The new TV anime series "Yoroiden Samurai Troopers," a legitimate sequel to the "Yoroiden Samurai Troopers" series that aired from April 1988 to March 1989, has been airing on TOKYO MX and other stations since January. This is the first new series in about 35 years since the OVA "Yoroiden Samurai Troopers MESSAGE" released in 1991, and the first revival of the TV series in about 37 years. The new series is not a remake or reboot, but rather a "legitimate sequel." Set 35 years after the attack by the evil world, it depicts the exploits of the new Samurai Troopers, who have inherited the spirit of the original. How did this new series come about? We spoke to series composition and scriptwriter Muto Masago.
◇Sequels, not remakes or reboots
"Samurai Troopers" is an anime produced by Sunrise, depicting five boys who possess "Yoroigia" (armored armor) who are brought together by fate to fight against the evil army led by the evil emperor Arago. The TV anime aired from April 1988 to March 1989, and due to its popularity an OVA was also produced. "Samurai Troopers Gaiden" was released in 1989, "Samurai Troopers: Legend of the Bright Emperor" was released from 1989 to 1990, and "Samurai Troopers: Message" was released in 1991.
The new series will be directed by Yoichi Fujita, known for works such as "Gintama" and "Mr. Osomatsu," and will be written and composed by Muto, known for works such as "Kamen Rider Build," "Crows Zero," and "Thermae Romae." It has been announced that the series will be split into two seasons.
Muto joined the project from the very beginning, and was involved from the beginning in exploring the direction of the work.
"It was a completely blank slate. We hadn't even decided whether it was a remake or a reboot, and it all started with the desire to do Samurai Troopers again. I myself didn't watch it as a child. I was playing sports and didn't watch much anime at the time, so I watched it a while later. The Yoroi Gear made a strong impression on me. I loved the Sengoku period, and it was dynamic and a hero story, so I was attracted to that. It's not so much the episodes that made the Yoroi Gear an impression on me."
It was Muto who suggested making it a sequel rather than a remake or reboot.
"The story is set 35 years in the future. My initial motivation for this was that I thought it was rare for a work to link with the passage of time in real life. There are sequels in which the protagonists, who were young boys, grow into adults, but there aren't many sequels that directly reflect the real passage of time in the anime. Not only are the characters getting older, but the fans from back then are also getting older. I became interested in how people would watch over the Reiwa era of Samurai Troopers."
◇Depicting the way a samurai lived and died
"Armor runs through my heart!" is a famous catchphrase from the original work. The new work inherits that spirit and has been reborn in the Reiwa era.
"After watching it again, I first wanted to portray an emotional story that really moves the emotions, passionate battles, and characters that are full of charm, regardless of whether they're friend or foe. Also, one of my guiding principles was the catchphrase, 'Armor runs through my heart!' I tried to depict the Reiwa version with these words as a guide. Since the title has 'Samurai' in it, I was conscious of the words from 'Hagakure', 'Bushido is the way of the samurai, to find death.' I tried to portray 'the way of life and the way of death', of being prepared to risk your life to fulfill your mission, and living and fighting without regrets. Death wasn't really featured in 'Yoroiden,' but I tried to express that in a heroic anime."
The main character, Gai, is also impressive as he honestly confronts the question of "what is death?" In the first place, Gai's first appearance as a member of the demon world, in other words, as an enemy, also had an impact.
"It's a big difference from Yoroiden. When I thought about the theme this time, I realized that in the past it was possible to say with confidence, 'This is justice!' but that has become harder to say. That being said, justice is also the core of the story, so the reason Gai appears on the enemy side is because I didn't want to define justice in one way. Even if we think of ourselves as being just, if you change your perspective, they can sometimes appear evil. I tried to understand justice from that perspective."
◇The earthiness and passion of the Showa era
I was also surprised to hear famous songs from the 1980s such as "Namida no Request," "Runner," "Hito ni Yasashiku," "Linda Linda," and "TOKIO," as well as "Samurai Heart," the opening theme to the second part of "Yoroiden Samurai Troopers" sung by Hiroko Moriguchi, playing during the film. It brings back memories for the generation who remembers the time, while sounding fresh to younger viewers. It was Muto's idea to play nostalgic songs during the film.
"I came up with the idea of playing music from the '80s as a bridge between the Reiwa era and that time. I wanted the Reiwa version of Samurai Troopers to be not only new, but also somehow nostalgic. I wanted to be able to successfully trace the gritty, passionate nature that I felt in the Showa era."
Muto continues, "However..."
"I had only intended to use it as a hook for the first episode. The director said he wanted to play 'Samurai Heart,' so I thought the only time we would play it would be in episode 5. So then I thought, what about other songs too? But it's not enough to simply play songs you like. You can play songs that fit the theme, songs that align with the emotions of the characters, or songs that have a meaning that is the complete opposite of the scene. By playing songs, you can get a multi-layered understanding of the story."
◇Counting backwards from the end of the first season
The original series was a so-called anime aimed at boys, but it also captured the hearts of women and garnered passionate support. The legendary voice actor duo "NGFIVE," including Takeshi Kusao, also became popular, and their legend is still passed down today.
"There are a lot of passionate fans, and I'm sure they have many fond memories. It would be extremely difficult to satisfy all of them. That's why the staff wrote the scenes they absolutely wanted to show, and tried to bring them to episodes 11 and 12, towards the end of the first season. We're working backwards from there to create the series. I'm sure there are some things you're curious about, like why Ryo and Jun became the way they did, and what Nasty's current position is. It's all for episodes 11 and 12."
While inheriting the spirit of the original work, it also has the charm of Reiwa anime. The good tempo is also unique to Reiwa anime. Young anime fans who are unfamiliar with the original work can also enjoy it.
"Since Yoroiden focused on battle scenes and didn't depict much of everyday life, the sequel aims to bring out the various sides of the characters and make them more appealing."
"Yoroi Shinden Samurai Troopers" was born from Muto and the other staff members' love for the original work. The inherited samurai spirit has begun anew as a story of the Reiwa era. (Anima Mitsuru/MANTANWEB)
