INTERVIEW

Q.Last year, S.H.Figuarts took on the "ONE PIECE ‘The Zoukeiou’ 2024" battle and placed 3rd in the Real Figure Division with an action figure of Ace. Could you tell us about the circumstances behind your team's formation and your aspirations for this year's competition?

Koki Akiba) I felt that last year's Ace figure was a remarkable achievement, both for the Collectors Division and for the articulated figure industry. However, the fact that we didn't win really made me realize the high level of the "The Zoukeiou" battle, and I also felt the difficulty of conveying the appeal of an action figure, which can only be fully appreciated by holding and playing with it. That's why I had a strong desire for a "comeback" this year.

I've worked with Kyo Nagashio and Satoshi Kinugasa on other S.H.Figuarts projects, and we've often talked about how great it would be to participate in "The Zoukeiou" battle together someday. Both of them really enjoy our figure meetings and are always willing to take on new challenges. So, with the intention of making a comeback from last year, I knew they were the only two who could take on a challenge that would transcend the limits of an action figure.

Kyo Nagashio) After placing 3rd last year, I felt a strong sense of accomplishment and fun as a challenger. Our goal is to expand the world of action figures, which we love, and to convey the joy of them. Winning would be the icing on the cake. I feel honored to have been given this opportunity again.

Satoshi Kinugasa) I got my start in this profession because of ONE PIECE, and I've been a fan of "The Zoukeiou" battle since it was first held as a prize competition. Last year, I saw Kyoshio participating with Ace, and I was so amazed. I was truly happy to have the chance to participate on that stage myself.

Q.So ONE PIECE was the reason you became a sculptor?

Satoshi Kinugasa) That's right. It all started when I was making sculptures with oven clay as a hobby and submitted one to the "Usopp Gallery," a popular feature in the ONE PIECE manga volumes. I won the Grand Prize in Volume 51, and Mr. Oda himself sent me a handwritten shikishi (autograph board) that encouraged me to "Why don't you become a professional?" That's why I believe I wouldn't be here today if it weren't for ONE PIECE. I feel it was fate.

Kyo Nagashio) After seeing him post about his love for ONE PIECE, I thought it would be interesting to team up with him for this year's battle. For the production, I'm the overall director for the sculpting, including the articulated parts, while Satoshi is in charge of the exterior sculpting. It's a true tag-team effort.

Q.Why did you choose Marco as your character, and what were some of the key points you focused on for the sculpting?

Koki Akiba) We chose Marco because he's a character who can help us go beyond the limits of an action figure and compete with static figures, while also combining a flashy look with the fun of articulation. This is the first time we've released Marco as an S.H.Figuarts figure.

Kyo Nagashio) It wouldn't make sense to make a Marco figure without creating both his human arms and legs and his ability-activated state. With the desire to create a "definitive version," we made him compatible with interchangeable parts. The workload increased dramatically, but that's what "The Zoukeiou" battle is all about.

Satoshi Kinugasa) I really enjoyed creating the different facial expressions. Normal figures tend to have calm expressions, but this time, we created an angry face, a yelling face, a gritting teeth face, and even a laughing face. It was also fun to imagine how he and last year's Ace would look side by side, laughing. With an action figure, you can recreate scenes like a banquet that are difficult to reproduce with a static figure. I think fans will be happy with that.

Q.What was particularly difficult about sculpting Marco?

Satoshi Kinugasa) The expressions and effects are slightly different between the Marineford Arc and the recent Wano Country Arc, so it was a challenge to match them. We all discussed which era to focus on, and we struggled with the process of recreating him in his modern form while still incorporating the sharpness of his Marineford appearance. But in the end, I think his face turned out great.

Kyo Nagashio) Matching those details was truly an exercise in finding the greatest common denominator. We consumed both the anime and the manga and asked Koki to look at it from an objective perspective. We spent a lot of time carefully considering everything and made sure not to forget the importance of making him look cool as a figure.

Q.His wings are also very detailed yet articulated. What kind of technology did you use for that?

Kyo Nagashio) The wings have wires inside, and we used the latest version of a technique called "bendable," which allows you to freely change and fix the shape. For last year's Ace, we inserted wires into his fabric cape, but this time, we put the wires directly into the sculpted parts, which gives us even more freedom of shape.

Koki Akiba) This is a new endeavor that pushes the limits of mass production. I asked Satoshi and Kyoshio to "make it look as realistic as possible," and they created every single wing and small detail so intricately.

Satoshi Kinugasa) We were conscious of the look of a bird's feathers, and I think we created an unprecedentedly cool-looking wing effect. It should look even better with color.

Q.You also focused on the sculpting of the figure after it's been moved. Can you tell us about that?

Kyo Nagashio) That's the key to an action figure. For example, we resculpted the wrinkles that appear when you bend his elbow or the back of his shoulder when you move his shoulder forward. I'm always in charge of sculpting the parts that would otherwise become empty spaces when you move the figure.

Satoshi Kinugasa) I made him look like he has a proper bone structure and muscles inside, so that he has the dignified presence of the First Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates. I didn't want to make him look too skinny just because he's depicted that way in the manga; I wanted him to look strong when he's placed next to Ace or other characters. I hope that strength comes across.

Q.Starting this time, "The Zoukeiou" battle will include overseas voting. How do you feel about that?

Kyo Nagashio) I'm really happy about it. The culture of action figures, which originated overseas, has evolved in a unique way in Japan. There's no other action figure in the world that has been made with such attention to detail on the joints and the use of soft materials. We can show people overseas how amazing Japanese action figures are now. If we get votes, it means they understood what we were doing, so I'm very excited about it.

Satoshi Kinugasa) Just like with the articulation in the wings, I hope people overseas will notice that we are "doing something new." I hope they'll see that it's an articulated figure unlike anything available overseas and want to buy it, which will translate into votes.

Koki Akiba) The S.H.Figuarts series of ONE PIECE has a large number of fans overseas, so I think they'll be happy to see Marco released after last year's Ace, since they're connected through the Whitebeard Pirates. As a project manager, I feel a strong sense of responsibility to convey the appeal of this figure to meet their expectations.

Q.Lastly, now that you've taken on this challenge for "The Zoukeiou" battle, what are your future dreams?

Kyo Nagashio) The ONE PIECE series itself is constantly creating new ways of expression, as seen in how the joint mechanism for S.H.Figuarts' Gear 5th Luffy's arm became a bendable structure. I want to continue to take on challenging characters like that in the future. Personally, I'd also like to make Rob Lucci!

Satoshi Kinugasa) I believe that comical characters like Buggy—not just the strong ones—can truly make the most of articulated figures. I also think it would be fun to make a Franky figure with some unique gimmicks. And it would be fun to sculpt an older character with a wide range of expressions like Garp.

Koki Akiba) We were able to try out a lot of new techniques with this Marco figure, so if we had to make something that goes even beyond this... I can only think of size (laughs). I'd like to make a figure of Loki in an unbelievably huge size. Since we've done Ace and Marco, I also want to make Whitebeard. I have so many dreams.