A - I think that recent anime has more superficial themes and impressions than older ones. What's your opinion on this new trend?

TH - Actually I get that impression of recent works too. I think it's because the TV codes are more restrictive than before, so creators are forced to stay on that superficial level.

A - Like anime such as "Kyojin no Hoshi" (the Star of Giants - famous baseball anime broadcast March 1968-1991) which had a lot of phrases "beeped" out or "Dororo" (broadcast April-September 1969, an anime which is considered completely unacceptable by today's TV codes).

TH - Actually there are a few references made to "Dororo" in this Dangaioh anime, so I think that the viewers who liked "Dororo" would be able to recognize them. I'm kind of paying homage to "Dororo" in this way.

A - At the end of episode 1 we noticed quite a few references made to other older anime - and a bunch of us here at ANIMAXIS got involved in a lengthy discussion about "which parts came from what anime title" and so on...

TH - I think that we put lots of hints in for the older viewers, a challenge to see what they could spot. On the other hand though I'm also curious as to whether the younger viewers can spot them too.

A - What kind of anime would you like to create in the future?

TH - I like horror stories, so I would like to pursue making horror-romance stories. Horror anime titles must have beautiful animation with appropriate images, which makes it easier for the viewers to get drawn deeply into the stories. It's easier to show the scariness of the film visually using real actors, but the underlying terror - the things which make you really freak out are best portrayed in anime. So I would like to get my hands on some horror-romance works. I'd also like to make anime for an older audience.

Footnotes -

* ATG - Japan Art Theatre Guild, Ltd. Founded in November 1961 to revive the declining film industry by providing film production opportunities for talented film-makers. It was also one of the most famous Japanese film distribution companies, until it unfortunately closed down in 1992.

* "Dororo" - Available work from "Tezuka Osamu Sakuhinshu" (Akita Shoten - The Collection of Osamu Tezuka Works). Story first appeared in Weekly Shonen Sunday in October 1967, the TV version aired from April 1969 - September 1969. The story of "Dororo" is set in the middle of the Muromachi era (around 1470's). The main character, Hyakkimari, is forced to sacrifice 48 parts of his body to fulfill his father's ambitions. He has to fight with 48 monsters that were the parts of his body to get his body parts back. Fighting alongside him is his younger brother, Dororo.