INTERVIEW

Q.Shintaro Takahashi, you once created the Phoenix Marco figure for "The Zoukeiou" battle VI and even won the competition. Could you tell us the story behind your participation with the FigLife! brand this time?

Shintaro Takahashi) This project came about when the former project manager—a classmate of mine from university—asked me if I'd like to create something memorable with him. He later left the position, and Mr. Tamai, whom I'd worked with for a long time on the ONE PIECE Grandista series, took over. Since it was a special opportunity and I felt I could work hard together with Kota Tamai, I accepted the offer.

Kota Tamai) In addition to the Grandista series, I've asked Shintaro to work on other upcoming FigLife! items. Although I took over the project, I feel our partnership has continued in a very natural way.

Q.Why did you choose Buggy as the character?

Shintaro Takahashi) The figure that got me started working with Banpresto (at the time) was a Buggy figure I made when I participated in "The Zoukeiou" battle IV. The manager at the time remembered that, and suggested, "Since you have the opportunity, wouldn't it be interesting to make a Buggy figure again after all this time?" In a way, it's a character that feels like a return to my roots.
In my mind, "The Zoukeiou" battle was always a series where sculptors could have fun adding their own arrangements. But in recent years, the competition has taken on the feel of a tag-team match between the project manager and the sculptor. With that in mind, I wanted to maximize the appeal of the FigLife! brand, which I personally find very interesting because it integrates figures into our daily lives. Rather than creating a unique sculpture, I wanted to add a new gimmick that would make the project itself feel interesting.

Kota Tamai) Shintaro proposed so many genuinely fun gimmicks. In particular, the magnet feature, inspired by Buggy's Chop-Chop Fruit ability, became the core of the project.

Shintaro Takahashi) Buggy himself is such a genuinely interesting character. Even though he hasn't accomplished anything, he keeps rising to the top. When he says something, everyone gets excited, even though he himself might be feeling anxious. You can't help but sympathize with him, and he has this certain "something." His expressions change all the time, so you never get tired of looking at him.

Q.This work features magnets built into Buggy's detached body parts so they can be attached to walls and other surfaces. What were some of the key points you focused on?

Shintaro Takahashi) Since Buggy is such an expressive character, I wanted to convey that appeal by creating a face that changes depending on the viewing angle. I also added articulated eyeballs so you can move his gaze. The expression from the right side is inspired by his wanted poster when he became an Emperor of the Sea, with that indescribable mix of humor and coolness. The left side is a face that looks like he's yelling or in a panic. You can enjoy a variety of expressions just by changing his line of sight.
If you attach him high up on a wall with the magnet, he looks like he's looking down on you, and if you place him on the corner of the included Cross Guild poster, it looks like he's staring at the poster. Instead of just placing him on a shelf, I think this figure is something people can play with over and over again by trying out different ways to display him.

Kota Tamai) The idea of articulated eyeballs itself is something that could only come from Mr. Takahashi, who is so familiar with articulated figures. It's an idea that would never come from us, the planners in the prize division. Furthermore, creating a "sculpture with different expressions on the left and right sides" to maximize that gimmick's potential would not have been possible without high-level technical skill. It's a huge help to have both the technical skill to recreate something without it looking awkward and the ideas to make it work.

Shintaro Takahashi) You're complimenting me a lot today—is it because this is an interview? (laughs). But what we're making is a product, and I believe that the manufacturer's goal is to create something that customers find interesting when they hold it in their hands. My role is to come up with a prototype that can make that feeling a reality. That's our tag-team style.

Q.With such complex specifications, what was the biggest challenge in the production process?

Kota Tamai) The sculpting itself was almost perfect from the start. We actually spent more time on the product specifications and the promotion to figure out how to make it look even better.

Shintaro Takahashi) That's right. We talked about recreating the iconic lighting of those eye-catching Buggy moments from the prototype photography stage. Since I sculpt digitally, I can adjust the lighting and simulate how the figure will look to create a more "in-character" expression during the production phase. So I wanted to recreate that image for the "The Zoukeiou" battle photoshoot.

Kota Tamai) FigLife! is a "playable figure," so we also wanted to prepare images of how it would be used in real life to convey how fun the product is. I'm already looking forward to seeing how users who get their hands on this figure will show him off in their social media posts. On the other hand, it's true that we have a lot of production challenges due to the unique gimmicks we don't usually include in prize figures, such as the safe incorporation of magnets and the precision of the articulated eyeballs. We're in close communication with the factory and our internal production team to finalize the specifications so we can deliver a safe product to our customers.

Shintaro Takahashi) This time, rather than expressing my own style, I feel like I was given the freedom to play around while thinking about what this brand needed.

Kota Tamai) FigLife! is a brand that started with the desire to make figures feel more personal, not just for display. We've been operating within the constraints of amusement prizes, but this time's Buggy is a Premium Bandai product, and we're also partnering with Mr. Takahashi. That's why we were able to add fun gimmicks like articulated eyeballs. I feel that participating in this "The Zoukeiou" battle has opened up even more possibilities for the FigLife! brand.

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

Kota Tamai) My feelings are the same as with domestic fans; I hope that the fun of this product and the sculptor's dedication will reach as many users as possible. I see this as an opportunity to show this product to new users and to expand our reach, so I think it's a great thing for the brand.

Shintaro Takahashi) Overseas, there are a lot of toys with specifications that you don't really see in Japan, and magnetic toys are commonplace. Because of that, there should be a lot of people who find these kinds of gimmicks interesting. I'm really looking forward to seeing their reactions.

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

Shintaro Takahashi) Personally, I really enjoyed the experience of working with the planner to discuss the specifications of the product. It's an experience I don't get very often. I hope we can have more opportunities to create things together in the future. My dream is to win "The Zoukeiou" battle this time and have them make two winner's shields, one for me and one for Mr. Tamai (laughs).

Kota Tamai) (laughs). I also learned so much from the process of partnering with a sculptor and developing a project while listening to their ideas and deep well of knowledge. This experience has broadened my perspective and gave me a great opportunity to think, "Is there more we can be doing?" As for my ambition, I'd like this "ONE PIECE The Zoukeiou FigLife! Buggy" figure to become a huge social media trend!