How they met and their first impressions
Question: When did Kubo-sensei and Morita-san first meet?
Kubo: After recording the first ever animated version of “BLEACH”*1 where I did the role of Kon. I think that was the first time.
Morita: I had other work scheduled that day and had to leave early, so I didn’t really get to talk with him.
Question: What were the first impressions of each other?
Morita: A shy person
Kubo: A very energetic person. He’s always very excited. I don’t tend to get along very well with overly energetic people, but Morita-san was very friendly and open, which helped a lot. We got along very well once we started talking.
| About “BLEACH” the animated series |
Question: Kubo-sensei, do you watch the animated version?
Kubo: Of course! I get a copy of it before it’s aired, and I watch that too.
Question: Any opinions?
Kubo: I have to do everything myself for the comic, but a lot of people work together for the animated version. People interpret the script in different ways, so I’m always impressed by how it turns out and watch in awe! *laughs*
Question: Does Ichigo talk to you with Morita-san’s voice when you imagine him in your mind?
Kubo: It happens. *laughs* I’ve told Morita-san about it.
Morita: When I heard about it, I just had to look for that scene.
Kubo: It’s when the crew returns from Soul Society, when Ichigo says “Ijime?”*2 *laughs* (* Ijime = bullying)
Kubo: Earlier, Morita-san was saying how “a story is born when people interact”*3. I agree with that. For me, drawing comics is not about drawing lines and faces, but about portraying the mood. So whether or not you’re working on a novel or a comic, you work to portray the mood on paper with words and drawings. Like…for example backgrounds. Backgrounds can tell you where a character is, but I don’t think it’s that important. I don’t want to draw a background if the focus is on the character. In “BLEACH”, a lot of the times when a new character appears, I leave the background white*4. I want the reader to feel the mood the character gives when they’re there. Characters make the setting real, so I keep that in mind when I work on each character.
Morita: When I read the comic, I can feel the mood, the tension (or lack of) that the drawings create, and I can really imagine hearing the dialogue. So when I put voice to the characters, it’s important that I try to recreate that mood as much as possible without any distortion.
Question: How do you spend your days off?
Kubo: I don’t get any days off.
Morita: Same here.
Kubo: If I have any spare time, I work on colouring or some other task. It’s so rare to get any time off; I don’t remember what I did the last time I had time off. I might give myself a few hours to go get a hair cut, but it’s back to work once I get back.
Question: What’s the number one thing you want to do right now?
Kubo: I’m not sure… If I think about what I want to do everyday, I think I’d go crazy! How crazy is it that I haven’t been able to do anything I want to for the past two years??
Question: Kubo-sensei, do you ever think about moving on and working on a different project?
Kubo: I try not to think about it. When I start thinking about something else, my mind shifts away to it, and if I focus too hard on it, my mind my ideas [for BLEACH] start to blur. So, if something pops up, I satisfy it with just sketch of a character or two for it, and leave it at that. I try to keep my mind focused on “BLEACH” as much as possible. I could make a lot of side-stories for “BLEACH”, but if I make a side-story for “something else”, then “BLEACH” won’t turn out the way I’d like it to so I’ve never wanted to make one.
Question: What kind of work would you like to do in the future then?
Morita: Work wise, I’d like to do some stage work. I started off acting on stage, so I’d like to go back to acting on stage and on TV….but that’s quite a ways into the future. I just don’t have the time with how things are right now.
Kubo: Designing work. I’d like to do some fashion designing*5&6. I’d have to do a lot of studying for it, but…. Maybe a few years from now, I’d like to give fashion designing and interior decorating a try.
Question: The story about Aisen*7, I liked the title!
Kubo: Thank you.
Morita: The poetry you have at the beginning of the comic books is impressive too.
Question: How long does it take you to write one?
Kubo: I have some written already. When something inspires me, I write it down, and later I pick out the ones that work for the scene I’m working on.
Morita: So you have a book full of them?
Kubo: Yes I do! I think I have about 50 written down. They could be about a character’s image, or what they’re thinking about. If I can’t find one that fits into my idea, then I think about it until I do. It’s quite tough if I can’t find anything good in my stash.
Question: Is it like that now too?
Kubo: Yeah. I have to think of some for the upcoming Character Book. I was told they’d like some [poetry] in the Character Book and Anime Book just recently, so I’m struggling to come up with something good*8.
Question: Kubo-sensei, when do you feel satisfaction when you’re working?
Kubo: I guess that would be when I’m able to draw out exactly what I’ve imagined. I only get 19 pages to work with every week, so I have to cut out some stuff on occasion. It rarely works out perfectly, but when it does, it feels great!
Question: Parts of your work sometime seems like a scene from a movie. Like when Hinamori goes after [Ichimaru] Gin right after Aisen’s death*9.
Kubo: That’s actually one of the scene’s that worked out as I wanted. It’s one where I was able to portray everything with the right techniques, so I’m happy to hear you say that.
Morita: It’s one of those things that you can read on without really noticing. But after you go over it again, and think about the frame size on each page or the kind of effects he’s using, you realize how well it’s drawn out.
Kubo: There’s still a lot I’d like to develop on. If I had infinite time that is. Like more about [Zaraki] Kenpachi. I’m sure I’ll be able to somewhere down the storyline.
Question: I really wonder who “Yachiru” refers too…
Kubo: I plan to bring it up. It’s a secret for now.
Morita: And the “Four Noble Houses”…?
Question: Kuchiki and Shihouin and…..Shiba?
Kubo: No, not Shiba. When they were around, it was the “Five Nobel Houses”. There are a lot of other ideas I’d like to work on, but I’ll only bring up ones that are really good… You’d only want the best right?
Morita: I’m looking forward to it! *laughs*
I read every single letter that is sent to me. Your thoughts and opinions are what really keep me going. Please keep the fan letters coming! *laughs*
from : Bleach Exile.com
