Translated interviews from Generations 2021 with Yuya Onishi and Takashi Kunihiro

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  1. Sam

    Sam Arrival

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    Interview with Yuya Onishi (designer of SS86 Hot Rod)

    Translated Interview: Yuya Onishi:


    Interview(s): Yuya Onishi

    Translated & Interpreted by Jeremy Barlow © Soundwaves Oblivion 2021. With thanks to Delvon for sending me the scans.


    Interview from Hero X Transformers Generations 2021 (May 2021)


    Yuya Onishi
    Design Team Leader

    ●PROFILE
    Yuya Onishi was born in 1984 in Osaka. He majored in mechanical engineering at university and was in charge of the development of white goods in a consumer electronics research and development group. He studied car design at a vocational college and joined Takara Tomy in 2011. With an understanding of the entire product line he is currently the team leader as well as a designer himself.


    “I want to give our customers an “unforgettable experience” that only toys can offer.”



    From consumer electronics to the toy industry.

    -Onishi-san, how did you end up in the Transformers team?
    I joined TakaraTomy in 2011 and then the Transformers team in 2012. Back then my time was split between overseas and domestic products. I worked on “Beast Hunters” for Hasbro; domestically I worked on “Triple Combination Transformers Go!” and a bit on “BeCool” (our version of Bot Shots). That was the start of my Transformers career.

    -We see that your name was everywhere in 2016. You were in charge of the Transformers collaboration with KDDI as well as a collaboration with the milk drink manufacturer Megmilk Snow Brand.
    You’ve done your research (laughs).

    -You came into the toy industry from a completely different industry didn’t you?
    Yes, I worked in a consumer electronics research department where there are between 40 or 80 people who oversee a single product. It isn’t possible for an individual to have responsibility for everything. I’ve always wanted to make things in my career and I happened upon Takara Tomy. In my first year I helped out at store demonstrations and toy shows. I learnt so much from Shirai-san (who is currently in charge of publicity) and I told him Transformers are really fun (laughs). That's how I ended up in the team.

    -What drew you in specifically?
    I came into this industry as I wanted the opportunity to be able to design a product from start to finish by myself. You can do this with Transformers. Moreover you can do anything with cars, planes and robots (laughs). I felt my dream had come true, I had the autonomy to do what I wanted with a Transformer that other teams weren’t particularly focussing on. I love watching science fiction and mecha and I think it was “Darkside Moon” which really made me think about what I could do if I joined the Transformers team.

    -What did you think when you finally joined the team?
    I felt a bit out of my depth, the other team members had been making Transformers for years. I had only researched toys but really only started designing when I joined the team. I didn’t want to end up in a complicated situation where I couldn’t keep up with the rest of the team.

    -You’ll soon be working on Drift from the 2014 “Lost Age”?
    Since “Lost Age” the robots have had very human proportions and I’ve been thinking about how to give them more impressive transformations.

    -You were also involved with the 2016 MP-28 Hot Rodimus?
    The vehicle mode design sketch was drawn using car design techniques and it ended up really impressive. I majored in mechanical engineering at university and also studied car design. This leads to a complicated story. As I can draw, I thought it would be my strength (even if I had little knowledge of toys) so I drew designs whenever I had the opportunity. I drew the concept of Kenzan’s car mode from “Transformers Go!” when I had just started in the team.

    -I’ve heard there are a few teams who develop their own designs rather than outsourcing.
    I think it's one of my strengths that when designing I can effectively take into account all possible details and include them into the design.



    Studio Series Hot Rod

    -Moving back to the present, the Studio Series Hot Rod seems to be the definitive version.
    I was delighted to be in charge of Hot Rod and it really was a challenge. This is the thrill of developing a Transformers toy. Since I joined the team I’ve watched “The Movie” and it soon became one of my favourites as it’s so memorable. Of all the characters, Hot Rod is my favourite. When I helped with the Masterpiece version I kept looking back to The Movie for reference. The G1 version is an exceptional toy and I had it with me throughout the development of the 86 Hot Rod. When fans talk about Hot Rod they all have the G1 version in mind. For years I’ve always wanted to make a product which is of the same standard as the original Hot Rod. When I showed the 86 version to Kunihiro-san he said “It’s wonderful.” which made me really happy.

    -With a toy like Hot Rod is it difficult to fit all the robot parts, with all their different dimensions, inside the vehicle mode?

    Very difficult. With regards to the proportions I always hand draw the outline before I use CAD and with this I drew a number of designs which were all different from each other. After drawing all night I thought “this is the perfect Hot Rod”. After leaving it for a day I reassessed the width of the shoulders and copied the design I had in my dreams.

    -Personally I was pleased to see the wheel placement behind the shoulders and the fact you spin the arms around switching left to right.
    I wanted it to give it a dynamic transformation for the end user to experience. For me, the tyres always have to be at the back. When a black tyre is on the front of the arm it makes the arms look short.

    -In the Movie, each time Hot Rod transforms it’s animated differently isn’t it?
    My main reference was when Hot Rod transformed for the first time when he caught Daniel. When I think back on it I cherish the inspiration I had from it. Rather than focus on the transformation scenes I focused on the scenes where he fought the squid underwater. I wanted to achieve that level of articulation rather than a static pose like the usual robots. This Hot Rod was meant to lead the way for the Studio Series and I thought being able to achieve that level of movement seen in the Movie was an important factor.

    -The response overseas was very favourable.
    Yes, I saw the responses earlier, I’m pleased you’ve seen them too.



    Kingdom Series Rodimus Prime

    -Was it ever considered that Kingdom Rodimus Prime would transform as a whole rather than split in two sections?
    On this occasion I didn’t have a choice. Hasbro wanted this version to be heavily based upon the original G1 toy. As it was going to be a Commander Class figure I had to think about what I could do to add value.

    -The trailer is very luxurious. The rear hatch even has working pistons right?
    That's the commitment from the Hasbro designers. Right at the beginning I wanted to make a trailer worthy of a Prime.

    -I’m surprised with the pull out draw underneath the trailer.
    That was my commitment as product designer (laughs). Personally I don't like excess parts, I’m driven by what I can offer. So here is somewhere you can store Rodimus’ accessories with space for other parts as well.

    -Rodimus also has a separate vehicle mode.
    After discussions with the Hasbro designer, I had a good idea about the shape of Rodimus’ vehicle mode. In contrast to Hot Rod’s supercar style, the clearance between the underside of the car and the ground make Rodimus look like an SUV. I wanted to see a considerable contrast when you compared the two. When you transform him into robot mode the tyres on the arms open up and lock back into the arm to create a sense of unity. It was an idea I came up with to achieve both the SUV style Hasbro wanted and a guarantee of articulation in robot mode.

    -I’m pleased he scales well with Galvatron.
    This was a coordinated effort with each designer. I think the scale of the lineup as a whole will give a sense of realism as we head towards the final battle of the War for Cybertron Trilogy.



    Working as a Team Leader

    -Onishi-san, I hear it is now your responsibility to supervise the entire team.
    I act like a team leader or design director. As I touched upon with the height comparison, I ensure we keep on track with such details so the products reach the end user as they were initially intended. Sometimes a team member has their own idea which can cause everything to fall apart (laughs). The role is to provide a balance as a whole. For example, when you step back and look at War for Cybertron Siege, the story is based on Planet Cybertron and you have lots of very fine detailing included all over the toys. With Earthrise everything has a much simpler look. It gives you that sense of unity for the trilogy.
    Speaking of the Transformer toys as a whole, the line up has a wide range of target demographics and concepts. Guidelines are clarified and discussed with each designer for the difficulty of the transformation and how you transform them.

    -Onishi-san, what is your involvement with Masterpiece Skids?
    I was conscious of wanting to return to the origin of “What is a Transformer?” The whole team was brought together to discuss the direction of a “Masterpiece which would please Transformer fans”. We hope you are looking forward to it.

    -I think your stance on toy design, Onishi-san, is to ensure the end users are always happy.
    Around the time of “Lost Age”, I saw the story on SNS of a child who was finally able to buy Drift after saving his pocket money. I thought that toys which leave that impression on children are wonderful. I’m glad I came to work at a toy company. It made me want to give users that “impressive experience” that only toys can give. Toys are usually found strewn on the floor and sometimes people get bored of them and throw them away. As each designer is responsible for a huge number of products each year, the time to work on them is limited. But by making each one as carefully as possible you may be able to create a product which will be kept forever. Unlike art, this job isn’t about self expression but about what you can make that others will want. With this strong desire I want to work with my team to create Transformers which are loved all over the world. Thank you for your continued support.

    Interview with Takashi Kunihiro (designer of MPM-12)

    Translated Interview: Takashi Kunihiro:


    Interview from Hero X Transformers Generations 2021 (May 2021)

    Takashi Kunihiro

    ●PROFILE
    Takashi Kunihiro, born in 1960 in Shiga, joined Takara in 1980. He started developing Transformers in 1985 for “The Movie” and has been in charge of the design teams behind many of the lead protagonists. In the 90’s he played a lead role developing the Brave series.


    “Hot Rodimus was a lot more complicated in the beginning.”


    Masterpiece Movie Optimus Prime

    - First off, could you please tell us about the Bumblebee Movie Optimus Prime which we have specially photographed today?
    The Studio Series SS-30 Optimus Prime designed by Onishi was really well received and based on that feedback we decided to brush up on the design and release a Masterpiece version.

    - What sort of things did you brush up on?
    The base model Optimus made for SS-30 is really cool but it was made before the movie came out. There were changes made to the CGI model which we weren’t able to add to the toy so it felt unfinished. Our direction therefore was to make a movie accurate version. I feel that we certainly improved the accuracy by using the CGI model featured in the movie as a reference. I wanted to do it justice by reproducing the plump thighs and the way the tyres fit on the side of the legs which gives it a very impressive look. There is also a rounded section on the robot's back and I wanted to get that shape right.

    - The vehicle mode is very reminiscent of the G1 style.
    As it isn’t a licensed vehicle we were able to reproduce it from its fleeting appearance in the movie. Putting it plainly, when speaking of Convoys there is always a cab with legs behind it. I can’t change this but I was able to shift sections to the legs to make them look thicker. As the lower body has to carry all the weight I opted to use diecast metal parts. The metal parts are clearly visible in vehicle mode but they aren’t visible in robot mode.

    - The chest windows aren’t dummy sections either.
    The movie series introduced the split chest appearance. I sometimes use dummy chest windows but as this is a Masterpiece, I didn’t want to do this. Therefore there is a mechanism so when you press the left and right sides, the windows tilt diagonally.

    - The trailer isn’t included either.
    I was secretly able to include connector ports which are compatible with Masterpiece Ver 3.0. That trailer has a square connector so I simply included square holes enabling you to attach it.

    -Could you please let us know any stand out features.
    The front section of Optimus’ gun is long and cool looking. That's why the toy gun is long. When you pose it and leave it standing there, it just looks cool.


    War for Cybertron Unicron

    - Unicron has finally shipped. Could you please tell us your thoughts on this largest Transformer in history.
    Ono made Unicron 35 years ago, didn't he? If you try to use the planet's curved surface as a body, that's what happens. But you can't mess with the spherical shape. It was never sold and it has taken 35 years to put it into production. Thank you for everyone's support. As it was a crowdfunding project, there was a very real possibility it would never have been made. Therefore I wasn't able to spend my entire budget so I used the same mould for the left and right sides of the figure therefore the screw holes were visible both at the front and the back. I therefore prepared detailed covers for the screw holes.

    -It’s the first Transformer to hide the screw holes.
    There is always talk of covering the screw holes but as this was a crowdfunding project that we created with you, we are asking you to fill the screw holes yourself as a rite of passage (laughs)! They are detailed covers so we’d like you to add them, please try it.


    Memories of Transformers The Movie.

    - Can you recall any memorable events?
    It was just after I joined the company, the third Transformer I designed was for the movie. Both Hot Rodimus and Rodimus Convoy’s intended price points were changed right in the middle of production so I had to remake them from scratch.

    -So you not only had to remake Rodimus Convoy but also Hot Rodimus!?
    I had only made prototypes for the basic transformation sequence. The actual transformation would have been far more elaborate. I think those prototypes are long gone by now…….

    -I really want to see the complex version of Hot Rodimus.
    It wasn’t great, it was designed by someone who had just started for the company. Well, it was awful (laughs). I did try to make the updated version as similar as I could.

    -On the contrary, the finished version of Hot Rodimus was quite a complicated toy for its time.
    Thank you. One of the designers who joined the company later on did call it a masterpiece. If you look at it now you can see the mistakes such as the outline of the car mode. These issues have been fixed with the more recent versions of Hot Rodimus.

    -I’ve photographed the prototypes for Rodimus Convoy and Wheelie before. It's impressive that they were much larger than the finished products.
    Rodimus Convoy did shrink, didn't he? I remember working on it thinking “I'm going to make a big hero for Japan.” Galvatron on the other hand was huge in comparison!

    -Have you seen the remade Kingdom and Studio Series versions?
    The current direction is remaking and improving upon the old figures whilst still maintaining the nostalgia and I think the fans are happy with this. Hot Rodimus is very well made isn’t he? Transformers is a very old and long series, the people who make them change and the Generations change. Speaking of Cyclonus for example, at the time my senior instructor was designing Cyclonus the same time I was working on Hot Rodimus. With Transformers Henkei I had the opportunity to remake Cyclonus. I designed it so the nose cone could fold inside the robot body. Now younger staff members are remaking it for Studio Series. I’m deeply moved when I think about it. I’m already over 60 (laughs)!


    These interviews are courtesy of @oblivion01, who wanted to post them but for some reason is getting an error message. Please provide him with the news credit, they're all his hard work in translating!
     
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  2. theestampede

    theestampede Wandering Artist

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    Thanks for the translations! These are always a fun read!

    edit:
    -Could you please let us know any stand out features.
    The front section of Optimus’ gun is long and cool looking. That's why the toy gun is long. When you pose it and leave it standing there, it just looks cool.

    Interesting answer haha. Somehow I don’t feel that was the answer the interviewer was looking for.
     
  3. jackisking

    jackisking Well-Known Member

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    So Onishi designed Hot Rod and Rodimus? Interesting. I always gathered a lot of what we see in Kingdom Ridumus we would see in a MP. Even more when you consider Rodimus is not that Sunbow in some of his details(cues from studio ox) and leaves the door open for a more toon looking MP version.
     
  4. Seth Sunthay

    Seth Sunthay ElusoryMonk

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    Interesting that he was forced to work with the basics of the original Rodimus toy.
    I wonder if he had an idea to make a bot that converts into the whole vehicle a la DX9.
     
  5. Black Convoy

    Black Convoy Proudly Peruvian Transfan Moderator News Staff

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    Another amazing interviews. THanks for posting. I hope @oblivion01 can comment here to give him his news credit.
     
  6. Shin Densetsu

    Shin Densetsu I WILL DESTROY YOU Content Contributor Veteran

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    Future is bright with Yuya. Clear example of how SS38 turned out vs MPM12 which was somewhat based on it. His design approach has the clever out of the box transformations like Kobayashi with the streamlined intuitive approach of Hasui. Definitely appreciate that his designs are intended to stand the test of time.

    Thanks for translating @oblivion01 !

    Hmm…given the timing of this interview, guess that confirms a new Studio Series AOE Bugatti Drift is on the way.
     
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  7. Jaguaratron

    Jaguaratron Well-Known Member

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    MPM-12 Optimus Prime is weak sauce, it has no business being in any "masterpiece" line as its barely any better than the (really quite good) Studio series version.
     
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  8. Emperor Bruticus IV

    Emperor Bruticus IV Destron

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    Really good evening read. Thanks for coordinating this @Sam , really gives us some context on how to speculate what’s next
     
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  9. rendsora

    rendsora Well-Known Member

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    Weak sauce? To each his own. I'm totally fine with it. B'coz of it I sold off my ROTF leader Prime.
     
    Last edited: Jun 20, 2021
  10. General Tekno

    General Tekno Lugnut Supremor & Arkivist

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    I really do love designer interviews like these.

    Also, wow, I didn't realize Kunihiro was in his 60s and around for TFTM's original toys!
     
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  11. PoweredConvoy

    PoweredConvoy Randy

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    Great interview, thanks for sharing!
     
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