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Anime Central 2023 Interview: Animator Tabata Hisayuki

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Lelouch from Code Geass, a slender and dark-haired teenager who has a single glowing eye. He's wearing a high collar cape, and blood is running down his face.

Tabata Hisayuki is an animator and animation director with over 20 years of experience in the industry. He’s best known for his work on anime from the Fate franchise, as well as being involved with works such as Code Geass. 

What was supposed to be a group press conference at Anime Central ended up being a one-on-one session, which resulted in a longer interview than is typical.

You started working in anime during a time when the transition from cel to digital, as well as to widescreen, was occurring. Looking back on that period, what do you think about it now?

For me, the digital media was actually much better. All the frustrations I had with analog were solved by digital. So I think I transitioned to digital much quicker than most other people.

In your career, you’ve worked on multiple projects involving Kimura Takahiro, namely Godannar, Code Geass, and Gun x Sword. In light of his unfortunate passing this year, do you have any stories you’d like to share about working with him?

Kimura was a lot older than me—by 12 years—so I wouldn’t dare say he was my friend, but during Code Geass, our desks were next to each other. He was always a great mentor to me, and he treated me as an equal colleague. As for all the memories I have of him, there’s so much that I don’t know if I have enough time to talk about it here.

As director on Warm, Winter Canada, did you work closely with the Canadian Tourism office? What kind of feedback did you receive from them?

Let’s start by saying that they brought me to all the cities they wanted me to promote, and that made a huge difference because it meant I could incorporate all my personal experiences into the videos. 

What do you think are your strengths as an artist and animator?

That would be my attitude towards work, but as for my actual professional skill, it would be subtle character acting. I like to put acting into my characters, and I do believe I am considered for those kinds of skills.

There aren’t too many animators who are interested or capable in animating characters according to their personalities rather than giving them flashy actions, so I think that’s a selling point that I can give.

What motivated you to get into animation? Were there any works that really influenced you and your style?

I’m just one Japanese otaku, and for my generation there is just one influential show, and that would be Evangelion and all the other GAINAX shows. So I think my influences are the same as everyone else’s. 

And this is hard to say in the open, but I got to know Kimura Takahiro’s work not through his anime, but rather one of his pervy games.

Between being an animator and an animation director, which do you prefer and why?

Animator. 

Are there any projects, specific scenes, or any other work that you feel most proud of?

I think all the projects went well, and it’s hard to single out just one. But when I talk to overseas fans, they always bring up Fate and Code Geass, so I’m glad I worked on those two shows.

Being an animator in Japan can be a very difficult and laborious job. What do you think would help make “animator” a more stable profession?

I do think the working conditions of animators have improved a lot over the years. But if you look at the general flow of capital, it’s structured so that those at the top of the rights pyramid take all the pay, and it’s up to us production staff to make it with the spillover from that. And so without fundamental change in that structure, I don’t think there would be any big change. Recently, though, I do think there have been some moves towards changing that structure as well.

For example, individual animators don’t have any rights, so even if I want to draw Tohsaka Rin or Saber for someone at Anime Central, I wouldn’t be able to do that. So even if it were just free permission for a visiting animator to draw these IP characters for the public, I think that would be a big change.

I deeply regret that even though I might be the character designer, I can’t draw these characters that I’ve designed, for fans at locations like Anime Central. If I draw these IP characters without permission, Crunchyroll might get upset.

Are there any upcoming projects of yours that you think anime fans should know about?

There was supposed to be a project I could have announced here. Two months ago, it was permanently canceled. 

But the next project I’m involved in should be due for announcement soon. I’m not the character designer for it, but I am the animation director, and it’s a wonderful project. So I look forward to it being announced.

It seems we have more time than expected, so would you be able to talk a bit more about your experiences with Kimura-sensei? 

As an example of how we got along, we would exchange New Year’s greeting cards every single year, and the sketches on both of our cards would be very pervy. Would you like to see some examples?

Sure! [Note: Image cannot be shown]

(Chuckles) I don’t have the ones that I drew for him.

In my fond memories, since I was in charge of all the pervy scenes in Code Geass, Kimura would be grinning and correcting all my work next to me. 

And since our desks were so close, I would always see how hard Kimura worked. I worried for his health, but he kept assuring me that he would be okay. He did leave us early, though. But I can’t forget all the times I had with him back then. I learned everything from him, and I enjoyed all those times. My attitude as an animator, as well as my skills, are things that I learned from him. 

I know that I’m going to just start tearing up if I recall everything in a proper perspective. 

You said you’re a fan of Evangelion. Did you have a favorite character?

Asuka. Back in the old theatrical release, the one from way back, the presale tickets would come with a prepaid telephone card. So I started lining up the day before to get it. 

So I really am a living example of an otaku who went professional.

Have you been able to see the recent Shin Evangelion movies? What did you think of them?

I think the remakes of Evangelion have really mellowed out. Personally, I’m much more fond of the original films that were much less mellow. 

You just described yourself as one of the otaku who became animators. I think lots of people have aspirations to become animators—what do you think made you different?

Well, I don’t know if I was “successful,” but I have been able to continue for 23 years, and I think it’s because I’ve been able to deliver and gain trust. This is the same as any professional job.

You mentioned being in charge of pervy scenes in Code Geass, and you also mentioned being very good at character acting. Are these two things related? 

Yes and no, but technically speaking, they’re not related because those are different modes. But I gave my best to both.

Before, you preferred being an animator over being an animation director. Why is that?

As an animator, I don’t have to correct other people’s works.

As you said, people know you for your work on the Fate franchise. What is it like seeing it get so big over the past 10 years?

I do feel lucky that I was involved with Fate. But after Fate/Stay night, Unlimited Blade Works, and Heaven’s Feel, I haven’t really followed up on the franchise, and I’m not so familiar with the game’s expansions such as the mobile game, but I just think it’s impressive. 

Do you have a favorite route of those three?

Of course, it’s Unlimited Blade Works.

Are there any anime or manga from growing up that you would like to see revived—maybe even with you work on it?

I’m not so interested in revivals, so I’m stuck for an answer.

Is there any anime genre that you haven’t been able to work on that you would love to be involved with?

There may not be so many missed opportunities for me, since if there was a genre I wanted in on, I could always find a friend to refer me to it.

Having noticed that Code Geass and Fate are popular among fans outside of Japan, have you noticed any differences in tastes and preferences between fans in Japan and fans abroad?

For me, the reaction from overseas fans is limited to occasions such as conventions. But seeing the fan reaction to Code Geass, I don’t see much of a difference. Is that something you feel is different?

I find Code Geass was popular both in Japan and especially here a few years ago. Fate has become very popular over time here as well, very much thanks to the mobile game, Fate/Grand Order. 

I do think it’s very much the same between Japan and overseas because the lack of time lag due to streaming has brought things to the same place. 

Speaking of that, there’s talk these days about how anime production is increasingly international, involving Crunchyroll, Netflix, etc. Do you feel there is a difference between creating anime that is primarily targeted towards Japan vs. a more international audience?

This is a question best answered by a producer rather than a line animator, but for the Japan-side shows, I do think there is much more emphasis or interest in hitting ratings for the Japanese domestic market. That might be the sole focus.

Do you have any advice for aspiring animators?

To become an animator in Japan?

Let’s say yes.

There are a lot of animators who work overseas remotely with Japanese studios, so borders are starting to become irrelevant. There are issues about this, but time will solve them. Perseverance is the best advice.

Was this remote work because of the pandemic or was it even before that?

This was a trend that started before the pandemic, but I do think the pandemic accelerated it.

Are there any other workflow/production changes that have occurred because of the pandemic as well?

Digital production has really accelerated. Or rather, COVID really separated it into two layers: the ones who succeeded in digitizing their workflows and those studios that were left behind.

You don’t have to name names, but for the studios left behind, does that mean that they are no longer around or that they’re just having to catch up?

This really depends on the sense of urgency at each studio. Some will be able to catch up and others will end up disappearing just because the digital workflow is inevitable, and everyone needs to move on.

Going back to the topic of Canada, the Tourism office sent you to a lot of places. Did you have a favorite?

I like cold climates, so there are plenty of favorites, but I ended up liking Yellowknife. Since this was my first visit to Canada, I liked it so much that I went there again two years later for a personal visit. For that trip, I revisited Vancouver, and also Banff and Yellowknife.

Did you grow up in a cold area in Japan?

Not at all!

Haha, I see. 

Thank you so much for the interview!

Otakon 2019 Interview: Inoue Kikuko

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This interview was conducted at Otakon 2019. I had the opportunity to sit down with voice actor Inoue Kikuko for an extended period, so this is a longer interview than usual. Inoue is known for many roles, such as Belldandy in Oh My Goddess! and Aina Sahalin in Gundam: 08th MS Team.

Ogiue Maniax: Hello, Inoue-san, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I have many questions, as you have an illustrious career, and I’m looking forward to this interview.

Inoue: I’m pleased to hear that! Thank you!

Ogiue Maniax: First, I’d like to ask you about one of your most recent roles, as Tachibana Mayumi, the mother character in Mix. What is it like working on the series and how familiar were you with Adachi Mitsuru’s manga prior to working on the show?

Inoue: With regards to the manga artist Adachi Mitsuru, you could almost make his work a genre—the Adachi Mitsuru genre of manga. They’re very close to my heart, and I don’t think it’s just me who thinks so. Most of the Japanese people I know who read manga might feel the same as me. I believe that in a way, you can say it’s almost nationwide, his manga. So when I got the role for Tachibana Mayumi in Mix, I was very happy that I was able to become the mother of the main characters.

This is because I believe that Adachi Mitsuru manga are very unique—very docile, very gentle. This is something we are seeing less and less of these days, with the very fast-paced and exciting styles of anime these days, but Adachi Mitsuru has a style that’s more slow-paced and gentle, but very deep in thought. So I believe these are distinct and very unique values too that are very important in this day and age, and I am very happy to take part in such a great work.

Ogiue Maniax: My next question is about the character Aina Sahalin in Gundam 08th MS Team. It was a series that ended up with two directors due to the unfortunate passing of Director Kanda. How would you compare working with Director Iida to working with Director Kanda on 08th MS Team?


Inoue: With regards to Aina, back when I got the role for her, I was a relatively new voice actor, and I believed that Gundam was far beyond what I was able to do back then. I was auditioning for many things but not all auditions would go great, and Gundam was a very big franchise even back then, so being able to get the role of Aina was a special moment for me.

The director Kanda-san wasn’t someone I was able to talk to often, as I was a very new voice actor at the time, and I couldn’t really muster up the courage to go and talk to him as much as I would have liked to. In that sense, I regret not being able to get the courage back then because when Kanda-san passed away, I had very sad thoughts because I wasn’t able to talk to him anymore.

When Iida-san took over the project, I believe that the 08th MS Team story had been passed on in terms of the theme still being there, and I do believe we—Kanda-san, Iida-san, and I—were all on the same page in terms of saying that in war, you have these things happen. There’s an anti-war message in there, and in that sense, I believe we were all on the same page, and Iida-san took on the torch after Kanda-san very nicely.

Ogiue Maniax: You’re generally known for playing very gentle and kind characters, but one character you’re also known for is I-No in the Guilty Gear series is famously extremely rude and aggressive. What do you focus on differently when playing a character like I-No, as opposed to your other more famous roles?

Inoue: In terms of characters I’ve played, I-No is a very unique character because she’s very foul-mouthed, one might say. So when I got the lines for I-No in the studio, I was actually going, “I can’t say this out loud! But I’m a voice actor, so I have to overcome this, right?” So I went in there and shouted horrible things, and I didn’t know how to feel. But now, when I look back, I really feel that I grew as a voice actor then, and now I love the character very much.

At first, I felt kind of bad for saying her lines, and I didn’t really comfortable saying them, but after a while it actually became pleasurable.

Ogiue Maniax: More recently, you’ve been playing characters who are not just motherly and kind but literally mothers. I noticed that, often-times, even though they’re small parts, they are quite memorable, and people remember your characters even though they appear for only one or two characters. Two examples I can think of are Ban Kenji’s mom in Heartcatch Precure and Nishikino Maki’s mom in Love Live! How do you enjoy these roles, and do you bring your own ever bring your own experiences as a mother to your performance?

Inoue: When I was still a new voice actor, the very first role I ever got as a regular role was as a mother character. That was when I was in my 20s, when I wasn’t a mother, but I still got a mother character. And after that, another mother character. And after that, another mother character. All of these characters I had were mothers, so I actually thought, “What is it like to be a mother?” I referred to my mother, as she’s the kindest person I know of, and I actually think she’s the kindest mother in this world, so I would channel her into myself and make myself act like her. But after becoming a mother, I noticed that I was taking these roles very naturally, and I didn’t have to refer back to my mother on all these literal mother roles. It might have become second nature

Ogiue Maniax: Your daughter, Inoue Honoka, is also in voice acting. Has there been any advice you gave her about working in the industry?

Inoue: At first, when Honoka said she wanted to become a voice actor, I actually felt a bit uneasy because in this day and age, when the market has very talented people at such young ages, and it’s a very difficult place to succeed in. But I found out that she’s very studious and really wanted to become a voice actor, so I looked at her scripts, and at home, we would practice together. I’m not sure if this would count as advice, but what I said to her was, “When you speak, you’re not speaking with your mouth—you’re speaking with your heart. All these lines that you say, they’re from your heart, and your mouth is only where they come out. It’s really from the heart, so don’t let the mouth get to you.”

Ogiue Maniax: There’s a character you play in Fate/Grand Order named Scheherazade who has a growing friendship with a character named Nitocris. What do you think of that relationship, especially through the summer event?

Inoue: At first, I thought Scheherazade was very docile and didn’t have her emotions show on the surface, so I was very happy when these lines hinting at their friendship came up. Scheherazade felt lonely at first, so having a friend who comes up in her lines makes me feel happy for her now.

Ogiue Maniax: Another role that I think a lot of people remember you for is Kazami Mizuho in Please Teacher! How did you feel playing the role, and somewhat related, what was it like in your brief appearance in the anime Waiting in the Summer?

Inoue: As I referred to earlier, at the time of Please Teacher!, many of my roles were mother or big sister-type roles, and I still kept getting those roles. But Mizuho was a character who was a proper heroine in the sense of being a main female character. At the time, I was much older than when I first started out, so I thought I might not get the role, that it might be impossible for me. But when I auditioned, I got the role, so as a voice actor, getting the role of Mizuho was very significant. I actually thought that, after I had played Mizuho, I felt I had lived a good life, and that I didn’t have any regrets from then on.

In regards to my appearance in Waiting in the Summer, let’s just say that I can’t comment too much about the voice due to difficult reasons, so let’s just keep that a secret.

Ogiue Maniax: I’ve actually read that you voiced the character Princess Vespa in the Japanese dub of the American movie Spaceballs. It’s kind of a cult favorite in the US—did you know what it was before you played the part, and do you know how the movie was received in Japan?

Inoue: I actually had no idea that it had such a cult following in the US! It was such a long time ago, so I can’t remember what it felt back then, but I’m sure that one of the things I was thinking was, “Wow, what a movie! Are you even allowed to do this?” That’s one thing I’m certain I felt.

Ogiue Maniax: Going back to the fighting game genre, you played a character named Lily McGuire in the Fatal Fury OVAs and movie. What was it like working on that series, and what was it like acting opposite Terry Bogard’s voice actor, Nishikiori Kazukiyo, especially because he appears to have more experience in live-action than voice acting?

Inoue: Fatal Fury was a very memorable franchise because the director was Obari [Masami]-san, who was relatively young back then. When I think about directors, I always imagine someone relatively older than me, but he was very young, and it was a very fun project too. So I kind of thought that it was interesting how someone this young could have such an interesting project going.

As for Kazukiyo-san, is he from Johnny’s?

Ogiue Maniax: Yes.

Inoue: Oh, right! I couldn’t really talk to Kazukiyo-san much, so I can’t comment too much on him. Sorry about that!

Ogiue Maniax: This is my last question, to follow up on the previous one. Do you have any interesting stories about working with Obari-san on Fatal Fury?

Inoue: As I said earlier, for the question about 08th MS Team, back then, voice actors didn’t really talk too much with the directors directly. There was a big wall of people between the director and voice actors. We couldn’t talk too much to many of the directors, but Obari-san was actually a bit different. He was very friendly, and we were able to talk to him very openly. In that sense, he was a very kind character.

These days, I don’t work as often as I did back then, but being in the industry, being around a similar age when we were doing Fatal Fury, and having matured in the same time in the same industry, I feel proud every time I see his name in the credits of an anime. I am very pleased to have worked with him back then.

Ogiue Maniax: Thank you!