Because I finally felt like typing it up....

[Anime Otaku Chik]

To start this off, I'd like to say that I was indeed very lucky to be able to attend this lecture. I didn't know that I was supposed to buy tickets ahead of time, and we were the second people to get leftovers, basically. Here is a summary of the things I learned at the museum when I got to hear Shinichiro Watanabe speak. (He was not the only person to say anything, and there's some interesting stuff in here.)

To start it off, a man whose name I didn't catch spoke a little. He said that the export of Japanese Anime is equal to their Steel exports. (That's a lot.)

Watanabe was born in Kyoto in 1965. In elementary school, his favorite band was Kiss, and he liked to sing in fake English and dress up (and go to school that way, makeup and everything.) He became interested in movies in Jr. High, and was most influenced by the movie Dirty Hairy. He said he was "raised by Kiss and Dirty Hairy." Isn't that a wonderful combination?
When he decided to become a director, he heard a rumor from a friend (Shoji Kawamuri, director of the first Macross movie) about the long training period for live actions, but that it was easy for anime. He decided that if it was easier, he'd direct anime. He joined Sunrise and tols us that isn't not wonderful at all. It was chaotic when he joined; there was no entrance test or anything, but they soon found out he didn't have a driver license and told him he couldn't start until he got one. He found that it was a busy job and the pay was terrible (and reflected that in his characters--they were always hungry and wanting money). His first work was with Shoji Kawamuri for Macross Plus. Shoji was a nut for planes and jet fighters, so Watanabe found it difficult to work with him. They went to Edward's Airforce Base for research, and Watanabe was..pretty scared up there. I didn't exactly take notes on that story..should have because I laughed.. I think he's afraid of heights?
He finally got to work solo with Cowboy Bebop. He wanted to go to Texas for research but because of Sunrise's "stingy budget" he drew from a picture book, thinking that's what Texas looked like. He said that Bruce Lee's Enter the Dragon and Dirty Hairy influenced Bebop.
He wouldn't talk about the Animatrix, saying it's because it's all criticism and that it's Hollywood; although he didn't have free reign, they were good peices.
He said that for us Americans, he wants us to watch Samurai Champloo again so that we will get the deeper meaning--there's things which people of the Japanese culture would get immediatly, but might take us a few time of watching it. To him, the most important element he uses is the music. He's most happy when his works are praised for the music. When he watches other films, he pays attention to how music is used, and he doesn't like it. Sometimes he listens to the music first, and then the animation will come to mind. He specifically stated that episode 14 of Samurai Champloo used Okinawan music in a particular scene, and that he had first heard the music, then had the idea for that scene even before the first episode, and said that "you can say I made Samurai Champloo just for that scene." He obviously loved his music writers, saying they created good music for him, allowing him to create the scenes.
He couldn't talk too much about future products or his producers will be angry, and to forget about everything. He's working on a compilation piece called Genius Party. It's reflection peices on his past works, saying one reflection that his shows are full of gun fights and sword play and scenes that make small children cry (Yes, he did say they will make small children cry [like the one at the beginning]). The next piece won't; it's a simple boy meets girl story that's about 15 minutes. He's also planning a Live Action that will make small children cry. He will also be making another anime that's a BIG SECRET. It's a mysterious peice that's different from anything else. "Someone somewhere will be angry if I say anymore."
He assured us that he really is busy and not messing around.
When asked about his opinion on American animation, he wanted specification, and it was specified with Disney. He answered that he hasn't been speaking of Disney very highly; It's a good place for small children like the one who cried before the show (When we were going to watch the first episodes of Bebop and Champloo, he said that they have violent scenes that might make children cry, so they'd have to leave. As soon as he said that, a baby started crying).
I can't remember how it came up, but they say someone named Hajime wrote the original concept to Cowboy Bebop, and made a Japanese joke, saying "Don't be fooled by beginning(s)" or "Don't be fooled by Hajime" and that he has never met such a person; Hajime is a ghost.
He spoke a lot about the music is his anime, and that Samurai Champloo was a mix of America and Japan. He doesn't like classical, and wouldn't listen to country until he came to Texas. It's growing on him. There is a message of life and desire to live in Samurai Champloo... All these notes are getting confusing now. Hmm...

When asked who his favorite character was, He began to tell us that the ones who are most like him are Spike and Mugen, but not necessarily the ones he likes the most. He said his favorite character we probably wouldn't like. That she has blonde hair and wears black leather... Then said it was Julia. He didn't really explain himself though.
One girl said she noticed how the characters all move in their own way, which gives them personality, etc. He said he doesn't like making a story where his characters move about like their playing chess, he makes them breathe air and life. He thinks about the individual characters, what they do in situations, and then gives them a story.

Then after several minutes of a lady feeding him compliments, I stopped listening. Sorry.

Autograph session was fun. We were in the middle of a long line, and I got his signature in my scetch book. ^_^ I was wearing my Kuro Neko jacket (Trigun, black cat.) and after I got his signature, my boyfriend was getting it and his translator says "Oh, what's your shirt say? Kuroneko!" And Watanabe is like "Oh!" And goes all smiley and sticks his hand out for a handshake. I'm all inside. His hand was so soft.. his handshake was so dainty.. So of course my boyfriend had to get a handshake too But we had fun! ^_^ I wish I could have spoken with him, or asked him a question then.. But we had to shove along...


I also got lost coming home that night in the Montrose (where all the gay people and the gangs live. Yay.) so I was freaking out. Oh well. I'm here.
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[swollenlymphnodes]

Awesome writeup AOC.

Julia is my favorite character as well.

I kinda feel sorry for him now... sounds like they got him locked up in a cell at sunrise. I'm glad they gave him free reign in CB and SC.

Glad you're back in one piece too.
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nodes aka GTBaka
eh?
*Eternally Lurking*

[Anime Otaku Chik]

Hah! Thanks :p Yeah, he pretty much hates Sunrise.. Poor guy.
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[GrinfilledCelt]

The way he speaks of going to and wanting to go to places where his stories are set makes me wonder. He only went to Detroit and Houston on this trip which I thought was an odd choice at the time but this is a plausible explaination. I've never been to Houston but I can really see Detroit as a setting for one of his films, one that would make small children cry.
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Songs for the flash frozen.

[Anime Otaku Chik]

Now that you mention it, I would see how too.

But actually, the owner of the museum wanted to do something for their international month, and decided to invite him, and knowing his son was an avid fan of Watanabe, asked him what he thought. His son of course was overjoyed and told him his friends would think it was the coolest if he did..
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[GrinfilledCelt]

Sounds like a good cover story, but what were Watanabe's reasons for accepting?
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Songs for the flash frozen.

[jjjynx]

Darn, I wish such things happens here...but I doubt anyone in the city will understand it.

[Anime Otaku Chik]

What do you mean they wouldn't understand it? They don't like anime?
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[GrinfilledCelt]

You should post this over at AnRe too, AOC.
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Songs for the flash frozen.

[Anime Otaku Chik]

I did, I did! ^__^ I wonder if anyone's really replied though...
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[jjjynx]

[GrinfilledCelt]

What really gets me is when they ask, "Why do you watch that stuff?" when they are sitting in front of a tv showing the 76,412th re-run of MASH.
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Songs for the flash frozen.

[jjjynx]

Aye, talk people of the phillipines, they cry over Days of Our Lives.

[IronPoke]

This may seem unrelated but has anyone here heard of or attended any of Nobuo Uematsu's Dear Friends concerts? Reading this just brought that to mind. But back to the topic, it sounds like you really lucked out, AOC. I'm envious.

[Valkaren]

She was freaking out, she lost all driving skills and told me how much she can't do anything, But I love her anyways