Gundam Creator Encourages Young Creators to Crush Miyazaki
Mobile Suit Gundam, a pioneer in military science fiction, has had a significant impact on the Japanese industry since it was first introduced in 1979. The creator of the franchise, Yoshiyuki Tomino, recently reflected on the journey of the franchise at the Niigata International Animation Film Festival and playfully issued a challenge to aspiring creators.
Following a screening of “Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack” at the film festival on March 16th, Tomino took the stage to discuss the ever-changing landscape of anime and how breaking conventional storytelling tropes has become the need of the hour.
In his speech, Tomino highlighted the impact of Hayao Miyazaki’s acclaimed film “How Do You Live?” which recently clinched the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. “This kind of complex animation was made and won an award in America. In that sense, a new benchmark has been set”, he quoted.
Tomino went on to laud the film for its ability to connect with audiences worldwide. However, while commending the Oscar-winning director, he challenged the next generation of animators and filmmakers to strive for excellence and surpass the high standards set by Miyazaki.
“Young creators shouldn’t be taken lightly. You can’t surpass Miyazaki or One Piece without truly dedicating yourselves. Everyone, please work hard to crush Miyazaki! I can’t do it anymore. Thanks to Miyazaki’s animation, anime and movies themselves are changing”, Tomino added.
Yoshiyuki Tomino is a renowned personality in the anime industry who is credited with inspiring all mecha anime that followed his work. Despite being 82 years old, he is still professionally active in the industry and has been continually involved in the recent sequels of Mobile Suit Gundam.
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