Takashi Miike
“The idea of filming a live action version of
Yatterman emerges from unfiltered eyes of our childhood”
Making 4-5 movies per year, Takashi Miike is the most prolific filmmaker of our age. He attracts international audiences with his edgy style and unique view. At the world premiere of his latest film, Yatterman, he talked about his thought toward the adaptation of a famous 1970’s TV anime.
What is the appeal of your film Yatterman?
The original anime was born 30 years ago and is still going strong, so I think it is the best-known and most enjoyed work by Japanese from kindergarteners to senior citizens. It is certainly not something that is recommended by teachers or mothers, but it’s what their kids want to see, and they know that because they enjoyed that type of program when they were kids. I think the original Yatterman is a rare type of anime, holding unique “raison d’etre,” so I believe that when Americans go to see my film, live action version of Yatterman, they too will surely be able to understand and enjoy it.
Japan has many anime programs, but what was your reason for choosing to do a live-action version of the Yatterman movie?
About two or three years ago, I was asked to be the director of the TV series Ultraman. When I had the offer, I was so excited and I thought “Really? Isn’t it a dream?” Ultraman was born when I was in first grade. It is what the adults in those days created for our generation. I do not know whether their intention was to provide us with dreams, to surprise us or just for business though. Today’s creations exist as “profitable merchandises” that are called “content,” but when we were young, I feel like what was being made in Japan was different. What came first was the creators’ dream, passion for creating something or messages that they wanted to share with the audience. Then, as a result of being received, a business was formed. However, currently the order is the opposite. So, as a first grader I adored Ultraman and thought it was so cool. After becoming a director at age 30 and about 10 years later when I was asked to shoot an episode of Ultraman, I thought, “Wait a minute. Does this mean I can give “NG” sign to Ultraman? Can I command Ultraman on the set, ‘Go over there, look right, look left, that’s not right, no, no!’? That’s so cool!” He is the real Ultraman I idolized as a child!” At that time I had an indescribable feeling, which might be translated as happiness or satisfaction. For me, to be popular and to win prizes at big film festivals are not important at all. I rather feel happy when I’m commanding Ultraman, “Face right, face left” in a small shooting studio.
As time has passed, filmmakers of my generation, who have made original videos, built careers at various companies and survived in this industry, have eventually become the leaders of the industry and the helms of many projects. The producer of Yatterman, who is two years younger than me, is the person who gave me the opportunity to direct V-Cinema (films for the rental market). Thanks to him we could have our way and do whatever we wanted. Now he’s the President of Nikkatsu and he asked me, “Since I’m now head, I’m going to place the fate of the company on our first venture. As the new Nikkatsu, what do you think we should make?” I answered, “Hmm, how about Yatterman?” He may have been taken aback at first, but he soon agreed by saying, “Oh, of course, Yatterman!.” As expected, everyone watches it when they’re young.
I’m sure many movies were born from someone reading a novel, being moved by it and saying, “I want to make this into a movie,” but that is limited to when you become a producer or director and are searching for movie material. There is always a filter in the case. The project of filming a live action version of Yatterman is the idea that emerges from unfiltered eyes of our childhood. It’s the same feeling as buying a toy you weren’t able to afford as a child.
Was it hard to find a balance between keeping Yatterman’s originality and adding your own individuality?
I don’t notice my individuality that people always tell me about, and I don’t really understand it. By saying to someone “My movies are like this so do it this way,” that is not individuality, but instead just a technique or stubbornness. If there is something like individuality in my work, it is because while I am filming, I am completely absorbed and forget myself. I think that kind of losing consciousness of yourself is when your individuality first comes out. As long as you plan how to act as a movie director or what your policy toward movies is or how to put your signature in your movie before you become absorbed, you can never create the true individuality. The individuality you strive to inscribe in your movie will overpower you in the end. While you obsess about something, everything totally disappears.
At the event earlier you said, “I suppressed the desire for bloodshed.”
In the original Yatterman, there was no blood, anyway. The reason why Yatterman was able to last so long was that it was in the ultimate rut, I think, though I wasn’t aware of this as a child. It was the matter-of-fact rehashing of the everyday. And each episode ends with the mushroom cloud. Ending each time with the atomic bomb was really provocative. Everything was destroyed once, but the next week it would go back to normal. So I think the message was “Stick with it.”
The characters that appeared in Yatterman didn’t grow at all for two years while being broadcast. Usually in a drama, what is depicted is a story or event where people grow and change, but Yatterman didn’t change. That is to say, people’s essences don’t change. You can’t grow, after all. You can develop your career or pretend you have grown, but you know who you really are and can never change who you are. So, that it would never change, gives us some relief. If there were some kind of incident where Gan-chan (protagonist of Yatterman) was able to become smarter, that would be a problem for us. It is great for us that we can always laugh at, “Oh boy. Did he forget what happened last week?” It’s more relieving for people like us who live this way. It is better to look up and say, “Hey, I’m hopeless! Look at this hopelessness!” instead of thinking “I’m hopeless” and shut yourself down. This is the appeal of Yatterman. This is why kids were crazy about it.
How would do you describe the joy of filmmaking with low and big budget respectively?
There actually is no difference. Having money is being poor, to be honest. There is no film company that is going to invest 1 billion yen in a movie that can be made for 100 million yen. For example, if you set out to make a 1 billion yen movie, what is demanded is a script worth the project whose estimated production cost is 2 billion. In this theory, a 40 million yen project requires script worth 80-million yen. It is the same doubling, but with 40 million yen, not 1 billion yen. If some staff and cast members won’t get much sleep or will put their blood into it, the gap of the budget can be covered. But when it comes to 1 billion yen, though it’s the same doubling number, the same staff members cannot fill the gap anymore. It would be extremely hard work. So, in this sense, the films with money are poor. Plus, freedom is somewhat limited. This doesn’t have much to do with us, though.
What do you mean by that?
I’ve been working my own way all along, so if they won’t allow my way, they’ll have to find another director. Even if they chose me as a director and asked me to be like another director, they should just team up with the director. I’ve been involved with low-budget film and working in this way throughout my career, so that’s the way it is.
——- Interview by Noriko Komura
Takashi Miike Before he shocked the world with his Audition and Dead or Alive in 2000, he served as an assistant director to legendary filmmaker Shohei Imamura and later worked primarily in the direct-to-video V-Cinema industry. Although his graphic depiction of violence boosted his international fame, his works are never grouped in one genre or theme. He attracts universal fans as well as fanatic pursuers, including Quentin Tarantino who appeared in Miike’s Sukiyaki Western Django (2007). Other notable works among many are: Ichi the Killer (2001), Happiness of the Katakuris (2001), One Missed Call (2003), and Three… Extremes (2004).
Yatterman (2009)
This live action film is based on the famous 1970’s TV anime series Yattarman, which was originally created by Tatsunoko Production. Gan, the only son of the owner of a toyshop in Tokyo, and his girlfriend Ai form a fighting team to protect world peace with the help of Yatterwoof, a dog-shaped robot, and Toybotty, a small robot. Meanwhile, three members of the Doronbow Gang are hoaxed by Skullobey to find the Skull Stone, which is said to realize any wish. When Gan and Ai learn of the Doronbow Gang’s sinister plot, they stand up against the villains and use their various mechas to foil their plans. J-pop super star/actor Sho Sakurai plays the title role.
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