The second season of "Yoroiden Samurai Troopers," a new TV anime series that is a direct sequel to the "Yoroiden Samurai Troopers" TV anime series which aired from April 1988 to March 1989, will begin airing on TOKYO MX and other channels from July 7th. This is the first new work in approximately 35 years since the OVA "Yoroiden Samurai Troopers MESSAGE" released in 1991, and the first TV series in approximately 37 years. The director is Yoichi Fujita, known for "Gintama" and "Mr. Osomatsu." We spoke with Director Fujita about the new work, which he says was created with respect for "Yoroiden Samurai Troopers," inheriting its spirit while aiming for a "straightforward, classic" style.
◇An anime in which the main character grows and develops.
"Ronin Warriors" depicts five boys who possess "Yoroi Gear" (armored suits) and are brought together by fate to fight against the demonic army led by the demon emperor Arago. The TV anime aired from April 1988 to March 1989, and its popularity led to the production of an OVA. "Ronin Warriors" is a completely original story set in Shinjuku 35 years later. Shogo Muto, who has worked on "Kamen Rider Build," "Crows Zero," and "Thermae Romae," is in charge of series composition and scriptwriting.
"It started with the idea of making a new 'Samurai Troopers' project, and it wasn't decided that it would be a direct sequel. This time, the script was the driving force, and it started with figuring out how to adapt Mr. Muto's script into animation. This was Mr. Muto's first time participating in animation as series composition and scriptwriter, but he studied hard and adapted it well for animation. As a director, I thought it would be interesting to adapt the script of someone participating in animation for the first time into animation without it feeling out of place. There are works that say 'how many years have passed since then,' but it's rare to have a setting where 35 years have passed both in reality and in the story. Mr. Muto said that he thought about how to make the most of that and built the story accordingly."
As the project progressed, Director Fujita's wish was to make it a "coming-of-age story."
"I wanted to make an anime where the main character actually grows up. ' Mr. Osomatsu' was about a moratorium period, but I also like stories about genuine growth. Of course, I also like stories about enjoying that moratorium period. But I haven't really made a typical shonen manga coming-of-age story yet (laughs). Since it's a transforming superhero story, I wanted to do that."
Director Fujita, born in 1978, watched "Ronin Warriors" when he was a child.
"I was in fourth grade at the time, still just a kid, so rather than the story, I was purely enjoying it with thoughts like, 'That armor is so cool,' 'Those techniques are so cool,' and 'What kind of enemies will appear?' (laughs). Looking back now, I feel like the pacing would be a bit faster. Also, I wanted to show more off-screen moments of the characters. In the new film, they're having a training camp, and I asked Mr. Muto to be mindful of properly highlighting each character."
"Ronin Warriors" captured the hearts of not only children but also female anime fans. However, it seems that most elementary school boys were unaware of the existence of female anime fans.
"I was a child when it was airing, so I didn't really understand it. At the time, there was a double feature movie with ' Saint Seiya' and 'Sakigake!! Otokojuku,' and as soon as ' Saint Seiya' finished, there was a woman who left the theater. I still remember being shocked by that. I wondered, 'Why leave when something interesting is about to start?' (laughs). I was just looking at the toys in the toy store, thinking, 'I want that...'"
"Ronin Warriors" left a strong impact on a wide range of generations. The new series aims to appeal not only to existing fans but also to anime fans who have never encountered the series before.
"Of course, I want female fans to watch it, but I also thought it would be interesting if new fans and existing fans could connect. I think the 'Yoroiden' TV series is definitely an anime for boys, and how people interpret it should be up to them. If I think about it too much, the fundamental premise might change, so I tried not to think about that too much. I just wanted to do a proper transformation hero story. I tried not to deviate from that. It was the same with ' Mr. Osomatsu,' but I basically intended to do comedy, and I think how it was received was just a result. If I was aiming for that from the beginning, there are many more specialized works out there, and I thought it would be different if it ended up being something similar. I thought it was important to do a straightforward, classic story, and to do certain clichés without being embarrassed, right in the middle, and that's what makes it unique."
◇ Reasons for strong lines
While it follows a classic formula, there were many surprising moments. For example, in the first episode, the protagonist, Gai, appears on the side of the demon world and kills humans without hesitation.
"Muto's ideas are very important. He's someone who has fought his way through the world of television dramas, so his spirit of service—how to surprise the audience, how to capture their hearts, and how to create a cliffhanger for the next week—is strongly reflected in the script. At first, Gai kills people, but the balance is adjusted so that it's not too direct. Personally, I don't mind (Gai's killing scenes) that much. I was an elementary school student in the Showa era, so I watched things like 'Fist of the North Star,' and I think it's okay to have works like this."
As Director Fujita mentioned, the uniqueness of "Armor Legend Samurai Troopers" seems to have been largely due to Mr. Muto's script.
"If you just read the script, it would work as a live-action film. We meticulously adjusted the stage directions so that it would look great as an anime. In a good way, it's not too confined to the anime format and feels very real. There are surprises in almost every episode, and the enemy side is also thoroughly portrayed. All of this is packed into a short runtime, which I think is an amazing feat. The enemy side also has more than doubled from four (the Four Demon Generals) in 'Ronin Warriors' to ten (the Ten Brave Warriors). We've depicted that thoroughly. Personally, I think it looks cool and gets you hyped up when all the enemy executives are lined up in the first episode, so I wanted to do it. It's a format that was often seen in tokusatsu dramas from the Showa era."
"Armor Legend Samurai Troopers" is an anime from the Reiwa era, but it also has a slight "Showa era" feel to it. One example of this is the thick outlines of the characters. Although the character designs are typical of the Reiwa era, the thick outlines give them a powerful impression.
"Yoroiden was an action anime aimed at boys, so I really wanted to try drawing with strong lines. Also, since it's a work that incorporates CG, I gave the lines distinctive features so that the CG and hand-drawn scenes wouldn't appear separated from each other technically. By emphasizing the lines, I also intended to make the CG and hand-drawn scenes blend together and reduce any sense of incongruity."
◇A driving sensation like a roller coaster
Director Fujita said, "Basically, I'd be happy if people watched it thinking, 'I want that toy.' My first encounter with 'Samurai Troopers' was through toys, so that might be something that comes out naturally," showing his affection for the work.
Director Fujita actually started his career as a production assistant at Sunrise, the company that produced "Ronin Warriors." He has experience working with legendary staff members who have been involved in "Ronin Warriors."
"I had the opportunity to work with Mr. Shioyama (character designer Norio Shioyama) before he passed away, and I made my industry debut with Mr. Ikeda's (director Narumi Ikeda) work, 'Inuyasha.' So I felt a connection to it. I joined Sunrise, but I didn't have much to do with the Gundam series, so maybe my career path has been a bit strange. That's why I don't really understand how to present mecha (laughs). I don't think it's something you can do with just knowledge. I like period dramas, so like with 'Gintama,' I enjoy being able to do serious sword fighting."
The 12th episode of the first season, "Ehirougu," also garnered attention for featuring the five original Samurai Troopers members together.
"I wanted to have the old and new Samurai Troopers stand side-by-side across generations, but of course, that requires careful consideration. Since it's a new work, the focus is on showcasing the new generation, but I naturally have respect for the original cast. I put a lot of thought into how it's presented, and making it look cool is partly a hobby of mine (laughs). I considered new ways of presenting it, but I settled on using modern technology to recreate the old style. That made sense to me, and that's how it turned out."
Director Fujita and the staff are creating "Samurai Troopers for the Reiwa Era" with respect and passion for the original "Ronin Warriors." The first season was full of surprising developments, so there are expectations that the second season will be even better.
"This book is a testament to Mr. Muto's spirit of providing entertainment, with something happening every week. Please look forward to the rollercoaster-like ride."
Inheriting the passionate spirit of its great predecessors, "Armor Legend Samurai Troopers" has been reborn in the Reiwa era. With its unpredictable plot where something happens in every episode of the second season, you won't be able to take your eyes off it for a single moment. (Manami Anima/MANTANWEB)
