Interview with Hiroyuki Yoshino

[Gubaba]

I was working on this for my next big thread, but not all of it is useful for that purpose. Still, it seemed a shame to let it sit and rot on my hard drive, so I'm presenting it here. I might get around to doing the rest of the interview, but I doubt it'll be any time soon (and anyway, the next part of the interview is all about Klan and whether she'll find happiness in the movie version or not. Who cares about that? It's Nanase or nothin', Yoshino!). It's from the Macross F Official Fan Book, p. 92.

Hiroyuki Yoshino was Frontier's series organizer and its scriptwriter.

- I've heard about it in many places already, but since a lot of people are talking about it, let's start witht the love triangle. The love of Alto, Ranka, and Sheryl...why didn't you conclude it?

Yoshino: Whether or not to conclude it was quite a last-minute decision, actually. Like, looking at the final scene, inside everyone...we never explicitly stated it, but..."which will win, who will stick together?" It shouldn't become that kind of attitude. "It might not have to be like that," was the feeling I got.

Every member of the staff spoke out about it, but for a quiet and unsociable person like Alto to act naturally, he should love the sky more than girls, right? So, you can't force a decision, you have to let the other people choose their own path.

"Won't the fans be angry about it?"

"Yeah. But, well, that's okay. I'm prepared for that."

That was the kind of conversations I had. Afterwards, when everyone had given different feedback, I think Kawamori-san got a little upset. At least, he looked worried about it.

However, when we went to see the Budokan Concert, and saw Sheryl and Ranka sharing the same stage, I said to Kawamori-san, "Not having a conclusion was good, wasn't it?" "Yes, it was. Looking at it now, and looking at the stage, it seems like it would feel kind of strange if we had had one.*" (Laugh)

- But wait. Of course saying that Alto loves the sky is fine up to a point, but in episode 22, he and Sheryl end up staying together all night... Recently, I've been talking with the voice actors, and there's been some talk about that. I heard there was a great uproar that was very funny.

Yoshino: (laughs). Certainly, whatever happened between those two created a lot of anxiety. I won't talk about any of this, it's better to leave it to the imagination...

During the voice recording for the original image and storyboard image (Note: the final animation hadn't yet been completed), we ended up creating a somewhat indecent version for the rough cut with "Oh..." sighs from the voice actors and even from the staff in the booth on this side.

But no. I wonder what what really did happen that night? Only Alto and Sheryl know the truth.

- Won't this "Indecent Cut" be resurrected on the BD and DVD!?

Yoshino: Hmmm, what should we do with it? Rather than look forward to it in the TV version, what about the movie...? We're considering how to get it out there. We could also use it for publicity (laughs).

- And one more thing about this: Alto's strange advance continues. In Episode 23, he says "Ranka is the reason I joined S.M.S." In 24, he says "I'll return to you" to Sheryl... And at the end, it's "Both of you are my wings"!

Yoshino: I think Alto doesn't have much self-awareness. Unreflective and a little obnoxious (laughs). Just speaking personally, in episode 24 when he leaves Sheryl, in that conversation the two of them have before he goes off to battle, I think his real feelings, which he didn't even understand himself, spilled out.

But of course, thank goodness that doesn't settle it! Fans of both girls try to support them, saying things about the ending like "He was heading towards Ranka!" and "No! Sheryl won!" and it's best that people see it however they want to see it. There are as many different endings as there are people who watch the show, and the feeling is that no one is insisting they stay quiet about it.

*Thankfully, Renato finally clarified this. Since the Budokan show happened a week or so after the end of Frontier, it would have felt strange looking at the stage and seeing one girl as a winner and the other as a loser.

And that's it. I was planning on translating Kawamori's Frontier Episode Commentaries next, but I'll get back to this if enough people clamor for it.

EDIT: Renato made a couple of corrections for me, so I added them.

Edited May 26, 2009 by Gubaba

[Bri]

Surprising, so they did not decide how to end the triangle till they made the final arc.

I recently rewatched Frontier whole and in a more relaxed setting then during the broadcast period. Frontier can be split up in two parts, the spacewar and political intrige with the Leon, Grace Glass family, Ozma and SMS crew on the one hand and the triangle with support cast. Focussing on the triangle:

What suprised me was how much the triangle part resembles the "crying games" a story framework used for many early erogene games and popular high school anime. To illustrate:

"Crying game" = comedic first half + heart-warming and dramatic middle + separation + emotional get together

Ranka follow this development pattern perfectly: Moe clumsy girl in the first part, maturing and return of memory in second part, separation by taking of with Brera and get together with Alto in finale.

Sheryl is slightly different: diva who mellows in first part, transformation into "ill girl" in second part. Alto staying with her during separation with Ranka, miraculous recovery in finale by Ranka.

Alto: Empathic male lead who has to be there for the ladies when they go through drama hell. Lacks the sarcastic wit and sense of humor that is often part of male leads in high school drama anime.

Micheal: Has Alto's missing character traits. My guess is the writers split up the typical male lead in two seperate entities but add Klan so Micheal can't get involved with the triangle.

Comedic first part:

Alto does not interact much with Ranka, she is still to much the clumsy moe girl type and Altos character can't interact with that. Scenes where a male is needed get filled by Michael.

Sheryl and Alto have not to serious antagonistic friendship while Sheryls diva facade starts to break down. Ranka develops crush on Alto.

Sheryl Ranka have a working big sister, younger sister relationship.

heart-warming and dramatic middle:

Ranka's career takes off, memories start to return and she becomes less upbeat, more serious. Alto starts to interact with her.

Sheryl falll ill and her career goes down, enter the ill girl trope. Alto hits his stride as protector/friend.

Micheal is no longer needed as Alto can deal with the girls in 'drama mode' and gets his moment to up the drama even more.

separation

Ranka can no longer fight the Varija and takes off with Brera.

Alto promissed to stay with Sheryl.

Sheryl goes into terminal stage and plans to go out in a blaze of moe.

get together

Evil grace puts the girls against eachother in the finale. Ranka gets reunited with Alto and Sheryl

Sheryl drops but gets resurected by Ranka.

End game with harem ending

To me it seemed that the writers created a big sister/sempai relationship between Ranka and Sheryl. With Ranka slowly filling the boots of Sheryl after her illness. A twist on the original Hikaru/Roy relationship but now with idol singers sintead of pilots. It's not unlikely that Sheryl was meant to die in the original drafts of the story. The ill girl trope generally does not bode well for a character. But ratings and fansupport can go a long way.

Note I am not endorsing shipping here, just pointing out the similarities between the plot of the triangle and high school drama anime like Air and Kanon. The Onogi thread had more then enough emotional content for that.

[Gubaba]

Surprising, so they did not decide how to end the triangle till they made the final arc.

That surprised me, too, especially since a couple of people here pegged it early on. And, as you say, it's a relatively established teen comedy ending.

I was also rather surprised that Yoshino had to fight apparently the entire staff, including Kawamori, to end it that way.

[josue]

Well I guess this might settle the Ohnogi discussion (or not).

Edited May 25, 2009 by josue

[エドワード・エルリック]

Well I guess this might settle the Ohnogi discussion (or not).

Nahh..Ohnogi RLZ!!!

[Gubaba]

Nahh..Ohnogi RLZ!!!

Yes, Edward, yes he does.

But he may not have written the last episodes of Frontier.

(Welcome, by the way.)

[Renato]

Gubaba, sorry I couldn't reply to your PM until this morning. I have sent you just now a few corrections you requested for the Yoshino interview . Hope I am not too late.

Thanks for all the info, and keep up the good work!

Edited May 26, 2009 by Renato

[dreamweaver13]

Hey Gubaba, my man, Thanks for the translation of the interview!

And.... WHERE'S THAT INDECENT VERSION???!!! Imagination, my ass. i want Aya Endo's moans to go with it.

It's quite interesting indeed that the triangle was so close to being resolved at the last minute. on a marketing PoV, truly it was the right decision. props to SK for thinking about the fans, though.

p.s. and, yes please, if you have the time, do translate the commentaries.

p.p.s. are you collecting all your translations in your blog?

[DeX-kun]

Well now, isn't this an interesting interview? It seems like Kawamori actually did want to resolve the LT and now the whole Ohnogi thing seems to be swept under the rug so-to-speak. Well this is probably the answer to the movie as well because according to this, we won't be getting a resolution to the LT in the movie either. It's too bad because I really did want to see it resolved Oh well.

Gubaba, I would appreciate it if you could translate the Kawamori comments, I'm actually interested in finding out what was on his mind for the episodes

[Gubaba]

Hey Gubaba, my man, Thanks for the translation of the interview!

And.... WHERE'S THAT INDECENT VERSION???!!! Imagination, my ass. i want Aya Endo's moans to go with it.

It's quite interesting indeed that the triangle was so close to being resolved at the last minute. on a marketing PoV, truly it was the right decision. props to SK for thinking about the fans, though.

p.s. and, yes please, if you have the time, do translate the commentaries.

p.p.s. are you collecting all your translations in your blog?

No, I'm not. As far as the blog is concerned, I'm only doing SDFM. In a few years, I'll get to Frontier over there, and THEN all of this stuff (and more!) will be collected.

And yes, I want to hear the Indecent Version also...if even the staff got into the act, who knows WHAT it sounds like!

Well now, isn't this an interesting interview? It seems like Kawamori actually did want to resolve the LT and now the whole Ohnogi thing seems to be swept under the rug so-to-speak. Well this is probably the answer to the movie as well because according to this, we won't be getting a resolution to the LT in the movie either. It's too bad because I really did want to see it resolved Oh well.

Gubaba, I would appreciate it if you could translate the Kawamori comments, I'm actually interested in finding out what was on his mind for the episodes

I wouldn't be so sure about this being the ending for the movie, too. They seem to be holding a lot back on that count. Pretty much all Yoshino says about the movie is that possibly they'll figure out some way to give Klan a happier ending.

And yeah, I think I do have time to do the commentaries...I'm pretty far ahead on SDFM subtitle work, and the novles are coming along...not fast, but fast enough.

So yeah, I'll get crackin' on those.

[dreamweaver13]

And yes, I want to hear the Indecent Version also...if even the staff got into the act, who knows WHAT it sounds like!

... Multiple Ohrgasm? hyuk, hyuk.

[AcroRay]

Thanks, Gubaba, for another translated info-treat! I thought it was very interesting!

[mike_s_6]

And.... WHERE'S THAT INDECENT VERSION???!!! Imagination, my ass. i want Aya Endo's moans to go with it.

Obligatory

Source: Official Creator's Magazine, Animesuki c/o vivitoru

Pretty much all Yoshino says about the movie is that possibly they'll figure out some way to give Klan a happier ending.

I want this most! By the way, thanks for the translation

Edited May 27, 2009 by mike_s_6

[Mr March]

They just can't show it, but you know Alto and Sheryl had their fun. Like Hikaru and Misa on Altira in DYRL? The only question would be, would Alto be infected by the V-Type virus during intimacy with Sheryl

[dreamweaver13]

They just can't show it, but you know Alto and Sheryl had their fun. Like Hikaru and Misa on Altira in DYRL? The only question would be, would Alto be infected by the V-Type virus during intimacy with Sheryl

Well, maybe that's why Alto was able to use his fold crystal earring to full effect during the final battle. he was already infected.

[Gubaba]

They just can't show it, but you know Alto and Sheryl had their fun. Like Hikaru and Misa on Altira in DYRL? The only question would be, would Alto be infected by the V-Type virus during intimacy with Sheryl

And don't forget Hikaru and Minmay's cozy little Christmas Eve together...

[dreamweaver13]

And don't forget Hikaru and Minmay's cozy little Christmas Eve together...

So that's when Basara was conceived...

[aerocombatpilot]

So that's when Basara was conceived...

DEAR GOD, NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

[Mr March]

And don't forget Hikaru and Minmay's cozy little Christmas Eve together...

On Christmas eve! "How lewd"

So that's when Basara was conceived...

Super Dimension Planet Dance