weekly published manga… I killed quite a bit of my brain cells.

Q: How many more years do you set as your goal?
Gosho: Because I’ve been drawing it for 10 years, I haven’t thought of the future. Although I have already thought of the ending, because I can’t lay the clues if I don’t have the ending.

Q: The 10th movie that’s going to premiere in April.. what’s the difference between it and the 9th film?
Gosho: It’s different, to say… there’s going to be a lot more detectives this time. (Did you see that poster with all the detectives) Yeah, even though this guy came out before, this time, he’s coming out at the same time. The other point worth mentioning is my other project “Magic Kaito”. The showdown between Kaitou and his nemesis Hakuba. Heiji, Conan and Hakuba. The joint appearance of the 3 high school detectives at the same time.

Q: The story of the movie?
Gosho: Within limited time, can the case be solved? Can the criminal be captured? The criminal will have a lot of hostages… It’s not good if I say anymore *laugh*

Q: Finally, do you have anything to say to the audience?
Gosho: This time it’s the 10th movie, so all the detectives who’ve shown up within these ten years should appear. So even though I can’t say fancy, it’s the 10 year special. Please look forward to it!

10 Year Cinema Guide interview

Date: ??, 2006
Published in: ??

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Raw:

Translation:

Mini Documentary: Secret of Creation

Date: December, 2006

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Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7f7SLxnVPI0
Video shows Gosho drawing File 593

2007

Magic Kaito Volume 4 Interview

Date: March 15, 2007
Published in: Magic Kaito Volume 4

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Raw:

Translation: (from German)
Some stuff is pretty dated (like the questions about the release of volume 5), so the most interesting things are still that...

• ... he confirms (again) that Akako Koizumi's magic isn't canon to Detective Conan
• ... he ponders about a Kaitou Kid prison break story
• ... Conan Edogawa will appear in Magic Kaito someday

---

Please excuse the long break...! Have fun with the bonus material!

Bonus Material Part 1 - Interview with Gosho Aoyama
We were talking with master Aoyama while he was working on the Omake!!

Kaitou's clothes are difficult to draw!!

Q: Which of the stories from volume 4 do you like the most?
Aoyama: Hm, "Black Star", where Kaito and Shinichi confront each other.
Q: What's the most difficult for you when drawing Kaito?
Aoyama: It's really bothersome to draw his costume... (laughs)
Q: And what do you enjoy the most?
Aoyama: Oh, I always have a lot of fun...! In Detective Conan, I always draw the hunter. Now it was just fun to draw the hunted one for once.
Q: What is the image of such a phantom?
Aoyama: He's just like ghost who suddenly appears; a daredevil and a thief who's got style. I'm imagining Arsène Lupin. (laughs)

Volume 5 will be released... during this century!!

Q: Can we hope for an appearance by Conan?
Aoyama: Someday he will appear. This will be fun!
Q: Are there any other stories you'd like to draw?
Aoyama: I dream about a prison break, but who would throw a student into prison...? This causes quite a headache for me... (laughs)
Q: When will volume 5 be released?
Aoyama: Who knows?! Maybe during this century! (laughs)
Q: Do you want to leave a message for the readers of Magic Kaito?
Aoyama: I'm really sorry that you had to wait 13 years for volume 4... Hahaha... During the time volume 1 was released I was only 4 or 5 years older than Kaito, but by now the age difference is way bigger. This doesn't make it any easier to come up with good stories. (laughs) I'm grateful for every kind of support!

Speech bubble of Gosho Aoyama's self-caricature: "Hello, I'm Aoyama! After finally managing to complete the fourth volume, I was convinced to draw some bonus pages. Have fun!"

Bonus Material Part 2 - Wow! Volume 4 is out now! We congratulate!!
A greeting by the voice actors of the anime Kaitou Kid!

Kappei Yamaguchi
Voice of Kaito Kuroba

Born May 23rd in Fukuoka Prefecture. Also voices Shinichi Kudo in the original version of Detective Conan.

You've got an email by Kappei Yamaguchi:
Yippee! That's what I waited for! Magic Kaito, volume 4!! It's been 13 years!! This took way too long, Aoyama-sensei! But good things come to those who wait. What's missing now is just an anime for this volume!! ☺
K@ppei Yamaguchi

PS: Don't you dare to change the cast!

Minami Takayama
Voice of Aoko Nakamori

Born May 5th in Tokyo. Also voices Conan Edogawa and was married to Gosho Aoyama.

On a day in January 2007, during dub recording for Detective Conan...
Takayama: "Congratulations, Aoyama, that you've managed to complete the fourth volume. You've waited a really long time for that, isn't it, dear readers?"
Iwai: "Do we go eat something when the recordings are done?" (Yukiko Iwai, voice of Ayumi!)
Takayama (with Conan's voice): "Wait, I'm still busy."
Iwai: "Really? I'm sorry. By the way, congratulations for the release of the fourth volume of Magic Kaito!"
Takagi: "Yes, it's really cool!" (Wataru Takagi, voice of Genta)
Takayama: "Okay... I will read the volume, too. Everyone who's starting with the fourth volume should also get the other three! ♥"

Topics: "Black Star" Special in the "Conan" TV series!
"Black Star" was part of a 2-Hour-Detective Conan-TV Special that ran in January of 2001. Its name was: "Atsumerareta Meitantei! Shinichi Kudo vs. Kaitou Kid". ["Gathering of Detectives! Shinichi Kudo vs. Kaitou Kid"] There's a magnificent scene during which Kid gets confronted with Shinichi Kudo. Because the adaption was set in Conan's world, the magic scene with Akako was left out.

Bonus Material Part 3 - Targets and Counter Measures
Kid's motives have been seen through! There's nothing in the way of an arrest now!

TOP SECRET - For use against Kaitou Kid
File from the second division of the police headquarters

TOP SECRET - Kaitou Kid's targets and other aims

• Blue Birthday - sapphire
• Green Dream - emerald
• Crystal Mother - topaz
• Red Tear - ruby
• Black Star - black pearl
• Golden Eye - chrysoberyl
• Dark Knights - black opal
• Blue Wonder - aquamarine

Kaitou Kid, international criminal number 1412, targeted works of art and gems from the best museums in the world. If one looks at his latest targets, a new pattern arises. Kid seemingly goes for the largest gems in the world now. He prefers objects with colors in their names. Nobody knows why this is the case, but there's no doubt that it will help in the arrest of Kid. Furthermore, Kid, who traveled around the world in the past, seems to concentrate on gems in and around Tokyo currently.

Ginzo Nakamori: Hahaha! I have analyzed Kaitou Kid's modus operandi for three days and nights. This information is top secret!!

Analysis 01: Different colors
Two of the gems Kid targeted were blue. But the "Blue Wonder" wasn't chosen by Kid himself. Jirokichi, general adviser for the Suzuki financial corporation, challenged Kid to get the gem. So we can assume that Kid aims for gems with different colors. Pink or rose should be a possibility too in the future...

Analysis 02: Future targets
We surmise that Kid wants to steal all the largest gems on Earth step-by-step. So he will choose gems he wasn't targeting in the past. These would be, among other things, diamonds, garnets and lapis lazuli. A diamond is very probable. He already targeted Europe's biggest diamond in the past, but...

Assessment: The largest diamond in the world with a yellow or pink color could be Kid's next target!!

Saguru Hakuba: We would surely catch him if I was present! But I don't have any time!

There are countless gems in a lot of different colors, so there is no sure way to make a prognosis. More than two hundred gems in different colors are part of the Aurora collection in New York alone that cause the building to sparkle. "Red Tear" is classified as a ruby, but actually, only red corundums as classified as rubies. "Red Tear" would actually be classified as a sapphire. A lot of gems which are part of the same type get different labels and because of this, no safe prediction can be made.

Bonus Material Part 4 - The curtain rises for master Aoyama's cat, Kaito-kun!!
Kaito-kun's Gallery
How well can a cat named Kaito disguise itself?

Image captions from upper right to bottom left:

• Together with my rival Conan...
• Congratulations for the release of volume 4!
• Kaito Kuroba: He can't compare to me!
• During summer you wear a kimono.
• I'm cuddly!
• Of course I'm not scared of heights.
• Tee-hee! Disguised as a pumpkin!
• During winter you have to wear warm clothing.
• Buzz! I'm a bee!
• Together with my treasures!
• Aoko Nakamori: He's a million times more cute than Kaito!!

Look forward to more adventures with Kaitou Kid!!

Urusei Yatsura Interview

Date: September 18, 2007
Published in: Urusei Yatsura Volume 21

  Show spoilers »

Source: https://conan-4869.net/post-19866

Raw:

いや、私事で恐縮なのですが、私の描く「名探偵コナン」めがたらたらと連載10年を越え、コナンの宿敵である黒ずくめの組織のメンバーもかなりの人数を出しました。ジン、ウォッカ、テキーラ、シェリー、ベルモットetc..
そう、こいつらの名前はお酒なのです。そして唯一残っている有名で、名前にしてクールなのは「ラム」のみ・・・
しかしこの名は日本中の・・・いや、今や世界中のまんがファンの心に刻み込まれ、皆、悟っております・・・この名を名乗っていいキャラは誰であるべきかと・・・ なにより私自身が・・・ 使えねぇ─── ぜってぇ使えねぜ！！
そのくらいこの鬼娘は、衝撃的に誌面に登場し、そのキュートな顔と、セクシーボディーと破壊的な電撃とけなげな心でファンの心を魅了し、今もなおそのド真ん中に降臨し続けているのであります！恐らくこれからも・・・手塚先生のアトムのように・・・
・・・ま、いずれ使っちゃいますけどね・・・
・・・その時は笑ってやってください・・・
・・・トホホ・・・(笑)。

The poster also had this to say about things from much later
in the Conan series like Rum and volume 85 (Scarlet Series)

ラムは作者にとって思い入れの深いキャラ。いやそれだけでなく、世界のファンのためにも使えない。

でも、いずれ使っちゃうかもしれないとのことなので、その時は笑って許してあげましょう・・・

ラムはカクテルのベースなどに使われるアルコール度数の高い蒸留酒。今のところジン、ウオッカ、テキーラなどこの手のアルコールは全て男性に使われている。

一方で、女性に付けられるコードネームはシェリーやベルモット、キールなど、全てワインの一種かワインが含まれるカクテルである。

法則どおりならラムは男性に付けられるべきだが、もし名探偵コナンで使われるのなら、これまで慎重に使用を保留してきた人気ヒロインの名前となるだけに、適当なキャラには使い難いのではないかと考えられる。

法則を破りラムちゃんのような美少女メンバーに付けられるのか、ラムちゃんの名を汚さないようなイケメンにつけられるのか、組織の重要な役割を担うキャラに付けられるのか。今後の展開は楽しみである。

⇒85巻 緋色シリーズでバーボン編が一区切り。新たに組織のNO.2である”ラム”の登場が示唆され、ラム編が始まる。

Translation by: Yunniechan

Excuse me for being personal, but my series [Meitantei Conan] are continuing more than 10 years now, and a quite a lot of Conan’s enemies - BO’s members - had appeared. Gin, Vodka, Tequila, Sherry, Vermouth…
Right. Their names are all alcohol. And the only one name left, which sounds cool for a name is [Rum]….
But this name is carved in hearts of all Japan, no… whole world’s manga fans… And this character who has that name… I, for all, too…

I can’t use it! I’ll never use it!!

Once an Oni Princess suddenly appeared on a magazine page, and with her cute face, sexy body, and destructive lightning attacks stole the hearts of her fans. Even now she continues to live inside of them! And I believe she’ll continue in the future… Like Tezuka-sensei’s Atom…
…Well, one day I will use this name…
…You can laugh all you want at that day…
…Ohoho… :)

TN: Rum/Lum is a character from Takahashi Rumiko’s Urusei Yatsura

Akigoro Interview

Date: ??, 2007
Published in: ??

  Show spoilers »

Source: https://conan-4869.net/post-5412

Raw:

≪読み始めたとき小学生だった私も、今は大学生です≫

「ええ～っ。そんなに年月がたったのかあ、って改めて感じました。ファンが喜ぶものを描かなきゃと思いますね」

推理漫画「名探偵コナン」を小学館「週刊少年サンデー」に描き続けて１４年目。累計１億２０００万部発行の“お化け作品”は今月、５９巻目が発売になる。

物語は、高校生探偵・工藤新一が謎の組織に子供の体にされたあと、江戸川コナンと名乗り数々の難事件を解決しながら、組織を追う…。

「推理ものは、いろいろなジャンルが描けるから面白い。犯人がなにかの選手ならスポーツ界、俳優なら演劇界ってね。毎回、新しい世界に出合えるから、僕自身が新鮮な気持ちで描ける。大変だけど飽きなくていい」

テレビではアニメ化されて１１年目、１２月の実写ドラマ化も決まるなど、メディアミックスの成功例にもなっている。

「プレッシャーは、ないですね。プレッシャーを感じない方が、楽しいじゃないですか。へへへっ。それより、僕は勘が働くのですよ。勘で描いているので、ラッキーですね」

最新号は、色がテーマ。「色は、子供でもイメージしやすいのでね。話の入り口は、身近なものや、はやりものを取り入れています」

殺人をサラッと描くのは…

気になるのは、長期連載の弊害。どんどん話が難しくなっていくといったケースも少なくない。その点、名探偵コナンは１巻から同じトーンを維持している。コツは。

「専門的にならないこと。難しい言葉を使って、けむに巻くのは簡単だけど、読んでいる人にはわからなくなっていくからね」

題材の一つ、殺人には気を遣うという。「殺人を軽々しく扱うつもりはないが、読者が読み終わったあとで嫌な思いをしないように、サラッと流している。目標はシャーロック・ホームズ。うきうき読んでもらいたい」

週刊の連載回数は合計６２４回を数える。

「ネタがどうしても出なくて、１２時間近く打ち合わせるときがある。早いときは４時間で決まるのに…」

行き詰まった時は、すでに描いた事件の要素を組み合わせられないか考えたり、「ぷらぷら歩いたり、ＤＶＤ観たり。気分転換ですね」

最終回の構想はできている

インタビューは、都内の仕事場で行われた。机にセットされたＩＣレコーダーをみるや、すぐ手にする。

「ちっさい。今のはすごいですね」

これが青山である。何にでも飛びつき、おもしろがる。

鳥取県大栄町（現・北栄町）生まれ。子供時代は、山での探検ごっこに明け暮れた。

「だから、探検ものが描きやすい。コナンの動きは、僕の経験ばかりだから」

大学卒業後、美術教師を望んだ父に反対されたものの、「今では一番の応援者。帰省するたびに、サインを頼まれるよ」

最終回の構想はできている。が、終了はまだファンが許さない。

「期待は裏切りません」

孝行息子、コナンは続く。＝敬称略

（堀口葉子）

メディアミックスで広がる世界

出版調査の出版科学研究所（東京都新宿区）によると、漫画（単行本）市場は、テレビ化などのメディアミックス作品が売り上げを伸ばし、厳しい出版界のなか２００１年以降２５００億円規模を維持している（０６年は２５３３億円）。

牽引（けんいん）役の１つ、「名探偵コナン」は、日本テレビ系でアニメ番組となって１１年目。１５日からは「秋のミステリースペシャル」が全６話放送される。映画版は４月に１１作目「紺碧の棺」が公開され、現在１２作目の製作も決まっている。翻訳出版数は世界２２の国と地域にのぼる。鳥取県北栄町には記念館「青山剛昌ふるさと館」もあり、ファンの来場で賑わっている。

メディアミックス作品について青山は、「コナンが誤解されないよう、トリックの説明などは打ち合わせる。映画版では原画を描き込むなど参加した」という。

Translation by: Yunniechan

2007’s Autumn Interview [I started thinking about the last arc]
“When I started reading, I was just an elementary schooler but now I am university student" [I felt like ‘Ehh? Did so much time really passed?’ once again. So I should draw something that would make my fans happy.]

That’s 14th year (TN: 2007) after Detective Manga [Meitantei Conan] started publishing in Shogakukan’s [Shounen Sunday]. 120 mln. copies were sold and this month vol. 59 is out for sale.
Story follows high school detective, Kudo Shinichi, who had taken the name of Edogawa Conan after being turned into a child by some mysterious organization. He tries to catch the organization while solving different cases…

[Mysteries are interesting because you can draw them in different genres. If the criminal is a player, then it’s sports world, an actor - the world of theater, you see. Every time I’m drawing it with fresh emotions, because of a feeling I’m going to meet a new world. That’s hard but I don’t get bored]

It’s 11th year after TV anime started, and with live-action drama confirmed in December, this series are a good example of media mix.

[There’s no pressure. Rather than pressure, I think of it as fun? Hehehe. Besides, I’m more of intuitive person. I’m lucky to draw by a hunch.]
The latest issue had the color theme. [The color is easy for understanding even for children. I usually include things that are familiar and known to everyone into the cases]

Drawing murders without any doubts…
There are some negative effects about long-running series. Case are becoming to be more and more difficult with time. Meitantei Conan tries to keep the same tone since vol. 1.
[Don’t make it too professional. Using hard words and riddles is easy, but the reader won’t understand it]

One of the important things is to be considerate about crime.
[I’m not treating murders lightly, but in order not to disappoint my readers, I let it proceed without obstacles. I want them to read it eagerly.]

Right now there are 624 files.
[If I can’t come up with a story no matter what, I have around 12 hours to arrange my thoughts. Although sometimes I can decide it in 4 hours… When I got stuck, I start thinking if I can implement elements of stories I already drawn, go for a lazy walk, watch DVDs. Try to change my mood]

The interview was carried out in Tokyo workplace. After look at the IC recorder that was on desk, he immediately takes it.
[So small. That’s incredible now]
That’s Aoyama for you. He can be amused by everything. He was born in Tottori, Daiei-machi (now called Hokuei). He used to explore mountains all the time when he was a kid. [That’s why it’s easy for me to draw expeditions. Conan’s actions are all my experience.]

After graduating from the university, he refused to become an art teacher his father wanted him to be, but [now he’s my best supporter. Every time I return home, he asks for a sign]
I’m thinking about the last arc, but the fans won’t forgive me if I’ll end it now.
[I won’t betray your expectations]
His obedient son, Conan, will continue.

Media mix spreading in the world.
According to publications investigation carried by Research Institute for Publications (Tokyo, Shinjuku), manga (tankoban) market extends via media mix, such as anime serialization, and had maintained a 250 billion yen scale among the severe publishing world (253.3 bln yen in 2006)
One of the leaders, [Meitantei Conan] became an anime series on NTV 11 years ago. In 15 days [Autumn’s Mystery Special] would be broadcasted in 6 episodes. 11th movie, [Jolly Roger in the Deep Azure] will be out in April and 12th movie’s production had been decided.

It was translated and published in 22 countries and regions of the world. There’s [Aoyama Gosho’s Hometown Museum] in Tottori, crowded with fans.

2008

Conan and Kindaichi Files Interview #1

Date: April 10, 2008
Published in: Detective Conan & Kindaichi Case files #1

  Show spoilers »

Raw:

Translated by: justwantanaccount

First, please tell the details on how the serializations began.

Seimaru Amagi (the writer for Kindaichi): At the time we started Kindaichi Case Files, genuine mystery manga using tricks were hopeless. When I started this job, there were a few themes that I wanted to do, and mystery manga was one of them. I thought of plans according to that.

Fumiya Sato (the illustrator for Kindaichi): For me, after returning from a trip, there was a probe about Kindaichi from the editorial department. At the time, it didn't sell, so it was the time when I thought about things like “what should I do next?”

Gosho Aoyama: Same feel for me. In my case, I was probed, “Since Kindaichi is popular, can do you do that kind of manga for Shonen Sunday?” At first, though, I had no interest at all. It would be a lot of trouble, you see.

Sato: You were already drawing Magic Kaito at the time, though, right?

Aoyama: That's thief material, you see. For thief material, you only have to steal something so it's easy.

Amagi: By nature, children love mysteries, and we read mystery novels when we were small, too. For manga, I thought that I could do it if I stretched it long with mysteries.

Aoyama: But when you actually do it, you understand why no one does it. Lines are long, and it's a lot of trouble.

Sato: At the beginning of Kindaichi's serialization, I thought it would only last about a year.

Aoyama: I, too, thought that it would only last about three months, since it's difficult to continue material-wise.

Sato: And then you do it at a weekly pace, so it's too unreasonable.

Aoyama: But Kindaichi served as quite a reference. I practically copied the part where the culprit is completely black.

Everyone: (Laughs wildly)

Amagi: That's Sato-sensei's invention. In the original work, I only wrote, “make sure you cannot identify the person.”

Sato: They're merely black, that's all.

Aoyama: But you can't tell who it is, and it feels eerie.

Amagi: There's a rule to it, isn't there? You draw the same body type for both men and women. Then, when the culprit is revealed, even if the body type changes no one makes a joke about it.

Aoyama: In novels, you explain the evidence, culprit, etc. in the text, but in manga, you can deftly draw them somewhere in the panel to build your trick.

Amagi: Mysteries are basically novels, so visual mysteries were untouched. When I realized that, I thought that I could do it for a long time. Meanwhile, I'll continue to give Sato-sensei trouble.

Do you verify your tricks?

Aoyama: For the trick that locks the door from the outside with tape, I got the editor to go outside and test it. But for tricks involving sealed rooms, I must show all the room beforehand for the trick. That is quite difficult.

Drawing-wise, drawing apart the characters must be a lot of trouble.

Aoyama: A lot of characters appear in Kindaichi at once – drawing apart seems like a lot of trouble.

Sato: I don't put much effort into drawing apart anymore (laughs). When I draw, things like “I might draw this tear-inducing, good-things-saying character the same way I drew that mean lady” happen.

What about the characters' names?

Aoyama: For me, I match with the theme of the work – for example, if the story was about the sky, I would give bird-related names. I get letters like “this time, [the names are based on] birds, right?” This is for self-satisfaction, though.

Sato: We don't use realistic names, do we?

Amagi: We try not to repeat the mood of the previous names. Characters that don't appear for long lasts only about three chapters, up to maybe 15 chapters, so in a sense the characters are built on the name. Give dubious names to dubious guys.

Aoyama: I see.

Sato: For forsaken heroins, we may use kanji's meaning “winter” or something that feels cold.

Aoyama: Characters are named well in Kindaichi. The names are quite scary. Names are truly important, aren't they?

Sato: You can convey a mood through the name's ideographs.

Both Conan and Kindaichi take place at various locations. Do you go to places for reference?

Aoyama: When I drew the story about the sleeping car train Hokutosei, I actually rode it. When I took pictures, I had to get off in the middle, though.

Sato: I drew material about trains, but I never went . . .

Aoyama: But traveling with the editor is dull, isn't it?

Sato: That happens!

Amagi: What did we do at Kindaichi's time?

Sato: The staff went and took pictures. We never went to Hokkaido! Even Hajime went many times, though he's only a high school student.

Aoyama: (laughs)

Snowy places appear often in Kindaichi. What is the reason?

Sato: Because it's easy to isolate people in winter.

Aoyama: There was a trick that made footprints appear by sprinkling salt, wasn't there? I thought that it was good.

Amagi: It was simple and easy to understand, and it was beautiful, too, wasn't it? I like the phrase “sakura snow”, too. I had a lot of fun writing it at the time.

Aoyama: At the time? (laughs)

Sato: We tried to change the taste a little for that, since we'd done this for a long time back then.

Did you do location hunting at the time?

Sato: No, not at all!

Aoyama: (laughs)

What do you think is the appeal of mystery manga?

Amagi: The number one appeal would be solving mysteries. That aspect is manga-esque now, isn't it?

Sato: In the end, if there is a mystery, one must solve it.

Aoyama: Love comedy is an element in Kindaichi and Conan.

Characters like female high school student heroines and sexy women appear, don't they?

Amagi: It's a promise.

Aoyama: Not much sexy girls appear in Conan, though beautiful women might float naked in a bathtub in Kindaichi.

Sato: That's because we're at Shonen Magazine (laughs).

Amagi: Shower scenes and such.

Aoyama: The editorial department would stop it in Shonen Sunday (laughs).

Sato: Shonen Sunday doesn't do it much from the old days, do they?

Amagi: Mystery mangas are logical and hard to understand, aren't they? So you include eye-catching panty shots to make the readers want to try reading, because you don't want to limit the audience.

Sato: Those kind of pulls really does become the start sometimes in manga, doesn't it? Some readers start reading simply because cute girls appear in the manga.

Aoyama: For me, I drew with the intention to include elements of love comedy in Conan from the beginning. The protagonist becoming small is truly a love comedy, you see. I thought that having a small boy and a girl that the boy's real self loves would be interesting.

Amagi: That sounds interesting, even if it wasn't a mystery manga.

Aoyama: Yes, that part by itself without deductions would be good, I think.

Amagi: The small boy might look inside a skirt really quick.

Sato: That's only in Shonen Magazine!

Amagi: That's true (laughs).

Then, what is especially troublesome doing a mystery manga?

Amagi: Though the motive for the case is really important, in truth there aren't much variation, is there?

Aoyama: You use everything, and running out of ideas on interesting motives become imminent (laughs).

Amagi: Since the readership is wide in manga, you have to hype up dramatically or else the readers may start feeling unsatisfied.

Sato: The motive for the murder starts changing, too. In the old days, you use “my lover was killed . . .”, but recently it became “in truth the person wasn't even my lover!” - it becomes distorted like this.

Aoyama: That's true, twists are essential.

Amagi: If you make it a simple revenge and the like, you get told that you've already done it before.

Aoyama: I think “I did this, didn't I?”, even when I'm drawing myself.

Amagi: Yes, yes. I ran out of ideas for motives in the first 1~2 years. I've had difficulty ever since.

Catch phrases are characteristic, too, aren't they?

Amagi: They tighten the story, and I like how it gives the expectation that the tables will be turned from that point on. Thanks to “In the name of grandpa”, I feel that I've gained one chapter's worth.

Aoyama: In Conan's case, he says “Edogawa Conan – a detective” from time to time, and that's it. Maybe I should make him say “In the name of ___”, at least once.

Everyone: (laughs)

Amagi: Yes, let us exchange!

Aoyama: You'll make him say “Kindaichi Hajime – a detective”?

Amagi: I like it!

Sato: But he's a high school student.

Amagi: Someone might joke, “He's not [officially] a detective, is he?”

As a result of the two works' influence, manga with a lot of text increased, didn't it?

Aoyama: Maybe, perhaps.

Amagi: It became acceptable due to the hits, didn't it?

Sato: The readers nowadays can apparently understand better.

Amagi: For example, in the old days, the amount of text in this manga, which was also made into a film, was impossible. It's at the level that if you applied for the New Talent Award, you'll be told to cut down the text to a third.

Aoyama: But readers came to accept this.

Sato: Games exist, too – readers got accustomed to reading more text, didn't they?

Aoyama: But the one that created most of this is Kindaichi, isn't it?

Then, do you prohibit yourselves from doing anything in the manga?

Aoyama: That would be indiscriminate killings. I take care to include a motive, even if it looks indiscriminate.

Sato: It'll be a different manga if we do a psycho killer.

Amagi: Indiscriminate killings and the like feel like you've run out of ideas, and there's the fear that they might interest those with cruel tendencies.

Aoyama: That's true. It would be problematic if people sympathized with the culprit and attempted murder.

Kindaichi focus on longer cases, and Conan focus on shorter cases, don't they?

Amagi: About 14, 15 chapters.

Aoyama: That's amazing. In Conan, one case is three chapters, six chapters at the longest. First, a person dies, then the mystery is presented, and finally the case gets solved. This is the golden pattern. Right now, I can't draw more than that. You two are doing well.

Sato: That's because the plot is divided with Amagi-sensei.

Amagi: But sometimes you begin before you complete the plot.

Aoyama: Do you never contradict each other?

Sato: It does happen.

Amagi: For example, even though it's a wedding, the bridegroom is missing. [In another example,] I said that, since I'll put it in the pre-manuscript later, why don't you put a bag or something over the head, and there really was a bag over the head.

Aoyama: Does Sato-sensei never want to change the original work?

Sato: As you'd expect, I can't change the trick, but sometimes I change the emotional parts.

Amagi: On how to draw the characters, there are parts that I leave completely to you – with those parts, you have some degree of freedom, yes?

Aoyama: Since I think [of ideas] on my own and draw on my own, sometimes I arbitrarily change arrangements with the editor. If you work with someone, I thought that that aspect seems troublesome.

Amagi: It's actually all right.

Sato: Sometimes I add a gag ad lib. I've changed the flow in the end at times.

Finally, do you have anything you want to say?

Amagi: Can I start? Aoyama-sensei, please continue Conan until your death!

Aoyama: I do feel like dying from exhaustion (laughs).

Amagi: If Aoyama-sensei does it, we can work hard, too.

Sato: Yes, yes. In manga, if you don't have a rival in your genre, it's easier for your work to go to waste.

Aoyama: It's an incentive for me, too.

Amagi: In truth, our fan bases are slightly different, so we can divide our habitats well.

Aoyama: We're no [Yomiuri] Giants and Hanshin [Tigers], but let us work hard as rivals.
[TN: Famous Japanese baseball teams]

Otona Fami Interview #1

Date: April 21, 2008
Published in: Otona Fami(Adult Family), June issue

  Show spoilers »

Partial Raw: (posted on 2ch)

スマソ！載ってたの６月号なんだよ。もう売ってないよな…orz ２ページだけだったけど、１回きりで青山のインタビュー載ってた。
全体的には対したこと言ってなかったけど、最後に今後の展開を聞かれて、「まず、漫画で は黒の組織の新しい仲間、バーボンとの対決です。
映画は１３弾という数字がヒント。舞台は高い・・・ あ、これ以上はネタバレになっちゃうか（笑）どちらも楽しみにして頂ければと思います。」

とポロっと。いろいろと説明不足でスマンかった。

Translation:
'Excuse me! It was in the June issue. It's no longer on sale... it was only two
pages, and Aoyama appeared on it. He didn't say anything important but when they
asked him about what will happen in the story, he answered:

"First, there will be confrontation with Bourbon, the new Black Organization member.
About the movie, '13 bullets' number is a hint. It will be at a 'high' place...
Ah, I can't say more or it will be a spoiler (smile). I hope you enjoy them both
(the movie and manga)." Sorry for the lack of explanation.'

2009

Shonen Sunday Interview #1

Date: March 27, 2009
Published in: Weekly Shonen Sunday #17
no script available

Shonen Sunday 50th Anniversary Interview

Date: July 15, 2009
Published in: Shonen Sunday 1983 (A special issue commemorating Sunday's 50 years of publishing.)

  Show spoilers »

Source: https://conan-4869.net/post-19901

Raw:

• 

Conan and Lupin Interview #1

Date: ??, 2009
Published in: ??

  Show spoilers »

Raw:

アニメでルパン三世とコナンが夢の競演を実現させます。最初に聞いたときの感想は？
青：コナン側からいえば、今考えられる最大の強敵。かなりワクワクです。
モ：最初にお話を聞いたときは、はたして本当に実現できるのかと思いました。でも、できたら絶対に面白くなるはずだと思いました。
青：僕も実現できるのかなと思っていました（笑）。

確かにすごい企画です。
モ：脚本家の方は大変だったでしょう。どういうストーリーになるのか、まったくわからない。
青：僕もそこそこは脚本をチェックしました。コナンが登場する部分はもちろんですけど、原作の「ルパン三世」が大好きで、「ルパンはこうじゃないだろう」って修正を入れてました（笑）。
不二子のシャワーシーンなど「ルパン三世」のお約束もありますし、いつもの「名探偵コナン」とは、少し違うかもしれません。
モ：それは楽しみです。

両作品に登場する刑事同士が知り合いという設定もあります。
青：目暮警部と銭型警部は、どっちも警視庁ですから（笑）。
青：「名探偵コナン」で（アルセーヌ・ルパン生みの親である）モーリス・ルブランが、怪盗紳士を描いた作家として名前だけ出てきます。そのルブランが書いたルパンの孫と言うことは、ルパン三世は「名探偵コナン」の世界では架空の人物。それと対決するわけですから、本用に夢の対決です。カットになったけど、本当は“ルパンの孫”というセリフを、ぜひ入れたかったなあ。
モ：今回のアニメでは、コナンは少年、ルパンは青年。それをどう組み合わせるんだろうとは思いました。江戸川乱歩の小説でも、怪人二十面相と少年探偵団の対決はあったので、そういう感じで面白い対決だといいな。
青：コナンの場合、本人が少年探偵団であり、明智小五郎でもあります。コナン世界で一番切れる人物が小さい奴ですからね。その意味では、いい対決になっています。

ちなみに今回の見どころは？
青：コナンはルパン＆次元との絡みです。特に次元とコナンの絡みはオススメ。次元の手を見たコナンが「あなた、タダものじゃないですね」っていうシーンは、僕が付け足しました。その後に、次元らしいせりふを言うんですよ。

青山先生にお伺いしますが、「ルパン三世」の魅力は？
青：子供のころから原作が大好きですが、やはり作品全体から感じるクールなカッコよさ。昔の「００７」ぽいところもありますね。
モ：それは、僕も意識して描いていました。
青：絵柄もかっこいいですよ。キャラクターの手足が細くて。実は、コナンが笑ったときの口元の感じは、モンキー・パンチ先生のマネ。かなり影響を受けました。
モ：それはありがとうございます。当時、連載していた雑誌の読者が少年ではなく青年層だったので、絵柄はそれを意識して、大人っぽく描いてました。
青：僕が「ルパン三世」にふれたのは小学３年生ぐらい。本屋さんで買ってきて家の本棚に並べていたら、エッチすぎるからと親に処分されて、後でまた買い直したこともあります（笑）。（編集部注　扉のページでモンキー・パンチ先生が持っているコミックは、青山先生が持参した私物）

当時の小学生には、「ルパン三世」は刺激的すぎたんですね。
モ：実は「ルパン三世」を描いていた当時、本屋さんで幼稚園ぐらいの子が母親に「ルパン買って」と言うと、母親が「こういうのは読んじゃダメ」って（笑）。
青：いや、当時の僕は、ページをめくるたびにワクワクでした。
青：「名探偵コナン」を知っていると聞いて大感激です。実は聞いたいことがあります。モンキー・パンチというペンネームは、どうやって名付けたんですか？
モ：新人の頃に某編集部でつけられました。最初は変な名前だから断ろうと思った（笑）。当時、カタカナのペンネームは当たらないというジンクスがあって、当時の編集長が「そのジンクスをお前が破れ。一年だけやってイヤだったら好きな名前にしていい」と言われて。それがきっかけです。
青：ペンネームは、絵柄に会ってますし、最初は外国人かと思っていました。背景のハイコントラストな描き方はアメコミですよね。
モ：欧州の作家が好きで影響を受けて、そういうものが組み合わさってこうなりました。
青：「ルパン三世」の発想は、どこからですか？
モ：新雑誌が出るときに「表紙と巻頭をあげるから」と言われ、その場で浮かんだのが、「アルセーヌ・ルパン」。それで後先考えずにルパンものをやりたいと言って、その後で作り込みました。
青：僕は原作のクールなるパン三世が好きです。原作では、ルパン帝国の三代目でゴージャズだし、世界各地に手下がいて、アルセーヌ・ルパンぽいのが魅力でした。

モンキー・パンチ先生が考える「名探偵コナン」の魅力は？
モ：実は「ルパン三世」でも探偵者をやってみたいなと思っていて、僕が考える探偵ものはアガサ・クリスティーみたいな本格推理。そうなると最後のところで相当な文字数が必要になって、漫画的じゃない。だから、いい方法を見つけたらやろうと思っていました。それで初めて「名探偵コナン」を見て、なるほどこういうやり方があったのかと目からウロコが落ちました。あとは高校生でありながら小さい少年。これが子供達に受けていると思います。本当にやられたなという感じです。ルパン三世にも薬を飲ませて子供にすればよかった（笑）。
モ：今、「名探偵コナン」は、何年目ぐらいですか？
青：もう１５年ぐらいです。
モ：そんなに続けてられるのはすごいです。
青：いやいや、ネタ出しが大変で（笑）。今日も朝から何時間もネタ出ししてから来ました。
モ：僕は、いろいろなことを吸収していた時期に連載をしていて、ネタ出しの苦労はなかった。連載終盤は、頭にあるものを広げていく作業で大変だったけど。青：僕は、三話目ぐらいからネタ切れしてました（笑）。１巻分で終わるかなと思っていましたし、こんな文字数の多い漫画は誰も読まないと思っていました。

お２人は、作品を描く上で気を付けていることはありますか？
モ：アニメ化されて声優さんの声にキャラクターが引っ張られることですね。山田康雄さんの声でアニメを見てたら、だんだん漫画のセリフも山田さんが言いそうなセリフになっていった。
青：そういう影響もあります。
モ：クールなるパンが「あらあらあら」ってなっちゃう。アニメのルパンに引っ張られないように苦労しました。
青：「名探偵コナン」では、小五郎の声が神谷明さんで、漫画のセリフで「お父さんのしゃがれ声で言われたくないわ」と言うセリフを使ったりしました。あと円谷光彦の声優さんの大谷育江さんの声がかわいいので、だんだんカワイイキャラになった。アニメが本物と思っている子供達もいて、ファンレターで「アニメと違う」と書かれると、こっちが本当なのにと思いつつ・・・
モ：アニメのルパン三世を見ながら僕の絵を見て、「これは違う」と子供達に言われたこのも（笑）。アニメになって、描き始めた頃の尖った部分は柔らかくなったり、絵柄や印象も子供を意識し始めて変わりました。最初の頃と最後の方では、作品の雰囲気がかなり違いますね。

最後にファンのみなさんにメッセージをお願いします。
モ：僕も視聴者の一人として、ルパン三世と江戸川コナンの組み合わせの面白さは楽しみたい。それを楽しんでもらえれば、原作者としてもうれしいです。
青：実はコンテを全くチェックしていないのでオンエアがとても楽しみです。皆さんも是非ワクワクドキドキしながら観てください。

Translated by: justwantanaccount

The dream confrontation between Lupin III and Conan in anime will be realized. What were your impressions when you first heard of this?
Aoyama: From Conan's side, [Lupin III is] the most powerful adversary currently imaginable. I'm highly excited.
Monkey Punch: When I first heard of the talk, I thought, is it possible to realize this? But I thought that, if it is, then it definitely must become interesting.
Aoyama: I also wondered if it was possible (laughs).

That's true, it's a stunning project.
Monkey Punch: The scriptwriter must have gone through a lot of trouble. I have absolutely no idea what the story will be like.
Aoyama: I, too, checked the script here and there. Of course [I went over] the parts where Conan appears, but since I love the original work for Lupin III, [I also] included revisions like “Lupin isn't like this” (laughs).
Since there is the Lupin III promise to include Fujiko's shower scene and so on, [this show] might be a little different from the usual Detective Conan.
Monkey Punch: [I'm] excited for that.

It's also established that the police detectives appearing in both series are acquaintances.
Aoyama: Both Inspector Megure and Inspector Zenigata are from the Metropolitan Police Department, aren't they? (laughs)
Aoyama: In Detective Conan, Maurice Leblanc (creator of Arsene Lupin) appears as the name of the writer who wrote the gentleman thief. Since [Lupin III is] the grandchild of the Lupin written by that Leblanc, Lupin III is a fictitious person in Detective Conan's world. [Conan will] have a face-off with that [fictitious character], so this truly is a “dream” confrontation. Although this got cut, I really wanted to include the “Lupin's grandchild” line.
Monkey Punch: In this anime, Conan is a boy, and Lupin is a young man. I wondered how they'll put these together. In Edogawa Ranpo's novels, there was a face-off between the Kaijin Niju-Menso (Twenty-Faced Fiend) and Shounen Tanteidan (Boy Detective League) - I'd like it if that kind of feel is used.
Aoyama: In Conan's case, the main character is both the Shounen Tanteidan and Akechi Kogoro. The small guy is the sharpest person in the Conan world. In that sense, the confrontation is a good one.

Also, what's worth watching this time?
Aoyama: For Conan, the entanglement with Lupin & Jigen. I especially recommend the entanglement between Jigen and Conan. I added the scene where Conan, who has looked at Jigen's hands, said “You're no ordinary man, are you?”

I would like to ask Aoyama-sensei – what is Lupin III's appeal?
Aoyama: I have loved the original work since childhood - [I would] definitely [say] the cool feel [you] can get from the entire work. It's also similar to 007 in the old days.
Monkey Punch: I have consciously tried to draw that way.
Aoyama: The style is cool, too. The characters' limbs are thin. In truth, the atmosphere of Conan's mouth when he grins is in Monkey Punch-sensei's imitation. I received quite an influence.
Monkey Punch: Thank you kindly for that. At the time, serial magazines' readers were not boys but young adults, so with that in mind, I tried to draw with an adult-like style.
Aoyama: I came across Lupin III around third grade. There was one time, when I bought it from the bookstore and lined it up on the bookshelf, my parents thought that it was too sensual so they confiscated it - I had to buy it again afterward (laughs). (Editorial notice: The comic Monkey Punch-sensei is holding on the front page is Aoyama-sensei's)

Lupin III was too stimulating for elementary school children back then, wasn't it?
Monkey Punch: Actually, back when I was drawing Lupin III, a child who might be in kindergarten said “Buy Lupin!” to the mother at a bookstore, and the mother replied, “[You] can't read things like these!” (laughs)
Aoyama: Back then, I felt excited from turning the page.
Aoyama: I am deeply moved to hear that you know about Detective Conan. Actually, I have something I want to ask. How did you get the pen name, Monkey Punch?
Monkey Punch: I got the name at a certain editorial department. I first wanted to decline [the name] since I thought it was strange (laughs). At the time, there was a jinx where pen names in katakana did't become successful, and the editor-in-chief at the time told me, “You break that jinx. If you don't like it after a year, you can pick your favorite name.” That was the start.
Aoyama: The pen name suits your style, and I first thought that [the name] was a foreigner's. American comics have backgrounds with high contrast, right?
Monkey Punch: I like European artists and received their influence – things like that combined together and here I am.
Aoyama: Where did Lupin III's idea come from?
Monkey Punch: I was told that I'll get the cover and the opening page when the new magazine comes out, at right there I thought, Arsene Lupin. Then I said that I want to do something Lupin-related without reflection, and I started working.
Aoyama: I prefer the cool Lupin III in the original work. In the original work, [Lupin III was] Lupin Empire's third generation and had minions all over the world; the similarity to Arsene Lupin was appealing.

What is Detective Conan's appeal according to Monkey Punch-sensei?
Monkey Punch: I actually wanted to do mysteries in Lupin III; personally, when I think of detectives I think of Agatha-Christie-like, genuine deductions. In that case, the word count becomes considerable at the end and no longer manga-like. So I wanted to find a good way to do this. Then I watched Detective Conan for the first time, and my eyes were opened. A boy who's actually a high school student – I think that this is what appeals to children. I feel that [Aoyama Gosho] really did it. I should have made Lupin III swallow a pill and become a child, too (laughs).
Monkey Punch: How long has Detective Conan continued so far?
Aoyama: About 15 years already.
Monkey Punch: It's amazing that you've continued for so long.
Aoyama: Oh no, coming up with ideas is a lot of trouble (laughs). I came here after spending hours from morning coming up with ideas today, for example.
Monkey Punch: For me, I serialized when I absorb several things, so I didn't struggle coming with ideas. Although, the ending involved expanding what was in the head and was a lot of trouble.
Aoyama: For me, I ran out of ideas from the third chapter (laughs). I thought that the series would end by the first volume, and that no one would read manga with such high word count.

What do you two take care to do when drawing your work?
Monkey Punch: I got influenced by the voice actors' voices for the characters after my work got animated. After I watch the anime with Yamada Yasuo-san's voice, the manga's lines become ones that Yamada-san might say.
Aoyama: That's true.
Monkey Punch: The calm Lupin becomes the “Ara ara ara”-type. I struggled trying not to be influenced by the anime's Lupin.
Aoyama: In Detective Conan, Kamiya Akira-san does Kogoro's voice, so lines like “I don't want to be told by dad's hoarse voice” were used. Also, since Tsuburaya Mitsuhiko's Ootani Ikue-san's voice is cute, Mitsuhiko gradually became a cute character. There are children who think that the anime is the original, too, and when I receive fan letters that say “[The manga is] different from the anime”, I can't help but think, the [manga] is the one that's original . . .
Monkey Punch: Children, looking at my drawings while watching anime's Lupin III, told me that “This is different” (laughs). After becoming an anime, the sharper parts from the times I started drawing became softer, and I changed the style and atmosphere, keeping children in mind. The work's atmosphere is quite different when comparing the beginning and the end, isn't it?

For the end, please leave a message for all the fans.
Monkey Punch: As one of the viewers, I want to enjoy the interesting combination of Lupin III and Edogawa Conan. If you could enjoy that, I am happy as the original author.
Aoyama: Actually, I haven't checked the contents at all, so I am excited about the airing. Everyone please be sure to watch with excitement.

2010

Gundam Ace Interview

Date: January 26, 2010
Published in: Gundam Ace March issue

  Show spoilers »

Source: https://conan-4869.net/post-6208

Raw:

池田：先生とお会いするのは初めてなんですよね。『名探偵コナン』のアフレコの日に「今日、先生がいらっしゃるかもしれません」と言われた日は何度かあったんですけど、お忙しいようでなかなか実現しなかった。

青山：すみませんでした。毎週の『少年サンデー』での連載があって、さらに劇場版などのコンテも毎回チエックしていますので、なかなか時間がとれなくて…。僕はアニメが大好きなので、本当なら毎回アフレコには行きたいくらいなんです。劇場版の『コナン』では自分で原画を描いているほどで、こんなにアニメ作品に直接関わっている原作者は珍しいかもしれないですね。

池田：なるほど。その好きなアニメの中に『ガンダム』も含まれているわけですね。ところで、『ガンダム』はリアルタイムで見られていたんですか？

青山：僕の住んでいた鳥取県では放送されてなくて、現地のアニメファンが署名して放送終了してから1年後に見ることができたんです。それで、夢中になって見ていましたね。僕は当時は中学生で、アムロと同世代でした。だから、年齢的に感情移入して見るのはアムロのいる連邦側だったんですが、でも、やっぱりなりたいのはシャアでした（笑）。あんなにカッコイイ敵役のキャラクターっていないですからね。例えば『宇宙戦艦ヤマト』のデスラーもカッコイイですが、デスラーになりたいとまでは思わなかったですから。そういう意味では、シャアは登場シーンから、セリフのカッコよさももちろんですが、池田さんのシブい声も衝撃的でしたし、大好きでした（笑）。

池田：ということは、高校生の頃に劇場版が公開されていて、内容的にも理解しながら、作品をすごく楽しんでいた世代なんですね。

青山：そうですね。劇場版の『めぐりあい宇宙』が公開されたのが高校2年か3年の時でした。高校3年生の学祭では、シャアのコスチュームを作って、コスプレして街の中を練り歩いたんです（笑）。僕は、劇場版がまた好きなんですよね。第1作目、2作目も良かったんですが、3作目の『めぐりあい宇宙』では新作カットがたくさんあって、作画の美しさに心を奪われましたよ。もう、『ガンダム』は人生が変わるくらいの衝撃を受けたアニメでしたね。その影響で、アニメーターになりたいなって思っていたくらいですから。ところで、劇場版では、新たにアフレコをされたんですよね？

池田：全部新しく録り直しましたね。

青山：いや～、もう『めぐりあい宇宙』の冒頭がたまらなく好きでして。僕はシャアの副官のドレンも好きで、「大佐は宇宙がお似合いですな」という大人びたやり取りとか、本当にカッコイイなと。『コナン』でもアンドレ・キャメルという、ドレンをモデルにしたキャラを出していますから。シャアは、あの大人びたところがいいんですが、設定年齢は何歳でしたか？

池田：20歳ですね。その年齢にしては、かなり大人びてますが（笑）。

青山：20歳で「認めたくないものだな、自分自身の若さゆえのあやまちというものを…」ですからね。そんな台詞、20歳じゃ言えないですよ。

池田：実際にはそうそう言えないですよね。僕はテレビシリーズでシャアを演じた時は29歳だったんですが、演じるにあたって設定年齢は気にしなくていいと言われたんです。だから、全然気にしないで、やっていました。

青山：やっぱり、シャアの魅力は台詞にあると思いますし、その台詞に池田さんの声がすこく合っていた。池田さんは洋画の吹き替えなんかもやられていますよね。

池田：やっています。

青山：僕はシャアだけでなく、すっかり池田さんの声のファンになっていまして、池田さんが吹ぎ替えた洋画もいろいろ見ました。その結果、僕の漫画にも”赤井秀一”なんていう名前のキャラクターがいますが、本当に大好きなので思い切って出しちゃったんです（笑）。

池田：本当にそうだったんですね（笑）。ところで、どういう経緯で”赤井秀一”というキャラクターが生まれたんですか？『コナン』では、キャラクターの名称は、有名な探偵の名前をもじったりするのがお約束なのに、ガンダムが元ネタなのが不思議ですよね。

青山：実は、探偵ネタが尽きたというのもありまして（笑）。お話の中で、主人公の江戸川コナンに味方をするFBI捜査官を出すことになったときに、イメージ先行でその敏腕捜査宮はシャアっぼくしたいなと思ったんです。だから、最初はシャアからとって”赤井”という名字だけ決まっていたんです。その後、下の名前をどうしようかと悩んだ結果、池田さんのお名前からいただいて秀一にしてしまいました（笑）。コナンの本名が新一なので、”新一”と”秀一”は、似た響きの名前だから本来なら採用しないんですが、今回だけはいいやと思って。

池田：いやあ、光栄ですね。そして、テレビ版では声もやらせてもらっているわけですから。すこい縁を感じます。

青山：アニメ版の重要キャラクターのキャストは、プロデューサーから「誰かイメージはありますか？」と希望を聞かれるんですが、赤井の時には「そりゃ、池田さんでしょうー！」ってリクエストしたら、夢が叶ってしまいました。ちなみに、『コナン』に登場する怪盗キッドというキャラクターは、以前僕が描いていた『まじっく快斗』という漫画のキャラクターなんですが、その快斗のお父さんである黒羽盗一も、池田さんをイメージしていて、その役も池田さんに演じていただけているので、実は2つも夢が叶っているんですよね。

池田：あのキャラクターはそういうことだったんですか。

青山：もうイメージどおりで、登場回は何度も見直してしまいました。赤井に関しては、しゃべり口調もシャアをイメージして書いているんですが、シャアのセリフがそのまま出てきたらシャアファンの方々に失礼かもしれないと思って、名台詞を書くのは我慢しています。ただ、コナンのことは「坊や」って呼ばせてますけど（笑）。

池田：さきほどのドレンの話じゃないですけど、本当にガンダムが好きで、リスペクトしているんですね。

青山：それはもう本当に大好きですから（笑）。ちなみに、赤井が敵対する黒ずくめの組織に潜入していた時の偽名が”諸星大”で、恋人から名前を呼ばれるときに「大君＝ダイクン」となっていて、名字も諸星＝彗星ですから。そして、FBl捜査官仲間のジョディが「シュウ」と呼ぶのは、完全に「シャア」のオマージュですよね（笑）。

池田：まさかそこまでとは（笑）。全然気がつきませんでした。赤井秀一は劇中では死んでしまっているんですが、偶然にも青山先生との対談が決まった直後に、回想シーンでの登場があって久々に演じてきました。

青山：そうなんですか。池田さんからすると、赤井というキャラクターは演じてみて、いかがですか？

池田：名前が”赤井秀一”ですからね（笑）。やりやすくて大好きなキャラクターですよ。本当に全然悩まないで演じられますから。でも、気がつけば結構長いこと演じているキャラクターなんですよね。アニメ版に登場したのが確か2001年くらいからだから、かれこれもう10年近いつきあいになる。でも登場した話数は10話ちょっとくらいなのかな。

青山：出るときはまとまって出演されていますよね。『コナン』の全体の物語の中でも重要なエピソードである、黒ずくめの組織（コナンを子供の姿に変えてしまった謎の組織）を相手に病院を舞台にして対決する話（コミックス版『名探偵コナン』57巻～59巻、テレビ版「赤と黒のクラッシュ」編）の時は出ずっぱりでしたからね。

池田：でも、まさかこんなに重要なキャラクターだったとは思いませんでしたよ。僕は自分が演じるキャラクターの過去を知っておきたいタイプではなくて、観ている人たちと一緒に、演じながら「そうだったのか！」って判っていくのが好きなんですよ。シャアの時もそうだった。だから、最初は僕も赤井がFBI捜査官であることは知らなかったですからね。話が進んでいってから、判ってくることが多くて驚ぎましたね。ところで、『コナン』にガンダムネタを持って来たことに対しては、コナンファンからの反応はどうだったんですか？

青山：赤井が本編に登場したのは、今から約10年くらい前になるんですが、当時は全然バレていない感じでしたね。「赤井はシャアですね」みたいなファンレターは全然来なかったし、特に批判もなかったです。でも、その後だんだん『コナン』の読者にも『ガンダム』が認知されるに従って、反応が出始めた感じです。そして、赤井が撃たれた時は、「ショックですー！」みたいなファンレターがたくさん来ましたよ。反響はかなり大きかったですね。

池田：僕も死ぬとは思っていなかったので「まさかー！」と驚きましたね。でも、あのキャラクターがあれで終わりとは思えないんですが……。

青山：そのあたりは、ご想像にお任せします（笑）。あの事件自体、まだ解決していない感じですからね。

池田：じゃあ、生きていると信じて、本当の再登場を待ってます（笑）。それにしても、赤井が撃たれるまでのあの話は面白かったですね。衝撃のラストも含めて、長い物語の中に、いろんな伏線が散りばめられていて、僕自身もすこく楽しめました。

青山：あの話はすこく考え抜いてやっていますからね。おかげで評判もかなり良かったです。でも、作画を含めて死ぬほど大変でした。黒い組織の話は、やっていて楽しいんですが、負担も大きいんですよね。

池田：『コナン』では、これからもガンダムネタが出たりはしそうですか？

青山：コナンの味方であるキャラクターの最高ランクにあたるのが赤井でしたから、黒ずくめの組織側にもガンダム系の名前のキャラが出せたら面白いですよね。例えば、「安室徹」とか（笑）。ガンダムと敵味方が逆なのがいい。そうなると、声は誰がやるか決まっていますが（笑）。

池田：そうですね、あの人しかいない（笑）。それにしても『コナン』もずいぶんと長い作品になりましたね。

青山：連載開始から15年くらいですからね。僕の中じゃ、4年くらい前に始まったような感覚なんですけどね。少年サンデーの中でも1番の長期連載になってしまいましたから。そういう意昧では、ガンダムは30年ですから、本当に長いですよね。

池田：そうですね。でも、僕もガンダムをそんなに長い間やっている感じはしないですね。

青山：でも、そのおかげでみんなが恥ずかしがらずに「ガンダム好きです」って言えるようになったんですよね。そして、その世代が今、社会を動かしているわけですから。

池田：関わった作品が認知されていくのは嬉しいですね。少年サンデーは50周年ですよね。僕にとっては、『少年サンデー』は思い出深い雑誌なんです。創刊されたとぎには、僕は子役としてこの業界に入っていたんですが、当時1日の小遣いが決まっていたんです。そこで、NHKの食堂で食べる昼飯を安いメニューにして、節約したお金で買って読んでいたことを覚えていますね。その少年漫画誌で最長連載されている漫画に、自分と関わりの深いキャラクターが出ていることは感慨深いです。

青山：今日は、夢のような1日で、最初はすこく緊張しました（笑）。でも、池田さんは気さくで優しい方で、お話ししていてすこく楽しかったです。話しているうちに、30年前の記憶がどんどん蘇ってくるんですから、やっぱリガンダムはすこいですね。

池田：僕も、青山さんはいろんな推理トリックを考える方だから、もう少し難しい方だと思っていました。なんか、しかめっ面しているような、勝手なイメージがあったんです。

青山：みなさん、僕に会われた方はそう言われますね。推理作家というと、松本清張さんなんかを思い浮かべるみたいで。でも、ただのガンダムオタクですから（笑）。

池田：僕は子役時代にドラマの『少年探偵団』（1960年～63年放送）に、少年探偵団のメンバーの一人として出演していたんですが、それが今は現代の少年探偵の代名詞である『名探偵コナン』に出させていただいているという偶然が面白いですね。『少年探偵団』という番組は、謎解きとかはそんなに難しい内容ではなくて、「推理」や「冒険」を、テレビを通して気軽に楽しめる内容だったんですよね。『ガンダム』のような作品もいいけど、「頭脳で事件を解決する」みたいなものに、今も昔も子供は刺激されるし、やっぱりなくてはならないものですよね。そういう意味では『コナン』は責重な作品だなと、改めて思いました。これからも、長く愛されるように続けていただけたらと思います。

青山：ありがとうございます。僕も頑張ります！

Partially Translated by: justwantanaccount

Ikeda (Voice actor for Akai Shuuichi): By the way, under what circumstance did a character named "Akai Shuuichi" emerge? In Conan, the characters are always named after famous detectives. It's curious that Gundam is the basis of this name.
Aoyama: There's also the possibility that (I) ran out of detective-based names (laughs). When it was decided that (we) would introduce an FBI agent who would side with the protagonist, Conan, I wanted to base the image of that astute investigator on Char. That's why (I) decided on just the last name to be "Akai (red)" at first. After that, when (I) pondered on what the first name should be, (I) decided it to be "Shuuichi" after you, Ikeda-san (laughs). Since Conan's real name is "Shinichi," and "Shinichi" and "Shuuichi" sound similar, (I) wouldn't normally pick (this name), but I thought that it would be okay, just this once.

Ikeda: What an honor! Since I get to voice the TV-version as well, I feel a quite a deep bond (to the character? to Gosho?).
Aoyama: For the anime's important character's, I get asked by P (I don't know what the heck P is), "Do you have an image (of who the voice actor should be) in mind?" For Akai, I requested (by replying), "Who else but Ikeda-san!" and the wish came true!

(omitted)

Ikeda: Will there be more Gundam-based (ideas? characters?) in Conan?
Aoyama: If Conan's ally's highest ranking member is Akai, then it would be interesting if there were characters with Gundam-based names in the Black Organization as well. Like "Amuro Akira/Tooru" (徹 can be read both as Tooru or Akira) (laughs). For Gundam, the good guys and bad guys should be reversed. In this case, the voice actor is more or less decided (laughs).
Ikeda: That's true, there's only that person (laughs)

Otona Fami Interview #2

Date: April 20, 2010
Published in: Otona Fami (Adult Family), June issue

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Masters Of Manga Interview

Date: July 6, 2010
Published in: Masters of Manga

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Text submitted by: Chekhov

Gōshō Aoyama is one of the most successful shōnen manga artists of our time and its most successful work, Detective Conan (Case Closed in the US), serialized on Shōnen Sunday (Shōgakukan) since 1994 (68 paperbacks so far), has been one of the biggest hits of the 1900s and 2000s. Detective Conan, a detective story whose main character, little Conan Edogawa, is a teenager detective trapped in a body of a little kid, is still going on. Uber-busy Aoyama, who is required to draw twenty pages of manga every week, wasn’t able to meet me for a face to face interview, but even so he was so kind as to agree to answer to my questions via e-mail. Here I transcribe the interview in full.

Please do not publish this interview on other blogs or publications without my permission. (Tough cookies Masters of Manga, if the originals go down, someone's gotta rehost for the good of the fandom)

1: Why did you decide to become a mangaka? How did it all start?
A: It all happened because I wanted to give shape to stories that were only in my head in order to show them to everybody.

2: What other mangaka or artists had influence on you?
A: Tetsuya Chiba, Monkey Punch and Mitsuru Adachi.

3: Do you usually read or watch detective stories? What kind of stories do you prefer?
A: I watch a lot of movies and TV series, so many I’m even unable to count them. Sherlock Holmes, Furuhata Ninzaburō, Columbo, and the novels of Hercule Poirot would be good examples of what I like.

4: Outside Japan there are a lot of famous authors specializing in detective stories, such as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle or Agatha Christie. I believe that the same can be said about Japan, where there are also many novelists specialized on the genre. But what about manga? Were there other manga stories before Detective Conan whose main character was a detective? If the answer is “no”, was Conan a pioneer of the genre?
A: If I’m not mistaken, Kindaichi Shōnen no jikenbo (The Case Files of Young Kindaichi) serialization began earlier than Conan’s.

5: What was the driving force behind your decision to draw Detective Conan?
A: I wanted to write/draw a romantic comedy whose main character was a detective that has been made small again.

6: Detective Conan is now a big hit and many other stories of the same kind have been appearing here and there on other manga magazines of other publishing houses. What do you think about this phenomenon?
A: I think that this is happening because there is a detective inside every person in the world. We all like mysteries, this is why.

7: Detective Conan’s world has expanded hugely; it has been adapted to anime, movies, live action TV series and many more media. What do you think about this?
A: I think that I’m very happy and very lucky (laughs).

8: Why did you decide to make Conan a child? Do you think that the series would have been equally successful had the main character been a teenager detective, as it was in the very beginning?
A: I think that precisely because I made him become a child again, I could gain the attention and faithful readership of a broader range of readers, from children to adults.

9: Is it very hard to be in charge of the same series during years and years? Exactly how hard is it?
A: It’s so hard I cannot sleep for more than three hours a day (laughs).

10: Have you already decided the end of Detective Conan?
A: Yes, I have. However, I don’t know when I’ll be able to draw it (laughs).

11: Do you think all the cases of Detective Conan by yourself? Or does somebody help you with that?
A: I painfully think them all with my very limited brain with the help of my editor in charge (laughs).

12: How many assistants do you have? Some of them went on to create new stories based on your characters and situations with the title of Detective Conan Special. What do you think about this? How do you feel having your characters and plots in others’ hands?
A: I have five assistants. About how I feel letting others take control of my plot and characters, I felt anxious at first, but later on I’ve discovered they really make me think: “Wow, this situation is not bad at all, why didn’t I come up with it before?” (laughs).

13: Enough about Conan for now. Did you inspire yourself on the story of Musashi Miyamoto to create Yaiba?
A: Yes, of course. Some characters have been taken directly from that story (laughs).

14: Yaiba, which is a kendo-themed story, is famous all over the world. What, in your opinion, is the key to that success?
A: I think that maybe the fact of setting a story in which the characters can put different “orbs” in their swords was the decisive factor, as it makes it feel like a videogame.

15: You are one of the most prominent shōnen manga authors of our times. From that position, I’d really like to know your views on nowadays’ shōnen manga scene.
A: I’m so focused on my own work and circumstances that I’ve never really thought about it, sorry (laughs).

16: Of all your works, which is your favorite and why?
A: Well, that would be Detective Conan. We have been together now for too long not to be friends, in fact (laughs).

17: What kind of manga would you like to draw if you had the chance?
A: A story about Sun Wukong (Son Gokū).

18: What do you think that your manga is popular in son many countries all over the world?
A: It’s a huge honor.

19: Manga has finally become a worldwide phenomenon. What do you think about that?
A: I’m convinced that Japan, and Japanese people, should be proud of manga and anime. I really believe it.

20: Could we ask for a final comment from you to manga readers all over the world?
A: Conan is full to the brim with tricks and ciphers only Japanese can understand and, even so, many foreign readers keep faithful to his stories. I’m very grateful for that and I hope they continue to do so. Thank you very much, really.

2011

Otona Fami Interview #3

Date: April 20, 2011
Published in: Otona Fami (Adult Family), June issue

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青山剛昌インタビュー
四半世紀に亘り、少年漫画を描き続けてきた青山剛昌。’８６年の漫画家デビューから「マジック快斗」、「YAIBA」、そして「名探偵コナン」の今とこれからを語る。
１９６３年、鳥取県生まれ。’８６年、「ちょっとまってて」でデビュー。「YAIBA」,「名探偵コナン」はそれぞれ小学館漫画賞の？？部門と少年部門を受賞。

Q：先生は小さな頃、どんな少年だったのでしょうか？
A：少年探偵団みたいに友達と探偵遊びをよくしました。僕はコナンというより、光彦タイプ。調達や場所探しをするポジションで、実家の自動車整備工場の廃車置場を秘密基地にしていました。

Q：その頃から漫画は好きでしたか？
A：そうですね。ニャロメの絵ばかり描いてました。初めて買った漫画は、大好きなちばてつや先生の「おれは鉄平」(should be 鉄兵, seems that the magazine has a misprint)。鉄平が好きで剣道部に入りましたね。でも、親が「漫画なんて読んでも、ロクな人間にならない」という考えの厳しい人で、中学高校時代はこっそり隠れて読んでました。

Q：漫画家への道を歩み始めたのは？
A：親に反対されていたので、高校の頃には漫画家の夢は諦めかけていました。そのかわり、絵の先生になろうと思って日大芸術学部に入学したんです。するとそこには、田舎の高校にはなかった漫研が（笑）。そこのOBに漫画家の阿部ゆたかさん（「くまちゃんのクリスマス」、「名探偵コナン特別編」ほか）がいたんです。阿部さんの仕事場にアシスタントに行って、「お前本格的に漫画描いてみないか？」と言われたのがきっかけです。

Q：ちなみに大学の専攻は？
A：美術学科の絵描コースです。「コナン」の巻末の名探偵図鑑はタッチが違うでしょ？今でも描けるんですよ。当時は絵を描くバイトもしていました。フジテレビの「ポンキッキ」の背景や、東京ディズニーランドの、”カリブの海賊”の背景も描きました。海賊が町を荒らしているバックのレンガ。命縄をつけられて、一枚の写真を渡されてこのとうりに描けって。給料も良かったのでがんばりました（笑）。その絵はもうないですけど。教職も取りましたよ。地元の高校に、美術の教育実習に行って。親も僕は先生になると思っていたので、突然、漫画家になると言ったら案の定反対されましたね。親父からは「わしの友達には、今にも動き出しそうなカニを描けるやつがいる。でもそいつは全然食えてない。それでもお前は漫画家になるのか？」って（笑）。でも、「もう大人だから勝手にやる」と宣言して、出版社に作品を持ち込んでみたんです。

Q：最初は週刊少年マガジンに持ち込まれたんですよね。
A：はい、マガジンでは「さりげなくルパン」（「マジック快斗」の原型）で佳作を獲りました。でも、後にマガジンの編集長になった野内さんに「君の絵はマガジンに向いていない」と言われ、今度は週刊少年サンデーへ。そこで描いた投稿3作目の「ちょっとまってて」（SFラブコメ）が、’86年の小学館新人コミック大賞の入選を受賞。デビューへこぎ着けました。

Q：翌年には初連載作「まじっく快斗」がスタート。順調ですね。
A：大学の同級生や後輩にアシスタントをしてもらっているんですが、初めて原稿料をいただいたときにみんなで寿司屋に行ってお祝いしました。自分をプロとして実感できたのは単行本の1巻が出たとき。うれしくっておまけ漫画をつけたりして、めちゃめちゃ？りました。そんな初連載作が今も続いていますからね（笑）。もうライフワークです。また夏ごろに新作を描きますよ。快斗の母・怪盗淑女（ファントム・レディ）の話・・・になる予定。でも、最初は編集さんにけちょんけちょんに言われたんです。トリックやラブコメの部分が大人や女の子にはウケるけど、少年にはウケないと。「ニャロー！」と思って描いたのが、「YAIBA」。でも、今度は少年にしかウケなかった（笑）。

Q：「YAIBA」の思い出を是非。
A：当時は初めての週刊連載でなりふり構わずやってましたからね。無我夢中ですよ。刀の雷神剣の中にいろんな玉を入れて強くなっていくというのは、RPGのアイテムを集めて強くなるイメージで描いていたので、そこがウケてもらえて良かったです。でも、逆に子供っぽくしすぎちゃって失敗したとも思いますね。終盤のヤマタノオロチ編は気に入ってます。うまく描けたなと思うんですが、オロチ編はアニメになっていない（笑）。今のクオリティでアニメ化してほしいですね。

Q：「YAIBA」の次はついに「名探偵コナン」ですが、どんな雰囲気をイメージして作られたんでしょうか？
A：「三毛猫ホームズ」です。猫がわかるわけないのに、証拠品に触ったりして事件が解決していく。コナンも一緒。子供がわかるわけないのに、「あれれ～？」とか言って。コナンは三毛猫ホームズが喋っているイメージです。

Q：最初はどのくらい続く予定で？
A：こんなに長い連載になるとは思ってなかったですよ。最初の1巻で終わるかなと。コナンっていう名前も、編集長からアニメの「未来少年コナン」（宮崎駿監督作品）があるから、「名探偵ドイル」にしろって言われたんですが、「『未来少年』を超えてやるから！」って通しました。なのに新連載の告知記事のタイトルが「探偵少年コナン」になってて、いやいや、それはまずいだろうと（笑）。でも、10年くらい前にジブリの方に「今、コナンと言えば命探偵のほうですよね」と言われまして、「やった！」と思いましたね。

Q：「コナン」の好きなエピソードベスト5を教えてください。
A：一番は「揺れる警視庁1200万人の人質」（本記事＃28）です。読者人気も一番ですね。あとはなんだろう？アニメで2時間半スペシャルだった「黒の組織と真っ向勝負満月の夜の二元ミステリー」（本記事＃35）かな。平次が初登場する「外交官殺人事件」（本記事＃10）は、新一の「そいつはちがうな・・・」って言う見開きのシーンが、演出的にうまくいったかなと思います。「真実はいつも・・・たった一つしかねーんだからな・・・」って台詞もお気に入り。アニメの台詞で「真実はいつもひとつ！」ってあるじゃないですか。あれはアニメの脚本者が書いたんですが、僕が書いたのと同時期だったんです。偶然一緒で驚きました。「なぞめいた乗客」（本記事＃24）も好きかな。コナンの「逃げるなよ灰原・・・自分の運命から・・・逃げるんじゃねーぞ・・・」って台詞が印象に残ってます。新一は台詞に気を使いますね。あと、最初の「ホームズの黙示録」（本記事＃50）。コナンの憧れの地でしたから力が入りました。現場取材もして。

Q：’03年のインタビューでは、次はロンドン編と仰られていましたね。
A：そうか、だいぶ時間かかったね。描いてみてやっぱり英語に苦労しました。ウィンブルドンを舞台するのは最初から決めていて、ミネルバ・グラスはテニス選手のシュテフィ・グラスがモデルです。コナンが観客席からグラスに「ボクが助けてあげるよ！！」って言うシーンがありますが、あれは’96年のウィンブルドンのエピソードを基にしてます。グラフと伊達公子準決勝、流れを変えるためだかでファンが「シュテフィ！僕と結婚して！」って言ったんです。それに、グラフは「お金いくら持ってるの？」ってジョークで返したんですよ（笑）。

Q：ロンドン取材はいかがでしたか？
A：作中に登場する場所は取材に行って撮ったところばかりです。コナンが新一に戻った電話ボックスも、ビッグ・ベンの橋を渡った先にあります。”恐怖の谷”と漫画で描いた排水溝もちゃんとありますよ。泊まったホテルもそのまま。行けなかったところはグーグルマップで調べました。あ、じゃあ取材しなくても描けたかも？（笑）

Q：エピソードのラスト（72巻収録6月発売予定）には新一と蘭の念願のシーンがありましたね。
A：あれは反撃？が大きかったですね。恋愛に苦手なホームズに絡めようと思ったり、「厄介な難事件」ってう台詞も前から決めていて。計算通りです。

Q：ラブコメと組織の戦い、それぞれのエピソードを描くタイミングには、ルールや周期があるのでしょうか？
A：そろそろかなって言う勘ですね（笑）。ファンレターが結構影響あるかもしれない。「新一と蘭の子供時代が読みたいです！」、「そろそろ組織編描いてください！」とか。組織は読者からの期待も高いです。ただ、普通のフィールドとちがって、ハードボイルドに描かなければならないのでなかなか大変。でもハードボイルドは好きです。

Q：描いて楽しいキャラは？
A：灰原かな。初登場時から人気もありますね。自分が思ったとおりのことをやってくれて、言いたいことを代弁してくれるキャラです。公式HPの”コナン通信社”で僕のコメントを灰原に言わせてるのも、そんな理由です。

Q：読者人気の高いキャラは？
A：今は最近登場した世良真純。どうやらぶっちぎりらしいです。名前もまあ、わかる人にはわかっちゃうんだけどね。こんなに「ガンダム」でいいのかなって（笑）。ある大物キャラの妹のかも・・・（笑）。アニメの声優さんも今から楽しみです。

Q：高木刑事と佐藤刑事の恋愛も、今後の動向が気になります。
A：高木と佐藤は結婚式も描く予定です。本当は去年の映画のときに怪盗キッドと絡めて結婚しきしてやろうと思ってたんですが、映画でやっちゃうと、原作でできなくなるのでとめました。

Q：「コナン」は学年読の漫画・アニメ・映画・実写ドラマと、メディアミックスも幅広く展開されています。どんな形でプロデュースを？
A：主に映画の脚本と原画に携わっています。ほかのメディアはだいたいお任せにしてますね。

Q：最新映画「名探偵コナン沈黙の15分（クォーター）」には、どう関わられたんでしょうか？
A：15という数字をテーマにしたことに関しては、映画15周年ということで僕とスタッフの総意です。舞台の雪山は僕から提案しました。雪崩に埋まって、助かるまでのリミットが15分だったのでちょうどいいかなと。

Q：今作の見どころは？
A：最初のトンネルのスケボーシーンですね。あれかっこよかったでしょ？あと、僕が原画を描いた「言葉は刃物。使い方を間違えると、凶器になる。」ってコナンが言うシーン。原作でも一回使った台詞で気に入ってます。雪崩に飲み込まれるシーンの、コナンと蘭がすれ違うときに現れる新一の願も僕が原画を担当しました。

Q：歴代の映画版で先生のオススメは？
A：5作目の「天国へのカウントダウン」ですね。いろんなことがうまく歯み合った自信作です。僕の弟もこれが一番好きだといっていました。弟は医者でアニメオタクなんですよ（笑）。よく相談に乗ってもらっています。死亡推定時期とか、死亡要因とかね。まさに生きる医学書、超便利！声優にも詳しいので、「灰原役の声優さんは林原さんがいいぞ！」って電話が来たり。「あれじゃ人気にあぐらかいてる」なんてダメだしされたりもします（笑）。

Q：「コナン」は連載開始から17年、既刊71巻の長編となりましたが、長期連載を続けるコツはありますか？
A：ないですね。逆に、新しい事件を描くときはいつもこれが最後という気持ちでかかります。でも進んでるうちに次の話が始まるという。

Q：長期連載で辛いと感じたことは？
A：昔書いた伏線を忘れてしまうところ（笑）。ベルモットの伏線を明かした時はすごく大変でした（本記事＃35）。あれもこれも入れなきゃみたいな感じで。前に複線をすべてメモした紙をアニメのスタッフに渡したんだけど、返してほしい（笑）。それを見れば、”あの方”の正体がわかるかも？

Q：’08年の本誌インタビューで、次の山場はバーボンと仰っていましたね。
A：バーボン編はまだ続きますよ。それとは別の山場に世良と灰原の対決を考えてあります。これは見事ですよ。どちらも”オオカミ”ですからね（笑）。

Q：楽しみです！内容は決まっていると仰っていた最後回はいつごろに？
A：それはわからないですね。でも「こち亀」の巻数は越えないと思います（笑）。台詞はもう決まってます。ラストはハッピーエンドですよ。だって僕の作品なんだからね。

Q：20年以上週刊連載をされていますが、1週間どんなサイクルで描かれていらっしゃるのでしょうか？
A：ネームに2日半～3日、画に4日～4日半くらい。1週間使い切ってる（笑）。トリック考える時間ないですよ。だから、どんどんずれていっちゃって。たまに休載させていただいてるんですが、全然休んでいないんです。だって、原作に加え映画の打ち合わせして原画も描いてるんだもん（笑）。だから、締め切りギリギリになっても、誰も文句言わないんです。原稿落としたことは1回もないですよ。1回落とすと、ずっと落としちゃいそうで。

Q：休暇が取れたらやりたいことは？
A：ねる。ひたすら寝る。ちょっと起きて、映画見て、また寝る（笑）。それが夢の生活ですね。あとはホテル住まいをしてみたいなぁ・・・。

Q：ご実家に帰られることは？
A：毎年正月だけ帰ってます。色紙を持って、サインしてくれってファンがきてくれるから。さらに、親が1年間溜めたサイン色紙を持ってきます（笑）。コピーしたやつを200枚と普通の色紙が20枚くらい。でもまあ、田舎に帰ると何もないから、絵が描きたくなってきます。

Q：やはりお仕事がお好きなんですね。
A：そうなのかな？そういえば観るドラマも刑事者とかばかりですね。最近はテレビの新番組を全部録画して、ミステリーや刑事もの以外は全部削除しています。下書き中に流しています。会話劇なら、作業中でも内容がわかりますからね。最近では「SPEC」を観ました。超能力者が出てくるのに、ちゃんとミステリーを成立させている。終盤で、当麻（戸田恵梨香）が一（神木隆之介）との頭脳戦に勝って「あたしの勝ちだ！」って言ったところがかっこよかった！戸田さんが10代だったら、実写「コナン」の蘭役をやってもらいたかったですね（笑）。

Q：今年の元旦には「泥棒」に鑑識役で出演されましたね。
A：水谷豊さんとも相談させていただいて、念願叶いました。すごくいい人で、右京さんそのものでした。

Q：ドラマの脚本などに興味は？
A：隠居したらやってもいいかも。でも、僕は絵を描かなくちゃだめっていわれるんじゃない？（笑）

Q：先生が漫画を描く上で大事なさっていることは？
A：男の子はかっこよく、女の子は可愛くですね。最近は蘭や世良などの女の子もかっこよくなってきちゃいましたけどね（笑）。

Q：今年で画業25周年を迎えられましたが、どんな四半世紀でしたか？
A：半分くらい「コナン」ですからね。人生返せって感じですよ（笑）。始めたときは29歳だったのに。あっという間でした。自分の中では4年くらいしか経っていない感覚です。

Q：何歳まで現役でいたいですか？
A：まあできる限り。阿笠博士の年（53歳）までには隠居したいな、とも思いますけど、隠居したらまた漫画描きたくなるんじゃないかって。最初からずっと一緒にやってるアシスタントたちも年を取ってますから大変です。でもチャップリンみたいに「代表作は次回作」って言っときます！

Q：次回作といえば、’08年の本誌インタビューで仰られていた「西遊記」はいかがでしょうか？
A：「西遊記」は描きたい！悟空のキャラデザインはできていて、読みきりをサンデーに乗せる予定はあったんですが、昔の中国の背景を描くのが大変だからもう無理かな。たぶん描かないから言いますけど、超面白いですよ（笑）。

Q：描いてください！！では、読者に向けてメッセージをお願いします。
A：長い間、青山剛昌ワールドに付き合ってくれてありがとうございます。そしてこれからもよろしく。「さぁ、次の事件です」ってね（笑）。

Translated by: justwananaccount

[T/N: I'm guessing at the pronounciation of some names, so it might not be entirely accurate. ^^; Also, some characters were so fuzzy that I couldn't make it out – in that case I left a ? in the Japanese text and got the translation from the Chinese translation. As before, let me know if I've mistranslated or I've taken too much liberty in the English or something.]

Aoyama Gosho Interview

Aoyama Gosho has continued drawing shounen manga for a quarter of a century. Debuted as a manga artist in '86, he will discuss Magic Kaito, YAIBA, Detective Conan, and future plans.

Profile
Born in Tottori prefecture in 1963. Debuted in '86 with Wait a Minute. YAIBA and Detective Conan won Shougakukan Manga Award in Youth (I got this from the Chinese translation, I can't read the Japanese 'cause it's so fuzzy) and Shounen Divisions, respectively.

Q: What kind of boy was sensei like during childhood?
A:Like the Detective Boys, I played detective with friends. I was more of a Mitsuhiko-type than a Conan-type. I was in a position to search provisions and places, with my family's car maintenance factory's scrap yard as the secret base.

Q: Did you like manga from that time?
A: Yes. I kept drawing pictures of Nyarome. The first manga I bought was my favorite artist, Chiba Tetsuya sensei's I am Teppei. I entered the kendo club because I liked Teppei so much. But, my parents held harsh beliefs like “Those who read manga don't become a worthy human being,” so I read secretly during my middle and high school years.

Q: When did you start walking down the path of a manga artist?
A: I was opposed by my parents, so I almost gave up my dream of becoming a manga artist during high school. Instead, I entered Nihon University College of Art to become an art teacher. There, manga research (?) existed, which didn't exist in my countryside high school (laughs). An alumni manga artist, Abu Yukata-san (Bear-chan's Christmas, Detective Conan Special Edition, etc.) was there. I went to be an assistant at Abu-san's work place, and he said, “Do you want to draw manga for real”? That's where it started.

Q: Just wondering, what was your major at your university?
A: The Fine Arts Department's artist course. The touch in Conan's end-of-the-volume Illustrated Guide to Famous Detective is different, isn't it? I can still draw. I also used to draw for part time jobs. I drew the background for Fuji TV's Ponkikki, and for Tokyo Disneyland's Pirates of the Carribean*. I drew on the brick wall behind the town that the pirates are vandalizing (I think . . . I'm not completely sure). I was put on a life line, and they gave me a picture and told me to draw just like it. The pay was good, so I did my best (laughs). That picture doesn't exist anymore, though. I also took up a teaching job. At my hometown's high school, I even went to art education training. My parents thought I was going to become a teacher, so when I suddenly said I was going to be a manga artist, they stubbornly opposed me like I expected. My old man said, “I had a friend who can draw a crab that looks like it's about to start moving. But that person can't eat, at all. Do you still want to be a manga artist?” (laughs) Still, [he? I?] declared “[I'm? You're?] an adult already, do whatever [I? you?] like,” and I brought in a work to a publisher.
[T/N: I know the timeline doesn't make sense, but I typed in カリブの海賊 into Google and that's what I got. :\ ]

Q: You first submitted to Weekly Shonen Magazine, right?
A: Yes, I performed well with Nonchalantly Lupin (Magic Kaito's prototype) at Magazine. However, Nouchi-san, who later became Magazine's head editor, told me, “Your art doesn't suit Magazine,” so I headed for Weekly Shonen Sunday next. There, I won Shougakukan Newcomer Comic Award with my third contributed work Wait a Minute (SF love comedy) in '86. I finally managed to debut.

Q: Magic Kaito, your first serial work, started the following year. Things are going favorably.
A: Though my university classmates and lowerclassmen were assisting me, when contribution fees were paid for the first time, we all went to a sushi restaurant to celebrate. I felt like a pro when the first volume came out. I was so happy, I added extra manga. That first serial work still continues, even now (laughs). It's a life work now. I'm going to put out a new work in the summer. It'll be about Kaito's mother, Phantom Lady . . . or it's planned to be. Although, editor[s] really complained to me at first. The parts about tricks and love comedy is popular with adults and girls, but not with boys, [they/he/she] said. With Yaiba, I thought “you” while drawing it. But this time, only boys liked it (laughs).

Q: Please, tell us memories of YAIBA.
A: At the time, it was the first weekly series so I did stuff without care. I was completely absorbed in it. The idea of putting in jewels into the sword Raijinken (Sword of Thunder God) to make it stronger came from RPG, with the image of collecting items to become stronger – I'm glad that part was received well. Although, I think I failed because the work became too childish, in contrast [to Magic Kaito]. I like the final stage, the Yamatanoorochi (a Japanese mythical monster with eight heads and eight tails) arc. I thought I drew well, but the arc hasn't been animated (laughs). I wish that it will be animated, with current quality.

Q: After YAIBA is finally Detective Conan, what atmosphere did you imagine to make it?
A: Calico Cat Holmes. Though a cat shouldn't understand, it touches around evidence and such and the case gets solved. Same thing with Conan. Though a child shouldn't understand, he says things like “arere~?” I imagine Conan to be Calico Cat Holmes talking.

Q: How long did you plan on continuing it at first?
A: I never thought the serialization would be so long. I thought it would end with the first volume. The head editor said that since there is the anime, Future Boy Conan (directed by Miyazaki Hayao), I should change the title to “Detective Doyle,” but I persuaded him/her by saying, “I'll surpass Future Boy Conan!” But the new serialization notification article listed the title as “Detective Boy Conan”, and I thought, that's not good (laughs). However, about ten years ago, a person from Studio Ghibli told me, “Conan means the detective now, doesn't it?” and I thought, “Yes!”

Q: Tell me your Top 5 episodes.
A: #1 would be “Shaken Police Headquarters: 12 Million Hostages” (FILE 369-373). What else? I guess “Head to Head with the Black Organization: Full Moon Night's Dual Mystery” (FILE 429-434), which ran as a two-and-a-half-hour special in the anime. Ïn “The Case of the Murdered Diplomat” (FILE 92-96), where Heiji first makes an appearance, I liked Shinichi's eye-opening scene, where he said, “That's not right . . .” - I thought it went well, performance-wise. I also like the line, “There is . . . only one truth . . . don't you see?” In the anime, they say, “One truth remains!”, right? The anime's writer came up with this line, but I also came up with this line at the same time. I was surprised by the coincidence. “The Mysterious Passenger” (FILE 287-289) is a favorite, too. Conan's “Don't run away, Haibara . . . Don't run away . . . from your own destiny . . .” remains impressed in my memory. Shinichi picks his lines carefully, doesn't he? I'd also like to add “Following Holmes” (FILE 743-752). Since it was Conan's admired place, I put in some effort. I did some site research for it, too.

Q: You said that the next arc would be the London arc in the '03 interview, didn't you?
A: Wow, some time has passed since then, hasn't it? I tried drawing it, and I definitely struggled with the English. I decided from the beginning to feature Wimbledon, and I modeled Minerva Glass with the tennis player, Steffi Graf. The scene where conan says “I'll help you out!!” to Glass from the audience is based on an episode in Wimbledon in '96. During the semifinal between Graf and Date Kimiko, a fan said “Steffi, will you marry me?”, maybe to change the flow [of the game]. Then, Graf replied jokingly, “How much money do you have?” (laughs)

Q: How was the research in London?
A: The places that show up in the manga mostly consist of places I took pictures of during the research. The telephone box where Conan turned back to Shinichi really was at the end of crossing the Big Ben bridge. The gutter with “Valley of Fear” written across the top in the manga exists, too. I drew the hotel I stayed at as it was. For places I couldn't go, I investigated with Google Map. Maybe I could have drawn without the site research? (laughs)

Q: The end of that arc (Volume 72 planned to be sold in June) contained the much-awaited-for scene between Shinichi and Ran, didn't it?
A: The reaction was huge for that scene. I thought about tying in the fact that Holmes is weak in romance, and the “A bothersome, difficult case” line was decided before. Things went as planned.

Q: Is there a rule or a cycle behind deciding the timing for love-comedy and Black Organization episodes?
A: I decide when I feel it's time (laughs). Maybe fan letters have a pretty significant influence. I get stuff like “I want to read about Shinichi and Ran's childhood!” or “Please draw the BO arc soon!” The readers expectations for the BO arc is high. It's just, unlike normal fields, I have to draw hard core so it's quite a lot of work. But I like hard core things.

Q: Which character is fun to draw?
A: Haibara, perhaps. She's popular since her appearance, isn't she? She does exactly what I want her to do, and I can say what I want to say though her. This is pretty much the reason why I have Haibara say my comments at the official homepage, Conan News Agency.

Q: Which character is popular among the readers?
A: Sera Masumi, the new character. It seems that she's winning by an landslide. The name seems to be understood by people who understands. Is it good to have so much Gundam? (laughs) Maybe she's the sister of a major character . . . (laughs). I'm excited to see who the voice actor will be.

Q: I also wonder about the direction of Detective Takagi and Detective Satou's romance.
A: I plan on drawing Takagi and Satou's marriage ceremony. The thing is, during last year's movie, I thought about getting them married with a Kid plot involved, but if it's done in a movie, then I can't do it in the manga, so I decided against the idea.

Q: Conan has expanded broadly into student-read manga, anime, movies, live action drama, and media franchise. How do you produce them?
A: I'm mainly involved in the movie script and the original pictures. I entrust the other media in others.

Q: How were you involved in the newest movie, Detective Conan: Quarter of Silence?
A: About making the number '15' the theme, this was a consensus among the staff and myself to celebrate the 15th year of films. Having the stage be set on a snowy mountain was my idea. I thought that getting buried in an avalanche with a rescue time limit of 15 minutes would be just right.

Q: What are the scenes to watch for in this film?
A: The skateboard in a tunnel scene at the beginning. Wasn't it cool? Also, the scene where Conan says, “Words are knives. When used wrong, they become weapons.” (I drew the original picture for this). I also used this line in the manga once, I like it. I also was in charge of the original picture of the scene where Shinichi's prayer(?) appears when Conan and Ran miss each other in the avalanche.

Q: What is your recommended film so far?
A: The fifth film, Countdown to Heaven. Many things fit just right in that work, I'm proud of it. My little brother says he also likes this film the best. My little brother is a medical doctor who's also an anime otaku (laughs). I often consults with him. About the estimated time of death, the cause of death and such. A living medical book, super convenient! He's also knows about voice actors very well, so he calls and says things like, “Hayashibara-san would be great as Haibara's voice actor!” He also points out my faults, like “You're getting conceited with popularity” (laughs).

Q: Conan has become a long series that has continued for 17 years since the beginning of serialization, with 71 volumes published – any tips on continuing a long serialization?
A: No tips. On the contrary, when I draw a new case, I always draw with the feeling that this will be the last. Though when advancing forward the next story begins.

Q: What felt tough from the long serialization?
A: When I forget about the foreshadows I wrote a long time ago (laughs). It was a lot of work when I clarified Vermouth's foreshadows. I felt like I needed to include everything. I noted down all the foreshadows on a paper before and I handed it to the anime staff – I wish they'd return it (laughs). Maybe anokata's identity will be understood if the paper is seen?

Q: In the '08 interview with this magazine, you said that the next arc will be about Bourbon.
A: The Bourbon arc is still continuing. Aside from that arc, I've thought about a confrontation between Sera and Haibara. This will be spectacular. Both of them are “wolves,” after all (laughs).

Q: I'm excited to see it! When do you think you can write the last episode that you said you decided the contents of?
A: I don't know. But I don't think I'll exceed KochiKame in volume number (laughs). I've already decided the lines. The ending will be a happy one. This is my work, after all.

Q: You've done weekly serializations for 20 years, what does the one week cycle look like?
A: Two and a half to three days on the pre-manuscript, four to four and a half days on the drawing. The week is used up (laughs). I don't have the time to think of tricks. That's why things keep getting off. They let me take a break from time to time, but I don't rest at all. Because, on top of the manga, I have to make arrangements with the movie staff to draw the original pictures (laughs). That's why, when I turn in things at the last minute, no one complains. I've never failed to turn in my work, not once. I feel like I'll stop turning in work if I fail once.

Q: What do you want to do if you managed to take a break?
A: Sleep. Do nothing but sleep. Wake up a little, watch a movie, sleep again ( laughs). That would be my ideal life. Hotel living sounds nice, too . . .

Q: Do you return home?
A: Just on New Years every year. Since there are fans who bring shikishi's (in Japan, fans get signatures on papers called shikishi) and ask for signatures. On top of that, my parents save up one year's worth of shikishi's (laughs). Two hundred of them are copies, about twenty are the normal shikishi's. Still, when I return to the country nothing happens, so I start wanting to draw pictures.

Q: As I thought, you like to work, don't you?
A: You think? Now that I think about it, the dramas that I watch are all about police detectives. These days, all the new shows are recorded, and shows that aren't mysteries or about police detectives are eliminated. I play them when drafting. With dramas, you can understand the contents even while working. Recently, I've watched SPEC. Even though ESP people appear, the mystery is set up properly. In the last episode, I thought that when Touma (Toda Erika) said “I won!” (when she won the intellect battle against Ninomae (Kamiki Ryuunosuke)), she was really cool. If Toda-san was in her teens, I would have liked her to play Ran in the live action Conan drama (laughs).

Q: You've played the role of a police crime lab staff in Thief during this year's New Years.
A: I was also kindly allowed to consult with Mizutani Yutaka-san, my wish came true. He was a truly good person, he was just like Ukyou-san!

Q: Do you have an interest in scripts for dramas?
A: After I retire, maybe. But I think I'll be told that I should draw instead (laughs).

Q: When sensei draws manga, what do you value?
A: To draw cool boys and cute girls. Though Ran and Sera and such girls are becoming cooler these days (laughs).

Q: This year marks the 25th anniversary of your job; how would you describe this past quarter century?
A: Half of it was Conan. I feel like I want to demand my life back (laughs). I was 29 when I started. Time passed by, really fast. I feel like it's only been four years.

Q: Until what age do you want to stay active?
A: As long as I can. I want to retire when I reach Agasa's age (53), I think, but once I retire I think I'll start wanting to draw manga again. The assistants who've been with me since the beginning are aging, too – there's a lot of trouble. But, just like Chaplin, I'll keep saying “My best work is my next work”!

Q: Speaking of your next work, what about the Journey to the West that you mentioned in your interview with this mazagine in '08?
A: I want to draw Journey to the West! I've finished the character design for Goku, and there was a plan to publish a one-shot on Sunday, but drawing ancient Chinese backgrounds is quite troublesome so maybe not. I'll say this since I don't think I'll keep drawing, but it's quite interesting (laughs).

Q: Please do draw! Finally, please leave a message for the readers.
A: Thank you kindly for putting up with Aoyama Gosho's world for a long time. And I hope we'll get along in the future. “Let's get to the next case!” (laughs)

Mystery Magazine Interview

Date: April 25, 2011
Published in: Mystery Magazine, June issue

  Show spoilers »

Source: https://conan-4869.net/post-5413

Raw:

• 
• 
• 
• 

Nihon Uiversity College of Art Lecture Interview

Date: 26 June, 2011

  Show spoilers »

various collected posts by: justwantanaccount at the bottom of the
DCW interview list forum post : link (see bottom of first post)

I can give a source - and it's from 2chan( https://www.logsoku.com/r/2ch.net/ymag/1307192217/ ), essentially. ^^; This is my original post( https://www.detectiveconanworld.com/forum/topic/523-boss-of-the-black-organization/page-30#entry111958 ) - and as I mentioned in that post, it's up to you to believe this spoiler or not. I can translate the entire post where I got that spoiler from, if you'd like:

---

445 : 作者の都合により名無しです : 2011/06/25(土) 15:28:12.02 ID:rjCoLlGx0 [1回発言] 昨日大学でやったらしい青山トークショーのネタバレすごいんだけど そこまでぶっちゃけるのって感じ おとなファミよりすごい

445: Anonymous: 2011/06/25 (Sat) 15:28:12.02 ID:rjCoLlGx0 [Commented 1 time] The spoilers from a talk show Gosho reportedly did yesterday at a university is crazy Like, you're gonna spoil that much? It was crazier than [the interview in] OtonaFami

(Note: すごい can mean 'great, terrific, horrible', etc, but for this context I chose 'crazy')

(446-450 pretty much ask 445 to spill the details, then)

451 : 作者の都合により名無しです : 2011/06/25(土) 17:11:43.51 ID:nflQXEXH0 [1回発言] もったいぶるバカはほおっておけよ 俺が代わりにネタバレしてやる

博士は黒幕ではない

確定

451: Anonymous: 2011/06/25 (Sat) 17:11:43.51 ID:nflQXEXH0 [Commented 1 time] Ignore the idiot putting on airs I'll give the spoilers instead

Professor [Agasa] isn't BO boss (Note: 黒幕 literally means 'black curtain' or 'political fixer', but I'm pretty sure it means BO boss here)

Settled

453 : 作者の都合により名無しです : 2011/06/25(土) 18:39:03.56 ID:WCtBexQ10 [1回発言] 今後の展開において28巻を読み直しておくと おーとなるというレポがあった

453: Anonymous: 2011/06/25 (Sat) 18:39:03.56 ID:WCtBexQ10 [Commented 1 time] There was a 'Whoa!'-inducing report that said On future developments, [Gosho said that he'll] re-read Volume 28

457 : 作者の都合により名無しです : 2011/06/25(土) 21:48:18.35 ID:ava55YlP0 [1回発言] とりあえず検索して出てきた物

来場者との質疑応答があって 博士は黒組織のボス？って質問があって 「阿笠博士は黒の組織のボスじゃありません」って答える

バーローは何故バーローなの？ タッチかなんかあだち充作品の主人公がバーローって言ってたから

世良真純の人気が凄いと講演会で話す

あの花（あの日見た花の名前を僕達はまだ知らない。）を楽しみに見ていた 最終回も見て楽しんでから講演会に来た 花咲くいろはも楽しみに見てるよ

457: Anonymous : 2011/06/25 (Sat) 21:48:18.35 ID:ava55YlP0 [Commented 1 time] Anyways, here's what [I found] through searching

There was a Q&A session with the attendants, and [Gosho] answered, "Professor Agasa isn't the BO boss"

Why 'バーロー (bah-loh)'? (Note: You usually say 'baka', but Gosho likes to say 'bah-loh') Because Touch and other works by Adachi Mitsuru said 'bah-loh'

Talks about how popular Sera Masumi is during lecture

Was enjoying あの日見た花の名前を僕達はまだ知らない。( https://www.anohana.jp/ ) (We still don't know the name of the flower we saw that day) Enjoyed the last episode then came to lecture [He] looks forward to watching 花咲くいろは ( https://www.hanasakuiroha.jp/ ) (Blossoming Iroha) ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iroha )

---

Hmm, you're right, I need better sources - *googles, since apparently that's what the 2chan guy did to get all this info*

It seems true that Gosho really did give a lecture at his former university (Nihon University College of Art) (Original link redirects to homepage: http://www.art.nihon-u.ac.jp/ ), according to the university's website. This page talks about the Nichigei Award for Excellence, which Gosho apparently received this year - the website mentions that the award ceremony was moved from March 11th to April 8th due to the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, so the ceremony happened this year. This website also mentions that the university plans on having the two winners (one of whom is Gosho) give a lecture later. (授賞式は、3月11日の東日本大震災から間もない4月8日、芸術学部新入生歓迎式プログラムとして江古田キャンパスの大ホールで行われ、ご出席いただいた林真理子氏からは、壇上から受賞の喜びとともに励ましの言葉が述べられました。また、仕事の都合で残念ながら欠席された青山剛昌氏は、ビデオで心あたたまるメッセージを届けてくださいました。お二人には後日、学内で講演を行っていただく予定です。)

Then this fan website ( https://www.koware.net/cgi/conan_jyouhou/scheduler.cgi?mode=view&no=796 ) says that the lecture commemorating the Nichigei Award for Excellence is held on June 24th 2011 from 2pm at Nihon University College of Art Ekoda Hall. Apparently only university students could attend. (学部所属の学生さんのみ参加可能 ... 2011/06/24の14時から、日本大学芸術学部の江古田大ホールで日藝賞記念講演会として、青山先生の講演が行われます。)

One more evidence for the lecture! The university's blog (Original link redirects to 404: http://blog.ocn.ne.jp/close.html ) mentions that Gosho's lecture is on June 24th 2011. Here's the poster from that blog:

jpg_8.jpg

Okay, the fact that the lecture happened on June 24th 2011 at Gosho's alma mater seems legit . . . BRB googling more.

EDIT: Also, you have to admit that, while 2chan may not be 100% accurate, they do turn out to be mostly right most of the times. ^^; I mean, I learned about OtonaFami from there, and I always go to the 2chan Shonen Sunday Spoilers board to check for the latest spoilers on the latest Conan file, which has turned out to be pretty accurate so far. I'm also impressed that the lecture turned out to be true, as well.

EDIT2: Found one evidence for claim that "Gosho said Agasa isn't BO boss" via Twitter! This 青木敬士 (Aoki Keishi) person is, according to his profile, the Associate Professor at Nihon University of Art, Literary Arts(Creative Writing), and apparently organized the lecture that Gosho gave on June 24th (this tweet says that, since he is organizing the lecture, his classes are cancelled for those days) ( https://twitter.com/AOKI_KC/status/84051732849639426 ). He also lent his pen to Aoyama when Aoyama was signing signatures, and he got excited and jokingly tweeted that maybe he should take care not to wipe off Gosho's fingerprints (lol). ( https://twitter.com/AOKI_KC/status/84173256361394176 )

---

This tweet ( https://twitter.com/AOKI_KC/status/84179949887569920 ) is the main evidence:

青山剛昌先生、講演会の質疑応答で「阿笠博士は黒の組織のボスじゃありません」って明言しちゃってたけど(汗) ……もしかしたら叙述トリックかもしれないよ(笑)

Aoyama Gosho-sensei declared definitively during the lecture's Q&A that "Professor Agasa isn't the Black Organization's boss," ha ha *sweats* . . . maybe this is a narrative trick? (laughs)

This tweet ( https://twitter.com/AOKI_KC/status/84175955802865664 ) corroborates with what the 2chan board said about Gosho's favorite shows - maybe this is that one 2chan guy's source? I dunno.

講演会来場者との質疑応答のなかにあったんですが、青山剛昌先生も「あの花」の最終回は楽しみにして観ていらしたそうですよ！ あと「花咲くいろは」も

This was included in the Q&A with the attendants - reportedly, Aoyama Gosho-sensi also enjoyed watching "Anohana"'s last episode! "Blossoming Iroha", too

This tweet is the main evidence:

青山剛昌先生、講演会の質疑応答で「阿笠博士は黒の組織のボスじゃありません」って明言しちゃってたけど(汗) ……もしかしたら叙述トリックかもしれないよ(笑)

Aoyama Gosho-sensei declared definitively during the lecture's Q&A that "Professor Agasa isn't the Black Organization's boss," ha ha *sweats* . . . maybe this is a narrative trick? (laughs)

This tweet corroborates with what the 2chan board said about Gosho's favorite shows - maybe this is that one 2chan guy's source? I dunno.

講演会来場者との質疑応答のなかにあったんですが、青山剛昌先生も「あの花」の最終回は楽しみにして観ていらしたそうですよ！ あと「花咲くいろは」も

This was included in the Q&A with the attendants - reportedly, Aoyama Gosho-sensi also enjoyed watching "Anohana"'s last episode! "Blossoming Iroha", too

---

Oh! I found Nihon University's profile on Aoki Keishi. ( http://kenkyu-web.cin.nihon-u.ac.jp/Profiles/37/0003669/profile.html )

Club Sunday Interview

Date: October 28, 2011

  Show spoilers »

Source: https://conan-4869.net/post-5847

Raw:

まず、最初の「いつかコナン君たちを登場させてみたい!!という場所はどこですか？？」という質問には

「『名探偵コナン』の世界観には合わないけど…過去とか（笑）」

というお答えでした！！

江戸時代に同心として活躍するコナン君とか見てみたいですね！！

次の「様々な殺人事件が起こっている『名探偵コナン』ですが、自分が殺されるならこれが一番マシ…という殺され方はなんですか？」

という質問には

「眠っているうちに、眠るように…でも殺さないでね（笑）」

というお答えでした!!

……そりゃそうですね（笑）

そして、漫画家を目指している方必見！！「先生が一番影響を受けた作品はなんですか？」という質問には、

「ちばてつや先生、モンキーパンチ先生、あだち充先生、黒澤明監督の作品です。」

というお答えを頂きました！！

そして、そして！！

最後にどーーーーーーーしても気になることを質問させて頂きました！！

ズバリ、「黒ずくめの組織のボスは誰ですか！？」

衝撃のその答えは……！！

…………

「阿笠博士じゃないよ（笑）」

…残念!!　皆さん、本誌で正体が明かされるのを待ちましょう！！

Magic Kaitou Treasured Editions: Playback Episode Interviews

Published in: Magic Kaitou Treasured Editions released throughout 2011

  Show spoilers »

Translated by : Cocoa moth / Cocoa (from German)

Volume 1

Hello, it's me, Aoyama.
In the course of the republication of Magic Kaito I take the liberty to show my memories of this time straightforwardly. (grin)

The Revived Phantom Thief
The memorable first chapter! Actually I became a Mangaka because I wanted to write about a high school phantom (grin) and so I drew it under great tension! Well and back then I was short of money which is the reason why his hatband around his tophat isn't shaded with screen tone...

The Police Are Everywhere
The original title „Keikan ga ippai” referred to a movie... „Taiyou ga ippai”, a movie with Alain Delon („Purple Noon”). Detective Doron is an allusion, too, because „Delon” is written as „Doron” in Japan. (grin) By the way! The words „When you bend them, they...” Kaito announces the light-emitting diode were literally written on the package of one of those things I purchased on a public festival as a kid. (grin) Appearantly they're actually known as „glow stick”.

The Clockwork Heart
A science-fiction-thriller! A rarity for Kaito (grin). I recall that I perceived it as really exhausting to draw all the parts of the robot and that I had no computer, so that I had to write Kaito's farewell letter by hand (Haha!). By the way! In the panel the robot says „I'm Kuroba Kaito... Haha!!” Kaito's pupils look kinda strange (?). There I mimicked Akemi Matsunae of which I was a big fan back then. (grin)

Kaitou Kid's Busy Day Off
Back then, the 3D movie „Captain EO” starring Michael Jackson was being played in cinemas and has been satirized in this chapter, although I never thought 3D movies could have been revived because of „Avatar”... (grin) By the way! When I read the closing scene today I think that the phrase „But, ice cream... still tastes great!” is my most embarrassing quote ever (grin).

The Pirate Ship Unsurfaced
A sea adventure with Kaito? This is a rarity, too! (grin) I can't remember at all why I wanted to draw this story, but maybe I wanted a confrontation between a thief from the mainland and a thief of the seas...? (Ha!) Well, and so Kaito brought his costume of Kaitou Kid even to this place...?! (grin)

The Scarlet Temptress
There she is! Mistress Akako! To be honest, she, as practitioner of black magic, is the reason who drove me into the corner the most during Kaitos appearances in Conan. Well, you just have to accept these works as parallel universes. (grin) By the way, Kaito Kuroba is written on the handkerchief, this probably was a prank done by his mom (Chikage)... (grin)

Aoyama Kid ♥

Volume 2

Stay Away From Him
Although it's more of a romantic tale than a thief story I really like this one ♥ Especially the panel with „Well, excuse me for being an idiot...“ is a real gem, because of how often I had to redraw it! (laughs) Additionally, Superman and Top Gun appear... which is according to my taste! It's also revealed in this story that Aoko is flat-chested. (laughs)

Japan's Most Irresponsible Prime Minister
A story I used one of my then-favourite actors Hitoshi Ueki, who has passed away in the meantime, as model! I also dared to use the Japanese prime minister - this was probably really audacious... And then characters appear who look like the past leaders of the USSR and the USA, Gorbachev and Reagan... (sweating). By the way, did anyone notice the „Akako balloon“ in the night sky? (laughs)

I Am the Master!
This story was purely written because I felt like it! Anyway, I really wanted to draw how Kaitou Kid makes a balls to the wall ride down the facade of a building... (laughs). I would be nice if they one day made an Anime out of it ♫ Oh well, even if Cleopatra's Vanity case should really exist, two thousand years later one probably couldn't use it anymore... (laughs)

Would You Grow Up
If I remember correctly, the hang-glider associated with Kaitou Kid lifted the first time in this story. Well, one could also say that Kaitou Kid could have fled from the get-go with it, instead of stretching a rope to the Tokyo Tower first (laughs). I'd really like to bring the motorized roller skates again.

The Boy Who Bet on the Ball
It has also been really daring to take real professional baseball player as a model... (laughs). I think the story was created after I talked with my editor in charge about how thrilling it would be if Kaitou Kid appeared on a pole in Tokyo Dome. Well, the Yomiuri Giants are working together with Conan in several ways anyway, so I hope they can turn a blind eye to this... (fierce laughter)

Ghost Game
If I remember correctly, I was frantically busy because I had to draw „Tantei George no Minimini Daisa-kusen“ („Detective George's Mini-Mini Big Strategy“) three weeks in a row for the Sunday magazine, so I finished this chapter in a very short time... (laughs). Directly afterwards my series „Yaiba“ started, because of which „Magic Kaito“ had to pause for a while. Hard to believe that the series is continued until today...! (laughs)

Hustler vs. Magician
Originally this was the true second chapter of „Magic Kaito“! But... it was rejected! Since my debut in „Sunday“ there was never a story before or after it that was rejected. It's real luck that it made it into this volume! (laughs)

Omake
„Magic Kaito“ was the first Manga I was allowed to publish as a Mangaka, which could be the reason I drew this story with zest and high motivation... Oh well, this probably was my youthful enthusiasm... (laughs)

Aoyama Kid ♥

Volume 3

Star Wars
The first „Magic Kaito“ story I drew in the Heisei era (since 1989 -editor's note). There are several stories in which someone tries to gain profit from using a false Kid, but this is the shining first one! At the crime scene Kid announced a lot of Kid fans have assembled and shout "Kid! Kid!". Pretty clever idea, huh? Because this has developed to a classical element until today.

The Great Detective Appears!!
Entrance of Saguru Hakuba! No, not only that, the chief inspector also shows his face...! Perhaps the junior was just worried because the top policeman never appears at the crime scene? (grin) By the way, Kid is so bad at ice skating because I'm so lousy in it myself.

Kaitou Under Scrutiny
The skirt of Aoko's school uniform is so long and Kid's television is so big! From this you can tell the time! (Haha!) Apropos, the newspaper appearing on the last page is called „Oshima Daily Paper“ in the original version. Most of the newspapers shown in „Magic Kaito“ were named after my then editors. I beg your pardon. (grin)

Akako's Delivery Service
Kaitou Kids measurements, 1.74 m (~ 5'9") and 58 kg (~ 128 lbs), naturally are my measurements from back then! The same goes for his blood type! (grin) Back then I thought it's really cool that it's possible to figure out skin colour and age of a person just by a single hair, but today, with DNA analysis you can figure out the whole identity of the person the hair belongs to. The progress of science is frightening... (Haha!)

(Extra Chapter) Yaiba vs. Kaito!
I was told to draw a short, self-contained story and this dream sequence is the result. Back when I was a kid I already loved collaborations like „Mazinger Z vs. Devilman“, so I wanted to draw something like this. This is also the reason Kaitou Kid appears in Conan... (grin)

Blue Birthday
The first time the gem Kaitou is after is the name origin for the title! Because this was the first „Magic Kaito“ after a very long time I debuted Kaitou Kid's arch-enemy and I can remember how much this motivated me... but it's also a story about a nightly firework in the midst of the city which must have made a lot of trouble in the surroundings... (grin)

Green Dream
Oh well, this story is nothing special, but to be honest, it's this story which grew dear to my heart. (grin) What should I say about it? The rhythm is felicitous. This story was the first time I drew Kid's „signature“ we've grown so accustomed to. You can also tell from the name of one of the persons appearing that I really loved „Furuhata Ninzaburō“ back then - a japanese police detective drama.

Aoyama Kid ♥

Volume 4

Hello, it's me, Aoyama.
Since Magic Kaito is being republished I allow myself to show my memories about the past without further delay. (grin)

Crystal Mother
This is the Kaito-train story I always wanted to draw! Including some allusions to "Lupin III" or "Sherlock Holmes" it became a story during which I could live it up... (grin) Snake, who got severely hurt in the tunnel returns in the following chapter completely unharmed. That's what I call "tough“! (Ha, ha!)

Red Tear
Back when this story was published the first time, the thre first pages were in color! In fact, this created a mystery: „The gem on page 1 is blue, but the one on the cover page is red... Why oh why?“ Great that we can revive this mystery in all its glory! (grin) By the way, the closing scene in which all the photos containing the fondest memories are projected against the wall is an homage to the closing scene of the movie „Cinema Paradiso“. ♪ I used this highlight again in „Detective Conan – The Last Wizard of the Century“. (grin)

Black Star
The first confrontation with the one and only Shinichi Kudo! In this story, Kaito says: „The inspector couldn't catch him even if he used a satellite system!“ But really, it's kind of surprising that he hasn't caught him before, isn't it?! (grin) Shinichi is firing a pistol? Akako wants to use magic to get rid of Shinichi? Little Kaito is flirting with Aoko? What a crazy story! (grin) Well, the scene in which Akako uses her magic powers was cut from TV syndication, but it was restored for the DVD, so everyone who wants to watch it, can do so now. ♥ Oh yeah, the title „Black Star“! I believe there are some readers who ask themselves why this gemstone served as the namesake of the story even though it's just mentioned in passing at the end. That's because Kaitou Kid himself is the "Black Star" after all ★ – hence the title! ♪

Golden Eye
The first duel of the phantoms! (... maybe.) Catherine Zeta-Jones was the model for the character Ruby Jones. ♥ Well, they don't look very much alike... (Ha, ha!) In this story it's made clear that Kaito was born in June and Aoko in September! Exactly... Kaitou Kid may be a thief, but he is also a magician, so it really delighted me to slip in the name of the grandiose real-life magician Harry Houdini. (grin) There are a lot of tricky moments that show how much Detective Conan "poisoned" this story... (Ha, ha!)

Dark Knights
The mask Nightmare is wearing is based on one I bought during a vacation in Spain, because I really liked it. It now hangs at the wall of my living room. (Ha, ha!) Again, in this story is a lot to analyze and moreover, it ends in a thought-provoking, grim mood, which isn't very typical for „Magic Kaito“. On the other hand, this isn't bad either, isn't it? Superintendent Chaki, an old acquaintance from Detective Conan, had his origin in this story. Further on, Hakuba's nanny „Baaya“ has her very first appearance in here! Actually, it's said that there is another nanny for him who has a more docile personality, but that's a different story altogether... (He, he...)

Phantom Lady (Preannouncement)
This story revolves around how the original Kaitou Kid obtained a wonderfully beautiful jewel for the first time. ♥ It will be the first in Volume 5... I wonder when it will be released? (grin)

2012

Monthly BLT Interview

Date April 24, 2012
Published in: Monthly BLT, June issue

  Show spoilers »

Source: https://conan-4869.net/post-20045 https://ameblo.jp/story0816/entry-11233039221.html

Raw:

Ｑ: いつ顷から、どういうきっかけでサッカーを好きになったか。
⇒好きになったのは“ドーハの悲剧”（1993年に开催された日本代表とイラク代表のサッカーの国际试合）の顷から。コナンが始まる前。日本中ががっかりした试合だったけど…顽张れって気持ちにもなった、あの顷からサッカーは好きですね。

Ｑ. ロベルト・バッジョ选手（イタリアの至宝と呼ばれた选手）が好きだと闻いたが、他に好きな选手は？
⇒确かにバッジョ选手は好き。他にはＣＳＫＡモスクワで活跃している本田圭佑选手もいい。喋りがかっこいいし、面白い。昔だとヒデ。コナンにもヒデがいるが、コナンの方のヒデ（赤木英雄）の方が先に出ている（笑）

Ｑ. 今回、剧场版シリーズとして“サッカー”を题材するに至って、先生のこだわりとは？
⇒やっぱり前回のワールドカップ南アフリカ大会での远藤选手のフリーキック、凄かった。远藤选手のあの时のフリーキックは凄いカーブで、弧を描きゴールネットに…これをコナンに蹴らせたい!!と思った。その思い入れは込められたかな(笑)。本田の无回転シュートもいいんだけど…今回の作品的に无回転だと无理かなと思って(何で无理かは剧场で确认してくださいね）。

Ｑ. コナンのリフティングについて。
⇒１巻ぐらいにしか出て来ないんだけど…コナンが推理するときに、リフティングをしてたら面白いなぁと思ったんだけど、リフティングのシーンを描くと、意外とコマをくっちゃうんだよね(笑)。だから１回しかやってない。だから今回はせっかくだし…コナンにリフティングを思う存分、やらせてみた（笑）。

Ｑ. 现役の选手の方々に声优を実际にして戴きましたが、どうでしたか？
⇒みなさん、顽张って戴いてよかった。カズさん(三浦知良选手)は、とても自然な感じだったし。

Ｑ. 作品中に出てくる东京スピリッツ、ビッグ大阪のユニフォームのデザインは、どこかのチームのユニフォームからインスピレーションはあったか？
⇒东京スピリッツはイタリア、セリエＡ“ユベントス”。昔、ロベルト・バッジョがいた、あのチーム。ビッグ大阪は特にないんだけど…あえて言うなら、昔の浦和レッズ、鹿岛アントラーズの襟部分などを参考にしたかな。

Ｑ. 今回の构想期间はどれくらい？
⇒大体２年前から始めた。それくらい始めないと间に合わない。

Ｑ. 作品を描く时、どうしているか？
⇒音楽がかかっていると集中できない、だから无音。たまに気分展开したい时に音楽をかけたり、気晴らしに映画を観たりしている。集中して考える时は绝対に音はない。逆に絵を描くときは、音楽をかける。昔は、大滝咏一さんとかブルーハーツ。ブルーハーツは“1000のバイオリン”という曲が大好き。がっかりすることがあると、この曲を聴く。大体オレの头の中って、この曲の歌词みたい。ブルーハーツはコナンの最初の主题歌だし。あとはアニメを流したりもする。例えば、“ちはやぶる”は超おもしろくてあれはいい。このアニメを流しながら、コナンの杀人シーンを描いたりした(笑)。

Ｑ. 今回のようにサッカーという要素の中に、事件・推理・爆破などの要素を入れて、１つの作品として完成させるのは大変だったと思うが、どうだったか？
⇒大変だった。漫画の原作でサッカースタジアムで犯人が狙撃して、コナンが阻止するというのをやってしまったので、狙撃はもうできないし(笑)。狙撃できないなら爆発しかないよね(笑)。

Ｑ. 打ち合わせは何度も重ねたんですよね？
⇒打ち合わせは大体仆の家でするんだけど、暗号をどうしようとみんなで悩んでいたとき、仕事场でトリックの一部を完成させて“これにしよう”と言って决めたり…。トリックは思い浮かんで决まるときは早い。作品を完成させる时は、まず“トリック”を完成させる、トリックが决まらないと全然话にならないので。今回の场合だと、サッカーに全体が引っ张られ过ぎるとよくないし。トリックをしっかり决め、そしてサッカーの要素などを加えて完成させた。

Ｑ. これまでの作品で、実在する人がモデルになっているキャラクターはいるか？
⇒高木刑事だけ実在ではないけれど、漫画家“よしまさこ”さんの作品で、です・ます调のキャラクターがいて、そのキャラの见た目でなく、中身を参考にさせてもらった。

Ｑ. 今回の作品を実际に観て、特に印象に残ったシーンや“细かいところだけど気づいてほしい”というシーンがあれば教えてください。
⇒お～っと思ったのは、スタジアムの电光掲示板が爆発して…あることが起きるじゃない?!あとコナンのサスペンダーが(あとは剧场で)。それとカズのシーンが良かった、全体的にアップテンポな进行の中で、ゆったりとしていて。

Ｑ. 剧场版コナンを一般の映画馆で観るか？
⇒耻ずかしくて一般の映画馆では観ない。でも『世纪末の魔术师』という作品で、怪盗キッドを出そうってオレが言ったんだけど、本当に作品に登场するのか？と思って、映画馆へ『世纪末の魔术师』の予告编だけを确认しに、ガメラか何かの作品を観に行きました(笑)。あの时の怪盗キッドはオレが描いた原画だったし、スクリーンサイズで観れて感动した。

Ｑ. 今回のコナンは冒头からハードアクションだったが、どんなアクション作品のイメージがあったのか。
⇒ダイ・ハードか２４かな。それと、“パニック・イン・スタジアム”というスタジアムの中が大騒ぎになる作品も少しイメージした。

Ｑ. 兰が新一に携帯电话で连络するシーンについて。
⇒原作では既にエクスペリアじゃなくてエクスペリカンというスマホを使っているし、灰原はプ●ダフォンだし、ベルモットはアイ●ォンだしね。

Ｑ. 兰など素敌な女の子たちが登场しているが、『名探侦コナン』という作品の中で特に好きな女の子は谁か？
⇒やっぱヒロインの兰かな。好きなのは兰、そして特别な女の子が灰原かな。こなん通信社の中で灰原の一言もオレが考えているんだけど、ほぼ灰原はオレの代弁者になっているね。あと兰は勇往迈进というか（新一のことを）待っていてくれるのは嬉しいというか…あと强いしね。ちなみに女の子が强いシーンを描くのって嬉しい。今、世良ちゃんも出ているけど、描くのが楽しい…目の下にクマがあるけど(笑)。

Ｑ. ジャイアンツが好きだと闻きました。剧场版の作品で、スポーツに関する题材としてどんなスポーツをやってみたいか。

⇒野球だね。でもジャイアンツに肩入れするのも…(笑)。やるなら世界的に有名なスポーツがいいと思う。スポーツ観戦するのが好き。基本、何でも観る。

Translated by: justwantanaccount

Q: Since when and how did you come to like soccer?
A: I liked soccer since the Agony of Doha (the international soccer match between Japanese and Iraqi representative opened in 1993). This is before Conan started. Although this was a match that let down Japan, I also felt like cheering (Japan). I've liked soccer from that time, yes.

Q: I heard that you like Roberto Baggio (footballer who was called Italy's treasure), but who else do you like?
A: Yes, I do like Baggio. As for other players, I also like Keisuke Honda, who is active in CSKA Moscow. His way of speaking is cool, and (his speaking? he?) is interesting. In old times, (my favorite was) Hide. Although there's another Hide in Conan, Conan's Hide (Hideo Akagi) appeared first (laughs).

Q: What is sensei's fixation when researching about soccer for this year's film series?
A: Endou's free kick in World Cup South Africa was amazing. Endou's free kick at that time had an amazing curve, drawing an arc toward the goal net . . . I thought, I want to make Conan kick this!!. Maybe this wish was included (laughs). Honda's knuckle shot was amazing, too . . . but I thought that knuckle shots would be impossible this time, product-wise (to understand why, please confirm at the movie theater).

Q: About Conan's (soccer ball) juggling . . .
A: This appeared only around the first volume . . . I thought that it would be interesting if Conan was juggling (a soccer ball) while deducing, but the juggling scenes, when drawn, eat up the panel, contrary to expectations (laughs). That's why I only did it once. That's why I had Conan juggle to his heart's content, given the opportunity (laughs).

Q: You had actual soccer players voice acting. How was it?
A: Everybody did their best for us, it was great. Kazu-san (Kazuyoshi Miura) was a natural, too.

Q: Did you get inspiration from some team for your work's Tokyo Spirits' and Big Osaka's uniforms?
A: Tokyo Spirits' is from Italy's Serie A Juventus F.C.. The team Baggio was a part of a long time ago. There's no specific (inspiration) for Big Osaka . . . but if you insist, I may have consulted Urawa Red Diamonds', Kashima Antlers' collar.

Q: How lond was the planning process this time?
A: We started about two years ago. We can't finish on time if we don't start around there.

Q: When drawing your work, what do you do?
A: I can't focus when music is playing, so no music. I play music to improve my mood, or play movies to brighten my mood. When I'm thinking with focus, there is never any sound. In the old days, (I played) Eiichi Otaki, Blue Hearts, etc.

Q: It must have been a lot of work to include elements of soccer, incident, deduction, explotion and finish them as one product. How was it?
A: It was a lot of work. (I) already did (a case) in the manga where the culprit is sniping, and where Conan stops him, so (we) couldn't do sniping anymore (laughs). If sniping is out, you can only do explosions, right? (laughs)

Q: Business meetings were held repeatedly, right?
A: Business meetings are usually done at (Not a Japanese name, not sure wtheck this is)'s house, but when everyone was pondering over the cipher, we'll complete one part of a trick at the workplace and decide while saying "Let's use this!" . . . For tricks, the time when thinking up and deciding is fast. To finish a work, first finish the trick. If the trick isn't decided, the story doesn't form. In this case, it's not good to pull apart soccer as a whole. (We) first firmly decided the trick, then added elements of soccer to finish.

Q: In your work so far, do you have character(s) who are modeled off of people in real life?
A: Only Detective Takagi isn't based off of a real-life person; he is based on a character who speaks politely in the manga artist Masako Yoshi's work. I consulted that character's insides, not (his/her) appearance.

Q: Tell us about scenes that left you an impression or scenes that you want others to notice despite being insignificant when you watched this year's work.
A:(The scene that) made me think Wow! is when the stadium's electronic bulletin board explodes, and . . . something happens, right?! Then Conan's suspenders (go to the theater for more). And Kazu's scene was good, its pace was easy-going in the middle of an up-beat one.

Q: Do you watch Conan's films in an average (or public, I think) theater?
A: I'm embarrassed to watch in an average theater. But in the work "The Last Wizard of the century", since I suggested making Kaito Kid appear and I thought, Will (he) really appear?, I went to a theater to just confirm "The Last Wizard of the Century"'s trailer while watching Gamera or whatever (laughs). Kaito Kid at that time was (based on) my storyboard, and I felt happy to see it on the big screen.

Q: This time's Conan is hard action from the beginning. What action work did you base it on?
A: Die Hard or 24, maybe. (My comment: Gosho has mentioned in the manga how he has watched 24 before. It's a US detective series, so you guys should be able to watch it, if you wanted to.) I also based it a little on the work Panic in Stadium (Note: the US title is Two-Minute Warning), where there's turmoil in a stadium.

Q: On the scene where Ran contacts Shinichi with a cell phone.
A: In the original work (Note: the manga), (Conan?) uses a smart phone called XPERIKAN (Note: this is what's on the manga to avoid copyright violations, probably - not a real phone), not Xperia. Haibara (uses) Prada phone, and Vermouth (uses) iPhone.

Q: Charming girls like Ran appears (in your work). In the work called Detective Conan, which female character do you especially like?
A: I guess it would have to be the heroine, Ran. I like Ran, and the special girl would be Haibara. I think about Haibara's comments in the Conan News Agency, too; she's become my spokeswoman, hasn't she? Ran is full of courage, and she waits for Shinichi, which makes (Gosho?) happy . . . she's strong, too. By the way, I feel happy drawing scenes where girls are strong. Right now, Sera-chan is appearing, too, and it's fun to draw (her) . . . although, she has bags under her eyes (laughs).

Q: I hear that you like the Giants. What kind of sports do you want to do as the theme of a film, if the theme is sports-related?
A: It would be baseball. But supporting Giants might be . . . (laughs). If (I'm/we're/etc) going to do it, I think that it's good to (pick a) sport that's famous all over the world. I like to watch sport matches. Basically, I watch anything.

Sankei News Interview

Date: June 23, 2012

  Show spoilers »

Source: https://conan-4869.net/post-7967

Raw:

• 

ミステリーをお願いできませんか」

漫画家生活８年目に入った平成５年、「週刊少年サンデー」編集部から新しい企画の依頼があった。

ドキリとした。「大変じゃないか、と。トリックを考えるのも設定も」

昭和６１年、同誌掲載の「ちょっとまってて」でデビュー。平成５年に「ＹＡＩＢＡ（やいば）」で小学館漫画賞（児童部門）を受賞した期待の漫画家だった。ライバル誌では、高校生探偵が活躍する「金田一少年の事件簿」が人気を博し、少年漫画にミステリーのジャンルが確立されつつあった時期だ。

構想を練っていると、子供のころ好きだった推理小説を思い出した。イギリスのコナン・ドイル「シャーロック・ホームズ」、フランスのモーリス・ルブラン「アルセーヌ・ルパン」、そして日本の江戸川乱歩「少年探偵団」…。小学校の図書館で借りて、ドキドキしながら全巻を夢中になって読んだ。

特に、ドイルの短編「踊る人形」では、名探偵ホームズが黒い人形の暗号を解く姿にしびれた。

「子供の落書きみたいな人形の絵を見たホームズは、これはアルファベットの『Ｎ』だと暗号を解く。これがすごくかっこいい。もし、この本を読んでいなかったら、たぶんコナンは描いていなかった」 自身の小学校入学前後、映画館で長編アニメ「長靴をはいた猫」を見て、アニメーターになりたいと思ったという。漫画家を本気で目指したのは大学時代だ。

アニメ制作のために入った大学の漫画研究会で、漫画家の先輩、阿部ゆたかさんから「お前は、絵がうまいな。漫画家になってみないか」と誘われた。

ところが、実家で父親の大反対にあう。

「俺はお前よりずっと絵がうまい友達を知っている。カニを描いたら今にも動き出しそうだ。しかし、そいつは貧乏で食うにも困っている。お前が絵で生きていけるわけがない！」

しかし、自信はあった。大学在学中にあみだした独自の画法だ。それまでの絵は、目が「タッチ」のあだち充さんで、つんとした鼻は「あしたのジョー」のちばてつやさん、口角が上がった口は「ルパン三世」のモンキーパンチさん－という有名漫画家の作品を生かした合体技。しかし、自身の絵に特徴をつけたいと、試行錯誤を続ける。発見したのが、交通標識のような独特の印象を持つ目の描き方だ。

「これはいける！と思った。こんな描き方をする人は、他にいない。描きやすいし、一発で俺の絵と分かる」と直感した。

一つのストーリーのために、トリックやヒント、犯人の動機、舞台設定などについて１２時間以上も細かく打ち合わせするのは、心底、作品とミステリーを愛しているからだろう。古今東西のミステリー小説、ドラマ、映画、実在の生活や友人、知人の職業、すべてを参考資料として活用する。

「話を考えるのも好きだし、絵を描くのも好き。好きなことを仕事にするのは本当に楽しい」

一方で、「もし連載開始がバブルの時代なら１８年も続かなかった」とも思う。その時代は次々と新しいものが求められた。バブル崩壊後の連載だからこそ「せっかく誕生した面白いものを長く続けないとやばいと思った」という。

危機感は意図的に作り出す。毎年ゴールデンウイークに合わせて公開される映画では、常に「これが最後」と思い、全力投球する。

人気に甘えず、常に緊張感を持って描き続けたことが、成功を引き寄せた。「いつかアニメの映画監督もしたい」。創作意欲はもちろん、旺盛なチャレンジ精神はまだまだ衰えない。

－－少年時代は？

「コナンでいうと（少年探偵団の）光彦みたいにいろんなことを知っていて、知ったかぶりするタイプ。漫画もアニメも好きで、絵もよく描いていました」

－－今はどんな生活ですか？

「朝の６時ごろまで仕事をして昼の１２時に起きます。コナン君を描いて１８年ですが、自分にとってはまだ５、６年しかたっていない感じ。『小１から読み始め、今は一児の母です』などと読者から報告を受けると、感慨深いですね」

－－今年１月３日の「青山剛昌ふるさと館」などが主催したイベントで「コナンは１００巻まで続かない」と発言されたとか？

「続くかもしれないし、続かないかも…。でも、結末は決めていますよ」

－－コナンに登場する犯罪組織の黒幕は、男ですか、女ですか

「それは言えない。でも、今までにフルネームで登場している人です」

Gosho's True Intentions Interview

Date: November, 2012

  Show spoilers »

Source: http://andantets.blog90.fc2.com/blog-entry-550.html

Raw:

まずは半スタッフさん(九州からいらしたコアなファンの方四名)からの質問！

Q山村警部は映画で昇進したのに原作でも昇進しましたね？
A漆黒の打合せで「いいですか」って聞かれたので「いいよ」と。
でも群馬の方から群馬の恥だから止めてとお手紙を頂きました(笑)

Qコナン13巻、テレビ中継の有藤選手は４番サードの有藤ですか？
A野球が上手い編集さんからとりました。
同一人物ではないですよ。

Q劇場版の監督はしてみたいですか？
Aやりたいけど時間が無いなあ。でも大幅に直してるよ！

Q逆に先生からファンに質問などは？
A千葉と高木について手紙で質問貰いました。タメ口から先輩後輩になったのは何故ですかって。
ごめんね、それ忘れてた(笑)アニメにつられてついそうなりました。

Q贈られて困るものは？
A生物（なまもの）は止めて！！手紙が嬉しいなあ。

ここから会場から質問タイム。
埼玉、茨城、中国、台湾と、かなり遠くからかなりコアな方々が集まっておりました(・・;)

Q由美さんは元彼がいるという話がありましたが、そういう恋の話は描かれますか？
Aありますよ！かなりイケメン、ホストみたいなイメージです。
元彼は今も由美さんを追いかけてます。でも由美さんは嫌いなんですよね。
気が向いた時に描きます、描かないかもね(笑)

Q素敵な車が沢山作中に出ますが、まだ描きたい車はありますか？
A結構描いちゃったなー。
白馬のバアヤの車とか好きかな。
あ、スカイライン描きたいな。これまだだよね？
(アニメで高木の車ですとめっちゃ突っ込みたかったww)

Q黒の組織との対決はあと何戦しますか？
Aあといくつかは分からないけど、もういいとこまでいってるよ。
ただ、きちんとは段取りしていません。

Qイラストレーターになりたいんですがアドバイスを。
A一杯描いて、真似て、そこからだね。
僕はモンキーパンチ先生やあだち先生を真似てました。

Q原稿が順調じゃない時はどうされますか？
A間に合わないとか無い(笑)
すごい大変でね、ストーリーも難しいし遅れて当たり前なのに！こんな話なのが悪いんだ！って気持ち(笑)

～ここでフィーリングゲームタイム～
ゲームの内容はまた別に書きたいと思います。

改めて質問タイム！

Q映画の高木刑事には甥がいることになってますが、兄や姉は出ますか？
Aそうなの！？スタッフが勝手にやっちゃった可能性があるなあ。
和葉のオカンとか、いることになってるけどまだ、ってキャラは、今後出る可能性があります。

Q来年の映画は？
A言っていいの？？(ファンを確認して)
平次と和葉は出ます。あと、海関係です！

Q主題歌の中でもB'zでは何が好きですか？
Aギリギリchop！
主題歌以外なら『愛のままに～』が好きだな。
普段は有線で邦楽を聞いてます。

Q原稿はどのくらいかかりますか？
Aネームに3日、下書きに2日、ペン入れに2日かな。

Q先生は本もお好きですが、オススメは？
A次のコミックス折り返しでは、チーム・バチスタの白鳥を書きますよ。(ファンの反応が薄い)
あれっ、みんな知らない！？
あれも出版社さんに許可をもらって書きます。

Q白鳥警部の大ファンですが、髪型が難しくて描けません。コツを教えて下さい。
A正直俺も難しい(笑)
珊瑚礁をイメージしてね。

Q思い出に残る事件は何ですか？
Aベルツリー急行！アシも死んでました。
原稿が遅れて、休みを貰ったりも。休めない休み(笑)

Q伊達刑事と安室は同僚だったんですか？今後描かれますか？
A言っちゃっていいの？
……ってことは続きあります(笑)
根幹の部分なんで、詳しくは言えません。

Qコナンくんたちはよくお出かけしますが、場所はどう決めていますか？
Aリクエストは色々来るよ。沖縄とか北海道とか、端が多いかな。
方言はやりすぎると違うとか分からないとかあるから、控えめにしてます。
あ、関西弁以外ね。あれはみんな分かるからやります。

Qどうして『コナン』を描こうと思ったんですか？
Aあの頃マガジンで『金田一少年～』が流行っててね。
で、描いてみろって言われたから（笑）

Q高木刑事は鳥取出身なんですか？そんな描写がありますが、味噌汁が辛いが分からないし…違うんですか？
Aえ、俺鳥取出身て描いた！？
あー、田舎の母ちゃんは、東京かもね(笑)ずっと生まれも育ちも東京かもよ。
Qちなみにプライベートが全く分からないんですが……
Aまだ、ね。
※ここの高木くんについては私が質問させて頂いたので、かなり記憶があやふやです；※

Qミステリーツアーに、先生は携わっているんですか？

Aいや全く。あ、でもパスリングを使うようなのをやりたいねって話はありますよ。

2013

Movie 17 Interview with Aoyama Gosho and Shibasaki Kou

Date: April, 2013

  Show spoilers »

Source:
Raw
Translation

Raw:

劇場版「名探偵コナン」シリーズ、17作目となる最新作『名探偵コナン 絶海の探偵(プライベート・アイ)』。本作では海上自衛隊の全面協力の下、迫力の映像が実現した。スペシャルゲストとして出演したのは学生時代からコナン読者という柴咲コウ。ミステリアスな女性自衛官・藤井七海をクールに演じた。約7年ぶりの声優挑戦とは思えない堂々とした演技に原作者の青山剛昌も「かっこいい！」と太鼓判を押すほど。今回が初対面の二人だが、そこはコナンがつなぐ縁。読者ならではのコナンへの思い、作家ならではのこだわりを語った。

■お互いは初対面。でもコナンとは20年近くの付き合い！

Q：初対面だそうですが、お互いの印象はどうですか。

青山剛昌（以下、青山）：よくテレビで見ているんですよ、「ガリレオ」とか。そのまんまですね。

柴咲コウ（以下、柴咲）：わたしは単行本を買っているのですが、そこに青山先生の似顔絵が描いてありますよね？

青山：いつも、殺されているやつですね。

柴咲：そうそう！　血が流れている（笑）。似ています。さすがです。

Q：柴咲さんが最初にコナンを読んだのはいつごろですか。

柴咲：うろ覚えなのですが、少年サンデーで読んでいました。確かわたしが中学生くらいのときに連載が始まったと思います。もしかしたら、第1話か、その次くらいから読んでいるんじゃないかな。

青山：おお、すごい！　子どもの頃読んでいた人が、今はお父さんになって、子どもと一緒に観ているという人も多いんですよ。

Q：柴咲さんにとって、コナンの魅力とは？

柴咲：完全に読者としての感想でいいですか（笑）。まず、絵がすごく入っていきやすいんです。特徴があって、一目見て覚えやすい。でも、解く謎は一級。テレビドラマで時間をかけて扱うような難事件だったりするから、いつの間にか世界に引き込まれてしまうんです。

青山：べた褒めですね。ありがとうございます。

■コナン史上最もハードな内容に子どもが付いてこられない!?

Q：今回は憧れのコナンの世界に海上自衛官・藤井七海として登場しますね。

柴咲：読者って多少、わがままな部分があるじゃないですか。自分の都合のいいように解釈したり（苦笑）。今回はスペシャルゲストという形で、この映画だけのキャラクターで参加できたので、自分としてはラッキーだったと思います。

青山：藤井七海のキャラクターデザインも僕がやっているんですよ。柴咲さんが演じられると聞く前に描いたのですが、「美人にしてほしい」という要求があったので、眉毛をひょひょひょいと、目は軍人っぽくきりっとさせました。

柴咲：眉毛、かわいいですよね！　軍人役と聞いてきちんと演じられるのか、ちょっと心配だったのですが、緊張感をずっと持ち続けていたので、そこを膨らませていけば何とかなるかなと思っていました。それから、わたしが声を入れたときには、もうほとんどの人の声が入っていたので、とても参考になりましたね。何もない状態で入れるのはすごく大変なんじゃないかと思いますが、コナン君の声ももう入っていましたから。

青山：うまかったですよ。違和感がなかった！

柴咲：でも、やり直ししたんですよ。歌も歌っているせいか、せりふにメロディーというか、ふに落ちるイントネーションがあるんです。それに合ったときは後から聞いても大丈夫なんですけど、時々「これでいいのかなぁ？」と何となくメロディーが合っていないような気がするものはどこか違和感や気持ち悪さが残って、やり直すことがありました。

青山：そういうときには自分から「録（と）り直した方がいいんじゃないですか」って言うの？　すごいなぁ。僕はそれでOKなら「じゃ、いいね？」って言っちゃうなぁ（笑）。

柴咲：もともと声にコンプレックスがあったせいかもしれません。歌を歌い始めてから、少しずつ緩和されていったんです。けれど声だけとなると、はっきりと出るじゃないですか。それを後から聞くのも試練でしたね。

青山：声優さんにはいないような声だったから、何かいいなと思っていました。かっこよかったです。

Q：その藤井七海の活躍をはじめ、今作はこれまでの劇場版より、よりハードでダイナミックな印象を受けました。

青山：今回、イージス艦を舞台にやるって決まったときから、脚本家の櫻井武晴さんに「リアルにしてください」と注文を出していたんです。だから、かなり大人向けになっていますね。あんまり子ども向けにしてしまうと僕的にも面白くないですから。ただそうはいっても、今回はもしかすると、途中から子どもが付いてこられないんじゃないかなと心配になるところもありました。でも劇中ではコナン君がわかりやすく、「何を探せばいい」とか、「何を考えればいい」と教えてくれるので、子どもも十分に楽しめる内容になっていると思います。

柴咲：わたしも「うわ、難しい」と思いながら、やっていました。

■衝撃!!　コナンの秘密のルールを発表!!

Q：先生の中で、コナンを描く上でのルールはありますか。

青山：「コナンは泣かない」っていうのが一つのルールなんです。

柴咲：今回、泣いていますよね？

青山：実は泣いているわけではないんです……。でも詳しくは、これから観る方もいるので秘密です（笑）。

Q：探偵グッズは今回も大活躍ですが、こちらに関しては？

青山：名前は絶対、普通にしています。でないと恥ずかしいから。「ボールシューター」とか恥ずかしくないですか。「キック力増強シューズ」だと恥ずかしくないし、そのまんまだから、わかりやすい。めったに出しませんけどね。一番、最後に出したのがベルトかな？　あれ以降、出ていないです。急に変なものを付けて出てくるとおかしいから、コナン君がいつも身に着けているものでないとダメ。だけど、ほとんど使っちゃって、あとはランドセルくらいしか残っていないんです。

柴咲：髪の毛とかどうですか。

青山：鬼太郎じゃないんだから（笑）。

Q：最後にお気に入りのシーンを教えてください。

柴咲：まだ1回しか観られていないんですが、そのときは自分の声が出てくるものだから、やっぱりついそっちに気を取られてしまったんですよね。見直したら、きっとコナン君とのシーンに感動すると思うんですけど。音がすごく迫力があっていいなと思いました。実際にイージス艦を攻撃されそうになるところとか、良かったです。

青山：僕も原画とか描くんですけど、自分の絵が劇中に出ると恥ずかしいと思ってしまう感覚と一緒なのかな？　アニメーターの人と自分の線が違うので気になるんです。今回はそうでもなかったですが。どう？　気にならなかった？

柴咲：気にならないどころか……いいです！

青山から「めったに描かない」という怪盗キッドと灰原哀、そしてコナンというレアな組み合わせのイラスト入りサイン色紙をプレゼントされ、手放しで喜んでいた柴咲。お世辞ではなく、本当にコナンが大好きのようだ。「額に入れて、絶対、部屋に飾ります」とうっとり。おまけに「アニメ版の声の出演もしてみたい。どんな脇役でもいい。クレジットもなくていいですから」と終始、興奮冷めやらぬ様子だった。

Translation:

This is an interview of Aoyama Gosho (creator of Detective Conan) and Shibasaki Kou (Actress, singer, and voice actress of a character in the new Detective Conan Movie) which was posted by Cinema Today.

With this film involving entire cooperation of the Maritime Self-Defense Forces things get really intense. There is a special guest performance this time by Shibasaki Kou who has read Conan since she was a student. As a mysterious female member of the defense force, Fuji Nanami is played as a cool character. Her magnificent performance which made it seem easy even after having not been a voice actress for about 7 years, was given the stamp of approval and said to be "very cool" by the original author Aoyama Gosho. The two of them are just meeting for the first time now, but have a connection through Conan. We talked about thoughts towards Conan distinctive of a reader, and the scrutinizing of particular points which is distinctive to an author.

■ A First Time Meeting, but an Association for Nearly 20 Years!

Q: This seems to be your first time meeting but what are your impressions of one an other?
Aoyama Gosho (hereafter referred to as Aoyama): I've seen her on TV, on things like "Galileo" and such.
Shibasaki Kou (hereafter referred to as Shibasaki): Well, I bought one of the special volumes of the manga, which has a portrait of Mr. Aoyama doesn't it?
Aoyama: The one where I'm always being killed right?
Shibasaki: Right! There's like blood pouring out or something (laughs). Anyway, it really looks like you. It's just as I expected.

Q: Around what time did you first start to read Conan, Ms. Shibasaki?
Shibasaki: It's a vague memory, but I read it in Shonen Sunday. I think when it started getting serialized I had to have been in middle school. I think I started reading from the first story, or maybe the second one.
Aoyama: Oh wow! There's actually some people who watched it as a kid, and they have now become fathers and they watch it together with their kid.

Q: As for Ms. Shibasaki, what would you say the charm of Conan is?
Shibasaki: Is it okay if I give my impressions completely as a fan (laughs). First of all, the pictures are very easy to get into and to follow. It's very characteristic and recognizable at a glance. But the mysteries to be solved are first-class. It deals with difficult cases that take time just as a TV drama would, so before you know it you're pulled into the world.
Aoyama: Such high praise. Thank you very much.

■Can kids really follow the extremely difficult historical subject matter of Conan!?

Q: This time in the world of Conan, you appear as the Maritime Self-Defense Force's Fuji Nanami right?
Shibasaki: As a fan, there's a somewhat selfish part to it isn't there? I interpreted it as it was convenient for me (wry smile) As the special guest this time, I got to participate as a character that only appears in this movie, so I thought I was lucky.
Aoyama: I also did the character design for Fuji Nanami. I drew it before I knew that Shibasaki would be playing the role, but they told me "we want her to be beautiful" and so I gave her thin eyebrows and sharp eyes like a soldier.
Shibasaki: Her eyebrows are cute aren't they! When I heard that her position was military personnel I worried a little about whether I could play the role properly, but I maintained a feeling of tension the whole time so I thought if I could expand on that then I could make it through somehow. And also, when I was recording, most of the other people had already recorded their lines so I could really use them as reference. I thought it would be difficult if it were a situation where no other voices had been recorded yet, but even Conan's voice was already added, so...
Aoyama: It was very well done. Nothing felt out of place!
Shibasaki: But we did a lot of redoing. Like the way the song was sung, or matching the lines going with the melody, or getting a satisfactory intonation. So when you hear it after that's done it's okay, but sometimes you'd think "is this really good like this" when there was a feeling that it just didn't match up with the melody, and it would leave a feeling that it was just out of place and strange and so we would have to redo it.
Aoyama: So at those times you'd say something like "could we record that again?" That's amazing. As for me, if it were ok as it was I'd just be like "alright, it's good like this right?" (laughs)
Shibasaki: By nature, I'm probably a little self-conscious about my voice. I felt some relief little by little. But when it's just my voice, I worry about if it came out clearly. So we would test out listening to it afterwards.
Aoyama: You've got a voice unlike other voice actresses so I thought it was very nice. Very cool.

'Q: In this movie, Fuji Nanami's role left a very hard and dynamic impression different from the other movie versions of Conan so far.
Aoyama: For this movie, from the time that the setting was decided to be the Aegis ship, I requested to the scriptwriter "Sakurai Takeharu" that they try to make it very realistic. So it became very much directed towards adults. Because even for me too, when it's more directed toward kids I don't find it as interesting. Having said that, midway through I started to worry about whether or not kids could also enjoy this movie, whether they could be brought along to see it. But in the movie Conan explains in a way that's easy to understand what you should look for or what you should think about, and so I think that it's contents can be enjoyable for children as well.
Shibasaki: I was also thinking "man, this is difficult" as I was working on it.

■What a Shock!! The announcement of the secret rule of Conan!!

Q: As for Mr. Aoyama, do you have any rules for when you're drawing Conan?
Aoyama: There's one rule I have which is "Conan must never cry."
Shibasaki: Does he cry this time?
Aoyama: Well, I'm not saying he cries.... But, there are people who are planning on seeing the movie so I have to keep it a secret (laughs).

Q: You played an active role in the Detective gadget that will appear this time too. Can you tell us anything about that?
Aoyama: I kept the names absolutely simple. Because if I didn't then it would be embarrassing. Something like "Ball Shooter" isn't embarrassing is it. "Kick-Power Reinforcing Shoes" isn't an embarrassing name, and also it's easy to understand. But those rarely get used. The most recent thing to get used was the belt wasn't it? But it won't get used from here on out. If something strange suddenly shows up then it would be weird, so it always has to be something that Conan can wear. But we've already used so many things, there's not much left besides and backpack.
Shibasaki: What about his hair?
Aoyama: Well, he's not Kitaro (laughs).
[T/L: Kitaro is a famous character from a comic called "Ge Ge Ge no Kitaro" created by Mizuki Shigeru. Kitaro is a ghost who has many gadgets at his disposal, some of which being his hair which can be used for various things.]

Q: Lastly, could you tell us a scene that you really liked?
Shibasaki: Well, I've only been able to seen it once, but when I did see it obviously I could here my voice in it so naturally that got my focus. If I were to watch it again I think there's a scene with Conan that would really move me. The sound in the movie is very strong and I thought it was amazing. For example, the scene where the Aegis ship is going to attack was really amazing.
Aoyama: I also drew some key-frames, and it's embarrassing to see them appear in the movie, which I think is like what you were saying right? The animators' style and mine are different so it's easily noticed. It wasn't so much that way this time, but... how was it? You couldn't you notice could you?
Shibasaki: No, quite the opposite... it was really cool!

Aoyama gave a signed and colored illustration of the rare combination of Conan, Haibara Ai, and (the seldom drawn) Phantom Thief Kid, as a present to the extremely happy Shibasaki. She seems to not have just been giving him a complement, but to truly love Conan. She said ecstatically "I'm going to definitely frame it and hang it in my room!" What's more, from the start and still now she excitedly said "I want to try doing a voice in the animation. Any small role is okay, and you don't have to pay me."

Otona Fami Interview #4

Date: June 2013

  Show spoilers »

Source: https://conan-4869.net/post-20020

Raw:

─ 今同は先生ご自身に各キャラクターの輝いたシーンやエピソードを選んでいただきたいと思います。

青山：頑張ります。こういう企画とか、いつも取材が終わったあといろいろ思い出して「あのシーンも良かったな」って後悔するタイプなんですけど（笑）。

─（笑）ではコナンからお願いします。

青山：『謎めいた乗客』のワンシーンです。コナンが「逃げるなよ灰原・・・自分の運命から逃げるんじゃねーぞ・・・」っていう台詞。構図と相まって自分の中でも「これは決まったな」と思いました。

あと最近だと『ホームズの黙示録」の蘭への告白シーン。これは新一のベストになるのかな？イギリス取材に行った際、告白は絶対ビッグベンの前でと決めました。やっぱり絵になるでしょ？時計の時刻も僕が実際に写真を撮った時刻と同じ。

あとは『空飛ぶ密室工藤新一最初の事件』の中の一ページは迫力が出ましたね。過去編に切り替わる演出が上手くいきました。実は、蘭の乗っている飛行機が。”バード航空”から、ルナ航空〃に切り替わってるコマがあるんでよ。注意深く見ていれば変わったことに気付けるようになってるんです。

ほかにも、『殺人犯、工藤新一・新一の正体に蘭の涙』で、蘭にだけ聞こえるように「下がってろよ」というシーンとか、ただの指紋の説明なのに、「人間が生まれながらにして天より授かった・・・終生不変のエンブレム・・・」っていう台詞とかね。いや、指紋だろって（笑）

─ 次は蘭が輝いたシーン、行ってみましょう！

青山：『スキーロッジ殺人事件』かな。読者人気も高いですね。蘭は優しすぎるので、これ以降、かわいそうになっちゃって探偵役はやらせていません（笑）。

あとは『バレンタインの真実』の「強かったらよかったのにね・・・」というところも、女の子らしい一面が出せたかな。『猿と熊手のトリ物帖も、おみくじを信じて空手を封印する女の子らしさと、その後に胴回し回転蹴りを放つ強い蘭のどちらも描けて良かった。

─ コナンのライバルのひとり、怪盗キッドはどうでしょう？

青山：『集められた名探偵 工藤新一VS怪盗キッド』。まさか小五郎に変装しているとは思わなかったでしょ？おっちゃんがヘリから飛び出すところまで、読者をうまく騙せたかなと思います。

あと「怪盗キッドの驚異空中歩行』もカッコよく描けた。「海のブルーと空のブルー」という表現が出てくるんですが、それがまさにコナンと怪盗キッドの違いを表しているんです。快斗は明るい空のブルー。コナンはちょっと暗い、深みのある海のブルー。言いかたを変えるとスケベとむっつリスケベ（笑）。似てるんだけど、少し違う。

─ 『まじっく快斗』の怪盗キッドとコナンに登場する怪盗キッドは少し性格が違ってみえます。

青山：コナンに登場するキッドにはほとんどモノローグを入れてないんですよ。内面描写がない分、クールに見えるだけで、実は頭の中で「あ、やべー」とか思ってるはず（笑）。「怪盗キッドの瞬間移動魔術『テレポーテーションマジック」』で出てくる。”サーストンの3原則”は、アメリカの名マジシャンの名前を冠した実在する法則で、ネタ的にも本当は『まじっく快斗』でやりたかった話ですね。

ちなみにアニメでキッドの父の盗一の声は池田秀一さんが担当されているんですが、これは以前「まじっく快斗』のアニメ化の話があった時、僕が『機動戦士ガンダム』のシャアがすこく好きで、盗一役はぜひシャアの声優で有名な池田秀一さんでと思っていたのがきっかけです。

そのあとコナンで池田さんが赤井秀一役になった後、アニメ『工藤新一少年の冒険』で盗一役もお願いしたんです。最初は池田さんも「なんで俺？」と仰ってましたが、説明すると納得して引き受けてくださいました。夢が叶いましたね（笑）

─ ところで、赤井と言えば78巻で注目の展開に・・・。

青山：詳しくは秘密です（笑）。赤井が撃たれる『赤と黒のクラッシュ』『嫌疑/潔白/決死/殉職』は、ホームズがモリアーティ教授と戦ってライヘンバッハの滝から落ちる「最後の事件』をモチーフにしてます。赤井が落ちるのも”来葉峠（ライハ峠）”ってね。

─ それでは西の名探偵・平次はいかがでしょうか？

青山：『ホームズ・フリーク殺人事件』です。奥の平次と手前のコナンとで、コナンで初めて一ページぶち抜いたカットです。この時の下書きをアシスタントが保管していて、後で高く売れるかもって話したことあるんですよ（笑）。平次と和葉の絡みでは『そして人魚はいなくなった』もいいね。和葉の決意が凄い。

─ 以前、弊誌のインタビューで、描いていて楽しいキャラは灰原と仰っていましたね。

青山：はい。『競技場無差別脅迫事件』の「時の流れに人は逆らえないもの・・・」とか『1年B組大作戦！』の「方言は言葉に付けたアクセサリー」とか、灰原はとにかく台詞が好きで、僕の思ってることとかを代弁させやすい。

でも一番は『黒の組織との再会』で、「眼鏡をとったあなたはスーパーマンってわけ？」っていうシーンな。僕はスーパーマンが大好きで、この台詞を言えて良かったなあって。あと「まるで井戸からはい上がったコーデリアね・・・」とかもね。このシーンは灰原の名前の元となった女探偵コーデリア・グレイの『女には向かない職業』という小説で、彼女が煙突を上るエピソードがあって、そのオマージュになってます。

─ 先生が一番描きやすいキャラは？

青山：描きやすいのは小五郎かな。これまでの僕の漫画でいなかったタイプですが、僕自身小五郎に似ている部分があるから。おっちゃんですしね。それに実際にコナンみたいな奴ばっかりだと、なんかムカつくだろうし（笑）。他のキャラだったら不謹慎に感じることも、小五郎が言うと、「小五郎だし、まあいいか」ってなって憎めないでしょ。かっこつけだけど、優しいところもあるし、たまに冴えてる時もあるし。『小五郎の同窓会殺人事件』とか、まさに小五郎の見せ場。まあ、毎回眠らされて「コイツ、大丈夫か？」って心配になりますけどね（笑）。

─ 本当によく寝る大人ですよね（笑）。そのほかのキャラクターのベストシーンについて教えてください。

少年探偵団で言えば、光彦と灰原がちょっぴりいい感じですよね。『きのこと熊と探偵団』の「最高のレスキュー隊員よ！」ていうシーンが好きです。

あと気になるのは、高木&美和子の刑事コンビ。最近でも「命を賭けた恋愛中継『中継開始/絶体絶命/現場突入』で見せつけてくれましたけど、あれは『CSI：科学捜査班』を見ていて思い付いたんです。『CSI』では映像の受信がPCでしたが、やっぱり現代だとタブレット端末のほうが面白いだろうなと。

─ インスパイアされるのはやっぱり刑事ドラマなどが多いのでしょうか？

青山：ドラマや映画、小説などなんでも。人から聞いた話も多いです。例えば『泡と湯気と煙』で使った塩でビールを泡立たせるネタは、打ち合わせの際に編集から聞いて実験しながら考えました。

僕が一番気に入っているエピソードの『揺れる警視庁1000万人の人質』（36-37巻収録）は、爆弾モノをやろうと決めてから、リチャード・ハリスの『ジャガーノート』（74年）をはじめ、いろいろな爆弾モノ映画を10本以上観ました。その中で見つけた水銀スイッチの仕掛けに触発されて、振動させたり傾けたら即爆発する水銀レバーのエピソードに繋げたんです。あの事件は話としても上手くまとまっていて、読者人気も一番ですね。

─ 最後に先生が一番好きなキャラクターを教えてください！

青山：コナン・ドイルは記者の質問に「（登場人物は）全て自分の性格の一部です」と答えたらしいですが、僕もここはドイルに習います。みんな大好きで選べないですから。全て僕の一部なんです。

─ 青山先生は、今回の劇場版ではどのように関わられたのでしょうか？

青山：例年通りトリックや事件など全体的にアイデアを出しましたね。今回は、僕が大好きな『相棒』の櫻井さんが脚本を担当して下さって、念願だったコナンとのコラボが叶いました。脚本など何度もやり取りしたんですけど、櫻井さんはとても仕事が速い人。やっとチェックが終わって脚本を返したら、ひと息つく間もなくすぐに修稿が上がってきて「え？嘘でしょ？」みたいな（笑）。

─ イージス艦も櫻井さんの発案だったのでしょうか？

青山：そうです。最初は驚きましたけど、「やるからにはリアルにしたいね」と話し合って、実際に取材にも同行しました。ですから、劇中で描写されている艦内の様子はかなり実物に近いですよ。取材時に、艦全体がものすこく整頓されて綺麗なことに驚いたら、艦長日く「清潔であることが規律に繋がる」と。「さすがー！」と思っていたのですが、後で別のクルーに聞いたら「先生が来ると言うので、念入りに掃除したんです。大変でしたよ」だって（笑）。残念だったのは、取材の日に海軍力レーが食べられなかったこと。曜日感覚を保つため、カレーは金曜日と決まっているみたいです。

─ 先生から見た今回の映画の見どころは？

青山：やっぱり今回はイージス艦の描写ですね。訓練風景とか、レーダーやモニ一夕ーとかお父さんと子供で見に行ったらどっちもワクワクするんじゃないかな（笑）。あとは終盤にかけての怒涛の展開と、蘭のピンチ。今回のキーアイテムとして”電波時計”が出てくるんですけど、スクリーンに登場したらちょっと注目してみて下さい。そうそう、僕が食べられなかった海軍力レーも登場しますので、お楽しみに（笑）。

Shonen Sunday Special Booklet

Date: July 17, 2013

  Show spoilers »

Source: https://conan-4869.net/post-14509

Raw:

• 

  Cover

• 

  Index and announcement, Conan

• 

  Ran and Kogoro, Haibara and the Detective Boys

• 

  Kaitou Kid and Hattori Heiji, Okiya and Sera

• 

  Gin and Vodka, Chianti and Korn

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  Vermouth and Amuro, Extra! Kurogane Yaiba

• 

  Special Interview

• 

  Special Kaitou Kid Commentary Part 1 & 2

• 

  Special Kaitou Kid Commentary Part 3

• 

  A lesson in drawing Conan

• 

  A lesson in drawing Conan

Translated by: Fujiwara, Zenthisoror, Wakarimashita and Cocoa (Heiji, Kaitou, Yaiba, and Drawing Conan sections from German)

Character Sections

Conan
Hairstyle: Took 1 minute, got Yaiba's hair and made it smoother. Added Mahoutsukai Sally's little brother Kabu's apostrophe. The way he drew the back of the hair came from Adachi Maru's main character of Nijiiro Tougarashi (Rainbow Chilli Peppers) Shichimi...

Fashion: Essentially, 753 wear, i.e. when you're little at ages 7. 5 and 3, when these formal photos get taken, Gosho's 753 photos have him in bow tie and shorts. :P He tries to keep gadgets to what Conan can wear...but he's run out of ideas of late...

Glasses: Gosho likes Superman. And when Clark Kent was hiding his identity, he wore glasses. So when he wrote Ai and Conan's conversation in vol 24, it was like a long held in secret was getting out.

Speaking Habits: Rough but kinda cool, inspired maybe by Joe from Tomorrow's Joe Barooo, and other habits might have aspects of Touch in them as well.

Ran
Ran's concept: "Saying Ran's perfect is probably saying too much, but she's someone you'd want to have on your side. She's can fight and is a diligent student and can cook really well. And she's always waiting for Shinichi. Her only weakness is her fear of ghosts. I wanted to draw a girl that is strong in many ways, as I had never done so before."

Kogoro
Gosho thought that a mystery type story would end pretty quickly so he originally designed Mouri like a thinner version of Nakamori. But then he was told that they were too similar, so he changed his hairstyle and his moustache... When both Nakamori and Mouri appeared in the same case there was a lot of thought over which one ought to be taller. On that front, Mouri is supposed to be taller. He made him a detective instead of a police officer because he thought that was easier to manage, He knows about policemen and he knows about cases. It makes things a lot easier... Oh sorry, I meant, the reason for the backstory about why he switched from an officer to a detective...it makes being a private detective easier for Mouri. Also, his face is familiar to a lot of the officers.

Haibara
Haibara's concept: Gosho had planned to introduce ex-BO member Haibara from the start, even though her introduction was later than planned. As for her character, he wanted a tsundere character who's the opposite of Ran. Even though Haibara doesn't have much deer. But that's how he likes her. (laughs)

Detective Boys
Zenthisoror: The original concept of the three Detective Boys was to enable Haibara to hide amongst them! Basically, they provided the hiding place for Haibara. Gosho wanted a fat one, a thin and snarky one, and a cute little girl. They're obviously inspired from Doraemon but the personalities of all three are very different from their Doraemon counterparts. Especially because Conan's very different from Nobita-kun (hahaha, you could say that again) You could say that the three DB kids together are all Nobita-kun, all shouting, "Help us, Conan!" Genta's family run a bar/pub. Mitsuhiko's parents are both teachers. Mitsuhiko's sister is also a teacher. Ayumi's family he's not so sure...they live in a flat modelled on the one Gosho used to live in...so probably not the average salaryman...

Kaitou Kid
Phantom thief and master of disguise. Nobody knows his real identity - but he is a high school student just like Shinichi Kudo and goes by the name of Kaito Kuroba!
Comment! I needed a nemesis for my detective!

Design: He looks pretty cool of course, because he originally is the protagonist of another Manga series. But for every reader who doesn't know Magic Kaito, his guest appearances in Detective Conan could feel a little bit disconcerting. I for one have the biggest fun while drawing him!

Concept: I wanted to have a powerful antagonist for Conan, someone like the Fiend with Twenty Faces from the works of Edogawa Rampo. And suddenly it occured to me that I drew such a character some years ago! From that time on it was decided that he would have guest appearances. Naturally I talked at length about it with my editor back then... who voiced his misgivings. So I tried to make Kaitou Kid's first appearances not too over the top.

Heiji
His father is the superintendent of Osaka. He is a high school detective. And he is so good, that even Conan/Shinichi respects him!
Comment! The Anime just needed a rival...

The highschool detective of the west: He hails from Osaka and so he has a dialect - which is because a complete opposite just makes a rival all the more interesting! But the whole thing also has the background, that the leading editor from back then came from Osaka, so that I completely trusted him during the final approvals of Heiji's lines. Additionally, his dark complexion is also a strong contrast to Conan's/Shinichi's appearance.

Concept: At first I created a storyline which was designated for the start of the Anime series and should have introduced Ai Haibara, but this wasn't to be. And suddenly it was said that the Anime series needed a rival, so I created Heiji Hattori. It was evident to me that a rival would also have to be a highschool detective and one with a very contrary personality to Shinichi.

Okiya
Hairstyle is Char Aznable from Gundam crossed with Chiaki from Nodame Cantabile, which Gosho was really into at that time. It's the part of Chiaki's hairstyle where it's sticking up all over the place from how he sleeps that he added to Okiya. His identity: Is a SECRET. People might have already figured it out, but he'll leave it to our imaginations (some of the page has been cut off)

Sera
In the detective koushien case, the female detective despite being the culprit ended up being so popular that there was a demand for this character but it was impossible since she was the culprit so Aoyama created... Sera.

Gin
Gin's about the hat and the hair. There wasn't much deep thought behind his design. Just that he had some kind of high leadership position in the Organisation, but as Conan continued and looked as though it would get longer his character development got more complicated. 'The Aesthetics of a Killer' He drives a Porsche 356 A and carries a Beretta M 1934, so he's very particular about his tastes. But being particular makes a character cooler? (ahaha)

Vodka
And Vodka is Gin's Watson...and what his eyes are like, Gosho will leave to the readers' imagination...

Chianti
Concept: A character who wouldn't go around sucking up to Gin. He [Gosho] thought the swallowtail butterfly tattoo was cool. He [Gosho] thought a lot about her development and some one liners, like 'When my butterfly flaps its wings, people die'. But snipers keep both eyes open to shoot, so that one liner went down the drain. Her speech habits are supposed to make her seem a bit sexual.

Korn
Concept: Silent, unsophisticated, and a bit of a wierdo...he's got skills though. Things are more fun with characters like these, aren't they? He's designed so that he looks like nobody else in the Organisation. He's got skills as a sniper though! The only person better than him at sniping, including Chianti, is Akai. If he's alive (hahaha) He hates Vermouth. For letting Calvados, a fellow sniper, die. It's not like there was anything particularly special about the relationship between Calvados and Korn. It's probably just that as one sniper looking out for another sniper, he can't forgive her... Fundamentally all members of the organisation with code names are supposed to be at the same level, so Korn's supposed to be at the same rank as Gin. It just happened this time that when they chanced to form a team Gin came out as the most leader-like of all them.

Vermouth
She's the bad side of Fujiko Mine, the good side being Yukiko. Yukiko has Fujiko's hair-style. Both Vermouth and Yukiko have this middle hair-line too. Both hard to draw. It was difficult during the Train Arc because they both had a lot of panels given to them. But it was fun and the result was a success. Leaving aside their standing inside the BO, Vermouth used to like Gin in the past, I'd say. She also had a profound relationship with Gin... However, since Gin isn't the type to fall in love with another person, all this came from Vermouth's side.

Amuro
A character who's neither Akai, neither Okiya. First character with dark skin and blond hair. A long time ago there was the character Jewell (?) in Yaiba though. The cutting and adjusting of the frames was difficult because of the white hair but digital drawing makes it easier.

Extra! Kurogane Yaiba
Towards countless adventures together with his Thunder sword: Yaiba, the hero of the eponymous precursor series to Detective Conan!
Comment! A shared appearance with Conan? At least his mother did herself the honor of showing up!

Here you can see Yaiba, who Gosho drew for the first time after ten years on the occasion of this special booklet!
I haven't drawn him for a long time.
Somehow, I think he looks way to smart on this picture!

Concept: I used Teppei from Ore wa Teppei by Tetsuya Chiba as a model. I loved this Manga back when I was a kid! Teppei was also the reason why I started with Kendo. So Yaiba was kinda conceptualized as a Teppei with Thunder sword. On the other hand, it's fair to say that Teppei is way smarther than Yaiba!

Similarities with Conan: He never gives up and he doesn't cry. But that's just how heroes have to be! Especially in front of the Detective Boys Conan acts like Teppei, just like Yaiba. But when Conan turns into Shinichi he is more like Joe Yabuki from Ashita no Joe.

How about a shared appearance with Conan?: A shared appearance together with Conan? At least Yaiba's mother did herself the honor of showing up. Heiji's mother Shizuka got the second place in a Kendo tournament back at middle school - and the first place was taken by Michiko Tsubaki (maiden name), mother of Yaiba! Her face is the same as that of Moroha, the little sister of Yaiba. Whether Yaiba is also to be found somewhere? Probably not.

Special Interview

1: Did Heiji make Conan drink Paikaru knowing what it would do to him!?
A: It was all a happy coincidence and the rest is internet conspiracy theory...

2: A message came to Sera from her brother about whether she had met the wizard yet...was that from 'Shuu-nii'?
A: But Sera-chan said that 'Shuu-nii was dead' didn't she? In which case (smile)...

3: Sera seems to have met Conan before, but was that when Conan was Conan or Conan was Shinichi?
A: I can't give too many details, but Ran has met her too...

4: (Translated by Conan#1) Why did Conan tell Miyano Akemi his true identity? Any reason?
A: Because Conan thinks that person is going to die anyway.
Q: What if Akemi is taken to the hospital and brought back to life in a miracle!!!A: (smile)

5: The APTX4869 - it can shrink people as a side effect, so what's it actually supposed to do? Tell us!
A: Er...sorry, I can't say...

6: Apart from Conan and Haibara, are there any others who took the poison and ended up shrinking?
A: Who knows...maybe another one will turn up some time... (laughter)

7: In order to complete the silver bullet, why did Haibara have to separate from her parents?
A: I'm afraid I can't answer that either...But that will be answered eventually! So bear that in mind...

8: Will Itakura's software become important at some point in the future?
A: Well, I took the trouble of introducing it to the plot, so it must become important at some point...

9: Also, any hint as to what sort of thing it was...
A: Ahahahaha! Just remember it! Please keep it in mind!!

10: Gin and Vodka wear suits even in the summer...is there some secret as to how they manage to get by!? Normal people would find it too hot to cope...
A: Because wouldn't Gin in just his shirt be a bit funny? Yeah...these characters are among the ones that are a bit difficult to write in the summer...Gin, Vodka, Chianti and Korn all wear a lot of layers... Drawing them becomes a bit of a drag... Fundamentally, all men in black are a bit of a drag to draw! Vermouth, I just want to say, "Please no more!" (laughs)

11: In Akemi's mail to Akai Shuuichi that went 'If we could both get out of the Organisation...' what was in the PS?
A: That's an important point! I'll be bringing that up in the story later!

12: One last thing...could you tell us the identity of the Boss of the BO?
A: Wahahahaha! Alright, I'll let you in on the secret...It's actually...

Interviewer: Whaaaaat!!! Answering these rather harsh questions in such a playful manner within his busy schedule, that was Aoyama Gosho!
(Note: Gosho did not actually say the name to the interviewer. This is a joke)

Thank you very much!!

A Lesson in Drawing Conan
Gosho Aoyama tells it all!
Concept pages of the last case about Kaitou Kid, inlcuding comments by the master himself!
How is Detective Conan made? On the next pages we will show you some concept art for the episode featuring Kaitou Kid from volume 82, together with some eye-opening commentary by Gosho Aoyama!

I drew Makoto over the whole height of the page, because he had to look really cool. I don't really know who the people behind Inspector Nakamori are supposed to be, so I just wrote "Policemen". And because it was hard to tell the gem and the air gun projectiles apart, I provided them with some notes, too.

Here you can see the finished manuscript!
On the concept art there was only a simple circle, but on the finished page the gem shines in all its splendor! Makoto's gas mask is also pretty detailed on the finalized page.

On the rough page it is hard to see that Ran and Conan are brushing their teeth, so there is an appropriate note. But you can recognize Ran pretty easily by her pointy hairdo, even on very rough concepts. And Conan is always easily recognizable by his text! And of course by his glasses and the crown. Even on the concept pages, the facial expressions are highly convincing!

Here you can see the finished manuscript!
The tooth brushing scene was pretty loose in the concept stage, but got a lot of details in the finalized manuscript. And the perspective from which the detective agency is seen has also changed - so its shown to its best advantage.

The concept pages are always accompanied by a character overview, which serves as a reference!
Every character is seen in a specific perspective. When Gosho Aoyama has decided about the looks of the respective characters he proceeds with the creation of the manuscripts!

Here I used almost the same dialogue from a few pages before with other characters. Because this is a key scene, I kept the panel composition from the concept page in the finished manuscript.
Conan: Looks like Kid stole the show from me in this story!

The finished manuscript!
Just like Gosho mentioned in his commentary, the panel composition often doesn't change from concept to manuscript stage.

A character overview of the Suzuki family.
An overview of every appearing character serves as a guideline during the production of a manuscript. This time, Sonoko's family gains center stage.

Thanks a lot for the exciting insights, Gosho Aoyama!

Shonen Sunday Lupin Vs Conan Secret Report

Date: November 20, 2013

  Show spoilers »

Source: https://conan-4869.net/post-17477

Raw:

青山：「ただ今回ちょっと困ったのは、実は佐藤刑事の初恋の人がまんがやアニメのルパン三世という設定だったんですけど、映画では本物が・・・」

モンキー：「僕は「ルパン」のまんがは一話完結で設定をひきずらないようにしていたから別に気にならないな（笑）。出てくる女性もボンドガールみたいに毎回そんなに変えられないから、設定が違ってもみんな峰不二子にしてたくらいだしね。」

青山：「子供の頃読んでいて、この不二子、この前死んだよなとか思ってたんですけど、そんな理由が・・・ちなみに不二子ちゃんが僕自身の初恋の相手です。新一のお母さんは、まんま不二子ちゃん（笑）」

山：「不二子ちゃんの3サイズも今回映画の中で、自分のあるキャラクターに勝ってに言わさせちゃいました。スイマセン。」

モンキー：「いやいや、あの3サイズ、元を考えてくれたのはアニメのスタッフなんだよね。アニメにはだいぶ助けられてる。」

青山：「そうですね、僕も助けられてます。コナン定番の青ジャケット姿の配色も、TVアニメ化で初めて決まりました。」

モンキー：「ルパンの赤ジャケットは、連載当時、赤と黒の2色カラーページだったのもあって、赤に決めたんだよね。黒シャツと黄色ネクタイは「のらくろ」がモデル。」

青山：「それとアニメ化で助けられたのが声優さん。まんがを描く時もそれぞれの声優さんの声をイメージして描いてます。」

モンキー：「声は本当に大きいよね。キャラクターの話し方も変わってくるほど。」

身長：167cm 体重：50kg バスト：99.9cm ウェスト：55.5cm ヒップ：88.8cm

Lupin the Third VS Detective Conan: Money Punch and Aoyama Gosho Interivew

Date: December 04, 2013

  Show spoilers »

Source: https://www.oricon.co.jp/special/828/

Raw:

2009年のテレビ初共演から4年。大いなる歴史を超えた“天下無敵の大泥棒・ルパン三世”VS“頭脳明晰の名探偵コナン”対決がスクリーンでふたたび実現！　そんな同作の公開直前、ルパン三世ファンとコナンファンに向けて、モンキー・パンチ先生＆青山剛昌先生の原作者同士の貴重な動画対談が実現！　世代、性別を超えてすべてのファンに贈る熱いメッセージとは☆　友情出演の“キング”三浦知良、今作で声優に初挑戦した内野聖陽＆夏菜のインタビューも！

両作者が『ルパコナ』を語り合う!!

――テレビスペシャルから5年、ルパンとコナンの対決が映画になると聞いてどう思いましたか？
【モンキー・パンチ】　前作の評判も良かったし、映画もできるなって感じはしていましたね。映画でちゃんと対決できてよかったと思いました。
【青山】　僕も、たぶん映画になるなと思っていました。GWにコナン、冬にルパコナ、1年に2回も映画をやるとは思ってもみませんでしたけど（笑）。

――おふたりはいつからお知り合いなんですか？
【青山】　あるパーティーでモンキー・パンチ先生にお目にかかったことがあって、そのとき、僕はサインをいただきました。きちんとお話したのは前回のテレビスペシャルで対談したときなので、5年ぶりです。

――モンキー・パンチ先生から見た『名探偵コナン』の魅力は？
【モンキー・パンチ】　僕は少年漫画をあんまり読まないんだけど、『コナン』がうまいなぁと思ったのは、高校生が体だけ子どもになってしまうというキャラクター。このやり方は新鮮だなって思ったし、子どもをターゲットにする上で、うまいと思いました。ルパンもそれをやればよかったな（笑）。
【青山】　とても光栄です。

――青山先生から見た『ルパン三世』の魅力は？
【青山】　『007』的に変装でき、変声器を使わずとも声色を使い分け、どんな鍵がかかっていてもぱっと開けて盗み出す鮮やかな手口……、もうスーパーマンですね。

――ルパン対コナンなんてありえない対決が実現すること自体、作品がひとり歩きして育っている感じがしませんか？
【モンキー・パンチ】　僕は作品がひとり歩きしていくのもいいと思っています。漫画とアニメーションでは表現の仕方が違いますから、アニメのスタッフには自由に作ってくださいと言っています。ただ、キャラクターだけは変えないでくださいってことだけですね。後は自由に作っていただいたらいい。僕が漫画のルパンを描き始めたのは1967年。46年も前ですから、当時の感覚のままでやっていたらかなり古くなってしまいますので、才能ある若い監督さんに今の感覚でやってもらったほうがよりおもしろくなると思っています。これからも思う存分やってくれといいたいですね。
【青山】　僕は原作通りにやってくれといいたがる方（笑）。もうちょっと年をとったらモンキー・パンチ先生のように好きにやってと言うかもしれないですけど。アニメオリジナルを作ることもあるので、そのときは僕もキャラクターだけは崩さないで、と言っています。原作者というだけでなくアニメの原画をやったりしていますし、今回の『ルパコナ』では絵コンテも書きましたし……。実は、アニメーターになりたかったので、アニメにも携われてよかったと思っています。

――お互い、この機会に聞いてみたいことってありますか？
【モンキー・パンチ】　漫画家さんに聞きたいことはいっぱいあるんですけど……。ストーリーの作り方とか気になりますね。何をヒントに作っているのか、探偵もののなかで何を参考にしているか、聞いてみたいと思っていました。
【青山】　ありとあらゆるものを参考にしています。刑事ドラマを観て、こういう切り口もありか？　とか。僕からの質問は、モンキー・パンチ先生のなかで峰不二子は何歳なんですか？
【モンキー・パンチ】　僕の漫画では、キャラクターの年齢をはっきり書いていないんですよね。観る人が感じた通りでいいんじゃないかと思って。子どもから見れば不二子はずいぶん年上に見えるだろうし、若者が見れば25～26歳かもしれないし、見る人の感覚にまかせていますね。
【青山】　不二子ちゃんは僕自身の初恋の相手です。先生にとって不二子は恋人ですか？
【モンキー・パンチ】　恋人ではないですね。
【青山】　恋人じゃないのか……。
【モンキー・パンチ】　女性のことはいまだにわからないところがありますから……（笑）。悪いことをしても許せる女性もいれば、腹が立つ女性もいる。不二子の場合はすべてひっくるめているんですよね。物語によってはものすごく腹が立つキャラクターになっている場合もありますし。僕のなかでは、はっきりした不二子像はないんです。

――青山先生にとって『コナン』に登場する女性キャラは？
【青山】　好きなのは蘭ちゃんで、気になるのは灰原って感じかな（笑）。

――映画『ルパコナ』に期待していることは？
【モンキー・パンチ】　僕の『ルパン』の漫画は大人向けの作品でした。アニメ化でだいぶ対象年齢は下がったんですけど、それでも完全な子ども向けではない。それが、コナンくんが出てくることで、一気に年齢層が広がる感じがしますね。
【青山】　確かに、『コナン』は子どものファンもけっこう多いので、逆に大人のファンが多い『ルパン』と対決することで、子どもから大人まで、あらゆる層の方に観ていただけるんじゃないかと期待しています。

【モンキー・パンチ】　この映画をきっかけに『ルパン三世』『名探偵コナン』ともども、その素晴らしい魅力を再確認してもらいたいです。

Monkey Punch and Gosho Aoyama Special Talk

Date: ???, 2013
Published in: Official website of "Lupin the Third VS Detective Conan The Movie"

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Source: https://conan-4869.net/post-19729

Raw:

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前作の2009年の「ルパン三世vs名探偵コナン」以来の対談ですが、前作の評判や反響はいかがでしたか？

青山剛昌先生：「ゴジラ対ガメラ」という感じですよね。ありえない対決というか。とにかく、うちの親が喜んでいました。「え！ルパンと？あんたやったわね！」って（笑）一作目の出来がかなり良かったので、たぶん映画になっちゃうんじゃないかなと思っていましたけど（笑）

モンキー・パンチ先生：話が来た時にどうやって対決させるのかなと興味はありましたね。さすがプロの脚本家だけあって、うまくまとめてるなという感じがしました。ただ勝負がなかなかつけにくいから脚本書く人は、書きにくかったんじゃないかな。

青山剛昌先生：まぁこういうのって最終的には協力してって感じですよね。まあ今回は結構、対決しました。

モンキー・パンチ先生：いや今回のやつはストーリー見てもおもしろいですよ。ストーリー作る人もかなり苦労していると思います。いや、出だしから面白かった！

今回、お二人からリクエストされたことはありましたか？

モンキー・パンチ先生：僕は基本的には全部おまかせですね。初めのプロットだけちょっと読んで、ああ今回はこういう話かとちょっとわかっちゃったらあとは完成品が楽しみなんですよ。

ファンの人たちと同じように公開された時にどんなのができたかなっていう楽しみがありますから。 あんまり深入りしないです。あとで喜んで見てるという感じです。

青山剛昌先生：僕は逆にめちゃくちゃ関わりました。もう、監督にご迷惑かけたくらい。（笑）。いやルパンはこうじゃないだろうとか。原作のファンですしね。特に不二子ちゃんが好きなんで（笑）

今回、不二子ちゃんと灰原哀ちゃんの絡みが結構ありますが？

青山剛昌先生：めちゃめちゃ口出ししました。

モンキー・パンチ先生：いや。おもしろかったですよ！なるほどね。かなり剛昌さんのこだわりも入ってるわけですね。

青山剛昌先生：あのお風呂シーンは僕が自分でコンテをきったくらい（笑）こだわらせてもらいました。

モンキー・パンチ先生：僕はどっちかっていうと人が作ったものを見て楽しむ方ですから。自分で作ってる時は楽しみより苦しみの方が大きいですね。漫画を描いてるときは早く逃げ出したいという気持ちで書いていましたから。週刊だから書いても書いても次がきて、いつ終わるんだろうって。

青山剛昌先生：今、俺それですよ！（笑）

モンキー・パンチ先生：いや、若いからやった方がいいよ！僕はもう、ざるで水を汲んでる感じで、もういい 加減に終わりたいなと思ってた。でも後でアニメになったり映画になったりして、そっちを見る方が楽しいですね。監督さんの作り方によって違ったルパンで、違うルパンであってもルパン三世には変わりないので。今度の監督さんはこういう作り方なんだなと、今度のルパンはまた違った面白さがあるんだなと感じたり、楽しんでいますね。

不二子も映画によって全然違いますよね？

モンキー・パンチ先生：僕はそれでいいと思ってるんですよ。もともと不二子はボンドガールが原型にあって、ボンドガールはシリーズごとに違うけど、ルパンは毎週あるから。毎週違うルパンガールは出せないので、どんな性格の女性が出てきてもどんなコスチュームの女性が出てきても、全部、不二子で統一しちゃえって感じでやりましたから、不思議な女性になっちゃいました。

青山剛昌先生：子供心に混乱しましたね。あれ？この不二子死んじゃったんじゃなかったっけ？とか。たまに「ふじみねこ」と呼んでいたり、ルパンの大学時代の同級生だったり、殺し屋だったり。ひょっとしてこれは名前だけなんだなって思って。

モンキー・パンチ先生：そう名前だけなんだよ。名前だけ統一しちゃって、女性はどう変わってもその名前でいっちゃおうって。それ以上の女性の名前が思いうかばなかったというか。毎週考えるのも面倒くさいしね（笑）名前だけは統一しちゃった。

僕の場合、ルパン三世はどっちかというと続く話じゃないんですよ。一話完結なんですよね。次週に続く話だと、前の話を引きずって書かないといけないじゃないですか。前のこと忘れたときにえらいことになっちゃうので、（笑）この話はここで終わりにして、脈絡がなくてもいいんじゃないかという気持ちで連載をやっていたので、その週に初めてルパン三世を読んだ方でも話だけの面白さを感じてもらえればいいと思っていました。だから最初にアニメ化した人は、随分勇気がいるなと思いましたよ（笑）。

工藤新一くんのお母さんのお名前は、旧姓が藤峰有希子で、不二子から取ったと。

青山剛昌先生：そうそう。藤峰は峰不二子から取って、有希子は不二子の初代声優の二階堂有希子さんから取らせてもらいました。顔もほとんど同じ顔、描いてるし（笑）。

モンキー・パンチ先生：それはありがたいな。初めて聞きました。

青山剛昌先生：あと、実は、最初はコナンくんのお父さんの工藤勇作の声を山田康夫さんにやってほしかったんですよ。コナンくんの笑った時の口がルパンと一緒だったり、足首が細かったり共通点がありますから。

そういうところも前作や今作が、うまく融合した理由だったんですかね？

青山剛昌先生：俺がただファンだっただけなんですけどね（笑）うまくマッチしましたよね。どちらも日本テレビ系列だったり、同じアニメ会社だったのがツイていましたね。

モンキー・パンチ先生：ラッキーだったね。ほんとに、ルパンとホームズを見てる感じだよね。

映画館でコラボ作品というのはどのように期待されたり、どう見てほしいとかありますか？

モンキー・パンチ先生：僕、映画になる前から考えていたんだけど3Dにならないかなって。

青山剛昌先生：じゃあTHE MOVIEの2は3Dで（笑）

モンキー・パンチ先生：これシリーズになってほしいですね。

青山剛昌先生：前回はルパンの世界にコナンがお邪魔したけど、今回はコナンの世界にルパンたちがやってきている。コナンはパスポートがないので、なかなか海外に行けないんですよ。（笑）

お互いのファンがかなり楽しめますよね。

青山剛昌先生：昔懐かしいセリフやテイストが出てくるので色々楽しめると思います。ルパンもコナンも知っている人ってなかなかいないので、最初と後半は口出しちゃいました（笑）

モンキー・パンチ先生：僕も『DEAD OR ALIVE』で口出ししたのは、最初と終わりでした。

青山剛昌先生：いや、オープニングは、原作の「ルパン三世」を見ているようで、めちゃくちゃカッコよかったんですよ。

モンキー・パンチ先生：ここまでやってもらえてうれしいです。ファンの人に見てもらいたい。

青山剛昌先生：なかなか難しかったですよ。“両雄並び立たず”って言うじゃないですか（笑）

輸送機のシーンは先生もお好きな007シリーズを彷彿とさせましたね。

モンキー・パンチ先生：うまくやってるよね、すごくいいアイデア。ここまでアイデア作るのはすごい！僕は面倒くさくて、「もう任せるよ！」ってなってしまう。ご苦労様でした。（笑） 僕は出来上がったものを一ファンとしてしか観ないからそれが僕は一番楽しいです。シナリオもあまり読みません。読んじゃうと楽しみがなくなっちゃいますから。何もない頭で完成されたものを観た方がより楽しめます。作る人は大変でしょうけど（笑）

青山剛昌先生：今回、不二子の3サイズが出ますよ！たぶん今まで出てなかったんじゃないかな。調べたら、全部ゾロ目で、理由がモンキー・パンチ先生が覚えやすいから。なるほど！（笑）

モンキー・パンチ先生：あれはアニメを作る人の助けもありました。形を作るためにデータが必要だからって。じゃあ覚えやすいのでいこうかってことになったんです。

青山剛昌先生：そういうのありますよね。コナンも青いジャケットを着ているのは、アニメの設定なんです。これいいなと思って、それから青のジャケット、赤い蝶ネクタイ、グレーのズボンにしました。

モンキー・パンチ先生：僕もアニメの人にずいぶん助けられてます。

青山剛昌先生：あと、声とか。

モンキー・パンチ先生：そう！まったく同じ。僕も山田さんの声が入った時から、ルパンのネームが山田さん調になっちゃうんだよね。

連載のスタートから2年で「ルパン三世」も「名探偵コナン」もアニメ化されていますよね。

モンキー・パンチ先生：ルパンを書いてから今年で47年目。あと3年で50年。

青山剛昌先生：50周年で3Dですね（笑）

モンキー・パンチ先生：3Dやりたいんだよなー。昔から好きでね。

青山剛昌先生：おもしろいですよね。飛び出してくるから。メガネが面倒くさいけれど（笑）

モンキー・パンチ先生：メガネは面倒くさいね。でも3D観る人は気にならないんだよね。

青山剛昌先生：面白ければ、かけてるの忘れちゃいますしね。

モンキー・パンチ先生：『アバター』は2時間以上あったけど良かったですよ。

青山剛昌先生：『アバター』良かったですよね。わざわざ川崎まで見に行ったら「どこからお越しですか？」ってインタビューされちゃってね。「あ、東京から！」って。（笑）

最後に、劇場に見に来てくれる方にメッセージをお願いします。

モンキー・パンチ先生：アニメーションを観ている間は、世の中の嫌なことを全部忘れて没頭して見てほしいです。そういう風に作っているし、楽しめる作品だと思います。

青山剛昌先生：時期的にもクリスマスが近いので、ルパンとコナンからのクリスマスプレゼントだと思って、大人から子供まで家族みんなで観に来てほしいです。

2014

Monthly Conan Newspaper 2014

Date: March, 2014 (Part 1) and April, 2014 (Part 2)
Published in: Monthly Conan Newspaper, March and April edition

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Source: [Part 1] [Part 2]

Raw:

Part 1

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Translation taken from: meitanteikonan blogspot

An extra long interview that lasted over 2 hours with Detective Conan creator Aoyama Gosho (50). This time, he talks about the black orginization, how he creates tricks for cases, Kaito Kid...and he gives a full report on his future plans.

So... Please Enjoy! ^o^

I(Interviewer): So, It seems you have decided on the overall ending already right? Have you even planned the final scene?
A(Aoyama): On January 4 this year (2014) I went on a kind of talk show event held in my hometown in Tottori Prefecture, called "Let's Have a Chat with Aoyama Gosho Day!! 2014". And, there we had talked about the black organization, and the identity of their Boss. I had revealed that the Boss was someone that has already made an appearance and we already know their full name. So, it's a character we already know, and we also know their full name, but there has been some mistake that has gotten out there.It's been going around the internet...and it's wrong!!

I: That would be that it's Professor Agasa...
A: Right right. And it's even being said that it's the woman that Agasa liked, Fusae-chan ( Fusae Campbell Kinoshita), but that's wrong too. hahaha. Even personally, I think their story ended up beautifully. And it's been said many times that that story is just too nice, and that it just has to be her, but I don't think I want to have that be a major plot point.

I: So, at the present moment, are there no other hints about the identity of "that person".
A: No, not for now. Just please look forward to it. (laughs)

I: So then, the black organization is full of mysteries. But, what sort of organization are they, and what is their goal? World Conquest?
A: Well, the world....or rather, they want control of lot's of money. They're moving stealthily in the shadows...sort of like (Al) Capone did right? Or, sort of like the image of the bad guys in 007 or something...sitting there stroking a cat. It's probably best not to say too much.

I: Is there any standard procedure when you're drawing the black organization?
A: As for the members, like Gin or Vodka, their names must be some type of alcohol. But, I'm running low on different types. They're all distilled alcohols. And the girls, like Sherry and Vermouth, are named after sweet alcohols. (As for why) I just think it sounds cool.

I: And as for Haibara Ai, did you intend from the start to have her on the side of the black organization, or did you always plan to have her develop in the way she has?
A: Yeah, even in volume 2 she had already made an appearance, though it was just a silhouette. And, because she's was a character sort of in between Conan and the organization, her name Haibara (灰原) came from Haiiro (灰色) meaning grey.

I: The movie that came out at the end of last year "Lupin the 3rd VS Detective Conan THE MOVIE" (The second cross over movie) there's a scene where Haibara gets in the bath with Mine Fujiko. So, what direction is Haibara going from here on out?
A: Hahaha....Yeah, I don't know. I guess nature will have to take it's course (Laughs) The bathing scene was a little surprising. At first, my editor handed me the story board and was like "Aoyama-sensei, there's a scene here where Haibara gets in the bath with Fujiko!" And, I had read the script and didn't remember there being a scene like that in there. So, when I asked if we should have them cut it, he said that Monkey-sensei (Monkey Punch: the creator of Lupin the 3rd) requested there be a scene with Fujiko in the bath. So, I thought, if it's going to be in there I wanted it to be cool, so I added a bunch of lines, and there was a lot of content that got cut. There probably aren't any manga artists who are cutting things from animations. But I had originally wanted to be an animator.

Haibara's lines are my true intentions

I: The lines that Haibara says when she's merely muttering to herself are impressive and actually very poetic.
A: The only person thinking them up is me, so I struggle with it. She herself is an easy character to write, because the things she says, I could say in real life. The things I couldn't have Conan say inspire what Haibara says. And you could say that those things are my true intentions. If there were someone that killed a person to protect a bear, Haibara would look at them with an angry face and say "You can't take animal rights that far", but if it were Conan he would say some harsh words. Because they'll say some indiscreet line with a stern face, Haibara and Kogoro are valuable.

I: Even if Kogoro is an idiot who's always joking around, he does have some cool moments doesn't he.
A: I created him with the image of just a generally bad detective. He has a habit of misreading things, but he's actually very important. When he should be cool, he isn't. He's very easy to write. I can easily write some perverted thing I'm thinking. I'm probably most like Kogoro.

I: So it's safe to say that your true intentions/thoughts are hidden in Haibara and Kogoro's lines?
A: Yes, those two are very easy to write.

I: How do you think up the tricks?
A: It's painful. Every time it's very difficult. But, there are times when my editor will also come to me with an idea. When we go into a meeting I'll ask "have you seen anything interesting recently? Have you read any novels? Is there anything we could use?" and if there's anything interesting, we'll use it. Of course, we'll end up changing everything about it though. And then we'll start asking various people things. My younger brother is a doctor so, I'll ask him about the time of death, rigor mortis, how much postmortem lividity appears etc. It's important to wring out the foundation.

I: Do you ever try out the tricks in real life?
A: For ones we can test, we test mostly all of them. A long time ago there was one where an answering machine was used as a tape recorder and then the tape was recovered. We had to actually test that. And just recently we tested if you could float a tomato on water using salt. We wanted to know how much salt would it take. And in order to get it to float, you have to put a ton of salt in the water. So, we didn't know what to do with that. But, at first, if you put just enough salt in there so that it's not quite floating, but it hasn't quite sunken either, and then you just barely sprinkle a tiny bit more in, it floats right to the top. And I thought that was really cool.

I: If you test things too much you'd probably get hurt wouldn't you.

I: There is a lot of variation in the stories, but do you ever reference cases that occurred in real life?
A: Actually I don't reference cases that have actually happened. That would probably be a little inconsiderate. But, actually a few weeks after I had drawn the Bus Jacking case, something similar to that had occurred in real life. I thought "Oh man, this is bad. Should I stop drawing Conan." Although, I could probably use cases from a long time ago. Like the "3 hundred million yen case" (He is referencing the largest heist in Japanese history. It occurred in 1968 in Tokyo, and has yet to be solved.) But I couldn't reference cases that are still ongoing or that have recently occurred. It might seem like I'm making fun of it, or making light of it, and that wouldn't be good.

I: Of the tricks and the story, which do you think of first?
A: Without a doubt, the tricks. And then I write a story for the tricks. Because I start with the most difficult thing and go from there. The trick will take about a half a day, or about 6 hours. If it goes quickly, maybe 3 hours. But even in 1 day, there's stuff I can't get done. There are times when I'll only get to sleep about an hour and a half. So, I'll be like "I'm gonna sleep, so hang on a little while."

I: Of these past 20 years, what trick are you most satisfied with?
A: Hmm...What would that be? Maybe I should ask you that. But, the code with the sun and the moon (vol 12), the secret to that was originally from Sherlock Holmes in "The Adventure of the Dancing Men". That's one that you can figure out on your own. That's also the first Holmes story I read. I was really excited and very moved. I was a kid, so I couldn't read English, but I still thought it was really cool. Even if it said, this person is an "L", as a kid it still didn't click immediately and I would read it while referencing the dictionary.I was in about 2nd or 3rd grade. I thought "wow, Holmes is cool. I want to do that someday."　

I: Where do you get the news and lingo related to the police and investigations?
A: I've asked the Tokyo Metropolitan Police. They'll tell me various things.

Kid is a sneaky character

I: Kid is also a very popular character. Could you tell us the details of his creation, and your future plans for him? Is he going to be involved with Conan and the black orginization?
A: Well, he's originally from my previous work called "Magic Kaito". I created that because I really liked Arsene Lupin and Lupin the 3rd. And recently he got involved a little with the black orginization during the Bell Tree Express case (the mystery train case from vol 78) but from here on out I don't think he will very much. Kaito Kid is a very sneaky character. He can disguise himself, and he can change his voice and stuff. It's better if he's an enemy. He's too sneaky to be an ally. There are a lot of female fans of his, but I don't plan on bringing him out too much.(wry smile)

I: There are creators who decide how much a character will make and appearance completely on their own.
A: Yeah, there are. Just freely doing whatever they want. When there's a movie, saying things like "No, don't have them say something like that" and then changing everything. Then they'll notice how it ends and really just change everything.

I: The Conan anime is faithful to the original.
A: Yeah, that's because it's a very long story. If it wasn't faithful to it, it would become inconsistent. And at the beginning I asked them to please do just as the original does.

I: When a movie comes out, I heard you are very involved.
A: I am. There's the feeling with a movie that you can do larger scale things that you couldn't do in a manga.

I: I also heard that there was an idea to set something up that would link the "Lupin the 3rd VS Conan THE MOVIE" with the 18th Conan movie "The Sniper from another Dimension".
A: The setting is the "Tree" but we weren't allowed to use the name "Sky Tree" (The Tokyo Sky Tree is a tower recently built in Tokyo). They weren't sure about having people dying there. They were probably right about that. (wry smile)

I: I guess there aren't too many differences between making it a movie, or for TV, but the TV series is steadily becoming larger scale.
A: Just as long as they don't interfere with the original.

I: Last year the Conan series was awarded the Fujimoto's "Special Series Award". There was an award recognizing the people who make it, and as one of the great anime which have crossed over to become movies.
A: Yeah, that's amazing isn't it.

I: Even as a movie and anime, you're still pretty involved aren't you?
A: I feel I might as well get involved. At first I was just going to completely leave it up to them, but then I thought, well, I better not. And I ended up changing things on all the scripts. And I was wondering if that's really something a manga artist does. It was a lot of work. After I would finish the name (the term for the "story board" like stage of a manga) I would read scripts and check them. That's a lot of work.

Q(Questioner): So, you originally wanted to be an animator, and in college you were part of a manga study group. Why did you change to wanting to become a manga artist?
A(Aoyama): That's because I like making stories. And, I also like manga. And, I couldn't just suddenly go from wanting to be an animator, to wanting to be a director. But, as a manga artist, I'm really effectively always working as a director. So, really, it's just because I wanted to write stories.

Q: But it seems your father was completely opposed to it right?
A: Not just my dad, but really my whole family was opposed to the idea. They told me I should probably stop, when I told them I would become a manga artist. They said "I knew an illustrator. He could draw a crab so life-like that it looked like it would jump off the page. But despite that, he died poor. Do you want to be like that?" But, from the time "Magic Kaito" came out their responses changed. I always go back to my hometown on New Year's and I'll draw pictures and sign autographs that people requested from my family, and one time, I was sitting in the living room drawing, and my old man came in, he asked me to draw (Nakamori) Aoko-chan, and I just thought "Yes, I won!"(Laughs)

Q: By the advice of your upperclassman in college, you decided to aim for your manga debut, but originally you took your manuscript to a different company? Is that right?
A: It was Kodansha's weekly published Shonen Magazine. When I drew the prototype for Magic Kaito, I got an honorable mention or something, and just when I was thinking I was gonna draw for that magazine, the editor changed and the new guy didn't seem to like my style. He said "If you want to continue, you'll need to change your drawing and writing style." I didn't really like the sound of that, and and editor at the time, who would later become editor-in-chief, told me that if I didn't think changing my style sounded good, then I should probably just go to a different magazine. So I went right on to Shonen Sunday and made my debut drawing non-serialized stories.

Q: Did you ever think you would fail as a manga artist, or did you regret your decision?
A: I completely thought that. I didn't think it would be this busy! It's more difficult being a manga artist than becoming a manga artist. When you're new, you want to hurry and get a serialized story before you're forgotten so you spend every day drawing names (Rough story boards for manga), but once you actually get serialized, it's way busier. (Before you're serialized) It's beyond your imagination. "Detective Conan" is particularly busy. In the days I was drawing "YAIBA" it was way more peaceful. The pictures were difficult, because it was an action manga. If I hurried I could get the names done in about a day, and could get everything finished in about 5 or 6 days. Then, with my left over time I'd go play baseball. My assistant would be like "Let's go play ball!" And, I still had free time left over. If I tried to do that while making "Conan" it'd be too difficult...

Q: Usually, your work week is 3 days for the name, and 4 days for the manuscript?
A: Yes. And my daily routine is usually, I go to sleep at about 10 am, and wake up at around 1 pm, that's when my assistants usually arrive. I'll usually write a sign that says something like "Wake me up when you get here -Aoyama-" So, my sleep time is about 3 hours. It's usually like that. I'll work and then at around midnight I'll usually get tiered and tell them I'm gonna go sleep for about 30 minutes. They'll wake me up, and we'll work through to morning. And that goes on and on for 20 years. (Laughs)

Q: What about your meals?
A: When I wake up, I'll always eat udon or soba or something. Then at about 7 pm I'll usually order something. I'm always ordering delivery. But in the middle of the night I'll go to a convenience store or something. A long time ago, sometimes my assistants would make something. Now that we're working off computers we're even more busy and my assistants don't have time to make any food either. Our dinner is from a convenience store! My favorite thing from there is oden. It's delicious and healthy.

Q: After 20 years of working, have your methods changed?
A: After about 3 hours of work, I'll take about a 30 to an hour and a half break. Maybe sleep for about 30 minutes. After 30 minutes sleep, I'm rested enough.

Q: Do you have any superstitions?
A: When I'm about to start work I'll spin my chair before I sit down. It's sort of become a habit.

Q: Do you ever think "Based on that spin, it feels like today's gonna be a good day"?
A: No, not really. (laughs) It's just a stupid habit of mine.

Q: I heard that tendinitis is common among manga artists, but do you take any precautionary measures?
A: Well, it seemed like I was headed in the direction of developing it, so, probably over 10 years ago I switched to using milipens (type of pen). A long time ago I just used the regular G-pen, but that requires more pressure and my hands would hurt, but when I draw with milipens I could draw all the lines very easily. "YAIBA" was completely drawn by pen, but I guess "Conan" was only done with pen in the beginning. With the thick and thin lines in Conan, with a regular pen you could just do it with one stroke, but with a milipen, you have to go over it several times to get the right thickness. If you're a person who's never used a pen, then you won't know that amount of pressure that needs to be applied, so if you're just starting out as a manga artist, please use a pen. An other thing that's changed is the about 3 or 4 years ago we switched to using computers for the drawing, and we don't have to apply tone by hand anymore.

Q: The Conan movie that is coming to theaters in April "The Sniper from a Different Dimension", it has some very pivotal and mysterious characters like Akai Shuichi and Okiya Subaru making their first appearances in a movie, and they seem to play a key role.
A: Well, I can't really say too much, but if you go see it, a "certain something" gets confirmed in the movie. It may be the first time a movie gets there before the manga on a main plot point. If you're a fan, you won't want to miss it. It's very cool.

Q: In the manga, Akai presence has been gradually becoming felt.
A: It's a very scary and cool image. In the manga, various mysteries are going to be cleared up. Of course that is to be expected from a mystery series. (laughs) Like the waterfall that Holmes fell over with Professor Moriarty (Reichenbach), the place where Akai was shot was called Raiha Ridge. (Reichenbach in Japanese is ライヘンバッハ or Raihenbahha which if you take out the middle becomes "Raiha") And after Holmes fell into the falls, he was still alive right?

Q: So that's a clue isn't it.
A: Yeah. Of course I'm a big Holmes fan. But Akai's name I took from from "Mobile Suit Gundam".

Q: In the explanation of the key characters on the site for the movie, it is written that the FBI investigator James Black is a fan of Mine Fujiko. Was that decision influenced by the "Lupin VS Conan" movie?
A: That's sort of a fan service. It's sort of interesting when stuff like that is written. Black knows about various things. And those character explanations were also written by me. At first, only Akai's was long, so I made the others match his length, and added the bit about Fujiko.

Q: Nowadays, the manga artists of the original work are becoming more and more involved with the theatrical version of the movies as well, but I've never heard of the original author even writing the character profiles on the movie's site.
A: Am I the most involved manga artist? I just added a few notes to what the advertising department wrote. There were several hints in the parts I wrote. I wrote several very fishy things.

Q: Why is it that you are so involved?
A: I just like anime. I originally wanted to be an animator after all. I just ask if I can see any news before they release it. They let me get away with a lot.

Q: Speaking of originally wanting to be an animator, what do you think about the anime series?
A: There are times when I think "thank you for taking it to such an extent," but there are also times when I think about how they went through such trouble to draw it, and it's ended up like this. When things are good I tell the editor over the phone "tell them they're doing a good job."

Q: The anime has things that the manga doesn't like sound and movement. Have there been any other effects by the anime on the Conan world?
A: Yeah, in the "Moonlight Sonata Murder Case" (manga volume 7, anime episode 11) Beethoven's Sonata "Moonlight" is flowing through Moonshadow Island. You can't hear the music in the manga. When I was drawing it I could here it myself, but that can't be conveyed to the reader. But it can to the viewer with the anime. I thought that was really cool and exciting.

Q: Do you ever take inspiration from other manga artists who have had long running series or manga that have been made into successful anime, or from voice actors?
A: Of course. I'm influenced strongly by the voice of the actors, definitely. I'll have an idea for the voice of a character in my head. Conan is voiced by Takayama Minami, and Mitsuhiko, at first I sort of was drawing him with more of a mischievous face, sort of like Suneo (a character from Doraemon), but Otani Ikue has a cute voice, so I started drawing him with a cuter face. And Conan always says "あれれ？(roughly, a cutesy kid way of saying "Oh? What's this?")". Originally he said that in the first volume but didn't really say it after that, but when Takayama said it in the anime, it was cute, and I started having him say it more. In the beginning, it was only my influence on the drawings, but the influence of others is good. I'm very glad, and I'd like to say thank you very much.

Q: You like sports too right? I heard you like the Giants, and soccer. So, what do you think about Japan in the World Cup this year?
A: It's great isn't it. I like Honda Keisuke who went to AC Milan. I was thinking "this guy is good" before he started really making a name for himself. He's got a big mouth doesn't he. He looks cool. He's a man of his word. He's number 10 for AC Milan....that's so cool. It seems like he's gonna do something really great. I hope he gives it his all.

Q: Do you watch European Soccer?
A: I used to a long time ago. I really liked (former Italian player) Roberto Baggio. I liked Serie A. And I really liked Juventus because Baggio originally played with them. Their uniform was really cool too, with the black stripes. It actually influenced the uniform of the Tokyo Spirits in my manga. So, yeah, I like Juventus. Usually I'll take a vacation once every 4 years, and I'll go see the World Cup. I went to see in person the '98 France World Cup, with Japan vs Argentina. I'm gonna go with my editor this year too.

Q: Conan's Super Kick Shoes have soccer influences as well don't they.
A: Conan began serialization in '94, and it was around that time that the J-league had just started ('93). So, I'm sorry for hopping on a fad like that.

Q: There are also Kendo and martial arts motifs aren't there.
A: That's because I was in the Kendo club at school.

Q: Changing topics, about a news paper, you haven't designed one have you?
A: No, I haven't. But the Nikkan Sports News Paper printed a full page advertisement of the Bell Tree Express. I was so happy. I framed it and hung it in my room.

Q: Sports newspapers themselves play important roles here and there don't they. With the Sumo wrestling record chart etc., I'm glad the contents in real life are different than the story. But anyway, lastly, could you give a message to your fans, especially the young people.
A: Thank you for supporting me these past 20 years. And thank you for your future support as well. If you're thinking "should I give up on becoming a manga artist? Is it too difficult?" No...I have fan letters saying "I think I want to be a manga artist.", but I just want to say, be prepared, and resolute.

Q: When you've ended Conan, are there any themes you'd like to try out?
A: Journey to the West! I really like it. And, I wanted to do something like that. But, well, too many years have gone by. If this were when I was drawing YAIBA, I could easily do it, but now it would be too hard. I'd like to draw some kind of Science Fiction too. That'd be good. If I could have a break from Conan, I'd draw that. (laughs)

Q: Lastly, could you give a few words to the readers of the Monthly Conan Newspaper, about the core of Conan.
A: The next movie is a production that couldn't be done as a manga. It could only be done as a movie, and it's very cool. It couldn't be done in the manga, and it has a lot of ties to the original story. This could only be done in anime. And, because this couldn't be done with manga, there's a ton of action packed cool stuff in it. Normally, the movie wouldn't go ahead of the original work and reveal something about the story. This is the first time. If people think "What? Is that all?" I don't know what I'll do. (Laughs) We can probably only do this with a movie. You'll probably think "Ah, I see." So, please look forward to it.

(The End)

AnimeAnime Interview

Date: (before) April 18, 2014

  Show spoilers »

Source: https://animeanime.jp/article/2014/04/18/18340.html & https://conan-4869.net/post-20166

Raw:

―アニメ！アニメ！（以下、AA）

今回はこれまでと違う試みがいくつかあると思いますが、初めてスナイパーが犯人として登場しますね。

―青山剛昌先生（以下、青山）
そうなんです。これまでは爆破シーンが多かったじゃないですか。だから今回はずっと登場させたかったスナイパーにしてみようと思ったんです。敵は自分が見えているのに自分は敵が見えない怖さ、スリルを出せると思いました。でもコナンは犯人追跡メガネを持っているから、ある意味彼もスナイパーみたいなものかもしれません（笑） 子ども向けの映画ではりますが、ハードな部分もあって実はすごく大人向けなんです。

―AA
世良真純、沖矢昴など原作の重要人物が劇場版に登場するのも初だとか。

―青山
こんなにサービスしたのは初めてです。この劇場版を見ないと原作がわからないというわけでは無いですが、原作でまだ出していないネタも出して、ネタばらししている部分もあります。

―AA
青山先生は劇場版に対してどう関わっていますか？

―青山
1作目からすごく関わっていますよ、原作ファンにはやっぱり楽しんでもらいたいから。 僕もモンキー・パンチ先生みたいに「僕は見るのが楽しみ」なんておまかせでもいいかな、なんて思うこともありますが、僕も関わるのをけっこう楽しんでいますので。 もちろん忙しさで大変な部分もありますが。

―AA
年に一度のペースで劇場版を公開されていますが、青山先生にとって劇場版コナンはどんな存在でしょうか。

―青山
怪盗キッドが劇場版に登場したら原作にも登場させたりと、原作と劇場版で一緒に盛り上げられる…… そうですね、バイオリズムみたいなものです！ オリンピック選手がオリンピックに向けて技術や体調を整えるように、僕もそこに向かって盛り上げる。今回のように原作と同じネタで盛り上がるのは初めてです。

―AA
ゲストキャストとして参加している福士蒼汰さん（ケビン・ヨシノ役）、パトリック・ハーランさん（ジャック・ウォルツ役）はいかがでしたか。

―青山
福士さんは声優初挑戦ということでしたが、クライマックスの演技がすごくうまくてびっくりしました。パックンの演技も言うことなしの良さだったと思います。

―AA
試写を終えてみて、印象に残っているシーンは？

―青山
クライマックスのベルツリータワーでのシーンです。劇場版を見たらきっとハラハラすること間違いなしです。

―AA
原作連載20周年、劇場版も18作目ですが、アイデアはどこから得ていますか？

―青山
映画やドラマを見て研究しています。最近のお気に入りはドラマ『福家警部補の挨拶』で音楽がかっこよくて好きです。最近見た映画では『ローン・レンジャー』『96時間 リベンジ』。 映画は基本的にミステリーが多くて、気になる台詞があったら巻き戻してメモをとったりしています、やっぱり同業他社みたいなもので気になってしまうんです。

―AA
ただの悪いだけの人や良いだけの人ではなく、さまざまな背景をもつ魅力的なキャラクターによって世界が深まっていますが、キャラクターづくりについて教えてください。

―青山
僕は裏設定をすごくたくさん考えるんです。「この人、実はこうだったんだよ」とたまに登場させると奥行きが出るのかもしれません。裏設定がたくさんあるのに死んでしまった人もいますが、そういうのを考えるのも楽しいです。 女子高生探偵の世良ちゃんも色々な設定を作り込んでいて、今回の劇場版のとあるシーンにもコッソリそれを盛り込んでもらっています。それがどこかは劇場で是非観てください！（笑）

―AA
有名俳優や女優がキャストとして参加するだけでなく、柴咲コウさんが作品に出演したり、ルパン三世が登場したりとコラボも魅力の一つとなっていますが今後してみたいコラボはありますか？

―青山
念願だったルパン三世とのコラボはやったので、夢が叶った状態ではあります。まさか実現するとは思わなかったです。 でもこの秋に、20周年記念スペシャル企画も用意しているのでそこでも大きなコラボをやります。詳細はこれから公開ですが、乞うご期待です。

―AA
最後に、ファンにメッセージをお願いします。

―青山
すごくかっこよく仕上がっていたと思います。劇場版を観てからサンデーの連載を読むともっと楽しめるかもしれません。まあ、読まなくても大丈夫ですけど！（笑）

劇場版公開翌週の4月23日発売の「週刊少年サンデー」に掲載されている『名探偵コナン』では激震が走ります。「緋色シリーズ」という入魂のシリーズがスタートするので、劇場版とあわせて楽しんでください！

Translated by: Startold

Anime ! Anime ! (will be shortened as AA): This time, even if there has been some attempts before, the criminal is a sniper, right ?
Aoyama : That's right. Up until now, there were a lot of bombing cases, so I thought it would be great to have a movie with a sniper. In my mind, the idea that the criminal could see without being seen was thrilling. Well, since Conan has criminal-tracking glasses, he's a bit like a sniper himself (laughs) Even though the movie is suitable for kids, there are certain parts of the film that are more adult.

AA: It's also the first time important manga characters like Masumi Sera and Okiya Subaru make an appearance in the movies.
Aoyama: It's the first time we've done so much. Even if there's nothing in this movie that hasn't been shown in the manga, there's still a scene that is a spoiler and that hasn't been drawn in the manga.

AA: How much were you involved in this movie ?
Aoyama: I'm very involved, and it has been like this since the first movie. The fans of the manga want to have fun watching the movie after all. I like Monkey Punch's viewpoint, which is to let go and let the production team do their work alone, but I like being involved. Of course, it's difficult to be very involved because how busy we are.

AA: Conan movies are released annually, but what do you do with them [in the original work] ?
Aoyama: Well, if, say, it's a Kaitou Kid movie, I'm going to make Kid appear in the manga as well, because it's exciting to have both. It's like a biorythm ! As Olympic athletes who train to prepare for the event, I do the same with the manga. It's the first time that the story of the movie is the same as the manga and it's exciting.

AA: How was it to have Sota Fukushi-san (as Kevin Yoshino) and Patrick Harlan (as Jack Waltz) in the movie?
Aoyama: Fukushi-san was the first actor to be chosen, and his performance in the climax of the movie is very good. Patrick-kun's acting is great too.

AA: After having watched the movie, what scene left an impression on you ?
Aoyama: The climax scene at the Bell Tree Tower. If you watch the movie, you'll find that scene thrilling for sure.

AA: The manga celebrates its 20th birthday, and this is the 18th movie. But where do all your ideas come from ?
Aoyama: I study closely the movies and dramas I watch. My personal favorite recently is Inspector Fukuie's Greetings, I like its music. I'm also watching Lone Ranger and 96 Hours of Revenge these days. There're a lot of mysteries in these films, so I rewind them when there's an interesting line. The scripwriters are my peers in this industry.

AA: Amid the good guys and the villains, there are some profound characters with various backgrounds. Please tell us more about character-making.
Aoyama: I think of the background of the characters a lot. When you think Oh, this person is actually different than I thought!, it gives depth to the character. The victims have a backstory too, so it's fun to think it up. I also created an important background for the female high school detective Sera-chan, and I included a bit of it in the movie. Please go discover that in the cinemas ! (laughs)

AA: Not only do famous actors appear in the movie, but there's also Shibasaki Kou. There was also a collaboration with Lupin the Third. Is there a collaboration you would like to do in the future ?
Aoyama: Doing a collaboration with Lupin the Third was a wish come true. I didn't think it would be done one day. We are preparing another collaboration in order to celebrate Conan's 20 year anniversary, it will be out this autumn. Some details are going to be made public, stay tuned!

AA : Finally, could you give a message to your fans ?
Aoyama : The ending of the movie is very cool. You should read the Sunday after reading the movie. But no worries if you don't ! (laughs) There's going to be something very important in the Detective Conan chapter of the Shounen Sunday of the 23rd of April. Scarlet Showdown is going to be released, so watch it along with the movie !

Da Vinci Interviews

Date: May, 2014
Published in: da Vinci magazine, May issue

  Show spoilers »

Raw:

Takeru Satoh x Gosho Aoyama cross talk

Yuki Suetsugu x Gosho Aoyama cross talk

Long interview

Partial translation by: ALAKTORN

[T/N: So apparently a large chunk of this interview was never typed up AND this is only the cross talk with Takeru Satoh, not the "LONG INTERVIEW" from this issue of the magazine.]

Takeru Satoh x Gosho Aoyama cross talk (partial interview)
(Interviewer?): Going on for 20 years is exceptional, isn’t it? Is thinking of the trick the hardest part?
Aoyama: I think of the trick together with the chief editor during meetings. So, every time the editor changes, it’s a bother. I have to explain to him things all over again, like who the boss of the organization is, etc.
Satoh: You’re nonchalantly talking about an amazing topic. That subject is sensitive… I’m purposefully not thinking much about it, because I want to be surprised at the reveal. But… when did you decide on who was the boss?
Aoyama: Hmm… it was about here, I guess. (While picking up a volume of the manga that was there)
(all present) Ooooohh!! That’s a big hint!

(Interviewer): This isn’t good. If you read that volume you’ll figure it out. I can’t write this.
A point worthy of note in Conan is also the love-comedy, isn’t it?
Aoyama: The love-comedy scenes are a big hassle. It takes a long time to think up cool lines for those situations.
Satoh: I love Haibara. I really do. She’s a scientist and so cool.
Aoyama: Haibara, huh? Haibara is pretty popular.
Satoh: At the beginning, we didn’t know if she was a friend or an enemy. But in the end, there is the moment where she opens her heart. She caught my heart when she ate Ran’s rice porridge and cutely said “hot…!” (volume 41, “The Secret Hidden in the Restroom”). I’m certain that Haibara likes Conan. But, understanding their complicated situation, she doesn’t take action. That’s on my mind. I also like Hayashibara Megumi-san. She has a beautiful voice.
Aoyama: When making a character, I think “if I draw/write her like this, she’ll be popular”, I can more or less anticipate it. But, just for Haibara, her popularity highly exceeded my expectations. I think Hayashibara-san’s voice is loud. Haibara Ai’s Ai comes from Irene Adler. The only one to have defeated Sherlock Holmes, “that woman”.
Satoh: Huh? Isn’t that important information!?
Aoyama: Yes, it’s the first time I’ve revealed it. In the manga, it’s said that “Ai” comes from the “I” in “V.I. Warshawsky”, but the truth is that it comes from Irene. It’s my special present to you.
Satoh: Awesome! Thank you very much!
Aoyama: [T/N: I don’t know what he’s saying exactly. Attempted translation: “If I were to spoil “that”, I thought it’d be good to make them link. That information is secret though. Rather… you’d find out that person’s real identity.” he says ano hito, not ano kata, so I’m not sure who he’s talking about…]

(Interviewer): Eh!? You just said something important without hesitation!?
Aoyama: Right now, Sera is fun to write.
[T/N: yes he jumps from one topic to another randomly, these interviews are weird]

(Interviewer): She’s suspected of being Akai’s sister, and it seems like she’s related with Conan from the past, a mysterious person. She’ll probably influence future developments in a big way. The fans also think that Haneda Shūkichi is a key person.
Aoyama: Well, he is… quite complex. He’ll appear from now on too. Soon, I’ll go collect data at the professional shogi players' championship series. Haneda’s “Hane” comes from Yoshiharu Habu [T/N: the kanji 羽 can be read both “Hane” and just “Ha”]. In the manga, things like “that person’s” real identity and even more will be revelead one after the other. [T/N:: again, “ano hito”, not “ano kata”, so I’m not sure he’s talking about the boss, that would be insane…] First, Amuro Tōru’s real name will be revealed. Then, why did he think of Haibara’s mother, Elena, will also be explained. [T/N: not sure about this phrase.] Two mothers will also be revealed as being sisters, etc.…… A lot of things are connected together. This is bad, I’m talking too much. Well, please look forward to the manga.

Please! Please, let me ask 2 more questions! What is the BO’s goal? Going by the APTX4869, I would think immortality…
Aoyama: That’s wrong. It’s true that you’d think that, isn’t it? You see, right now, something really big is happening within the organization.
Eeeh, I’m super curious! Then, the question everyone wants answered. Who is Anokata? [T/N: used “ano kata” this time, not “hito”.] Agasa Hakase was being rumored for a long time, but you have officially denied it. Conan’s father, Kudō Yūsaku is also a very big contender…
Aoyama: Yūsaku is also wrong. Now I’ve decided. From now on, I will never accept questions about “Anokata”! [T/N: not “ano hito” this time.] I mean, it would be no fun if it was figured out. Readers, let’s continue our deduction battle!

Detective Conan Character Visual Book Interviews

Date: September, 2014

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Raw:

Otona Fami Interview #5

Date: November 20, 2013
Published in: Otona Fami (Adult Family), January issue of 2014

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Raw:

2016

Gosho Aoyama X Yomuri Giants' Hayato Sakamoto

Date: March 16, 2016
Published in: Shonen Sunday #16

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Special Post March 2016, Aoyama Gosho Interview.

Gosho Aoyama and Hayato Sakamoto Cross-Talk
Creator of Detective Conan and The Yomiuri Giants' Captain.

Why is it you became a fan of Sakamoto's, Mr. Aoyama?
Aoyama: Well, I've been a fan since he was first drafted. At that time, I was very pleased with the scout Omori, and I had wondered what sort of player he would bring in. I thought "well, he's a little thin, but he looks like he can hit." (laughs) I had a good feeling about him when watching him play. He really stands out from the crowd! I've been a fan since then. Today's the first time we've met, and I couldn't believe it was really him. (laughs) It felt like is was still looking at a TV. Sorry. (laughs)

Mr. Sakamoto, today's the first time you've met, so what's your first impression of Mr. Aoyama?
Sakamoto: My first impression? Just "this is the guy who draws Conan!" (laughs) I'm a big fan of manga and I've got an autograph I received before in the locker room. I'm gonna put the picture I got today there too.

What do you think about the role Sakamoto played in last year's season
Aoyama: While I was in the hospital they didn't have Nippon TV G+ so I only got to see highlights on the news, and that was difficult. (laughs) Also, I hadn't realized Sakamoto was batting cleanup. That surprised me when I noticed.
Sakamoto: It was my first year as captain of the Giants, so I'm getting a lot of new experiences. It was my first time batting 4th as well. My record wasn't that good, but all in all it was a good year.

You're both professionals in your respective fields, so you must encounter some real difficulties.
Aoyama: Well, first, I really worried about whether I could draw a serialized comic. I felt like I wouldn't have any more ideas after 3 months. The first year or two was really difficult. (laughs)
Sakamoto: For me, it's that we've got a game every day. That's physically tiring of course, but also you have to play in front of forty thousand people, and that's very mentally exhausting. How many hours do you usually spend drawing manga?
Aoyama: When I'm in production, I only sleep about 3 hours a night.
Sakamoto: And the rest of the time you're drawing manga?
Aoyama: Or watching the Giants. (laughs)
Sakamoto: Thank you very much. (laughs) I've gotta be able to run around so sleep's very important. I get about 7 or 8 hours. So, you don't get any time off?
Aoyama: Time off? No, no!

How about right after you've finished the manuscript
Aoyama: Ah, that's when I'll watch the Giants game they've won. On nights they've won, it gets broadcast on Nippon TV G+. So, I'll record it and watch it later to refresh myself. (laughs) Sakamoto: Haha! You really do like the Giants don't you!?
Aoyama: I've been a fan since the Nagashima days. (Shigeo Nagashima: coach of the Giants from 1972 - 1980, and 1993 - 2001) How do you feel about the change of coaches?
Sakamoto: It's my first experience with that. It feels fresh and exciting.
Aoyama: Can I say this? For me personally, I want Sakamoto to be batting third. Then I want you to get .300 average with 30 homers...then once you do that, please make an appearance in Conan!! Also, I want you to go a year without injuries.
Sakamoto: A .300 Avg. and 30 home runs! Since you're expecting it I'll do it. Then we'll aim toward winning the Japan Series. After I do that you put me in Conan? (laughs)
Aoyama: Definitely! (laughs) I'll be supporting you with all my might this year!!　

CimemaToday Movie 20 interview

Date: April 14, 2016

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Source: https://www.cinematoday.jp/page/A0004961

Raw:

記念すべき20作目となった劇場版『名探偵コナン　純黒の悪夢（ナイトメア）』では、原作漫画のストーリーの根幹となる「黒ずくめの組織」とコナンたちの対決が描かれる。またその構図にFBI（米連邦捜査局）や日本の公安警察も絡み合い、漫画の重要キャラクターが一堂に介することに……。さまざまなエピソードについて原作者の青山剛昌に話を聞いた。（編集部・井本早紀）

◆劇場版20周年を迎えて

Q：アニメと劇場版が20周年を迎えました。今のお気持ちは？

「もう20年!?」という感じがします（笑）。よくここまで続いたなと思いますね。週刊連載についてもここまで続くとは思っていなかったです。まあ、やりたいことはどんどん増えていくんですけれども（笑）。

Q：映画でFBIと公安と「黒ずくめの組織」の対決が実現するなんて思ってもいませんでした。

それは今回の映画の一番の見せ場でもありますしね。「これをやろう！」と思って作っていますから。なかなか、漫画だとアクションシーンはコマを多くとってしまうので、表現しきれない部分があるんです。（FBI捜査官の）赤井秀一と（公安所属の）安室透の対決は今作でやりたかった部分なので、彼らを映画ならではの場所で戦わせてやろうと思いまして（笑）。この対決シーンは、ぜひファンの方に見ていただきたいですね。

Q：アニメや劇場版のスタッフに先生からこういうことをやりたいとアイデアを持ち込むことはあるのでしょうか？

割と毎年そうですよ。こういうことをやろうと。特別に「この作品だけは」とお願いするのではなく、毎回そうなんです。漫画じゃやりづらいところとかね。爆発させたり大規模なアクションを漫画で描いてしまうと、アシスタントを泣かせることになるので（笑）。映画だからできることをしようとは思っています。

Q：ということは今回「黒ずくめの組織」を登場させたのも先生のアイデアなのでしょうか？

劇場版第20弾で「黒ずくめの組織」を出すきっかけは、プロデューサーに言われたから（笑）。でも、かなり気合入れてやりました。原案段階から、たくさんアイデア出していますよ。

◆原案・脚本・原画・画（え）コンテ……毎回総監修を務めている『コナン』シリーズ

Q:今回も先生は原画に携わっているということですが……

そうですね。今回は赤井も安室も描きましたよ。もう一人、意外な人物も原画で描いているので、ぜひ映画館で探してみてください（笑）。

Q：また原画以外にも監修もされていらっしゃるとか。

ええ、脚本も画（え）コンテも全てチェックしています。特に今回の話は「黒ずくめの組織」が登場しますし。設定と違ったことをやられてしまうと困るので。アニメのスタッフとは原案段階から常に相談していますよ。それに監督やアニメスタッフのプロデューサーの方たちには、「黒ずくめ」のボスの正体を共有しているんです。「黒ずくめ」のお話を作る上で、そこは話しておかないとわからないと思いますので（笑）。

Q：ラストの蘭の言葉にはグッときました。あの言葉は青山先生が？

もちろんです！　最初はあのセリフはなかったんです。脚本をチェックしたときに入れていたんですが、画コンテ時点でなくなっていて。時間が足りなくて、カットになりそうだったんです。でもあの言葉がなければならないと思い、なんとか復活させました。

Q：原案や画コンテもチェックされていらっしゃるということで、総監修という立ち位置でも間違いないですよね。

毎回『コナン』チームでは当たり前のことなので、あえて入れる必要はないから入れていないという感じなんです。原作と書かれていれば、それでいいと思うんですよね。（ほかのアニメ映画で）原作者が総監修と銘打たれているのを見ていると、俺は毎回なんだよな～と思ってしまいます（笑）。

Q：もしも先生に一から脚本を手掛けてほしいというオファーが来たらどうしますか？

やりたいとは思いますが、そうなると連載を休まなければならなくなってしまいますので……難しいですよね。もしもやれるのであれば、監督をやりたいです。怪盗キッドや「黒ずくめの組織」との対決を描いてみたいです。ちょっと考えてみようかな（笑）。

◆忙しくともミステリーものは必ずチェック！

Q：「名探偵コナン」コミックスのカバー袖でさまざまな探偵を紹介する「青山剛昌の名探偵図鑑」では、小説から映画まで多くの探偵たちが登場していますが、お忙しい中でも先生は映画やドラマもしっかり観られていますよね。

映画はかなり観ます。小説は読むのは大変ですが（笑）、映画は2時間で観られますから。ドラマもミステリーものは確実に見ています。最近ですと「臨床犯罪学者 火村英生の推理」は毎週楽しみに見ていました。

Q：特に一番好きな映画作品はありますか？

『アマルフィ 女神の報酬』（2009）ですね。今回ゲスト声優の天海祐希さんが出演されていらっしゃるからというわけではないのですが、すごく好きなんですよね。作業が行き詰ったときとか、何回も観ちゃいます。頭から最後まですごくいい映画なんで。セリフとかも好きで観てしまいますね。

Q：映画などをご覧になられて、実際の作品づくりに生かされている部分はあるのでしょうか？

ありますよ。前作の『名探偵コナン　業火の向日葵（ごうかのひまわり）』には、『タワーリング・インフェルノ』（1974）の要素がありますしね。第13弾の『名探偵コナン 漆黒の追跡者（チェイサー）』は『ブルーサンダー』（1983）ですし。アイデアが以前に観た映画から生まれることはあります。またうまく例えると、映画のスタッフにも、「こういう感じか」と伝わりやすいので。

◆漫画のトリック裏話

Q：トリックはどのように考えているのでしょうか？

ほとんど自分と担当編集者だけで考えていますね。「最近面白い映画観た？」から始まって、何時間も仕事場で一緒に話して、案をたくさん出してから、使えそうなトリックをピックアップしています。毎回大変ですよ（笑）。

Q：打ち合わせではストーリーよりもトリックに時間を割かれる場合も多いのでは？

そうですよ。ストーリーの方が早いです。トリックはかなり時間かかっています。話を考える時間とトリックを考える時間は2：8くらいなんじゃないでしょうか。なかなか難しいので。それからトリックはできる限り実験もしているんですよ。今週刊少年サンデーに載っている話（FILE954～957）も、実はきちんと試しています（笑）。

Q：原作漫画を描かれているときに、アニメのことを意識されることも？

アニメになったときに表現しにくそうだから、こういう表現にしておこうかなということを考えたりはしますね。コマの間の動きであったり、アニメでやりづらそうなトリックの説明は、予定と変えてみたりとか……。あ、でもそんなには考えていないです（笑）。漫画は自分勝手に描いています。

Q：映画では「黒ずくめの組織」の巨大さも描かれていますが、漫画の第1話ではジンとウォッカは遊園地のジェットコースターに乗っていましたよね。こんなに大きな組織になると当初から予定されていたのでしょうか？

それはご想像にお任せします。でも、ジンがジェットコースターに乗っていたなんて、かなりレアですよね。ウォッカが券を買うところに並んで「大人2枚」って言っていたんでしょうね（笑）。

Q：小さな子から大人までファンがいる「コナン」ですが、ファンのみなさんにメッセージをお願いします。

ファンレターで、子供の時は絵がかっこよくて見ていたけれども、大人になって内容を理解して2度楽しめたという言葉をいただいたりします。なので小さい子には、わからなかったところは大人になってから見てみたりと、何度も「コナン」を楽しんでほしいですね。大人の皆さんは、どうかこれから年を重ねてもコナンを卒業しないでください。息子さんや娘さんができたら一緒に観に行ってください（笑）。

編集後記

劇場版を含め「名探偵コナン」に関することはしっかりチェックをしているという青山。作画が休みの日も映画や小説などを楽しみ、作品につながる時間の過ごし方をしているという。「もともとメッセージ性のあるものを見るのが好きなので、それが自分の作品づくりにはいいのかもしれませんね」と笑顔を見せる彼の作品への愛情が、子供から大人まで幅広いファンを惹（ひ）きつけているのかもしれない。

劇場版『名探偵コナン　純黒の悪夢（ナイトメア）』は4月16日から全国東宝系にて公開 オフィシャルサイト

Q: Both anime and movies have been running for 20 years. How do you feel like?
A: "20 years already!"... That's the general feeling (laughs) I think it's surprising that it's come this far. I didn't think that the weekly magazine chapters would last this long. But I got to admit that the ammount of things I want do is steadily increasing. (laughs)

Q: You surely didn't think that a confrontation between the FBI, the PSB and the BO would become reality in the movies, did you? (NOTE: I know Amuro is not PSB but that's what's written in the interview. My hypothesis about why: the movie staff assumed Amuro was PSB and Gosho then thought of making him NPA but by then the script couldn't be rewritten)
A: And that's the main dish of this movie. It's been made with the idea of "let's do this!". In the manga it's pretty hard to properly draw an action scene so there are some aspects that it can't portray. The confrontation between Akai Shuuichi (FBI Investigator) and Amuro Tooru (PSB-affiliated) is an aspect I wanted to do in this movie, so I thought that we could have them fight in the movie (laughs). I want fans to see this confrontation scene, I really do.

Q: Does it happen that the anime and/or the movie staff come to you with an idea, with "we want do this/that"?
A: It more or less happens every year. They want to do something. It's not that they ask for this or that to be specially made for "this work (episode/movie)", it's always like this. When there are things hard to do in the manga. When I want to make things explode or draw a large-scale action in the manga then my assistants start crying (laughs). I think of doing things that can be done in a movie.

Q: Would that mean that it was your idea to make the BO appear in this movie?
A: The reason the BO come out is the because the producer told me he wanted to do that since it's the 20th movie (laughs). But they've placed a lot of energy into it, really. A lot of ideas came up at the draft stage.

Q: It'd seem that you're working on an original illustration this year as welll...
A: That's correct. I drew Akai and Amuro on this illustration as well. There's another character, someone surprising, that shows up in that illustration too, so... Try searching for that illustration in the theater (laughs).

Q: It'd seem that you're also supervising other things apart from the illustration...
A: Yes. I check the script and the storyboards as well. I'm more involved than the usual because the BO show up in this movie. I don't want trouble to pop out because the setting is wrong. The anime staff have been asking me a lot of questions ever since the drafting stage. And I shared the identity of the BO's "Boss" with the director and the producer of the anime staff. Because I think that, since they're making a story about the BO, I must explain that to them: else they wouldn't understand (laughs).

Q: Those words Ran said at the end [of the trailer] were surprising. Did you come up with them?
A: But of course I did! That line wasn't there at the beginning [of the project]. I inserted it when I went over the script but the storyboard at the time was almost finished, looked like there wouldn't be time [to fit the scene in] and it was about to be cut. But I thought those words were a must so I brought them back.

Q: If you say that supervised the draf and the storyboards then you must surely hold the post of General Supervisor, don't you?
A: It's something obvious in the "Conan" team. I feel like I don't join them because I don't see the need to join the team. I'm satisfied with writing the manga. When I see (other anime movies') manga authors being billed as General Supervisors, I end up thinking "What in the..." (laughs).

Q: What would you do if they offered you to work in building a script from the very start?
A: I think that I might do that but if I were to do that then I would have to stop working on the weekly manga chapters... It's a difficult topic. If I were to do it I'd rather prefer to be the director. I'd like to draw a confrontation with Kaito Kid or the BO. Maybe I should come up with one... (laughs).

Q: You introduce all kinds of detectives in the Conan volumes' cover sleeve, the "Aoyama Gosho Detective Encyclopedia". A lot of detectives of movies and novels show up. Despite how busy you are you do check out other movies and drama series.
A: I watch a lot of movies. It's hard to read novels (laughs) but you can see a film in 2 hours. I also check out drama series and mystery series. As of late I enjoy watching "Clinical Criminologist Himura Hideo's Deductions" every week.

Q: Is there a movie that you like a lot?
A: "Amalfi: Rewards of the Goddess" (2009). I like it a lot: and it's not just because the guest voice actress acting in this movie [Movie 20] Amami Yuki - san [Silver-haired woman role] is acting on it. I watch it a lot of times when I feel blocked or without ideas. It's a very good movie, from the start to the end. I like the lines by the characters too so I rewatch it a lot.

Q: Is there some aspect of movies that you see that gets reflected when you work on your works?
A: There is. The previous movie, Movie 19 "Sunflowers of Inferno", had elements from "Towering Inferno" (1974). Movie 13 "The Raven Chaser" had elements from "Blue Sunday" (1983). There are ideas born from having seen some movie. They can be used as examples and it's easy to explain to the movie staff by saying "like that scene of that film".

Q: How do you come up with the tricks?
A: I and the editor in charge come up with most of them. We talk a lot in the workspace but our chat begins with "Have you seen anything interesting movies as of late?". We come up with a lot of ideas so we pick up the tricks that we could use. We do that everytime and it's hard (laughs).

Q: Does it happen a lot that the trick takes up more time than the story in your meetings?
A: It does happen. The story is faster. The tricks take up a lot of time. I think that the time to come up with the story is about 2 hours and the time needed for the tricks is about 8 hours more or less. It's pretty difficult. And we experiment as much as we can to see if the trick can be really used. The trick in the chapter being published in the Sunday magazine now (File 954-957) has been properly tested, truth to be told (laughs).

Q: Do you think on the anime when you draw the original manga chapters?
A: I do think that "this might be hard to express in the anime" so I express it in a certain manner. It can be the movement between the panels, or a trick explanation that might be hard to do in the anime, trying to change the schedules.... Ah. But it's not like I think a lot about it (laughs). I draw the manga in my own manner.

Q: In the movie the BO is portrayed as gigantic but Gin and Vodka are riding in an amusement park's roller coaster in the 1st chapter of the manga. Was it on your schedule from the start that the BO would become such a big thing?
A: I'll leave that up to your imagination. But it's pretty rare that Gin and Vodka were riding the roller coaster... Vodka might've made the queue to buy the tickets and ask for "2 adult tickets", I guess (laughs).

Q: "Conan" has fans that range from small kids to grown-up adults. We'd like of you to give them a message.
A: In some fan letters it was said that, when they were a kid, they found the drawings to be cool. And when they became an adult they could understand the story. So they could enjoy it twice. So, those parts that a small kid can't understand can be checked out when they become adults: and thus they can enjoy "Conan" a lot of times. Adult fans: please enjoy Conan even if you go on aging, don't graduate from it. If you have a son or a daughter... Then please go watch it together (laughs).

Animedia Interview

Date: May 10, 2016
Published in: Animedia, June issue

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Raw:

Gosho Interview

Also has interviews with a few of the voice cast like Takayama Minami

Asahi Newspaper Interview

Date: July 16, 2016

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Source: https://bbs.aptx.cn/thread-296434-1-1.html

Raw:

• 
• 

鳥取の球児　ガンバレ

　第９８回全国高校野球選手権鳥取大会がいよいよ開幕する。厳しい練習に取り組んできた県内の野球部員たちを応援してもらおうと、「名探偵コナン」などの作品で知られる北栄町出身の漫画家、青山剛昌さんにコナンのイラスト入りメッセージ色紙を寄せてもらった。（横山翼）

　――野球好きと聞きましたが、きっかけは

　ジャイアンツの長嶋（茂雄）選手です。

　――高校野球は見ていましたか

　思い出に残っているのは、原（辰徳）選手の東海大相模と、定岡（正二）選手の鹿児島実業が戦った延長戦です。夜遅くまで試合があり、なかなか決着がつかない試合を見て、手に汗握りました。

　――高校球児が主人公の「４番サード」など野球を題材にした作品も描かれています。野球漫画のだいご味は

　ピッチャーだと、三振。バッターだと、ホームラン。カンタンやなぁ（笑）

　　　　　◇

　青山さんが挙げた東海大相模と鹿児島実の延長戦は、１９７４年の第５６回全国高校野球選手権大会・準々決勝のこと。延長十五回の死闘の末、４―５で東海大相模が敗れている。原選手は野手で、定岡選手はエースだった。

　　　　　◇

　あおやま・ごうしょう　　１９６３年、北栄町（旧大栄町）出身。日本大学芸術学部卒。８６年、「ちょっとまってて」で小学館新人コミック大賞少年部門に入選、９４年から「週刊少年サンデー」（小学館）で「名探偵コナン」の連載を開始。単行本は８９巻まで刊行され、世界２１の国と地域で翻訳、出版されている。テレビアニメなどにもなり、映画は今年公開の「名探偵コナン　純黒の悪夢」で２０作目。ほかに「まじっく快斗」「ＹＡＩＢＡ」などの作品がある。

Translated by: Startold

Good luck Tottori team!

The 98th National High School Baseball Tournament is finally going to start. In order to give some support to the Tottori baseball club members who have been training hard for this competition, Goushou Aoyama, a manga artist from Hokuei-cho who works on the Detective Conan series, gave us an interview as well as a drawing.

Q: I heard that you like baseball. What made you like it? A: (Shigeo) Nagashima, of the Giants.

Q: Did you watch high-school baseball when you were in high-school? A: I have vivid memories of the extended game with (Tatsunori) Hara of Toukai University and (Shouji) Sadaoka from Kagoshima Jitsugyou. The game lasted until late at night, I was seeing that the game was going to be hard to settle, my hands were sweating.

Q: A high-school base-ball player was also the protagonist of your short story Third Base Fourth. What was the best part of writing it? A: When it's the pitcher, it's a strike out, when it's the batter, it's a home run. It's easy to write! (laughs)

◇

The game Aoyama-san mention was the Toukai University vs. Kagoshima game of the quarterfinals of the 56th National High School Baseball Tournament, 1974. After 15 extension times, Toukai University lost 4 to 5. Hara was a fielder and Sadaoka was an ace.

◇

Goushou Aoyama. Born in 1963 in Hokuei-cho (former Daiei-cho). He graduated from the Nippon University College of Art. In 1986, he won the Shogakukan Newcomer Award given by Shogakukan, and started serializing "Detective Conan" in the Weekly Shounen Sunday" beginning from 1994. The series consists of 89 volumes to date, translated and published in 21 countries around the world. It also became TV show, and the 20th movie, Pure Black Nightmare", will be released this year. Besides Conan, Aoyama has drawn Magic Kaito and Yaiba.

Gosho Singapore visit Interview

Date: November 12-13, 2016
Held at: Singapore Writers Festival, Singapore

  Show spoilers »

Source:
Q & A Slide Show:
Audio only: https://clyp.it/mwoiwshx
Video: [Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3] [Part 4] [Note: Missing some content]
[Attempt at transcript of audio, stops at 19:23 of 57:52]

Q & A Session: [Part 1] [Part 2] (Not scripted here)

Two Comic Icons: Gosho Aoyama meets Sonny Liew: [Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3]

Post Movie screening Q & A: [Part 1] [Part 2]

Q & A Slide Show
Slide: Creating Detective Conan: The Life and Works of Gosho Aoyama

Program Director: So, a warm welcome to Singapore Writers Festival 2016, organized by the National Arts Council. Before the Start of this event we will like to thank our key venue and program partner the Arts House for their generous support. Thank you very much. So, we would like to, uh, start with the (inaudible, name of translator)

Translator: Ah, yes, good evening. I’d like to get started. (inaudible) Excuse me for those. Welcome to the panel Creating Detective Conan: The Life and Works of Gosho Aoyama. I’d very much like to thank you all for coming this year and we can (?rate?) this today. Let’s welcome the creator of Detective Conan, Gosho Aoyama.

(Loud Claps)

Translator: Ah, my name is (inaudible, don’t want to screw up name) the translator for this session. I will talk in Japanese with Aoyama-sensei today and show the question in English (inaudible) the answer of Mr. Aoyama will translate it in English. Then, the first question:

Translator:(Japanese question)
Slide: How do you like Singapore? Is this the first time to come Singapore for you?
Gosho: (Japanese answer)
(laughs)
Translator: So, Singapore equals (inaudible) to Aoyama-sensei
(more laughs)
Gosho: (Japanese answer)
Translator: And (inaudible) of course.

Slide: Aoyama Gosho Manga Factory in Tottori Prefecture
Translator: Mr. Aoyama (inaudible) in Tottori Prefecture, have a museum called Aoyama Gosho Manga Factory. Which you can enjoy, if you choose (inaudible). And the comics Conan has been translated in 21 countries and regions. You can also see these comics in this museum, if you have the chance to come visit there.
Slide: (various pictures inside museum)

Translator: (Japanese question)
Slide: What kind of child were you? Have you been creating Manga since then?
Gosho: (Japanese answer)
Translator: So, when he was a child he was somehow the character was like Mitsuhiko than Conan, so he was like naughty kid.
(laughs)

Translator: (Japanese question)
Gosho: (Japanese answer)
Translator: So, he was drawing manga since he was very young.

Translator: (Japanese question)
Slide: What Manga did you like when you were young?
Gosho: (Japanese answer)
Translator: (Japanese question)
Gosho: (Japanese answer)
Translator: So, uh, he was a big fan of Mr. Chiba Tetsuya’s “Ore wa Tepei” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ore_wa_Teppei). That was his favorite manga when he was young.

Translator: (Japanese question)
Slide: Where you also a fan of mystery novels?
Gosho: (Japanese answer) Sherlock Holmes
(loud cheers)
Translator: So his favorite novel was Sherlock Holmes, and he really loved the (inaudible) series. (Japanese question about Sherlock Holmes)
Gosho: (Japanese answer)

Slide: I heard that when you were in primary school, you have wrote (……..not readable……….) for private detective stories? Is this true?
Translator: (Japanese question)
Gosho: (Japanese answer)
Translator: (Japanese question)
Gosho: (Japanese answer)
Translator: So, uh, when he was in Primary school, he really did determine himself to write a manga, create a manga about private detective stories, but at the time the character of Conan was not in his head yet.

Translator: (Japanese question)
Slide: This is about the dualism exemplified in Conan as a character. How did you come up with the idea of creating a single character that embodies such dualism?
Gosho: (Japanese answer)
Translator: So, he actually had this idea of the character (inaudible) character from (inaudible) Mikeneko Holmes which is by Akagawa Jirou (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jir%C5%8D_Akagawa#Calico_Cat_Holmes)
Gosho: (Japanese answer)
Translator: So in that story, Mikeneko, which is a cat, a multicolored cat, who is a detective, a cat is a detective.
Gosho: (Japanese answer)
Translator: So in the story, the cat being a detective was a quite cute setting, so he thought of Conan the character.

Translator: (Japanese question)
Slide: I suppose you may have been inspired by Ranman ½? The transformation in Ranma ½ is a gender shift while Detective Conan is an age shift. Can you please elaborate on this?
(loud laughs)
Gosho: (Japanese answer)
Translator: He was not inspired by Ranma 1/2.

Translator: (Japanese question about Soccer)
Slide: What made you decide Shinichi Kudo as a boy who is good at football?
Gosho: (Japanese answer)
Translator: The reason is quite simple, because in that period when Conan started its series that J-league, the football team in Japan was a really big trend, so that’s why he thought of making that setting of Shinichi being good at football.
Translator: (Japanese question)
Gosho: (Japanese answer)
Translator: Shinichi, he is really good at sports, but not at music. Why is it so, because Mr. Aoyama said he is not a good singer.
(loud laughs)

Translator: (Japanese question)
Slide: I heard when you just started Conan, you didn’t expect this series to be very long since it is a mystery. Why did you think this although you are a mystery fan?
[Note: Video 1 cuts out here so we are missing a few of the question slides]
Gosho: (Japanese answer)
Translator: He predicted that a reader wouldn’t read a manga with so many words because for Aoyama-sensei, if he was a reader, he thought it would be a bit to tiring if there were a lot of words in manga.
Translator: (Japanese question)
Gosho: (Japanese answer)
Translator: (Japanese question)
Gosho: (Japanese answer)
Translator: He was surprised how Conan series was very very popular from the very first volume of the book. So since, for the first book, he thought of a long setting, story setting.

Translator: (Japanese question)
Gosho: (Japanese answer)
Translator: So Mr. Gosho Aoyama asked so the Black Organization setting was slowly changed through the series in the long term, but Aoyama-sensei actually had the idea for the setting from the beginning. (Japanese question)
Gosho: (Japanese answer)
Translator: So every time he talked with the editors for long long hours

Translator: (Japanese question)
Gosho: (Japanese answer)
Translator: He always gives homework to the editors to think of the ideas for the tricks and actually sometimes there is the tricks can not be used. (inaudible) can not be used in the comics. Sometimes in the long time they have reflect to the ideas in the past and they use it for new comics
Gosho: (Japanese answer)
Translator: So both Aoyama-sensei and the editor actually brief together especially when they have to read the mystery novel or mystery movies that they most recently to have new ideas.
Gosho: (Japanese answer)
Translator: So they get a lot of clues from the movies a lot.

Translator: (Japanese question)
Gosho: (Japanese answer)
Translator: Sometimes the briefing takes up to 12 hours. Just by writing the Name, which is a rough setting. He took three days just to think of the plot. And drawing five days. So it actually doesn’t finish within a week.

Translator: (Japanese question about tricks and gimmicks)
(loud laughs)
Gosho: (Japanese answer)
Translator: So he really likes the gimmick. Which is like the (inaudible). So it’s easier to understand for kids and is more exciting. He does experience by himself whether it really works.
Translator: (Japanese question)
Gosho: (Japanese answer)
Translator: So he takes turn of the story, so once the gimmick is inside the locked room, the next time is different gimmick.
Gosho: (Japanese answer)
Translator: So when there is actually a real murder which happen in real life, he would not try to do that.

Translator: (Japanese question)
Gosho: (Japanese answer)
Translator: In the London Series, Shinichi tells actually how he feels about Ran (inaudible)

Translator: (Japanese question)
Gosho: (Japanese answer)
Translator: So when his favorite time, so the time when Akai-san was alive.

Translator: (Japanese question)
Gosho: (Japanese answer)
Translator: He doesn’t target any of the (inaudible)
Gosho: (Japanese answer)
Translator: He doesn’t even really children, he doesn’t target adults, he just target everyone
(loud laughs)

Translator: (Japanese question)
Gosho: (Japanese answer)
Translator: He doesn’t really think of what kind (inaudible) just when he likes it.

Translator: (Japanese question)
Gosho: (Japanese answer)
Translator: So, Sonoko was actually appearing as a detective in quite many episodes, but recently Sera-chan has appeared so she’s not becoming a detective anymore so much.

Translator: (Japanese question)
(loud laughing over question)
[Note: Video 2 starts here]
Slide: Until the 30th volume, Ran was always suspecting that Conan was actually Shinichi. Was there any possibilities to let Ran know the truth?
Translator: Actually Aoyama-sensei thought why does Ran never actually realize that Conan is Shinichi?
Gosho: (Japanese answer)
Translator: So, He still thinks it’s more fun, it’s more exciting that Ran doesn’t know about the truth, so he just continue like this.

Translator: (Japanese question)
Slide: Not only Dr. Agasa, but Hattori Heiji also knows that Conan is Shinichi. Why did you come up with this setting?
Gosho: (Japanese answer)
Translator: So, Hattori knows about what, who Conan is actually the truth but why is it so is the question? It’s the same for Ran, because it’s more fun.
(loud laughs)

Translator: (Japanese question)
Slide: You say that Conan series not only murder mystery but also love story. How come there are couples who knows each other since young?
Gosho: (Japanese answer)
Translator: Since it’s a love, a love comedy, uh, it’s better to have couples that they know each other since very young.
Gosho: (Japanese answer)
Translator: So it’s easier for, uh, readers to remind what happened in the past, uh, when they know each other since very very young, for the couples.
Translator: (Japanese question)
Gosho: (Japanese answer)
Translator: It’s not fun if people know of who the character is then what kind of fact there is behind the character. He just follows what is fun.

Translator: (Japanese question)
Slide: How much do you take a role for the anime series?
Gosho: (Japanese answer)
Translator: So, he’s a lot of, he’s really really related to the movie series
Gosho: (Japanese answer)
Translator: So, he really really put a lot of ideas for himself into the latest movie The Darkest Nightmare.
Gosho: (Japanese answer)
Translator: He does stuff, wanted to stuff related into the movie because he says a lot

TWO COMIC ICONS AND POST MOVIE INTERVIEW

Q1: You are admired as a mangaka but what do you think about it?
A: Well… I’m not conscious of it.

Q2: What do you think you are for everyone out there?
A: Well… I wonder about that. I’m Conan’s creator… Hum… I really don’t know. I’m always shut in my room and working.

Q3: Is mangaka very lonely job?
A: It’s very lonely.

Q4: Have you met any young mangaka who admire you and got inspired by you to become mangaka?
A: I haven’t. (Audience laughs). There are fan letters that say “I admire you, I want to become a mangaka”

Q5: You said you’re not conscious of it but do you feel any pressure from the admiration many place into you?
A: I don’t. I don’t feel anything like that. (Replies at once)

Q6: You’re very popular so… Do you have any bodyguards?
A: Yeah! A bodyguard was assigned to me when I went to Germany!

Q7: When you work on the stories… Do you take into mind what kind of stories could be popular or what the readers would like to read?
A: Hum… I don’t… think much about it. I prioritize what I want to draw. If I try to figure out what the readers like I’ll most likely end up guessing wrong.
(Someone: Really! Have you had that experience before?)

Q8: You said you receive tons of fan-letters but do you write answers to them?
A: Japan has “New Year’s cards” and I always write my replies in those.

Q9: Do you read opinions about Conan on the Internet? What do you when you find a comment that criticizes Conan?
A: Yeah. I check them out. If there’s a comment that criticizes Conan then I don’t come back to that website.
(Audience laughs)

Q10: Conan is being loved across the world, not only Japan. But did you predict it’d end up like this? It’d seem it’s also pretty popular in Western countries as well, did you know?
A: I didn’t expect that. On the contrary, I thought nobody would take it seriously.

Q11: We’re now at Volume 90 but when did you start thinking that “this is working”?
A: Ever since Volume 1… (laughs). (Sorry for not being humble!)

Q12: How do you manage time when you’re busy?
A: When working on the key frames… Then I only sleep 3 hours a day

Q13: How much time do you work like that?
A: 5 days.

Q14: You don’t rest on weekends or holidays?
A: I don’t make a distinction

Q15: So you spend 5 days to make 1 file?
A: Wrong. The key frames take 5 days. Drawing the file takes 3 days.

Q16: Do you have a studio at home?
A: Yes, my home is my studio.

Q17: You don’t have any pressure regarding deadlines?
A: I don’t. Edits made when busy are bad! (laughs)

Q18: Have you ever missed a deadline?
A: I haven’t! (Replies at once)

Q19: What do you think it’ll become of manga and anime in the future?
A: Well, I’m wondering that too. I don’t think much will change… As long as they’re popular… I haven’t taken that into consideration when writing the manga

Q20: Which has more readers in Japan? Digital manga or printed manga?
A: Hum… I wonder about that. Digital seems to be in the rise, though.

Q21: Do you have any assistants? And are they young mangakas?
A: I’ve got 6 assistants. They’re colleagues from the college manga club. They’re all… pretty old. But a young girl joined us. She’s the only one who looks lively… (laughs)

Q22: Do you have any mangaka you admire?
A: Tetsuya Chiba. And Mitsuru Adachi too.

Q23: I’ve been a fan of Conan since elementary school (no won my 30s). Will Conan end before I die?
A: Do your best to live on.

Q24: Is there any prediction on when will Conan end?
A: It’s a secret!

Q25: Conan is popular but can you tell about your other works?
A: Huh? What? What? Ah… I drew Yaiba a long time ago. Because I did kendo in the past. Kaito Kid as well… I don’t know what I could explain about it… I like Arsense Lupin a lot so I put that passion into Kid’s character

Q26: You said that drawing manga is a lonely thing and that you stay in your room and only sleep 3 hours, but how do you manage to stay healthy?
A: I’m not healthy. (Audience laughs). No, no, no! You shouldn’t laugh at that!

Q27: Conan is very popular and goes on but, do you have any ideas of any series you want to continue once Conan ends?
A: I haven’t thought of any.

Q28: Why is it that Vermouth and Sharon and mother and daughter?
A: Ah… Is it OK to say that? Hmmm… Look forward to it.

Q29: There’s a manga about mangakas named “Bakuman”, but do think that its story is correct or realistic?
A: I saw the anime. That’s a lie. That doesn’t happen in real life. Doesn’t. There’s a lot of things… most of them… that aren’t real. The authors said they did like that to make it interesting. Real life is more sober than that.

Q30: Have you considered any fellow mangaka a rival to compete against, or have you been irritated by any?
A: (laughs). That hasn’t happened… In my case, though. I’m a sloth myself so I myself am my greatest rival.

Q31: Do you have any plans to draw a manga showing a mangaka’s real lifestyle?
A: (laughs again). I don’t.

Q32: In “Bakuman”… You can see the relationship between the mangaka and the editor, but how is the relationship between you and your editor?
A: Nothing like the one in the manga. The editor might be a different company, even. Conan is one of the main manga in the Shonen Jump of Shogakukan. I think that the Sunday mangaka who saw Bakuman thought “that’s not true!”.

Q33: Apart from manga… Do you believe that works explaining a mangaka’s lifestyle are close to the real stuff?
A: Yeah. What was it? “Overprintable”. That was pretty real. It was made into a TV drama too.

Q34: Your clothes make me recall Akai Shuuichi but… why?
A: HUH? * laughs * … No way… Well, I came cosplaying as Akai. (laughs).

Q35: When you write the stories… Amongst the DBs, Kaito Kid, the BO, Heiji Hattori and others… Is there a type of story you enjoy a lot when you write it?
A: Kaito Kid is fun and the BO is exciting.

Q36: How about those cases when Heiji and Shinichi solve a mystery together?
A: Well, I enjoy them too. They’re fun.

Q37: Is there any important lesson or message you want to transmit through the manga?
A: I’ve been saying this for some time but… Boys are cool and girls are cute.

Q38: A lot of songs are used in the anime and it got popular. Do they ask for your opinion when the songs are chosen? What is your favorite main song?
A: They only asked me the first time. That was the only time I told them my opinion… There a lot of songs so… Choose by yourself. My favorite one is the very first song “mune no dokidoki”.
Questioner: “My favorite is Garnet Crow’s ”Wasurezaki”…” (ED 20)
Aoyama: “Huh? Wasurezaki? Huh? I don’t recognize the name. (Audience laughs). Garnet Crown? Ah… I like Garnet Crow.

Q39: You’re a Gundam fan, right? Akai got his name from Char, and Amuro is from Rei Amuro. Are there other works that influence Conan apart from Gundam?
A: Are there…? Apart from Gundam? What could it be…? I can’t think of any. Sorry.

Q40: I believe that, in Japan, mangakas and editors are very close and create a manga together, but how much do they influence and how do they collaborate in balancing things?
A: We might spend meandering about 12 hours to come up with a trick. Once we decide on the story then we don’t discuss editing.

Q41: Have you heard of any real-life policeman or private detective inspired by Conan who’s solved any real-life cases?
A: I haven’t! (Audience laughs). But I heard about someone who, imitating Conan, jumped into a river to jump someone who was drowning.

Q42: You draw murders as a mangaka, but have you thought about someone possibly using the story or a trick in real life to cause a case?
A: Fortunately enough no-one has insofar caused any cases in which they imitate Conan. But if there was a real-life case like that I promise I won’t draw a story that resembles it.

Q43: Are there any cases in Japan of a manga being qualified as not being too good?
A: Hmmm… Are there? Both children and adults read a lot of manga nowadays. Time ago it was children only. That’s why my parents were against me becoming a mangaka. They said it’d end up being no good.

Post Movie screening Q & A

Q1: The Darkest Nightmare is the 20th movie. The manga has 90 volumes. (Conan’s popularity) increases by the year but why do you think it’s so popular?
A: Well… What can I say…? I work hard on the manga but the movies have also been working hard since their beginnings. And thus popularity has gradually spread… I believe that maybe that’s what makes it popular.

Q2: Apart from the script, do you get involved in some other aspect of the movies?
A: Well, I draw key frames and help fix the storyboards

Q3: You can see Singapore in the staff roll, right? Why is that?
A: It’s not like I decided THAT… (laughs). Guess they choose there because we don’t have a big, huge Ferris wheel here.

Q4: Will Singapore show up as a location in Conan’s story?
A: I have a tentative plan do that

Q5: When will that be?
A: Hmmm… When…? Hmm… Within a year’s time? I don’t know.”

Q6: In the manga? Or in a movie?
A: In the manga. It’ll eventually be adapted into the anime.

Q7: Regarding characters’ designs… For example, Conan’s bow tie. How did you get the idea for that?
A: That’s… “Shichi – go – san”… There’s a traditional Japanese event called “shichi – go – san”. Boys wear like that. I wore like that when I had my “shichi – go – san”.

Q8: Where do your ideas for many cases, tricks and episodes come from?
A: Well… From a lot of places. I see interesting movies, read interesting novels, and come up with interesting ideas.

Q9: Do you get inspiration from real-life cases?
A: No, I don’t.

Q10: You’ve just answered that you don’t want them to resemble real-life cases but… You make your cases in a way that the “fiction” aspect prevails in them?
A: Yes, I do. If I use a real-life case someone might feel annoyed at that, after all.

Q11: Conan is supposed to be an elementary school student. But there are a lot of dark aspects in the series. What kind of readers do you have in mind when you work on the cases?
A: Well… I don’t have any specific kinds. I aim for every kind.

Q12: Some readers have grown and become adults ever since the series began, right? Have you felt the need to change the story to take in mind the growth of the readers?Post Movie screening Q & A:
A: I haven’t. Kids are very smart, and when I write a childish story some say “this is for kids” and they look down on it

Q13: Do you also get ideas from children close to you?
A: I don’t have any children close to me. (laughs)

Q14: So you come up with everything using your imagination?
A: Correct. Sometimes using my experiences as a kid.

Q15: I guess most people are interested on it yet… Do you have an idea of how will Conan’s end be like?
A: I have it, of course

Q16: How much time will it take to get to that resolution?
A: That’s a secret.

Q17: If Conan goes back to Shinichi would the story continue as the life of the high-school student Shinichi?
A: Well… I haven’t really given it a thought yet. But that could be interesting to do.

Q18: Kogoro has 2 disciples, no? Do Amuro and Wakita know each other?
A: Huh? Why do you think that? Ah… There are a lot of things involved there. Look forward to them.

Q19: Why did Curacao die? Why did she have to die?
A: Ah… Curacao? Hmmm… That was sad, yeah. But, well… Hmmm… I think that even if she’d lived on she wouldn’t have an easy life. I’m sorry (public laughs)

Q20: Do you feel pressured by the level of popularity? Like, when popularity is high do you feel that you want to keep on? Or that when a new volume is less popular than the one before you feel troubled?
A: No, I don’t. I don’t feel that at all.

Q21: Is there something specific you do to relax?
A: Nope… Ah. Well. I like baseball so I watch baseball.

Q22: Will Conan alone defeat the BO? What about Akai and Amuro?
A: Akai and Amuro will be needed, of course! (laughs). I think that things may happen as you imagine.

Q23: There are a lot of mangakas who have cameo appearances in some movies: do you intend to make a cameo appearance in a movie?
A: * laughs *… No, I’m too shy to do that. I was once asked to do a cameo appearance but I refused the offer.

Q24: What’s your favorite female character of the manga?
A: Well… That’d be Ran – chan. Is that OK?

Q25: What are the key elements (those things you consider important) when it comes to making a Conan movie?
A: Hmm… They’re always different. For this year’s one I thought of involving the BO…

Q26: When you draw the manga you take the movies and anime into consideration?
A: Well, I do

Q27: You’ve been keeping that in mind ever since you began serialization?
A: Nope. When I began serializing it there wasn’t an anime so I didn’t think of those. I didn’t think such a small manga would have an anime.

Q28: Did you use yourself as basis for creating Kudo Yuusaku? Because he can be smarter than Conan
A: Nope, I’m not that smart. If I’m forced to say who was the basis that’d be Mycroft from the Sherlock Holmes novels.

Q29: Will Eisuke Hondo make a comeback?
A: Say… (laughs)… Do you really want him back? Well… I might give it some thought

Q30: What motivated you to become a mangaka and what motivated you to create Conan?
A: I liked mystery stories. The reason I became a mangaka was because I was good at drawing. I also liked coming up with stories ever since I was a kid so I thought of drawing a story I’d come up with.

Q31: Does that mean that you were popular amongst your classmates?
A: Nope, I was only slightly popular (laughs)

Q32: There are lot of double-faces (NOCs) infiltrating the BO. How can they infiltrate SO easily? The BO doesn’t check their backgrounds?
A: You’re right. It’s very mysterious indeed. (laughs).

Q33: Kichiemon Samizu appears in Conan. You don’t intend to make a spin-off about him?
A: A spin-off? Ah… True… That could be interesting. He’s a very useful character.

Q34: You fulfilled your childhood dream of becoming a mangaka, right? Is there a next dream or dreams you want to fulfill?
A: Other dreams? Ah… I’d like to be director even if it’s a one-timer experience

Q35: Director of a Conan movie?
A: Indeed.

Q36: A live-action Conan film?
A: Ah… That would be neat.

Q37: What actors would you like to have in the casting?
A: Do you mean Conan’ actor? Hum… That’s a hard question. Hmmm…

Q38: What would happen if the story was written from Shinichi’s Pov?
A: Huh? But the story is Shinichi’s PoV to begin with. Ah. Do you mean if he hadn’t become Conan? If that’d been the case the series wouldn’t be this popular. (laughs)

Q39: Do you have any advice for people aspiring to become mangaka?
A: Hmmm… Let’s see… What should I say…? If you want to be mangaka then I think it’d be better for you to go to upper college, if possible. Why, you ask? Because you must be able to think of a good story. That’s what mangakas must do.

Q40: Will Dr. Araide appear once again? Did you wholly forget him?
A: Ah… Dr. Araide, huh… Until you asked me about him I’d forgotten about him.

Q41: Will a Conan videogame come out?
A: I think that there are already Conan videogames. There are several in Japan. But I don’t know if they’re as popular as Pokémon GO, though.

Q42: Did you parents support you in any manner when you decided to become a mangaka?
A: They didn’t support me. They were against the idea. But now they’re very thankful of my decision.

Q43: When did they thank you?
A: When I began to gain money from my activity. (laughs)

Q44: Are there people who you invited into the world of manga?
A: There’s a senior from college who’s become a mangaka. That would be it.

Q45: Will Lupin meet Conan again?
A: Ah… I’ve heard people talk about that here and there

Q46: Which is your favorite (Conan) movie?
A: Hum… This year’s movie, I think…? It was good, wasn’t it? Of course it was… Hmmm… I think that, as you can see, it was impressive and cool. Because I added a lot of corrections. (Laughs)

Q47: In the Phantom of Baker Street, Sherlock Holmes is depicted as Kudo Yuusaku instead of Conan. Is there a reason for that that (Why’ that)?
A: That way it gets more interesting, doesn’t it?

Q48: How much time were involved with the movie?
A: About a whole year. Maybe a year and a half. We’re doing the meetings about the next year’s movie already.

Q49: Do you have plans of doing a collaboration with other characters of other stories like Harry Potter? (Have you actually approached their makers?)
A: * laughs * . Well… I wonder about that. Conan would be surprised if an owl landed on his arm. Well. If they actually happened I think they could be interesting to see.

Akai and Amuro Secret Files Voice Actors Interview

Date: November 29, 2016

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20th Anniversary DVD collection guidebook interviews

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Source: https://bbs.aptx.cn/thread-295749-1-1.html [Aoyama interview video]

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Aoyama Interview

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Voice Actors Interview
Takayama Minami (Conan)

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Yamazaki Wakana (Ran)

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Hori Yuitoshi (Gin)

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Furuya Touru (Bourbon)

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Hayashibara Megumi (Ai)

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Ikeda Shuuichi (Shuuichi)

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Koyama Rikiya (Kogoro)

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Yamaguchi Kappei (Kaitou Kid)

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Horikawa Ryo (Heiji)

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Hidaka Noriko (Masumi)

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Yuya Atsuko, Takagi Wataru, Chiba Isshin, Tanaka Rie, Kato Yuko, Inoue Kazuhiko, Morikawa Toshiyuki, Sugimoto Yu, Orikasa Ai, Chafurin (Police)

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Iwai Yukiko, Ootani Ikue, Wakagi Wataru, Ogata Kenichi (Detective Boys)

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Yamaguchi Kappei (Shinichi)

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Furuya Toru and Ikeda Shuichi (Amuro and Akai)

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Staff Interview
Yamamoto Yasuichirou (Director) X Shizuno Koubun (Director)

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Sakurai Takeharu (Scenario Writer)

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Suwa Michihiko (Producer)

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Oono Katsuo (Music)

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Sudou Masatomo (Character's format design / chief of animation directors)

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Kodama Kenji (Director)

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Song Artist Interview
Mai Kuraki (Music)

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Complete Color Works Interview

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Source: https://bbs.aptx.cn/thread-295984-1-1.html

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20 Year Cinema Guide interviews

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2017

Movie 21 Guidebook Interviews

Date: April 12, 2017
Published in: Movie 21 Guidebook

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Source: https://www.facebook.com/DCTheRedThread/posts/1443967432321872
https://www.facebook.com/DCTheRedThread/photos/a.1431924616859487.1073741935.508258949226063/1443957315656217/?type=3&theater

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  1. Aoyama Gosho interview

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  2. Aoyama Gosho interview

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  3. Aoyama Gosho interview

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  4. Shizuno Koubun interview

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  5. Shizuno Koubun interview

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  6. Takayama Minami interview

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  7. Takayama Minami interview

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  8. Horikawa Ryou interview

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  9. Horikawa Ryou interview

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  10. Miyamura Yuuko interview

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  11. Miyamura Yuuko interview

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  12. Yukino Sakki interview

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  13. Yukino Sakki, Yoshioka Riho, Miyagawa Daisuke interview

Translated by: Spimer
Page 1
It'd seem that Momiji was indeed thought of as a movie character but Gosho decided to make her show up in the manga too to make people familiar with her by the time the movie came out.
Also, Iori went through several design stages (at first it was a old geezer) before they made him a handsome type (TN: The movie staff, not Gosho) Also says that Okita will be involved in the Kazuha - Heiji relationship.

Page 3
The love comedy is between Ran and Shinichi but there'll be a big event involving the high school students.
And Heiji and Kazuha will appear too.
(Note: The japanese text actually says Momiji, but it raised the question of why Momiji would be there and not Kazuha so it was translated as Kazuha)

News Zero Interview

Date: Mid April, 2017

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Translated by: Anime_Lover4869
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iil7oopohas

Heiji and Kazuha Secret Archives Interviews

Date: May 9, 2017
Published in:

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Interview with:

• Gosho Aoyama
• Ryo Horikawa (Heiij)
• Yuko Miyamura (Kazuha)
• Minami Takayama (Conan)
• Satsuki Yukino (Momiji)
• Daisuke Ono (Iori)
• Daisuke Miyagawa (Sekine Kouji)
• Riho Yoshioka (Hiramoto Mikiko)
• Kobun Shizuno
• Takahiro Okura

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Gosho Interview Translation
Source:
Part 1: https://meitanteikonanplot.blogspot.com/2017/05/aoyama-gosho-special-intervie-part-1.html
Part 2: https://meitanteikonanplot.blogspot.com/2017/05/aoyama-gosho-special-interview-part-2.html
Translation by: Meitanteikonanplot blogspot (工藤隆一)

Gosho NHK Interview

Date: June, 2017
Published in:

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Source: https://www.facebook.com/DCTheRedThread/videos/1511205238931424/

Aoyama's latest interview for NHK: he talks over his interest in the Sherlock Holmes' series and how he got inspiration from Conan Doyle's works to create his own characters. Guess what character was based off Moriarty? ;)

Translation of info: Anime_Lover4869

Gosho Aoyama first found out about Conan Doyle in elementary school, through the book "The Dancing Men".
It seems he became obsessed over the code during that time.
"It scared me but at the same time, the curiosity rose"
"If I hadn't seen this, I probably wouldn't have written Conan"
In his elementary school essay, he wrote that he wanted to be a manga writer before but now (as in that time) he wants to be a detective. But he doesn't have good physicality so he'll put both dreams together and write a manga about detectives. 🕵
As you may already know, the town Beika is a spin-off of Baker and that Beika's "Bei" is the letter that also means rice. And that letter is similar to the Union Jack 🇬🇧
Continuing on, they asked Gosho to name his top 3 characters in Holmes.
He put James Moriarty as #3
He said Moriarty is the ideal character for the Black Organization boss. Just like Moriarty, the boss doesn't show their face and works behind the scenes, only pulling the strings on the crimes from far away
Gosho says "I try to make it so that they (the boss) is cold-blooded, won't leave a single scrap of evidence, and almost invisible"
He put Mycroft Holmes in #2
Gosho says that he's smarter than Sherlock Holmes, the protagonist, which is also the same situation with Yusaku Kudo, Shinichi's father
And lastly, he put Irene Adler as #1. Apparently, Haibara Ai's "Ai" is taken from Irene Adler's "I" which is similarly pronounced

Magic Kaito Vol 5 Playback Episode

Date: July 18, 2017
Published in:

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Translated by: Startold (TL Note: Thanks to Yunnie for the help.)

Magic Kaito Volume 5 – Playback Episode from Gosho Aoyama
Hi, it's Aoyama !
Since a new volume of Magic Kaito came out, I have to delve into my memories from the past.

PHANTOM LADY
I wrote this story about Kaito's parents four years ago. I had stopped writing Magic Kaito for Conan and I thought : Wow, so much time has passed ? (laughs) If I recall correctly, his mother mutters Kaito, it's time for you to know, and the story's finally here ! It's this story that finally revealed that Kaito's mother's name is Chikage. It was my first time digitalizing a manuscript, I was glad I managed to portray the security sensor similar to phantom thieves stories so cooly, but I had to drew one night scenery after another, and that took time and so I almost didn't make it in a deadline. By the way, this story leads to Conan's Ryouma case, in volume 70. Read it if you're interested !

MIDNIGHT CROW
When it was decided to animate the series, I had a meeting with the animation staff. We asked ourselves How are we going to finish the story ?. So I suggested : Why not do one about a black Kaitou Kid that would be published in the Sunday ?. And that's how I wrote Midnight Crow. I will never forget the staff's face when I told them Actually, Touichi is alive (laughs) Ikeda-san, Touichi's voice actor, had difficulty saying the line When you come in contact with an audience, it's a scene of duel... quickly ! <3 The sucker trick line comes from Kaito Kid's anime screenwriter Kunihiko Okada, who I thank very much. In the Phantom Lady chapter, Kaito's work as Kid was given by Chikage, but in Midnight Crow, he's supposed to quit because a lot happened in Las Vegas... but it's another story (laughs)

SUN HALO
This chapter was written to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Magic Kaito, so it had to be a love comedy <3 When I drew the chapter, Kaito's bike is a Suzuki GSX 250 R. I had forgotten that it was supposed to be broken, so I had Jii-chan say that a doctor friend helped him... I leave that to your imagination (laughs) Speaking of characters, Lucifer appears again ! As I thought, Akako uses red magic ! (Fortunately Akako doesn't exist in Conan's world (laughs)). The entrance hall in the chapter is based on Tottori's entrance hall, so please go there if you visit Tottori ! By the way, in Sun Halo, Aoko rides the bike with Kaito !

NONCHALANT LUPIN
It's a short story I sent to Shounen Magazine, and I got an award for it. As you can see, it was a prototype for Magic Kaito (laughs) The form is different, but even the card gun is there. I drew this because the editor I had at that time told me: Show me a story you want to write. It's my second work! Now that I look back, I'm embarassed because it looks bad. (laughs) Anyway, the hero's name is Lupin, and the name of the story Nonchalant Lupin, but I don't know where he's nonchalant... (laughs)

Gosho Aoyama 30 Years Anniversary Book

Date: October 16, 2017

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Interview 1

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Interview 2

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Interview 3

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Secret Talk

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Some Translations from The Red Thread

Info by 頭脳明晰天真爛漫; English translation by Jiamin

Hi there! This is Aoyama, it’s a little sudden, but I am going to announce my “favorite chapter in my 30-year career” Since my debut in 1986, I cannot possibly remember the numbers of chapters I’ve drawn, however, when it was asked “the number one chapter,” I can answer it without any hesitation. There’s no other option, the one and only great chapter that need to exist in this world! That is!!!.... the hint is “hospital.” [the next page reveals: Shinichi Boy(part one, 923), and the book shows rough draft of the chapter and Aoyama sensei’s page by page notes/comments]

(TN: Shinichi boy was drawn while Aoyama was hospitalized in 2015, in SDB 90+ he also mentioned he created the chapter with the feeling that “this great chapter needs to exist in the world”)

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Info from @oooHYYo (no scan provided), English translation by Jiamin:

1. Aoyama sensei’s favorite movie: last year’s was good, so does movie 1 & movie 4
2. The Higo charm case, when Conan received Ran’s text, he’s probably thinking “I wanna reply ASAP! But I can’t” or something like that
3. Favorite chapter “Shinichi Boy” when Ran said “don’t call me crybaby” Shinichi’s thinking”why is she mad, she seems so cute/sweet”

Additional info about the Panel of Shinichi and Ran's first meeting:

Aoyama: this is the panel I worked really hard on! The moment they met, which is a significant moment, but I just couldn’t get it right, I altered so many drafts for this scene

Aoyama: Ran was pleased to hear Shinichi’s “Thank you”, so she responded with a huge smile “There you go!” But we couldn’t see the smile, it didn’t show in “Ran Girl” either. The smile was revealed at the end of “Shinichi Boy(part 2)”, the kind of smile which moved Shinichi, and fell in love with Ran.

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info provided by 米花快报; English translation by Jiamin

Q: Congratulations on the 30th anniversary for your career, is there a year that was most memorable to you?
A: it was the year that the production of first Conan movie was decided. Before that, I feel troubled on writing Conan, and thought it was probably time to end it. I had to come out of new ways to kill people every week, it was extremely difficult for me. And the editorial department went out of their ways to meddle in my creation, I hated that. So I decided to go to Las Vegas with my assistants, splurged all the moneys that I have earned at that time, and decided to end Conan when I come back home. But then I received a phone call in my hotel in Vegas, “The making of Conan movie was confirmed!” I changed my mind after that, maybe I shouldn’t give up, I need to work harder when I come beck.

Q: Conan was really popular since the beginning, and the editors still wanted to intervene?
A: Yes, for example, they wanted Heiji’s personality to be more vile, I thought “to hell with them” and ignored their suggestion.

(TN: that was Chinese translation, didn’t see that part in the original text, it’s either covered or they might’ve added it to sound more dramatic)

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info provided by 米花快报; English translation by Jiamin

Death count: 247
Different causes of death:
1. Striked: 40
2. Strangled: 34
3. Stabbed: 25
4. Poisoned: 24
5. Shot: 22
6. Burned：21
7. Beheaded：19
8. Fallen：13
9. Suicide：13
10. Drown：9

(Yes, these are manga counts only; up to Volume 93.)

Interview with Detective Conan Producer Michihiko Suwa

Date: November 11, 2017

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Source: https://manga.tokyo/interview/interview-with-detective-conan-producer-michihiko-suwa-part-1/
Michihiko Suwa is the producer of the TV anime and movie series Detective Conan (Meitantei Conan), also known as Case Closed based on the manga by Gosho Aoyama. In part one of MANGA.TOKYO’s interview with Suwa, we learn about the beginnings of the anime as well as how the anime staff are careful not to slip up when adapting Aoyama’s manga.

— Could you tell us how the plan for the anime adaptation of Detective Conan developed?

The first chapter of the original manga Detective Conan series, also known as Case Closed, was published in 1994 in Shonen Sunday. I guess it was a countermeasure against the rival manga magazine which had started a detective manga series The Kindaichi Case Files in 1992. I had a close connection with the editorial staff in Shonen Sunday, so I heard about a new detective manga before its publication. When I read the first chapter, I was instantly captured by its clever tricks. I kept reading it for 10 weeks and made up my mind to make an anime adaptation.

Protagonist Shinichi Kudo was a 17-year-old detective but ends up having the body of a first-grade child because of a drug he was forced to swallow. I thought this setting was ‘a big lie’, and that was why it would nicely fit for anime. While discussing the anime adaptation plan, I convinced the editorial staff that I would respect the original which had an unrealistic setting, but otherwise was serious and a realistic mystery-solving story.

At the time, Yomiuri Telecasting was airing the anime series Magic Knight Rayearth at 7:30 on Monday evening, but I wasn’t sure which TV block Detective Conan would be scheduled into. Although we didn’t know exactly when it would start airing, we began developing the plan aiming to air in January or February 1995.

We asked TMS Entertainment, then called Tokyo Movie Shinsha, to take care of the anime production, because they had brilliant staff members. They created Magic Knight Rayearth and I appreciated their effort to create such great visuals. We also made an offer to Kenji Kodama for the director’s role. We had worked together on City Hunter before, so I told him it wasn’t an action but a mystery anime. He replied that he actually preferred mystery to action, and rather enjoyed creating mystery episodes more than the action ones while directing the Lupin III series. For the script, we wanted someone who was specialized in live-action dramas, so we invited Kanji Kashiwabara, who had been working on scripts for many detective dramas. He pulled some strings and Kazunari Kouchi, Junichi Miyashita, and Yuichi Higurashi joined us. We also asked script writers for anime to join our production team. For music, we asked Katsuo Ono, who was responsible for the music in a popular detective drama series called Taiyo ni Hoero, because we wanted the music of the anime to be comparable to suspense dramas for adults. Our idea was to create new mystery anime which is different from the others, and could be enjoyed by both children and adults.

— What do you pay attention to when creating the anime?

We have some rules, like using the word ‘body’ instead of ‘corpse’, and have blood look ‘black’ not ‘red’. That’s because we wanted the anime to be a mystery-solving story from the first place. We avoid showing scenes of a knife stabbing somebody or a bullet hitting victims, as long as they aren’t related to the tricks of a mystery. It airs in the evening in Japan, so there might be viewers who are in the middle of their dinner. We take extra care not to offend anyone, especially people who aren’t anime fans. We used to use ‘murder case’ in its titles quite a lot at the beginning, but stopped using it two or three years later, because we want to show not the crime itself, but how Conan solves a mystery after the crime happens. Our priority lies in showing the genius mystery-solving skills of Shinichi Kudo under the name of Conan Edogawa.

While I believe Detective Conan is a superb mystery, the manga author Gosho Aoyama thinks of it as a comedy drama that focuses on its characters with an element of romantic comedy between Shinichi and Ran Mouri. I think that’s the strength of Detective Conan. It stands out from many other mystery stories. Furthermore, although we don’t know what type of characters will be popular, as everybody has their own tastes, our viewers can find their favorite among the varieties of characters in the anime. Aoyama creates many characters who have their individual charms, and we put them in the mystery solving stories. That’s why Detective Conan is different from any other mystery anime.

— Is there anything you didn’t expect because the series has become such a long-runner?

In the anime’s timeline, it has been less than a year since the roller coaster murder case. Many incidents have happened in Beika Town during that time. Only about 250 days have passed in the anime world, but we’ve made about 880 episodes. The town must be in a mess, since, mathematically speaking, there are three to four incidents happening in a day. [laugh] We must welcome the situation because a long-running series means the anime has dedicated fans. Aoyama once said that there has been only one Christmas and one Valentine’s Day in the anime. That demonstrates things in the anime are in safe hands. We’ve seen Conan’s birthday, but not Ran’s yet. I presume he already has his plan for her birthday, so we won’t imply anything about hers in the anime. We don’t want to change anything about its setting.

At the beginning of the series, we didn’t have smartphones therefore the characters were using flip phones. We didn’t expect such technological advancements at that time. Conan likes new things, so he tries them without hesitation. If he had been in possession of a smartphone 20 years ago, some mysteries might been solved easily with it. Perhaps we are living in a difficult time for mystery stories.

In the manga, Conan and Ai Haibara make a remark about something which is seemingly unrelated at the end of each case. Later, it turns out to be something really significant in another episode. Aoyama’s use of such foreshadowing is increasing recently, so the current director, Yashuichiro Yamamoto, is careful about not to miss any minor details in the manga.

In short, there is a main storyline in the manga, which is like a big river flowing throughout the story, and the anime original parts we create are like floating leaves on the river. We know we shouldn’t obstruct the flow. Detective Conan has the major plot of Conan pursuing the Black Organization. Only Aoyama can deal with the plot, therefore we take extra care to include every single detail in the anime, as it might be related to the plot. I think we’ve done a good job in this regard so far.

— Detective Conan is showing overseas now.

We are extremely glad about that. It has been doing well, especially in Asia and South-East Asia where it’s nearing the No.1 place in anime genre. It used to be shown in the US under the title of Case Closed, but it struggled because we are not allowed to show someone getting shot in anime there. They are showing lots of violence in live-action drama, though. We have fans in some parts of Europe.

I hope people abroad can directly know what Japanese anime want to deliver by watching anime. For that reason, I’m pleased anime can overcome boundaries and rules between countries. I’d love more people to watch this anime.

— Have you heard comments from fans abroad?

I’ve found many comments in English and other languages on Twitter. I’m delighted to know there are people who are watching Detective Conan abroad. Recently, more voice actors have traveled overseas to attend anime events. When Rikiya Koyama, who plays Kogoro Mouri, went to Taiwan, many people gathered to meet him. I like that fans abroad have fun with the characters of the anime. I’m glad that they enjoy the stories of the Detective Boys, love stories in the police force, and the romantic comedy between Heiji Hattori and Kazuha Toyama, despite the fact that they have different cultures. They’ll say things like “I like Heiji”, “I like Kid.” I’d like the fans abroad to enjoy what their favorite characters do, and hope to hear what they think of the anime more in future.

— It’s a pity that Conan can’t go abroad because he doesn’t have his passport.

He can’t use an antidote casually, can he? I’ll follow how Aoyama deals with it. [laugh]

— What is an interesting point about the anime adaptation of Detective Conan

At the end of the 18th theatrical movie Detective Conan: Dimensional Sniper, Subaru Okiya reveals his true identity as Shuichi Akai. Anime can use voice to express identity, but manga can’t. Even Aoyama admitted the power of anime. Readers keep reading the original manga because it’s brilliant, however we create anime with images and sound. I’m proud of what we’ve done to bring 2-dimensional manga to 3-dimensional anime with movement and sound in an effective way. I think the original manga is a first-class sponge cake and what we do is to decorate it with cream and fruit. Just like decoration makes the sponge cake tastier, anime enhances the source material to make it more attractive to a wider audience. Obviously, the original manga has an astonishing amount of circulation, however anime has the power to attract even elderly people who happen to be in front of TV with its sound and visuals. For that sense, I feel the anime series appeals to a much wider audience.

— You said that anime-original stories are like leaves floating on a river. What do you think about their own charms?

Creating anime-original stories (stories that are not based on chapters of the manga) means a declaration of war against Aoyama for me. My goal for creating original stories is to hear him say “I enjoyed watching it.” I begin making a story by imagining what will happen if Conan and Ran travel together, or get involved in an incident while walking around the town with the Detective Boys. Then, I consider how I use characters effectively and build a story.

I must say that we have partly contributed the 22-year history of the anime series, because, although between 60-75% of the anime series is based on the original manga, the rest is anime-original. I become ecstatic when Aoyama says he enjoyed the anime-original stories.

— Now, could you answer some questions from overseas? I have 6 questions here selected from more than 100 questions we’ve received.

Karylle Enchinares Famero asks: What are some of your favorite murder tricks that you’ve encountered while producing the series?

First of all, I like the trick from the episode The Sunfish Murder (File 56: Script by Kazunari Kouchi). It was an episode from one of the early seasons and I was thinking so hard with the director to come up with good tricks. Of course I still ponder over new tricks and sometimes they even see the light of day. The Man Who Was Killed Four Times (File 175: Script by Nobuo Ohgizawa) is another favorite of mine. It’s a story about a tough victim who is killed by multiple perpetrators, but each time he comes alive again. Therefore, it’s very difficult for Conan to get to the bottom of the case as the plot is quite complicated. Fortunately, we had a talented script writer who can wrap up the story within twenty-odd minutes. I really like The Entrance to the Maze: The Anger of Colossus (File 208: script by Chiaki Hashiba), especially the trick of the murder that happened during a ropeway ride through a tunnel.

Ruffa Marielle Aquino asks; What are the most memorable things you did for the series and is there any advice you can give to students like me who want to pursue the same path of animation production?

During the opening song ‘Koi wa thrill, shock, suspense’ (File 205 – 230: sang by Rina Aiuchi), Conan performs a ‘Para Para Dance’ which was on-trend at the time. He wasn’t allowed to smile while dancing, as it was a rule of the dance. I was worried how an opening without smiling would be received by viewers, but decided to follow the rule and let him dance the proper way. Masahito Yoshioka , a program director from TMS Entertainment, was doubtful at the beginning, but eventually made up his mind to create a proper dance routine which everyone can enjoy dancing. We asked a choreographer to teach us the moves, and we created Conan’s take on ‘Para Para Dance’.

The 20th anniversary special episode Conan and Ebizou’s Kabuki Juhachiban Mystery (File 804-805) is another memorable one. Famous Kabuki actor Ichikawa Ebizou actually provided the voice of Ebizou in the anime. The script was written after his appearance was confirmed. I was impressed by Kashiwabara’s skillful script centering on Ebizou.

If I may advise students who want to get into the anime industry, make sure that you keep your eyes open, find something that interests you, and learn deeply. I think communication skills are vital for our job, and in order to communicate better, you need knowledge. Read newspapers and magazines regularly to know current affairs. What is important is to make the person who you are talking to understand what you are interested in. You must know what you are talking about. In other words, you must speak with deep-rooted knowledge. It’s like anchoring a ship, so you don’t waver from your assertions.

You must prepare to be able to explain clearly what sort of anime it is you want to make, what your favorite works in the past are, and why you like them. For me, they are Columbo, the late Osamu Tezuka (a creator known as the ‘God of Manga’ and was a pioneer of anime and manga as we know it), and Oretachi no Tabi (a Japanese coming-of-age drama aired in 1975). They made me what I am.

I watched Columbo when I was a junior high school student. I remember I felt excited when I watched the episode ‘Any Old Port in a Storm’ which takes place in a winery, even though I had never drunk alcohol at the time. It was as if I were watching adult lives through a window. I want to provide such excitement to viewers. Although that doesn’t actually have anything related to the Conan episodes with tricks related to wine, though. [laugh] I just want to tell you that finding interest in small things in the area you love will lead you to being a mystery fan.

Sana Hayama asks: What made you want to produce the series? Maybe you loved reading books which involved criminal action and mystery and tried to solve them? I’m sure this could be a reason for such an amazing and lively series!

When I watched the movie Murder on the Orient Express in 1974, I hadn’t actually read Agatha Christie’s novel at the time. However, I personally believe I was the one who solved the mystery first in the theater. A movie remake will be released soon, and I can’t wait watching it.

Mark Gabriel Acribal asks: What are some of the challenges or struggles you had to overcome before becoming a producer?

I was an assistant director for a midnight variety show called 11PM for two and a half years, and I struggled to death. It would have been almost classified as ‘power harassment’ (Japanese term describing psychological abuse and bullying at work) if it had happened today. [laugh] However, I learned what it takes during that time. The experience of confronting the difficulties, which was actually not as heroic as it sounds, made me what I am today. I always wanted to create something, but I didn’t know how difficult creating processes were.

Making a decision on everything about the footage is hard work but fun. The format of Detective Conan is made by the accumulations of my experiences. From the first episode, it has an epilogue, an ending, and a bit of a bonus scene. I’m confident in the format which director Kodama, producer Yoshioka and I devised together. We’ve been using this format for the TV series for all these years, and almost the same one for the movies.

Ieng Wong asks: Were you a big fan of Conan before producing it?

As I said earlier, I knew about the manga before its serialization, and kept my eye on it. When I read the first chapter, I was so impressed by its tricks and depiction of situations. I was surprised how much it can do from the first episode.

I also liked The Kindaichi Case Files which had started running in a different magazine before Detective Conan. Luckily, I got an offer to produce The Kindaichi Case Files after I started Detective Conan. I feel exceptionally fortunate to be in charge of the two great detective anime series.

Ryan Kun asks: What are your favorite detective movies and who are your favorite male and female characters in Detective Conan?

I still watch many detective movies. Strictly speaking, it’s not a detective movie but I like Around the World in Eighty Days (premiered in 1957). It was based on the novel of the same name written by Jules Verne, and depicts a man who takes a bet to travel around the world in 80 days. He is disappointed in himself as he misses the deadline just one day. However, it turns out he actually won the bet, because he gained one day when he had crossed the International Date Line. I love such dramatic comeback wins. It’s a great bonus for viewers who are amazed by the trick at the last minute. I want to deliver such amazement to our viewers.

My favorite character is always Kogoro Mouri. When the anime started airing, I was 37, the same age as Kogoro. He had a lovely high schooler daughter at that time, but I didn’t, though. [laugh] Although he has become crazier recently, he’s always lovable and no one can dislike him. I simply admire his personality.

Among the female characters, I like Sonoko Suzuki. She was only meant to appear once according to the initial plan, but became a regular character because of the superb voice acting of Naoko Matsui who portrays her. She became a fixture of the anime, so much so that the character setting of Momiji Ohoka from the movie Crimson Love Letter was ‘Sonoko in the West’. Sonoko is incredible because she is such a down-to-earth person despite being a daughter of an extremely wealthy family.

Thank you very much for sending me questions. It is much appreciated. I wish I could understand English more, so I could read all your questions and comments myself.

— What’s your next goal? Detective Conan has become a household name in Japan, and I’m quite satisfied with that. I’d like to crack the world market with Detective Conan. I can’t understand why only anime can’t show murder scenes in English-speaking countries, whereas other forms of mystery can. However, I feel optimistic because there are not so many murder scenes in the anime.

For successful international market penetration, I must find why Japanese anime has become so popular and acclaimed worldwide. I also have to find a way to make foreign viewers understand the dramaturgy of the anime, otherwise they can’t remember every character.

My ambition is to sail through the world with Detective Conan and make it a flagship anime on the globe.

— Could you give a comment for the fans?

It has been 24 years since the manga started, and 22 years since the anime’s first airing. One day, Detective Conan will reach its conclusion. We don’t know when and how it ends, however until that day I’ll create the anime with all my heart. I hope you enjoy the anime both based on the original manga and the anime originals, as well as the movies. We’ll keep working our hardest to meet your expectations. Please continue to watch and follow Detective Conan.

— Thank you very much.

Gosho Aoyama Interview about the Boss

Date: November 30, 2017
Published in: Shonen Sunday Webry

  Show spoilers »

Source: https://forums.dctp.ws/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13430&sid=616cd36dc775283463d2b3ae591ca2a2

Raw:

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青山先生直撃インタビュー

2017年11月30日青山剛昌先生宅にて。

サンデー３・４合併号にて「あの方」の正体がついに判明。週刊誌での漫画連載は一旦お休みしつつ、映画第22弾のコンテ確認作業を進めている青山剛昌先生に現在の心境などを直撃した。

今日はですね、「あの方」がついに指摘されたと言うことで、みんなが知りたいことをズバリ伺いさせて頂こうかなと思います。
青山　はいはい（笑）

ダメな質問は上手くボカして頂けてればと。ちなみに同日にこないだ撮影させて頂いた動画（「サンデーうえぶり」上にてアプリ限定公開）も解禁します。
青山　へー、そうなんだ（笑）はいはい。

まずは、その動画でも伺ったのですが、青山さんの今の心境としてはいかがでしょうか。
青山　いやぁまぁ…いつか言わなきゃなぁと。ちょっと急ぎすぎるかなとは思ったけど、まぁいいかなぁと…結構ファンの間でも、アナグラムのヒント（90巻FILE 2）あたりから「＃＃じゃね」と言われていたし、これまでも年賀状で「＃＃ですか？」と聞いてくれる人がいてね。当たってるって返事書いちゃって良い？って、担当編集に聞いたんだけど「いや、それはちょっと…」と止められていてね（笑）あ、これインタビューにちゃんと書いといてね（笑）年賀状は他にも、早い段階で「領域外の妹」のこととか当ててる人がいて、その人たちには「当たってるよ、でも言わないでね（笑）」って書いたけど、＃＃に関しては全スルー。

ボスが「＃＃＃＃」って、決められたのはいつ頃ですか？
青山　いやぁもう…ちゃんと決めたのは３０巻だね。出てくるの30巻だから。ボス出してとかなきゃ（笑）思いまして…

ネットではまさに、「あの方」についていろんな予想が立てられましたが。
青山　ほうほう。

優作じゃないの、とか、光彦じゃないの、とか。
青山　えー、いやー（笑い）全然違いますよ、ぶぶぶって（笑）でもさすがに当ててくる人が増えてきたからね。

担当編集も、30巻頃では、別に聞かされていなかったと思うんですが。
青山　えー、その時、誰かな、担当。

4代目くらいですね。ちなみに、「あの方」という言葉が最初に出てきたのは24巻でジンが「あの方直々の命令だ…」というシーンです、その時から「組織にはボスがいる」と決められていたんですか？
青山　ぶっちゃけ1巻から決めてたよ（笑）でも実はボスが（ピー）は、この24巻からかなぁ…。でもホンとは（ピー）なんだけどね（笑）

こないだ録らせて頂いた動画でも、＃＃にはまだ秘密があるとおっしゃってましたが。
青山　めっちゃありますね（笑）だって（ピー）はボスの（ピー）だから（ピーピー）されて（ピー）なわけじゃん。このへん全部、「ピー」だね（笑）

ですね（笑）
青山　それはそれで面白いかもね（笑）おお、すげーこと言ってるって（笑）

これからもいろいろなるんだーって、思えますからね。ちなみに、＃＃と決められてからは、作中にヒントを出されたと思うんですが。やっぱり最初は「七つの子」ですか？
青山　そうですね、まぁ、「七つの子」はカラスだしね…

あと、組織の正式名称と深い関わりが…と、インタビューでお答えになっていた…という情報を見たことがあり…　出典が定かではないですが（汗）
青山　なんだって？そんなの有ったっけ… 組織の名前？そんなこと言ったかな…

組織の名前って、決まってるんですか？
青山　うん（ピーピー）が（ピー）なんですよ。

素敵な…
青山　うん、そう、でもボスの名前…？それはあまり関係ないかな。

ちなみに、ネットでは、「やはり阿笠博士では」とか「FBIのジェイムズ・ブラックでは」といろいろな説が流れていましたが…
青山　めっちゃ違いますね（笑）

阿笠は青山さんが、以前に正式に否定されていて、それだと物語が美しくないと…
青山　美しくないというか、面白くないというか…それだといままでの博士のいい話が全部ダメになっちゃうじゃん。でもほら、ベルモットと対決するところで「いかん新一くん！」って言ってビートルで駆けつけたじゃん（笑）あれでボスじゃないってオレとしては描いたつもりだったんだけど…

たしかに。
青山　なのにみんな、まだまだ「ボスじゃね」って言ってたからね（笑）

あとは、＃＃は作中では死んだはず、となっていますが…
青山　あー、そうね、それは言えませんね（笑）それはのちのち…

ですよね、聞いた限りでは、この先も大変壮大なお話ですから…
青山　まぁ、ボスの名前があきらかになっても、まだまだ「コナン」は謎が多いってことですよ（笑）

「あの方」指摘直後

青山さんは、毎回担当者に伏線を説明をするのが大変とおっしゃいます…
青山　うん（笑）何か思い出したけど、ハッキリ言ったのは、9代目担当の時かも知れないな（笑）黒幕までは、それまではうすらぼんやり担当に伝えて「とにかくオレに任せとけよ」って思ってたような。担当が聞いて感動してて、「凄い良く出来てますね！」って言ってたから（笑）それを覚えてる。

今回のお話では、ラムの正体や動きにも注目です。今回、安室さんに連絡してますし、それも大きな情報なので…
青山　ですね（笑）急展開だよね。

ちなみに、青山さんの近況としましては…
青山　「艦これ」イベント「甲」でクリアしました（笑）今回はいままでで一番大変だった（笑）

お気持ちとしては…
青山　そりゃ嬉しいよ（笑）「矢矧」も出たし！これでコンプリート！

おめでとうございます！
青山　もうこのインタビュー早く終わらせて「矢矧」育てたい（笑）やっぱりセリフがいいんですよ、矢矧。大破したときにさ…「私を沈めたいなら、魚雷５，６本くらい撃ち込まないと、駄目よ」…って、みんな、持ってた人たちはこれ聞いてたんだなと、かっこいい！

2年…3年ぐらい欲しがってらっしゃいましたよね。
青山　いやもっと長いだと思うけどな…ずーっと「矢矧」だけ出なかった。建造で出るんですけど、１００回以上チャンレンジしたけど出なかったからね。今回のイベント（2017年秋）で、ドロップしてビックリした。E-3…E-3の前半のボスかな…？

で、「艦これ」やりながらいまは「ツムツム」もなさってますが…
青山　あーそう！「ツムツム」夢中です。オレのお気に入りのツムは「ピターパン」です（笑）強いから（笑い）

ちなみにいま「ツムツム」では何万点くらい出されてますか。
青山　300万点いかなくらいだね、いまのところそれが限界です（笑）

あと、映画のコンテを例年通りか、それ以上にしっかりとご覧になっていますが…
青山　あーそう！がっつりやった！ちなみに次回の映画は、クライマックスでコナンくんが安室に「え！？」っていうことを聞くので、お見逃しなく（笑）安室ファンはみんな気になってることだろうからねぇ…それね、インタビューに書いてくれていいけど、高山さんにはもう言っちゃいました（笑）コナンくんのこういうセリフがあるよって（笑）「わかった」って言ってた（笑）

（笑）わかりました、ではファンの方へのメッセジーとしてはこれからも、漫画も映画も続いてくと言うことですよろしいでしょうか。
青山　そうですね、いまちょっと休んでますけど、充電を兼ねてますんで…

体調も万全になってからと言うことで…
青山　そうだね、今後はちょっと作画中の3時間睡眠はやめるかも（笑）なんで、ペースは遅くなっちゃうかもだけど、これならいけるかもとういうのがつかめたらはじめますんで、それまで待って下さい（笑）

あと、今回、青山さんが「本当の原稿」を描いているところを動画で録らせて頂きましたが…ダミーではなく本物の原稿を描かれるのは珍しいと思いますが…
青山　あー！そうだね、NHKの番組で、カラーの原稿を描いたときは、本物だったけど漫画の原稿が初めてかもな。

丸ペンを使われましたけど…
青山 あー！そう！タッチの部分は丸ペン。あれはピグマだと出ないから…オレは元々Gペンや丸ペンを使ってたから、ミリペンを使っても強弱のついた線が描けるけど、いきなり最初からミリペンだと強弱のない、つるんとした絵になっちゃうんで、これから漫画家を目指す新人さんはホンとはGペンや丸ペンで絵を描き慣れといた方がいいよと、書いといてね（笑い）

はい（笑い）というわけで…大変貴重なインタビューをありがとうございました。あとなんか、青山さん的に近況の言い残しはありますか？
青山　あ、「ドラクエ１１」で、ボスを倒して最初のエンデイングまで見た。（現在、裏ボスを倒すべくレベル上げ中）

そういえば漫画では「3月のライオン」を再度読破されて、ドラマだと「刑事ゆがみ」にハマってらっしゃいますね。
青山　アニメだと「宝石の国」だな、あれいい！面白い！スタッフの中にオレと同じ大学のサークルでアニメ作ってたやつがいるし（笑）（泉津井陽一（センツイヨウイチ）さん）あのアニメ、声優さんもいい！主人公が「響け！ユーフォニアム」の黄前ちゃんなんだよね〜（黒沢ともよさん）

いまはそのへんにハマってらっしゃるととういうことで…ありがとうございました！
青山　はいはい（笑）

Translated by: Spimer

Mr. Aoyama Direct Interview

November 30th, 2017, Mr. Aoyama Gosho House.

In the [Shonen] Sunday Combined Issue #3-4, the identity of “That Person” has been finally established. I directly asked Mr. Aoyama Gosho about his mental state as he temporarily takes breaks from serializing the manga in the weekly magazine and he works on checking the storyboards from the 22nd movie.

Interviewer: Today “That person” was finally identified so I was thinking of asking you about things that everyone wants to know.
Aoyama: Yes, yes (laughs)

Interviewer: If you could please blur the bad questions… By the way… On the same day, that video that I recorded will be made public (“Sunday Webry” App Limited Publishing).
Aoyama: Huh, is that so? (laughs) Yes, yes.

Interviewer: First things first… We also asked in the video, but can we assume that is your mental state, Mr. Aoyama?
Aoyama: Oh, well… I did think that I’d have to say it at some point. I did think that I was rushing a bit too much but that it wasn’t a bad idea… A lot of fans said “It’s ##” since they the anagram hint (Volume 90, File 2) and others asked me “Is it ##?” in the New Year’s Postcards. I tried asking the editor in charge “Can I answer telling them they met the mark?” but they stopped me saying “No, that’s a bit [too revealing]…” (laughs) Ah, make sure to write this on the interview (laughs) There were also other persons who guessed the identity of the “sister outside the domain” at a very early stage in the New Year’s Postcards and I answered them “You’ve met the mark but keep it a secret (laughs)” but I ignore all questions about ##.

Interviewer: When did you decide that “####” was the Boss?
Aoyama: Oh, well… I properly decided that in Volume 30. Since it appears on Volume 30. They have to appear as the “Boss” (laughs) Or so I thought…

Interviewer: There’s a lot of conjectures on the net about “That Person”.
Aoyama: I see, I see

Interview: “Is it Yuusaku?”, “Is it Mitsuhiko?”, amongst others.
Aoyama: Eehh!? Nooo (laughs) They’re totally wrong. Beep (laughs) But there’s more people who’ve met the mark: it’s to be expected

Interviewer: I thought that the editor in charge at the time of Volume 30 would’ve been specially told, though…
Aoyama: Eeh? Who was the editor in charge back then…?

Interviewer: It was the 4th one. By the way, the first time that the word “That Person” appeared was in the scene of Volume 24 when he says “It’s a direct order from That Person”. You’d already decided then that “The Organization has a Boss”?”
Aoyama: To be frank, I’d decided that ever since Volume 1 (laughs) But, actually the Boss being (beep) was from Volume 24, I think… But, in truth, it’s (beep) (laughs)

Interviewer: In the video you allowed me to record a while ago, you did say that ## has some secret to them, but…
Aoyama: They have tons of them (laughs) Because (beep) is the Boss’ (beep) so they were (beep beep) and they’re (beep). Put “beep” on all of this part (laughs)

Interviewer: Obviously (laughs)
Aoyama: That’s pretty fun (laughs). Oh, he’s saying some spectacular! (laughs)

Interviewer: I do think that there’ll be a lot of those from now on, yes. By the way, ever since you decided it’d be ##, I think you’ve made some hints appear in the manga. Is “Seven Children” the first of them, like I thought?
Aoayama: True… Well, “Seven Children” is about crows, so…

Interviewer: Also, that it’s deeply related to the Organization’s official name… Or so you answered in an interview… I’ve seen such information… But the source isn’t clear (sweats)
Aoyama: What did you say? Was there such a thing…? The Organizations’ name? Did I say that..?

Interviewer: Have you decided on the Organization’s name?
Aoyama: Yes (beep-beep) is (beep), see.

Interviewer: Fantastic…
Aoyama: Yes, true, but the boss’ name…? I think it’s not too related…

Interview: By the way, there’s several theories flowing in the net like “Maybe it’s indeed the Professor?” or “James Black from the FBI?”…
Aoyama: They’re totally wrong (laughs)

Interviewer: You officially denied Agasa before, but some say that then the story isn’t beautiful…
Aoyama: That’s it’s not beautiful, that it’s not interesting… Were it to be case, all the good episodes the Professor had would have been in vain. But, see… When [Conan] faced Vermouth, he said “No good, Shinichi-kun!” and rushed there with his Beetle (laughs). My intention when I drew that is that he wasn’t the Boss, but…

Interviewer: True.
Aoyama: But despite that they all kept saying “He’s the Boss”, so… (laughs)

Interviewer: Also, ## is supposed to be dead in the manga, but…
Aoayama: Ah, true… I can’t talk about that (laughs) In due time…

Interviewer: Obviously. From what you’ve told me, from now it’ll be a very grand story, so…
Aoyama: Well, even if the Boss’ name has become clear, there’s still a lot of mysteries in “Conan” (laughs)

Page 2 header: After pointing “That Person”

Interviewer: You say that it’s a lot of trouble to explain the foreshadowing to each editor in charge when they change…
Aoyama: Yes (laughs) I remember something, though… I clearly told one of them, I think the 9th one, for all I know (laughs) I dimly told him up to the mastermind and he seemingly thought “Just leave it up to me”. The editor in charge heard it, got emotional and said “it’s a wonderful work!” (laughs) That much I remember.

Interviewer: Rum’s identity and movements are also a point to focus upon in this episode. They’ve contacted Amuro-san and it’s very big info, so…
Aoyama: Indeed (laughs) It’s a sudden development

Interviewer: By the way, what about your recent status…?
Aoyama: I cleared the “Kan Colle” even with “Kou (Shell)” (laughs) It was the hardest insofar (laughs)

Interviewer: What about your feelings…?
Aoyama: I’m glad, of course (laughs) “Yahagi” also appeared! Now I’ve completed it!

Interviewer: Congratulations!
Aoyama: I want to finish this interview already and raise “Yahagi” (laughs) Yahagi’s lines are very good, indeed. When she gets seriously damaged… “If you want to sink me you’ll need to shoot 5-6 torpedoes at me, else you won’t be able to”… To think that all people who had her could hear to these… Cool!

Interviewer: You said that you’d wished to get her since 2-3 years ago.
Aoyama: No, I think it’s been longer… “Yahagi” never popped out. She pops out by construction but even though I did over 100 challenges she didn’t pop out. I was surprised that she was a “drop” in this event (Autumn 2017). E-3… Was is it the Boss of the E-3 first half…?

Interviewer: And you’re also playing “Tsum Tsum” alongside “Kan Colle”…
Aoyama: Ah, true! I’m crazy about “Tsum Tsum”. My favorite “Tsum” is “Peter Pan” (laughs) He’s strong (laughs)

Interviewer: By the way, how many 10000s of points do you have in “Tsum Tsum”?
Aoyama: I think it’s below 3,000,000 points. That’s my current limit (laughs)

Interviewer: Also, I can see that the movie storyboards look like the usual ones but greater, even…
Aoyama: Ah, yes! I did them with all my might! By the way, in the next movie’s climax… Conan-kun is told something by Amuro that makes him reply “Huh!?” so don’t miss it (laughs) Amuro fans must be curious about that… You can write that in the interview, but I already told Takayama-san about it (laughs) That’s there this line by Conan, that is (laughs) And she said “Gotcha” (laughs)

Interviewer: (laughs) Understood. Then should I say that your message towards the fan is that the manga and movies will still go on?
Aoyama: Indeed, I’m resting a bit now but I’m also recharging energies so…

Interviewer: This should be better said when one’s at top condition…
Aoyama: True. I might stop having 3-hour sleep during work (laughs). So the pace might slow down but until I begin to get a grip of “this works”: please wait until then (laughs)

Interviewer: Also, Mr. Aoyama, you allowed me to record you while drawing the “true manuscript” but… I think it’s unusual for you to draw a true manuscript and not a dummy…
Aoyama: Ah! True, when I drew a color manuscript for the NHK program it was a true manuscript but I guess it’s the first time I do that with a manga manuscript.

Interviewer: You used a mapping pen, though…
Aoyama: Ah! True! The touch section is a mapping pen. Pigmas don’t achieve that… I originally used G Pens and mapping pens, so even if I used a millipen I can draw lines with strength, yet… If I suddenly use a millipen from the start, it becomes smooth pictures without strength, so write that any newbies aiming to become mangaka should get used to drawing with G Pens or mapping pens (laughs)

Interviewer: Yes (laughs) And so… Thank you very much for this very important interview. Is there something else you want to say about your recent status, Mr. Aoyama?
Aoyama: Ah, I beat the boss in “Dragon Quest 11” and saw the first ending (now I’m leveling up to face the secret boss)

Interviewer: Speaking of which… You finished re-reading the manga “The March Lion” and you’re into the drama series “Policeman Yugami”, right?
Aoyama: As for anime, I like “Jewels Kingdom”, it’s good! It’s fun! Amongst the staff there’s a guy from the same college circle as me that made anime (laughs) (Mr. Sentsui Youichi) The anime and voice actors are good! The main protagonist is Oumae-chan from “Sound! Euphonium” (Ms. Kurosawa Tomoyo)

Interviewer: So that’s what you’re into lately, then… Thank you very much!
Aoyama: Yes, yes (laughs)

2018

Shinichi and Ran Secret Archives VA interviews

Date: January 16, 2018

  Show spoilers »

Source: https://www.facebook.com/DCTheRedThread/photos/1722146851170594/
Translated by: Jiamin
Info credits by: 游离之光

YG = Yamaguchi (Shinichi)
YZ = Yamazaki (Ran)
TY = Takayama (Conan)

YG: Compared to coming as Kid, when I come as Shinichi, YZ-San is much nicer/gentle to me
YZ: Although YG-San is present, knowing him is here as Kid, I’ll be thinking “ちぇ—つ” (Not exactly sure what the expression is in English, but it’s like a scornful sound”

YZ: Conan-Kun is cuter than childhood Shinichi
TY: That’s because he’s “pretending to be cute”, that’s the difference between him and childhood Shinichi, one is a fake child the other is a real child.

Q- What do you think about Episode One
YG: It’s been a long time since I had a normal conversation with Ran, I’m really happy!
YZ: So that’s what it was like when Shinichi was still around. I also liked that whenever Shinichi shows up, the love comedy will always cover a bigger part.
TY: It told us what Shinichi went through after he turned to Conan and the time period before he ran back home. It’s like filling in blanks rather than retelling stories.
YZ: I’m surprised that they did the Karate tournament, they even gave me a real-life tournament as a reference before I record. Ran is becoming some sort of “superwoman” in the recent movies, so it’s nice to show that she can feel pain and be frustrated.
Q-What do you three feel about Shinran’s relationship?
YG: Shinichi fell for Ran when they’re in preschool... that’s so early!
TY: Maybe he started thinking Ran was cute when she was crying
YZ: Even though she said she started to have feelings for Shinichi after the NY case, but he’s still more of a childhood friend before he disappeared. She didn’t realize how much she loved him until he’s not around.
TY: The pain of being apart.
Q-Ever look forward to a childhood sweetheart romance?
YG: I’ve always look forward to a childhood romance, I knew a couple who were my classmates in grade school, i thought it was amazing when they got married.
TY: I would be OK with it if it can last forever. In ep 472, Kudo Shinichi’s childhood adventure, there’s a part where Shinichi wanted to be address in last name..
YZ: I think he’s embarrassed that he was the only to be called in first name in grade school.
TY: Yes, i was thinking when I saw that part, “This child’s puberty kicked in early” I had similar experience in middle school, when you get teased like that by others, the relationship can be easily ruined. It’s nice that they patched things up soon quickly!
YG: And they’ve remained close ever since, so exclusive to each other.
YZ: But Shinichi gets cocky when receiving fan letters
TY: it’s just for the attention, he felt like he’s being acknowledged, but never consider them romantically
YG: It’s just fan letters
YZ: Ran will also go panic about some illusion, like Shinichi living with a young widow...(laugh)
YG: Watching too much soap operas? (Laugh)
TY: Ran was picked up a lot by guys. Maybe the guys in school are too afraid to because of Shinichi, but she’s definitely popular! And sometimes when Shinichi gets mad and jealous about “why is she so friendly with them”, he’s anger usually goes away if he sees her attitude towards that person, like Araide-sensei and Eisuke-kun.
YZ: Eisuke-Kun doesn’t feel like a love interest, he’s like a little brother!
Q- thoughts about recent development?
YG: We recorded CM for the field trip arc!
YZ: Yes, a couple of lines, it’s amazing that we reached file 1000
TY: can’t wait for the animation, let their feelings for each other be heard!

Movie 22 Guidebook Interview

Date: March 31, 2018

  Show spoilers »

Source: https://forums.dctp.ws/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13475

Raw:

• 

  New characters introduced

• 

  Gosho interview

• 

  Gosho interview

• 

  Gosho interview

• 

  Furuya Toru interview

• 

  Furuya Toru interview

• 

  Takayama Minami interview

• 

  Staff interview

• 

  Police Hierarchy

• 

  Police Hierarchy

Translated by: Spimer

New characters introduced

Sayoko Iwai -> Tokyo Regional Prosecutor, Public Safety Bureau
VA: Tomigana Miina

Line: "This is a decision by the Public Safety Department, do you understand?"

Supervisor subservient to the Public Safety Police.

Supervisor Prosecutor part of the Tokyo Regional Public Prosecutor Office, Public Safety Department. Her subordinate, Kusakabe, in charge of Kogoro's case, suggests her to carry out additional investigation of the case, but Supervisor Iwai dismisses his suggestion. It'd seem she's very subservient to the National Police Agency's Public Safety Police.

Kyouko Tachibana -> Lawyer
VA: Ueno Aya

Line: "Please allow me, Kyouko Tachibana, to defend "the sleeping Kogoro"!"

A "cell-lawyer" lawyer who always loses

A "cell-lawyer" is a lawyer that doesn't belong to a lawyer agency and take jobs over their cellphones, they're freelance lawyers. She's been in charge of many Public Safety cases in the past but cases with prosecution indictment only have a 0.1% chances of being won so she's lost in all the trials she's been at. She requests to defend Kogoro.

Fumikazu Haba -> Former Law Student
VA: Hakata Daikichi

Line:"I want you to explain why I wasn't appointed!"

He was a law student, but...

A law student who aimed to be a judge. But he wasn't appointed a judge. Wanting to know the why, he talks directly to the coure's director, but...

Makoto Kusabake -> Tokyo Regional Prosecutor, Public Safety Department
VA: Kawashima Tokuyoshi

Line: "It'd seem that you kept denying the charges in the police."

Prosecutor in charge of the bombing incident

He's a prosecutor who's very serious about his job, and is in charge of Kogoro's case. He becomes concerned during the inquires that Kogoro has no motive for being the culprit of the bombing incident and suggests his superior, Supervisor Iwai, to carry out further investigation, but...

Gosho Interview
Profile:
Mangaka / Author of "Detective Conan"

Originary from Tottori Prefecture. Mangaka debut in 1986. "YAIBA" and "Detective Conan" prized with Shogakukan Manga Award. Also serializing the "Magic Kaito" series.
In 2017, the total publication amount of "Detective Conan" overcame 200 million units.

Page 1
Q: "How did you decide that Amuro Tooru would be the main character in "Zero the Enforcer", this year's installment?"
A: "It all started from a suggestion by Sakurai-san, the scriptwriter, it wasn't my idea.
He said he wanted to do a tale about cyber-terrorism and he asked me "if it's cyber-terrorism, then the PSB will get involved, can I make Amuro appear?". It'd only been 1 film since "The Darkest Nightmare" so I did think it was a bit too early to do so but I also though that it would work. Amuro-kun's popular, after all (laughs)."

Q: "What are the highlights of this move?"
A: "The final action scene, and the talk between Conan and Amuro in the climax!"

Q: "In which parts were you involved?"
A: "In the story and a bit of storyboard fixes. I also helped a bit with the keyframes. The first version of the story it was very hard and led to heavy happenings. It turned into a "Amuro's become evil?" feeling, so we made it a bit softer. The first heavy story was interesting, too. Had a hard mystery feeling to it. The culprit got caught but "the truth darkness hasn't been dispelled" feeling. But I thought that wasn't something we should in Conan.
So we made some things a bit light-hearted. Also, until we settled on using cyber-terrorism as theme we also though of tricks involving food poisoning but they were discarded very early. We felt that the motive was too small (laughs)
I also voiced my opinion on the climax and other scenes and had them add scenes I wanted to see. Also, the scene between Amuro and Kuroda, for example, has elements from the anime so I look forward to how it ends up looking."

Q: "What were your demands to the new director, Director Tachikawa?"
A: "We were very detailed when we met to talk about the action scenes planning, but we didn't go so over the details when we were in the storyboard stage. There wasn't much storyboard fixing this time around. But sometimes I sent him a photo over LINE telling him "we should fix this one". (continues on Page 2)

Page 2:
A: We didn't have too many long phone calls either. Talking over LINE was sufficient (laughs)."

Q: "What kind of conversation you had with Furuya Tooru-san, Amuro Tooru's VA?"
A: "We didn't talk about the movie but I did have a meal with him in the past. Said his daughter is a great fan of Kaitou Kid. Also he did play the role of Tuxedo Mask (Sailor Moon), didn't he? I guess that he probably thinks that I used his character as model to draw Kaitou Kid. But it's actually the inverse, Kaitou Kid came before Tuxedo Mask. "Magic Kaito" is a old, Showa Period manga.
(See Note 1) When I told him that he was disappointed, I guess that he wanted to brag to his daughter "I'm the the model for Kaitou Kid", no? (laughs). Well, it's but my speculation so... I apologize if I'm mistaken (laughs)
I also told him that Amuro Tooru's true name is Furuya Rei and he replied "Sensei! That's overdoing it!" to which I replied "No, see, the "Rei" is actually "Zero" due to some reasons" and he was like "Huh!?"."

Q: "I want to ask about Kazami Yuuya, who's also appeared in the manga.
A: "He's very popular. There were a lot of fan letters after "The Darkest Nightmare" asking me to "Please make Kazami appear!" so I went like "fine, fine". "Let's make him show up!". Wondering if that would do (laughs)
I think that the anime staff decided on his name. He's a subordinate of Amuro so he was Camille. At first he had a long and crumpled hair but I didn't understand what they meant by Camille, so they said "he doesn't look like PSB", and that someone with a bad nature was better. And so his design was remade and ended up like that. I don't watch "Z Gundam" too often. The first [season] of Gundam is the best, in my opinion. Hence why I didn't make the connection. I'm really sorry (laughs)."

Q: "I want to ask about Kazami's and Amuro's roles"
A: "To make it clear that Amuro's the great one, Amuro is on the elite section of the NPA, and Kazami belongs to the Police HQ's PSB which is a lower rank. I think Sakurai-san was the one who suggested for Kazami to be older than Amuro.
As for Amuro's career, he was in the same class as Matsuda and Date. Scotch also was in the same class. They all died but they were cool types.
And Scotch was Amuro's childhood friend. Because, you see, he called him "Zero". And that was nickname of Amuro when he was a kid. I'll have to draw that, indeed."
Note 1: "The author of "Sailor Moon" , Takeuchi Naoko-sensei, was told that Tuxedo Mask's model was Kaitou Kid and was glad about it (From the "Aoyama Gosho 30th Anniversary Book"). (Continues to Page 3)

Page 3:
Q: "I wanted to ask about Conan's first spin-off, "Culprit Hanazawa-san"..."
A: "At first, the person in charge showed me the name and asked me "this is the name, will it be OK?". So I replied "Oh, sure. Perfectly OK.". Thought it was fun. I had a meal with Kanba-sensei after that. I told him "feel free to do anything you want to do". Kanba-sensei's hometown is Shimane Prefecture, which is next to Tottori so he's also close to my hometown.
The persons who appear are suspicious, Ran-chan's hairstyle, and her horn popping from the middle are fun. I thought it was good to give off a "imposter" feeling. It's pretty good, and fun."

Q: "What about your health, and when will [the manga] resume?"
A: "Thank you for your concern, I feel very good. I get a feeling of "get to work already!". I think there'll be good news soon enough.
I want to write a long story about Detective Chiba and Naeko-chan as well after the manga resumes. With the feeling of "Bayside Shakedown", I'd say. Please look forward to it."

Q: "Please give us a message for Conan fans as conclusion of the interview."
A: "Both those who know Amuro and those who don't know him... Those who don't know him, they'll know what kind of man he is, and those who know him will get to know him a bit deeper. So please go see the movie.
Also, Amuro will be appearing a lot in the manga in the future. Since he was told to "Investigate about Kudo Shinichi", it's inevitable for him to get involved. Look forward to it, too!"

Sign: "Detective Conan Cinema Magazine 2018. Aoyama Gosho."

Bottomost right note: "Sensei drew Conan & Amuro for the magazine. He quickly makes a sketch with pencils, and adds a magic pen without any hesitation. It'd seem he's drawing a lot of cuts of Amuro often.

He jokingly said "If you make a blonde with squat eyes and dark-skinned there you have Amuro (laughs)"

Furuya Toru Interview
Profile:
Amuro Tooru / Rei Furuya VA

Originary from Kanazawa Prefecture. His representatives works are "Mobile Suit Gundam" as Amuro Ray, "Star of the Giants" as Hoshi Hyuuma, "Saint Seiya" as Pegasus Seiya, "Dragon Ball" as Yamcha, "Sailor Moon" as Tuxedo Mask amongst others.

Page 1:
Q: "Will Amuro Tooru, in the 22nd movie "Zero the Enforcer" become a main character?"
A: "No way. It's 2 years after "The Darkest Nightmare" so I think it's too early to say that he's become a main character (laughs). Personally, I was very glad and surprised, I have both of those feelings.
I didn't know anything about the contents, and at first it was that trailer with the countdown included in "The Crimson Love Letter" so I thought it'd be a movie with hard content."

Q: "What's your impression ever since you read the script?"
A: "It was a bit different from what I'd imagined. Amuro does his job as PSB officer to face organized terrorism against Japan and heads straight forward. And then Conan-kun would get involved. That's how I thought it'd be like.
But as I did the trailers and the teasers, that was before I got the script so I eventually began to understand the contents. I firstly though "Huh? He's going to be enemies with Conan?". Despite that in the main story we finally got to know he was an ally of Conan, so I thought that them being enemies now would draw Conan fans away... I felt a bit of danger, actually (laughs).
But I did think that that wouldn't be the end of things, and there women who feel attracted to bad guys so maybe it would be good for them to be enemies when seen from that perspective.
There are people who like Bourbon, so I expected that the charm of a cool Furuya Rei would further increase in this movie as well. I didn't think that it'd show details about the state of things within the police, though.

Q: "What points do you have to respectively act his 3 faces of Amuro Tooru, Furuya Rei and Bourbon?"
A: "In the case of Amuro Tooru, working at the Poirot part-time, I take into account the image that he behaves like a kind guy and is an attractive young man. Conan knows his identity, but when there are other Detective Boys present, he acts as if he was but a strong and young detective. That's how I voice him like. I use a bit of a higher tone of voice, with a soft feeling.
In the case of Furuya Rei, he's a worker and a pro so I voice him in a sharp and edgy manner. To give out a dark feeling I make a lower tone of voice. There also times in which he gives out orders to Kazami, so there are parts in which he turns stricter. I add changes in scenes like those.
Speaking of voice tones, I use the lowest one when I voice him as Bourbon. Vermouth and he have a grip of each others' weaknesses so it's a bit special yet when he talks to Gin or similar scenes I use a very low tone.
Also, when it comes to Akai Shuichi, he's got a feud with him involving what happened with Scotch so he clearly hates him. His emotions get the best of him. When he faced Akai, he behaves like a kid. So when Akai is around he unusually brings out his emotions in a straightforward way.
When reading the movie's script, when he moves around as Furuya Rei, and when he talks to Conan... I thought that it would be better to use Amuro's voice for those scenes. When I had to act scenes as Furuya Rei, I wrote the "Kou" kanji from "kouan (Public Safety)" on my copy of the script and when it was Amuro Tooru I wrote "an". So they overlapped with "kouan" and was hard to understand even for me, so I wrote the katakana "A". I distributed them in the script as much as I could.

Q: "What's the charm of Amuro Tooru, in your opinion?"

(Continues to page 2)

Page 2:
A: "Hmmm... He has 3 faces so I guess he's 3 times more handsome than normal people (laughs). His 3 faces are the first of his charms. So even though I'm acting a single character, I can experience being 3 persons at the same time and acting 3 persons. That's a charm yet it has difficult parts to it so I feel like it's worth doing it.
It was fun voicing the 3 of them but I really like Furuya Rei. He feels like a hero of justice. Apart from action, he's also good with his driving technique. He often has cool lines to him, and like in this occasion, I was able to voice him a lot in the movie, since he doesn't appear that often. So I'm very glad at it."

Q:"Can you tell us anything that happened during the dubbing?"
A:"Takayama Minami-san (Conan) and Yamakazi Wakana-san (Ran) encouraged me a lot and were glad at Amuro's popularity, and Yamazaki-san said, about the movie, that "Amuro-san, you're sure to get a lot of new fans!".Minami-san did ask "This is about that person and that other person?", when checking uncertain lines and scenes...
In the interactions with Conan during the climax has a lot of action so ad-libbing becomes needed and it's hard to coordinate them but when we did the first test we matched things perfectly despite no previous meeting to coordinate things. Our sensibility as voice actors is similar, I guess. Weren't that the case, we wouldn't have been able to synchro the timing so perfectly. I was really surprised.
The climax scenes lines were also good, and so the Suzuki Sonoko VA Matsui Naoko-san was very happy at it, and said "Your pierced through my heart!" (laughs)"
I was a bit unsure how to voice Amuro's lines on the movie's climax, and unexpectedly enough, during the tests, I made a strong tone of voice that wasn't what I had on mind, and Naoko-san was very glad so I told my "Oh yeah, this is it" to convince myself it was good enough. I had the feeling to act along with Minami-san and that's the voice that came out during the dubbing.

Q: "You've had a long career. Yet how do you feel about acting a popular character like Amuro Tooru?"
A: "I'm really happy at it. I've been a VA for over 50 years, but, for me, it's the first time that a lot of fans had gotten crazy about a character I voiced, crazy over Amuro Tooru.
Amuro Ray also has popularity, yeah, but he couldn't beat Char to it (laughs). I often voice the main protagonists of series and so the rival character often gets the attention drawn to him. Nowadays you can see the encouragement through SNS, I like how a lot of followers appear in Twitter, and I'm very surprised at his popularity.
Between the Amuro fans, there are some who bought a real white FX-7 (see Note 1). He also makes incredible driving in this film, but whenever the co-stars crash they get severely told "you're wasting the tax money!" (laughs).

Q: "Amuro Tooru appeared on Volume 75 of the manga, he appears in the latter half of the story, but were you surprised by the naming at the time of this debut?"
A: "We were fans of "Detective Conan" to begin with. My daughter, especially. We often went to the theater to see the movie together.
I knew that Ikeda Shuichi-san voiced Akai Shuichi, so I did feel that "the author, Aoyama-sensei, really likes Gundam". I secretly hoped that "maybe one day I'll be offered a role". And when "it finally came" I was "Huh? Amuro Tooru?" when I heard his name. "There's barely any difference (with my name)!".
And later, when his real name of Furuya Rei was revealed, I went "Hey, sensei. Didn't you overdo it!?". I did really comment upon those. Around that time I also got a chance to have a lunch with Aoyama-sensei so we brought colored papers and we got each other's signatures, but then... "No, there's a proper meaning to the "Rei" in his name"... That it mean the "Zero" division in the Public Safety Police and things neatly linked together.
But he really loved "Mobile Suit Gundam", and seeing how he uses our names as VAs in his work, I feel very thankful to him. I feel very glad, he even added the car plate... (Note 2)

Q: "Last question. What are the highlights of "Zero The Enforcer"?"
A: "In this movie, there's the "way adult men do things" plus "charm" as the themes I acted upon. There are several scenes that make you feel that, so I hope that you will savor them.
Anyway, there's "Numbers very dear to me which I must protect even if I bet my life on it" (laughs) so I hope you go to see it several times, and that you fully experience the charm of Amuro Tooru. There's also the lines in the car that Sonoko-san accmails as well and which I want you to focus on. Counting on you guys."

Caption of pic: "Great driving by Furuya (Rei) that Furuya (Tooru) - san likes. In the "Darkest Nightmare" the car drifts in the beginning by Amuro (Furuya), Akai and Curacao are reality!"

Note 1: "A Matsuda RX-7 which isn't produced anymore at the present. The serial number of the Gundam, RX-78, comes from here."

Note 2: "Amuro's car number plate is 73-10, Mr. Furuya's birthday is July 31, and has a 0 to match the "Zero" nickname.

Takayama Minami Interview
Profile:
Edogawa Conan VA

Originary from Tokyo Metropolitan Area. Her representative works are "Kiki's Delivery Service" as Kiki / Ursula, "Rantaro" as Inadera Rantarou, "YAIBA" as Kurogane Yaiba, "Ranma 1/2" as Tendo Nabiki, "Moomin" as Moomintroll amongst others.

Q: "What's your first impression of the 22nd Detective Conan Movie, "Zero The Enforcer"?"
A: "Good point. When I firstly read the script, I did think "Ah, maybe this story is a bit too complicated". If you see a lot of police dramas like I do, I think one would understand the existence and roles of the "Public Safety Police" and "Prosecution" but for those who don't see them and for children, I was like "would they understand it?". That was my first impression.
But by when we finished the dubbing, the impression changed a bit. If you properly listen to what the characters say during the story, I think you'll be able to understand it."

Q:"The movie's plot revolves around "Amuro is an enemy?". What did you think about Amuro Tooru or Furuya Rei? What are you impressions of Kazami Yuuya and Kuroda Hyoue?"
A: "I did think that I wanted to prove that Amuro-san "isn't the enemy". Kazami-san appeared 2 movies ago, in "The Darkest Nightmare" but in this movie you get to know his relationship in the PSB with Furuya-san. He'll also appeared in the TV series in the future as well, I think.
Superintendent Kuroda makes his movie debut in this movie. Whenever he appears in the TV series he's totally suspicious (laughs). He's as suspicious as always, but for some reason he doesn't feel dangerous. He probably is (exposes her deduction) ...or so i think. What I told you is still secret, though (laughs)."

Q: "How about the dubbing work?"
A: "It went very smoothly, and we finished it on that day. We almost took until past the peak (12:00 AM) but human drama was the axis so we focused on each one's lines and the tempo was good."

Q: "How about your work together with Furuya Tooru-san?"
A: "We didn't do much consulting about how we would perform the dubbing so but there was a point that Furuy-san asked "it's **, right?". "Yes, I think this is **.", "Thought so!". That was the confirmation we took with each other. We also check with each other the points that picked us in our lines.
Truth is, when I made my debut, since I was playing a boy, I used Furuya-san's acting as a boy as reference. Of course, I can't act like he did but I did wonder what a "boy" is like? So I tried to get the gist from his voice acting. So, secretly, inside of my heart, I thought of him as my "teacher" (laughs). In the dubbing, I am always allowed to practice with my "teacher". He's a big senior with whom I can work very well so it was very fun.

Q: "What's your impression of the new Director, Director Tachikawa?"
A: "We got friendly very soon and I called him "Tacchi" (laughs). After the dubbing, I asked him "What's the genre you're apt at?". And he replied "I am apt at action, but... I guess human drama is it.". That's shown in this movie, indeed! He's a young director, but he gouges out the deep parts of humans.
Since it involves deductions, I think that human dramas are very important. The deduction of the culprit, the actions of the cornered party, must be things that "humans do" or the whole thing will fail.
The way the action scenes are scattered is good, but, if you don't properly depict "the human part", the story feels dull... There's been a lot of similar human drama in Conan movies insofar but this time around it felt "really hot". I think this is the director's tastes.
I act on it, so you feel that it's a character with "body heat, and feels related to", that's a must have creed. You can hear the heart's sound, they breathe, they're not limited to the 2-d of the screen or the scene, it feels "alive", that's how I like to voice characters. So I like hot dramas like this one."

Q: "The identity of "That Person" has been made public in the manga already, yet...?"
A: "True. Truth is, during the recording of "The Darkest Nightmare", we casting (about 20 of us, was it?) tried to predict "Who's That Person?". When looking at the answer sheet I'd kept sealed since then, it had an accuracy rate of 25%! It'd seem I checked a lot of things during breaks (laughs).
I also showed it to Aoyama-sensei, who'd come to see the dubbing. His reply was "What, they all know who it is!" (laughs). By the way, my answer was wrong.
Sensei had let out hints before, and Karasuma Renya's name had considerably popped up but I ended up reading too much into the thing and wrote someone else as my reply to the question."

Q: "Last question: what are the movie's highlights?"
A: "In this 22nd movie, prosecution, police, and PSP... It's a story in which a lot of words you don't normally hear pop up.
Also, in the interactions between characters, there are some crucial points as well so pay close attention and enjoy it until the very end without taking your eyes off the screen. It's a very, very exciting human drama.
One last thing to finish, "Amuro-san is someone incredible."."

Staff Interview

Director Tachikawa
Profile:
Born in 1981. He revealed the "Death Billiards" which was his original idea, script and direction at the "Anime Mirai" of the Agency for Cultural Affairs in 2013. It was made into an anime named "Death Parade". He also directed "Mob Psycho 100".

Q:"How were you appointed to direct this movie?"
A:"In a raising program from the Agency for Cultural Affairs aimed at young animators I directed a serious film named "Death Billiards" and the judge in charge at the time was the "Detective Conan" Producer, Suwa (Michihiko) - san. He bought a lot of the stuff I made. And he asked me to "Direct the 22nd Movie". "

Q: "What's your impression of "Detective Conan"?"
A: "I first came into contact with Conan around Elementary... Or High... Or Middle. I loved to read it as a normal reader but there was 1 time I stopped reading. I came into contact with it again once I became a producer. When I got told to be the director of this movie, I re-read again from the part I'd seen years before."

Q: "What are the parts you put most detail or attention to as the movie's director?"
A: "To not to omit any of the good points that Conan had had insofar. The relations between characters are very interesting. So I took especially care and detail in character depiction. And this movie was more suspense-touch than the usual. The PSB is a main actor and the feeling's more serious. It's made so that if people who like mystery dramas see it then I think they will enjoy it."

Q:"What's your favorite character?"
A: "Haibara Ai, Professor Agasa, Mouri Kogoro, Hattori Heiji and Detective Takagi... I'd say. To avoid coming off as faulty, I also like Conan as well. But I rather like the famed side-characters who support the work. As well as the actual actors. So my preferences aim over there."

Q: "What's your vision of Amuro Tooru as as director?"
A: "I thought that fans would like his mysterious parts so we paid a lot of attention when depicting those. But I also wanted to show Amuro's house as well. I like those parts that reveal one's true nature. I think that it shouldn't be done, but, I also wanted to do a scene of him bathing in the bath."

Q:"What's your favorite film?"
A: "The first films remain in my memory... "The Time-bombed Skyscraper", "Countdown to Heaven", "The Phantom of Baker Street". I was by Producer Ishiyama (Keichi) -san that "it really looks like the balance in Director Kodama Kenji's (see note 1) works". I didn't have it on mind, truth to be told, but I do like the initial Conan so that's why it ended up like that, or so I think.

Q: "Last question. What are the highlights of the movie?"
A: "This movie mainly focuses on Amuro Tooru so there's a lot of cool scenes. Also, his gestures of combing up his hair or after he gets hurt... There's a lot of scenes showing aspects of him one normally doesn't see. So I hope you have a good look at the film while enjoying those day-to-day scenes."

Note 1: "Director Kodama Kenji directed Conan Movie 1 to 7"

Scriptwriter Sakurai
Profile:
Born in 1970. Scriptwriter. He also was a movie producer at Toho. While he was in office, he received the 1st Yomiuri TV Scenario Great Award. He then became a freelancer scriptwriter. His representative works are the "Aibou (Pal)" TV series and the "Forensic Researcher Woman" TV series.

Q:"This is the 4th movie the script of which you write up after the 17th movie "Private Eye in the Distant Seas", the 19th movie "Sunflowers of Inferno" and the 20th movie, "The Darkest Nightmare". How did you begin to get involved with Conan and how did you receive the offer for this project?"
A: "At the time of "Private Eye in the Distant Seas", I think it was Producer Suwa (Michihiko) -san who contacted me, and I accepted the offer. It was an anime, so I thought of writing a story that couldn't be done in a normal film. After "The Darkest Nightmare", I was asked "When can you make a new script?" and I replied "I'm free in 1 year's time", that was how the offer came.

Q: "What are the requests from Aoyama-sensei?"
A: "There weren't many. But regarding Amuro's view of love I was told to "please add this line". As well as "Add this scene with Azusa" or "Add this at the end". Not more than that. Most of it I wrote it up myself but I directly asked him if there were parts I didn't understand. How Amuro would interact with Conan, for example. I hadn't gotten a grasp of it yet... Amuro doesn't yet know that Conan is Shinichi. But despite that, he supports him a lot and relies on him. I wanted to ask Sensei about what kind of distance feeling I should use."

Q: "And what were the requests from Director Tachikawa?"
A: "It was a harder story at the beginning but he changed it from a hard story to a softer Conan episode. It was a bit more severe and nerve-wrecking world. But that wasn't the first Conan story that the director wanted to do. There were several conflicts with that."

Q: "What are Amuro's charms, in your opinion?"
A: "He has a wide mental capacity. If it's not someone with a lot of room in their heart then it's hard to live in 3 different world-views. You'll get crushed. Even as Furuya, even as Amuro and even as Bourbon, I think that his base is always the same. His feeling of justice as well, he just changes his form of expressing things. I guess that both shooting a gun and brewing coffee stem from the same feeling of justice. Also, I personally like Furuya a lot, and being chose to, as a charge commander, write a story about Furuya and the PSB which hasn't appeared in the manga often was very exciting. I think it derives from him, even as Amuro, even as Bourbon and eaven as Furuya."

Q: "Last question. What are the highlights of the movie?"
A:"At first you see through the viewpoint of Conan, the main protagonist, and then you see through Furuya's PoV, and if you see it from a 3rd PoV that'd be the culprit's... And they all look like different stories. And, also, there might be a 4th PoV... Also, when you see it the first time, as a hint to guess the culprit, I wish that you pay attention to the "screen within the screen". A TV screen or a PC screen might appear but pay attention to that "screen within the screen" which one normally oversees. We're using a lot of screens this time, so there might be news announced there or investigation materials, there are hints rolling in several "screens"."

Guidebook Explanation of Police Hierarchy

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Translated by: Spimer
Typeset by: Lailan

Interview on News Zero

Date: April 11, 2018

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Source: https://www.facebook.com/DCTheRedThread/videos/1813261475392464/?v=1813261475392464

Takarakuzu College Interview

Date: April 15, 2018
Held at: Takarakuza College

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Source: https://forums.dctp.ws/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13477&sid=616cd36dc775283463d2b3ae591ca2a2
Translated by: Spimer

Q1) "Why did you change the manga style to the current one, compared to how it was on the beginnings?"
A1) "I wasn't conscious of that (laughs) I drew things like that!?"

Q2) "What about Ran-chan's head?"
A2) "Everyone points that out to me (laughs). It happened to turn into that (laughs). I wanted a symbol-like thing, to be able to tell who it was from the silhouette. Like how I thought that my dad was wearing a hat the whole time (laughs)"

Q3) "Shinichi and Ran have begun to date, but will there be a boyfriend-girlfriend-like interaction in the future?"
A3) "There'll be (laughs) Maybe they'll become a couple by next year's movie? Oh? (laughs)"

Q4) "How's the chronology between the movies and the manga organized like? Is the "Crimson School Trip" after "The Crimson Love Letter"?"
A4) "I was troubled by that, actually. I did consult with the editor if I should depict it as Momiji firstly meeting Sonoko... Well, it came out well enough, no? (laughs) I don't think much about the chronology with the movies"

Q5) "What's the tone of coloring you use for Amuro-san's and Heiji's skin color?"
A5) "The same! Number 51! (laughs) Everyone else uses Number 61, but I use Number 51 because it has a bigger grain! It doesn't get crushed, hence why Number 51 is the best!"

Q6) "Shinichi said he wanted to become the Heisei (Note 1) Sherlock Holmes, but will Conan end during the Heisei Period?"
A6) "No, if the period name changes then I'll nonchalantly change it to the new period's Holmes (laughs) I should also nonchalantly insert a line about that (laughs)"
Note 1: Heisei - Period from 1989 to the present, indicating rule of current Emperor, Akihito

Q7) "Did you intend to make Amuro Tooru appear when you made Akai Shuuichi debut?"
A7) "Well, I did have the idea in a corner of my head! I did think of making a rival character or worthy opponent! I actually thought of naming him "Shiroi" (laughs). But I thought it might be a bit odd so I went for Amuro (laughs)"

Q8) "Amuro-san asked Azusa-san about her plans for Christmas before the break, though?"
A8) "Amuro was saying "Not really", Azusa might've said (laughs) then you could switch work shifts with me? (laughs)"

Q9) There was a scene featuring them in "Zero the Enforcer," though?"
A9) I did draw that scene!

Q10) "A normal Conan cases is 3 chapters, but do you decide the length beforehand?"
A10) "I always have the rough idea that a case will be 3 chapters long. But long cases like the "Crimson School Trip" are 5-6 chapters long... At times like that I go... "Well, this'll be a serial murder, then!" (laughs)

Q11) "Why is Amuro-san so popular?"
A11) "Well... I dunno (laughs). Why, I wonder (laughs). Maybe the fact that he can't beat Akai makes him popular (laughs) That might be it (laughs)."

Q12) "The last question in "Zero the Enforcer" was a great!"
A12) "Glad to know (laughs) I told them to add that one (laughs)!"

Q13) "What were the good things of becoming a mangaka?"
A13) "You earn a lot of money (laughs) You can eat juicy stuff (laughs). But you get less sleeping time... But now I sleep a lot! (laughs)"

Q14) "If Conan goes back to being Shinichi, how will he relate to those around him?"
A14) "I can't tell you that (laughs) I almost made a slip (laughs)"

Q15) "Are you planning on drawing that?"
A15) "Well, let's see... I do (laughs)"

Q16) "How do you decide the codenames of the BO members?"
A16) "Gin was an idea by an assistant, he said he looked Gin... I was like "really?" (laughs). As for Vermouth, I was told to use Vermouth (laughs) I get directed a lot by my assistants, although not that much (laughs)"

Q17) "Why did you make Hattori Heiji dark-skinned?"
A17) "I wanted to make him the complete inverse of Shinichi (laughs)! I thought that'd be a dark-skinned character, then (laughs). But my assistants disliked the idea. They said it was annoying to draw! (laughs)"

Q18) "I think the best part about your work, Sensei, is that you don't kill the criminals and have them live to atone for their sins but why did you make the culprit of Moonlight Sonata die?"
A18) "I thought that an occasional exception would do fine (laughs) It was a necessary victim so that Conan could tell Hattori that he's not perfect and that he actually "killed" someone (laughs)"

Q19) "All the movies always have some scenes drawn by you, Sensei, but do you decide which ones you want to draw?"
A19) "Yes! I put a circle in the storyboard that Director Tachikawa gave me to indicate I'd draw those! (laughs) I generally draw the scenes which have lines that I thought of (laughs)!"

Q20) "What's the origin of Conan's "there's only one truth" amongst the famous lines of the manga?"
A20) "It was actually a coincidence, in the chapter of Heiji's debut Shinichi said "because there's only one truth", and at about the same time the anime came up with "there's always one truth", so it really was a coincidence (laughs)."

Q21) "What works did you use as reference when making up the character of Amuro Tooru?"
A21) "I often say that Akai looks like Char, but Amuro is Amuro (laughs). Amuro's an original character (laughs)"

Q22) "What are the characters that are easier to draw and harder to draw within your works?"
A22) "Kaitou Kid is hard to draw, yes... And Amuro is easy to draw (laughs). Akai is hard, but Amuro has a special feeling to him (laughs)"

Q23) "What are the origins of Kaitou Kid?"
A23) "At first he was unpopular with the chief editor (laughs). Saying he wasn't fashionable at all (laughs). There was "Cats Eye" (see note) as high school thiefs at the time. the youngest sister was a high school student. Yet there wasn't a guy thief so I thought I could come up with one of my own (laughs). I was faster so I won (laughs)."
Note: "Cat's Eye", manga about a group of 3 sisters who steal works from a fictional European artist.

Q24) "Why did you think of making the heroine strong instead of weak?"
A24) "I guess it's because I wanted to draw karate scenes (laughs). Thought that a strong heroine would be fun (laughs). Conan-kun shrunk so he needed someone strong next to him else he'd be in trouble... Or so I thought (laughs)

Q25) "What scenes were fun to draw and which were hard to draw?"
A25) "A fun one was that final two-page spread of the Kiyomizu Temple (laughs). The background was drawn by a Takarazuka college alumni, and they spent about 1 day to draw it up. (laughs) I only drew Shinichi and Ran (laughs). That scene was fun. The Bell Tree Express scenes were hard to draw (laughs)"

Q26) "Why is it that the characters' clothing is so fashionable?"
A26) "I used to buy a lot of clothes at Anan or Non-no or CanCam (laughs). Amuro often appears in the latest cases so they asked me to think up Amuro's clothing (laughs). I have them think of making files about the clothes in every case."

Q27) "Are there plans for a movie focused on Shinichi and Ran?"
A27) "I wonder about that (laughs) I dunno but I can't say too much into this (laughs) oh well, look forward to it (laughs)"

"Truth in Zero" Booklet

Date: April 24, 2018

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Source: Raw

Raw:

Amuro Toru/Bourbon/Furuya Rei Secret Archives PLUS

Date: May 7, 2018

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Source: Raw Translation

Raw:

Gosho Aoyama

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Furuya Tooru

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Takayama Minami & Guest VAs [Ueno Aya + Hakata Daikichi]

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Nobuo Tobita (Kazami VA) + Yukimasa Kishino (Kuroda VA)

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Tachikawa Yuzuru (Movie Director)

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Sakurai Takeharu (M22 scriptwriter)

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Translated by: Spimer

Gosho Aoyama interview
Gosho Aoyama Special Interview

We interview the creator of "Detective Conan", Aoyama Gousho-sensei. We will ask about secrets of the 22nd movie, about the birth of Amuro Tooru and important details.

Q: "How was the theme of "Zero the enforcer" decided?"
A: "Sakurai Takeharu-san, the scriptwriter, made a draft about cyber terrorism. And we talked about that Amuro from the Public Safety Bureau would get involved if that was the topic. I did think it was fast, since it hasn't been long since "The darkest nightmare". But, oh well, Amuro is popular so... (laughs)"

Q: "What are the portions in this film that you yourself suggested?"
A: "There's many. In drawing terms, I asked to change Amuro's glances depending on when he was Bourbon or when he was Furuya. "That question" at the end was added because I asked them to do so. Everyone was wondering about it so I thought of adding it on the movie. Sakurai-san said "eeeehh!?" when I told him, though (laughs). But Amuro talks to Conan and Conan asks him about that... That natural flow of things was made by Sakurai-san. Despite that it was unreasonable request. As expected of him."

Q: "Looks like there'll be a lot of people who'll be going to theaters to know the answer to "that question"..."
A: "Ah-hah-hah-hah (laughs) Really? There's also the talk between Amuro and Azusa at the supermarket... I thought of the whole idea myself. They added it word by word. Since their combination is very popular, too!"

Q: "What scenes did you draw the keyframes of?"
A: "The scene with the answer to "that question", and I've got to draw the final scene between Amuro and Conan. Since Director Tachikawa Yuzuru said he can't tell what kind of face Conan is making at the end. So I told him that I'd draw it (laughs). Compared to previous films, I haven't drawn that many this year. So that's why I also look forward to its completion."

Q: "What do you think of the developments leading Conan and Amuro to clash with each other?"
A: "I didn't make any requests about that. They said that it felt interesting if Amuro acted like a foe. And the balance of his relationship with Conan is good, too. The line of "I... I have two men who are scarier me." was written by Sakurai-san. He means Conan and Akai. I thought it was well-played (laughed). Ah. But he doesn't dislike Conan, though. What he dislikes is Akai and what he likes is celery (laughs)"

Q: "What are the scenes you want the public to pay attention to?"
A: "I guess that'd be the final action scene. And, also... Kuroda (laughs). It's a performance that can only be done in anime, so I want you to focus on Kuroda!"

Q: "Please tell us about Kazami Yuuya, who's appeared both in the movies and in the manga."
A: "His initial design was with crumpled hair, but since he was PSB I thought a crew cut and an ill-behaved face would work better, and so I redid his design. Also, I had to write his age when I made him appear in Volume 94 of the manga. I talked about it with Sakurai-san, Amuro would indeed push someone older than him around... That's the kind of conversation we had. So we settled on him being 30 years old. Regarding his position, Kazami works in the MPD's PSB. Amuro is from the NPA so he's in a more privileged position. "

Q: "Is there something that leaves an impression in any of the episodes in which Amuro appears?"
A: "In the "Girls Band" (see Note 1) case, when he plays a guitar... I guess. He asks Sonoko to lend it to him and then plays it. Amuro can do anything... If Akai didn't exist then he'd be number one, though (laughs)."

Q: "So he can't defeat Akai?"
A: "I think Amuro is better at many things than Akai is. But he can't beat Akai. He might have a chance if it was a cooking contest, though... But if he has to match Akai, he might get nervous and fail."

Q: "Amuro, Bourbon and Furuya. Which of the triple faces do you like the most?"
A: "Hmmm... All of them... I guess? Readers ask me to "make Shinichi-kun appear more often!" but I think that he's always appearing, though. Because Conan-kun is Shinichi. Same as that. Amuro is Amuro, regardless of his "face". Ah. The way I draw his eyes when he's Bourbon is a bit different, though. But despite that Amuro is easy to draw. I just need to make the eyes into drooping eyes and he already looks like Amuro. Special drooping eyes and hair... I guess? Hmmm... That's easy (laughs)"

Q: "Please tell us about Amuro's debut."
A: "Truth to be told, Amuro wasn't from the Public Safety (PS) when he made his debut. He was actually a very bad guy. But when I was drawing the conclusion part of his debut episode (see Note 2) I thought that he was a cool guy, that I wanted him to be one of the good guys. So I suddenly changed that mid-way and turned him a PS guy. Since I was thinking of making a PS character appear. I wanted to make the case be something Amuro had set up to lure Kogorou out into the open but I gave up on that, too. "

Q: "If you hadn't changed his background then maybe this year's movie wouldn't have come to happen?"
A: "Good point. When I talked with Ikeda (Shuuichi) - san, I told him a character named Amuro would appear. And he answered "So you must've decided his voice by now...". Ah. It's obvious, then (laughs). So when I drew him having Furuya (Tooru) - san's voice in mind I thought that he was cool and ended up being PS. Glad that I did so. His enmity with Akai was planned from the start. There was a lot of phases, like when I thought of naming him "Shiroi" (laughs)"

Q: "If you'd kept the initial background then we wouldn't have his real name of "Furuya Rei", then?"
A: "Maybe... When you say "Amuro", then "Ray (Rei)" comes to mind. Added the "Zero" from the PS and I thought "this is it!". Actually, that name is a bit old and the PS isn't named "Zero" nowadays. There's another, different name that we don't know. But that fanning of "a non-existent organization" is cool, and using Zero and Rei was good enough in my opinion hence why I used them."

Q: "I'd like of you to give a message to the fans who expect Amuro to have a lot of activity in the manga"
A: "The manga will resume with Amuro and Akai so look forward to it (see Note 3). Kid Amuro will appear, and you'll know more about Elena-san. Coming soon! (laughs)"

Note 1: Volume 88 & Anime Episode 836 "The Unfriendly Girls Band (Part 1)"
Note 2: Volume 75 & Anime Episodes 667-668 "Weeding Eve"
Note 3: File 1009 of the manga, to be published in Issue #20, 2018 of Shonen Sunday

Caution: "SPOILERS"
We were show the draft of the first page of the new manga chapter to published with the resuming of the manga in 2018! Amuro and Akai facing each other with guns and their faces exposed... What happened here!?

Furuya Tooru Interview
Furuya Tooru-san acts the role of a triple-faced man. He told us a lot of about the greatest parts of "Zero the enforcer" and the charms of each face!

Q: "When you knew that Amuro Tooru would be the main character of "Zero the enforcer", how did you feel like?"
A: "I was surprised that Amuro would get a big role in a movie again. I was happy about it, of course, but I thought it was fast. This time it's not a story with Akai so that's great! (laughs). When I said the word "Zero" in the teaser at the end of the "Crimson love letter", I did think that the face of Furuya Rei, from the PS would be the main protagonist. I like police stories, novels and series so I read "Metropolitan Police Department Public Safety J" novel by Suzumine Kouya-san. And I built up the mood as I waited for the script to be done.

Q: "What was your impression from reading the script?"
A: "The plot of this movie feels like a live-action series. It shows a lot of details about Japanese police and prosecution, so it was very interesting. And when the climax comes, it turns into an unprecedented calamity which Conan and Amuro solve together... I thought that very typical of "Detective Conan". And it was also to be expected that they'd involve a modern item similar to IoT (Internet of Things) appliances... It was a very timely and interesting story. And he doesn't care what he has to do to protect the peace in Japan... The attitude of Furuya Rei, Public Safety Officer, makes you feel excited."

Q: "This movie's structure was about Amuro and Conan confronting each other, yet..."
A: "I got to work together with Conan-kun in "The darkest nightmare" so I was open to do so. But in the trailers and teasers it has an atmosphere of a confrontation with Conan-kun... Thought this might be a bit troublesome (laughs). To begin with, having Mouri-sensei arrested, Amuro, his best disciple, should work to clear out the suspicions on him. Now's not the time to be cleansing the Poirot café (laughs). Conan-kun immediately sees through Amuro's backstage actions. It's pointed out in the cleansing scene towards the beginning of the movie. He really thinks that he's a incredible kid. Of course, Amuro forsakes Conan-kun without answering his questions. Afterwards, he monitors Conan's actions but at some point Kazami ends up being stalked by Conan... That flow of events is also very interesting, too."

Q: "Both of them have the same level of strength hence why the story moves into that direction."
A: "Amuro recognizes Conan-kun's potential, and has total confidence on him. He feels that Conan is not a normal kid, but I guess he's closing into his true identity. Maybe he's realized 80% of the full picture..."

Q: "Please tell us about the answer to "that question" towards the end of the film."
A: "When I read the script, I did realize that this would be the part that would make the fans excited. But I had doubts about how I should deliver that line. I did dig down the script while looking at the placeholder footage but I hesitated again. At first I thought of a softer and sweeter feeling... And in the rehearsals on the dubbing day I spoke with a different tone of strength, different to what I had in mind. It had a serious atmosphere to it and a feeling of newfound strength, "now I'm going to go for it"... Shifting the gear while gripping the handle and make the engine roar... It was acting that emerged from within that flow of events."

Q: "It became a powerful acting indeed."
A: "Yes. I did think it was a bit too powerful, but Matsui Naoko-san, Sonoko's VA, sitting next to me, told me "You pierced through my heart!". She was looking at me with a glance typical of Sonoko (laughs). I thought "Ah. This is how I should do it" and acted on the real dubbing with that feeling. "

Q: "What scenes would you like the audience to specially focus on?"
A: "The climax, but of course. It's a scale that can't happen in reality, and it has incredible force to it. Speaking of which, the RX-7 might break again... Everyone said it was such a waste of tax money (laughs). The RX-7 is a very stylish and cool car, and I'm glad that the plate number is my birthday, yet... Thinking in real terms, I guess that not being obsessed with the RX-7 would make Amuro better (laughs)"

Caption: "Towards the end. Amuro answers "that question" from Conan while gazing to the front. An acting in which Furuya-san devoted his whole body to. Check it out in the theaters!

Q: "What left you an impression during the dubbing?"
A: "The acting in the car action scenes was hard. You must feel a very strong shock on your body so there was a lot of ad-lib. But despite that we had no meeting previous to the rehearsals, (Takayama) Minami-san and I added our ad-lib with perfect timing. I was surprised. It was so perfect, to the point I thought "I want this one to be used"! I thought that I and Minami-san had the same sensibility so I was glad. Also, Amuro had faces I'd never seen on him during the car chases. Nevertheless, Matsui-san told me "No, this is good enough!"... So I thought "is that so?" (laughs). I tried to add a bit of an aberrant ad-lib matching the scene but it didn't seem necessary so I didn't do so when the actual dubbing."

Q: "Are there some points in the acting which you were particular about?
A: "The "Bourbon" facet of Amuro doesn't appear on this film, but there are 2 acting patterns for Amuro and Furuya so I wrote some big marks on the script's lines. For example, the supermarket scene... When he's talking with Azusa-san he's Amuro so I wrote the katakana "A"... When he begins to talk to Kazami he turns into Furuya so I wrote the "kou (public)" from "kouan (public safety)"... Almost all scenes had such marks on them, I thought I had to change my tone depending on the position and who he's talking to. I didn't use "an (safety)" from "kouan" for Amuro because that'd make it very confusing."

Caption: "Amuro's face during the car action which surprised Furuya-san. There were descriptions in the script. "Has a drive technique like that of a demon". "Drive technique that's like aided by the divine."

Q: "Please tell us about Amuro's right-hand man, Kazami Yuuya."
A: "In "The darkest nightmare" I thought of Kazami as someone with whom he always shared information. But it'd seem that's not the case. Furuya works in the NPA, Kazami in the MPD. Their ranks are different. I also had in mind the distance during acting. And to begin with, the "Zero" organization is shrouded in mysteries. I'd like of them to make a film that goes into more detail into that (laughs). I guess that holding strength is a new charm of Amuro. Kazami understands the power the PS has and thinks that all means must be used to solve cases. On the other hand, Amuro doesn't use it and readies other means. Amuro has a strong belief that that's how the PS should be like. There might be scenes with him telling that to Kazami. Kazami often refers to him as "Furuya-san"... It feels exciting whenever he does so (laughs). I'm used to being called "Amuro" but I've still not got used to being called "Furuya"... "

Caption: "Scotch's death, which was the start of his feud with Akai. Amuro thinks that Akai gave Scotch a gun and drove him to suicide, but the truth is... (Episode 867)

Q: "Please tell us about recent dubbing for the TV anime episodes."
A: "What I most clearly remember was a meeting after the dubbing. Ikeda (Shuuichi)-san, Koyama (Momi)-san. I had drinks with them, it was fun (laughs). I thought it was something typical of "Conan". I put care in the acting in the flashback scenes of the 866-867 episodes "The stage of betrayal". The enmity with Akai steams from that point. He's caught in the idea of "A man of Akai's level should've been able to help Scotch flee without having him suicide"... But he himself was actually to blame. Maybe he'll realize that truth one day? How will I act his mental state when that happens...? I actually think it's a bit scary. Building my own feelings while acting is the hardest part. The role of Amuro must be worked out while hesitating. There's a worth in doing it."

Q: "Which of Amuro's triple faces do you specially like?"
A: "My favorite one is that one which bets his life in protecting the nation of Japan, the face of Furuya Rei. He's a hero of justice. He has a lot of actions to show his skills, and he's got a lot of cool lines. I've been working as an anime voice actor because I wanted to become a hero. With Furuya's role, I can fully enjoy that. But when he has to deal with Akai, he suddenly turns child-like. There's also what happened with Scotch, and his emotions jump forward. That also can be called a charm of him, but..."

Q:"What about his face as Bourbon?"
A: "Bourbon has a hold of Vermouth's secret so these two have an interesting relationship. I've known Koyama-san for a long time, and we both admit our job as actors, so it's a very easy thing to do and very fun as well."

Q: "What about his face as Amuro Tooru?"
A: "He's strong at boxing, he's good at the guitar, he can cook... It's very fun to become a character who has many parts that you yourself don't have. Amuro is very popular among the girls, isn't he? I was told during this work "He's popular among the JK (high school girls)" which made me very happy. I feel like I've gone back to my young days (laughs). Amuro has 3 faces to him, so he alone can have 3 different experiences. He's a very charming character."

Q: "What kind of activity can we expect from Amuro in the future stories?"
A: "He solves cases using his erudition and deductive abilities, but I'd also wish of him to use his physical abilities to shine as well. Because, you know, heroes are made through battling. I'd also like of him to close into the core of the organization's mysteries. I'd like of his child look to appear, too, but I don't wish to do his voice acting again (laughs). "

Q: "Please give a message to the fans!"
A: "In "Zero the enforcer" I acted with Amuro, the though and adult man, as the theme. I'd like of you to come to the theaters. And to savor his charm many, many times in the big screen. There are some "numbers" I must protect even if I stake my life on it (laughs). So I'm counting on you all!"

Profile:
Born July 31. From Kanazawa Prefecture. Affiliated to Aoni Productions. Representative titles are "Star of the Giants" as Hoshi Hyuuma. "Mobile Suit Gundam" as Amuro Ray. "Saint Seiya" as Pegasus Seiya. "ONE PIECE" as Sabo. Among others. In "Detective Conan" he acted in various roles such as in "The Private Eyes' Requiem" before becoming Amuro Tooru.

Takaya Minami Interview
Edogawa Conan Role

Profile:
Born May 5th. From Tokyo Prefecture. Representative titles are "Kiki's Delivery Service" as Kiki. "Rantaro" as Inatera Rantaro. "YAIBA" as Kurogane Yaiba. And others. Narrator, western movies dubbing. She continues to work in recitations.

Q: "What was your impression when you read the script of "Zero the enforcer"?"
A: "I felt like it was a human drama TV series. Truth and justice, and the exciting clash between humans. That was my impression. Regardless of the main axis being Amuro VS Conan. I felt excitement in many parts. Director Tachikawa hadn't been involved in "Detective Conan" before but the displays of natural phenomena and emotions were splendid. A new door was opened."

Q: "Please tell us the best spots of the film."
A: "The interactions between persons are full of good spots. When the climax grows close, listening to them feels better. And, of course, Amuro-san's charm. I think you'll get to know a lot more about him in this film. The interactions, which feel like a speech play, are very exciting. What part of it it's lies, what part of it it's true... "Amuro-san might be the enemy this time around". But one wants to figure out if he really is the enemy. To prove that he's not a bad person. You suspect him to believe him, and while earning evidence and confidence one by one, you go on crushing your doubts about him.

That's how I felt once we finished the dubbing, and I got the impression that he was an innocent person. A very pure, innocent, and pure white person. That was my impression of him. Of course, he has many faces to him but there's a very strong belief to the point all of those get removed. A strong feeling, that past "truth" and "justice" there's the feeling of "protecting". You seek the truth to protect, and you seek the justice because you want to protect. Both fight to protect what's dear to each one of them. The biggest theme in this film is "protecting", or so I thought. All of the characters have that feeling on them.

I think that Fukuyama Masuharu-san's main vocal song was made in order to make you feel that. So I'm very thankful to him for that."

Q: "Did it feel good to act as Conan, the one who confronts Amuro?"
A: "Uncle Kogorou is suddenly arrested, and behind that incident, Amuro, whom he fought together with in "The darkest nightmare", is involved. So he can't be as cool and rational as he always is. So he's unable to properly control his emotions, and he might speak louder than he usually does... There was a part in the dubbing in which he reflects upon that muttering "Crap. I gotta chill it..."."

Q: "Kuroda Hyoue, one of the RUM candidates, has also appeared on this film, yet..."
A: "I was surprised when I first saw the poster at how Superintendent Kuroda was drawn in such a big size. But I actually don't think he's a bad person. I was excited during the film, but he's probably..."

Q: "Please give us a message to the readers to wrap up."
A: "Please watch the film while paying attention to all that's said. Police, prosecution, Public Safety... Even if hard to understand words appear, I think you'll eventually understand them as you go on watching the film. For the difficult parts, research on them and go see the film again. I think that that'll make you enjoy it way further. Including the guests (characters), all characters' breathing and pulsations can be felt. It's a very exciting film! Please enjoy it!"

Ueto Aya Comments
Tachibana Kyouko Role

Profile:
Born September 14th. From Tokyo Prefecture. TV series, movies, western movie dubbing, CMs. Works in many genres. It's been 12 years since her previous role in "Detective Conan".

"Kyouko is a role with breadth, so at first I acted naturally without creating too much of a character. Towards the end, I made voices that even I was surprised at. I like the relationship between Conan-kun and Ran-chan in "Detective Conan" since a long time ago. It's lonely to be unable to meet them, but having the one you like be there next to you to protect you is very beautiful, or so I think."

Hakata Daikichi Comments
Haba Fumikazu role

Profile:
Born October 3rd. From Fukuoka Prefecture. He's appeared in many variety shows as a comedian, is a regular participant in info programs.

"I thought that Haba was the stubborn type so I prepared thoroughly for the role. I'd like of you to see him without having "Daikichi!" on mind (laughs). I think it's amazing that "Detective Conan" has gone through with the same style for over 20 years' time. The movie "Magician of the Silver Sky" where they make a plane land dumbfounded me indeed!"

Tobita Nobuo Interview
Kazami Yuuya Role

Profile:
Born November 6th. From Ibaraki Prefecture. Representative titles: "Mobile Suit Gundam Z" as Camille Bidan. "Chibi Maruko-chan" as Maruo-kun. Mr. Osamatsu as Dayon. Others. Has also done dubbing of several western movies.

Q: "Please tell us about how you acted the role of Kazami in "The darkest nightmare"."
A: "It was the first time I took part in an [animated] film. The role's name was Kazami Yuuya so I made the connection at once (laughs). It was a position similar to an subordinate to Amuro-san, so it had a feeling that your body tightened. My biggest impression was when he did a handshake with Inspector Megure at the end of the movie. He's an elite, but a good person who has normal feelings."

Q: "And Kazami appears again in this new movie, "Zero the enforcer"."
A: "What I had on mind was his relation with Amuro-san. How much feeling of a distance there is. It was certain that he had respect for Amuro, but there was hesitation too. As if I was but one of many men in reserve (laughs). Furuya-san, who voices Amuro, is my senpai (senior) as well so I acted the role as if my actual relationship was being projected in the film."

Q: "What are the charm points of Amuro?"
A: "His boldness and his high abilities... And the mysterious air he has. He feels like a gentle man but is very deep in character, you might think he's hard but that's not the case. He seems to be talkative but it'd seem he doesn't show his true portions at all."

Q: "What about Kazami, whom you voice?"
A: "From his looks, he brings on the mood of someone capable (laughs). Looks like he could do fighting sports. He still doesn't show a smile from his heart and he's not frank but hints of that are depicted in the movie, and I think he gives out a realistic feeling of existence."

Q: "Please give a message to the readers to wrap up."
A: "I think it's a movie that you want to see again with someone else after you see it. It's a must-see for Conan fans, and people new to the series will like it too!"[/spoiler]

Kishino Yukimasa Interview
Kuroda Hyoue Role

Profile:
Born October 21st. From Tokyo Prefecture. Representatives works. "ONE PIECE" as Higuma. "Dragon Ball Z" as Burter. "SLAM DUNK" as Uozomi Jun. Others. Dubbing of western movies, narration roles, plays.

Q: "Please tell us about when you were chosen to voice Kuroda Hyoue."
A: "Kuroda firstly appeared in Episode 810 of the anime "The darkness of the prefecture police (part 1)". The case involving the woodpeckers. When I read the script, I did think he was scary and hesitated if I could do it (laughs). He's a cop but has many mysteries to him, you can't tell if he's a good a guy or a bad guy... I did fumble a bit with my acting.

Q: "How did you feel when you knew that he would be featured in a movie?"
A: "I was surprised when seeing the poster. Seeing how big he was in there, I wondered what he'd do in the movie (laughs)"

Q: "What's the scene in this movie that left a biggest impression on you?"
A: "That word he uttered (laughs). I can't give out details, but it's a scene which I'd like of you to see many times and check out. It's a scene that will link to future [happenings] in "Detective Conan". Aoyama-sensei sure thinks up of interesting things."

Q: "What are the charm of points of Amuro, who'll be very active?"
A: "It's interesting to see how he has 3 faces to him. Not only as an actor. I also want to follow his activities as a reader."

Q: "How about Kuroda, whom you voice?"
A: "I think that the best about him is that he's shrouded in mysteries. I'd like to do a gag-like scene with Kuroda, but... I guess they won't allow me to do so (laughs). I'd like to voice him as a fun old guy someday."

Q: "Please give a message to the readers to wrap up."
A: "I'm really looking forward to future developments. Please, make sure to come see the movie!"

Tachikawa Yuzuru Interview
Movie "Zero the enforcer" Director

Profile:
Animation director, theatre director, "Death Billiard" movie on 2013 (original idea, script, direction), worked on TV series based on it on 2015 (original idea, direction, series structuring). Representative works: "Terror in Resonance" (Assitant Director), "Mob Psycho" (Director), and others.

Q: "Please tell us how you were appointed director of this move."
A: "As part of a Ministry of Culture project, I made an anime movie named "Death Billiard". Then, the Conan Chief Producer, Suwa Michihiko-san, liked my work at lot. A few years later, he contacted me and asked me to direct an anime film. I'd never worked as director of a movie from a long series so I thought I might as well try it out. I joined the project since the plot was completed."

Q: "Had you read the manga of "Detective Conan" before?"
A: "When I was in elementary school, I read it on the "Shonen Sunday" magazine. In terms of generations, his previous work "YAIBA" was right on. Young elementary students love sword play, don't they (laughs). I made the "Wind God Ball" and "Thunder God Ball" from "YAIBA" and played with them. So I really liked his works. I had fun with them.

When I was appointed director, I checked out the manga again and I re-confirmed that it was something that could be enjoyed even from the point of view of an adult. The way the foreshadowing is revealed is great. What really impressed me was the "Scarlet" series when Akai returned, Volumes 84 to 85. I went back to re-read Volumes 58-59 when Akai died (laughs). The "Scarlet" series also excited me with the Amuro episodes. Two men with double faces investigating each other, Conan is involved, and they problem is dodged skillfully."

Q: "It's the first time you're involved with the "Detective Conan" movies. What things did you have in mind?"
A: "I thought of making use of the established portions of the series. I did hesitate on how much freedom I had to leave my own imprint. I think that what makes "Conan" attractive is its characters. So I wanted to make more depictions of the characters' personalities. I did purposely have in mind to make action and movements which brought out the flavor of the characters.

Of course, Conan and Amuro are the core, and I also took care in the sub-characters supporting them. I like Professor Agasa and the Detective Boys so I think I put a lot of strength on them (laughs). There are additional scenes added from suggestions by Aoyama-sensei. We added scenes showing the daily life of the characters, which I'm glad of. When I talked with Takayama Minami-san after the dubbing, she told me that instead of having the scenario make them act, put focus on making the characters feel alive. That's what I also thought so I felt relaxed when she told me."

Q: "It'd seem that you made the image boards following your inclinations as director. Right?"
A: "It's an adult-like story, so creating a realistic atmosphere in the screen makes it easier to blend with the story, or so I thought. We hired the illustrator Loundware and they made the space. And they created some grand and colorful image boards. During the making, we put a lot of emphasis in sunset and rainy scenes. In terms of beauty direction, we gave them photos to tell them the colors we wanted.

We asked them to swing color with force in those spots that are supposed to leave a strong impression. For example, the scene when Amuro is called a murderer, it it were expression of anger shining in the faces, then it wouldn't create an atmosphere (laughs). Rain falling from cloud skies, evening and the night... There's a lot of darkened scenes. "

Caption: When Kazami mutters "That Amuro man you speak of is a murderer", rain falls from the cloudy skies... The gloomy skies leave an impression. (Movie 22)

(Continuation of previous question)
A: "Actually, darkened scenes are easier to make. Sunsets are hard. The light from the side is strong, so the shadows are harder to make. Entering in the shadows and in the light, calculations are needed. There are evening action scenes too. Conan slides beneath a truck, comes into the shadow, and comes out into a bright spot... We use light and shadow as concepts in the whole of this movie. Conan is light and Amuro is shadow. So light hits Conan and Amuro has shadows on him. There are lot of scenes like that."

Q: "Please tell us about Conan and Amuro, who clash in the film."
A: "Conan is always straight to the point, and is moved by the feeling that there shouldn't be sacrifices for the sake of justice. From the point of view of Amuro, who's going to do anything to protect Japan, Conan might seem immature in his opinion. But from a point of view of the movie, Conan wants to make justice prevail without ever having to sacrifice anyone to achieve it.

Amuro, though, has some inconsistencies within him. We focus on the darkest portions that he has. But if we bring out too much of it, the feeling of "Detective Conan" will be lost, so that made it hard on how to depict him.Since there are many portions of him that we still don't know. What kind of past he had, what kind of family was it, what kind of life he lived... There also moments in which you dunno what he's thinking of."

Caption:"Amuro enters in the Poirot, wrapped in shadows, while Conan is illuminated by the sunset which feels like it's burning. The concept of light and shadows can be felt here, too. (Movie 22)"

Q: "Please tell us about the charm of Amuro's triple face and how you depict each one."
A: "I personally like his position of undercover investigator, hence why I like Furuya's face a lot. As for the depictions, Furuya has a rather serious face. Amuro, who works in the Poirot, is cute in a cool way, or more like we had him have a peaceful expression. During the movie's car action, you can see his rare expressions. We wanted to show a facet of being a dangerous man, appearing at the last minute (laughs). Thought that it was important to show that even the cool Amuro might show such a face by accident."

Q:"Please tell us about Kazami Yuuya from the Public Safety Police. Amuro's right-hand man."
A: "Kazami is a rather key character. He asks Conan who he is, and Conan replies "Edogawa Conan. A detective." to him (laughs). Amuro sometimes feels shrouded in mysteries and like he's a superman. So I thought that, as a counter, I wanted to make Kazami more human-like, so that's how we depicted him.

He makes mistakes, and gets scolded by Amuro. He feels like the type to beat up his mattress at home when he fails a job and might yell "shit!" (laughs). Kazami does his best at the job, yet Amuro treats that very lightly. Kazami might constrict his arms... And feel mortified at that (laughs). These two are interesting. Also is the fact that Kazami is older."

Q: "What about Kuroda Hyoue?"
A: "I did think of asking Aoyama-sensei through-and-through about this, but... But I thought it'd be better for me not to know too much. I only asked him about aspects I was curious about (laughs). He's a character with dreadfulness so we were careful not to treat him too lightly. "

Q: "What do you think are the best spots of the film?"
A: "The complicated settings of the characters. I wanted to draw a human drama. They all have the same intention, yet, depending on how they do it the gears might crumble... On the other hand, Conan wants to make the justice inside of him prevail. The way the hearts of the characters move, how the differences between them feel like... I'd like of you to check that out. Of course, we also made good action scenes, so I think you'll be very excited at it!"

Q: "Please give us a message to the readers to wrap up."
A: "In this movie, the expressions of the characters and the display of their true natures... We put a lot of attention to those during making. We've also drawn everyday situations in a courteous way so that children can enjoy it as well. First you follow the case, then you follow the characters... We'd like of you to enjoy it many times with a different way of seeing things on each time.

And, in the end, the feeling of justice each character has as well as the dark parts that Amuro himself has, echo and give out a good feeling. Our intention was to show the movie's thematic in the last cut before the end roll so we'd be glad if you can feel from that scene what we wanted to depict."

(WIP)
Sakurai Takeharu Interview
Scriptwriter for the movie "Zero the enforcer"

Profile:
Scriptwriter. He also works with the alias "Iida Takeshi". TV series "Aibou", "Yamegoku: Yakuza Yamete Itadakimasu", "The forensic woman". Films "ATARU The Movie", "Aibou Series X Day", and others. Has written scripts for movies 17, 19 and 20 of "Detective Conan" as well as scripts for the TV series episodes 813 and 898.

Q: "How did you feel like when it was decided that Amuro would be the key man of this film?"
A: "It's only been 2 years since "The darkest nightmare" so I did go "huh?" at the news (laughs). It might've been better if it'd been made before the feeling of having written Amuro had vanished from me. I wrote his face as Bourbon in "The darkest nightmare", but due to the topic in this movie I specialized in Furuya, his face as PS (public safety)."

Q: "Is there anything you particularly focused on during the writing of this installment?"
A: "The differences with the PS (Public Safety) depicted in live action. In live action, the PS often is the opposite of the situation shown to the spectators, and the psychology of what the characters in the episodes think of. Despite saying some is guilty, they might be innocent within their hearts. The actual Public Safety Police Officers, no matter what they do, they are always psychologically "right"... I avoided complicated depictions like these in this movie's script. It's already a story involving a judiciary process , the setting is already complex, it would be asking too much calories from the spectators."

Q: "How about the developments in the Conan VS Amuro clash?"
A: "It was decided to depict Furuya from the PSP so I did think that he and Conan would clash. Actually, the "justice" that Conan has on him is also carried by Amuro, and the one that Amuro has is also being carried by Conan. They only differ in how they express it. I don't think neither is above the other one. If you think of it as each one taking action upon the info given to each of them, they take action in a very natural manner. I wrote it thinking that it would be good for Amuro to seem "bad". But he doesn't actually give much of such an impression. If you listen to his conversation with Kazami, you don't think of him as someone evil. He also takes action based on his beliefs.The only issue is the means employed. They are illegal and ruthless, so it's whether you can approve of them or not. I did think that Furuya, as a PSP officer, would normally do things way harsher than this...

The first draft of the story was a harder type of story. And Director Tachikawa pushed it back into a softer and kinder direction. He also likes hard stories, and he's good at staging them. But since it was the first time he was in charge of directing a Conan film, he said he wanted it to be something entertaining and dream-like. He had it very clear about what he wanted to do in the first Conan work he was in charge of.

Q: "Are there portions suggested by Aoyama-sensei?"
A: "The conversation between Amuro and Azusa, and Amuro answering Conan's question... Those scenes were added, and they were impressive. The latter made me think "what are they talking about now of all times", it sure did (laughs). But if you add those lines in a tense situation, then I think they make the film more lovable. If it was about Shinichi and Ran, I would have my own interpretation of things, but it's harder when it comes to Amuro. So I left the suggested portions in the hands of [Aoyama] sensei."

Q: "Please tell us about Kazami Yuuya who debuted in "The darkest nightmare"."
A: "When "The darkest nightmare", we needed a person that could publicly act as member of the PS. So we made the Kazami Yuuya character. Amuro works on his own, so it was hard to see the situation of the police divisions from his viewpoint. And Kazami in this movie is the "right-handed man" of Amuro, who belongs to the "Zero" organization..."

Caption:"Kazami, one of the very few that contact "Zero". Sakurai-san and Aoyama-sensei consulted each other, and they decided he'd be older than Amuro, 30 years old. (Movie 22)"

A (continued from above question): "That's how he's depicted. The "right hand man" is thing that exists, I was told about it from an ex-PS person who I used as reference. Since officers currently on duty in the PS wouldn't tell us anything. This man, who can contact "Zero", is apparently chosen through someone's selection. It'd seem their skillfulness and personality are checked out so I guess that Kazami was evaluated to have the right kind of personality.

Since he became that role, on paper it says he's an officer in the training and is sent to the National Police Agency once, so he should have a period of enrollment in the NPA as well. There he makes his connection with the "Zero" organization. And the final decision of directing him towards Amuro is carried out by the "backstage administrator". Kazami can't tell his colleagues about him being in contact with "Zero". The only one who knows about the "right hand man" of each investigator and the collaborators is the "backstage administrator".

Q: "What do you think are the best spots and points to focus upon of this movie?"
A: "The relations between characters are also one of those "best spots". That's the usual citation. The "collaborators" of the PS aren't simple informers. They're like climbing partners connecting their lives to each other through a life rope, as if they were mountain-climbing. They have their field of work's "justice" and life beyond logic. They share those with each other. Regardless of being "good" or bad", I think they are some of the best spots.

Also, it's about the guest characters, but, they all have fond memories... But if I talk about this, you'll realize the truth of the case so it's hard to converse about this topic... (laughs). "

Caption: "The recipe of the ham sandwiches that Amuro exposed and became a topic, was a suggestion by Sakurai-san. Also, the PSP is called "ham" in jargon. (Episode 813)"

Q: "Did you have in mind depicting each's of Amuro's triple faces separately?"
A: "He has the same feeling of justice at all times, whether he's being Furuya or he's being Bourbon. So I took into mind that they are the same at the bottom of their hearts, when writing them. Even if he gets a gun pointed at him during his covert investigation and is about to be exposed as a NOC, or even if he's working part-time at the Poirot. At the bottom of his heart he's the same Furuya Rei. It's not like he's working at the Poirot to relax, I think he does that to assimilate with society.

But his aspect of mingling with society as "a man about to turn 30, working part-time in a café while learning to be a detective" is something that I do think that it's not very reasonable (laughs). If there's someone with some age to them who work part-time at a café while learning how to be a detective, I would feel anxious.

However, he's good at acting, has a wide capacity, and his information processing ability must be very high as well. Don't they ask him "Amuro-san, what are you doing at your age?"...? There must be something on him that doesn't make you think about that (laughs).

If you asked about which of his faces is most charming, then I'd say all of them are. The vectors of charm are different, each of them are precious and cool. But, well, I haven't written much of his "Bourbon" face so if I get to write about him on the future I guess I'd write about Bourbon. He has a belief of justice yet carries out evil... Normally, one would puncture at that. But Amuro can do it. I think that that's why he was promoted to working the "Zero" organization.

Q: "Please tell us about episodes of the TV series you wrote the script of."
A: "I was ordered that, in the spin-offs linking to the movies, no-one could die. If it had to be a mystery in the café where no-one died, it would have to be a story about food or drinks. The reason I used ham sandwiches in Episode 813 "The shadow creeping on Amuro", was due to the perception of "He's public safety (公安 / kouan) so cheap (安い / yasui) ham (ハム) (combined make 公 (kou)) will do" (laughs).

That recipe was something I had on mind, and, of course I've sometimes made those sandwiches. But I was told that eventually they would be served at cafés... If I had known that, then I wouldn't have used a steamer to make them (laughs). That way of making them is hard, actually.

And episode 898, the spin-off of "Zero the enforcer", titled "The cake melted", had me taking that aspect into account. Apart from cakes, I made stews with a good-looking pink color. Nowadays they call those "being instagrammable" (laughs). If you take lycopene at the morning, it's good for the body so I use tomatoes, and added milk so that they would match the set drinks of coffee or black tea."

Q: "Please give us a message to the readers to wrap up."
A: "I think that, in the 1st time viewing, you will empathize with Conan, the protagonist, and see things from his PoV, but... If you switch your PoV to Amuro in your 2nd viewing, you become the culprit in the 3rd viewing. There's actually a 4th PoV, but... If I give out details about it you'll figure out the culprit (laughs). Anyway, I think that it'd be good if you can enjoy it at least for 4 times."

Special Conan Movie Staff interview

Date: May 23, 2018
Published in: Shonen Sunday Super

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Raw:

Note: Only 2 out of more pages.

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Da Vinci Magazine 2018 interview

Date: December 6, 2018
Published in: Da Vinci Magazine, January 2019 issue

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Raw:

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Translation information by: Mycroft
1-Gosho confirms that Carasuma is the boss
2-the end of Haibara gonna surprise everyone
3-look forward to Vol 96
More details:
-about Vol 96:
Gosho : i drew a sad story in Vol 96 (file 1015-1017) and disappointment of Heiji (file 1018-1021) and please look forward to more tricks and the relation between characters (file 1022-1026)
-about Reneya:
Gosho hinted that revealing of Carasuma being the boss at that time was planned carefully
-about Haibara:
Gosho: everyone is wondering how things gonna develop with Haibara and How gonna be her end ?....i guess her end gonna surprise everyone.... because she is .... Aaaaah i can't say that (laugh)

2019

Nagasaki Newspaper New Years short interview

Date: January 1, 2019

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Source 1: https://holmes-nii-chan.tumblr.com/post/181618086515/translation-of-the-few-questions-posed-to-aoyama
Source 2: https://www.nagasaki-np.co.jp/business/project/conan-npaper/

Raw:

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Translated by: Holmes [Gingle Bells] (from Discord)

Brief interview with Aoyama
TL: Holmes

Q: What has 2018 been like?
A: It's been an Amuro year! (laughs)

Q: What will this year be like?
A: A police academy year? (laughs)

Q: Between the other mangakas, which ones inspired you the most to pursue your objectives?
A: Tetsuya Chiba-sensei, Monkey Punch-sensei and Mitsuru Adachi-sensei.

Q: In 1987, Magic Kaito; in 1988 Yaiba; in 1994 Detective Conan... Such important works have been published one after another. What do you think about Conan's popularity?
A: Really, is that "popular"?

Q: How many staff people are there at [your] workplace? What is the atmosphere like?
A: Six people. The atmosphere is friendly!

Q: What is the most impressive scene in the manga?
A: The pages where the boss was exposed!

Q: in Conan's world, what is the character that particularly matches your personality?
A: Kogoro! (laughs)

Q: Conan movies broke the franchise record for the sixth time in a row at the box office. The popularity is rapidly raising!
A: I am amazed too! (laughs)

Q: Have you ever visited Nagasaki? It's such an impressive place.
A: I once went to Huis Ten Bosch* during a company outing with Aoyama Prod.
(T/N *looks like a Nagasaki district, famous for themed parks)

Q: This summer, in addition to the Forensic Division Exhibition, there will be events and talk shows with Conan's voice actors. Finally, please tell something brief [a few words] to Nagasaki people.
A: Speaking about Nagasaki, for the main theme song of "Zero the Enforcer" I am much obliged to Masaharu Fukuyama! I really enjoyed Huis Ten Bosch, and I would like to go there again. I wanna try authentic Nagasaki Vegetable Salad! (laughs)
[T/N. He refers to Chanpon, which apparently is a sort of vegetable salad typical of Nagasaki]

Ai Haibara Secret Archives Interview

Date: January 18, 2019

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Transated by: Spimer

Page 97:
Megumi Hayashibara:

Q: Haibara made her debut in the anime in January, 1999. This year is the 20th anniversary of that debut.
A: Her debut was the end of the century, yes. The age fits that occasion, yes. I was familiar with the cast of the “Conan” characters so I had no resistance in joining them. I’d often acted together with Ogata Kenichi (Agasa VA), and Takayama Minami (Conan VA) also politely taught me many things.
The tale about (Takayama’s) debut did impress me a lot. You could say that she showed a general outlook in the 1st episode (of the series) and the guidelines were established upon that. I was confident that I would do well with her.

Q: How have you felt Haibara’s changes and growth over these 20 years?
A: At first, she was shutting everything within her heart, but… The Professor’s warmth, and his lack of concern gradually heals her and allows her to regain a human flavor-like aspect to her. The Detective Boys also try to cheer her and it’s not like they force themselves to do so. The casual everyday convos make her shed tears, too.
Also, sharing her secret with Kudo, who’s in the same situation as her, she gains the feeling that she’s not the only one (in that state). In episodes 822-823 (“The suspects are a devoted couple”), she went to great extremes… Yes! (laughs)
She did support Higo, but to think she’d butt into the issue of (his) girlfriend… Her scene in which she syncs with Uncle (Kogoro). I was like “Huh? What’s gotten into her?” (laughs).
I was “Ai-chan can now make these faces”. It’s perplexing but I’m also happy at it. Even if she’s told “you’re pretty nervous”, I guess she’d reply “that’s not the case”. But it’s not like the issues with the organization have been solved, so she can’t lower the guard!

Q: Is there something you take into account when acting in such scenes?
A: I stop to think at how much her heart must have moved. Trying to examine the max values of how to express emotions… I guess? She’s a girl who doesn’t express gratitude with her face or words so I do (think) about how to express her human side.
Also, the acting doesn’t change much regardless of her size. When she’s being rough with Conan, I act in a way that doesn’t feel much different from her adult state. My voice cords are thin so I increase the tone a bit when she’s in her child form.

Q: Please tell us about “Episode ONE” aired on December, 2016.
A: I am sorry, but I didn’t see it when it aired. It was very harsh to re-confirm that her sister existed after hearing her voice… When I met with (Tamagawa) Sakiko (Akemi VA) in the studio (continues in next page)

Page 98:

A: (continues from previous page) it was very fun. We talked about recent status and so. But when her part in the dubbing ended, I felt like “Ah… I can’t hear to her voice anymore”... I guess that the episode of the answering machine in the film “Countdown to Heaven” stuck a nail on me. I loved hearing to her voice during the pre-screening (of the movie).
Now you have SNS and videos amongst other seals to feel the traces of that person, but you could say that, back in those times, the answering machine was the only one. The voice alone brings a lot of memories, it does. I think she does care about her big sister.
Those feelings revive so that’s why I avoided “Episode ONE”... But I did face it. And it was harsh, indeed. And once again I felt that I’d done something terrible. The drug that I (Haibara) had made tore apart two people who were happy. I guess that back then (Episode ONE) improving the results of her research was the only meaningful (thing) in her life. If it’d been used for treating diseases or so, had been given a correct use, it might’ve been a great drug but…

Q: Please tell us about the relationship between her and Conan (Shinichi)
A: Lately, it feels harmonizing, as if they were an old couple married to each other! There were periods in which (the relationship) sways, too. It doesn’t go to the point of love, but I think they believe and rely on each other.
As of now, you could say it’s a tie… You (Conan) move, and I (Haibara) investigate… It feels like those roles have been established and thus their feelings aren’t too disrupted, I guess. I myself have changed, too.
I lately sit next to Minami during dubbing. She doesn’t get to interact (often) with Ran so I don’t get to met her (VA) in the dubbings… And I got shocked when I saw Wakana (Ran VA) sitting next to Minami during the movie dubbings! I was like “ah? That’s not my seat?”. I did think “oh??” while choosing a seat from where I could have a good look at both (laughs).
And that seat is the one next to the professor’s (Agasa’s) and is my current location. At some point, Micchan (Ootani Ikue, Mitsuhiko VA) comes next to us too… There’s a battle over the seats inside of me and I was in an ill mood for a while. But as time passes, and even more when seeing “Episode ONE”... I feel like “sorry for that” (laughs).

Q: (Conan) told (her) she was (his) “pal” in the movies, too.
A: Hmmm… “Pal, huh? (For now)”. I think it’s just in relation as the “pal” to solve a case. Each movie has a different way to depict their relationships. In the “Sunflowers of inferno”, for example, she was shown swaying from time to time. So I guess she must have those feelings. She must be shutting them within her depths.

Q: How does she feel about Ran?
A: Wow. Now that’s a difficult (question). I guess that the (feeling) within her depths is a feeling of guilt. She likes her cute spots and feels a bit envious. And she sees her sister on her… She feels healed, but she probably thinks “it’s not like you’re the one who made me remember about my sis” afterwards. She’s indecise.

Q: So it’s more complicated than what she feels about Conan, yes?
A: She can lash out at Conan, so… She talks about 70% of the feelings and falsifies the remaining 30%, but… There’s many things about Ran that she can’t express in words. She briefly thinks “let’s tell her all I want to say” but then erases that line of thought (laughs).
But she does want Ran to laugh, and feels sorry when she sees her cry when she (Ran) thinks of Shinichi. Yes, it’s the most complicated feeling she has.

Q: What do you think about the progress in Ran and Shinichi’s relationship in the school trip episodes?
A: She can accept their relationship, but feels rough when it’s about Conan and Ran. Maybe she’ll make a drug to split (Conan and Shinichi) into two… Kidding (laughs)
I do clearly switch the switches when calling him either “Edogawa-kun” or “Kudou-kun” in the dubbing (sessions). The premise is that she’s an elementary student but has a bit of adult feeling to her.

Q: Professor Agasa and the DBs, who healed her heart. Tell us about them.
A: I love them! (laughs). The Professor is hiding her, but she’s strict to him about food and he lowers his eyebrows, overwhelmed. How cute she is! She’s also curious about the (relationship) with Fusae, too. She wishes for him to be happy… “Ah! It’s the person of the Fusae brand which you like, Ai-chan!” “Marry her, Professor… I’ll be able to get tons of bag samples!” (laughs)
Kidding. Well, her desire to possess is linked to life-force too! (continues next page)

Page 99:

(Continues from previous page)

A: The 3 DBs are very cute and attractive. I feel like a mother to them. I’d rather keep them out of danger than solve a case… Since Kudou-kun will solve it, anyway. I guess she shows her meaning of existence by protecting the kids. She does wish to be protected, too, but doing nothing but that would be stiff and harsh.

Q: She sometimes cooperates with the DB to face big crises.
A: She’s pretty cool-headed. Since she’s actually driven herself to the point of dying. And she still feels, sometimes, that she should die… And that’s why she can be cool. I think she earned her strength by leaving the organization. Not because she experienced a frightening organization, but because she’s still alive after running from there.

Q: What about Akai Shuichi / Okiya Subaru?
A: Sheesh! It’s a complicated topic, and it’s hard to answer! (laughs)
How much suspicion she puts in her words and how much of it she lashes out at him...She’s very good at considering those, yes. Voicing them aloud and avoiding lying… That’s Ai-chan for you (laughs)
Also, Ikeda Shuichi’s voice is, for me, a “peaceful trauma”. In “Tico of the 7 seas”, the protagonist I voice is kidnapped, his father, played by Ikeda, comes to rescue him and says “it’s alright!”, but… When I heard that, I broke into tears.
“Ah, it’s really alright”... I felt incredibly relieved. That imprinting made me feel that Akai wasn’t a bad guy ever since he made his debut. There’s a kind of link between the actors and the roles they play.
But I didn’t feel that from Subaru so I was on the watchout when he firstly appeared (laughs). Okiayu’s (Subaru VA) oozing voice and mysterious feeling (?)....
Eating curry or adding litmus paper to the stew… Inspector Ayanokouji, also voiced by him, is charming, but… When he becomes Subaru you can’t trust him. I think it’s wonderful (laughs)

Q: What about the org chasing Haibara?
A: When it’s an episode involving them, I don’t feel like going to the studio. I don’t want to bump into Gin… When Gin thinks of Sherry, she was (shown) half-nude, but… Why? (laughs) I don’t want to know the reason of (his) obsession (with her), either. Because I’ll have to take it in if I got to know it.
Bun Gin also makes mistakes, and gives a “snap” feeling. Vermouth’s confidence is scary. Feels like she (Vermouth) would betray the org, too. Also… I don’t want to get involved with Amuro (laughs).
He’s 120% cool on the outside, but his “on-off switch” is quite baffling. Since he also intended to kill Sherry… Huh? That he might’ve been intending to protect her as a PSB officer?

Q: It’s possible that he was shocked at being unable to protect the daughter of Elena, whom he revered.
A; Feel it, then, feel it! (laughs)
Thinking of it from the PoV of him being in the org, his skills at infiltrating and his ability to fascinate others, he’s quite the outstanding type. I really don’t want to end up liking him so I feel like not getting close to him (laughs). I think that I’ll waver if I have some odd emotion going on.
I, as Ai-chan, I don’t want to make any more “dear persons”. Because I’ll be unable to let go of them.

Q: The org’s pursuit has cooled down, but what kind of developments do you expect to happen?
A: “Oh, no! Because Vermouth knows that (Haibara) is alive, you know? But that’s why… Aoyama-sensei is drawing a brighter Ai-chan. She’s becoming a normal girl. I’d like to say “it’s alright”. But if that happens then the work will end so (laughs)
Development in which she faces the regrets and self-condemnation within her, and involvements with the org that’ll make me skip a heartbeat… I predict that that’s what’ll happen. But until then I want to enjoy the everyday routine.
I was very shocked at seeing her family, who were recently shown in the manga!

Q: Please give us a message for the fans.
A: The swing width of “Ai-chan likeness” has expanded but her unmelting ice is within me so… She looks cute but scary at the same time… I hope you love her with a broad sight.

Caption: Episode 231, the bus hijack. And the line in episode 280 “you’ll protect me, won’t you?” was a topic during the interview.

Profile: Born March 30th. Tokyo Province. Main works: “Ranma ½” as female Ranma, “Slayers” as Lina Inverse, “Evangelion” as Ayanami Ray, “Cowboy Bebop” as Fey, etc.

Page 102:

Yasuichiro Yamamoto

TV Anime & Movie Director

Q: When you assumed your role as the director of the TV series, it was around the time Haibara made her debut.
A: Truth to be told, her debut episode, 129… I saw most of it for the first time when it aired. It’d been worked on before I became director, so…

Q: And then you directed the 2004 movie, “Magician of the silver wings”.
A: I think that the first time Conan called Haibara “pal” was in the script of the 2007 movie, “Azure Jolly Roger”. The script was by Kawashibara. I thought that Aoyama-sensei would correct it but it went sans a hitch. I was “ah, then it’s fine!”. And that’s when I feel like that Haibara’s directionaly was set, with her being his “pal”.

Q: You returned to being TV series director in 2012.
A: In episode 684, “Bubbles, steam and smoke (1st part)”, I had Okiya say something uncalled for, and Aoyama-sensei did scold me (laughs).
“A pretty unreliable knight, aren’t you?”
“I’ll protect you even if I stake my life on it, princess”
I added that conversation because we had some length of the episode to fill in. Since it wasn’t clear that Okiya = Akai then I thought it’d be fine but… (laughs). Haibara’s character has changed a lot lately, compared to her debut.
It’s fun to make episodes in which she bounces, thinking that she doesn’t need to be so tense and can have it easier.

Q: Please tell us about “Episode ONE”, which aired on December 2016
A: We had to swell the story of the 1st episode so the first ideas were the initial and last Sherry scenes. I had Aoyama-sensei check as well. The coffee beans and the satou being in a drug vial was an homage to a SF novel named “Inherit the stars”. I thought it’d be neat, since it’d feel like (what a) scientist (would do).
Her crossing paths with Shinichi and leading her to realize he’s shrunk was something that I thought during the making, was like “ah, this’ll do fine” and I decided on it.

Profile:

Animation director, director, animator. Has been in “Detective Conan” when it began airing in 1996, and began directing when episode 119. He’s been working in the movies since the 1st one and has been director from the 8th one to the 14th one. In 2012 he went back to being TV series director and has also been in charge of special programs and so.

Q: What episode left an impression in you?
A: I guess it’s episode 247 “The mystery caught in the net (2nd part)”, when she (Haibara) introduces herself to Ran. Looks like there are some in the streets who take it as a declaration of war, but is it the case…? (laughs)
She feels like she’s blown it away…? Or so I think…
In “The disappearance of Edogawa Conan”, the scriptwriter Uchida Kenji got to like Haibara so he got very excited (laughs)
But after the dubbing ended, Hayashibara told us “she blew it away, so why are you making this?” (laughs).
In some of the movies… In “The Detectives’ Requiem”, she acted like an uneasy child or how she got beaten up by one of the culprits in “The Lost Ship of the Skies”. The gap between cute and cool is fun to make.

Q: That gap is her charm, yes?
A: The answer isn’t that simple. She originally was a grown up girl, but when she’s with the kids she feels like she’s their big sis. I think I like it most when she’s with the DBs. But the animation is hard given how there’s so many characters (onscreen) (laughs)

Q: What kind of future developments do you expect?
A: Hard to say… Even if Conan puts distance with Haibara and beats the org, I’m not sure whether she’ll agree with him on that. If she doesn’t get involved, she might feel like the issue hasn’t been solved…
I hope it ends up in peace. But it depends on Aoyama-sensei, though (laughs)

Q: Please give us a message for the fans!
A: We’re doing our best while thinking about her, so please watch on with warmth to what’s coming next. By the way, I recently use a Tanita weight scale and she scolds me “don’t neglect exercise” (laughs)
At some point I’ve become older than Professor Agasa (laughs).

Caption: the “I’ll show you something interesting” line is one spot where Aoyama-sensei intervened. It’d seem it originally was different words but with similar contents.

Kappei Yamaguchi M23 interview

Date: April 2, 2019

  Show spoilers »

Source:
Raw
Translation

Raw:

なんかもう、「ダイ・ハード」みたいになっていた

──今日、初めて「紺青の拳」の試写をご覧になったんですよね（取材は4月2日の完成披露舞台挨拶の前に行われた）。

観てきました。面白かったですよ！ 収録のときはまだ画が完成していないのと、音楽や効果音も入っていない状態なので、全体が見えるわけじゃないんです。なので改めて完成したものを観て、これはみんなワクワクする作品になったんじゃないかと思いました。それにしてもかなりスケールの大きな作品になったなという感じはしましたね。なかなかね、人間離れした人たちがたくさん出てくるから（笑）。

──はい。後半は驚きの連続で、1回観ただけでは処理しきれない感じがありました（笑）。

そうなんですよ。収録のときも画面がどうなっているかわからないから、「えっ、これってどうなってるの？ まさかこうなってるの？」なんてみんなで話していて。あそこまで突き抜けた作品になったら、これはこれで楽しいなって思います。なんかもう、「ダイ・ハード」みたいになってましたよね（笑）。

──そうですね（笑）。推理シーンに勝るぐらい、アクションのインパクトがすごいことになっているなと。

もちろん謎解きも見どころなんですが、その印象を上回る派手さがありますよね。でも今回は怪盗キッドが出てくる話なので、これくらい派手でいいのかなと思います。

──怪盗キッドが劇場版に登場するのは、2015年に公開された「名探偵コナン 業火の向日葵」以来、4年ぶりとなります。メインキャラクターとして劇場版に登場することが決まったときはどう感じられましたか？

案外早かったなという印象でした。毎年本編の最後に来年の劇場版の告知があるので、（昨年公開された）「ゼロの執行人」の収録のときはもう次回作のメインキャラクターがキッドになることは聞いていたんです。それがもう1年半くらい前になるんですかね。もう少し空くかなと思っていたのですが。

──「名探偵コナン」は長らく国民的アニメとして愛されていますが、2013年から6年連続で劇場版の興行収入を更新するなど、近年ますます注目が集まっていると感じます。そんなタイミングで、怪盗キッドがメインとなる劇場版が公開されるわけですが……。

興行収入を更新しているというのも、スタッフ一同としては、一生懸命作ったものに対してのご褒美のようなものと捉えていて、なので今回もいつも通り楽しく収録させていただきました。

──本編の内容を思い返してみても、収録現場はとても楽しそうです。

「コナン」はいろいろな事件が起こる作品ではあるんですが、収録自体はいたって和気あいあいと進むんです。劇場版は1日で録るので、今年も朝から夜の0時過ぎまで収録していました。その間はずっと集中していたわけですけど、すごく楽しい収録だったなという印象が残っていますね。

京極さんは、安室さんとは真逆のタイプの人

──今回の劇場版では、京極真もキーパーソンとして活躍しています。劇場版で京極にスポットが当たるのは今回が初めてとなりますが。

京極さんはカッコいいですよね。僕は京極さんの不器用なところ嫌いじゃないです。園子に一途で、きっと空手と園子があればほかにはなんにもいらないんだろうなこの人は、みたいな感じがあって。でもその一途さが故に、愛情表現が不器用になってしまうところがある。去年の（「ゼロの執行人」にメインキャラクターとして登場した）安室さんとは真逆にいるようなタイプの人ですよね。

──純朴でちょっと天然な一面があったり、安室透とはまた違った魅力を持っていますよね。

あとは“漢”と書いて“おとこ”と読むみたいな部分もある（笑）。この劇場版を通して、京極さんのことを好きになる人はきっと多いんじゃないかなと思います。ただ、彼はもはや人間ではなくなってきているなって（笑）。クライマックスでも1人だけオーラが立ち昇って、もう別ジャンルのキャラクターになってましたからね。キッド個人としては、あまり関わりたくないです（笑）。

──園子はキッドのことになるとつい「キッド様」と目を輝かせてしまうので、京極の嫉妬の矛先はそのままキッドに向いてしまいます。

そうなんですよ。だから園子にはもう少し静かにしていてほしいですね（笑）。でも今回の劇場版の中で、キッドが京極さんとやり合うシーンがありますけど、なかなかに攻撃をかわしてますからね。キッドも相当じゃない？と。

──かわすほうが技術が必要だったりしますもんね。

そうそう、だからキッドは身体能力が高いんだなと思いました。

キッドからコナンに対する信頼

──今回はキッドとコナンが共闘するシーンも見どころの1つだと思います。「天空の難破船（ロスト・シップ）」の収録の際は、コナン役の高山みなみさんと「コナンとキッドの距離が近づきすぎているかもしれないから、もう少し離れてみようか」というお話をされたそうですが、今回の劇場版でのキッドとコナンの距離感はいかがでしょうか？

いい距離感だと思いますよ。決して近からず、遠からずというか。やっぱりお互い信頼はおいていると思うんですけれど、根本にある“怪盗”と“探偵”という距離感は保っている。完成した映像を観て、改めていい距離感だなと思いました。

──収録中、そのあたりについて高山さんとはお話しされたんですか。

今回の劇場版では、コナンくんとキッドが、お互いに集めてきた情報をまとめていくような会話のシーンが多い。なので「これは説明としてどうだろう？」とか、そういったことは話しましたね。キャラクターそのものについてはお互い信頼しているし、言わずもがなの部分ではあるので。そういったことよりも、台本上でキッドがコナンに頼りすぎているかなと感じた部分があれば、セリフの捉え方やニュアンスで変化をつけたり、ちょっと言葉を入れ替えてみようかとか、そういったことについてよく話し合っていました。

──コナンに頼らずとも、キッドはキッドで考えて動いていると。

キッドもそれなりに切れ者なので。これぐらいの真実だったらキッド個人でも辿り着くことができるんじゃないかなと思う部分があれば、そういったところのニュアンスを相談したりします。ただ、推理はコナンくんのお家芸なので。そこはキッドもコナンを信頼しているところではあると思うんです。

──これまでのシリーズでもキッドとコナンが共闘するシーンはありましたが、今作は今まで以上に2人が一緒にいる時間が長かったですよね。

そうですね。ずーっと一緒にいますからね。コナンくんをシンガポールに連れてきたのもキッドですし。でもひどいですよね、スーツケースに入れて連れてくるなんて（笑）。

──まさかのスーツケースでしたからね（笑）。そんなキッドとコナンの関係性というのも、これまでの長い付き合いの中で徐々に変化している部分があるのかなと感じました。

キッドが初めて「名探偵コナン」に登場したときは、あくまでコナンの好敵手の立場として出ていて。「天空の難破船」のあたりくらいからかな。黒羽快斗の部分が「名探偵コナン」の作中にもチラつくようになって、少し変わってきた部分があるのかなと思います。最初に出会ったときは「怪盗はあざやかに獲物を盗み出す創造的な芸術家だが、探偵はその跡を見て難癖つけるただの批評家に過ぎないんだぜ？」と言っていたキッドが、今回の劇場版の中では「握った拳の中にまるで何かがあるように思わせるのがマジシャンで、その拳を開く前に中身を言い当てるのが探偵だろ？」っていう言い方をしてるんです。そういったセリフ1つとっても、ずいぶん変わったなと。コナンくんに対しての信頼っていうのは、やっぱり彼の中にも絶対あるんだと思います。

快斗と新一はいい友人に？ ……それはどうでしょう（笑）

──キッド個人としてはどうでしょう？ 最初の頃と現在とでは、イメージが変わってきた部分はあるのでしょうか。

今回の劇場版の中でもそんなに“キッドキッド”してしゃべっていないんですよね。コナンくんと一緒にいるときは、かなりニュートラルな状態になっている。黒羽快斗の部分で接していることのほうが多くなってきたのかなとは思います。

──「コナン」に登場し始めた頃のキッドは、もう少しミステリアスな雰囲気がありました。

そうですよね。最近は「レディース＆ジェントルメン！」なんて言いませんからね（笑）。

──あはは（笑）。確かにあまり聞かなくなりました。

以前よりも黒羽快斗という1人の青年の部分が色濃く出るようになった気がします。それも「天空の難破船」のあたりから砕けてきたのかなと。あのヤギを撫でていたあたりから（笑）。

──そういったキッドの姿を見ていると、快斗と新一はいい友人関係になれるんじゃないかなと思ったりもするのですが。

いやあ、どうでしょうねえ？ どうなんでしょうかね？（笑） 結局のところは追う立場のものと、追われる立場のものですからね。

──なるほど……。ちなみに、山口さんは「名探偵コナン」で工藤新一と怪盗キッド、似た顔の2人のキャラクターを演じていますが、演じ分けはどういうふうに考えているのでしょうか。

それはもう感覚的なものですね。声も特別変えているわけではなく、それぞれに“工藤新一エッセンス”と“怪盗キッドエッセンス”みたいなものをちょっとずつ分けるという感じ。キッドが出てきてくれたことによって、意外と新一はクールなキャラクターではなく、熱血タイプなんだなっていうことがわかりました。なのでどちらかというとキッドにクールな部分を残して、新一からはそういう部分を削っていって。新一をアツい性格のキャラクターにしてみたら、意外と「あ、これでいいかも」と思うようになりました。

──確かに新一は物事に真っ直ぐで、キッドのほうが少し飄々としている印象があります。そういった部分も山口さんのお芝居から感じました。

あとは観てくれている皆さんが、そう聴き分けてくれている。僕自身の演じ分けとしては、新一のほうが真っ直ぐ見据えてしゃべっていて、キッドのほうが上から見下ろしているような感じ。そういうイメージを持ちながら演じています。

懐かしくも新しいキッドのコスチューム

──先日、金曜ロードSHOW!で「世紀末の魔術師」が放送された際にはSNSも大きく賑わっていました。中には「キッドが初恋」と語るファンの方もいて。

……やっぱり、あの頃のキッドのほうがみんな好きなんですかね？（笑） 皆さんの反応を見ていて、キザなキッドのほうがお好きなのかなって思ったりしました。

──ちょっとミステリアスでキザなところがあって、幼心にはいわゆる少女マンガのヒーローっぽいキッドに惹かれるところがあったのかもしれないですね。

でもねえ、小学1年生の女の子の家のベランダに飛び降りて、「飛び続けるのに疲れて、羽を休めていたただの魔法使いですよ」みたいなこと……（笑）。改めて観て、ちょっと「ふふ」って笑っちゃいました。

──そんなキッドがカッコいいと思います（笑）。そんなふうに少女たちの“初恋”でありながら今も愛され続けているキッドですが、山口さんは彼の人気の理由はどこにあると考えていますか？

やっぱり、白いシルクハットにタキシードにマントという、キッドのあのビジュアルからしてカッコいいですよね。（黒羽快斗を主人公に描く）「まじっく快斗」自体が青山先生の中でも初期の作品ですから、怪盗キッドのキャラクターデザインもずいぶん前にされているものだと思うんです。アイコン的にキャラクターの出で立ちを作り込んであったと思うんですが、どこか懐かしい雰囲気のデザインでありながら、かえって今だと新しく感じるというか。今日劇場で観ていても思いましたけど、やっぱりキッドのコスチュームはすごく映えますよね。そういったシルエットからも魅力を感じさせるキャラクターだなと思います。

──キッドの存在は目を引きますし、彼がいると画面が華やぎますよね。

日本で“名探偵”といえば金田一耕助や明智小五郎が挙がると思うんですが、例えば今、街頭インタビューで「名探偵といえば？」と聞いたら、そのあたりを飛び越えて「コナン」と答える人も多いんじゃないかと思うんです。それくらい大きな存在になっていると感じるんですが、キッドも「コナン」に出るようになってから認知される部分は大きくなったと思いますし、同じように「怪盗といえば？」という質問をしたら「怪盗キッド」と答えてくれる人も増えてるんじゃないでしょうか。

劇場版を観て一番気になったのは……

──では改めて、今回の劇場版の見どころを教えてください。

たっくさんありますよ。今回は海外が舞台ということで、圧倒的に映像がきれい。すごく細かく描写されているので、観ていたらシンガポールに行きたくなりました（笑）。そこは本当にスタッフさんたちが熱を持って作ってくださっているんだなと思います。あとは、物語的にはコナンとキッドがずっと一緒の時間を過ごして、共闘する。それが1つの軸としてある中で、もう1つの軸である京極さんと園子の話もうまく組み合わさってくるんです。それに魅力的な敵キャラクターも登場します。なのでどのキャラクターの目線で見るかで、物語の見え方や感じ方も変わるのではないかなと。とは言いつつ、意外と登場人物は少ないので、それが話をわかりやすくしている要因なのかなと思います。見どころとなると……やっぱり今回はアクションなのかなあ。

──相当な迫力がありますもんね。

後半は手に汗握る、ドキドキするアクションが楽しめると思います。人間離れした京極さんのアクションが楽しめる一方で（笑）、彼のメンタルも描かれているので、そのあたりも注目かなと。彼の弱さみたいな部分も垣間見えるので、そういったところを見ると「やっぱりまだ高校生なんだな」って安心もしました。あとは……今日試写を観ていて一番気になったのが、エンディングでみんなが飛行機で帰国するシーンがあるんですけど、あのときのコナンくんはまたスーツケースの中に入ってるのかなって気になって（笑）。

──確かに……コナンくんの姿は映されてなかったですね（笑）。

……見どころを聞かれて、答えるのはそこじゃないだろうって感じですよね（笑）。

Translation: From wsstalkback blogspot

It's totally like it's “Die Hard” now.

── You've seen “Fist of Blue Sapphire” Today for the first time. (This interview was conducted April 2nd before the on stage greeting.
{Tweet: If the Conan mass media comes then Wakana-chan will come too so it'll be a tale of going to see a movie with Ran~^^}
Kappei (To be known as K): I saw it, and it was awesome! The footage wasn't complete when we did the recording so there wasn't any music or sound effects yet...it was incomplete. So when I got to see the whole thing completed I thought that it was really exciting. Moreover it felt like the scale for this movie had become even bigger. Like...superhuman almost. (Laughs).

── Right? It felt like there were so many surprises in the second half that came one after another. I think I'd need more than one viewing to process it all. (Laughs).
K: I feel the same way. When we were doing the recording It was hard to tell how the artwork would turn out. “Huh? Wait how is this supposed to be? Whoa, that's really how it went down?” Was a lot of the talk between everyone. Though it's because it's a work that went past it's limits that it was so much fun. It's totally like “Die Hard” now. (Laughs).

── Totally. (Laughs) The Action scene have an impact that feel like they exceed the deduction scenes.
K: Of course there are highlights to look out for to solve the mystery, but you really would get that impression from how flashy this movie is. Though since Kid showed up this time I think that the movie being full of flash was a good thing.

── Kaitou Kid last appeared in a movie in 2015 “Detective Conan: Sunflowers of Inferno” --so 4 years ago. How did you feel when it was decided he'd be a main character in this film?
K: I was surprised to see that he was back so soon. Every year at the end of the movie they have a small preview for the next one, --which would have been “Zero's Enforcer” last year. During the recording of that movie it had already been decided that Kid would be the lead for the next one. Which was about a year and a half beforehand. I thought there'd be a little more time before we'd see him again.

── “Detective Conan” is an anime that has been long loved nationwide, but for six years since 2013 the box office revenues for the movies has only been rising, and it feels like in recent years they've really garnered a lot of attention. So for Kid to be the star of a movie with timing like this...
K: Even with the box office revenues rising, the staff puts all they've got into making the movies, so while it comes off as them working hard for an award it was still a fun atmosphere during recording this time around as always.

── Even looking back at the contents of the movie itself, it seems the recording studio is a fun place.
K: Although “Conan” is the type of series where all kinds of cases happen, the recording sessions themselves proceed with a congenial air. We usually record the lines for the movie in one day, so this year too we were recording from early morning till midnight. We were engrossed in recording the whole time, but the impression after it was all done was just how much fun it was.

Kyogoku is the complete opposite from Amuro

── In this movie Makoto Kyogoku is the key person. This is the first movie where Kyogoku has been in this position...
K: Kyogoku sure is cool, right? I don't dislike how awkward he is. I feel like he's the type that as long as he has Sonoko and Karate he really doesn't need anything else. However, since he is fully dedicated to Sonoko, he finds it hard awkward to express his affections. Amuro who was the main character in “Zero's Enforcer” is different –Kyogoku is the complete opposite from Amuro.

── He's pure and just a little bit airheaded –his charm is quite different than Amuro's, huh?
K: He puts the 'man' in manliness. (laughs). After seeing this movie I feel like the amount of Kyogoku fans will grow a bit. However, I feel like at this point he's no longer human. (laughs). At the climax his aura is incredible –it's almost as if he's a character from another genre completely. I think Kid will personally want to avoid getting involved with him. (laughs).

── Because whenever Sonoko thinks of Kid, she refers to him as “Kid-sama” and her eyes light up, Kyogoku bares his jealousy at Kid and faces him down, right?
K: That's right. It's probably why he wants Sonoko to be quiet a bit (laughs). However, in this movie Kid and Kyogoku have a scene where they fight, but they do a good job of avoiding each others attacks. Maybe Kid's a worthy opponent?

── He would need quite the technique to dodge those attacks, huh?
K: That's right. It's why I think that Kid's actually pretty strong.

Kid's trust in Conan.

── This time around Kid and Conan have a scene where they fight on a united front. For the movie “The Lost Ship of the sky” Conan's voice actress Minami Takayama mentioned during recording that “Perhaps Kid and Conan are getting to close –maybe they need to back off a bit”. For this movie, what would you say the distance between Conan and Kid is?
K: I think they've got a good sense of distance. I don't think it's easily defined whether they're really close or far apart...I think they've just got a good sense of mutual trust in each other. I think the foundation for this is the sense of distance maintained between a “phantom thief” and a “detective”. Once I got to see the completed movie, I really thought once again that they have a good sense of distance.

── During the recording did you talk to Ms. Takayama about what she thought of this?
K: In the movie there are a lot of scenes where Conan and Kid are gathering info together. Because of this conversations would come up like “How do we go about explaining this” and so on. Since the characters themselves have so much trust in each other, there are things that go without saying between them. If there are parts of the script where it does feel like Conan and Kid are relying on each other a bit too much, we change the nuance in the lines and the pretext, and if need be discuss changing the wording. She and I would talk about that quite often during recording.

── Even without relying on Conan, Kid does and thinks his own way.
K: Kid is a pretty sharp guy, so if there comes a time where one would wonder why he wouldn't be able to arrive at the truth on his own, We discuss the nuance of the lines. Conan's specialty is his deductions, so I think that's what Kid relies on and trusts Conan to do.

── There are scenes where Conan and Kid fight on a united front in the series, but this movie is the longest time they've been in each others company.
K: That's right. They're together the whoooole time. It was Kid who brought Conan to Singapore after all. Though he's really cruel bringing him along in a suitcase (laughs.)

── He couldn't have possibly used just the suitcase, (laughs). Though despite things Conan and Kid have a history with each other, and it feels like through their long interactions that their relationship is slowly beginning to change.
K: When Kid first appeared in “Detective Conan” he already occupied the position of being a worthy rival. I think “The lost ship of the sky” more or less confirmed it? I think a bit of Kaito Kuroba that dazzles in the “Detective Conan” series is what has changed a little bit. At the beginning when they first met, Kid said “A phantom thief is an artist who steals dazzling game, while a Detective looks at those traces and overly criticizes them, you know?” Though this time around he says “The magician clenches his fist as if he's hiding something, and it's a Detective's role to guess what's hiding in it before the fist opens, right?” Although it's just one line it shows a whole lot of change. So I think within Kid there is a define amount of trust for Conan.

...Are Kaitou and Shinichi good friends? ….I dunno about that. (laughs)...

── What is Kid like personally? From when we first met him to now, it feels like parts of his visage have changed, right?
K: In this movie, there's not as much talk of Kid in general, really. When Kid and Conan are together, they're in a neutral state so I feel like there's way more contact with the Kaito Kuroba side of himself.

── When Kid first appeared in “Conan” it felt like he had a more enigmatic air about himself.
K: That's right. Lately he doesn't even say “Ladies and Gentleman” anymore. (laughs).

── Ahaha (Laughs). It's true he doesn't say that much anymore.
K: More than before it feels like there's a pronounced showing of the part of him that is Kaito Kuroba. A lot like there was in “The lost ship in the sky”. I feel like it really broke down then...right around the time where he was petting that goat. (laughs).

── On that note, when one looks at Kid, it kind of feels like he and Shinichi might become good friends..
K: Maan....I wonder about that. How would that work? (Laughs) Ultimately I feel like one would pursue and the other would be pursued.

── I see. On that note, in “Detective Conan” you voice Shinichi Kudo and Kaitou Kid to characters who have the same appearance. When you're voice acting what kind of things are you thinking to keep them separate?
K: That's mostly intuitive for me now. It's not really like I do much to distinguish them voice-wise, it's more like “This is the essence of Shinichi Kudo” vs “This is the essence of Kaitou Kid”, and I compartmentalize the little things that way. Because of Kid's appearances I've found that Shinichi isn't actually calm and collected character, but he's actually the hot blooded type. Meanwhile I'd have to say that Kid is those cool and suave parts left over from Shinichi. So when I look at Shinichi as a hotblooded character I think that surprisingly “This works out”.

── It's true that overall Shinichi gives the impression of being is a fairly straightforward guy while Kid is a bit more aloof. I do get that feeling from your performance.
K: And I think that everyone watching picks up on that difference too. When I'm acting for Shinichi I do think of him as having a straightforward gaze as he talks. Meanwhile Kid feels more like he's looking down from above. That's the kind of feeling I go with when I'm voice acting.

A familiar yet nostalgic new costume for Kid.

── The other day on the Friday Road Show! The “Last Magician of the Century” was broadcast, and it was a buzz on social media. A lot of fans were talking about “Kid being their first love.”
K: ….Figures back then everyone really loved Kid huh? (Laughs) I was thinking to myself that Kid sure had a lot of fans when he was more pompous.

── It had a lot to do with the mysterious air of pompousness he had. He was to a the childlike mind the hero of a shoujo manga. It was that Kid who captured the hearts of many perhaps.
K: Though jumping from a First grader's veranda and saying “I'm a magician who's grown tired of flying and am resting my wings” is kind of....(laughs). I watched it again and couldn't help chuckling to myself.

── I think Kid is at his coolest when he's like that though. (laughs). This is how he became many young girls' “first love”, and that love stays with them even now. What do you think is the reason for Kid's enduring popularity?
K: It's gotta be the white silk hat, and the tuxedo with the white cape. It's that visage of Kid that's super cool, right? Aoyama-sensei's artwork of Kaito Kuroba from “Magic Kaito” has been the same since it's inception. Kaitou Kid's character design has been set like that for a while now. I think the outfit he created has made him an icon of sorts, through it being a nostalgic design while also feeling new even now. Today when I was watching the movie I was thinking to myself Kid's costume really does shine. I think from even his silhouette that his character exudes charm.

── Kid's existence really captures the eyes. When he appears the whole scene is dazzling.
K: When Japan thinks “famous detectives” Kousuke Kindaichi and Goro Akechi come to mind, but right now if you were to take a man on the street interview and ask people “what do you think a famous detective is” a lot of folk would probably answer “Conan” I think. It does feel like it's become something that huge, but there's an awareness that Kid appearing in “Conan” is a part of it's major success. At the same time if you asked “What do you think a phantom thief is” the amount of folks answering “Kaitou Kid” is on the rise.

Upon seeing the movie, the most curious thing is...

── So asking once again, what are the highlights of the movie?
K: There are a whole lot. Since the setting is overseas, the film is overwhelmingly beautiful. All of the finer details are painstakingly drawn and honestly after seeing it I really want to go to Singapore. (laughs). I really think the staff approached drawing this movie with a lot of zeal. Beyond that, there's the story of Kid and Conan spending a lot of time together and fighting a united fight. Though that's one part of the film, another is Kyogoku and Sonoko's story really ting things together. Oh and the villain characters have their charm too, but it's interesting that even with all these different viewpoints the feel of the story itself doesn't change. Actually it's a little surprising how few characters show up in this. I think that is a factor as to why the story is pretty easy to understand. Though the biggest highlight this time around would have to be the action scenes.

── They have a lot of intensity don't they?
K: During the second half I was clenching my sweaty palms. I really enjoyed the heart-stopping action. Especially the ones starring the man who has exceeded humanity itself, Kyogoku (laughs). His mentality was drawn really well too, so take notice of that if you can. One can see his weak side as well, and despite everything you'd think “Oh wow he really is just a high school student, huh” and feel a bit relieved. Though the thing that got me most curious during the preview showing was the ending scene where everyone was returning to Japan...was Conan really in the suitcase that whole time? I'm so curious. (laughs).

── It's true we didn't even get to see Conan in the ending. (Laughs).
K: You asked me about the highlights yet I feel like that's not the answer I should have given. (laughs).

Aoyama Gosho x Mitsuru Adachi Interview

The interview was split into 3 parts and published in 3 magazines.
Date: April 3, April 11, April 12, 2019

  Show spoilers »

Source:
Raw
Part 1 Translation
Part 3 Translation

Raw:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Translation:
Part 1
[Weekly Shounen Sunday]

[Gessan]

[Special Edition Mix collection]

A 3 magazine special project!!!

Aoyama: The cafe Poirot is based on Minami Kaze!!

Adachi: Then, I was a good influence, no?

MITSURU ADACHI X GOSHO AOYAMA

Special Interview

――This is to commemorate MIX getting a TV anime and Conan's movie hitting theaters, but have you met on other occasions?
Adachi: Since the end of the year party you mean?
Aoyama: It was during the New Years “Sunday Thanksgiving” or so, right?
Adachi: Only about a month huh? We meet all the time so this doesn't seem that special, huh?
Aoyama: Right.
Adachi: Then what should the two of us talk about? (laughs). There probably isn't much to say in regards to manga.
Aoyama: The interview's already started though, (laughs).

――Well then, how about telling us when you first met?
Aoyama: The first time we met was on the baseball field, right? We were on the same team –the manga artist team!
Adachi: Yeah, It was at the Tokyo Dome where they had this weird gimmick for the 30th Sunday anniversary. (The Special Video Edition.) ...It was us VS the Editorial staff. I remember we got to talking while sitting on the bench. Though what were we talking about....I dunno. (laughs) Hara Hidenori-Sensei was on third, but that's about all I remember...
Aoyama: Hara on Third (laugh) At that time it took all of the courage I had to turn to you and say “Please give me an autograph!”, y'know?
Adachi: You lie.
Aoyama: No, no, (laughs) You even turned me down! You said “You're probably going to sell this so I won't give you one.

Adachi: Really? (laughs). But then soon after that “Conan” started and it was me asking you for an autograph for my sons who are huge fans...
Aoyama: It was a pleasure for me to. It was about ten years or so after we first met that my dream came true. Thank goodness I drew Conan~ (laughs)
Adachi: We traded autographs around 1998 then...
Adachi: And you've been drawing away since then haven't you?
Aoyama: The whole time, yup. It's actually scary, really. Conan's serialization has reached it's 25th anniversary and it's all so amazing. But Adachi-sensei, you've been drawing “Touch” this whoooole time haven't you? (laughs)
Adachi: I've done all sorts of things..! What are you speaking of? Ah but really, the basis for them is that they're all sequels. (Laughs)
Aoyama: Right? (Laughs) Though after we talked on the bench in the Tokyo Dome, the next time we talked was when YAIBA won the Shougakukan manga award (1993) and I called you on the phone to write the congratulatory comment on the fliers for the award ceremony. I was sooo nervous.
Adachi: Eh? Did that happen?
Aoyama: It did!
Adachi: Ah, So it did, huh? (Laughs)
Aoyama: Before I called you, I had already written out what we'd talk about as well as your answers in advance...but when I called and you were suddenly like “huh?” It was like “Ah, it's Tacchan”, and despite writing everything out beforehand my mind went blank and it felt like I had nothing to say. I wasn't nervous at all talking to you in person, but it figures the phone would be totally different...
Adachi: Thank you. It's been an established fact that my voice sounds terrifying on the phone. (laughs), My moods don't come over well on the phone either so I come off sounding curt. At that time YAIBA had won for the juvenile's category, right?
Aoyama: Yup, that's the one. Takashi Shiina's “Ghost Sweeper Mikami” won the Boys division at the same time.
Adachi: And “Conan” won it in (2001) along with Hiroyuki Nishimori, right?
Aoyama: That's right. It won with “Cheeky Angel”. Conan won the Boy's division, so now if I could take the girl's and general category I could have a clean sweep in all four!
Adachi: So that was your aim, (laughs)
Aoyama: But I just couldn't draw it. (laughs)
Adachi: It's was just a dream!
Aoyama: I couldn't do a shoujo manga.
Adachi: You'll just have to take it by force!
Aoyama: I can't do that. (laughs). From YAIBA onwards, I was was always in Weekly Shounen Sunday with Adachi-sensei....there was “Rough” along with Rumiko Takahashi's “Urusei Yatsura” which was reaching it's end –and Kazuhiro Fujita's “Ushio and Tora” and so on....it felt like I was surrounded by tough foes the whole time. After that there was “Ranma” Adachi-sensei's “Nijiiro Togarashi” (Lit: Rainbow colored chili powder) “H2” and so on....it was one trouble after another, (laughs).

Adachi: No, no. It felt like in the second half that we had more or less left things in Conan's hands (laugh). With a person and work such as that one it was easy. You were in the lead role rather than being a pinch hitter. I figure Conan must be tough to write each chapter.
Aoyama: It is.
Adachi: Meanwhile with works like “Touch” there'd be chapters where noooothing happens. In fact, that's kind of the norm. Meanwhile with “Conan” going all out is the norm. There aren't times where no one dies, and it's just a normal quiet day, right?
Aoyama: Nope, there aren't. At least not in “Conan”. In “Zero's Tea Time” where I correct the storyboards, it's absolutely fine if there's nothing going on at all.
Adachi: Have you seen “Hannin no Hanzawa-san”?
Aoyama: I haven't checked it out, but you can if you'd like. (Laughs).
Adachi: When did you think to yourself “I'll become a manga artist”?
Aoyama: In college, I'd say.

{For the first time in the magazine –Adachi Mitsuru sensei's message to Aoyama Gosho-sensei in regard to YAIBA winning the Shougakukan Manga award.}

{I'd like to applaud you for receiving the prize in the juvenile category for a long serial in “Shounen Sunday” which has Middle School and High school readers as it's base. Aoyama-kun's artwork has a special appeal to the juvenile category as it's cute, and the story is reckless, but I mean that in a good way. It's a manga like manga, a series that's backed up by many other works that are huge in scale, but no mistaking it, I was happy to nominate this one full stop from the bottom of my heart. Which is to say, as long as there are authors out there who hide all kinds of potential within them we wont' go lacking for many different stories, in which talent like this will shine through. I'd like to take this opportunity to expect much more from this assertive attacker. It'd be perfect if after this he'd stop being a Kyoujin fan, but....(Adachi Mitsuru)}

Adachi: Did you enroll in college?
Aoyama: Up until then I thought I'd become an animator.
Adachi: I see...
Aoyama: I had an upperclassman animator in my animator lab, and they said that there's no way you'll be an animator! Go be a manga artist! So I then became a manga artist.
Adachi: That was a good choice. The upper class man chose for you and everything. Plus you do get to have your say for the anime too.
Aoyama: I even draw key frames for the anime, so it's like my dream to be an animator came true. (laughs) Well, I do check the script and the the storyboards too.
Adachi: You're totally different than me there. I basically leave everything to the animators for the most part.
Aoyama: It's different than your beloved pro baseball team, huh?
Adachi: That's right. Kyoujin fans are y'know...hey, that's enough of that. (laughs)
Aoyama: Kyoujin fans don't' change much do they? (laughs) Heck, even my assistants from my college days haven't changed. We've been together without losing anyone this whole time. From when I was submitting works to magazines to now, I've used the same assistants.
Adachi: Is that so?
Aoyama: You can't draw manga by yourself. Though I've heard you say if you could, you'd draw the backgrounds yourself. When I heard that I wondered to myself “That's dumb...” (laughs). If I could on my own, I'd settle for drawing Conan and all of the people on my own at least.
Adachi: Ah, I said that? (laughs) I see. I've been using the same assistants this whole time too. Even now the two people I've had with me since “Touch” have been there for more than 30 years.
Aoyama: They draw the backgrounds so well....your assistants I mean.
Adachi: Look who's talking. (laughs.)
Aoyama: Ah right! Speaking of backgrounds...
Adachi: What about backgrounds?
Aoyama: When I read “Mix” I swear to myself “Didn't the Minamikaze” show up somewhere? Ah look, the “Tea Shop Poirot” was modeled after it! I remember! The shrubbery, the glass windows and the arch above the entrance...it's all the same.
Adachi: Oh really? (laughs)
Aoyama: I thought to myself, “This mystery manga isn't long for this world so I'd might as well make the tea shop the same from “Touch”. (laughs)

Adachi: And it's been 25 years since then, (laughs)
Aoyama: And I'm still drawing it now. In “Mix” It's like “Nowadays there aren't any 80s era tea shops left”....then I'm like “Oh wait I'm still drawing one now....
Adachi: (laugh) There aren't any cafes that look the way they do in drawings, huh.
Aoyama: It's so nostalgic! I was surprised as well....the shrubs planted in the brick holders...
Adachi: Well, well. (laughs)
Aoyama: Oh and that antenna like thing on Conan's head, I borrowed that from Nijiro Tougarashi's Shinami,.
Adachi: I'm thankful for that~ Ah so I did have a good influence on you. (laughs).
Aoyama: The back came a bit from Kabu in “Sally the Witch”. ...and Conan's eyes they're also borrowed from Adachi-sensei! The mouth is from Monkey Punch-sensei while the nose is from Chiba Tetsuya-sensei. If you combine the artwork from these three you get my art. Though Kazuhiko Shimamoto has said at one point “It's not! Absolutely not!!”
Adachi: (laughs)
Aoyama: Those are my three great teachers.
Adachi: Nah, I really don't compare with them, it's awkward. (laughs)
Aoyama: No, I'm serious!!

Part 2

Part 3
“We haven't talked about manga have we, huh?”
――For this occasion we're celebrating MIX's TV anime and Conan's newest movie, so we asked you two to be here. However when have you met before this?
Adachi: Since the end of the year party?
Aoyama: Since the New Years “Sunday appreciation” festival, right?
Adachi: So that was around one month ago. Well, we've had run-ins here or there but it's not like we discussed anything of any real importance.
Aoyama: Yeah.
Adachi: Up until now we've just been meandering around (laughs). Ah right we haven't talked about manga have we, huh?
Aoyama: And the interview has already started, (laughs).

――Then let's start over. What would you two say you have in common?
Adachi: Things we have in common...hm. How many siblings do you have again?
Aoyama: Four siblings.
Adachi: Then we have that in common....and they are...? Brothers? Sisters?
Aoyama: All four of them are guys. I'm the second son...ah right Adachi-sensei if I remember correctly you're the youngest?
Adachi: That I am. I only had one older sister, and my older brother right before me was a manga artist as well. So what was the situation for you as the second son?
Aoyama: As the second son...I got a bunch of hand-me-downs like all of my big brother's clothes were all hand-me-downs.
Adachi: What is your age difference?
Aoyama: Two years. We fought a lot.
Adachi: It happens when you're close in age like that.
Aoyama: The other bro was about five years away from me, so he was already...
Adachi: You really did look at him as more of a proper little brother.
Aoyama: That's right. Though interestingly enough my manga don't tend to have sibling characters in them because I find siblings to be a pain to draw. (Laughs). Even in normal circumstances Conan has a bunch of characters....it'd be better if there weren't more of them, right?
Adachi: No no, (laughs) Though it's actually rare for me to have a story without siblings...
Okay so for things we have in common....I guess our names both start with “A” and we're both from the year of the rabbit. I think aside from that we're basically completely different. (laughs).
Aoyama: The legend of the year of the rabbit, (laughs). We were discussing it before how it seems like lots of amazing manga artists are born on the year of the rabbit. Tetsuya Chiba-sensei for one, you –Adachi-sensei, me, and Eiichiro Oda-sensei.
Adachi: And then there's Osamu Tezuka-sensei but he was born a different year.
Aoyama: He was so close too, (laughs).
Adachi: The gap of 12 years is a big one. The environment one is raised in is completely different...it's kind of weird right? What kind of manga did you read as a child?
Aoyama: I loved “I'm Teppei” (Ore wa Teppei).
Adachi: Only “Teppei”? Was there anything else?
Aoyama: “Ashita no Joe” ….as a kid I was really into Magazine.
Adachi: Yeah, same here. I never read anything from Shougakukan. (laughs) I was aaaalways into Magazine.
Aoyama: (laugh) I'm nostalgic for Makoto Kobayashi-sensei's “1.2 Sanshiro” and stuff like that. I really love pro racing.

Adachi: What kind of music do you listen to?
Aoyama: Eiichi Ootaki and Tatsuro Yamashita....stuff from that generation.
Adachi: The Niagara generation?...it progressed about 12 years...
Aoyama: Adachi-sensei...were you into Masashi Sada and the like?
Adachi: Nah, no matter how I think about it, I was definitely in the Beatles Generation.
Aoyama: Beatles...that was before our time.
Adachi: Yeah, that's right.
Aoyama: But good music is good.
Adachi: How about idols?
Aoyama: Idols? Momoko Kikuchi is one I like, and then Akina Nakamori.
Adachi: Gotta say they don't seem to be your type.
Aoyama: But that's the generation I was from. Not quite the Seiko Matsuda era.
Adachi: Ah, I see...
Aoyama: Beyond that there was Kyouko Koizumi....that's about it I think. I actually used all of their names in “Magic Kaito” for the characters.....Aoko Nakamori, Akako Koizumi, and so on...it matched up with the colors.
Adachi: (laughs).
Aoyama: For the suspects in “Conan” I try to name them carefully after the motif in the case. Though, what about you Adachi-sensei?
Adachi: For “Nijiiro Tougarashi” and whatnot I just threw things together. “Cross Game” It was to match the leaf motif –I thought of all the key characters at the same time.
Aoyama: I see.
Adachi: For the baseball members I haphazardly came up with their names, so sometimes I'd make mistakes on them.
Aoyama: Huh? Mistakes?
Adachi: When they'd first appear they'd have a completely different first name and because I wouldn't remember, the next time they'd show up I'd end up drawing the character with another wrong name.
Aoyama: (laughs)
Adachi: One time I made a mistake three times....it was actually amazing. When they set out to make an anime of it, the staff poked fun at me and asked “Is this guy actually three brothers”? (Laughs) And we had to fix it.
Aoyama: You gotta get a better grip on that! (Laughs)
Adachi: I'd always get the family name right though. (Laughs).
Aoyama: It's kind of like Conan Doyle.
Adachi: ?
Aoyama: Apparently Conan Doyle was pretty irresponsible too. He'd often get Professor Moriarty's name wrong and stuff...
Adachi: It takes having a strong constitution. Extremely strong. Though it seems we all end up living kinda haphazardly.
Aoyama: I'm pretty haphazard too, sometimes I end up getting things wrong...ah, right! I remember! When “Touch started, there was a person with “Hirahira-kun's Adolescent diary”!
Adachi: Whyyy do you remember such needless information?
Aoyama: Because I like “Hirahira-kun” (laughs) Why (would a guy) use the same restroom as the girls?

Adachi: It wasn't my fault –that was just included with the original work. From 1977 to 1978 “Chuuichi Course” by Mamoru Sasaki was serialized.
Aoyama: I only saw Hirahira-kun when I first read your works Adachi-sensei! But when I read “Touch” I thought it was really good. So I went back ward and read “Nine”...
Adachi: Thanks for that.
Aoyama: I really liked the scene with Minami-chan's diary in “Touch”.
Adachi: I wonder what she was doing. Even I couldn't really see. (laughs).
Aoyama: She was probably writing how she likes Tacchan....so it's actually kind of cute for her to be between seeing and not seeing.
Aoyama: So with MIX...
Adachi: Ah it's fine if we don't talk about that one. It's not as if anything has happened so it's fine.
Aoyama: No no, (laughs) I like Haruka Ooyama myself.
Adachi: Oh? So you like longer hair then?
Aoyama: Nah it's not that....I guess her personality? Her personality is really cute!
Adachi: Though I haven't even gotten around to drawing her properly yet.
Aoyama: She was around a lot during the intra-squad games, and I was really happy. Though I also want Souichiro to have more time too...
Adachi: Well...I'll consider it.
Aoyama: I just don't want you to kill him off.
Adachi: Whoa there, this coming from the guy who has people dying in his manga on a regular basis?! (Laughs) I haven't killed that many people...
Aoyama: That's true (laughs) Though hey I also haven't killed any of my main characters.
Adachi: Fair enough.
Aoyama: Wait, did the “Touch” manga end after the anime?
Adachi: Nah the manga ended before the anime did. I remember being ask about how the final chapter was going to go....but even I wasn't sure, (laughs)
Aoyama: So you made them chase after you (laughs). How's “Mix” Going to turn out?
Adachi: I'm only thinking about what kind of story I'd like it to be.
Aoyama: “MIX” and “Conan” are both airing Saturdays.....yet it's more like “Sunday Time!”
Adachi: It fills me with deep emotions....but eh, it'll be fun!
Aoyama: Right? (Laughs)

Da Vinci Magazine Cross Talk and Interviews

Date: April 5, 2019

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Source:
Digital Raw
Print Scans Raw

Raw:

NTV Interview

Date: Filmed March 13, Aired April 6, 2019

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Source: https://www.facebook.com/DCTheRedThread/videos/503737250161896/?v=503737250161896

Cinema Guide 2019 Interview

Date: April 10, 2019

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Source: Raw

Raw:

CUT Magazine Interviews

Date: April 19, 2019

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Source: Raw

Raw:

Key points by Mycroft from DCEN discord-
1-Gosho said that Conan would never cry explaining that with" how would a great detective being affected by his emotions"
2-Gosho was asked if something gonna happen related to Japan Olympics 2020 in DC manga , Gosho replied saying: "it is difficult....maybe not...but if something happened to Olympics someone gonna be mad (laugh)
3-Gosho was asked if Sera-chan "flat chest" has a reference from some manga , Gosho replied saying: "No (laugh)I simply thought that the flat chest is cut.
4-Gosho was asked if Gin has a weak point , A critical weak point which he can't avoid like "Achilles heel" , Gosho replied saying:"is really there one? Simply it's "Akai" but they have close levels.
Reporter: so Akai is an important character after all
Gosho: Ah....I can't talk about that (laugh)

Gosho Interview on 1周回って知らない話 (Tv Show)

Date: April 24, 2019

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Source: Video

Spimer comments
That black Gundam -like robot is a present from Shogakukan to Aoyama to celebrate the 200 million sales and there's only 1 in the world
Confirms again that in the beginnings, he didn't expect the manga to last more than 3 months or so
And what was said in other interviews: a rule he always keeps is that Conan never cries
Also, he himself dunno why the series remains popular
And to make cases simplers he doesn't make cases with accomplices

And like it was said in the preview, he's decided on the outcome / result / end
Tricks are planned with a couple of the editors in charge and can take up to 12 hours of discussion to settle on them
These meetings are once per month
Editors bring stuff that's a current trend or that could be used for tricks
Then they try to recreate the case of Sato and the wedding ring
So insofar nothing that we didn't already know
Most was talking with the anime / movie producer about the 3 keys to the boom of the movies
(Guest VAs, collaborations (Lupin III & Conan) and Amuro)
And yes, he admits that movie 11 was a flop and that made them rethink

Anime Style Magazine Interview

Date: April 30th, 2019

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Source: Raw

Animedia Movie staff and character Interviews June issue

Date: May 10th, 2019

2020

Da Vinci Magazine 2020 Interview

Date: May 7, 2020
Published in: Da Vinci magazine, June 2020 issue

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Raw:

"This mystery is amazing!" Interview

Date:
Published in:

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2021

ZIP Interview

Date: Aired on March 25, 2021

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Source: Video
Translation Information by: Wsstalkback

• He's a big fan of Chihayafuru.
• 60-70% of fans are women.
• He thinks of culprit schemes as needed and has 0 on hand.
• He reads a lot of shojo manga for the romcom elements in Conan.
• Conan was started by him and the editors of WSS at the time as a "response" to Kindiachi
• In reference the point above, he and his editors think of the schemes and test them out themselves.
• He often has rom com dramas playing while working and will take good lines from them.

Da Vinci Magazine 2021 Interview

Date: April 6, 2021
Published in: Da Vinci Magazine, May 2021 issue

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Raw:

Translation Information by: NightBaron, Mera, Manaphy, Kemo
1.) The interviewer says “ Rum’s identity is revealed “ right?
Gosho said this : the fact that Rum appeared in a scene I drew in the past is revealed too, using the “mo” も particle for addition. (Wakita indeed is our RUM.)
2.) The person who’s related to the WPS gang will appear in the near future.
3.) He wants to reveal the mystery around Rumi step by step.
4.) He wants to draw a case about Amuro vs Kaito Kid.
5.) He doesn't consider WPS a spinoff but rather an independent work of his own.
6.) He thought of the Camel flashback back when he drew it and decided that the person in it would be a member that ranks higher than Gin but didn't decide the codename RUM back then.

Full Interview Translation by Holmes.

April 6th, 2020. The day before the state of emergency was declared to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus, we interviewed Mr. Aoyama. It’s been almost a year since then; with the second emergency declaration in place, we interviewed him once again, ahead of the release of the postponed movie, “Detective Conan: The Scarlet Bullet”. We asked him about how he felt about all this.

“I want things to return to ‘normal’ soon. Even if stuff like the way the world works and various other things don’t return to the way they were before, I hope that everyday life will soon return to a place where everyone can go and see the Conan movie without worry”, said Aoyama in last year’s interview. One year has passed since then. Although the situation is still highly unpredictable, it has been decided that the postponed movie, “Detective Conan: The Scarlet Bullet” will be released on April 16th.
“Honestly, Chukichi was even cooler than I expected. In the Akai family show-off scenes, he’s the only one that was written in the script from the beginning, and it’s not a scene I drew. He’s so cool, I’m a bit jealous. I think he’s the most gorgeous character in the climax scene”, says Aoyama in a voice that is full of excitement. How have you been spending the past year?
“Surprisingly, nothing much has changed (laughs). I said last year that I might not be able to draw scenes of get-togethers and parties in the future because the idea of people getting together would be a mere fantasy, but I’ve drawn secret gatherings at matchmaking shrines.
I think it’s because I have hope and expectation that even if we can’t do it now, such days will come back. I hesitated because I didn’t want to spoil the story’s reality, but everyone’s reality is probably one where people can still hang out together. So I decided not to worry about it anymore. I’m not really planning to bring in remote meetings or anything else that wasn’t popular before, since it’s still kind of a symbol of the crisis caused by coronavirus; I’d like to make sure that people don’t have to be reminded of all that while they’re reading Conan”.
The coronavirus crisis also brings many inconveniences when it comes to mystery writing, he says.
“You know, everyone is wearing a mask (laughs). You can hide your face right from the start, so any eyewitness testimony is useless. I’m quite worried about the increase in crimes that take advantage of this, even in real life. Also, as a comic artist, it’s simply inconvenient! I have a couple of assistants who work remotely, but it’s way more difficult and time-consuming to understand each other than in face-to-face communication. Even for those who commute [through my studio], sleeping in the same room is forbidden and we have to eat separately. I know it’s unavoidable, but it’s quite lonesome. That’s why personally when I’m drawing manga I want to forget about Covid, and maybe on the contrary it was right because I kept drawing that I was able to face forward”.

Rum’s real identity was finally revealed! The clash between the FBI and the Black Organization also gets more tense!

Indeed, as a matter of fact, in order to drown out the anxieties and depressions of reality, recently “Detective Conan” has been making some turbulent progress.
In a new case, which began in the 45th issue of Weekly Shonen Sunday - released in October 2020 - FBI agents are killed in succession by the Black Organization. In the last chapter, the identity of Rum, who is considered to be the No. 2 of the organization, was finally revealed.
“Last year I told myself I had to show Rum soon. It’s revealed that Rum had actually appeared in a scene I drew in the past, but that’s something I’ve been thinking about since then. I always say that most of the things I do are afterthoughts [made up after stuff already happened], but there are a lot of things that I arrange intentionally (laughs). Well, at the time I hadn’t decided on the name Rum, and I even only told my assistants, ‘this guy is a member of the Black Organization that’s even higher-ranking than Gin’.”
A character who appears casually turning out to actually be a very important person, and impressions getting overturned... It’s one of Aoyama’s fortes, but clearly no one had noticed this one. By the way, Camel plays a very active role in this case, but at first he was one of those fishy characters who you can’t tell if they’re an ally or an enemy.
“When he first appeared, I told my assistants he was actually a good guy and they were very surprised. He has a sinister look and seems shady, but he’s actually a subordinate of Akai’s who is more loyal to him than anyone else. In the FBI Agents Serial Murder Case, the highlight for me was the way he strived to get information and didn’t run away until the last moment, even when his life was in extreme danger. As an agent, he has the ability to just accept the worst, and I also like the scene in Volume 58 where he calls Akai and says ‘I-I succeeded...’. It’s the first scene where the reader realizes that maybe he’s actually a good guy, and I put in a lot of foreshadowing for the sake of that surprise”.
Most of the readers must have been fooled. What Aoyama does so well is to make us think that a character is actually on our side since he is blatantly feigning betrayal, and yet there are many cases where the character in question is truly an enemy. You can’t just read what’s up next by following precedent.
“Well, yeah, that’s how it is... (laughs) Oh, there is one more scene with Camel that I like: the one in Volume 85, when he meets again Akai, who is actually alive, and he mutters ‘Akai-shan...’. The scene is also in ‘The Scarlet Alibi’, which was released before ‘The Scarlet Bullet’, and it made me laugh. It’s very nice, isn’t it? That is a compilation of the TV anime that takes a close look at the Akai family, but it’s so well compiled that I thought to myself, ‘that’s really cool’.”

Now the youthful years that continue to support Amuro are out of reach...!

Serialized between the FBI Agents Serial Murder Case was the spin-off “Detective Conan: Wild Police Story”, published in two volumes. Kenji Hagiwara was killed in a bombing; detective Sato’s love interest, Jinpei Matsuda, was killed while avenging his [Hagiwara’s] death; detective Takagi’s mentor, Wataru Date, has died in an accident; Hiromitsu Morofushi lost his life while infiltrating the Black Organization and became the cause of Amuro’s hatred for Akai; and finally, there’s Tooru Amuro, aka Rei Furuya...! It’s a coming-of-age story of the five, who were classmates at the police academy, and Aoyama is the ‘original author’...
“As you can see from the storyboards included in the volumes, I wrote most of the story. In other words, it was just as though I serialized two works at the same time, so it was very tough. So maybe I could have done the whole thing up to the finishing touches, but the planning happened just after I was hospitalised and I was quite weak. Yet I still wanted to do it. It was during ‘The Darkest Nightmare’ that I came up with the idea that Matsuda and Amuro were classmates; I had already drawn the scene where Amuro visits Date’s grave in Volume 77, though. About Hiromitsu, when I was designing Scotch, I thought ‘this guy looks like Takaaki (a police inspector in the Nagano prefecture), why don’t I make him his brother’, and that’s how I decided, I guess.
I thought readers would enjoy a coming-of-age story where they were actually close classmates and shared the same dream of becoming police officers, and I wanted to show that Amuro was the only one who survived, as a result. He is a skilled guy who is nip and tuck with Akai, but it wouldn’t be interesting if he was a complete superhero from the start, right? So it’d be as in, ‘those days I spent with the four of them are the reason I am where I am today’... cool, isn’t it?”.
It’s definitely very cool. At the end [of the spin-off], when they have recklessly solved the case together, and the scene in the not-too-distant future that symbolises the four of them who part ways, plus the other person [Amuro] will... move you to tears.
“I’ve done a lot of calculations about that (laughs), so if you cry, I’d be very happy”.

There’s something a little off the beaten track that touches the readers’ hearts.

The slightest misunderstanding or miscommunication leading to hatred and sometimes to irreparable tragedies... yet following the path one believes in, while carrying the sorrow on one’s back... At the roots of “Wild Police Story” are themes that have been portrayed in “Detective Conan” for a long time.
“Thank you. Well, that’s how it is... And I want to depict all that in a way that’s a little bit different from the straightforward way. I think it’s a way of hiding embarrassment in an otherwise straightforward story. In the movie ‘Titanic’, when Rose is about to throw herself off the deck, Jack tosses his cigarette into the sea to show her how deep it is... right? And then he says, ‘You’re not going to jump, are you’. I like the way he doesn’t just stop her by force, it feels really cool, I love it.
As for the Japanese [characters that inspire me], it’s Yusaku Matsuda in ‘Oretachi No Kunsho’, Hiroshi Tachi and Kyohei Shibata in ‘Abunai Deka’, Masao Kusakari and Tatsuya Fuji in ‘Pro Hunter’... I use their stylishness as a reference when I draw manga”.
It’s true that Shuichi Akai and the others are kind of the epitomes of chic.
“He’s not attached to anything, so he can change direction as soon as he needs to. It’s cool how he transcends everything. Shukichi is also really cool when he sees through a plot, but even cooler than that is Yumi. Shukichi owes everything to her. In Volume 89, she easily tears up the marriage certificate that he was so eager to get, and then she shouts ‘You’d better make sure you never lose again! You bald-headed mouse, you!’, which is a line I like. Oda Nobunaga called Toyotomi Hideyoshi [“Hideyoshi” shares “Shukichi”’s kanji] not a monkey, but a bald rat. In Nobunaga’s letter to Nene, he also calls him that (laughs). That’s why Yumi is Nene, not Chacha”.
Shukichi and Yumi also appear in the movie. What are the highlights, in your opinion, Aoyama?
“There are many highlights of the Akai family besides Shukichi, so that’s what I’d like you all to see. Also, other than that... well, I’d like to spoil you some more, but I’m going to stop right there. After all, you also want to know but at the same time you kinda don’t want to, right?”.
That’s right... So, with the latest Volume 99 coming out on April 14, and Volume 100 just around the corner, could you give us a glimpse of what’s to come, by any chance?
“Well, let me see... the manuscript I’m working on right now is an episode [of the manga] that features Haibara at the center of it all, after a long time, so I’m sure the fans will be very happy. I’m also planning to draw soon the appearance of people / a person linked to the police academy group, and Amuro VS Kaito Kid, I guess... Oh! I’ve said too much (laughs). I think I will reveal Wakasa’s mysteries little by little, so please be patient.
But first of all, there is ‘The Scarlet Bullet’, which you’ve been waiting an extra year for! Watch it at the cinema without making any noise, without talking, without eating or drinking with anyone, I’m sure it’ll all be fine. If you want to scream, you can do so when you get home (laughs).
I was so surprised by Minami Hamabe’s voice because she was so good that I thought she was a professional voice actress or something, so, I’m sure people will be able to enjoy themselves to their hearts’ content”.

Movie 24 Production Staff Interview Collection

Date: April 22, 2021
Published in: https://www.kitkat-nelfei.com/2021/04/detective-conan-movie-scarlet-bullet.html

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Interview of Setting Production, Mirei Suzuki

"I went for location hunting to Nagoya where this story is set. Director Nagaoka discussed with staff from Nagoya before deciding the locations based on the final scenario.

First, the symbols of Nagoya City, Nagoya TV Tower, and Oasis 21 which also appeared in the end of the previous work [The Fist of Blue Sapphire]. The night view here is very beautiful, but I couldn't go up on that day, so I only watched the lights from below. Be careful as it's very slippery on rainy days!

Next, an Instagrammable monument near Nagoya Castle. Everyone was drawn to the reds in it so I took a commemorative photo here. And Nagoya Port, one of the largest trading ports in Japan. It's a port that spans across five municipalities and has many leisure facilities.

We, the location team, also boarded a yacht and traveled around the port. I think people already know that Shukichi Haneda who appears this time is based on Hideyoshi Toyotomi. Nagoya is very closely linked to Hideyoshi Toyotomi and at the annual Nagoya Festival, a parade is held to honor the three heroes, Nobunaga Oda, Hideyoshi Toyotomi and Ieyasu Tokugawa.

In Nakamura Ward, Nagoya City, the birthplace of Hideyoshi Toyotomi, there is a street named Taiko-dori. There is also an exit named Taiko-dori Exit at Nagoya Station. Hideyoshi Toyotomi's name is closely linked here.

While feeling this connection, I continued with my location hunting and tasted some delicious Nagoya foods. This place is amazing, so I would be happy if fans will make a trip to Nagoya after the movie release! I hope you can look forward to how Nagoya will appear in this work."

Interview of Movie Director, Chika Nagaoka

Question 1: This is your 2nd time in charge of directing a Detective Conan movie, after the "The Fist of Blue Sapphire" in 2019, is there any changes in your environment and feelings? And, how did you approach with this movies?

"There is no particular change in the environment. In production, I have seniors who have been working with me for many years who I respect, and many friends, who know my good and bad points, so it's a very reassuring environment for me. And, because of the trust I have for them, I depend on them in various areas.

As for my feelings, when I started the actual production, I face various obstacles and there are times when I feel troubled. When that happens, instead of worrying alone, I tried to consult others and get advice. Surprisingly, many ideas leading to breakthrough surfaced during those conversations. Well, it was probably worst for those who have been dealing with me though. (laughs).

As for my approach, there are characters who are introduced for the first time in the movie. So, I tried to figure out their relationship with Conan's main characters in the original before starting on the production.

The Akai family has many mysterious parts not mentioned even in the original, so I had the production team organize and made a character relationship chart for me."

Question 2: Can you tell us what do you think after reading the script?

"Ever since my scenario meeting with Mr. Sakurai, the Script Writer, I was impressed with his wide knowledge in various fields, regardless of genre like chemistry, bullet trains, shogi. I feel I must be more aware of more information in various areas from now on.

The content of the script drives home the theme very clearly. I tried to translate Mr. Sakurai's thoughts into the movie and I hope we are able to communicate that to our audience who watch the movie.

Question 3: This work focuses on Akai Family, and there are many original movie characters, is there any particular character you want us to take note of? And, what is the reasons?

"It would be Mary. I think the mother has a strong character. Shuichi Akai, Shukichi Haneda, Masumi Sera...everyone has different personalities and strong characters. However, each of them has a strong core that I feel is the gift inherited from Mary's teachings.

Question 4: Vacuum superconducting maglev, sports festival, FBI, Akai Family, etc. In the movie, there are many interesting things, but what part do you find the most interesting? Also, which part do you look forward to the most when directing?

"What I found the most interesting was the difference between Conan's and the FBI's sense of justice. I wanted to express this different in thinking properly. The most fun part for me was the vacuum superconducting maglev. Especially, I hope the audience can check how we show the speed of 1,000 km/h in the theaters.

Question 5: Please tell us the highlights of the movie for you. Finally, do you have any message to audience?

"I hope the audience can look forward to how the vacuum superconducting maglev in the movie connects to the Akai Family, FBI, Conan and the others, and how the story develops. Also, I think rather than knowing nothing about the main characters' relationship with Akai Family, it's better just to know a little to get into this movie.

Since the main story of this movie is about Akai Family with the color of Red in their surname, various Red colors will appear in the movie, so please try to spot them!

Interview of Screenplay, Takeharu Sakurai

Question 1: Mr. Sakurai, this will be your 5th time in charge of the script for a Detective Conan movie. When writing for the first Detective Conan's Private Eyes' Requiem (2013) and this movie, has there been any change in your feeling or approach to Conan?

"Whenever I write a script for Detective Conan movies, I would decide the Regular character who would be guest characters and the theme with the producer. Then I would write the story while getting Aoyoma-sensei and the Director to fix it. I would also add the parts desired by Aoyama-sensei. There is no change in this flow, but on Private Eyes' Requiem, I recklessly took on the challenge without knowing the difficulties. Now, with my knowledge of the difficulties, it feels more like a test of my abilities. In other words, it changed from "Challenge" to "Trial". I think this is a change that will jappen if you continue with any work."

Question 2: You wrote both popular characters, Toru Amuro into the previous movie and Suichi Akai in this one. Do you have any particular feelings when comparing these two characters? Also, was there anything you put extra care of when writing Shuichi Akai in this work? Or anything you enjoyed?

"I think the similarity between Amuro and Akai is there "Loneliness". Amuro has a loneliness that stems from having no home to return to and Akai has a loneliness that stems from not being able to retun home.

Amuro's loneliness with something to depend on as opposed to Akai's loneliness that rejects dependency. Amuora has the strength to embrace the loneliness alone and Akai has the strength to accompany a lonely person.

I feel that when I write these two characters.

When I write Shuichi Akai, I take note of Subaru Okiya. Although those two are basically the same person, they have different personalities. However, there are times when despite being Okiya, his personality is almost all Akai.

It was difficult to adjust that what percentage of Akai is Okiya in each scene with Aoyama-sensei and the production team. However, Akai is much more difficult.

Conan, Haibara, Sera, Mary, Shukichi, James, Jody, and Camel, everyone has different perception about Akai. The information that Akai gave or hid from each of them are all different.

I had to check with Aoyama-sensia and the production team to find out what is allowed in which scene. We have to proceed like a puzzle. There are some things the characters already know about, but the readers do not yet.

And things that will be revealed by the time the movie is released. It is as if you are playing with a puzzle with astronomical number of pieces. It was both painful and fun at the same time.

Question 3: This movie focuses on Akai Family, and there are many original movie characters, is there any particular character to take note of? And, what is the reason?

"The whole Akai Family are important characters here. If I have to mention one, then it is Mary. The more I hear from Aoyama-sensei about her, the burden she bears is out of this world. If you take a closer look at the movie, you will find new information about her."

Question 4: What do you look forward to when your script is visualized?

"It's fun and scary to read the dubbing script. The dubbing script is a script written by someone based on my screenplay. Thus, in this media, things like "Did the lines I wrote become such as line?" "Did the scene that I wrote become like this?", will impact me the first.

My second impact will come at the preview. Dubbing script is a process that won't be found in live-action dramas and movies, I was surprised when though I wrote this script with almost the same number of pages as last time, but this dubbing script has almost double the number of pages than the last!"

Question 5: Please tell us the highlights of this movie for you. Finally, do you have any message to the audience?

"I think there are many highlights in the events, characters and action scenes in the movie. As a screenwriter, I would be happy if you could understand the theme a little more. I think there have been many dramas with "past sins" creating "present sins".

However, there is also "past justice" that can create "present sins" as well. What will people do in that situation? It would be good to show Conan's and Akai's "harmony" and "difference". I wrote with this in mind.

Interview of Image Board, Ioundraw

Question 1: It will be the third time to be in charge of image boards for Detective Conan Movies, so they are pretty much defined. What do you think is your position this time?

"It's strange, there are moments when I still don't believe that I'm involved in Conan. It's a well-known manga that I've been reading since I was a child. The fact that I'm in charge of creating images for this on the big screen is so overwhelming that I feel that it's not even real.

However, I feel that the response to the role given to me steadily increases as I work more on it. I love the characters, but I pack my own ideas without breaking the world's view of this work.

If my images are useful to the staff, then there is nothing more fulfilling to me. Drawing image boards for Detective Conan Movies is like the facing my childhood. I try to draw with fresh eyes with a feeling of nostalgia while making sure to do work I can be proud of."

Question 2: What kind of image you envisioned from the screenplay for the image boards?

"I was reading the screenplay while talking with Director Nagaoka and the production team, and I decided to have stylish look this time. Looking at previous movie series as a whole, the scale of the event in this movie is one of the largest and the suspense and action that comes with it are also very thrilling.

I consciously added a strong contrast in the light and scene construction in order to bring out the roller-coaster-like dramatic twists and turns.

It will also link nicely to the Akai Family that appears in this work. Akai Family is shrouded in mystery and shadows. It is the shadows that bring out their appeal. Light and shadow, justice and evil, I painstakingly tried to convey the tension between both sides through my images.

Interview of Production Team, Full of Highlights From Each Section As Well

Question 1: In the production of this work, The Scarlet Bullet, can you tell us what did you struggle with, what you were particular about, and what was rewarding for you?

"This time, the stage is set between Tokyo and Nagoya. As a result, there are many buildings again just like the previous work. So, I was worried even before it started. It is always difficult with many buildings (laugh). Moreover, unlike Singapore, this time there are fictional places like linear train stations of Shibahama Station and Shin-Nagoya Station. It is very difficult yet interesting to make these fictional places seem real to blend in with real locations. The diector told me that Akai does not match a bright blue sky so I deliberately toned down the day-time sky for this work." said Kouki Fukushima, Art Director.

"Connecting with the title of "scarlet", there is always red color on someone in those four days. If I only stick to the character's image color, it will be too one-sided. So, I decided on this by considering the connection between the story and the character so that the clothes in the last scene look cool or cute." said Fusako Nakao, Color Design.

"The compositing section in an animation production combines all the image materials. it involves elevating the work by interpreting and composing the materials created by various creators such as drawing, background, CG, etc. However, similar to cooking, great ingredients do not always result in delicious food, so this can improve or destroy the final work. This is the pain and reward of our section. In The Scarlet Bullet, the themes are vacuum superconducting maglev, sports festival so we aimed to create images that conveys speed and dynamism." said Jin Nishiyama, Director of Photography.

"The story this time has the major elements related to the story prepared in 3DCG. THe work of creating and incorporating them in each cut is difficult, but it is rewarding to imagine how they are used and the audience reactions to them. In particular, the director placed a lot of emphasis on the vacuum superconducting maglev, and it was created with him proposing various ideas for the designs and textures. I would like to show everyone the vaccum superconducting maglev as soon as possible!" said Hiroki Matsukura, the CG Director.

"In this work, there are various vehicles such as vacuum superconducting maglev, bullet train, automobiles, motorcycles, etc. 3DCG is used in many vehicles and we tried to express various colors and textures according to the situation. Aslo, because vehicles need to interact with characters and the background, we tested them to make sure their look are integrated properly. In some cases, we had to replace the full scene with 3DCG. Creating images that matches Director Nagaoka's vision and requests is both a challenge and rewarding." said Hiromitsu Koiwa, the CG Director.

Question 2: What is the highlight of this work?

"I think it will be hard to notice, but we made many detailed touches so I hope you can enjoy the world of Conan." said Kouki Fukushima, Art Director.

"Other than the Akai Family, I think you can understand the relationship and thoughts of each characters. I try to adjust the colours so that the characters look good in the scene, I hope you enjoy it while paying attention to such details." said Fusako Nakao, Color Design.

"An animation movie is an art form born from a collaboration with many cast and staff, so the attention to detail from every section is condensed. The detailed attention of each section is concentrated. Other than enjoying the actions of Conan and the Akai Family, I hope you can also enjoy the atmosphere, speed and thrill created by our efforts, which might not be obvious at first glance." said Jin Nishiyama, Director of Photography.

"If I write too much, I will spoil the movie. So, I will express it with an image. The highlight of this movie is the tension in a closed environment like The Bullet Train Movie (1875) by Director Junya Sato and the interaction in the vacuum superconducting maglev. The 3DCG team prepared images that add tension as much as possible as the story develops with the characters trying to solve the case with their all." said Hiroki Matsukura, CG Director.

"I think the main highlight should be Conan drawing closer to the mystery and the Akai Family, and the key stage of the vacuum superconducting maglev and global sports festivel. I think the content of the movie as a whole has many highlights, such as bold action scenes. Also, 3DCG is used in unexpected places such as characters and background. So, if you pay attention to that area, you may be able to enjoy it from a different perspective." said Hiromitsu Koiwa, CG Director.

Shuichi, Masumi, Shukichi, and Mary Secret Archieves Interview

Date: May 18, 2021

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Raw:

Gosho Aoyama:

Shuichi Ikeda:

Ryotaro Okiayu:

Noriko Hidaka:

Toshiyuki Morikawa:

Atsuko Tanaka:

Chika Nagaoka:

Takeharu Sakurai:

Kappei Yamaguchi Volume 100 Interview

Date: October 13, 2021
Published in: Weekly Shonen Sunday issue 46/2021

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Raw:

Wakana Yamazaki Volume 100 Interview

Date: October 20, 2021
Published in: Weekly Shonen Sunday issue 47/2021

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Raw:

Translated by Yuchi
Summary:
In commemoration of the release of Volume 100, the second interview is with the voice of Ran Mouri, Wakana Yamazaki.

Translation:
Although an endless stream of cases occurs around Ran, Ran is strong and is able to defend herself against any threats. But, to Ms.Yamazaki, the most important element is outside of these scenes. On the topic of a normal high-school girl living in the city of Beika.

Q: Please tell me about your Impressions of Gosho Aoyama
A: We're close in age, so he's like a big brother to me. He's very sharp, but conversations with him are very relaxed, so he it gives off a feel like a shogi grandmaster. One thing that left a particular impression on me was when there was Evian* on the Menu, and he asked "What kind of drink is this?" It was funny to me because he's so knowledgeable in so many topics, yet he's also kind of in a different world.

• Translators Note: Evian is a type of bottled water popular in Japan. Think of Fiji water or something along those lines.

Q: How do you feel about playing the role of Ran Mouri overall? Are there any parts that you feel you have in common with Ran?
A: Since I've been playing the role for so long, although I'm not the one writing the script, I've started feeling like I am naturally in the story. Ran isn't a member of the police, nor affiliated with the Black Organization, she's just a normal high school girl. Her father just happens to be a detective, and since she only gets dragged into cases because she's with Conan, I feel that it is important to keep a feeling that she's an ordinary person, and that it is important for her to have comforting mundane days where nothing happens. I haven't given much thought about if I am similar to Ran, but in I felt that in the preschool story (vol. 87, "Memories from Sakura Class"), where Ran cries a lot and she's protected by Sonoko, or she gives her place in line for the slide to other kids, I remembered that I was like that when I was a kid too.

Q: Have you felt any changes in Ran?
A: The story where we're in London (vol. 71, Holmes' Revelation) and the School Trip (vol. 95, The Scarlet Schooltrip) are where I felt, although slowly, Ran's relationship with Shinichi was changing.

Q: Does Yamazaki-san have any feelings like "Ah, Finally!"?
A: Hmm... it might actually be the opposite, where I'm now kinda embarrassed (laughs). Until now, we've said things we wanted to say to each other and had arguments, and that has been fun in its own right. Although they're dating, they're rarely together, and it feels like a long-distance relationship. Although it has been a long time since the manga began, I've heard that within the story not much time has passed, so I felt that Ran hasn't been kept waiting for that long.

Q: How do you feel about Shinichi/Conan hiding his identity in order to protect Ran?
A: Until now, there have been many times where Ran got close to finding out Conan's identity, but got deceived, so right now she doesn't seem to have any suspicions... I think the densest character is my (Ran's) dad (laughs). Personally, instead of Conan's identity, not knowing anything about the Black Organization, or although Ran talks to Amuro or Okiya, not knowing their identities feel more frustrating. This is because although she's already surrounded by danger, she doesn't realize it and stays unaware.

Q: Have you felt envious of the connection between Conan and Haibara?
A: Conan is Conan and Shinichi is Shinichi, so no. Ran's even said in a conversation with Sonoko that "I thought Conan liked Ai" (Vol. 83, Romance Novelist Murder Case), so I think at most, she watches with a smile as a big sister figure.

Q: From the point of Yamazaki-san, what does Ran like about Shinichi?
A: I think his clumsiness. When meeting Shinichi for the first time in preschool, Ran says she "hated" Shinichi, but his blunt nature was just a way to hide his embarrassment and he ended up helping her. Although she might not have had romantic feelings toward Shinichi when she was small, as a childhood friend she saw Shinichi, and in her heart, she thought "Although he tries to be cool, there's a dull part of him too. I know that about him." She realized her feelings in New York (Vol. 35, "Shinichi Kudo's New York Case") after Shinichi helped the serial killer, he said, "There's no logical reason necessary for someone to help another person out." I feel like that's where Ran realized she liked Shinichi in a romantic way.

Q: Is there something good about Shinichi, that only Ran can see?
A: Shinichi's earnest sense of justice, and how he tries to be strong are some points that I think Ran likes about Shinichi. I think it would be nice if there are more stories from the past. The story from kindergarten, to when Elementary school when Shinichi suddenly stopped calling Ran "Ran," and instead "Mouri," (Vol 55, Shinichi Kudo's childhood adventure"). Until then, I thought that Ran and Shinichi were childhood friends from infancy, but I realized her relationship with Sonoko was longer.

Q: Question from Yamazaki to Hayashibara (VA of Haibara), Takayama (VA of Conan): If you were to play the role of the criminal, what kind of criminal would you portray? Would you like to get caught?
A: When I am asked what role I would like to try in Conan, I always say the criminal (laughs). Portraying the emotional ups and downs until the crime is committed, and my state of mind after the trick is deduced seems interesting to me. I would like to be caught at the end and have everything come to light.

Q: Overall, what is Minami Takayama like?
A: Although there may be a lot of murder cases, since it's an anime that kids watch as well, she is very careful in picking her words in order to avoid hurting or making them scared. In order to avoid an explanation becoming too difficult, or a deduction becoming too complicated, she tries changing the way she explains it, and she is very good at seeing things like that and giving advice, and that impresses me a lot. The only person (voice actress) there every time is Minami, so she tries to take responsibility and I think she tried to create a sense of unity.

Q: What does Ran think in regard to Haibara?
A: Since Ai is an adult, she doesn't try to approach Ran like Ayumi or the rest of the detective boys. But in the case of the special express train (Vol. 78, Mystery Train), after Ai realizes that there may be the Black Organization aboard the train, Ai grabs Ran's shirt and hides behind her. I wondered "Oh, is she relying on me?" Maybe Ran just seemed like the strongest (laughs). But if that was Ai trusting Ran, I feel like that story is a lot deeper and left an impression.

Q: What episode do you like personally?
A: I like the story about Professor Agasa's first love (Vol. 40 "Ginkgo-Colored first love"). No sad cases happened, and the Detective Boys followed the professor and deduced where that person was and found them. On top of that, Ran met that person in the past... I loved that long-lasting overall warmth. That last scene where Agasa may be able to meet with that person in the future also left an impression in my heart.

Q: Do you have any messages for the fans?
A: Since we're at volume 100, the fans are probably more knowledgeable than I am, and I probably need to re-read, or else there may be things I forget (laughs). Since it doesn't seem to end anytime soon, I will continue enjoying Conan as a fan of the manga, and I am also excited to see how that will be translated into the Manga.

Megumi Hayashibara Volume 100 Interview

Date: October 25, 2021
Published in: Weekly Shonen Sunday S issue 12/2021

Minami Takayama Volume 100 Interview

Date: October 27, 2021
Published in: Weekly Shonen Sunday issue 48/2021

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Raw:

[世界はまんがで出来ている]Tokyo FM Volume 100 Special Interview - Featuring Detective Conan's Editor-In Charge, Gosho Aoyama, Arai Takahiro, and Kanba Mayuko

Date: October 23, 2021 and October 30, 2021

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Source:

• - https://twitter.com/sekaihamangade
• - https://radiko.jp/share/?sid=FMT&t=20211030190000&noreload=1
• - https://radiko.jp/share/?sid=FMT&t=20211023190000&noreload=1
• - https://www.tfm.co.jp/mangaworld/

Raw:

Part 1: Featuring Aoyama Gosho, Arai Takahiro and Kanba Mayuko

明日は… 100巻記念！「#名探偵コナン」大特集

青山剛昌先生の番組独自アンケートをご紹介！ さらに！『ゼロの日常』新井隆広先生と、 『犯人の犯沢さん』かんばまゆこ先生のアンケートも

ゲストは、パーパーのあいなぷぅさんと担当編集の松本さん！

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Q.青山先生は安室透の人気についてどう思われていますか？ A.「安室の人気はただただビックリです。 そしてありがとうございます！」

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リクエスト曲 青山先生の一番好きな曲！ 「1000のバイオリン」のオーケストラバージョン 「1001のバイオリン」/ブルーハーツ をお届けしました

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かんばまゆこ先生 「かっこいいシーンでかっこいいキャラがかっこいいポーズでかっこいいセリフをかっこよく言う、 これをやるのって本当に大変で勇気がいるすごい事です！ （↓続く）

私は「犯人の犯沢さん」の連載前から この100％振りきることをアオヤマニズムと呼び、大ゴマでギャグを描くときに 勇気をもらっていました。青山先生は本当にすごいです！」

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新井隆広先生 「顔の奥の目が大きく誇張されて描かれる。 有名なイラストレーターである、さいとうなおきさんも指摘していたが こうすることにより 人物の顔が華やかに見えるそうです。歌舞伎の見栄に近い効果ではと分析なさっていた」 実際、青山先生はコナンの絵を描くとき「目」から描かれる！

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青山剛昌先生の番組独自アンケート！ 『ゼロの日常』新井隆広先生と、 『犯人の犯沢さん』かんばまゆこ先生のアンケートもご紹介！

「名探偵コナン」あるある かんば先生も「やっぱり阿笠博士があやしい」と考察・・・！ 新井先生「あるあるが語られるほど様式美として作品世界が成立していることにすごさを感じる」

Q.毎回トリックは、どのように考えていますか！？ また、一番悩まれたトリックは？

A.「トリックは編集さんと何時間もかけて考えてます。 毎回毎回悩んでいるので、一番がつけられないです(笑)」

なんと、一回の打ち合わせは短くても１２時間

Q.青山先生の作品には幼馴染キャラがよく登場されますが、幼馴染属性がお好きなのでしょうか？ 素敵な思い出などがあるのでしょうか？

A.「素敵な思い出はまったくないですけど、幼馴染の設定は大好きです！あとでなんとでも掘り起こせるので♪」

Q.青山先生の1日のルーティンは！？休みはあるのでしょうか？

A.「最近はあります。 『艦これ』をぼちぼちやって、月曜8時から9時に『あつ森』のコメントを更新、それが日課です(笑) だいたい寝るのは朝の6時から7時で、起きるのは昼の1時くらいかな？」

Part 2: Featuring DC Editor In-Charge

毎週、30分だけログインできる仮想空間のラジオ番組！ 狩野英孝と倉持由香が「まんが王国」にある膨大なデータを基に、おしゃべりしていきます。

☆祝100巻記念！「名探偵コナン」大特集その②☆

ゲストに「名探偵コナン」担当編集の松本さんと、舟本さんが登場！ 「名探偵コナン」を通して、編集のお仕事などについて迫っていきます

明日の #せかまん は・・・

100巻記念！「#名探偵コナン」大特集 その②

ゲストに、担当編集の松本さんと、舟本さんが登場 「名探偵コナン」を通して、編集のお仕事などについて迫っていきます

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編集を担当したことでわかる青山先生の凄さ

コナンの目について： イラストを描かれるとき、必ず目線が読者の方を向くように意識されている！

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青山先生は、ドラマ、ラブコメをよくご覧になる！ 「アンナチュラル」がお好きなんだそう！ コナンは「殺人ラブコメ」

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編集のかたの【1週間ルーティン】 打ち合わせ→2日〜3日ネーム→打ち合わせ→原稿アップ ネーム待ちの間は、アニメの話、宣伝活動、記事、単行本の打ち合わせなど様々なお仕事が・・・！

「名探偵コナン」でエゴサーチすることもあります！

打ち合わせでは、流石にバレないだろうと思っていても、 考察で「すごい速さで解かれてる・・・」と思うことも

___________________________________________________________________________

Q.「名探偵コナン」最終回の構成は決まっているのでしょうか？

A.「青山先生曰く、『当然です！いつそれを発表するかは言えませんけど…』」

Q コナンの最後は知っていますか？

A 松本さん「………………知っています」

Q.次回作に関しては…！？

A.「その時になってみないとわからないかな…コナンじゃできない超能力もの…かなあ…」

コナンでなんでもやっているということで、「超能力かなあ…」とのこと！

101巻に収録される話で新キャラが登場！ 「名探偵コナン」はまだまだ終わらない・・・！

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青山先生、松本さん、舟本さんが「心に刺さったアドバイス」

松本さん 初めて担当をした「スーパーマリオくん」の沢田ユキオ先生から 「子供はボケツッコミで、ボケだけだと笑いどころがわからないから必ずツッコんであげなきゃいけないんだよ。」

舟本さん お姉さんのアシスタントをしていた時代 「編集者も漫画家も２４時間365日、ずっと漫画のことを考えないといけないんだよ」 制限されず、好きなこと考えられるということを真摯に漫画家に伝えていたシーンに救われたそう！

青山先生 「『まじっく快斗』『探偵ジョージのミニミニ大作戦』を同時にやってた時、とても忙しくなってしまい絵を飛ばして描いてしまったところ 堀さんという編集さんに「お前、絵が下手になったな」とまず言われ、「手を抜くと読者にバレるぞ…離れていくよ…」と言われました。心が痛かったです」

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Summary: In commemoration of the release of Volume 100, Tokyo FM's [世界はまんがで出来ている] conducted a 2-part special featuring Detective Conan's Editor-In Charge, Gosho Aoyama, Arai Takahiro, and Kanba Mayuko. The following is a compilation by Kemo of the Twitter Thread by the Host of the Radio Show which includes a few questions they thought might be of interest to the readers/listeners. Please note that this is not an exhaustive version of the Airing.

Highlights:

1. Aoyama often watches dramas and romantic comedies! He likes the Japanese Series "Unnatural."
2. Gosho Aoyama views Conan as a Murder and love-comedy series
3. Gosho is amazed at the popularity of Amuro
4. When the Editor In-Charge, Matsumoto, was asked if he knew the ending of the series, he responded by saying "Yes, I know..."
5. Aoyama-sensei's favorite song is the orchestral version of "1001 Violins" by Blue Hearts
6. Hanzawa's Mangaka, Kanba Mayuko, finds Agasa Suspicious
7. Arai Takahiro finds it amazing that the world of the Detective Conan is so stylized, which allows people to talk about lots of small things.
8. Gosho spends many hours with his editors trying to come up with creative tricks, he says it's hard to pick the best one everytime, and that meetings with the editors can last at least 12 hours at a time.
9. When Asked If he likes the "Childhood friendship" elements and/or has any personal memories of some of his own, Gosho responded saying he doesn't have any personal memories but likes "Childhood friendships" because he can always conveniently dig them up and use them later on.
10. Aoyama has been playing a lot of "KanColle" recently
11. Aoyama's Monday morning's (8am - 9am) is usually spent on updating AC Hints.
12. Aoyama usually sleeps at 6/7 am and wakes up at 1pm
13. Aoyama: "When I was working on "Magic Kaito" and "Detective George's Mini-Mini Big Strategy" at the same time, I was so busy that I skipped a drawing. The first thing the editor, Mr. Hori, said to me was, "You've become terrible at drawing," and then he said, "If you cut corners, your readers will find out...they'll leave you..." It was heartbreaking. It was heartbreaking."
14. When the Editor In-Charge was asked "Do you have a plan for the final episode of Detective Conan?", he answered "According to Aoyama-sensei, 'Of course! I can't say when I'll announce it, but...'"

2022

Gosho Aoyama x Eiichiro Oda OVER 100 Miracle Talk

Date: July 25, 2022 & July 27, 2022
Published in: Weekly Shonen Jump issue 34/2022 & Weekly Shonen Sunday issue 35/2022

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Source:
Part 1 Raw
Part 2 Raw
Part 1 Translation
Part 2 Translation

Raw:

Part 1

Part 2

Translation by @WSJ_Manga and @Wsstalkback:
Part 1
Last year, both ONE PIECE and Detective Conan surpassed 100 volumes. A miraculous dialogue between the two mangaka who have been at the forefront of the manga industry for many years has finally come to fruition!!

‘Jump’ and ‘Sunday’ Back Then…

– In a previous interview, Aoyama-sensei said that “it’d be interesting to have a talk with Oda-kun. As comrades who will reach 100 volumes simultaneously, I would like to talk about various things”. Oda-sensei answered in a comment that he “had never met him, but feels like a comrade in arms. I know how tough getting to 100 volumes is, Aoyama-san! Congrats on 100 volumes of Conan!”. This legendary talk is now finally coming true.

Aoyama: Oda-kun doesn’t really show his face much, so it’s an honor to actually see it haha.

Oda: Aoyama-san does show his face in a lot of places, though. But I’m really happy. I didn’t think I’d ever met you.

Aoyama: Me neither haha. I always thought there wouldn’t ever be a future in which I met you.

Oda: I was pretty impressed earlier because I got a business card from Weekly Shonen Sunday’s Editor-in-Chief. “I got a Sunday business card! This kind of stuff actually happens!”, haha.

– I have been looking for something you have in common, and it seems Oda-sensei was born in 1975 while Aoyama-sensei was born in 1963. You both share the same zodiac sign having been born in the Year of the Rabbit.

Aoyama: That’s right. Do you know about that Year of the Rabbit legend? Tetsuya Chiba-sensei was born in 1939, and Mitsuru Adachi-sensei was born in 1951. Both of them were also born in the Year of the Rabbit, separated by 12 years. I was also born 12 years after Mitsuru Adachi-sensei, and you were born 12 years exactly after me. We got no one after that.

Oda: I wish we could fit Akira Toriyama-sensei somewhere, but he doesn’t belong to the Year of the Rabbit haha. …I do have to recognize I have only known much about Weekly Shonen Jump. Do you have knowledge on other magazines, Aoyama-san?

Aoyama: Not really. At first, I brought my work to Weekly Shonen Magazine, and I was told “it didn’t really fit with them, so take it to a different publication”. That’s when I brought my work to Sunday, and that’s where I have been since then.

Oda: You made your debut in 1986, right? What hits were there back before you debuted?

Aoyama: Well, I was a ‘Magazine Kid’, so it’s not like I read much of Jump, but I still enjoyed works like ‘1·2 no Sanshirou’ by Makoto Kobayashi and ‘Ore wa Teppei’ by Tetsuya Chiba. When it comes to Sunday, it was Mitsuru Adachi’s ‘Touch’.

Oda: I did read ‘Touch’, and also Mitsuru Adachi’s ‘Rough’.

Aoyama: I also remember watching Rumiko Takahashi’s ‘Urusei Yatsura’ TV Anime.

Oda: After debuting, you serialized ‘Magic Kaito’, ‘YAIBA’ and ‘3rd Base 4th’, being ‘Detective Conan’ your fourth work.

Aoyama: Right. Meanwhile, Oda-kun hasn’t drawn any series other than ONE PIECE?

Oda: Indeed. I’m a one-hit wonder.

Aoyama: A one-hit wonder! With a way-too-big one-hit haha.

Oda: What other series were serializing on Sunday when you started ‘Detective Conan’?

Aoyama: Well, it was a truly amazing time back then. Rumiko Takahashi’s ‘Ranma ½’, Kazuhiro Fujita’s ‘Ushio to Tora’, Mitsuru Adachi’s ‘H2’, Nishimori Hiroyuki’s ‘Kyou Kara Ore Wa!!’... The line-up was absolutely terrifying.

Oda: I did read ‘Ranma ½’, it was really fun! Just reading different magazines, no matter how much time you spend on it, what you end up reading or seeing is completely different too. Back when ‘Detective Conan’ started, Jump had Akira Toriyama’s ‘Dragon Ball’ and Takehiko Inoue’s ‘SLAM DUNK’.

Aoyama: I read ‘Dragon Ball’! I love Toriyama-sensei’s art.

Oda: I was a ‘jumper’ at that time, but this is something I wanted to ask you if we could ever meet: how did you view Jump back then? Jump sales were incredibly overwhelming during that time, but a bit of conflict came later when Weekly Shonen Magazine surpassed its circulation numbers.

Aoyama: I have to apologize, but I didn’t care at all about that haha.

Oda: Ah, so you didn’t even bother with it haha.

– I would like to ask about your thoughts and memories back when your series started. When you both published your very first chapter, what was it like?

Oda: I started serializing ‘ONE PIECE’ in 1997, two years after ‘Dragon Ball’ ended in 1995. It was a shock for all of us newcomers who came to the magazine to claim the series’ abandoned throne. At that time, the fight for the place ‘Dragon Ball’ left would begin, and for 2 years everyone would get their series compared and completely crushed, until I finally survived.

Aoyama: Amazing haha.

Oda: It was a time in which both ‘Dragon Ball’ and ‘SLAM DUNK’ ended right after the other, and lots of people thought Jump would be in huge trouble. I remember the cover of the Jump issue in which my series started appeared on the front page of a newspaper, showing the cover of ‘ONE PIECE’ next to the headline ‘Jump is overtaken by Magazine’. And it’s not like I had any responsibility over it at all haha, but I still remember feeling really frustrated.

Aoyama: As for me, when the first chapter of ‘Detective Conan’ was going to be published, I was supposedly going to appear at the center of the cover of the magazine. Thing is, during the World Cup Preliminaries, Masashi Nakayama scored a really great goal and my cover was replaced with him… That’s why Conan’s cover, which was supposed to appear with the first chapter of the series, had the bad luck to appear with the second chapter instead haha.

The Competitive Spirit Created by Jump

– What do you two think of each other and other mangaka who also have successful works?

Oda: After ‘Dragon Ball’ ended, the world of shonen manga was dominated by two works, ‘Detective Conan’ and ‘The Kindaichi Case Files’. Conan was always winning.

Aoyama: Ah… Seriously? Haha.

Oda: That was indeed my perspective. Jump’s supporting hit work back then was ‘Rurouni Kenshin’ by Nobuhiro Watsuki. I was one of Watsuki-sensei’s assistants. I won’t really hesitate saying this, we were proud our seniors led the shonen manga world with battle-focused manga, so we honestly thought “mystery manga shouldn’t be at the top of shonen manga” haha. Watsuki-sensei himself had the stance that “if a series wasn’t always performing like his, it couldn’t be at the top of Jump”. That’s why I always considered ‘Detective Conan’ an enemy to me and thus didn’t read it. I even had thoughts such as “I’ll drag you down, haha…”. Not joking, I used to think of you as an enemy until now haha!

Aoyama: No way, an enemy!? Oh my haha!

Oda: Looking at your reply, it seems it was only me who thought we had some sort of rivalry haha. Please, say something like “that’s how Jump should be”! Have you ever looked at someone as a rival?

Aoyama: Not really. When it comes to Kanari Yozaburo, Seimaru Amagi and Satou Fumiya’s ‘The Kindaichi Case Files’, I used to have this “I won’t lose” feeling, but they’re still series with pretty different genres.

Oda: When I looked at the whole manga industry and glanced at the top, ‘Detective Conan’ was always there. I was pretty aware of it all when I was nothing more than a newbie, but it is true that when you reach the top, you stop seeing it.

Aoyama: But I was overtaken right away, right? Or am I wrong? Haha.

Oda: I was pretty desperate back then, so I’m not entirely sure how it all went. Since I started this series I've been trying to do my best for myself, so I stopped looking at my surroundings.

Aoyama: That’s amazing, but it was really hard for me too. Doing a detective series on my own requires me to always think about my story and art, which leaves me no time to think about any other series.

Oda: Basically, the moment you start a serialization, you stop looking at what’s around you! I have a lot of respect for you, being able to still continue during all this time.

– Have you ever thought of rookie mangaka as your rivals?

Aoyama: Rivals… I wonder. I guess others are others, and I am myself haha.

Oda: You’re pretty peaceful. When did you build that kind of mentality?

Aoyama: I would say from the very beginning.

Oda: For real!? Didn’t it feel like a competition when you were younger?

Aoyama: When I was younger, other detective works started to appear on Sunday since ‘Detective Conan’ was performing well, so I did have that feeling of ‘not wanting to lose’, but that’s about it. It may sound weird, but I don’t think I ever felt like I had any enemy. As I mentioned earlier, ‘The Kindaichi Case Files’ was there, but it was a different work.

Oda: I see your enemy scope are mystery series.

Aoyama: Yep. But still, there weren’t many mangaka drawing detective series back then, so I felt it was something I was doing on my own. That’s how I concluded others are others, and I am myself.

Oda: For me, it has been during these past few years that I have been able to keep a similar state of mind. Until now, I have been aware readers often get disappointed if ‘ONE PIECE’ doesn’t publish a new chapter, and I felt responsible for that. It has all changed lately thanks to new, younger writers that have grown up in Jump and rather support me even when I’m on a break, taking a lot of weight off my shoulders. This is also why I have stopped caring about fighting with other manga series. It truly feels like I have finally the freedom to face my fans at my own pace.

Aoyama: Ooh! It seems you have been pretty busy until now.

Oda: I wonder why, though? Is Jump’s system that bad? Haha. It’s a fierce competition. If what you draw is not good enough, it will obviously get canceled. Is it the same for Sunday?

Aoyama: Yes it is. But on that Sunday from the old days, editors wouldn’t tell mangaka their series’ rankings. After ‘Detective Conan’ reached Chapter 10, I had to ask them to give the rankings to me and started to follow them secretly.

Oda: Perhaps Jump shows the rankings and questionnaires deliberately to their mangaka in order to fuel their inner fighting spirit. That’s something anyone, even I, worries about when starting a series, since you always want to know if you can survive or not.

– ‘YAIBA’, your serialization before ‘Detective Conan’, managed to reach 1st place in the rankings 2 times during its final chapters, right?

Aoyama: Yes! I was so happy to finally reach 1st place I asked the editorial department to put it in my coffin, since I was sure I’d die from overwork haha.

Oda: I see you had some attachment to numbers! Don’t you feel some frustration if you lose those placements, then?

Aoyama: Yeah, but ‘Detective Conan’ has been in 1st place since the series pretty much started… It’s a bit odious to say that, so I’ll stop haha.

Oda: Haha, I understand that feeling too.

– How much pressure have you both felt carrying the flagship of the magazine for so long?

Aoyama: Pressure? Zero haha.

Oda: That’s the same for me!

Aoyama: I mean, I thought it was Shogakukan’s fault for letting me draw this series haha.

Oda: I have always been conscious of my own selfishness, so the more my fighting spirit grew, the more I thought it was my whole fault if the series had to end or fell in popularity.

– That’s really hard to imagine.

Aoyama: Honestly, if I had felt pressure, I wouldn’t have been able to draw.

Oda: Yeah. If you stop to think about it for a second, it’s kinda scary how much stuff I sometimes have to carry. I think only people with our kind of personality can survive through all of this.

Aoyama: I think so too.

– What do you think of each other’s art?

Oda: It’s appealing. It’s super appealing! Even when my only knowledge was about art, I thought it was really unique. Honestly, distinct and unusual art styles are the ones who can survive in this manga world. And it wasn't only that, but when I read the series I felt a mysterious appeal. Kids, adult men and women can all feel that same charm and become fond of the series, which is why I always thought it would become a success.

Aoyama: I was really surprised when I saw there wasn’t a scene of Luffy eating the Gomu Gomu no Mi! If it had been me, I would have drawn a “Dokkun” SFX after he ate it haha. In ‘Detective Conan’, the main character also changes his body after consuming a drug, but even if I try to draw those same sensations, I think ‘ONE PIECE’ expressions feel way fresher. Also, those elder designs from the Gorosei who appear in the Levely Arc are amazing! I honestly don’t know how to draw those.

Oda: I think that was something good from my younger self. I made them appear a long time ago, but when I look back into it now, I don’t think their designs were bad at all. Still, those characters haven’t really shown their actual value yet.

Team ‘Detective Conan’, Team ‘ONE PIECE’

– When it comes to TV Anime adaptations, many voices end up overlapping. Yamaguchi Kappei voices Shinichi Kudo, Kaito Kid and Usopp; Ikeda Shuichi voices Akai and Shanks; Furuya Toru voices Amuro and Sabo; Ootani Ikue voices Mitsuhiko and Chopper…

Aoyama: No wonder they do overlap considering both anime have been going on for a quarter of a century.

Oda: When I watched ‘Detective Conan: The Bride of Halloween’, I was surprised at how many voices I did recognize. Yuriko Yamaguchi, who voices Nico Robin, appears (as Christine Richard). In the Dressrosa Arc, there were a lot of voice actors from ‘Detective Conan’! Megumi Hayashibara, who voices Ai Haibara, played the role of Rebecca.

Aoyama: Furuya Toru, who voices Amuro, also appears as Sabo, a pretty good role! And Ikeda Shuichi voices Shanks in your upcoming FILM RED, right Oda-kun? He also voices Akai Shuichi in ‘Detective Conan’, which is a pretty popular role.

Oda: He didn’t appear in your last movie, did he?

Aoyama: In ‘The Bride of Halloween’... Fufufu, haha.

Oda: But in ‘Detective Conan’ he does appear more frequently, right? In ‘ONE PIECE’ many times the members of the crew have to separate, so there’s a lot of examples of regular characters who take holidays quite often. “Sanji came to dub for the first time after 3 years”, haha.

Aoyama: It took 7 years since Akai left and appeared again, and I even thought of spoiling it after 2 years had passed. Vermouth also took 5 years to appear once again in the TV Anime since her last appearance.

Oda: I didn’t expect for the TV Anime to continue for so long, many of the voice actors are getting old. Some time ago, Mayumi Tanaka, who voices Luffy, asked us with worry what would happen if she died, so Masako Nozawa, who voices Kureha, told her “If you die, I’ll take your role” haha. I hope they all stay as healthy as possible. Aoyama-san, do you usually talk to the voice actors?

Aoyama: Before Coronavirus happened, we had ‘movie launch parties’, so we used to talk a lot. Some time ago, I saw a fireworks display from my living room, so I called all the voice actors and improvised a huge banquet in my house. It was really fun, even though it was still a lot of work haha. You keep doing it, right Oda-kun? That’s amazing.

Oda: We usually just do self-service, and I tell them I’m doing a takoyaki party! Then I cook it all without asking the others haha!

– Oda-sensei, you said in an old interview that you are “glad to be close with all the anime staff”, and all of this really does give the impression you get along with animation and production staff.

Oda: Yeah, it’s always been that way. The TV Anime started a really long time ago. All of them have become my relatives at this point. Even my children have known them since they were small, so it’s almost like a family relationship.

Aoyama: Mine’s not that far of a relationship, but I have stated many times with determination that “this actor should voice this character”. For example, Koichi Yamadera, who voiced Tsutomu Akai, a character that recently appeared in the anime, was chosen by me. I sometimes also change the characters in the manga after listening to the voices of their voice actors, thinking to myself “so this is their voice”.

Oda: I shifted Chopper’s role to a mascot character after hearing his voice in the TV Anime, even when I had a policy of not drawing mascot characters, but Ootani Ikue’s voice was too cute haha.

Aoyama: It’s the same for me! When I heard Ootani’s voice as Mitsuhiko, I thought it was so cute I started to draw his character cuter.

Oda: Aoyama-san, you also overlap voice actor names with their roles, right? Like Takagi-san or Furuya-san.

Aoyama: Wataru Takagi-san had an unnamed role back then, but when his character appeared in the TV Anime he became Detective Takagi because he introduced himself saying “Please call me Takagi”. I made him take responsibility and even appear in the series with his real name haha. Furuya Toru’s case is, in fact, a homage to Gundam’s Amuro Rei, a name I separated to give birth to two names: Furuya Rei and Amuro Toru. I hope ‘Gundam’ fans will be pleased with this. Did you watch ‘Gundam’, Oda-kun?

Oda: I did see ‘Gundam’, and I liked it. But I think the experiences we had with it are pretty different.

Aoyama: I see, then you didn’t watch the ‘First Gundam’ (Mobile Suit Gundam)?

Oda: No, it was indeed the ‘First Gundam’. The boom of the series happened back during your teen times, Aoyama-san, and after that, when I was a little kid, a second boom came. I was under the impression that those rebroadcasts were already a big hit.

– How are you two usually involved with your series’ movies?

Aoyama: I involve myself since the very beginning of the movie. From scenarios to the content, up to getting too involved and frowned upon haha.

Oda: Also, ‘Detective Conan’ releases a movie every year, right? I wonder if the disconnected nature of the stories in the series is what makes it work so well, since in my case every chapter is connected to each other. I have to continuously think about the story in the weekly serialization, so I can’t really think about different stories. I guess our brains work differently.

Aoyama: Usually, one case lasts about 3 to 6 chapters in ‘Detective Conan’, which makes it easier to plan for a movie. But in ‘ONE PIECE’, any case lasts too long haha. That length may be what makes it difficult to make more movies for the series. It seems pretty hard to handle some sort of side-trip to a different island when all the characters are already on their journey to find the One Piece.

Oda: Not only that, but the crewmates onboard keep increasing so with anything that happens there is not only one reaction, which just makes the story keep getting extended. Let’s put it this way, if the number of detectives in ‘Detective Conan’ increased, wouldn’t that give you trouble?

Aoyama: I really don’t want to increase the detective team… Hahaha, I’ll definitely not increase it.

– What was your experience watching each other’s movies?

Oda: ‘The Bride of Halloween’ was really cool!! I was surprised when I heard ‘Detective Conan’ was increasing its female readership since I have always thought it was just a shonen series in which a bunch of little kids resolve cases. I wondered why that was, and completely understood it when I saw the movie. “Ah, so they really like the police characters and all these handsome grown men”.

Aoyama: Out of all of Oda-kun’s movies, the one I like the most is ‘ONE PIECE FILM GOLD’. It was fun since I have always liked sparkling places like Las Vegas haha. I want to go to that Casino Ship, Gran Tesoro!

Oda: Seriously!? Thank you!

Aoyama: If I had to mention something all of our movies have in common, is that in ‘ONE PIECE’ and ‘Detective Conan’ there’s always an ‘expansion’ in the ending.

Oda: That’s the right and classic way of royal-road shonen manga, isn’t it?

Aoyama: Oh no, I’m not referring to the narrative with ‘expansion’. In ‘Detective Conan’ we expand soccer balls, and in ‘ONE PIECE’ Luffy can expand his whole body. The bigger they are, the more exciting it is!

Oda: So that’s what you meant haha. Big is always justice, I guess it’s pretty clear we’re both from Ultraman’s era.

Aoyama: I remember that in ‘FILM GOLD’, there were turtles moving cars at the Turtle Car Race. Are you the one that comes up with these ideas?

Oda: I usually leave all the ideas to the scriptwriter, and I only check the contents of the movie and fix whatever needs to be fixed. Movies belong to directors so that’s something I shouldn’t be doing, but if I don’t do that, I can’t really take responsibility. You draw key frames for your movies, right?

Aoyama: I’ve been fulfilling that role since the very first movie, ‘The Time-Bombed Skyscraper’, and it has been increasing steadily. This year I have drawn around 20 key frames.

Oda: I’m pretty sure fans can easily notice which are drawn by you!

Aoyama: You could draw movie key frames too, Oda-kun.

Oda: If I were to put too much work into the movies, then I wouldn’t be able to continue regularly with the weekly series, so it’s difficult to handle. I do know that in order to maintain the series popularity I have to attract new fans and generate more worldwide buzz with a movie at least once every three years, but it’s honestly really hard! I know if I have to do it I’ll be pretty picky, I’m aware of my own personality even if at first I didn’t really like it haha. In the end, I end up meddled even in advertisement processes, I check the booklets handled at theaters and their production deadlines, and just supervise everything. I also keep an eye on posters’ layouts and design.

Aoyama: You seriously love this hahaha.

Oda: Still, I feel bad for my junior mangaka. I created a culture at Jump in which the movie would be a success if the original author gets involved, so everyone has started to be borrowed to work on them. To my surprise though, these youngsters are really enjoying it.

Aoyama: Not at all, I think it’s really good! Everyone seems to be enjoying it!

– What do you think of your protagonists?

Aoyama: Conan is everyone’s organizer.

Oda: To me, Luffy is the easiest character to draw. I always knew that he would be the character that would stay the longest with me.

– If that’s so, what character do you think you’re the only person that can write them?

Oda: I think that’s still Luffy. Many scriptwriters try to deal with him but I have to fix his sentences all the time, otherwise people wouldn’t accept him as the Luffy they know. Does ‘Detective Conan’ have a character like that? A character that always needs to have their lines fixed?

Aoyama: In my series it would be Gin! Everyone always tries to make him say “I’ll kill everyone” and I have to tell them “No, he wouldn’t ever say that” hahaha.

Oda: I understand that, the character we always must fix in any movie is the same character only we can write. It’s a pretty weird relationship, isn’t it? From a reader’s perspective you can notice small details if the character acts differently, but as scriptwriters it feels like a completely different character.

Aoyama: I always have to 100% fix Gin. Lately, scriptwriters just hand me the script so I directly fix him hahaha. Sometimes it’s written as some sort of love-comedy scene, like “Aoyama-sensei, save me”, and I’m like “Eeeh? Seriously?” hahaha.

Oda: Then you immediately fix it, the work becomes a success and they keep relying on you.

Aoyama: Exactly haha. But it does make me happy they rely on me!

‘Detective Conan’ and ‘ONE PIECE’ Decisive Points

– If you look back at the more than 100 volumes you both have published, which would you say was your most decisive point in the series?

Aoyama: That’s hard to say, but if I had to choose some point, it would be the chapter I wrote back when I was discharged from the hospital after taking a break due to a sudden illness. That chapter started with Akai and Amuro pointing their pistols at each other (Volume 95, Chapter 1009).

Oda: That sounds so cool! When was that chapter released?

Aoyama: Four years ago. I took a long break, so for my comeback I had to draw something popular, which pushed me to make that cool scene. Although until then I hadn’t really been writing anything in the series aiming at that moment.

Oda: I feel the exact same as you, but my decisive point would be something more recent. Luffy got a new power-up called ‘Gear 5th’, which is something I have wanted to draw for a long time.

– It’s surprising you both chose such relatively recent chapters. In ‘ONE PIECE’ Chapter 1044, the real name of the Gomu Gomu no Mi is revealed, and Gear 5th appears letting Luffy fight changing his whole body.

Oda: I drew this because I really want to have fun, and I think that it’s okay if people don't like it. I just want to play around with my battles. Since I was an assistant, I have felt that silly expressions that were so characteristic in manga have been gradually lost. Putting a light bulb in a character’s head when they come up with some idea, or making the character’s legs go in circles when they’re running, for example.

Aoyama: Right, also those eyes popping out.

Oda: I have always loved those symbolic expressions, but they keep disappearing. Nobody draws them anymore even though they’re our predecessors' creations who also left many formulae we still use. Battle manga has to keep getting more and more serious to keep up with readers’ expectations and I honestly hate that. I definitely don’t want my work to become a serious manga like that. I want and have decided to have fun, and I feel like I’m finally able to do that. When I was drawing this, I actually had fun.

Aoyama: (Looks at Gear 5th pictures) Woah, amazing! I really like the design, it’s excellent. I’m also impressed that you are able to draw these kinds of faces.

Oda: Thank you. When thinking about its concept, you can think of it as if it suddenly became ‘Tom & Jerry’.

Aoyama: Yep yep. I liked ‘Tom & Jerry’. I just can’t forgive Jerry, hahaha.

Oda: Jerry? Oh no, I supported Jerry!

Aoyama: Really? Tom always tried really hard, but Jerry was too sneaky. I hate Jerry a lot. Although if I had to compare one of them to Conan, he would probably be Jerry haha.

Oda: When I tried to draw it for the first time, it was pretty difficult. The world of ‘Tom & Jerry’ works because of both characters, so I struggled a lot looking at the difference in attitude between Luffy, who was making pranks in the middle of the battle, and his serious opponent. But in the end, I feel like I actually pulled it off. The older you get, the harder and more tiring it is to draw battles, isn’t it?

Aoyama: Well, there aren’t many action or battle scenes in ‘Detective Conan’, so when I have to draw them I do it in high spirits. Still, it usually ends pretty fast considering it’s just shooting soccer balls. A long time ago though, I did get tired of it while drawing ‘YAIBA’. When the Japanese Archipelago became a dragon, it was hard for me and my assistants to pull off those drawings. Even with that, drawing action is a fun experience.

Part 2
Changes During Serialization

– ‘Detective Conan’ has been in serialization since 1994, and ‘ONE PIECE’ since 1997. Since those days to today, what has changed?

Aoyama: Back when I was serializing ‘YAIBA’, I was addressed as “Aoyama-san”. But the moment I started serializing ‘Detective Conan’, everybody addressed me as “Aoyama-sensei” haha. My editor kept addressing me with the “-san”, but for people from TV stations or magazines I started being “Aoyama-sensei”.

Oda: I’m always addressed as “Oda-san”. When I have to deal with younger editors, they all usually use honorifics and so do I, since it’s a hierarchical relationship between us and I cannot complain in such situations. Still, I don’t like it because I’m not a “-sensei”, I’m “Oda-san”.

– What has changed the most from then until now when it comes to the serialization itself?

Oda: My weight has indeed changed. When it comes to mangaka, there are those who lose weight and those who gain it. From the moment I started the series, I started to get fat. It was common for me not to eat for 2-3 days, and I didn’t even have time to eat because I felt sleepy while at it. That’s why I usually don’t eat as much as other people, because otherwise I can eat a lot. Your body starts to feel weak and threatened, so it absorbs anything you ingest. Still, I don’t eat, I gain weight and I just lose at everything. …I really don’t enjoy talking about this hahaha.

Aoyama: Haha, I used to be quite fat. Due to it I got pretty sick and the doctor told me I had to lose weight, which I did, but I think I’m slowly gaining it again.

Oda: Now talking seriously, it’s like you unconsciously and unwillingly gain some sort of mysterious power. Anything you say can become some kind of big deal. “Is people really doing this because I said it?”, and stuff like that.

Aoyama: Yeah… I was honestly thinking the same, haha. I can’t really say many bad things.

Oda: I have started to feel the responsibility of being careful with whatever I say because my name has grown a lot. Even if I myself haven’t changed, it feels like my surroundings and people around me constantly are. Many times my editors are already fans of the series and tell me “I have been reading your work for a really long time”, which makes it hard for me to be harsher, and I become way kinder.

Aoyama: We also have many assistants or animation staff who are long-time fans of our work.

Oda: But in the end it’s all people who do a really good job, because they really love the series.

– If you were allowed to leave your current position and draw anything you wanted, what would it be?

Aoyama: I want to draw a ‘Journey to the West’. As a battle story. I have always loved Goku. He’s the strongest character ever, isn’t he?

Oda: It’d be great if I were to answer “a mystery series” here, haha. But I could never pull off such a series, I don’t have a brain for that.

Aoyama: Hahaha.

Oda: I have already drawn everything I wanted to draw. I did want to draw robots in the future, but I decided and have already done that in the series. Everything I have ever wanted to draw is already packed into ‘ONE PIECE’, so if I was asked to draw one more time, I would draw ‘ONE PIECE’ again.

Aoyama: Aah, that’s really great. If I was asked to draw another ‘Detective Conan’... I don’t know… Hahaha, I do have lots of things I would like to draw in the series too, so I might do that.

“Love Comedy”, “Friendship” and Character’s Charm!

– What do you two think is your manga’s power?

Oda: I think the most important feature of manga is for it to be “a tool to make friends”. I know it’s a pretty common topic, but in fact I did make many friends when I was a child through it.

Aoyama: I hope ‘Detective Conan’ helps people with their love relationships haha, that way readers can fall in love like the characters from the series. But well, those mostly end up as “murder love comedies” hahaha.

Oda: It’s all a dream world, so I always strive to draw beautiful scenes.

– Speaking of love comedies, Aoyama-sensei previously said that “romcoms”, “adventure” and “friendship” are the “3 elements of shonen manga hits”, and it is clear Aoyama-sensei is good at “love comedy and adventure”, and Oda-sensei is good at “adventure and friendship”.

Aoyama: Love comedies… You haven’t drawn anything like that, right Oda-kun?

Oda: I haven’t. There’s a tradition in Jump that states love comedies are love comedies, battles are battles. They’re two separated genres and totally different works.

Aoyama: Oh well, I guess love comedy developments while battling are not for Jump.

Oda: I haven’t read many of those either, but ‘Detective Conan’ integrates those elements properly! I think you make a really good use of those settings.

Aoyama: Well, I do enjoy love comedies, but I guess you’re not really interested in them, Oda-kun.

Oda: I’m not confident I could draw those, it’s a bit embarrassing haha.

Aoyama: On the other hand, friendship is a tough theme for me. It’s not impossible for me to draw, but I don’t really come up with stuff I think “Oh, this is cool”. I think the only characters I can picture that topic on are the police academy members.

Oda: ‘Detective Conan’ actually has a lot of romantic relationships, right? It’s full of bidirectional feelings. But I also know that if I draw romance, some of my fans leave. I think it’s fine when they’re one-sided feelings, but if it goes both ways, both characters lose fans.

Aoyama: I won’t leave haha.

Oda: Ah, seriously!?

Aoyama: On the contrary, I think it’s exciting. Most of my characters have couples. It’s quite rare to find one without a partner.

Oda: People seem so supportive of couples! That’s something I didn’t really read when I was a kid. During the old days of Jump, there were mangaka that wouldn't even draw women. That’s why I’m one of those that sent submissions with female characters. I did want to draw strong women, and I think characters like Nami were quite rare back in those days.

– Nami’s popularity was reflected all over the world in the Popularity Poll commemorating ‘ONE PIECE’ reaching Chapter 1000.

Oda: Yeah, we did a worldwide popularity poll. When it comes to the two main female characters, Nami proved to be overwhelmingly popular in Japan, while adult women like Nico Robin seem to be more popular in the rest of the world. Feelings and tastes are entirely different from one country to another.

Aoyama: I know ‘Detective Conan’ is pretty popular in China, but I don’t think that makes much of a difference. Still, Ai Haibara is pretty popular, especially overseas.

– Ai Haibara got 1st Place in the “Major Female Character Popularity Vote” that ‘Detective Conan’ held to commemorate the screening of ‘The Bride of Halloween’, getting an illustration drawn by Aoyama-sensei. Still, it’s amazing to look at the number of characters that appear in both works’ popularity polls.

Aoyama: And the number keeps increasing. Even in ‘Detective Conan’ there are characters such as Chihaya Hagiwara, who have only recently appeared.

Oda: Aoyama-san, how do you execute your characters’ appearances?

Aoyama: By pure intuition. If I think I need some sort of new character, or that it’s missing in the series, I just draw it. How do you decide the name of your characters, Oda-kun?

Oda: I take them from various places.

Aoyama: There was a pretty funny one. Sanji, Niji, Ichiji. “For real?”.

Oda: I had been thinking of drawing Sanji’s childhood for some time already, and also had thought of setting up him having one brother, but my daughter was really into ‘Osomatsu-san’ back when I was serializing that part of the story. I want my daughter to like my work, so I tried to compete with the sextuplets by making quadruplets hahaha.

How are Readers’ Impressions Dealt With?

– I’m sure you both receive lots of fan letters from readers every week, but what kind of feedback are you most pleased to receive?

Oda: I appreciate any kind of feedback, but I’m especially happy with people who write what they liked about that week’s chapter specifically. “So that’s what you paid attention to”.

Aoyama: When I read those comments, I go back to the manga and read those parts. I start to grin and read it over and over while thinking “Oh yeah, that was good”.

Oda: Ah! Have you thought of sending your own fan letters, or have you ever sent one already?

Aoyama: Not at all. I think it actually takes a lot of work, but it sounds amazing.

Oda: Thank you for that.

– Every time ‘ONE PIECE’ and ‘Detective Conan’ publish a new chapter, fans are really excited to talk about them. Do you two read your readers’ discussions?

Oda: I wanted to talk about this with Aoyama-san, too. It seems that there are a lot of discussion groups recently, right?

Aoyama: Ah yes, on the Internet. Like with Youtubers.

Oda: Many people in my series’ discussion groups try to predict future developments of the series. Some of them get stuff right haha, which is why I try not to read many of them hahaha. Do they get stuff right too in a detective series like ‘Detective Conan’?

Aoyama: They do guess stuff. They’re sometimes pretty quick figuring out things. In the end, it’s just 1 person against millions of people. If they united their knowledge, cases could be solved in less than a day.

Oda: Against millions of people! That’s truly impossible hahaha!

Aoyama: Detective lovers like to guess and think a lot. Many readers guessed Renya Karasuma was the boss of the Black Organization.

Oda: What do you do in a situation like that? Is it troublesome?

Aoyama: No, rather I just say “People guessed it, so I’ll reveal it”, and I just reveal it haha. There are still more secrets beyond that, actually. Do you read your readers’ predictions and overturn them, Oda-kun?

Oda: Well… There are some things I can change and things I cannot. When reveals are too big, my readers can guess them since I have foreshadowed them all. Due to this I try to come up with the most interesting developments and always go beyond readers’ imaginations. When I started the serialization, my only way to connect with fans was through fan letters. I never thought the world would become the way it is now, with everyone talking about everything on the Internet. If I had known times like this would come, I would have never given hints in the series haha!

Aoyama: I see.

Oda: However, I’m sometimes asked if many outside-the-box theories are true or not, and I kind of feel bad for those who come up with them when I inadvertently give some answer. I probably have destroyed lots of ideas everyone was thinking about without knowing what would happen in the future with just a single word. I feel bad about it, so I recently came up with the best answer: “Yes, that’s right”. I think it’s an answer that can be taken either way haha.

Aoyama: That’s indeed one way to settle it hahaha.

– Foreshadowing moments that are recovered after many years is a common trait of both of your works.

Oda: When I read ‘Detective Conan’, I was surprised at how tight and solid all the settings were. My approach is a little bit different, since there’s some obvious foreshadowing, but at the same time I have created a lot of voids in the series. This method of leaving various blanks lets me think like, “this point could be connected to this other one this way or that way”. Aside from the exaggerated foreshadowing that happens every few decades, you can also take your time to pick up plot points that have been left pending. If you create reasonings and threads for everything like in ‘Detective Conan’, it will be harder to execute later on!

Aoyama: Back when I was working on ‘YAIBA’, I used to draw in the same way you describe. People would be really surprised when later on the series I connected parts I left open in the story.

Oda: Yeah, but you work differently now, Aoyama-san.

Aoyama: Now I work with everything firmly in place. ‘Detective Conan’ is a big mystery as a whole.

– Aoyama-san, when did you start telling your editors about the identity of the Black Organization boss?

Aoyama: Well, I’m currently with my 13th editor, but I have been telling them about that since I had my 8th editor.

What’s the Secret to Reaching 100 Volumes?

– When drawing your series, how are you able to change your mood if you get stuck? Oda-sensei answered previously like this: “I don’t change my mind. I want to keep drawing, so I put myself under a lot of pressure by calling my staff and telling them to wait for me”.

Oda: Isn’t that an interview from a long time ago? Nowadays I need to take way more breaks and I have become quite health-conscious. How do you clear up your mind, Aoyama-san?

Aoyama: I play video games and watch movies. But playing is playing, and work is work. I can’t do anything if I don’t separate those two. I have never been able to do two things at the same time.

Oda: What games do you play?

Aoyama: ‘Kantai Collection’ and ‘Animal Crossing’. Easy and simple games.

Oda: Don’t you do any physical exercise?

Aoyama: Nowadays I don’t, but I used to play baseball.

Oda: Before Coronavirus, I used to gather some friends to play soccer together, but with time I have realized it’s a little too tough of a sport for my body. I also used to be in the soccer club, but I’m so out of shape now I have completely abandoned that career hahaha.

Aoyama: I was in the kendo club, but I don’t move my body as much now. I only go out to buy lunch.

Oda: We’re a bit unhealthy, aren’t we? I also go out to walk and play ‘Pokémon GO’.

Aoyama: Maybe I should start walking too haha.

– With serializations this long, how do you figure out when to take breaks?

Aoyama: Right now, Conan runs in three-chapter bursts and then takes a break while a spin-off takes its place for a fairly comfortable pace, so I can take about a month to draw the storyboards for a single case.

Oda: That only works because of the kind of series ‘Detective Conan’ is, right? Haha, people are more accepting in regard to Conan going on break because the case ends beforehand. ‘ONE PIECE’ on the other hand is a constantly progressing story so I can't have long breaks in the same vein as Conan. Nowadays I’m starting to get more breaks from Jump, so I can relax a bit more. Though ultimately one still has to work even when the series is on break, huh?

Aoyama: Right? I don’t rest at all. If I'm not drawing the manga, then I'm doing work for the movies.

Oda: There's no rest for the weary, is there? Hahaha.

– Do the two of you have any secrets regarding continuing a serialization for more than 100 volumes without taking that many breaks?

Aoyama: Nope. People ask me about it often, but I honestly don't have any secrets to reveal. How about you, Oda-kun?

Oda: Ditto! To begin with, it's not like it was my intention to surpass 100 volumes.

Aoyama: When ‘Detective Conan’ first started I thought it wouldn’t last longer than a volume, but around the second chapter or so, I thought: “It's actually getting popular?”. I was surprised at how it was constantly number one in the rankings. At that point I knew it'd be trouble if I didn't expand on the story more.

Oda: I've always wanted to end the series. That being said, I also think about how there's so much I still want to or need to draw.

Aoyama: I totally get that! There's still so much story left to tell!

Oda: You're really having a blast, Aoyama-san. I think that's amazing. I've also been told by senior Jump mangaka: “It's incredible you're having so much fun.”

Aoyama: Really? Why's that?

Oda: Because everyone is struggling to continue drawing.

Aoyama: What? Seriously? That can't be right.

– So if there is a secret to your success, would it be enjoying what you do?

Aoyama: Yeah, I think so. The more you enjoy drawing, the faster you want to get to putting out great storyboards.

Oda: You really love mysteries! Do you ever get tired of drawing different cases?

Aoyama: I do love them. I've loved Sherlock Holmes since I was a child, y'know? Coincidentally, in elementary school I wrote in the graduation album that I wanted to be a mangaka specializing in private detectives.

Oda: What I love is the times where I freely draw the settings for different islands. Ever since the story entered the Grand Line, I've been free to do whatever I want. Fierce seas in which kingdoms can’t see or interact with each other, or islands with totally different cultures and climates… When the story reaches a new island I illustrate all of that. So if I were asked what I'd want to draw more of, I'd like to be able to draw islands like that unfettered, but I have to take my lifespan into account hahaha.

Aoyama: Ahh, yeah, there's some similarities to that in ‘Detective Conan’. Like for example, if I want to draw soccer, then I can center a murder case around a soccer player. Though that has to be in the confines of 3 chapters or so. If I had a secret as to how I've been able to continue this long, that might be it. ‘Detective Conan’ allows me to draw whatever I want. For things I like such as baseball, all it takes is finding a good opportunity to center a story around them.

– When the two of you are drawing, which do you think gives you the most trouble? The artwork or the plot?

Aoyama: Both, probably. Both can be a pain, but they can be fun too, right?

Oda: Ohh? For me it's the plot that's troublesome. I never get tired of drawing! After the planning of the storyboards is done then it's all about drawing, so I often find myself wanting to get done with storyboards sooner. I love drawing so I wish I had more time to draw what I want, but even when I don't have a lot of time I manage to make do somehow. It's the storyboards that I'm slow with.

Aoyama: I think I was the same way back when I was your age. If not, there's no way I would have been able to keep a schedule with only three hours of sleep. I was a real mess back then and barely made it all in time, compared to now where I can be calm and collected.

Oda: Though when not asleep one can keep creating and be successful, right? Meanwhile, it's when one is at rest that they become most anxious.

Aoyama: When I was sick and admitted into the hospital I couldn't help but worry. "Is it really okay for me to stop there?” and such.

Oda: Yeah, I get you. It gets you totally anxious! I was sick once for a bit, and despite being in the hospital I took my color tools with me and did a color spread from the hospital.

Aoyama: It's hard to calm down. Even in my case I asked to draw a special illustration as a gift to Sunday Super readers, and the fans got angry at the publisher. “Aoyama-sensei is in the hospital and you're still making him work?”, hahaha. Even though it was me who asked to do it.

Oda: Being in the hospital you'd think that I'd rest and relax. Instead I got excited and really wanted to draw, and insisted that just one color page wouldn't hurt me. Being in a serialization is like being chased in a race. Fundamentally there's no such thing as downtime, because deadlines are always around the corner.

– Generally speaking, what are editor meetings like for you two?

Aoyama: They're usually around 2 in the afternoon. The editor comes to my house and for a while we discuss stuff like TV and magazines for a while. Discussions about the manuscripts begin in the evening.

Oda: Your meetings seem to be long!

Aoyama: They sure do! The editor in charge usually comes up with ideas for the culprit's methods, but there are times occasionally where we can't come up with anything. We'll come back around to it the next day in those cases where we end at midnight. A long time ago we'd stay up until dawn coming up with ideas but not so much now that we're older. How do your editorial meetings go?

Oda: All of mine are via phone.

Aoyama: Wow, voice only?

Oda: A long time ago we'd meet in person, but before long it just became easier to take notes and speak on the phone. After all, one can tell someone's expressions through their voice, and when listening to the tone you can tell their reactions as to whether they like something or not. Though getting back to me, ours is a continuing project, so we get through the meetings one week at a time with the mentality that we have to clear that week to get to the next one.

How Long until the Final Chapter?

– Both of your series have reached their critical junctures together. The identity of the Black Organization's 2nd in Command ‘Rum’ has been revealed, and ‘ONE PIECE! has reached its final arc!

Oda: Truly at the start I thought ‘ONE PIECE’ would end in five years, and in about a year and a half Luffy's crew of ten would have gathered together. I thought of it like a video game but I was far too naive! It's not that I wanted things to keep getting longer, that's just what ended up happening!!

Aoyama: Same, haha.

Oda: Have you thought to yourself “Okay, it’s time for ‘Detective Conan’ to end”?

Aoyama: This is between us, but I've already drawn the storyboard of the final chapter.

Oda: What!?

Aoyama: Maybe I shouldn't have said that? I don't want someone to come and steal it, haha. So as I mentioned earlier, I was in the hospital for a bit once. I got to thinking that people can up and die without warning, so I figured why not draw it? This was about five years ago. So I figured drawing the storyboard wouldn't be a big deal, though for now it's a stand in.

Oda: I guess it was just on a whim. But if you actually drew it, at least you were able to do it at your leisure?

Aoyama: You could say that, yeah. It wasn't such a big deal because I've already decided on the major details, but there are arcs and stories I'd have to get to beforehand…

Oda: How long will it take until the final chapter?

Aoyama: That's a secret, haha. I might decide to redraw the finale in the future… Hahaha.

Oda: I've always pictured what the final chapter of ‘ONE PIECE’ would be like, though from time to time, the situation surrounding it changes. It will still be over whenever the One Piece is found in the series, haha. Anyway, this next arc is the final one.

Aoyama: Seriously? Is it really going to end?

Oda: Yup, to me this is really the final arc.

– I'm just going to act this flat out. How many years are left until the final chapter?

Oda: I'm not sure how many years it will take... I have answered this question so many times already I have lost credibility, so I don't think I should answer, hahaha.

Aoyama: Haha yeah I think that too.

Oda: I shouldn’t really say this out loud, because so far I’ve been pretty off, but I'd personally like to go for three more years.

Aoyama: But you don't know for sure. It all depends on how the characters act.

Oda: We're all merely navigators in these stories.

– Oda-san, does your editor know how the story will go up until the end?

Oda: I'm on my 11th editor now, but I make it a point to tell every successive editor the entire story from beginning to end. Though it's become a bit of a pain lately, so I've been breaking it up into parts haha. Although some of the particulars change from time to time, the goal remains the same. There have been some outrageous plot twists during the serialization, but the flow of the story has been so rock solid that past editors are surprised. They ask me: “Are you sure you can just do that?”, but then they don't remember anyway, hahaha.

Aoyama: Hahaha, have you drawn the finale yet, Oda-kun?

Oda: I've got notes of all thoughts I've made before they reach a new island, as well as a notebook of the most profound mysteries of ‘ONE PIECE’ that I've created.

Aoyama: Maybe I should steal it, haha. Though I've also got my notes on the Akai Family and their resolution, which is about three pages or so? When I get a new editor I let them have a look, but it's so complex they don't remember, so by the time the story reaches the serialization proper they're surprised by the events, despite me not deviating from the notes I showed them. Though well, the finale is already there. When I give that over it'll be in one go.

– Do you have any plans for after the final chapters are done?

Oda: I'd like to go on a trip and stay at a new place every night.

Aoyama: I'd like to move.... Or that’s what I would say, but I also don't want to either. It's probably not much better than Oda-kun’s, but I've got a lot of stuff which makes moving a pain.

Oda: You wouldn't go on a trip?

Aoyama: I did once upon a time. I went to London to have a look at the British Museum because ‘Detective Conan’ original manuscripts were exhibited there. I also went to the Vauxhall Bridge to get materials for Mary and Vermouth's showdown there. Though after that, Coronavirus happened.

Oda: I want to go overseas and travel to hot springs around the entire world until I die!

Aoyama: A long time ago, I wanted to go to Brazil to see the World Cup. Though when I was leaving Japan, the passport inspection dude stared at my passport for an uncomfortably long amount of time. I asked him if anything was the matter, and he said “I was worried because I want to keep reading the continuation of ‘Detective Conan’. Please have a safe trip and return.” Like, seriously? Hahaha.

Oda: He realized who you really are. It is a fairly unusual name… It'd probably be embarrassing to say it out loud in the hospital.

Aoyama: Like someone saying we share the same name, haha. But lately I've been secretly referred to as just “Aoyama-san”.

Oda: My name has become a big deal as of late too, so when at the hospital out of consideration for me, they've been careful in calling me out. Though I was already getting shout-outs when I was only partially famous.

– Are there any highlights fans should be on the lookout for going forward?

Aoyama: I have to draw a case where Rum once had both of his eyes, as well as how that connects to Akai Shuichi's father Tsutomu. Maybe that'll be interesting for readers, haha.

Oda: For me… This is tough to answer. There will be lots to see for sure, but I want readers to be surprised, so I don’t know if I should say it here…

Aoyama: True.

Oda: Well, for now, the “past” will be a big deal. Something once happened in the world during the Void Century, which will come to light soon and should prove both fun and interesting. What I find the most fun is when the readers are enjoying themselves. It's truly a ton of fun!

– Give us your closing thoughts, please!

Aoyama: I don't want ‘ONE PIECE’ to end before ‘Detective Conan’!!

Oda: Ah! That's what I was going to say too, hahaha.

Aoyama: Haha, good luck continuing ‘ONE PIECE’...

Oda: Well, when the time to end comes, let’s make it exciting!

Aoyama: That’d be amazing, haha.

– Thanks for coming today.

See Also

• https://www.detectiveconanworld.com/forum/topic/1555-translating-interviews/
• https://conan-4869.net/post-5361
• https://www.detectiveconanworld.com/wiki/User:Jimmy-kud0-tv2/Interviews_Archive_May_11_2018